Page 11 of Cold Foot Curse

“For all my tampons?” she spat out. “You freakin’ weirdo. No, because I’m not going with you, or Kade, or whatever imaginary dragon you think you have.”

“I didn’t say we have a dragon.”

“I can’t do this,” she said, her voice shaking as she veered to the left and headed for the back door of her house.

“Where the fuck were you?” Connor yelled as she reached for the door handle.

She jumped hard as he charged her from the side of the porch. She threw her hands up defensively on instinct, but he stopped himself just inches away. “I’ve been waiting here for ten minutes for you, and then you come sneaking in the back door? Where were you?” he asked again.

“I…I…”

“A bit of advice for you? Don’t lie to me.”

Oooh, Connor was different than he had been on their dinner date. He scared her a little. Everyone scared her. She didn’t have access to her animal to protect herself.

Her attention darted to the woods, but Cash was gone, like he’d never existed at all.

“I was curious.”

“About the meeting you specifically weren’t invited to?” He jerked his chin to the back door. “Go pack.”

“For what?”

“Do as I say,” Connor growled, and she could see it. She could see it in the glowing blue of his eyes, and the scent of fur and dominance that clung to the air. His polar bear was ramping up. “Pack for a few days.”

“Is this about Kade?” she asked, trying to calm him down.

“Don’t say his name!” he yelled, and she hunched at the volume of his voice.

“But I’m not doing anything with Kade. That contract is done—”

“I said not to say his name!” Connor roared in her face, pinning her against the sliding glass door. He slammed his fist against it and shattered the door. She had to catch herself, but an instant stinging sensation consumed the back of her arm as she ducked down and covered her ears.

She dragged air into her lungs as glass rained down around her, and when she looked up, Cash stood in the middle of the yard, eyes gold and trained on Connor. “You drew blood,” he barked out, and all the friendliness was gone from his voice. Now he sounded gritty, and deep.

“Who the fuck are you?” Connor demanded.

“A messenger.”

“A messenger,” Connor said. “What’s the message.”

“You’re going to die.”

Connor laughed a humorless sound. “Oh yeah? Are you going to be the one to kill me?” he asked, stalking forward slowly.

“Nah,” Cash said easily. He backed up slowly, and then pointed to the woods in the direction of Derek’s house. “He is.”

Jess followed where he pointed, and stood slowly, confused by what she saw. The treetops were shaking, and there was a vibration that rattled through her feet.

“Oh my God,” she whispered as she realized what was coming for them. She knew what Kade was. She knew it. But knowing and seeing were two totally different things. When the enormous rhinoceros barreled right through the trees and charged right for Connor, she didn’t wait to see Connor Change. She didn’t wait to see the fight. She was in the path of destruction. She turned to go inside, but she was ripped from her path.

She screamed at the steel grip of the bird of prey that lifted her skyward. She glanced up to see a massive snowy owl. Just one glance and then she was headed for earth again. He dropped her at the front door of the house just as it was impacted by a deafening crash out back.

The owl beat his wings to lift himself upward and looked back at her. She knew what he was saying.

Pack!Everyone kept telling her to pack.

Well, this house was about to come down if the sound of war in the back was anything to go by, but she did indeed need some of her things. Her locket was upstairs. She had to have her locket.

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