Page 34 of Hallow Hill at Halloween: Part Two

CHAPTER TEN Friggin’ Fraighounds

I woke from sleeping on my right side and was greeted by Keir’s heavy-lashed eyes staring at me. I stretched just as little to test and see if my strength was returning. It was.

“How long have you been staring at me?” I asked, voice hoarse from sleep.

“When did you come to bed?”

“You’ve been staring at me all night?”

“Yes.”

“Does my breath smell bad?”

He smiled wide. “Like dragon poo.”

I brought my hand to my mouth so that my responding laugh didn’t push the smell straight into his face. Then I realized why he’d been watching all night. “Are you afraid I’m, um, going away again?”

He took a deep breath and nodded. “Don’t be. Really. I was serious about Jeff. He didn’t just spring me. He taught me how to get out myself. If that ever happens again, I’ll remember.”

“Promise?” He still looked worried.

“Cross my heart.” I blinked. “Is Olivia making kolaches?”

“I don’t know,” he smiled, looking more like himself with every minute that passed. “Want to go see?”

My pups were pawing at the bedroom door.

“They must have bacon in them,” I said.

“Ham,” he said. Sephalians have enhanced senses, including smell. Recognition of that caused a whole new level ofmortification regarding my morning breath. “Your dogs aren’t fussy about pig parts.”

“It’s time for you to start accepting part ownership. I hear you talk to them sometimes.”

He looked slightly sheepish as he rolled out of bed and came round to see if I was going to need help. But by the time he’d come to my side of the bed I was sitting up.

After a quick systems-check, I said, “I’m good. Feel like new.”

“You sure?” he asked.

“Watch this.” I stood up and wobbled just a little. With lightning quickness he steadied me. “That’s nothing. Just an uneven place in the flooring.”

“There are no uneven places in the flooring. The house is magic. It’s perfect.”

I thought I caught something in the way Keir turned his head when he finished that thought. “Except for what?” I asked.

“Probably nothing. Certainly nothing to worry about.”

“Give it up.”

“While you were away…”

I chuckled. “Is that what we’re calling it now? Okay. Sorry to interrupt. Go on.”

“It seems the house changed the doorbell song on its own.”

I honestly didn’t know how to feel about that. “What did it change to?”

“Don’t make me,” Keir said.