Page 30 of Wicching Hour (The Sea Wicche Chronicles #3)

THIRTY

Beer: The Breakfast of Champions

D eclan came back in and dropped the knotted garbage bag just inside the back door.

“This doesn’t look like your usual stuff,” Osso said, studying the watercolor and ink pieces I’d done last night.

Declan was clearly still worked up, but he walked to the table to see what I’d done, and my annoyance melted away. He cared and wanted me safe. It was as simple as that. He wasn’t the fae king. There was no resentment or jealousy, no desire to stifle me in order to feel more important. He worried about me, and wasn’t that lovely?

Declan stood behind Osso and joined his study of the four pieces. His jaw unclenched and his expression softened. He looked up from the worktable. “After what happened last night, this is what you painted?”

“Oh,” I said, putting my feet up on the coffee table. “You haven’t heard the half of last night.” I told them all about my father and our journey, the orcas and rays, the whales, the cavern at the bottom of the ocean, and then about the queen. “I doubt she wants me to share what I saw when I touched her, so we’ll leave it as I saw something she hadn’t intended for me to see, and she gave me a map with two possible spots as Cal’s lair.”

The men stared at me, speechless.

“I know, right?” Declan was holding his stomach, so I asked, “Are you hungry?”

“What?” he responded.

Osso glanced over at Declan and told me, “You’re going to give him ulcers.”

Declan moved his hand and rubbed his forehead instead. “Your father took you out into the middle of the ocean, miles and miles below the surface, where the queen appeared and told you she had plans for you?”

I nodded. “That about sums it up.”

He went to my fridge. “I need a beer.”

“It’s morning,” I protested.

“Get me one too,” Osso said.

“And you’re on duty,” I reminded him.

Declan slapped a bottle into Osso’s palm and then they both popped off the tops and took long swigs.

“And I’d thought a sorcerer was the worst of our problems,” Declan said before he downed the rest of the bottle.

“Yeah,” I replied, “my dad wasn’t happy about it either. He said he really wished the queen didn’t know about me.”

Osso’s head dropped. “Your dad is some kind of fae sea god and even he’s afraid of what the queen might do?”

I considered all the dreams I’d had last winter of the insane crap my cousin Sam had been going through because the queen and king had taken an interest in her. They were right. This wasn’t good.

Osso stood. “Can you give me copies of the security footage for Swan and the stalker? I’ll get the tainted food to the lab. I need proof there was poison before I can arrest him.”

I transferred the videos using a files compression service. “It says it’ll take about seven more minutes and then you’ll get an email with the file.”

“Here.” He took a USB drive from his pocket. “The D.A. gets nervous about documents that go through outside services.”

I took it from him and went to the far side of my worktable. “I have a dongle in here somewhere.” I rifled through cords and attachments in my tech drawer. I found one, plugged it and then the drive in and started copying files. It didn’t take long. I have excellent computers, considering all the digital images I work with.

Osso stood by the back door, the garbage bag at his feet while he scribbled notes.

I handed him his drive. “Tell your lab to check the peanut butter chocolate chip cookie first. It should save them some time.”

He took the drive and put it back in his pocket. “I have a cousin in the lab. I think I can talk her into moving this to the top of the list. I’ll get back to you.” And he was gone.

Declan stood in the middle of my very long worktable, studying the underwater scenes. “Is this me?”

I’d given one of the mermen a beard and a wolf tattoo on his biceps. “Maybe.”

He shook his head, grinning. “Thanks. I love these. They’re very different from the rest of your work.” He gestured toward the gallery. “And yet it’s still you. Each one is its own world. They’re so intricate and detailed, but the full image is…charming. They’re like those Busy books I had when I was little. Every section I look in, there are little stories going on. You’re storytelling in a way that will draw children in and spark their imaginations.”

Bubbles of pleasure and pride made their way from my stomach to my chest. I went to him, pulled on his arm, and kissed the top of his cheek, above his beard. “Thank you.”

“You should sell prints for people who want your work in their child’s nursery but can’t afford to pay for your original art.” He held up a hand. “It’s your art and your decision. I just like the idea of all kids having access to your work, not just the rich ones.”

I wrapped my arms around him, and he snugged me in tight. “It was a thought I had last night as well,” I said. “My cousin Frank suggested I sell some of my larger photos as five-by-sevens, matted and slipped into cellophane sleeves for those who’d like to own my work but can’t pay thousands for it.”

Declan nodded. “I like that, and I like Frank and Faith. I met your other cousins at your Aunt Sylvia’s wake. They were…not great. These two, though, I was watching them on opening night. They’re hard-working, polite, and they honestly seemed happy and proud to be working for you.”

