Page 42 of The Vampire in the Potting Shed

“All right, Anie.” Mercer staggered to the trapdoor. “I’ll relay your message.”

“Call off thedistractionwhile you’re at it.” The chains tinkled where they bumped together like the chimes they often pretended to be. “There are children living here.”

Without another word, Mercer heaved himself down into the tunnel. He landed with a hard thump, and I didn’t look down before kicking the trapdoor shut above his head. I stood there, a sharp pain radiating through my chest, and knew I would never feel safe here again.

The sense of home, of comfort, of freedom, had been stolen from me.

A split-second later, before my pity party got rocking, Sloane crashed into me, hugging me tight.

“That wasbadass.” She whooped in my ear. “Youare a badass.”

Tacky blood congealing between my fingers said otherwise, but I couldn’t help smiling back. “Thanks.”

“She’s right.” Rían’s cheeks were ruddy. “That was…”

“Hot,” Sloane supplied, pulling back to wink at me. “You can say it.”

Rían dragged a hand over his mouth to wipe away whatever else he might have said with a groan.

“Thank you.” I locked gazes with him. “For letting me handle that my way.”

“Anything for you,” he said so softly I wasn’t sure he meant for me to hear.

Withdrawing from Sloane, I began unfastening the latches on my claws. I had to clean them soon, before the blood dried in the cracks and forced me to scrub them with a toothbrush when a quick soak in water hot enough to boil away the gory bits usually did the trick.

Testing the edges of the trapdoor with her toe, Sloane asked, “What do we do now?”

“Pack an overnight bag, ladies.” Rían made it a gentle order. “You’re staying with me tonight.”

“That’s her call.” Sloane interrupted her inspection. “Not yours.”

“It’s not safe for my people to leave this open and unguarded when the tunnel runs deep enough to allow passage beneath the wards. I’ll send Bowie down to explore it for any other branches into homes or businesses in town, and then we can discuss our next steps.” He lifted his hands in a peacekeeping gesture. “You won’t be alone in a strange man’s house. I’m Marigold’sguardian. She lives with me. Fayne has her own room too, for visits. She could stay over, if you want.”

“I don’t want to impose on anyone else.” I checked with Sloane. “Are you good staying there?”

“After what I just saw, yeah, I’m confident you can keep me safe from any fire-breathing giraffes.”

“Fire-breathing…” Rían ducked his head, rubbing his nape. “I’ll never live down the giraffe thing.”

“Nope,” Sloane said cheerfully then brushed past me. “Let’s grab our stuff.”

“You go ahead.” I gestured to her face. “You should probably wash up too.”

Shifter kids grew up around violence, but that didn’t mean we had to expose them to more of it.

“Mind if I borrow a few things?” She plucked at her scrub top. “Just until I can do laundry?”

“Help yourself.” I headed for the kitchen. “There’s a bag you can use in the closet too.”

While she rooted through my things for clothes to fit her shorter, more muscular frame, I grabbed a retired mixing bowl and filled it with scalding water and an antiseptic solution. I put my claws in and gave them a swirl with my hand, not minding the temperature. Heat had never bothered me. I had always chalked it up to being a shifter thing, and maybe it was, just not awolfshifter thing.

A warm presence moved behind me, and I knew without looking over my shoulder it was Rían.

“A dragon, huh?” I watched the water pinken. “Do you blow fire or only summon it?”

“A little of both.” He leaned his hip against the counter. “I’m happy to give a demonstration.”

“You mean shift.” I craned my head toward him. “I…” I continued stirring. “I don’t think I’m ready for that.” I braced myhands on the sink. “Do you really believe…?” I scoffed at myself, at my hope. “So what if I’m a dragon? What does it change? Nothing. You heard Mercer. I would have shifted by now if I could, but I can’t because I’m a latent. Sartori or Walsh doesn’t matter, that’s all I’ll ever be.”

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