Caz walked back into the kitchen. “I’m starving. Let’s go to town. Maybe talk to the real estate lady who sold Benjamin the property. Maybe she found out something or he told her why he was moving here.”
“Okay. Let me get my bag.” Raven walked out of the room and he couldn’t help but watch her as she left. Get a grip, man. She’s your partner, a Death Hunter, and she could rip your face off.
Pretty!
Shaking his head, he ran his fingers through his hair. Just don’t get attached, big guy. She’s our partner. Nothing else.
Ours!
Blowing out a deep breath, he wanted to yell no, but too many people were in the house.
He needed to shift soon, but right now, he needed to keep it together. Just stop.
“Are you talking to yourself now?” Leo asked, leaning against the kitchen door watching.
He never even heard him.
“No, just talking over something we just learned about the case. It helps when I do that sometimes.”
Leo just stared at him. “My sister is going to be safe with you, right?”
“Of course, she is.”
“Ready?” Raven asked walking back into the kitchen. “Hey, you want to go eat with us?”
Shaking his head, he smiled back at his sister. “No, you two go ahead. I’m going to run. Maybe even fish.”
Kissing her brother on the cheek, she walked out the back door. Caz glanced at Leo before he closed the door. He wasn’t smiling and the man was freaking huge. He had always been so nice to him, but right now, he looked different. Like his bear and human form were close and ready to brawl.
They drove in silence in Caz’s truck until Raven asked, “Did my brother say something to you?”
Glancing quickly at her, he shook his head. “No, why?”
“I don’t know. Just the way he was acting. Leo is always the calm one. The one who sees reasoning in anything. Always smiling. But…”
“What?”
Shrugging, Raven whispered, “I don’t know. He’s different. He tries to hide it from me, but something is going on and he won’t tell me what it is.” Raven stared out the window. “We tell each other everything.”
“I’m sure it’s nothing. He’s tired and ready for time alone in the woods. I’m sure he’s fine,” Caz suggested.
Raven smiled. “Yeah, I’m sure you’re right.”
They drove, lost in their own thoughts until the restaurant came into view. “Get Your Grub. The name cracks me up, but the food is wonderful,” Caz said, parking his truck up front.
Raven leaned forward looking at the crowd inside the restaurant. “Tonight, it’s packed. It's the spaghetti night special. You mind if we sit in the back. I would rather not have to answer tons of questions about us being here together,” Raven asked.
“Ashamed of me already?” Caz said, but he smiled at her before he got out of the truck.
She stared at the shifters realizing it was too late to leave when he opened the door for her. Of course, the place was filled with Dixon Pack members and the Crenshaw Clan members. And like Raven said, everyone turned to see who was walking in. Some waved, some nodded, as they walked toward the back room. Most were still leery of the hunters. They were like gods to some of the shifters.
He could see Raven’s shoulders tense as they entered the back room and saw their alpha, and his mate Jade, and the alpha of the Dixon Pack, Arden Dixon, and his mate Quinn.
“Hey, guys, come sit with us,” Quinn said, waving.
Raven’s shoulders slumped, but it was Quinn and he really liked Jade and Quinn. Both had been great friends to his sister Riley and to him. He hated to say no, but Raven moved to sit with them.
He didn’t know why Raven didn’t like the girls, but he could tell she didn’t want to sit with them.
As soon as they sat, Lennox asked. “What have you found out?”
Raven didn’t look like she was going to talk so he answered for them. “Not a lot, except Boris Connor and Wyatt Benjamin both lost their wives two years ago in a car accident. Benjamin lost his son as well, but it never said anything about where it happened or how. This is too coincidental. We went to talk to Calum and he got upset at first because Boris is some big wig vampire and an elder on the vampire council. They seem to be good friends too. But Calum came back and told us what he knew and said he would find out more for us.”
Arden Dixon leaned forward. “You think he will say anything to Boris?”
Both Jade and Quinn said at the same time, “No. Calum wouldn’t do that.”
“How do you know, baby. You heard Caz. He’s good friends with him,” Arden added.
“Calum O’Keefe may be a lot of things but he would never do that to us. I would bet my life on it,” Jade answered, shaking her head.
Lennox placed his hand over Jade’s. “I agree with my mate. Calum won’t say anything. If it turns out to be true, Boris needs to watch his back. Calum will not let this lie by the wayside. This would be considered a crime against the whole vampire race. Add in that they took Calum’s mate and planned to send her to wherever they are taking everyone. Like Jade, I believe you can trust him.”
He noticed Raven never said a word which was odd, but Jade wasn’t that talkative either and that was unusual. Teresa walked in and took orders. When she started at the other end, he leaned over and whispered in Raven’s ear, “What’s wrong?” He had never seen her act like this.
She didn’t say anything. Just shook her head and picked up her menu, stopping the conversation. Caz listened to the others as they discussed politics inside the Dixon pack but he continued to watch Jade. She never once looked at Raven or talked much to the others. Like him, she just listened.
Both of them sat in silence as everyone talked and ate their dinner. He didn’t like it that she wasn’t eating much. She just sat and every now and then he would catch her glancing up at Jade, but not one look, glance, or word came from their alpha’s mate.
When dessert was brought to the table, Raven leaned over to him. “I’m done, so I’ll see you back at the house. I’m going to run back.”
He stared at her and before she could get up, he stood. “Thanks for letting us eat with you, but we’ve got lots to do. Talk to you later.” Caz laid down a handful of cash and waited for Raven, who never said bye. She just got up and followed him out of the restaurant.
“Get in,” he said before she could run off.
“What?”
He grabbed the passenger door and opened it. “Please, get in.”
She sighed but obeyed. He waited until she was pulling her seat belt on before he closed the door. When he glanced at the restaurant window, every wolf and bear was watching them. He gave them a smile and wave and got into the truck. Shifters were curious and nosey creatures by nature. These people were no different. Even the humans were watching them.
“Good grief, you would think they hadn’t seen us before,” Caz said as he got in the truck.
Raven didn’t smile. She just stared them all down until they went back to their meal. “Nosey shifters. I should have known better than to come on spaghetti night. It brings them all in.”
They drove with no words until he finally asked, “You going to tell me what’s going on between you and Jade?”