“Rylee! You’re back already! Where is Alex?” Her face softened with horror.

“He’s fine, don’t worry about him. I’ve just left him back at the edge of the woods.”

She fluffed up her body, and clacked her beak several times. “I was afraid—”

“No, I won’t let anything happen to him, Eve. I promise.” Dangerous to promise that, but I had to because it was the truth. If there was anything I could do to save him, I would.

Pamela came running around the side of the shed, blonde hair flying back from her face. “You’re back!” She ran toward me, smiling, happy, her arm no longer in a sling. I lifted my hand in greeting, feeling both the need to protect her and how badly I needed her help. The two feelings warred within me. I was about to take her into a nest of vampires in order to save Jack. How the hell was I going to keep her safe?

Turns out, I should have been more worried about the then and there.

The crack of a twig behind me spun me around. O’Shea stared across at Pamela, who still hadn’t seen him.

Fuck it all to hell and back.

I bolted toward Pamela, knowing it would be close. Her eyes widened, flicked to look over my shoulder, and I saw her raise her hand with a spell.

“No magic!” I slammed into her, tackling her to the ground, covering her body with my own.

O’Shea was on top of me, his teeth sinking in around my shoulder in an effort to pull me off.

He bit deep, but didn’t break any bones. He lifted me and I clung to Pamela. “Hang onto me, whatever you do.”

She let out a sob, her small arms clinging to my waist. O’Shea shook us from side to side, trying to dislodge her. Eve let out a hunting screech.

“No, Eve, let me deal with him.” The words didn’t come out in a nice smooth sentence, but she didn’t interfere.

O’Shea finally dropped me. Gods, it was as if my body had been strapped to a jackhammer, the inside of my skull still buzzing with the vibrations. I lifted my body up, so that I was crouched over Pamela.

“She is mine, and you will not hurt her. Got it?” I glared at him, meeting the challenge of his eyes full on. He snarled and lunged at me; I snapped a fist out and punched him in the nose. He shook his head and circled around while Pamela cried silent, terrified tears.

“O’Shea, she is not Milly.”

His ears flattened to his skull. Not quite the reaction I was going for.

“Alex likes Pamie.” Alex slunk forward, being submissive as always, but putting himself close enough that he could reach out and touch Pamela. “Boss no hurt Pamie. Please.”

I wasn’t sure if it was Alex, me, or the combination, but O’Shea backed off, growling still, but nothing more, his hackles slowly lowering.

“That was not pleasant.” Eve hobbled toward us. O’Shea gave her a glance, but again, nothing more, seemingly dismissing her. “Are you sure that is the agent?”

“Yes. But whatever … whatever the other witch did to him was bad enough to make him hate them all.” I carefully got to my feet, and then reached down to take Pamela’s hand. She stood, wiped her eyes and choked back the rest of her tears.

I put one hand on her shoulder, and with the other I tipped her chin up so she had to look me in the eye. “If he comes at you, you do what you have to do. Got it?”

“I can’t hold him forever.”

“I know.”

Her eyes were still dilated with adrenaline. “Do you think he will attack me again?”

I looked over at O’Shea, who stood on the edge of the clearing, glaring at us.

“Yes, yes I do.”

Chapter 17

HOW COULD HIS mate stand for a witch? Had he been wrong? No, he was sure the one with the three colors in her eyes belonged with him, but she did things that he hated. Put a rope on him, cared for a child witch. The desire to run free and wild coursed through him the second his mate left with the witch child. To escape the confines of the human world.

But he couldn’t leave her. Whatever bindings were between them were too strong to fight, even for the wolf in him. Which, for the first time in many days, he saw as separate. He was two, made one.

He shook his head and laid down, head on his paws. The other wolf—the half creature—played with the large bird, some sort of game that involved touching her and then bounding away when she squawked. Her feathers would puff up and she’d dance around as if to try and catch the half creature.

Perhaps she would be worth killing; a large bird like that would provide much meat. His stomach rumbled, reminding him it had been too long since he’d had any sustenance.

But the bird seemed to belong to his mate too. Perhaps this was her pack?

Yes, that much was clear. This was her pack. The thought stalled him, made his head tip to one side. Her pack. Could he accept them, accept even the witch child? Because if they belonged to his mate, and were hers to protect, then they were his to protect as well.

They were his pack by rights too.

