Page 86 of Witch Unexpected
She held up a parcel. “Delivery. Yes, the postman never comes this far, and yes, this is part of my duty, not that I mind.” She smiled fondly at Charlotte.
“I guess you missed the excitement last night,” Charlotte said.
“I stayed at my flat in town. Why? What happened?” She looked from Charlotte to me.
I pushed back my seat. “I’m sure Sten or Arne can fill you in. I have to go.”
“Go? Where?”
“We’ll see you at the blood moon,” Leif said.
I turned to Arne. “Can you make sure Wren gets a message?”
“Of course.”
“Tell him I’ll be back soon.”
Leif led me outside into the cool, crisp air and around the house to a garage where a Land Rover waited. I hopped onto cushy, leather seats and stretched out my legs. Leif climbed into the driver’s side and slid the key into the ignition.
“You’ll be safe with me,” he said. “No one knows the safe house location except the tri-pack alphas. Not even Charlotte knows. It’s the only secret her mates have kept from her.”
I smiled across at him. “I trust you, Leif. After all, we’re going to be spending a lot of time together soon. Like a century worth.”
Saying it made my stomach quiver with nerves. The commitment and the responsibility were immense.
“Breathe.” He reached out to touch my cheek lightly. “One day at a time, Cora. One day at a time.”
He started the engine, and low music filled the car—some nineties compilation.
We rolled out of the garage, onto the driveway, and I sat back in my seat. It was going to be okay. It was—
The air behind us crackled in a familiar way that had my stomach flipping in a mixture of anticipation and anxiety.
“And where are we going today?” Jasper said from the back seat.
The only indication that Jasper’s sudden appearance had affected Leif was the whitening of his knuckles on the steering wheel.
“You’re not invited, spirit,” Leif said coolly.
“I didn’t ask for permission,” Jasper said. “I don’t need it.”
Leif’s jaw ticked. “You do if you’re trying to hitch a ride with me.”
“And you’ll stop me, how?” Jasper asked.
I twisted in my seat to look at him. “Do you have to be so abrasive all the fucking time?”
“Do you have to be in mortal danger all the fucking time?” He had a point.
“It’s not a choice.”
“Neither is mine.”
God, he was impossible. I didn’t have the energy to fight with him. Heck, it was more than that. I didn’twantto fight with him. I wanted to say thank you, but the words made my throat ache.
I settled for a question instead. “Why did you vanish before?”
“I was out of power.” He smiled thinly. “Something you could remedy if you took off that infernal amulet.” There was no slyness in his tone this time. Instead, he sounded weary. “I can’t protect you like this,” he said softly.
