Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 33472 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 167(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33472 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 167(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
“Dad, you didn’t do this,” Dex said.
Klaus turned toward him. “I did.”
Dex frowned.
“Anyone who gets hurt on our watch is our fault, son. There is no way out of this blame game. We’re the ones to blame, no one else.”
“You couldn’t have known.” He didn’t want his dad to feel any guilt.
“It doesn’t matter. All that matters is that Lucinda gets better,” Klaus said. “That is all I care about and not because of what the coven can do to us. Lucinda is one of us, and whoever did this will pay for it.”
****
Casey stepped out of their new bathroom and glanced toward the bed to see Dex lying on top of the covers.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m just trying to figure out who could have tried to kill Lucinda. I get that not everyone likes her, but she’s not a bad person,” Dex said, rubbing at his temples.
“It has to be the person you saw in that premonition,” Casey said, moving toward the bed. She lifted the covers and slid inside.
She knew she didn’t have to wait long before Dex reached out and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her in close. She loved when he did this.
Their parents had been so happy that they loved the house, and they were more than happy for them to move in. At first, Casey didn’t understand why their parents were so enthused with them leaving the nest, but in the last three days, they had not been able to keep their hands away from one another.
And then she realized their parents knew how they felt. While they lived with their parents, they did show a great deal of restraint but it hadn’t been a lot. Their parents could only give them privacy for so long, and with it getting colder, having sex outside didn’t have much appeal. Their own place was the only solution, and she was thankful their parents had granted it to them.
“Yeah, but none of us know who that could be. Lucinda didn’t even recognize my parents, Casey.”
She felt Dex’s arms tighten around her.
“It’s going to be okay,” she said, hoping to give him something to hold onto.
“You don’t know if it is going to be okay, but thank you.” He pressed a kiss to her temple and she smiled.
“I wasn’t just saying it. I believe it. Lucinda is not going to die.”
“I hope not. She was getting warmer and Mom was making her chicken soup, which is always good.”
Casey nodded. “See, she is in good hands.”
They were silent for several minutes and then Casey frowned. “Where did you say you found her?”
“A spot near the lake.”
“A perfect spot?”
“Only to hide who actually did it,” Dex said. “Dad wouldn’t be able to detect any one scent, and with how cold she was, I’d say she had been out there a few days.”
“But, why would Lucinda have been at the lake?” Casey asked.
She felt Dex tense. “What do you mean?”
“Well, Lucinda rarely leaves her home. How did she end up at the lake?” She turned to look at Dex. “It makes no sense. The only time she comes into town is when she is accompanied by you, your mom, or your dad.”
Dex frowned. “So someone would have had to attack her at her house?” he asked.
“It makes sense.” Casey looked at him and waited.
“You’re not coming,” Dex said.
“What the hell, Dex, are you kidding me?”
“You’re pregnant!”
“And, whoever attacked Lucinda could be responsible for your death. I know there is a risk this may play out like it did in your premonition, but you’re not keeping me out of this, so don’t even try. There is no way I am letting you leave without me.” She grabbed his arm. “We’re in this together. We’re a team.”
She saw that he wanted to argue, but even if he did attempt to leave her behind, he’d only get so far and she’d follow him. There was no way she was leaving him to find a possible suspect on his own.
“Fine. Fine, but any sign of danger, and I’m warning you, you come home right away, do you understand me?” he asked.
“Yes, yes, yes.”
It didn’t take them long to get dressed, and they were out of their new home within a matter of minutes. Dex took her hand, and they walked stealthily toward the forest, and from there, they ran. She had a feeling she was slowing Dex down, but she was not going to let him do this on his own. They were a team.
It didn’t take them long to make it to Lucinda’s house.
“Doesn’t look like anything bad happened,” Dex said as they arrived.
“What do you mean?” Casey asked, inhaling deeply and finding it strange to get so many different smells.
She had never smelled the pack before, and it was woodsy and floral at the same time. There were a lot of smells—vanilla, cinnamon, even a hint of chocolate—and for some reason, she could also smell metal, which was odd. The fact she could smell anything was incredible to her.