Page 22 of Tall, Dark and Haunted

“The witches are on their side,” Topher retorts angrily. “You heard that shrewish dragon. The town coven is going to kill us.”

Davy opens his mouth as if to argue, but closes it after a moment’s thought. Turning towards Rhiannon, he pulls her into a quick embrace. I’m surprised by the way my belly flips with jealousy. She’s a bear shifter, so multiple mates are pretty much a birthright for her. But knowing that doesn’t make it any easier to watch her with him.

“If Topher touches you,” Davy murmurs against her hair, “I’ll call him out.”

“I wish you wouldn’t.” Rhiannon pulls back to look up at Davy. “I kind of like him.”

“I won’t have him compromising my mate.”

“There’s no time for this,” I interject, not liking the possessiveness I hear in his voice.

Topher seems to agree with me. Shaking his head, he shifts into his deer form without another word.

Rhiannon looks around the narrow alley and shakes her head. “If I shift, I don’t think I’ll fit.”

“You won’t,” I agree and pick her up by the waist.

Her eyes widen, and I feel a wave of regret as I set her on Topher’s back. She looks like she belongs up there. Like some sort of forest wonderland queen.

I wish I could carry her on my back, or just hold her in my arms for an eternity. But I can’t. All I can do is watch as Topher gallops off with our mate.

“The library. No dallying,” I say to Davy.

I can’t wait to see what Rhiannon thinks of her bunny shifter mate. She’ll no doubt coo about how adorable he is and embarrass him, giving Topher ammunition to tease him with. I’m really looking forward to it.

Shifting into my bird, I allow my wings to expand. I take flight just as the police officers turn the corner. In the air, I once again feel a freedom that I’ve not experienced since dying. It’s pure heaven, the wind beneath my wings. I roll my body to the side, changing direction slightly as I glide higher and higher so I can look down at the town below me.

The castle looks out of place in the middle of Silver Springs, but weirdly enough, Silver Springs looks equally out of place surrounded by the Welsh hills.

There are people running about beneath me. I recognize some of the other inhabitants of the castle. They’re running away from the police too, eager to enjoy their second chance at life. I can’t say I blame them. It’s not every day you’re reincarnated.

There, amongst the crowd, I spot a man with a striking resemblance to—

’Pon rep! It can’t possibly be…

No. The man who killed me and my friends is locked away. We have him trapped in the basement, his very own dungeon. Under the more than competent watch of Robert Scott. I’m obviously too high up to see this man’s face clearly, and plenty of people have golden mustaches. It must be someone else.

For a brief second, I consider following him just in case—the last thing we need is a shifter mass murderer on the loose—but I have to meet the others. It’s essential that I make sure they don’t get caught. My mate is waiting for me. And I need to find a way for us to be together.

I circle around until I spot a building with a sign that reads ‘Silver Springs Library.’ By the front steps, I notice a little black rabbit munching away at the flowers. Swooping down, I land on the sign and glare down at him.

Davy shivers visibly before shifting. “That wasn’t cool, Red. For a second, I thought you might have been an actual bird of prey planning to have rabbit for dinner.”