“Well, we tried some career counseling online. We even tried to divine the future with a tarot reading.”
Merry laughed. “I did that too. With Morgaine and Gwyneth reading my tea leaves.”
Roz raised her eyebrows. “Really? How did that go?”
Merry shuddered. “Not good. But I think the danger they predicted is over now. I’m pretty sure it had to do with Lila Crum, the paparazzi that tried to blackmail Jason. But anyway, what did your readings show?”
“Just that we were only good at our old jobs, the ones we wanted to leave.”
Merry grimaced.
“Yeah, that’s how I felt too. Anyway, we tried a few more dates. Bartending was a disappointment. My klutziness got in the way again. I broke a bottle and a glass, and Konrad almost busted up the place defending me from some angry goon. Then we tried a cooking class and almost burned the place down. We even tried to skydive.”
Merry sat up straighter. “You skydived?”
“Yeah, Konrad made a tree landing and almost got killed. But he was completely healed the same night. I mean, no cuts, no bruises, not a mark on him. That’s when I knew there was something very…um…different about him.”
“You mean that he’s a—”
“Shhh!” Roz cautioned. “The first rule of supernatural club is you never talk about supernatural club.”
Merry snickered. “I get that. But how are you adjusting? I remember when you called me you were pretty shocked.”
Roz nodded. “I still wonder about my sanity sometimes. Am I a complete idiot to think I’m safe with him? Or with the rest of his kind?”
“Have you met others?”
“Oops. I almost forgot the first rule.”
Merry waved a hand. “Whatever. If you need to talk about it, I’m here. I might have an inkling of what you’re going through.”
Roz snorted. “Yeah. Again, there’s a teeny bit of a difference between finding out you’re in love with a bird versus a wolf.”
Merry lowered her voice. “Look, a predator is a predator. But you can trust the human half that loves you. I was afraid Jason might get confused and think my pet rabbit was dinner. But he says he knows the difference, even in his other form.”
“I hope you’re right, because I don’t have a pet, and dinner might beme!”
The waitress came over to their table. “Is there anything else I can get you?”
Roz shook her head. “No thanks.”Get out of here, blondie.“We’re fine.”
When the waitress left, Roz took another bite and let Merry talk for a while, except it looked as if Merry just wanted to ask more questions.
“What happened after the skydiving accident? You said he healed too fast. Did you confront him?”
Roz nodded and swallowed. “Hell, yeah. We had a big fight. I knew he was keeping a big secret from me, and then he gave me a partial truth, so I thought that was all there was to it. I was really mad that he misled me, and I called him a liar.”
“Oh, that must not have gone over well.”
“We broke up for a short time. Then he was arrested again and needed my help. I learned that no matter how much I wished I didn’t love him, it was no use. I had to try to help him.”
“Arrested? Again? Wait a minute. You never told me about this.”
“Oh, yeah. It must have slipped my mind. Tiny detail.”
“Yeah, right.” Merry frowned. “Come on, Roz. Spill it.”
Roz took a deep breath. “Okay. The day after I moved in, Konrad was arrested. He said he had no real job and couldn’t afford an attorney, so I was appointed his public defender. I got him off, then we went back to his place, and he got me off. Don’t judge.”
