“And contemplated keeping you.” Sloane’s mouth turned down. “Anna, you should have warned us.”
“Why would they keep me?”
Anna blinked sharply, as if momentarily thrown, and then pressed her lips together. “Because you have power. You’re the anchor. You have a direct line to the cosmos and constant miasma being filtered into you from your mates.”
Made sense. “Okay, so what’s in the box?”
Anna flipped open the lid to the box the sister had given us and lifted out a leather bracelet with a charm attached to it.
“Four bracelets for four Elites,” she said. “These must be carrying the glamour charm.”
Sloane took the bracelet off her and slipped it on. “Well?”
“You look the same to me.”
Anna plucked a note from the box. “The brown one is for you, Cora. It works with your amulet so it won’t be muted.” She continued to read. “It looks like the bracelets only work when they’re all worn at the same time and will only serve to hide your true natures from warlocks.”
Well, that sucked. “So, there’s no way to know if they work without trying them out at the warlock club?”
“We could totally do with Elijah right now,” Sloane said.
Elijah still hadn’t checked in with me, not that he was obliged to, but…I mean, we were friends, right? Plus, I was worried.
“Anna, have you heard from him or Bramble?”
“Actually, I had a message from Elijah this morning. Bramble is with him, and they have a lead on the Sons of Adam location.”
I sat up straighter. “And you’re telling us now?”
“Elijah asked that I not mention anything to you, but since you asked directly…” She smiled. “He said he’d call again in a couple of days when he was sure his intel was solid.”
He hadn’t wanted to get my hopes up. “He could have messaged to tell me he was okay.”
“He explained that he and Bramble no longer have cell phones. He has the mansion number memorized.”
Okay, so I guess I could let them off the hook, but it made me wonder how they’d lost their cell phones. I’d have to let Lauris know Bramble was okay, that she was with Elijah.
Sloane handed me the brown bracelet. “If Elijah has the vamps’ location, then all we need is a way to stop them.”
I stood and slipped on my bracelet, noting the prickle that ran over my skin. “Let’s hope that Conah finds something in that journal.”
We’d be patrolling tonight but I’d forgotten my weapons belt at the cabin. Leaving Sloane to update the rest of The Elites, I hurried home through the woods. Home. Yeah, that’s what it was now. Home.
Except the guys weren’t here.
I stood in the kitchen with a hollow feeling in my chest. God, what was wrong with me? It had been one night and half a day since I’d seen them. Snap the fuck out of it. Cor, grab your shit and get out of here.
I ran up the stairs, grabbed the belt and my black patent knee-high boots, which had a beautifully intricate metal-designed heel and five buckles to match the stunning metal work. They screamed sex, but also sported a sturdy enough heel to allow me to run and fight if needed. I would have packed these last night if Sloane hadn’t made a big deal about my taking too many boots. I mean, four pairs wasn’t too many, was it? These were super comfy with an extra dagger sheath. They would work well for patrol tonight.
Warmth bloomed in my chest and my nape prickled. My head whipped up. Rune was here.
I turned to find him standing in my doorway, huge and golden, hazel eyes bright from exertion and fixed on me.
“Hey.”
I sensed you.
“I came back for some stuff. How are things?”
We’re all set up. The varga will have a tough time breaching our defenses.
“How long do you think you guys will have to be gone?”
I don’t know. He padded closer. But we want to be here, Cora, you know that, right?
“Pfft, of course. Who wouldn’t?”
He looked up at me with his knowing, gold-flecked eyes. We missed you last night.
I crouched and wrapped my arms around his neck. “I missed you guys too. It was weird not being home.”
Home.
“Yeah. Home.”
He rested his head on my shoulder. I’m glad you feel that way.
Something churned in my chest. Anxiety…sadness.
“Rune, are you okay?” I pulled back to look into his eyes. “Talk to me.”
I’m fine, Cora.
“Liar. I can feel what you’re feeling.”
Just tired. Worried about the varga attacks. It’s nothing.
He was hiding something, but my gut told me not to push him. “I’m here if you want to talk about anything, you know that, right?”
I do. Tell me how your day has been so far.
Deflection. Okay, I’d go with it for now. I filled him in on Meredith and the silent sisters and the glamour. “Elijah checked in too and Bramble’s with him. They may have a lead on the Sons of Adam’s location.”
A low chuckle filled my head. Seems like it’s been an eventful day for you.
“And it’ll be an eventful night. We’re headed into the belly of the beast.”
Disconcertion bloomed in my chest. His disconcertion. “I’ll be fine.”
I know, I just…I wish I could be with you.
There was a double meaning to his words. “Me too, Rune.”
My heart ached to ask him about his secret, about why he couldn’t shift into human form. But he’d asked me to respect his privacy once before, and I wasn’t about to push him away by bringing up the topic again.
Be safe on patrol. A few of the pack females are in town tonight for a pre-mating night out and we’ve warned them to steer clear of The Order club.
“Like a hen do?”
I suppose so.
“Isn’t that dangerous with the varga trying to take the females?”
The town’s the safest place for them. Varga never attack in town. Their rifts have always been localized to the woodland and plains. But the women will be accompanied
