“What do you want to bet he’s the client she didn’t like? Shay thought Renee said something about ‘faster,’ but she could have been trying to warn Shay about Masters.”
“I think so. I checked the invoice for the table. It was in my wallet. His name was scribbled on the corner. I think she was trying to give us a clue,” Jamie said. “She probably sent the table to me because she knew I had a top-secret job. She thought I was military. She probably figured the table would be safe with me.” Jamie gave a humorless laugh.
“She didn’t know you’d be guarding it from vampires,” Ronan said.
Sam stepped into the room. “Did someone say vampires—” She broke off, staring at Jamie. Her eyes flared and she looked away, her cheeks growing pink.
“Uh, we were just talking nonsense,” Cody said. “Sam, Jamie Waters. Jamie, Samantha Skye. You met the others already.”
“You’re Sam?” Jamie asked, eyebrows cocked. He and Sam nodded in greeting but didn’t attempt to shake hands.
“Jamie says Ellis’s boss, Anson Masters, was a client of Renee’s,” Cody said, watching Sam’s blush fade. He couldn’t remember ever seeing her blush.
“Now that’s interesting,” Sam said, pulling her gaze from Jamie. “He left out that little detail. I haven’t been able to find him and wondered if you had anyone you could spare. This guy’s harder to track down than Osama bin Laden.”
He could
Coira planted her hands on her hips. “Cody MacBain, what kind of foolishness are you putting in this boy’s head? He needs to rest a couple more days.”
Jamie patted Coira’s shoulder. “I’ll be fine, Coira. You know I’m a fast healer.”
“I know you’re hardheaded; that’s what I know.”
He glanced from Shay to the mark on Cody’s neck. “You’ll take care of her?” he asked Cody, and something passed between them, like a final changing of the guards.
“I will,” Cody said. “You have my word.”
Jamie nodded.
“I’ll take it easy on Jamie,” Sam told Coira, and this time Jamie blushed.
“I’m holding you and Cody responsible for him,” Coira said.
He gave one final look over his shoulder at Shay, his expression torn. “Lead the way,” he said, following Sam.
“When we’re in the car,” Sam said, “you can explain why you were really talking about vampires. It wouldn’t surprise me to find out Cody’s a creature of the night.” After they left, Shay coughed. Coira and Cody rushed to her side. She struggled to rise.
“Relax now,” Coira said.
Cody grabbed Shay’s hand. “How do you feel?”
“Betrayed.”
“What have I done now?” Cody asked.
“You lied to me,” Shay said, after the others fled the room.
“How did I lie?”
“I’m a warrior? Ronan had to tell me.”
Damn.
“You said you’d stop.”
“We weren’t sure you were a warrior.”
“But I might be?”
“It’s possible.” He sighed. “I think you probably are. The Watchers thought so at one time, and they’re usually right. I wasn’t hiding it from you; there’s just been so much going on.”
“So I’ve found out I’m a warrior a year before I have to retire?” She sat down on the bed.
“You can always choose to remain active. That’s what Anna plans to do. So does Ronan.” That distressing thought had him so troubled he almost missed what she said next.
“What you said about the demons using the book to kill warriors when they’re born, do you think that’s what happened to me? I was left for dead as a baby, and someone is obviously worried enough about whether I’m alive to dig up my fake grave. And Bree thinks it’s an ancient demon.”
Cody sat down next to her. “God forbid. It’s possible that Malek believed your father had the book and left it to you. It’s all speculation. We don’t know anything for sure except that someone is after you, and someone stole our
“A little.”
“I should have told you. I would have, but there’s been so much happening. And subconsciously, I probably didn’t want to put another burden on you. I love you. I want you safe.”
