CHAPTER TWELVE
Jace wasn’t thinking when she placed Lev on the ground as soon as she entered the Protectors’ house. She just put him down and immediately headed to the library.
“Why is this puppy roaming the halls?” she heard Bear growl just a few seconds later.
She hadn’t even sat down at the table yet.
Bear walked into the room, the puppy tucked under his arm. “I thought we discussed the rules regarding this . . .” He stopped and stared down at her.
“What’s wrong?” he suddenly asked her.
“Nothing.”
“You’re a bad liar.”
“Actually I’m not. I’m a very good liar. I just don’t use the skill often.”
“You’re unhappy. Why are you unhappy?”
Finally dropping into the chair, Jace sighed and said, “It’s a long story—”
“Her ex-husband is out of prison,” Gundo explained as he walked in. “He was just released.”
“Or it’s a short story,” she amended. “Depending on your perspective.”
“Why is he out?” Bear demanded.
“The federal prosecutor screwed up,” Gundo explained. “At least his office did.”
Actually, the only thing Jennings had done wrong was not take Jace’s warnings seriously. But no one understood her ex-husband as well as she did.
Eriksen suddenly reappeared with a mug of tea. “Here,” he ordered, pushing the tea toward her. “Drink this.”
“I don’t want tea.”
“Drink it anyway.”
“Give me that,” Bear snarled, covering the steaming top of the mug with his hand and pulling it away from Eriksen while at the same time dropping poor Lev. “What do you think you’re doing?”
She caught Lev before he could hit the ground and pulled him into her lap.
“I’m giving her tea.”
“Here? What if she gets that female thing where her hands shake from fear or whatever, and she gets the tea all over the goddamn books?”
“She just caught that dog in midair,” Gundo helpfully pointed out.
“She could snap at any time,” Bear insisted before leaning down and informing her, “But you’re safe here. You don’t have anything to be afraid of.”
“I’m not afraid.”
“Really?” he asked, big head tilted to the side.
“He’s already killed me once, Bear. And, unlike most people, when I die again, I know where I’m going.” She glanced at Eriksen. “Kera’s already been there and she said she had a blast.”
“Kera Watson’s been to Valhalla?”
“Yeah. She went with Vig and his sister.” She briefly studied the three Protectors. “Not sure you three will have as good a time, though. Didn’t hear anything about libraries in Valhalla.”
Bear appeared crestfallen. “That’s depressing.”
“Can we worry about our deaths later?” Eriksen snapped.
“I’ve got an idea,” Gundo cut in. “Have the Ravens kill your ex-husband.”
“Pardon?”
“It makes complete sense. That way you and society won’t have to worry about him at all.”
“Well, if you’re so worried, why don’t you kill him?”
“Because I’m a Protector,” Gundo patiently explained. “I’ll protect you because that’s what we do. But outright murder? That’s a mindless enterprise that seems much more . . . Raven-esque.”
“You just think the Ravens are stupid.”
“They are stupid,” Eriksen muttered.
“My hand’s burning,” Bear suddenly announced.
Eriksen gritted his teeth. “Because it’s over the hot tea.”
“A sacrifice I’m willing to make to protect our sacred books.”
“Then don’t complain!”
Jace kissed Lev’s now-sleeping head. “Why are you yelling?”
“Because I’m upset! Why aren’t you upset?”
“I am upset. But you are looking for hysterical. I don’t do hysterical.”
“Unless it’s Rachel?”
“That was an accident.”
“Uh-huh.”
Bear took an abrupt step backward. “Come on,” he ordered.
“Where?” Gundo asked.
“Just come on.” He walked out, probably to put the tea Jace had never wanted into the sink and put some ointment on what she would bet was now a bad burn on the palm of his hand.
With a shrug, they all followed Bear into the hallway. He pointed toward the front door while he went to the kitchen.
When he met them outside a few minutes later, he had his poor hand bandaged. Eriksen snorted and she slapped his arm. “Be nice.”
“But—”
“Nice.”
“Come on,” Bear said again, motioning to a large red SUV parked down the curved driveway a bit. Probably the only thing the big Viking could fit in.
As they walked toward it, a motorcycle raced into the driveway. It was one of those speed bikes rather than a Harley, Jace’s preferred mode of motorcycle transportation. Not that she’d ever been on either, but she just thought Harleys looked so cool.
The bike pulled up to the corner and stopped; there were two people on it. The motor shut off, the one in the front pulled off her helmet, short red hair dropping in front of big green eyes. And Kera was riding behind Erin. She jumped off the bike as soon as it was still, stumbling backward while pulling off her helmet at the same time. Gundo moved forward, barely catching her before she hit the ground. But she didn’t seem to notice since she was too busy chucking her helmet at Erin’s head.
Thankfully, the laughing redhead ducked in time.
“What?” Erin asked.
“Crazy bitch! You could have gotten both of us killed!”
“You wanted to get here quickly.”
“Fuck you!” Kera pushed away from Gundo. She was so angry. It was all over her face. But anyone with sense knew not to go riding on a motorcycle with Erin Amsel. She took crazy chances and, more importantly, she was self-taught and didn’t actually have a motorcycle license.
Not that Jace was going to say so at this moment. That would be a very poor decision on her part.
Bear pointed at the two women. “Do you like them?” he asked.
Not sure why he was asking, Jace replied, “Yes.”
“Okay.” Then he picked Kera up with one arm and Erin with the other. Holding them the same way he’d held Lev.
“Hey!” both sister-Crows barked, pounding on Bear’s arms and shoulders, trying to get him to let them go, but he ignored them. Reaching the SUV, he patiently waited until Gundo opened the back door for him. Bear then pushed the two women inside before gesturing to Jace. “Come on.”
She glanced at Eriksen, but all he could do was shrug. “Might as well,” he added when Jace hesitated.
Snuggling Lev closer, she got into the back of the SUV, where Kera and Erin were now arguing with each other.
Eriksen sat in the front passenger seat and Gundo got into the second row. Once the doors were closed and Bear was behind the wheel, they set off.
But where they were going . . . ?