Harry grimaced, clearly realizing his choices were few, and Nina was only pointing out the reality of it. He reached over and patted Carl’s head to comfort him when he stirred. “And how will we explain to the kids what’s going on? They hardly know all of you, and I’m just going to send them to stay with Wanda for an indeterminate amount of time?”
Mara’s lips set into a firm line. She sighed, releasing the pent up air in her lungs. “Then that settles it. I don’t want the kids to be unhappy or usurped. They’ve had more than enough change in their lives. If you think there’s even a small chance that’ll happen, let me tell my brother what I’ve done. You can stay here with the kids. Wanda, Marty, and Nina can show you the way of the werewolf—”
“And you can go to werewolf jail? Nope. Not while I’m still breathing.” He gazed directly at her, his eyes capturing hers and holding them.
His answer, so “I dare you to tell me otherwise,” caught her off guard. Even Harry didn’t look like he understood where this sudden need to keep her out of the big house came from.
Mara’s breathing all but halted. There was almost nothing but Harry’s eyes locking with hers and the sound of their lungs taking in air. He was protecting her, which wouldn’t work for long against the council, but still . . .
Nina waved a hand between the two of them and snapped her fingers. “We have shit to figure out, kiddies. Let’s get on with it.” She rolled her shoulders, cracking her neck. “I damn well just told Wanda last night this shit would turn ugly. Fuck if I can remember a single time one of our cases hasn’t.”
“Meaning?” Harry broke the silence between them.
Nina leaned her elbows on the counter, her coal black eyes deep and serious. “Meaning, we’ve never had a case that hasn’t had some whacked motherfucker involved. That includes Marty, and me, too. Don’t you remember, Harry, I told you I was the muscle at OOPS? I said that shit for a reason. I thought we were safe this time, seeing as the accident was family related, but somebody took your fucking kids, Harry. I wanna know who and why. Then I wanna eat their legs off.”
Harry’s ruddy complexion went pale again, the tic in his jaw pulsing. “So you think this was related to me and Mara, too?”
Nina popped her lips, gazing into Harry’s eyes. “I think if Fletch said this person ran away ‘superhuman fast,’ then yeah—maybe.”
“You heard me tell Mara that?” Again, poor Harry’s face held wonder and horror.
Nina snorted, clapping Harry on the back. “I told you, I hear everything, man. I make it my business to always know what the fuck’s going on. That shit, coupled with the “tell Uncle Harry and Mara I see them” thing she said to Mimi, worries the hell out of me.”
Mara blanched. “Mimi didn’t tell the police the message this woman with the swingy hair gave her. Maybe we should call them and let them know?”
Nina rolled her eyes. “Dude, are you crazy? If this shit has anything to do with the paranormal, who better to handle it? Us or the local cops? Remember how helpful they were when Marty was kidnapped back in the day?”
Now Harry blanched. “Marty was kidnapped?”
Perfect. Just what Harry needed, more stories about the bad paranormals to feed his rampant fears. Mara ran her fingers over her temples, massaging the knot between her eyebrows. “It was a long time ago—early in her turning, and yes, she was kidnapped, but it had nothing to do with us crazy werewolves. It was a shitty human.” So take that, one-time human.
Nina cracked her knuckles. “Yeah, but guess who took care of it in the end?”
Mara looked Harry directly in the eye. “For now, I think it’s better not to stir this up any more than it’s already stirred—if it is someone paranormal, Nina’s right. It’s better we handle it. The children are safe for now, and we’ll be sure it stays that way. We’re much better equipped to handle this than any human police force. So are you okay with keeping that piece of information from the police for now?” She searched his eyes, praying he wouldn’t push this. No human bars in the land could contain someone of their ilk.
Harry waffled for a moment before saying, “Agreed. I think.”
Nina slapped him on the back and smiled. “So, lovebirds—fucking make some choices, would you? Carl’s hungry, and I need to know where I’m hangin’ upside down to sleep tonight.”
Harry made a face at her, tearing his eyes from Mara’s. “You do not.”
“Of course I don’t, wingnut. I just wanted to be sure you were paying attention. So decide, Harry, because once you do, while you guys were fighting like you’re married, I thought of a way we can get you back to work so no one sticks their noses in where they damn well don’t belong.”