Page 36 of The Vampire in the Potting Shed

“Fine. Yes. I’m an evil stalker who stalks beautiful women. Happy?”

“Not really, no.” I stared up and up at him. “No one feels good about learning their kidnapper is evil.”

“Or that he’ll go after any beautiful woman,” Sloane added, a smile threatening to overtake her.

“I knew I was rusty with the whole flirting thing, but I’m embarrassing myself here.” He pointed to a blue cottage on the corner, one with a carpet of wildflowers instead of the usualmanicured lawn. “You’ll find Fayne there.” He offered me the bag. “Would you mind bringing this to her?”

Our fingers brushed, and a tingle I blamed on static electricity shot down my arm. “You’re not coming?”

“I’ve intruded on your morning enough.” He stared where our skin touched. “See you later, maybe?”

“Yeah.” I broke contact first, almost dropping the pills in the process. “Maybe.”

Walking backward, he grinned at me, his peculiar eyes almost glowing.

A tug on my arm got me moving again, and Sloane and I went to visit Fayne.

And hopefully get answers.

thirteen

Knuckles poised to knock,I almost punched Fayne in the face when she swung open the door.

“Oh.” She cut her eyes left to right. “Good.” She stepped back, waving us in. “I thought you were Rían.”

“We bumped into him outside.” I shook the bag at her. “He sent us ahead with these.”

“I appreciate the delivery service.” She scooped up her meds. “And sparing me from another lecture.”

Turquoise and white furniture with occasional pops of mustard yellow in the pillows made the space feel artsy and fresh. Bright. Thrown together in the effortless manner of people born with great natural style.

“Sit.” She indicated a love seat with plenty of room for two. “I’ve been expecting you.”

Plopping down next to Sloane, I forced myself to recall my manners. “Do you feel up to talking?”

“This has been a long time coming.” She sank into an armchair across from us. “Ask your questions.”

“How long have you lived here?” I hadn’t meant to lead with that, but curiosity got the better of me. “Jess mentioned she’s still waiting on her furniture to arrive. Mindy and Rochele aretoo. But you’ve settled in nicely.” A perk of seniority, perhaps. “Your home is lovely, by the way.”

“Thank you, but I can’t take credit for the décor. Rían made a cash offer on this house and his home. He bought them as is, from the wreaths on the doors to the furniture to the spoons in the drawers. We’ve only been in town for two days, and we’ve been cautious to keep out of Sartori’s crosshairs while we get our people settled into their apartments and rentals. It’s taken some planning, and some bribes, but four square blocks on this side of town will act as our new clan home. For the time being.”

Four square blocks? Sheesh. How had I been so oblivious as to miss a mass exodus of townsfolk?

Then again, between the break-in, the mysterious Myrtle, and the “vampire” in the potting shed, it had been a hectic few days for me. “Does that mean only the residential side of Brentwood is warded?”

“The entire town is under Walsh protection, but we’re accommodating humans who own businesses or work in town to make this transition as seamless for them as possible. That means spreading our manpower thin until we settle things with Sartori. So, for the time being, yes, only the clan home, which is a human-free zone, is on total lockdown.”

That included GSG. The Victorian, though zoned for commercial use, had been built in a residential area. To keep up my mortgage payments, I would have to convince Rían to lift the restricted access zone soon.

“Why did you risk your life getting to me?” I meshed my fingers on my lap. “What was so important?”

“There are two things I must tell you to give you context.” She lifted a finger. “Rían is my grandson, and I would do anything for him.” A second joined the first. “Rían is also my magnus.” She rotated her wrist in a circle. “What wolves would call their alpha.”

“That explains why he can order people to uproot their lives and follow him on a whim.” I huffed a laugh that came out sharp. “I’m surprised he didn’t lead with that.”

“Rían doesn’t flaunt his power.”

That tidbit cast the bowing incident in a whole new light. They had been showinghimrespect. Not me.

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