Page 31 of Roses and Murder
The streets were empty, and it was pelting rain. We hadn’t had a storm like this in a very long time and honestly, the crops probably needed it. If it were me, I’d call the whole thing off and go home. I also didn’t kill because of some primal urge. I was providing pest removal services and could do it on a better night.
Trevils had been looking at this longer than me. If he thought the Ghoul was escalating, then he probably wasn’t going to let a bad storm stop him.
The Ghoul wasn’t at the house I was watching, but the house wasn’t remotely quiet. I couldn’t imagine yelling at my momma the way this girl was. Rowena wouldn’t even yell atmelike that if I pissed her off. This was all over a dress, too, because I could hear everything.
I was about to leave and check in with Lance. We made a vow. It wasn’t really time yet, but nothing was going on here. Basselt came running towards me.
“Sorry, I’m much slower on two feet instead of four. I picked up the Ghoul’s scent, and it’s near Lance’s area, not yours. This is why wolves run in packs because I can’t be in two places at once. We need to get therenow.”
I’d feel much better with a wolf at my side, but I’d never ask Basselt to do that. If we failed, the only thing the Barons were going to concentrate on was that a Theran attacked one of them, even if the Ghoul was a fucking serial killer. We’d be at war again and no one wanted that but the Barons.
Damn the rain. It was usually a good thing, but tonight it was storming really hard and no one should be outside. The lightning and thunder felt a little too close, and I just had a really bad feeling. The Ghoul wasn’t supposed to end up where Lance was. I knew I couldn’t control that, but Lance didn’t know the first thing about proper surveillance.
I didn’t like it when Basselt and I arrived to the house. It was across the street from a bakery with an awning. Lanceshouldhave been under the awning trying not to get wet or we should have met him on the way back to meet me because we’d made a spit palm vow.
“The alley,” Basselt growled. “I smell blood.”
Lance had better be alive and have a very good fucking reason for being in that alley. I’d never been more afraid in my life. Basselt and I went running just as Lance stumbled out. He was cut and his shirt was ripped completely open and when I caught him, that was when I finally noticed.
Lancehad a rather beautiful pair of breasts on him.
Iwas bleeding and exposed, but my chest bindings may have saved my life because they took the brunt of it when I couldn’t avoid the slice of the knife. And then my stupid tits saved my life because they shocked the Ghoul long enough for me to knock him out.
This wasnothow I planned all this to go down and now Neco Argent knew my secret. I thought he was staring at my tits, but he ran the tip of his knife across my scars gently.
“Who did this? Who scarred you?” he growled.
Yeah, Neco completely bypassed my bloody tits and was focusing on my scars.
“No one you can kill. That’s what you’re focused on right now?” I practically yelled.
Neco ripped his shirt off and manhandled it over my head. I was super grateful because I felt emotional, raw, and exposed.
“Some of that blood isn’t yours,” Basselt said. “I scented him in the area, but I swear, if I’d known you two were this close, I would have come here instead of getting Neco.”
I couldn’t think. I’d been in brawls with drunks or people who just wanted to teach me a lesson, but I’d never had to fight anyone who really wanted to kill me before. I never wanted to do that again, and I fucked my whole plan up by going into the alley.
I fought off the Ghoul, but I was basically dead, anyway. His clothes were filthy and ill fitting, but they were expensive. Only Barons were clothes like that. It wouldn’t matter I was fighting for my life. All that would matter was the story that got told after.
Which I already knew would be thatIwas the Ghoul, and I attacked this man when he tried to stop me. He’d be cured, painted as a hero, and sent to Guttertown to work out his urges.
I wasn’t a crier. Even at home when it was just Mom and me and I didn’t have to be Lance. I certainly didn’t do it around my friends and definitely not my mortal enemies who just found out my secret.
Except I burst into tears and I was ugly crying. I wassoclose. I could have gotten the cure for Mom, been free of my father, caught a killer,andmade a Baron pay for once. It was all over now.
“I don’t know who you are as a woman, but Lance Argent doesn’t cry and give up,” Neco said. “You adjust. Did you fuck him up?”
“He would have killed me, but my bindings took the brunt of his knife. He was shocked long enough for me to knock him out.”
Neco Argent waslessshocked about this than the Ghoul was and Neco had known me as Lance for my entire life.
“Good. Then what are you crying for, stupid? I can still work with this.”
“I hate you,” I sniffed.
“A Theran woman would have his balls for his delivery, but Neco isn’t wrong. This is still fixable. And I have other news that should cheer you up. This infernal rain means I can harvest the herb much sooner if your father decides not to uphold his end of the bargain.”
Well, thatdidmake me feel better, but there was just one thing.
