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He exhaled and put his face in both hands. “Dominic.”
“It wasn’t her. She’s not behind this. She could do a lot worse.” I knew there would be far-reaching consequences. There was for everything I touched. There wasn’t a way to skirt around magic or supernatural beings without being tainted. But she wouldn’t be killing wolves.
She knew how connected the universe was. If you take part of a sentient being without its consent, it taints the magic. She wouldn’t work that way.
“We have to go see her now.” He was already pushing to his feet.
“You better fucking explain in the car.”
“I don’t know if it will make sense until I talk to her or if my hunch is even true. I don’t want to alarm you.” His thoughts and feelings were so guarded, nearly choked off by the bond.
“Tell me what you read.”
“No.”
“It’s that bad?” I asked.
“Yes.”
TWENTY-EIGHT
VINKETTIN
“I’m not getting in that thing.” Dominic stood in front of my DB9 and crossed his massive arms over his chest.
“And why not?” I asked, knowing why. “Aston Martin makes a great vehicle.”
“Because you insist on driving and have, in the last month, become a grandma behind the wheel.” He bypassed where I stood, holding the passenger door open for him.
I gave him a flat stare. “You mean I’m a good driver because I’ve been driving since cars were invented.”
“Your age is showing.”
“Your youth is showing,” I countered, not sure I was going to win this one.
“I’m not sure that’s an insult.” He didn’t own a helmet, and I stiffened when he swung a leg over his bike.
“Neither is telling me my age is showing. It makes me wise, so listen to your elder and get in the damn car.” I followed him to the bike and stood in front of it. I’d made the mistake of getting in my car before he had once, and he’d left on the bike, assuming I’d conceded. I wouldn’t be doing that again.
He could go around me, but I didn’t think he would.
“I don’t know why you’re insisting on taking your car.”
I stared at him like he’d been indulging in some heavy drugs. “Do you think we can discuss anything on a bike?”
“I think you can whisper all your theories in my ear.”
“No.” Short and simple.
“No?” he asked, the affront pitching in his tone.
“No, I won’t be trying to explain to you the delicate details of what I believe to be going on while you can’t hear me properly. I will ride behind you, but you’ll be going in blind.” Outright demanding something from Dominic never worked well. He needed to be given a choice. My options were clear. I’d do either. There would be no calling his bluff. That never worked well, either. “If you want to discuss things with me, you can do it in a space where that’s possible.”
He scowled. He preferred the control of his bike. The wind in his face, much like running, and I didn’t begrudge him it, even if my vehicle was much more comfortable. Neither of us broke the standoff.
“Are you going to tell me?” Dominic stared, arms crossed across his chest, but I wouldn’t look at him. Not really wanting to tell him any of what I’d come to realize.
How could I break it to him that while he might have avoided one way of reproducing, he had actually made things worse for himself? I didn’t want to put that weight on him, and it felt like every minute I put off giving him that pain was mercy. “It’s a lot. Maybe we should confirm first.”
