“There was… more blood than I thought.”
“How’d you play that one off?” I ask out of curiosity.
He shrugs. “Bar fight turned ugly.”
Ah, yeah. Good cover.
An awkward silence falls over us until finally Dax offers to walk down with me. I get the feeling he wants to be alone, and I don’t blame him. After everything he’s seen, it makes sense. I just hope that he won’t isolate himself for too long, but knowing Jill, she’ll probably be back to check on him.
“I guess I’ll see you later,” Dax says, leaving me at the foot of the stairs. Gray and Tannis are waiting by a parked car a little ways away. It’s just now evening, with not a speck of sunlight left to hurt either of them. Just a couple of vampires at dusk. Not foreboding in the slightest.
“Hey Dax?” I grab his arm and give him a tug.
He looks at me over his shoulder, one brow raised in question.
“Thank you.”
“Yeah, sure.” He nods, pulling his arm out of my hand.
“And Dax?” He doesn’t look back this time, answering me before I even have a chance to ask my question.
“Yes, Cheeks. You still have a job.”
I can’t help but grin. It’s good to know that I’ll always have a place here.
“Come along!” Tannis shouts across the parking lot, waving me down. “Time is of the essence.”
With my duffel bag slung over my shoulder, I hurry over, arms wrapped around my middle. The sweater is thick, but it’s still cold as fuck outside. Gray is ready with a brand new coat, offering it in exchange for the duffel bag. Immediately, I wrap myself up in it and savor the warmth.
“So, where are we going?” I ask.
Tannis points at us and says, “The two of you are going to meet a friend of mine in Chicago.”
“A friend?” I ask, a little skeptical of their wording. That’s a long drive, and we’ll need to make a stop for rest.
“I know a witch who knows a witch who owes me a favor, okay?” They cross their arms with a huff.
“Sounds complicated.” The more I fall into this supernatural world full of vampires and witches, the more powerless I feel by the sheer size of it.
“It is,” Gray agrees beside me. “Does she know we’re coming?”
Tannis nods. “I had Nathaniel input the address for you. Just follow the little screen on your dashboard and you’ll be fine.”
Gray looks confused, but doesn’t ask questions. I know he still isn’t used to all the modern tech yet, so I’ll explain when we’re in the car.
“I also made a reservation for you here.” They pass a slip of paper to Gray, and he pockets it without looking.
What kind of road trip is this?
Tannis looks at me as if sensing my confusion. “Don’t worry. Gray will explain.”
“If that’s all, then let’s get going,” Gray says, ushering me toward the passenger side door. He opens it for me, and I climb in. Just before he shuts it, though, Tannis swoops in and shoves their cousin to the side. Gray grumbles, but leaves, zipping over to the driver’s side with his inhuman speed.
Ignoring him completely, Tannis leans in close and whispers, “I packed a fewextra specialthings for you.”
“What does that mean?” I sputter, embarrassed by the implication.
They just smile and wink. “It’s a surprise! You’ll see.”
