“What about fluctuations?”
“Some here and there.”
“Mmm. I feel like there’s much you aren’t telling me.”
“How about a visit?” I asked, ignoring her statement.
“To the U.S.?” She barked a laugh. “It’s a little crazy pants over there right now, ain’t it?”
Hard to deny that. “Not for the magical community. We’re the same, and Joy Springs is full of us. I’d love to see you.”
“You can always come to Scotland.”
Fear skittered up my back. “I’m not ready.”
“There hasn’t been a Chimera sighting since your attack. Everyone thinks they’re gone.”
“I’m still not ready,” I said quietly.
Hazel sighed. “Fine. But you’re missing out on an entire country because of one bad man.”
“He wasn’t a man.” My fingers tightened around the phone. “He was so much worse.”
“Maybe I’ll come,” Hazel said, relenting. “How about a month or so? I have things to clean up around here.”
“A month is good.” If I were still alive by then.
“Done.” Her voice softened. “Whatever’s going on, hang on until then. I’ll bring some of my special magic.” Hazel cackled and disconnected.
That was the thing about her. I never got the chance to say goodbye, and I felt like I should have this time.
After mindlessly bingeing shows for a couple of hours, I headed to bed, hoping I could get some sleep tonight.
Unfortunately, my brain had other ideas and replayed the image of Caelan nipping my neck on a loop for hours.
I wokebefore the sun came up and immediately felt something off. Quiet as a whisper, I slid my feet into my slippers and crept out of my bedroom, my eyes sweeping the living room for intruders. I sensed no one in the house and couldn’t scent anything unusual. After checking every room and cursing my paranoia, I made a pot of coffee and downed the first cup before refilling my mug and heading outside to grab the mail I’d forgotten to grab last night.
But when I opened the door and glanced down, there was a basket wrapped in cellophane and pretty ribbon and an envelope attached to the top addressed to me.
It smelled like shifters.
Chapter
Thirty-Four
Iwas pissed beyond words. Three weeks had passed since the incident in my store, and now here I was, inside Caelan’s Keep decorating the ballroom for a Council sponsored full moon event. Supposedly the dinner was to support local businesses and raise money for town events and to beautify Joy Springs, but something about this event felt off.
For one, everyone was staring at me. I’d been here since the morning, and every shifter who’d passed by had stared at me so intently I felt like I had a booger up my nose or something. Moira and Tess noticed, too. Ash had stayed back to man the shop, but he was also invited to attend the dinner and would be here at seven tonight.
I’d seen only one of the Shifter Lords since my arrival, and thankfully it was Rowan. He gave us a somber nod and passed by to murmur I should be on my best behavior because everyone was on edge.
Considering this was supposed to be a happy event celebrating the town, his words made my spine stiffen. If the Lords were antsy, that meant I should be antsy, right?
I cursed as the pin I was using to fasten one of the blooms onto the ribbon poked me in the pad of my thumb. The scent ofblood rose in the air, and several pairs of shifter eyes snapped to me.
“Shit,” Moira said. She dug in her pocket for a liquid bandage and hurriedly applied it to my finger. Within seconds, the smell of blood dissipated, but it was still on the ribbon. Moira cut that part away and handed it to me for disposal. I climbed off the ladder, shoved the ribbon into a potted plant, and instructed the bacteria in the soil to do its thing. Within seconds, the ribbon was completely gone, my blood absorbed into the soil. I’d have to ask Caelan if I could have the plant, but I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.
He’d been disturbingly nice over the last few weeks, and that was more unnerving than anything else. I’d caught him looking at me a few times with pity, and that had disturbed me to my core.
