Page 26 of Hunt the Dusk
Had I? I’d be lying if I said I was oblivious, but I’d ignored it because, what was the point? And it was Hemlock: prickly, arrogant, acerbic, and…sweet. He could be sweet when he wanted to be.
But what did it matter in the grand scheme of things?
Romance wasn’t why I was here. “Can I get some coffee please, Ingrid?”
She leaned in, her gaze intense and searching for a beat and a prickle of awareness skated over my skin. “Ingrid?”
She shook her head and laughed softly. “Oh dear. Coffee. Yes.”
She filled up my cup then vanished, leaving me to quickly stuff my face, my thoughts already on the phone call I was going to make once I got to New Town.
No one wentinto the interrogation room, so I ducked inside for privacy to make my call, hitting speed dial for Quinn.
It rang for ages, and I was about to give up when she answered breathlessly.
“Orina? Oh my God, I’ve been so worried about you.”
“Hey, I’m fine. I’m safe.”
“Really? Lorenzo told me you were in Dracul territory. Vampires, Orina. You fucking hate suckers.”
“Yeah, the irony.”
“I tried calling you a few times, but it never went through. I don’t suppose you got my text messages?”
“The reception here is odd. I didn’t get any messages, but I should have called you sooner. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, I get it. But are you all right? Really?”
That was such a loaded question, and if we got into it, then we’d be here all day. “I’m good. Getting my head around things here.”
“The vampire king? That’s…Are you safe?”
Bless her heart. “As safe as you were when you went into Hawthorne territory and as safe as Nyx is in Morningstar right now, I guess.”
She was silent for several beats. “I can come to you. I’ll get the permits and?—”
There was a low growl in the background, then, “You’re not going anywhere in your condition.” I recognized the deep rumbling voice as Bryce, alpha of the Hawthorne pack.
Wait a second…Condition? My pulse spiked. “Quinn? What’s wrong? What condition?”
She laughed softly. “Relax, it’s nothing terrible, just the most common condition ever. I’m pregnant.” She said the last part in a ta-da way.
My heart swelled with joy. “Oh…Oh, Quinn, that’s amazing.”
“And she won’t be leaving pack territory,” another voice piped up. Jax, if I wasn’t mistaken. “Bryce has her wrapped in cotton wool,” he added sarcastically.
“Shut up, Jax,” Bryce growled.
“Bite me,” Jax replied.
“Will you both be quiet, please,” Quinn said. “I’m trying to speak to my friend. Better yet, I’ll just go in the other room and?—”
A chorus of no’s bloomed in the background and a fist of longing clamped around my heart. To have what she had—the affection and devotion and love of her mates. Of her pack.
“I’m fine, Quinn, honestly, I just had a question, and I think your mates might be able to help me answer it.”
“I’ll put you on speaker mode. There. Shoot.”
