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Anger sizzles through me, and I take a steadying breath as the amulet under my shirt warms, pushing down my fire. “We have every reason to believe you’re in danger. Our hope is that we stay here through the eclipse and you walk away alive. You should be happy there have been no more attempts on your life.”
In the window’s reflection, I watch him cross his arms over his barrel chest. “I don’t know why I trusted you when I have an entire police force at my summons.”
“Because your people are shit against the paranormal.” I move to the next window to glare out into the rain-soaked night. “You made sure of that.”
Bailey huffs and flops into one of the two chairs in the room. “How do I know this isn’t all a revenge plot for what I did to Sharpe?”
“You don’t,” I grunt.
“If you’re playing me, that contract I signed won’t hold weight.” He snatches up his phone, then throws it back on the side table when he remembers that his battery died yesterday, and he doesn’t have a charger. “Mess with me, and I’ll finish ruining all of you.”
My amulet continues to heat, my fire surging toward the surface, and I stride across the small cabin to the north-facing window. We chose this place for its ease of defense, but now I wish we had rented something bigger with actual rooms.
Or at least one that had a closet I could stuff Bailey into. “For someone who begged us to save him, you sure make it hard not to strangle you.”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Smug, he leans back and folds his hands on his stomach. “It must gall you to be stuck here protecting me.”
The way this man flips from accusations to gloating leaves my head spinning. It would be easy to use our belts to strap him to the chair and shove the dirty socks he left scattered around into his mouth. At least then I would have some quiet.
Before I can give in to the desire, I catch the sound of an approaching vehicle, and headlights flood the cabin.
Adrenaline surges through me, and I grab my shotgun from where it rests near the front door. Darius only headed out an hour ago, so there’s no reason for someone to be coming out again until morning.
Bailey shrinks down in his chair, his eyes jumping around the small space, looking for somewhere to hide. “What’s going on? Is it the beast?”
“Shut up. The beast doesn’t drive a car, you idiot.” I hover next to the window and peer out.
A moment later, relief sweeps through me when I recognize the SUV Pen and Sharpe have been driving. Though why they’d be here at this time of night, I don’t know. They’d still been with Chief Lynch when I headed out here to relieve Darius of babysitting duty.
I point at Bailey. “Stay put. I’m going to check out what’s wrong.”
I don’t wait for his agreement before I undo the locks on the door and slip outside, careful not to disturb the thick line of salt and iron. The wards set up around the cabin have done their work, and the line remains dry and untouched, despite the change in weather.
Rain plasters my hair to my head as I walk the short distance to pull open Pen’s door.
She gives me a weary smile. “Hey, cowboy.”
“Hey, yourself.” Across from her, Sharpe slides out from behind the steering wheel, and I step back to give her space to hop out. “Is everything okay?”
“Let’s get inside, and then we’ll talk.” Pen moves to open the rear, passenger door.
To my surprise, Chief Lynch climbs out, dragging an overnight bag and a padded briefcase with him.
Bailey bursts out of the cabin, careful to avoid the salt line. Whether he believes us or not, he clearly isn’t taking any chances.
He stops just shy of being drenched. “Lynch, what are you doing here?”
“Get back in the house,” I bark.
He scowls and steps out from under the overhang. “What, I’m not even allowed a breath of fresh air?”
The shotgun feels like an extension of my arm as I level it at him. “Get back in the fucking cabin, or the black dog will be the least of your concerns.”
He freezes, his eyes widening. “Are you threatening me?”
My aim doesn’t waiver. “This shotgun’s loaded with lead and salt, enough to cause significant pain but not kill you. Give me an excuse to use it.”
Red mottles his cheeks, and he turns to Lynch, seeking an ally. “You heard that, right? He’s threatening me!”
