Page 90 of Thunder with a Chance of Lovestruck

She gasped and sat up, bumping her head on the roof. “Mom!”

I grabbed for her hand, desperate to know she was okay.

“She’s fine, Rachael,” said Robin from the front of the SUV.

Confused, my brows met. “What happened? Robin?”

He chuckled. “I’m here. I’m driving. The big scary guy is on high alert next to me. Took a bit to convince him I was friend not foe. He’s warming to me.”

“Och, eat me, Puck,” snapped Arch.

Demi cried harder but smiled all the same as she squeezed my hand. “You scared me. I thought you were dead. That man helped you.”

“Robin?” I asked.

She nodded. “He did something that made the bleeding stop and the wound heal over.”

I winked at her, exhausted but thankful she was alive and unharmed.

“I’m so sorry, Mom,” she said. “I put the bags in here like you asked and backed out of the garage. I got out to come back inside and this crazy bald guy in a robe with his mouth sewn shut grabbed me.”

“Not your fault,” I whispered.

“How you doing back there?” asked Robin, worry in his voice.

“Good,” I said. “And thank you.”

“Any time.”

I wasn’t sure how he’d gotten to us so fast or what he’d done to heal me; I was just thankful he was there.

PartIV

Present

ChapterThirty

Drest

Grimm Cove,eighteen years later (present day)…

Drest pushed his Falcon to the limit as he sped toward the South Carolina town of Grimm Cove. When Stratton had called and left a message, asking for his assistance (unofficially as to keep the Nightshade Clan from getting involved) and telling him he might be dealing with a case involving Henry’s monsters, hope had surged through Drest. So much so that he’d changed directions to a path for Grimm Cove before speaking further with Stratton.

Drest still hated himself for not simply running with Rachael and his family long ago. For obeying the rules and restrictions.

“I should have just run,” he said, hitting the dash once quickly as anger built in him yet again. Not a day had gone by since that night that he didn’t hate himself for following the rules. Every single time he’d tried to play by the Nightshade Clan’s rule book, they’d used it against him, twisting things to suit their narrative.

He hated being part of the Nightshade Clan and had long since given up anything in the way of loyalty to them. All that ended when he watched his pregnant wife and his niece, who held a special place in his heart, being driven off in ambulances, only to have them vanish from his life for good.

Drest reached for his cell phone on the passenger seat and called his cousin back.

Stratton answered on the second ring. “Hey.”

“You’re sure this is related to Frankenstein’s monsters?” asked Drest as he gripped the wheel with his other hand. Did he dare believe there was a chance he’d be able to locate his family after thirty-six years of searching?

Did he have it in him to go through yet another crushing blow when the lead got him nowhere?

“Hello to you too, cousin,” said Stratton with a snort.

---