CHAPTER FIFTEEN
I yawned and rubbed my eyes. “I think we need to call it a night.”
Jonathan tapped on his silver bracelet, and the hologram disappeared. “I’ll be back tomorrow if you’re free. We can keep searching then.”
“Alaric, are we free?” I stretched as I stood. Although we had taken four breaks from looking at pictures, my eyes were still crossing as the sun set. “I don’t think we have anything planned, do we?”
“We’re free, beauty. This takes precedence over any other activity.” The bear shifter stood from his own chair and shook Rune’s and Megan’s shoulders, where they had fallen asleep cuddled against one another. “Wake up. You can sleep here if you want, but that chair is not comfortable for sleeping all night.”
Rune groaned. “Fuck off, asshole.”
He shook his shoulder again. “I’ll leave you here, you prick, and your neck will ache all day long tomorrow.”
“Dick.” Rune grunted and opened sleepy eyes.
He blinked a few times, and then he stood and picked up his sleeping mate. Walking a smidge crookedly, he cradled her in his arms and exited the room, heading for a bedroom here.
I glanced at the assassin. “You can stay here, too, if you want. We can pick this up early in the morning then.”
Jonathan’s forehead crinkled. “I prefer my own lair, but thank you for the kind invitation.”
I shrugged, ignoring the word he used for his home. “That’s fine. Come by anytime tomorrow.”
I pulled my fist back and punched him straight in his face in rapid succession. Again. And again. Once more until his nose bled, scarlet drops flicked on his lips.
Jonathan stood frozen in shock.
Alaric jerked me away from him, holding me far away from the assassin. He shook my shoulders gently and placed his face in front of mine, shouting, “What the hell are you doing?”
“Oh my god!” I shrieked, shaking in his restraining grip. My head swam as tears burned in my eyes. “That wasn’t me! I swear! Oh my god. I’m so sorry, Jonathan. I’d never do that. You’re a friend. I’d never do that to you.”
Alaric’s eyes narrowed, fury erupting from him in a magical breeze. The hairs on my arms stood up as he hissed, “That bastard touched you again.”
Jonathan rubbed the blood off his face with the back of his hand, staring at the crimson smear on his flesh. “Who has she been around since Cass blocked him?”
I shook my head. “Only people we know and the hospital staff. That’s all.” I looked at the white-haired shifter. “Jonathan, truly, I am so sorry.”
His lips twitched. “Faith, you have a nice right jab, but you didn’t really harm me. You merely surprised me. I’m fine now, all healed. Don’t worry about me.”
Alaric pulled me into his hold, embracing me tightly. “You’re fine. You’re fine. We’ll call Cass and have him come over.”
Jonathan sat back down on the couch. “I should stay until he arrives. You weren’t mated before, but you are now. If he takes control again, she could kill you.”
Instantly, I shoved out of my husband’s arms. I walked on quick feet and sat down next to the assassin, pressing my side against him. I looked right into his eyes, specifying plainly, “If you see me sneak up on his ass, you have my permission to cut off my head.”
Jonathan snorted. “A little dramatic. I’d just snap your neck.”
Alaric’s bear growled deep inside his chest. “I’m pretty sure I’m offended that you think my little mate could sneak up on me.”
Jonathan’s brows rose. “She wouldn’t need to sneak if you had kept holding her like you were. There was a fire poker right next to her leg she could have used as a weapon.”
I waved my hands in the air. “Let’s quit talking about me killing him and call Cass. I want to sleep next to my husband tonight—peacefully.”
Alaric tapped on his silver bracelet, his finger moving in a blur—though he was smart and didn’t come any closer to me. In irritation, he barked, “Order: Call Cassander.”
“Do you know how late it is?” Cass yawned over the call. “This had better be good.”
“Mr. Valentine managed to touch my mate again,” Alaric hissed. “And since we’re mated now…”
Cass sighed heavily, and then moaned, “I’ll be there in about an hour.”
Alaric’s brows furrowed. “Why so long?”
“Because your problems aren’t the only shifter problems in the world. I do have other business, and I’m not in New City right now.”
Alaric’s features blanked. “Sorry, man.”
A quiet moment. “Yeah, well, he wanted to die.”
“Peace be with the departed,” Jonathan murmured.
Alaric glanced at him, then back to me. “You can sleep here tonight if you want. Or I’ll stay up with you. We’ll go for a run.”
Cass perked up. “I’ll be there in an hour. Don’t let her off you before then.” He ended the call.
“So, I guess I won’t be sleeping next to my husband after all.” I smiled at him gently. “He needs you more.”
Alaric plopped down on the recently vacated loveseat. “I wouldn’t take his job for anything. That is hell.”
“He’s lasted longer than most seers do,” Jonathan muttered factually. “I have great respect for him. He isn’t anywhere near insane yet. Whatever his coping habits are, he should write them down for future seers.”
Alaric blinked. “He’s more than his job.”
Jonathan backtracked. “My apologies.”
I patted the assassin’s leg. “He’s just tired. Don’t mind him. He didn’t get a nap like I did.”
The killer chuckled. “That is true.”
The bear growled quietly in grumpy irritation.
An hour later, the fox strolled in.
Other than stress lining his forehead, he didn’t appear as if he’d given a shifter his final mercy today. He opened his arms wide, his fur coat swinging out, and stated, “I am here as your valiant savior, so y’all can fuck any way you want without a slit throat during climax.”
Jonathan snorted.
Yes, the killer has a unique sense of humor.
No wonder he respected the seer so much.
Two peas in a pod.
But the fox was going to save my ass once again.