Romano got the point she was making, but it didn’t mean he had to like it or understand why she was making it. “I don’t know that either. What does that matter?”
She frowned at him and shook her head. “Let’s leave this conversation at ‘you are here to protect me and do a job.’ Don’t make it about me.”
“But it is about you. Just because I don’t know the answers I haven’t been given the chance to learn doesn’t mean I don’t take you seriously.”
She hmphed and strolled to the kitchen. Damn, but he liked the way she moved. His gaze was locked on to her ass when, feeling like a horny teenager, he was lost once more in the vision. The scent of old power—ash and deep earth—tinged into the room. He pulled back, looking around. Where was it coming from? It didn’t make sense. None of his alarms were going off, and no one would be stupid enough to come directly to pack lands.
Romano kept one eye on Kalinda as she opened cabinets and shook her head every time she found more of her things. He kept watching for any danger coming their way as she began to cook. In a few minutes, his place smelled good enough to make his mouth water. The smell of old power was gone.
“What are you going to make?”
She startled, as if she’d forgotten he was there. “A potato and sausage soup.”
He followed his nose to the kitchen, sniffing and picking up garlic and herbs cooking in the pot with pieces of bacon. He was happy her fridge was fully stocked and had brought over her supplies as well. She’d had her home filled better than most restaurants, and he wasn’t sure how long she’d have to remain on the compound.
“What made you start cooking?”
She shrugged. “It calms me down.”
He frowned, and she laughed—small sound that was captured nearly as quickly as it began. He liked the sound of it and would have to make her do it again.
“I don’t know how to explain it. I always liked being in the kitchen and making good food. To watch how people felt when they took a bite and it soothed their soul. Something about a good, homecooked meal makes people relax. My mother always worked several jobs to help pay for things as we grew up.”
“We?”
Her face darkened. “My sister and I. Mom paid for everything and made sure we didn’t work. Not even in college. Cooking for Mom started out as a way to help out around the house, but eventually, I realized I loved it and decided to go to school for it.”
He decided to shelve asking questions about her sister or mother. He’d heard from Zoey she’d lost her mother a few years before. The wound of it was still raw. Messing with her was much different than hurting her. He wouldn’t do that.
“Did they see if you were a hearth witch?”
She shook her head. “When they scanned me for registration, the only thing that came up was my ability to moderately induce comfort through my cooking. They weren’t even sure how I did that either, but it was enough for me to be remanded to an Enchanted Zone.”
Romano couldn’t relate to having not grown up among others like him. He was a Born Wolf and had never lived in regular society, but he’d heard horror stories of those who’d been taken from their life and families just to come to places like Encantado.
Non-magics were terrified of people with magic abilities, even if their magic was so mild it barely existed. They were frightened of its power, so they shuffled off those who made them feel threatened into cities located near the inter-dimensional portals which had torn open decades ago, spilling magic into the world.
Most people who lived in the portal areas had some level of magic. But in the general population across the United States, there were also random mutations of people who had developed magical abilities ever since the 1950s.
The moment they were discovered, they were relocated to a portal city. Sometimes their families went with them, sometimes they didn’t.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured. “You’ve fared better than a lot of people, but I’m sure it’s still been hard on you, leaving everything behind.”
“Sometimes.” She shrugged, trying for casual, but he could hear the undercurrent of pain in her voice.
It was probably the first real conversation he’d had with her, a glimpse into another side, and he could see, maybe, why she thought he was only playing with her. He’d been in her life for months because of Zoey but had never really talked to her this way. So much for Dominic coming to him for advice on women. It seemed Romano needed to get some himself.
He watched Kalinda silently for a few more minutes. When the earthy smell returned, he surreptitiously left her to investigate but still found nothing. Stalking to his guest room, he checked in there last. He’d put most of her clothing and items into that room for her. He’d known she wouldn’t have liked sharing his room, even if he’d have preferred that. His first priority, still, was to understand why someone wanted to hurt her and what that would mean.
For all intents and purposes, Kalinda was simply a business owner in District 17 without any connections to large sums of money or powerful friends. Even with knowing Zoey, it didn’t make her a part of the pack, and she wouldn’t be privy to insider knowledge. Anyone in Encantado would understand that but be leery of messing with her just the same. The fact they’d targeted her anyway was a problem.
A big one.
He grabbed his spell phone and dialed Dominic, who picked up after a couple of rings. “Was there anything at her home?”
“Nothing. It’s clean, and the only scents were hers and what seems to be the mailman’s. Nothing was out of place, nothing searched through, and all of her documentation matches what she told us. Kalinda Thorton is a Level-2 mage who owns Kalinda’s Katering.”
Dominic sighed. “I was really hoping not to call Zahara.”
