“I don’t know. Those centaurs got Morgan and her partner in exchange for information. They told her where to find ‘food’. A few days later, she turns up as Gabriella and seduces me, took my power. You guys know the rest.” I still feel like a fool. “I’m not sure why she came back, since she already took my power.”
“Are you saying the centaurs told her where to find you?” Night is frowning.
“I don’t know.” I shrug. “It seems like too much of a coincidence, don’t you think?”
“I don’t believe in coincidences.” Bolt walks over to Shannon. “She’s sleeping soundly.” He smiles down at the baby. His whole stance softens when he does.
“You’d make a great father,” I say.
Bolt looks at me like I just grew a penis out of my left ear. “I don’t think so, but she is a cutie pie, aren’t you, Harley?” He hands the little one to Shannon.
She squirms for a few seconds, and then she settles back down in her mother’s arms. “We all need to meet here,” I say. “Tomorrow.”
“Why here?” Night growls, his eyes are blazing.
“I’m worried the harpy might come back. I’m worried Morgan might spy on me if we do it anywhere else. I don’t want Morgan or the harpy to see you guys. The less they know, the better. If you come to my place…or I go to one of your places…” I shake my head. I can’t trust Morgan one hundred percent yet, and Gabby might just turn up. Stranger things have happened. “No, I can’t risk it. I could end up leading them straight to you.”
“If we meet here, you could lead them straight to us anyway. I won’t risk my wife and child.” Night’s voice is deep; he puts a hand on his daughter’s back. “This is not the place to meet.” He shakes his head vigorously.
I never thought of that. “Shit! You’re right.” I push out a breath. “The last thing I would want would be to endanger your family.”
“The harpy might already know about you.” I look at each of them in turn. “But she also might not, so we need to be really careful.”
“I’ll call a meeting,” Bolt says. “You can all come to me.” He looks at Night. “You can video call or something,” he says to me. “I agree, you need to stay far away, particularly from the women and children.”
I nod. “Fill the others in on these new developments,” I say to Bolt. “Remind Trident to keep his zip up. No fucking around.”
“I will,” he responds. “I only hope he listens.”
“A harpy and a vigilante human with a beef against non-humans.” Night is scowling. “This is a mess.”
“Yep,” I agree.
“You’re like the biggest nerd of the bunch.” Bolt laughs. “I can’t believe all this is happening to you.”
“Me neither.” My phone vibrates. I grab it and check. Half of me is expecting it to be Morgan. I’m almost disappointed when I see it’s my PA. My two o’clock has arrived.
I’ll be there in five. I text back.
“I need to run,” I say.
“Me too,” Bolt says. “I’ll walk out with you.”
“Sure,” I say. Shit! I didn’t want Morgan to see Bolt leaving with me. Maybe she’ll think he’s a colleague or something. Bolt is all suited up. He’s arrogant. He could pass as a surgeon.
We say our goodbyes and head out. I notice Morgan doing a double-take as we walk out. She’s noticed Bolt. I see her give him the once-over. I don’t like it one bit. I’m not sure why I don’t like it. Is it because she’s wondering about whether he’s a human? Like maybe she knows he might be the same as me. He’s just as big and built. Women eat out of his hands. Thing is, it could also be that she’s checking him out. I find I don’t like either option. Morgan is not my type, not at all, and yet, if I’m honest with myself, I’m very attracted to her. It might be the situation. It more than likely is the situation. It’s not real, and it can’t be acted on but, there it is.
Bolt and I talk about nothing. When we reach the turnoff to my office, we say our goodbyes. I head over there without turning around to see what Morgan is doing. My phone vibrates a few minutes later, and I ignore it. I don’t want to hear what Morgan has to say. She’s probably asking me who Bolt is. Another message comes through. Yep, I think I might be right on the money. I look at my phone, and both messages are from Morgan. I don’t open them. I know she probably wants to know if he’s human. I think back on her double-take. On the look she gave Bolt. I’m jealous. Fuck! Where did this emotion come from? I don’t like it. I shove my feelings aside and focus on my next patient.
Morgan
Not human.
No damned way.
He’s too good-looking. Too full of himself. Too…I don’t know…call it a feeling. My spidey senses are tingling. The senses that tell me when I’m dealing with a non-human. They’re firing on all cylinders. Lyre’s friend is something else. A dragon demigod? Other? There are more of them. I knew it!
They talk a little as they walk, and then Mr. Suit and Tie is headed in the opposite direction. I reach the hallway that leads to Lyre’s office. I watch him walk down it. If I turn to the left, I can see out of a window that leads to the parking lot. This is one of the spots I’ve been hanging out.
Minutes later, I spot Suit and Tie in the parking lot. He’s walking quickly. I don’t know why my eyes drift across the cars, but they do. That’s when I see her.
Holy fuck!
She’s here! I text to Lyre.
I watch her watch Suit and Tie. If I made him, I think she might have too. If she was watching through this window. If she knew where Lyre’s office was, she would have seen them together. Put two and two together, just like I did. Lyre mentioned binoculars. Her view would have been perfect.
Damn!
I have no doubt she’s made him because she still has her eyes on Suit and Tie.
I run for the stairs. I hate that I can’t see what’s happening. I slow down through the information area and entrance. I see Suit and Tie pulling out in a car that would cost me ten years of income – maybe more – to buy. The harpy is pulling out as well. There is one bullet hole in the back of her car, but the back window and taillight have been replaced. I sprint to my car and get into it. I pull out. I have my phone in my hand.
Harpy following your friend
I type the message to Lyre using one hand. I notice that Lyre hasn’t read my first message.
“Come on. Come on,” I say. I will Lyre to read my messages.
He doesn’t.
I curse, hitting my steering wheel. Suit and Tie is a confident driver. He’s the kind of guy who drives through a yellow without blinking, and I end up having to run a red to stay on them.
I call him. “Pick up,” I say. “Pick up. Pick up!”
“Morgan,” Lyre answers, sounding worried.
“The harpy is following your friend.”
“What?”
“You heard me. I’m following her. She’s following him. I might not be able to stick to them. You need to call your friend. Let him know. Hopefully, he can lose her, and I can stay with her.”