Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 144404 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 722(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 481(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 144404 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 722(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 481(@300wpm)
Casey sank to the seat beside me like it was his place. “Someone already knows. The house.”
Gray’s head came up. “The house?”
I looked over the tray, and there was more than cheese and crackers and some poppers. There were mini tacos, and what looked like pan-fried dumplings, and every kind of hot sauce a pregnant wolf could possibly want. There was Tabasco and Sriracha, and what looked like a chili oil for the dumplings. “I skipped breakfast. Would Eddie be offended?”
Kelsey frowned. “Why would Eddie be offended?”
“Because she tried to kill him a couple of times,” Trent said casually.
Guilt flashed through me along with guilt’s best friend, shame. “I never targeted Eddie. I’m sorry if he got caught in the cross fire. I wouldn’t try to take out Eddie. It would be like taking out a puppy.”
“But a puppy can’t teleport an army,” Evan pointed out, scratching Puff’s belly. “He’s always been a target for that alone. Albert’s a target, too. Albert has some important ties to the Hell plane. Not every demon here is all in on the take over the Earth plane plan.”
“Because that’s not…” Why should I bother arguing? I started to stand. “I’ll be up in my room.”
“Olivia, sit down and eat,” Trent said in that alpha wolf voice he rarely used.
I found myself sitting back down.
“Eddie won’t mind if I share with you.” Kelsey frowned. “Crap. Maybe we shouldn’t. I’m afraid I’m all about the hot sauce right now. Everything is infused with it.”
“I love a good hot sauce.” I didn’t. I’m kind of a wimp when it comes to hot sauce, but I knew someone who was worse, and it would be worth it.
“No, you don’t.” Casey sat up, his head swiveling around like he was looking for Eddie. “Let’s get you some pasta or a burger.”
I bet he would love that. I got my own plate and a couple of tacos that I poured some Cholula on. A lot of Cholula, actually.
“Why does it feel like something’s happening?” Fenrir asked. “Also, those tacos smell delish, and don’t tell me I shouldn’t have any. I had to give all those treats to the hellhounds. I didn’t even get one.”
“I don’t know, but I can feel Casey’s fear from here,” Lee replied, sitting up because we now had his attention.
“It’s not fear.” Casey’s jaw firmed. “Liv is welcome to eat whatever she likes, but she should remember how hot that sauce can be. She’s not a big spice lover. Sometimes the pepperonis on her pizza are too spicy.”
“You should allow that twelve years apart can change a girl’s tastes,” I said, putting that taco to my lips. The scent hit first, opening my sinuses. Yeah, this was going to hurt.
“If Casey can taste the food she eats,” Evan began, “would he feel that burn from the hot sauce?”
I bit down and let it flow over my tongue. The burn was instant.
“Motherfucker.” Casey stood, and then he was the one who was pacing.
Gray chuckled, watching Casey. “You do know you just proved his claim.”
Like that claim needed real proof. I took another bite. This one wasn’t too hot, actually. The taco was excellent. “And this is what he gets until he breaks the claim. Hope you like ghost pepper wings.”
“I do.” Kelsey’s eyes had gone wide. “I didn’t think they would be so delicious. I tend to stay away from hot sauce. It gives me indigestion, but I can’t stop eating it. The hotter the better. Last night I made Gray get me chocolate ice cream slathered in caramel and buffalo sauce. I was so ashamed.”
I should have known her pregnancy would be fun to watch. I finished off my second taco and reached for the dumplings and chili oil. “Nothing to be ashamed of, though you should know that witches follow a particular diet when pregnant. They have to think of the young witches they carry.”
“You know your shoulders straighten back when you go into superior-witch mode.” Kelsey dredged a chip through a rich-looking picante. “I bet I know who their dietician is.”
“Myrddin, of course,” I replied automatically. And then thought about it. What the fuck did Myrddin know about childbirth? About being pregnant? The only child the man ever had he’d shipped off the plane.
Which was a mistake, according to him.
But the queen had told me Myrddin had arranged the death of her old bodyguard, Kelsey’s biological father, because of a prophecy that he was one of two creatures who could kill him. According to what the royals discovered, Myrddin had sent the other off plane before he was born.
Dean.
Why would the royals lie to me?
“Hey, stop thinking.” Kelsey put a hand on mine. “I’ve watched you. When you think about Myrddin too hard, you get sick, don’t you?”
“Of course not. That’s ridiculous.” The fact that it kept happening didn’t make it any less ridiculous. There was another explanation. “You know it all started when you put this collar around my throat. And I’m not used to being around so many different creatures. I’m probably allergic to one of you.”