“Who were they?”
“We don’t know for certain, but there’s a new group in town that goes by the name Hellhounds,” Mal answers.
“Yeah. We take some small groups out and more appear. Like fucking roaches,” Tag spits.
“Okay, when I’m out, but if I’m here, shouldn’t I be safe?”
“Of course,” Mal and Tag assure me.
“I’d rather have someone with you if I can’t be. I don’t like it when I can’t see you.” What does that mean?
“You haven’t been with me for days.”
“No, I wasn’t.” The way he saysImakes my eyes drift to Tag who grins like the Cheshire cat. So Tag was watching me, but still, he wasn’t in the house.
“How did you know I needed you?” I ask Daddy.
“Brendan said to keep an eye on you.”
“And how did you do that?”
“Cameras, lots of cameras. Oh, and I’ve been watching you since Lex met you.”
I turn to face Tag. “Really? You don’t get days off?”
He snorts. “I do. Someone else just fills in.”
“Usually me.” Mal raises his hand.
“Wait, since you met me?!” I turn to Daddy.
He wraps me in his arms.
“I knew you were mine when I first saw you.”
“He just didn’t get crazy about it right away,” Mal adds.
“Shut up, or I’ll use you as a punching bag.”
“You wouldn’t.” He waves Lex off, and I think the only reason he gets away with it is because he’s family.
“Fine,” he grumbles. “Let’s go meet Chef. When she heard I was bringing home someone, she shooed me out of her kitchen and started cooking.”
“I can’t eat that much.” I laugh and gesture to myself. “I’m small. Remember?”
He eyes me up and down hungrily. “I remember.”
“Stop it.” I blush, and he grabs my hand, leading me through the house. It’s beautiful and warm, but still somehow empty.
“It looks like no one lives here but ghosts.”
He laughs and looks around. “There are no ghosts here, rabbit. I promise.”
“I wasn’t actually scared. Ghosts are cool. The living are the monsters,” I say.
“You’re not wrong there.” He gives my hand a squeeze, and we walk into a huge dining room.
“Wow! You must hold some amazing parties in here.”
