Page 24 of Blood and Magic
Kodiak grumbled low, muttering something to himself I couldn’t make out.
“Okay, fine,” he said. “But you will report to me every day, and if you get even a whiff of a vampire, I need to know first.”
“Got it,” I said. “I’ll send you the footage.”
“Good,” he said. “I’ll have Serpent and Ruby take a look.”
We said our goodbyes and hung up. I ran a hand through my hair and blew a breath through my lips, debating the best way to tell Maeve she needed to give me a guest room in the main house.
“Move into the mansion?” Fenris raised his eyebrows and laughed. “Getting real cozy with the Vanderbilts, are we?”
“You got a better idea?” I glanced between him and the others. “She’s alone in there. We can’t leave her like that.”
Poe winced. “Maybe I ought to, instead. I know Sol well. Maeve might feel more comfortable with me.”
Neither I nor my beast liked the idea of Poe being that close to her, especially not with what Lycan had said at the wedding. If she really went into her transition within the month, I’d want every wolf within a mile radius of her to clear out.
But one step at a time. Tonight, I had to make sure she was secure. And if (BIG if) she started to change, I’d deal with it then.
“I outrank you,” I told him. “And I know Guin.”
Poe raised an eyebrow and ran a hand over his hair, seemingly weighing what I’d said with what he knew about the Vanderbilt sisters.
When no one said anything else, I dismissed them back to the dorm and tried not to think about what Maeve was doing in that big old house by herself or how much I wanted to join her. Fenris lingered by the door, his hands on his hips, his lips pursed.
“What?” I damn near growled.
“You sure it’s a good idea?” He shrugged. “Your temper isn’t exactly long and mild these days.”
I ran my tongue over my canines and tsked through my teeth. “I don’t trust anyone else to do it.”
When I said the words, I realized that included him. I knew my best friend. If Maeve gave him an inch, he’d take a mile, even if Kodiak said to keep our hands off her. As we got closer to the moon, Fenris would turn all primal instinct.
He nodded. “What about the cattle drive?”
“You know what to do,” I said. “You can lead it.”
“And leave you here alone, knowing all those fucking bloodsuckers are sniffing around?” Fenris scoffed. “I’d rather die.”
“We’ll deal with that when it comes to it,” I said. “Just…go settle the guys, huh? I’ve got to call Guin.”
Fenris laughed and opened the door. “Good luck.”
Grumbling, I picked up my phone to call the eldest Vanderbilt. If I were going to be staying in her house with her sister, she’d want to know the reason why.
“Mill?” she asked, her voice groggy and scratchy like she’d just woken up.
“Hey,” I said. “Something’s happened.” I explained the situation to her and what I planned to do about it. “I’ll keep her safe, Guin. I promise.”
“Yeah, I know,” she said. “That’s not the part I’m worried about. You and Maeve stuck together in the mansion all alone for weeks at a time? You can understand why that doesn’t thrill me.”
I snorted, admitting I had missed her sarcastic commentary. “You don’t need to worry about that.” Right. I’m not watching her through her laptop like a creep or anything. Nothing to worry about. “I’m just trying to keep her safe.”
“Mill…” She sighed. “Maeve is not the same little girl you remember.”
“I’m well aware.” She’d grown into those long limbs and big ears.
“Okay, fine. Move into the house.” Guin seemed resigned to knowing there was nothing else she could do about it. “You’ll take care of her. And if anything happens to her, Mill, I’ll kill you. Again.”
