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Fiona fisted her hands on her hips and glared down at both of us. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

I chuckled and slipped my arm around her waist. “It means we’re teasing ya and that ya’re beloved above all other children.”

“I’m an only child, Mom—youronly child.”

Fiona didn’t seem to appreciate it when Mulan and I burst out laughing again, but she let me pull her along as we walked.

I was sure those trying to meditate were extremely happy to see us leave the garden.

ChapterFive

Fiona was off having lunch with Jack. I’d done what I could to make her feel safe enough to return to her room at his house, but she was still sharing mine. No matter where my daughter went during the day, she returned to sleep with me at night.

She’d confessed to being afraid to stay with her father, so I’d warded her room at Jack’s house against all demons except Conn. We’d done it while Jack was at work. She’d stop by and spend some time there now and again, but she’d yet to spend a single night.

I suspected the woman occupying Jack’s master bathroom was the witch who’d placed the ward Mulan had broken. I also suspected the witch was the demon hunter councilwoman I’d seen Jack kissing during the trip down memory lane Rasmus had made me take. She was the one who’d taken my pendant, but what power she possessed was still a mystery to me.

All truths revealed themselves in time, though, and I had time now to be patient.

I was making myself a sandwich when my stubborn familiar trotted into the kitchen and barked. The sandwich I was making was the only food I was going to get for many hours. I planned to enjoy it before I had to face a bunch of mouthy werewolves.

Confronting them filled me with dread. It was just as well Mulan was staying another week at the Abundant Life Temple. She was in no emotional shape to deal with the lustiest species on the planet without killing one or more of them. I couldn’t take my nearly defenseless daughter into an established pack.

That left one person in my group—onemaleperson—able to tag along for the trip. And I wasn’t taking no for an answer. He could go in any form he wished, but he was going with me. Even if it was the first order I’d given him in twenty years.

“I’m not going there alone, Conn. Whether or not ya like it, we’re both going to visit that local pack of werewolves Ben is concerned about.”

He plopped his doggie butt down and blinked at me. If he thought I was joking about my command, he was in for a surprise. I was tired of his brooding. Two weeks of it was enough.

I ignored his doggie moodiness as I gathered food supplies on the counter. Finally, I glared down at him. “And ya better choose a much larger canine form before we get there. One of those werewolves might see yer tiny yappiness and think I brought them a snack. I’m not impressed with ya and the werewolves won’t be, either.”

Conn growled up at me and showed me his not-so-tiny teeth. I was torn between finding him adorable and being sick of talking to a being who only barked at me.

“Hush. This is all yer fault so ya have no right to complain. If ya hadn’t let Colonel Benson into the house, we wouldn’t be dealing with werewolves. So don’t be yapping at me like I’m the problem. I now have a part-time job I never wanted thanks to yer fondness for odd alliances.”

Conn morphed into a large black wolf with bright green eyes and snarled at me. He took up half the kitchen. I narrowed my eyes at the enormous beast. “Keep giving me attitude and I’ll get Ma to put a wicked curse on ya. She’s an expert at making ya itch to be a better person... and ya know that wasn’t a pun.”

In an instant, Conn smoothly switched from a snarling wolf into a human male who looked like me. He was fully dressed and frowning over me fussing at him. His hands were in his pockets and his gaze was on the floor as he stood there without saying a word.

“What in Underdark is the matter with ya?” I demanded, fisting one hand on my hip.

“Nothing,” he said.

“Liar. Ya’re in worse shape than Mulan. Both of ya make me glad Rasmus left and never came back. Next time Murray offers to sleep with me, I’m going to say yes and have myself a meaningless fling. I refuse to let love make me this miserable again.”

Conn harumphed. “Caring is not meaningless. All relationships mean something.”

I shrugged and went back to making my sandwich. The vegetable layer was three times the size of the meat one now, which was just the way I liked it.

“If ya’re saying all relationships bring trouble, I agree with ya. I’m fussing at ya here and fussing with Mulan there. It’s not like I don’t have my own problems to worry about. I’m not obligated to fuss at anyone except Fiona.”

“She left me.”

I snorted at his dramatic tone. When his ego got bruised, Conn would project world-ending hurt into any simple statement. He had the voice for it too.

“The Wu Shaman didn’t leave ya, eejit. Mulan went to stay at some sort of temple so some holy guy could beat the crap out of her. She told me he was her trainer. I was ready to use my sword on him when I saw her bruises.”

Conn blew out a breath and crossed his arms. “How did she seem to you?”