He rose to his feet and gave a soft bark at the half creature, stopping him mid-game. The bird screeched a victory, smacking the half creature first, knocking him over on his back.

“There, you take that!” She clacked her beak and the half creature laughed, rolling onto his side.

The wolf barked again, a deeper, commanding call. The time to hunt had come. And even though this was surely the strangest pack he’d ever seen, it was his.

And he would care for every part of it.

His eyes narrowed. Even the witch child.

Pamela went with me to see Blaz. I’d left Eve with Alex and O’Shea, and while O’Shea was not happy, he at least didn’t follow me this time. I didn’t tell Eve where we were going, since I wasn’t even sure Blaz would help. No need to get the Harpy all riled up.

“I thought the dragon threatened you?” We were picking our way through the boulders toward the mock canyon Blaz inhabited.

“He did.”

“Then” —she placed her hand on a large outcropping of rock and swung her legs over— “why are we going back there?”

I let out a sigh. “We need someone to get us to Venice and then back to London. Eve can’t fly yet, though she looks like it might only be another few hours before her wings finish healing.”

I lifted my head to the breeze that blew toward us. Smelled like a charcoal BBQ, and my stomach growled. Pamela’s stomach answered mine. She ducked her head, but acted as though it hadn’t grumbled at all. “But that doesn’t explain why we need Blaz.”

“Even with her wings healed, Eve can’t carry all of us. O’Shea is too big. She’d have to make multiple trips, and if we need a quick getaway … .” I let her fill in the blanks. We’d be royally screwed if we had to move fast. Or at least O’Shea and I would be. Because I would send out Pamela, Alex, and Jack first if it came to that, and I would stand with O’Shea against anything that was coming at us from behind, covering the others’ escape. At least, that was the plan in my head, if it came to that.

We made our way through the rocks and I peered around them to see Blaz passed out on the canyon floor, the remains of something still smoking to one side of him. I knew I was hungry when the sight of it made my mouth water. Pamela licked her lips.

I blocked her with an arm, stopping her from going any further. “Stay here. I don’t think I should need your help.”

“You just didn’t want to leave me with the werewolf. I know.” She backed up, putting herself against the flat of a big rock. Again, she was showing just how mature she was for her age. Taking everything that had come at us, pretty much in stride. No hissy fits, no tantrums.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped out into the mock canyon and strode toward Blaz like I owned the place.

Please don’t let me be wrong about him.

Yet, as I drew closer, my confidence grew. He was watching me, one eye tracking my steps.

I thought I told you I’d eat you if you came back. His voice rumbled through my head.

I shrugged, and then pointed at the carcass. “Looks like you already ate. Besides, I’m quite sure I’d taste like shit.”

His eye widened and he let out a bellow of a laugh. Yes, you’re probably right. You’d taste awful. You’re far too scrawny for me.

I made my way to the carcass, pulled my sword and hacked a piece off. The meat was still warm, lightly charred and smelled a-fucking-mazing. I bit into it and groaned, the juices flowing down my throat, coating my tongue with a perfect blend of savory tang. “Fuck, you’re a good cook for a lazy-ass lizard.”

His head swiveled around to mine and he picked at his teeth with one long claw, and then pointed to the rocks where Pamela waited. You going to invite your little friend to eat too?

“You going to try and eat her?” I didn’t think he would, but shit, I had to ask.

Nah, too young. Besides, she’s got a deadly aim with those rocks.

“Come eat, Pam.” I gave her a wave and she made her way cautiously to my side. I hacked her off a piece of the carcass.

“What is it?”

I was already shaking my head. “Don’t ask, just eat.”

Blaz grinned and by the look on Pamela’s face, she was hearing his words as clearly as I was. Apparently he could project to more than just me. I wasn’t sure if that was good or not.

It is a Harpy. Seems that when you flew through with your nestling, you stirred up the whole f**king continent of them. Which is just fine by me.

Maybe not so good. Crap, I swallowed hard. “Don’t tell Eve.”

Pamela shook her head, eyes wide. “I won’t.”

We sat for a few minutes, stuffing ourselves with Harpy. I tried very hard not to think about how good it tasted, but by the look on Blaz’s face, he knew.

Best thing you ever ate, isn’t it?

Pamela nodded, as did I, but I wouldn’t agree out loud. I just let the juices flow down my throat, hacked another piece off and ate it too.

“I’ve had better,” I said, slicing off another piece.