Page 15

He snorts. “Does a basilisk breathe fire?”

“I’ll go see if I can find some.”

In the kitchen, I find Laura filling the coffee machine. She looks totally healed.

“Morning,” I say. “How are you? You look great.”

She gives me a shy smile. “I’m good thanks. We heal fast. And thank you. I gather you saved the day…or the night. Whatever. You want coffee?”

“Yes, please. And one for Zayne, too, if there’s enough. He’s in the sitting room feeling like crap.”

“Did he get hurt last night?”

“No. Just drank too much I think.”

She pours out two cups and holds them out.

“Why don’t you take Zayne’s,” I say, remembering the looks she’d been casting his way the night before. “He’d really appreciate it.”

Her eyes widen a little then she nods.

“He likes milk and two sugars,” I say helpfully.

I watch as she hurries from the room then I add milk to my own coffee and sit at the big, scrubbed table in the middle of the kitchen. I feel more settled now that I’ve made the decision to go see Brown. Subconsciously, I’ve been worried as hell about Khaosti. I just didn’t want to admit it to myself—or anyone else. Now at least, I feel like I’m doing something.

I allow some of the tension to drain from me. I like this place; it has a comforting feel considering it’s the home to a bunch of wolves. At that moment Killian, the head wolf, makes an appearance. He looks like he just got out of bed, his dark hair messy. Well over six feet, in faded jeans that hug his long legs, and a white T-shirt that leaves his arms bare showing lots of ink, he’s pretty impressive. He comes to a halt when he sees me, then runs a hand through his hair. A slow smile curves his lips, as though he likes what he sees. I do too, but in a purely abstract sort of way.

He studies me for a moment, then seems to come to a decision…

“Look, I probably seemed a little ungrateful last night. But you saved our asses. We weren’t ready for two of them.” He runs another hand through his hair. “Truth—I’m not sure we’ll ever be ready. But anyway, thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“You’re a bit of a surprise,” he says. “You look sort of…”

My eyes narrow as I wait to hear what I look like. I probably don’t want to know.

“Little and…cute.” I snarl and he grins. “I suppose the whole sword thing should have told me something. I guess I wasn’t thinking straight.”

“Scary monsters can do that to a man.”

“But not to cute little girls.” He smirks as if he knows he’s pissing me off. Which—actually he isn’t. Names can’t hurt me anymore.

I shrug. “I’ve got scarier things than the shadowguard on my mind.”

“You want to tell me about them?”

“Nope.”

He shakes his head, walks over to pour himself a coffee, then drags out the chair next to me. I decide to offer some advice. I’m not sure how he’ll take it, but I can try. “You need to work out a strategy. Last night, the lot of you went straight for those things with no plan. I’m guessing you usually don’t need anything but brute strength and those claws and teeth. But things are going to get harder. Use your brains rather than just your brawn. It’s the one thing you have that they don’t.”

“Thanks. I think.”

“You can do it.”

“Maybe, but why do I get the feeling that things are going to get worse before they get better.”

If they do get better. But I decide not to voice that out loud. I drink my coffee instead.