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After lunch they would have to continue business as usual, but the only thing on Rowan’s mind was the plate of banh baos from the Vietnamese restaurant down the block.

“Finally, done!” She heard Louisa cry with relief.

Kin had finished before both Rowan and Louisa and was taking a well-deserved break by propping his feet up on his desk and catching up with the news.

“No new shifter attacks?” Rowan asked, passing his office. He was at her side a moment later, jacket draped over his arm.

“No, but you’re all over the gossip rags. I’m actually surprised your mother hasn’t stopped by to give you a good lecture.” He extended his phone. The high definition of the image made it impossible for her to even try to deny it was her.

She was bloody, missing half of her shirt and slumped, drained of energy on top of the wolf.

“Apparently, a witch assured everyone that you said you were going home. I can’t believe you never told us you were so close.” Louisa joined them as they descended the stairs.

Dew fluttered around them before settling on Rowan’s head as they headed out to the beautiful spring day Black Cove was experiencing.

Downtown had been one of Rowan’s favorite spots during her time at Spellcasters Academy. The bars and restaurants catered not only to the young collegiate students, but to a more mature crowd as well. Each building was brick, but modern architecture had crept in. Floor to ceiling windows and neon lights married old class to new class.

Rowan’s body still ached as her heeled boots hit the cobblestones of the sidewalks and she had a difficult time scraping out the pictures of injured casualties of the shifter attacks from her mind. The news wasn’t being stingy with the more horrifying images. Though they had been sparse on information over the sphinxes.

“I’m not.” Rowan bit out. “I was tired. He wanted to give me a ride.”

“Oh yeah. I bet he did. On his back, on his dick, whatever worked.” Louisa snickered.

Dew joined her laughter, but Kin glared at the brunette. “Must you be so crass?”

Louisa simply stuck her tongue out, “So where did lover-boy end up taking you, anyway?”

“To where his daughter found the robe.” She sighed. “There were absolutely no clues on who could’ve left it. It was near a popular trail. Marissa seemed okay, though. I thought she might sufferfrom some trauma, but up to the point I left, she had been playing with the other pups her age.”

“Ah, so you don’t deny that he’s your lover-boy?” Louisa waggled her brows, “Ten bucks, Kin.”

Rowan gasped melodramatically. “I just met the guy yesterday. How easy do you guys think I am?”

Save for succubus meals and Alessandro—and come on, he was the freaking Dragon King—Rowan didn’t just sleep around with anyone, thank you very much.

Kin rolled his eyes. “Yes or no?”

“No.” Rowan growled.

A grin spread over the kitsune’s face and he held his hand out for the ten-dollar bill. “Told you we were right, Dew.”

Rowan gasped, reaching up to pluck the fairy off her head. “Dew, y tú?”

Dew escaped her searching hands and hid in Kin’s glossy black hair. Louisa was laughing so hard she was clutching her stomach and wiping tears from her eyes.

“Kin promised me spring rolls if I sided with him! They’re my weakness! And technically I was on the side that made you less…promiscuous.” Dew cried from within the strands.

Kin grinned down at Rowan, unabashed. “Thanks for lunch.”

The words cut Louisa’s laughter off sharply.

Rowan caught her footing at the last second as Louisa attacked her with a side hug. “Ro, I am so sorry I attacked you yesterday. I don’t know what came over me.”

Rowan leaned her head against the cradle of the taller woman’s throat and smiled. “You were bleeding out, Louisa. I think you had excellent control, given the condition you were in.”

“You mean the condition I put her in.” The ten-dollar bill crumpled in Kin’s fist. “I’ve never lost control like that before. I don’t know what is going on with my beast. The dragons or wolves shouldn’t have affected it.”

Dew peaked her head out of his hair and patted his forehead to comfort him.