Her breath caught on a spike of pure adrenalin.
And as if by serendipity, her phone rang in the bedroom.
Hurrying over to her purse she realized it was her other phone. Anna’s phone. There was only one person who knew that number.
Clare picked it up. Put it to her ear.
“Hi, Anna darling, it’s Emmaline,” came the breathy voice on the other end. “I have got hold of that extra special employer the Master mentioned. He is very keen to interview you. Could you meet up this afternoon?”
Clare pulled a face. She’d promised Oliver that she would not move, not before he had back-up vials of her blood. She knew it would be foolhardy to break that promise.
“Today I—I can’t, I’m in Tween visiting my mom who’s been unwell.” Please gods, don’t punish her for the lie. “But I—I’ll be back in Motham later tonight. How about tomorrow?”
“Oh darling, sorry to hear your mom’s sick. Tomorrow, lunchtime then. We’ll make the beast take us out to lunch.”
The beast? Something about the way Emmaline said it made little hairs stand up on the back of Clare’s neck. “W—who is he?”
“Ah, I have to keep that secret for now. But I will tell you tomorrow before we meet him.”
“That’s so wonderful, thank you Emmaline,” Clare gushed. It wasn’t wonderful, it was unnerving, felt like walking into a trap, but she sensed too many questions would make Emmaline suspicious. “Where shall we meet?”
“Come to my office first, and we’ll get his chauffer to drive us to the venue. See you at noon tomorrow.” Emmaline let out a squeal of laughter. “I just know we are going to be the best of friends after this.”
CHAPTER 29
Oliver exceeded the speed limit driving to Waldo’s apothecary.
He urgently needed to secure vials of Clare’s blood as backup. Even more so since he had held her in his arms and given himself to her in the moment of climax. They were bound to one another now.
She was his mate, his beloved.
She was also in grave danger. The idea was tearing him apart.
And if he couldn’t remain rational, what chance would he have to save her if she disappeared?
His heart pounded as he parked outside the apothecary and strode inside. He told the receptionist that he was here to see Waldo urgently, and when she told him to take a seat, his knee jiggled with impatience.
When Waldo walked out of his office, his calm greeting barely touched the edge of Oliver’s frazzled nerves.
“Come, come,” he said as he ushered Oliver into his consulting room. “Sit. Can I get you a tea or coffee?”
“A Valium might be better.”
“I do not dispense them.” Waldo smiled. “Besides, that would not help, it is not medication but ancient magick that is required now.”
“Yeah, and if I understood how to activate that ancient magick, maybe it would be alright, but fuck, Waldo I am totally lost as to where to go next with this.”
“On the contrary Oliver, you are not lost, you are found.”
Oliver frowned. “How do you mean?”
“You don’t think I know you well enough to tell when you are in love?”
Oliver’s head jerked up.
Damn warlock. This was unnerving; he felt his skin prickling with heat. “How did you guess?”
“Just call it a hunch.” Waldo smiled.
