Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 128061 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 640(@200wpm)___ 512(@250wpm)___ 427(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128061 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 640(@200wpm)___ 512(@250wpm)___ 427(@300wpm)
“What’s this? A genuine apology?” She unstuck a strand of hair from her sweaty and tear-stained cheek. “What happened to your charm and swagger and arrogance?”
“The same thing that happened to your sunshine. It’s waiting for me to strap it on when I need to, like armor. When we’re done here, I will, just like you.”
“Why do you bother? You don’t need it. Your confidence is so solid it would save a town from an earthquake.”
“And you do need it?”
She widened her eyes and leaned back, collecting herself.
“Ah.” He leaned back as well. “Back to reality so soon. No problem. I don’t want to pry. Last time I did that, you took a swan dive off the roof.” He paused with a killer smile. “Too soon?”
She laughed, spraying him with spittle. “Sorry.” She wiped her face. “Crap, I probably look like a mess.”
“A hot mess. The best kind.”
After a deep breath, she tried to smooth back her hair. “I should probably get back. Though I’m not sure why I need to bother. Obviously no one gives a crap that I’ve been kidnapped by one of the guardians and pitched off the roof.”
“Pitched off the roof? That’s the story we’re going to tell?”
“Yes. I don’t like being blamed for stupid things.”
His smile dwindled. “It wasn’t stupid. Life is messy. Sometimes it catches up to us.”
“You have no idea,” she murmured.
“More than you could ever dream of.” He stood, straight and strong and tall. She envied him that confidence she’d just spoken of. “And they do give a crap. A group of basajaunak ran forward from the trees when you fell. So did a vampire who was apparently going to try to catch you. I don’t think that would’ve gone well, especially since he obviously couldn’t see you and was waiting in the wrong spot. Three gargoyles and the puca circled me when I was flying you back and are now circling closer, probably waiting for me to step aside so they can be sure another altercation won’t send you flying off the house again. A warning has been pounding into me since you fell, promising death—I’m assuming that’s the female—and a strange pulse keeps issuing from the house. I’d say they were giving you some space after realizing I didn’t plan to harm you—those demons you insist are dolls were following us down the hall—but they’re done being friendly. I’m now hoping you’ll save me, because the female promised punishment if I touched anything, and pitching you off the house might make that punishment death.”
Nessa jerked her head up, looking through the sky. She could just make out Ulric’s brighter gargoyle, barely discernible against the black. Then a glimmer of gold from Niamh’s hooves. A smile stretched across her face.
“So it was Ivy House that blocked off the help.” Her heart swelled. “I’ll obviously need to burn the house to the ground, but at least the crew came for me, even if it was too late.”
“It wasn’t too late.” His smoldering eyes caught her attention. “When you’re with me, they’ll never need to show up at all.”
“There’s that overconfidence you do so well. Too bad it’s hollow. You have no idea what battles wait on the horizon.”
TWENTY-FOUR
Jessie
“What were you thinking?” I demanded as I hurried down the hall.
“What can I do, miss?” Mr. Tom followed me quickly. “The guardian has left the premises, it seems. Nessa is with Ulric and the others.”
“Find the other guardians and tell them it’s time for dinner. Get everyone to the dining room—Austin will keep them entertained with his hilarious stories about shifter life, the buttheads. Buy me time. I don’t know how much I’ll need.”
“Yes, miss.” He peeled away.
“What’s going on?” Sebastian jogged to catch up. His expression was screwed up in worry. “What’s happened?”
“I was monitoring the situation,” the house responded after giving me a chance to fill Sebastian in. “The guardian came to his senses and they went for a nice chat. How was I supposed to know she couldn’t be trusted on rooftops?”
“This is my fault,” I mumbled, turning a corner and finding the first hidden passageway entrance I came to. I could feel her upstairs, in Ulric’s room. After letting myself in, I put on a burst of speed, jogging as fast as I could in heels. “I shouldn’t have entrusted people’s whereabouts to the house. I should’ve been monitoring them a little better.”
“You can’t do everything, Jessie,” Sebastian said, his voice tight. “I should’ve been with her. He wouldn’t have been able to take her if I’d been with her. Why’d she get so close? That’s not like her. Not with a dangerous creature.”
“I agree. You guys are at fault,” Ivy House intoned.
“It is not our fault!” I thought-hollered back. “It’s your fault! I was just taking the blame for trusting you.”