Page 99 of Tested

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Trajan

Learning your lover can turn himself into the specter of death would shock anyone, so I don’t beat myself up too much for my reaction.

Shock, yes, and also fear, frustration, and, surprisingly, understanding.

“I mean, I guess the bodach thing wouldn’t lend itself to casual conversation.”

Connor’s smile is subdued. We’re out by the pool, buffeted by the intermittent wind, and the night sky has turned a lighter grey. All of our many guests – Sheena, Lydia and her weres, Stone, and Joey DelMarco – have been sent home with as much gratitude as we could muster.

Which is far less than they deserve.

David’s in the water, forearms on the deck, chin resting on his hands. A few persistent police are still out front. They’ve threatened us with interviews and statements, but so far have left us on our own.

“Honestly,” Connor says, “I’ve only found that form once before. It comes from a place of extreme fear or emotional distress…” His voice trails off, then he shakes himself and continues. “So even if you obeyed Jacques and tried to kill me, I’m not sure that you could.”

David squints at us from the water. “You mean you’re immortal?”

“Hell if I know. The Tuatha Dé Danann tend to be fairly long-lived, but othermeascachtake after their human side. Since I don’t know who my father is”—he shrugs—“I have no idea what my lifespan will be.”

David nods like he understands, but there’s still a crease in his brow.

“It’s okay, puppy. Wolves live a long time, too.”

David laughs it off with a spray of water in our direction, but I can tell he’s going to be chewing over Connor’s announcement for a while. So will I, to be honest.

“You were the horse the night my uncle’s creeps firebombed the cabin,” David says, his grin almost normal.

“Yeah, that was me.” Connor gives him a small smile. “Your phouka guess wasn’t that far off.”

“I knew it!” David reaches out and flips more water in our direction. From my recliner, I’m close enough to catch a few drops. Connor’s recliner is on my other side, so he stays dry.

I hate what I have to say next. “We need to leave this place.”

Connor finds something to pick at on the chaise’s pillow. “We probably should have left already.”

I reach for his hand. “Been a little busy.”

David pulls himself halfway out of the pool. “Except I keep waiting for one of Jacques’ minions to start shooting at us again.”

“Good point.”

Connor sits up straighter. “Let’s get inside, at least.”

“There are enough cops around that I think it’s unlikely Jacques would do anything now.”

David hops out of the water. “What if you’re wrong?”

Scooting to the end of the chaise, I grab hold of David’s hand, linking the three of us. “I think we’re okay for now, but once the cops leave—"

“Wait.” David interrupts me. “If Smith was your contact with the cops, are you still going to get paid for helping him?”

That makes Connor laugh. “For god’s sake, David. I just fried their liaison. I’ll be lucky if I don’t end up behind bars.”

“No fear of that,” a new voice says. An older gentleman with white hair and a salt and pepper beard shadow strides through the open sliding glass door. Connor introduces him as Colonel Poole and his sidekick as Brodie Kerr. David slides back into the water so they don’t know he’s swimming in his birthday suit.

“The LAPD send their regards,” Poole says. “Between DelMarco’s statement and the false police report Smith filed, they have the leverage they need to initiate a forensic examination of all of his work on the murders. Their main concern now is finding a replacement for their liaison.”