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Abi blinked. “Wait, what? You getstuckas a furry, stinky, slobbery, overgrown dog? I didn’t know you could getstuck!” She looked vaguely horrified at the idea.
I walked across the room to sit down next to her, still cracking up. “I mean, yes, but it’s not that bad. I don’t stink, for one thing. Wolves are pretty clean. And I haven’t had a problem with slobbering. That might just be a Cody thing.” I raised a brow, smirking a little at her.
“That sounds awful,” Abi said, her smile gone. She completely ignored the dig about Cody.
I sighed. “I was stuck as a wolf the entire time I was captured,” I said. “It was cold, and the only thing I could do was huddle. They kept giving me dog food—I’m sure they thought that was funny. Of course, I had no idea what was going on, so that made it worse, but…it wasn’t my favorite time.”
“What the actual fuck,” Abi growled, her eyes flashing. “I hope Fenris—”
A knock on the door interrupted whatever she was about to say. When no one said anything, Abi and I gave each other a look. She shrugged and hopped off the bed, hurrying over to open the door.
“Oh, Gilbert! Hi,” she said, taking a step back to let him into the guest room.
The vampire remained in the hallway. “I’m heading out again,” he told her regretfully. I was surprised at how somber he sounded.
Abi’s shoulders sunk a little. “Oh. Okay.” She smiled up at him again as if determined not to let her disappointment show. “Well, kind of figured that’d happen when Fenris rolled back in. I’ll be here when you get back, though!” She laughed and shook her head, her grin turning a little wry. “I’d rather be a beach bum than some witch’s mindless pawn any day of the week.”
Gilbert’s face darkened. As exasperated as he often looked at his brother, I’d never seen him offer anything other than a polite look. “You mustn’t blame yourself for that,” he said firmly. He reached out and touched Abi’s shoulder. “Sabine is an extraordinarily powerful witch.” His eyebrows pinched together as the corner of his mouth twitched down. “You remaining here was not just the Lunar Lord’s call; I asked that he keep you safe. After what happened, I knew I wouldn’t be able to focus while he sent me abroad if you were left exposed and alone elsewhere.”
Abi’s hazel eyes went wide, and I had to duck my head to hide my grin.
“Oh, I don’t have a problem with beingsafe,” Abi said, laughing now, the smirk firmly back in place. “But I sure don’t like being useless while everyone else is running around, doing important work.”
As if on cue, Piers waltzed into the door frame. Gilbert released his grip on Abi’s shoulder just as Piers slapped a hand over his brother’s back. “Ah, I heard someone say ‘useless,’” he hummed in a sing-song voice. “I figured it must be Abigail complaining again. Would you like to trade, Abigail? I’d bemorethan happy to lounge on a luxurious private island whileyougo off hunting for clues in the remote parts of Romania and Gilbertpouts to you.”
Abi’s brows shot up. “Gilbertpouts?” she repeated, a bit incredulous.
Piers’s smile turned positively diabolical. “Oh, yes,” he crooned, reaching up to pinch his brother’s cheek.
Gilbert swatted his hand away, refusing to make eye contact with either of them.
“Oh, Piers,” Piers continued, putting on a pitiful impression of his twin’s voice. “Hurry up. I must get back to check on—”
“Stop that,” Abi said, her cheeks now flaming red. “You sound ridiculous.”
Piers rolled his eyes dramatically and looked at me. “Goodness, do you think they could move any slower? By the time my brother works up the courage to give her the barest peck on her hand, she’ll be a ginger raisin. Human lifetimes pass so quickly!”
Gilbert’s expression went cold, and I could have sworn the temperature in the room dropped by ten degrees. “Piers,” he growled, “the next time you find yourself in an enemy’s claws, I donothave to go back to break you out.” He paused. “That definitely includes when you’re trapped in ridiculous love affairs.”
Piers laughed, his eyes sparkling. “Oh, you are sofunwhen you get testy! Now, Walteriswaiting for us, so you’d better give this lovelymortallady a kiss goodbye before she starts turning gray, hmm?”
Abi’s eyes flashed rather dangerously, but before she could retort, Piers was already down the hall, making strategic use of his superior speed. I tried to hold in a snicker.
Gilbert sighed, looking down the hall before his gaze returned to Abi. He seemed to wait an impossibly long time before he finally spoke, eyes briefly glancing in my direction. “There’s something I’d like to discuss with you when I return,” he said to her softly. “Hopefully, soon. And hopefully,in private.” He tacked the last bit on as he looked in the direction Piers had gone.
Abi just nodded. “Yeah, yeah, of course!” she stammered. I’d never seen my old friend trip over her own words before. “Safe travels and all that.”
He said nothing else, standing in the spot a bit too long before giving us a nod and retreating down the hall.
Abi sighed, closing the door before returning to the bed to flop down dramatically beside me, pressing her face into the comforter. “Uuuuuuugh,” she groaned.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, trying not to laugh and giving her back a little pat.
Abi rolled onto her side. “I have literally lost the ability to flirt. At least with him.”
I blinked. “I don’t know if I believe that.”
Abi snorted. “You saw me!” She waved a hand toward where she’d been standing a few minutes prior. “I was a bumbling fawn. Everything was fine until about a week ago. Someone knocked on the door early in the morning, and I got out of bed. I was barely awake, didn’t think to put on clothes…and answered the door in my underwear.”
