“Garlic butter.”
I pop the soaked bread into my mouth and let out a groan of delight. “This is good. This is really good.”
“Yeah,” Ronit chokes out. “Glad to oblige.”
I consume the dog and then lick my fingers clean. There’s a silence while I’m doing it, and I know I’ve got all eyes on me. Amusement thrums through me, and I slow down, taking my time to make sure I’m completely clean before I turn to them and cock my head to the side, looking as innocent as I can.
“Is anything wrong?”
“Yes, we should be going back to the house so we can take care of you, not traipsing all over the world hunting monsters,” Lirin sulks.
He rolls on me, flattening me to the sand before he rolls us again and again until we end up in the water.
“Lirin-” Ronit snarls.
Leaf crashes past us and dives into the heavy surf, disappearing under the surface.
“Would you like to go for a swim with me?”
“You won’t drown me?” I ask nervously.
“No, of course not.”
I hesitate because I’m still not sure, but Leaf is there, and I’m trying to be part of something, so I nod.
“Okay.”
Lirin moves quickly, and suddenly, we’re shooting through icy waters like a bullet. He dives in and out of the water, playfully spinning us around and flipping us in mid-air.
Leaf throws us high into the air, and for a moment, we are flying. Lirin whoops as we fall and tucks me to his chest. We arrow down into the depths, and then he’s there in my mind, and I can see his outline.
I strain and strive to see his features, but there is nothing else. It’s enough. It’s more than enough for me. What was that? How did I see him?
Lirin wraps his arms around me in the cold depths of the ocean and touches his lips to mine.
Every moment we’ve shared together plays out in my mind, from finding him dying on the beach through to today and his warm touch.
I feel a rune burn and reach down and touch it. I draw the rune in the air, and I can breathe underwater.
I open my mouth and kiss him with all the heat that’s burning inside me.
Chapter 29
Reed
The city is more awake than it is when it’s daylight, I swear. The lights glow bright red, green, blue, purple, orange, white, and every other conceivable shade. Everything is shapes and shadows, darkened windows, a world turning from dusk to night. People in business clothing hurry home, while people wearing attire to attract a mate come walking out, swaggering and sending sultry looks around as they giggle and laugh.
It’s creepy and unnerving. There are so many dangers, but humans seem unaware of the other worlders that are lurking all around them.
I stay close to Mei as we move along the sidewalk.
“Did Diablos say anything about this one?” Ronit grumbles.
“Just that we need to go to this store and talk to the owner.”
The store is a tattoo shop, and the guy standing inside, warily watching us, is not human. His hair is thick but clearly sable fur, his nails are claws, his arms just a little too long, and his teeth are sharp and deadly.
“The demon send you?” he grunts and steps back, giving way. The inside stinks of weed and incense.
