He paused just for a second, and then squeezed a last time for emphasis. Her agony-fueled scream curled through the interior of his rental, and even Billy Bob clapped his hands over his ears. Jordy was now a blubbering mess of snot, tears, and drool, slumped over and kept upright solely by her seatbelt. Cadmus grabbed her by the hair on the back of her head, and yanked it up, to look at the trailer he had so eagerly driven to.
The trailer where that female who would lead him to his prize wassupposedto be found.
But the trailer had been emptied. Cleared out. No signs of anyone having been there. The walls had been freshly painted white.
Jordy had been stammering, “I don’t understand. This is the address on file.”
Billy Bob had started sniggering then, and it only got worse as Cadmus bit out, “Get back into the car. All of you.Now.”
Because even Cadmus knew that he had to wait until he was safely in the confines in the car, to let loose the rage that was roiling inside.
“Look at it. And never forget what will happen if you fuck up again,” he hissed. “Nod if you understand.”
The girl bonelessly lifted her chin and let it drop against her collarbone, as if that effort took everything she had. It probably did.
Billy Bob kept sniggering in the back seat. Cadmus leaned back against the cushioned headrest of his seat. He was surrounded by incompetents and imbeciles. What was that expression that Micah’s generation used these days?
Fuck my life.
* * *
The twins were finally asleep. Lily quietly closed the book of fairy tales she had been reading from, and rested it on her lap. She had changed into one of the new outfits she had found in her room, this time a simple floral dress that fit her perfectly. Lily watched them, Brady first, then Clover, taking in the calm of their even breathing, the sweetness of two innocent children at rest. If only life could always be that easy.
It had been torture to be near Col, knowing that he didn’t really want to be with her for any reason other than a sense of responsibility. She couldn’t bear to look at him, or let him touch her, it would be agony wanting him as much as she did. Rosa’s condition was slowly improving. As soon as she was better, she would be reunited with her kids in the Faire housing that Rika had arranged.
She had heard that a service had been hired to pack up the trailer, and move all the contents —cleaned or in some cases replaced — into the new residence. All the toys, books and games purchased for the kids would be moved there as well, from Simon’s house. When Lily had some time, she would ask if she could go to the new residence and retrieve Mr. Calabash, and whatever else she might have left in the trailer that night.
If whoever had trashed the trailer had been after Rosa, she and the kids would now be safe living at the Faire, with both Simon and Rika looking out for them. And if that person had been Rey…Lily would be gone soon. As soon as the kids were reunited with their mom, she would move back to her room at the Faire. And once her car was repaired, she’d be outty. Gonzo. Seeya.
She just had to make it through until then.
Lily moved the book onto the nightstand, careful not to make a sound as she switched off the lamp. She got up and walked to the door. And furrowed her brows. The light underneath the door wasn’t steady, as if there was maybe something out there.
She didn’t hear anything. She shook her head. Silly Lily. Next she was going to feel herself being watched again. She forced herself to grab the knob, and turned it with a trembling hand. She stood there for a long moment before she finally forced herself to yank it open. Just open the door, already—
There was a huge wolf in the hall, the size of a pony, looking at her. It didn’t have curly black fur, or dark brown and white markings.
It had thick, auburn fur, and golden, almost hazel eyes. She knew him, even without his telling her.
“Col,” she whispered. The animal took a step forward, and with its muzzle nudged at her. Herding her. She reached her hand out, and stroked its head at first tentatively, and the memory of Col’s hair under her palms, her fingertips when he had entered into her, given her sweet release, swept through her.
The animal tilted its massive head, as if it scented something…and found it pleasing. It pushed at her more urgently, and she laughed, a soft tinkling sound.
“I get the hint,” she said, in a whisper and a smile. Because really, if a giant wolf wanted you to go somewhere, you went.
And so together they went out into the moonlight, Lily feeling unexpectedly happier than she had only minutes earlier.