“They’re both great,” I confirmed. “They benefitted from being a decade younger than the rest of the cousins who, no doubt, would have terrorized them.” I went to the kitchen. “Are you hungry?”

“Always.” He wrapped his hands around my shoulders and directed me to the couch. “I’ll make us something for breakfast in a minute. You look beat.”

“Jeez, you and Osso are doing great things for my self-esteem today. He said I looked like hell.”

Declan sat on the couch and pulled me into his lap, turning me sideways so he could see my face. “Sorry. We’re idiots. You’re gorgeous.” He shook his head. “Insanely so. When you’re overworked and overtired, there’s a tightness around your eyes that says you need sleep. My guess is that Osso noticed the tightness too and being the snarly bear he is, put it in the most delicate way he could.”

That made me laugh.

“I’m sorry about the way I acted earlier, but I’m worried. There’s too much aimed at you and it’s making me very nervous, especially when I have to keep leaving to meet pack members in the mountains.”

“I can handle myself,” I assured him.

He nodded. “I know you can, but that doesn’t change the worry. You and I both know you’re vulnerable to attack. Someone comes up behind you and puts a hand on your neck? You’re down and unable to use your magic to protect yourself.”

I couldn’t argue the point, but that didn’t mean I enjoyed being reminded.

He kissed my temple. “I don’t want anything bad to ever happen to you. I realize that’s an impossible wish, but I can try to protect you, can’t I?”

His earnestness melted my heart just a little more.

“We talked earlier about guards and I said I had an idea.” He rubbed my back. “I feel you tensing up. Give me a minute to explain. Okay?”

After some internal wrestling, I said, “Go on.”

“There are two wolves. They used to be members of my dad’s pack in the Santa Cruz Mountains. After Dad was killed and his son Marcus took over, the wolves’ lives were more difficult. Marcus wasn’t our father. He was weak. Many of the stronger wolves wouldn’t accept him as Alpha and moved on.

“These two, Jake and Tyler, tried to stay. They had been happy there, but the pack dynamics changed. The men have been together for decades. Alexander was a strong enough Alpha to keep everyone in line. Once Marcus took over and other strong wolves left, the ones remaining had issues with gay wolves and made sure their problems were everyone’s.”

“Assholes,” I grumbled.

“Yes. So, they moved down here and applied for the Big Sur Pack. Apparently, the Alpha before Logan turned them away. When Logan took over, they tried again, but Logan and his buddies thought it was hilarious and did nothing to support the men or bring them into the pack.”

I grabbed his arm. “But you can, right? Wolves who want to be in a pack shouldn’t have to be on their own.”

Declan tipped his head. “We’ll see. I’m trying, though. I was only made aware of them a few days ago. They have a cabin on a large tract of land in the mountains. I went to meet them and invite them into the pack. One of them, Tyler, seemed ready to try. The other, Jake, told me to fuck off. Given the way they’ve been treated, I get it.”

“We could invite them to dinner,” I suggested. “Once they get to know you, how can they say no?”

Declan gave me a kiss. “We’ll see. I’m not going to force them. They’re both strong, mature wolves. They know what they’re comfortable with. I asked if they’ve been getting more irritated lately. They didn’t tell me yes or no, but I got the feeling from Tyler that he was concerned about Jake.”

“Did you explain about Cal?” I asked.

He nodded. “I told them we had a sorcerer in Monterey who was messing with the wolves, amping up the aggression. Tyler looked relieved to know there was reason for what they’d been feeling. Again, this is just me picking up on emotion and body language. Neither trusted me enough to tell me anything.”

“Okay.” I rested my head on his shoulder, suddenly sleepy. “You’ve extended the olive branch. Hopefully, they’ll take it.”

Declan adjusted me on his lap so I could nap on him more comfortably. “I’m telling you this,” he said, arms wrapped around me, “because I asked if they’d be interested in taking on a side job as personal guards for you until we find and stop your cousin.”

Resting my hand on his chest and listening to his strong heartbeat, I yawned. “Good idea.” And I was out.

For the second time this morning, I was awakened by knocking. “Go ’way,” I mumbled. Declan stretched beneath me, and I knew I was going to have to get up. Stupid visitors.

“Oh. These are the two I told you about,” Declan said, standing easily while still holding me. He opened the door. “Good morning. Why don’t you have a seat. We’ll be right out.”

“Is she okay?” one of them asked.

“Yeah. Exhausted. She worked all night.”

At that point, knowing more sleep was out of the question, I rolled my head to the side to see our visitors. “Hey.”