“She can sleep in the car. If you come back inside, I’ll help you get her to the hotel afterward.” As if on cue, a car pulled out of the city lot. “See? It’s meant to be.”
Tasha frowned. “Did you get the answers you promised?”
“Yes,” Lilith said.
“Why can’t you tell me now?”
“It’s a lot to take in all at once. This isn’t the place. Besides, they only want to talk to you.”
Tasha pursed her lips. “That’s it? They just want to talk?”
No need to break the news to Tasha just yet that Gideon had generously offered to take her off of Owen’s plate like she was an extra slice of prime rib.
Modern woman that she was, Tasha might believe she had the right to determine her own fate. So that was going to be a problem, what with weres thinking their primal habits trumped anything from the so-called civilized world. Lilith wasn’t fond of weres, but she had to hand it to them—you always knew where you stood with them.
Unlike the lyr.
Unbidden, the memory of Remy’s lips on hers surfaced, and a wave of heat suffused her body.
She shoved it away ruthlessly. She didn’t have time for stupid indulgences. Besides, who was she to say what Tasha did or did not want? Let the woman make up her own mind. If possible, Lilith would help her on that score. At least go with her to talk with Owen and Gideon. No matter the habits and customs of the packs, women had a right to make their own choices. Because, who knew? Tasha had allowed a werewolf to mark her in the first place, which meant she’d given her permission whether or not she remembered doing so.
That meant she was way more adventurous than she looked. Maybe Tasha would be into Gideon. A lot of women wouldn’t think twice about jumping into bed with the big were.
Lilith said, “The only way you’re going to get complete answers to your questions is to go back inside and talk to Gideon and Owen.”
“Gideon? Was he the one…?”
“Yeah,” Lilith said. “The big guy who kissed your hand.”
“Oh,” Tasha said softly. “Is he one of…the gang?”
Gang?
Lilith sighed. “With werewolves, it’s called a pack, and yeah, Gideon is a werewolf. Head werewolf, in fact.”
“Werewolves.” Tasha laughed nervously. “That’s so bizarre, but I guess it’s no big deal what they call their little…club. I guess you’re right. It’s always good to talk things out, and I’ll feel better going home with answers. I hate leaving things hanging. I’m kind of OCD that way.”
Lilith waited while Tasha guided the car across the street and into the recently vacated slot, got out and hit the fob to lock the doors.
When the other woman hesitated, glancing over her shoulder at the sleeping redhead in the car, Lilith said, “She’ll be fine.”
“This won’t take that long, right?”
“I hope not,” Lilith said.
“Okay.” Tasha took a deep breath and released it. “Let’s do this.”
Nine by Night: A Multi-Author Urban Fantasy Bundle of Kickass Heroines, Adventure, Magic#p#分页标题#e#
CHAPTER ELEVEN
McSweeney’s Roadhouse across the street was playing blues. Following Tasha as they walked back to the bar, Lilith’s stride fell into sync with the music. She liked the sound better than the ancient rock blasting out of Chill, but maybe that was because she listened to it every night she worked. The huge colored bulbs on the retro movie theatre marquee flashed in rolling sequence and couples strolled hand-in-hand along the sidewalk.
Perfectly normal night.
So why didn’t it feel normal?
She had a feeling of exhaustion combined with tension, but she blamed it all on the damned weres. Her abilities were always off a little when she was tired, and dealing with werewolves took more energy then they were worth.
She followed Tasha past the bench where the guy in the red plaid shirt had been waving at the sky a little while ago. He must have moved on, but in the place where he’d been seated lay a huge white feather.
Tasha noticed it as well, because she looked back and said, “What is it with the seagulls around here? They’re huge.”
“Yeah,” Lilith said absently.
She paused, studied the feather without touching it then scanned the sky. It was a clear night, the stars twinkling in all the right places. The moon hung low over the ocean. In the distance, a helicopter thrummed, but it was only a red light far away. Nothing else moved across the horizon.
In the stillness, she looked up and noticed that the swarm of crows had vanished from the power lines.