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Oh, yeah.
Definitely not used to acting human.
His speed was blinding.
Arden didn’t hit the sidewalk, she came close enough to squeeze her eyes shut, but impact never came.
Because Aedan scooped her into his arms, where she stared adoringly up at him.
“You’re fast.” She hiccupped. “Really fast.”
“I ran track in high school,” he lied while gently setting her on her feet. “Must be muscle memory.”
“Someone ought to fix this.” I kicked the loose concrete. “I tripped here earlier.”
Inspiration struck, and I brought out my phone to snap a few pictures I then sent to the mayor.
That would put a bee in her bonnet.
I wouldn’t be surprised if she mixed her own concrete to patch the spot overnight.
A dark gleam caught my eye, and I covered it with my shoe before glancing up—but nope. Arden hadn’t noticed what I found. She was too absorbed by Aedan’s turquoise eyes to do more than stare up at him.
“Thanks for bringing me my bag.” I pried it from her clenched fingers. “You need to get home.”
“Yeah.” She blinked, seeming to notice her surroundings. “It’s getting dark, and Camber is waiting.”
“See you tomorrow.” I slung on my duffle, gripped her shoulders, and aimed her toward the shop. “Bye.”
Curious about the commotion, Camber met her on the sidewalk with a concerned frown.
“What were you saying before? About a smell?” I jerked my attention back to Aedan. “Are you hungry?”
“Nothing.” Aedan stared after Arden, nostrils flared, as if he couldn’t get enough. “I’m good.”
The girls caught us looking and waved before crossing the street to the diner parking lot, where Camber parked with the owner’s permission. Thanks to that whole no-second-parking-spot thing.
“Okay.” I lifted my foot. “Do you see what I see?”
The odds of any imperfection marring the streets of downtown Samford were always low, especially prior to an event that might result in injuries if someone fell, and that should have occurred to me.
“A claw.” Aedan bent to retrieve it. “How far are we from the kill site?”
“Not far,” I allowed, “but I doubt the mayor missed anything in her initial evaluation.”
She was the sort to set up orange cones and yellow police tape to keep citizens from stubbing their toes. Except during festival season, when the almighty dollar held her allegiance over us mere shopkeepers.
That meant the dobhar-chú had come back, probably searching for the carcass of its kill. It was no longer a problem, but its trips to town would have laid a scent trail its pups could follow. That might explain the disappearance of smaller prey animals. Then again, we had no real timeline for when the pets had been taken, only when their owners noticed them missing. The difference between the two could have been hours.
“Let’s get to the car.” I waved them on. “Clay will come looking soon.”
We hustled to the Black Hat-issued SUV the guys had been patrolling in and piled in with Asa behind the wheel and Aedan in the back with Clay. Asa pulled out and started driving toward the outskirts of town.
“Hey, Dollface.” Clay stuffed a cookie in his mouth. “That took forever.”
“I see how you suffered.” I flicked a glance up and down him. “You’re covered in sprinkles.”
And facial hair. A full beard and mustache. Bushier eyebrows. The wig alone belonged on the set of Vikings.
