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What if they think I’m just paranoid?I checked my belt for my cuffs and my weapons as we strolled down the silent road.
It was late enough that Main Street—our assigned area—was silent. The only open businesses were a few bars and nightclubs.
Binx led us, with Tetiana in the middle, and I took up my customary rear position.
Tetiana paused to stare into the dimmed window of a pet grooming salon called Paw & Order that was closed for the night. “Binx,” she called. “Do you ever have to go to the groomers?”
Binx paused, then peered back over her shoulder. “What?” She growled, her voice going sublevel temperatures.
Tetiana studied her reflection in the salon’s window, then smoothed a part of the crown braid that wrapped around her head. “It’s a legitimate question. You must get your cat form clean somehow, yeah?” She pointed to the grooming salon. “This would be the easiest method.”
“That’s offensive,” Binx said.
“Oh, so that’s a no, then?”
“Obviously! I transform into a North American cougar!”
Tetiana clapped her hands together once. “I get it, you’re too shy to go by yourself.”
Binx looked like she might transform just so she could claw the oblivious Tetiana. “How could you possibly interpret what I said as shyness?”
“You saidNorth American Cougarlike you turn into a monster. Don’t worry, you’re a very beautiful kitty. Many people would love to pet you.” Tetiana solemnly nodded.
Binx took a step toward Tetiana, murder in her eyes. I knew the gorgeous vampire could hold her own, but I didn’t want to break up a fight between the two, so my desperation gave me the courage to blurt out, “Do either of you know anything about Tutu’s employees?”
It was Tetiana’s turn to peer back over her shoulder, her red eyes glinting in the light cast from a nearby streetlight. “What?”
Binx studied me, her head tilted.
I shifted nervously. “The other day. I was going for a run—past Tutu’s.” I spoke too fast, and I knew my sentences were stilted, so I tried to take a deep calming breath through my nose. “I saw a fae. He looked like he was testing Tutu’s boundaries.”
Tetiana and Binx exchanged looks. I couldn’t read their expressions—they were too fast.
“Describe him,” Binx ordered.
I described the fae as we’d been trained, staring at the task force pin on the collar of Binx’s shirt instead of her face.
“He was probably an employee,” Tetiana said once I finished.
“Probably,” Binx echoed. “Word has it that Tutu’s increased security after the mantasps were released on Goldstein Street.”
“Ah,” I said.
Awkward silence filled the air like smoke from a smoldering fire. Tetiana glanced back at Binx again, who shrugged.
Great. I was right. They really do think I’m paranoid. Hey, at least they aren’t fighting anymore. I can unite them in their disbelief.
My face felt hot, and I rolled my shoulders back. “S-should we keep going?”
“Yeah,” Tetiana said. “Yeah,” she repeated as she turned around.
Binx started stalking off again, and she nearly jumped out of her boots when our radios shrieked.
A burst of static blasted out of the radios, until we heard Sarge’s voice. “Team Blood?”
I grimaced at the name—another reminder of just what my squadmates thought of me.
Tetiana unhooked her radio and pressed a button. “YEAH?” She shouted. “YOU NEED SOMETHING, SARGE?”
