Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 68040 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68040 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Incredibly hurt.
Jonas stands out back in the gardens, his hands on his hips as he stares toward Hallows End. I can’t read his mind, but I can tell he’s thinking about the town he spent more than three hundred years in and worrying about setting it free.
While I hate that both of my friends are struggling, there’s nothing I can do to help them. Content that they’re at least safe, I turn to fly back to Lorelei.
The sun has just set as the roof of the cottage comes into view, and I’m surprised to see that Lorelei is standing outside, just a few steps from the porch, her arms wrapped around herself as she stares out at the harbor and bay.
I land, shift back into my human form, and walk to her. Her eyes are wide and unblinking, and I don’t like it one bit.
“Lorelei.”
She doesn’t respond; she just continues to stare out at the water.
“Hey, Lorelei.” This time, I reach out and lay my hand on her shoulder. She jerks as if I’ve pulled her out of a trance and then stares up at me, blinking quickly. “You were deep in thought.”
“I was? Oh.” She frowns and glances back out at the water. “Why do I always hear that music?”
“What does it sound like?”
“It’s just so…pretty. Unlike anything I’ve ever heard before. And I feel so good when I listen to it. Like I’m floating or something. But then, whenever it goes away, I feel awful.”
“Come on, let’s go inside.”
I take her hand, and she doesn’t pull away, which I take as a good sign. Leading her through the front door, I close it behind us.
“See? Once I’m back in the cottage, I’m fine.” She frowns up at me. “But the closer I get to the water, the sicker I feel.”
“How long has this been going on?”
She walks into the kitchen and opens the oven, checking on whatever smells so good inside.
“I don’t know. A few weeks, I guess? Since the day you approached me as the wolf.”
“You hadn’t heard it before that?”
“Not that I remember.” She pulls a big, round stone out of the oven, and a pizza sizzles on top of it. “I didn’t put anchovies on this.”
“I’ll eat just about anything.”
“I know.” She pulls a pizza cutter out of a drawer, quickly divides the pie into eight slices, then tosses the utensil into the sink. “I can make a salad with this if you want.”
“I think the pizza is plenty.”
She nods. “That’s what I thought, too. It’s comfort food, you know? And I thought we could both use it.”
“You’re right.”
She glances at me with those gorgeous green eyes as if she’s nervous, then sets a few slices onto a plate and passes it to me before dishing up her own.
“Let’s sit in the living room.” She leads me into the other room and sits cross-legged on the couch while I take the same chair I occupied earlier while cradling her against me.
“This chair doesn’t rock.” I frown, looking down at it.
“Nope. Why do you look surprised?”
“It rocked in my dream.” I shake my head, take a bite of the pizza, and then stare at Lorelei in disbelief.
“Did I ruin it?” she demands.
“Hell, no. This is amazing.” I swallow and take another bite. “We’re never ordering out again. This is far and away better than anything we can buy around here.”
Her cheeks flush with happiness as she takes a bite of her own slice. “I guess if this whole witchy author thing doesn’t work out, I could open a pizza kitchen.”
“No. I’m keeping this secret all to myself.”
“I can’t even tell the cousins?”
I chew, contemplating. “Maybe. Maybe it’s okay if they know, but they have to sign a contract that they won’t tell anyone else.”
She giggles and shakes her head. “Now you’re just being silly, and you’re never silly.”
“I have moments. With you.”
Her laugh softens into a smile, and she studies me, her plate of pizza resting on her lap.
“You should eat.”
“I will,” she replies and then looks down at her slice, but she doesn’t take a bite. “I’ve been thinking since you left to go out on patrol. I hurt everybody I love the most today. Have been hurting them for a long time.”
“They felt hurt because they would have helped you.” I continue to eat the glorious pizza. “They would have wanted you to lean on them.”
“I know.” Her response is a whisper. “And I’m a shit because Lucy’s right. I didn’t call on them because I needed to be mad at you. To take everything out on you and wrap my sorrow, anger, and fear around me like a stupid blanket. I really did throw a temper tantrum, and I don’t like knowing that.”
“Lorelei.” I set my plate aside and lean forward, my elbows on my knees. “You’re a human being, so you need to give yourself a little grace here. You…we lost a baby. No one is prepared for that or knows how to deal with it. There’s no instruction manual. Directing your anger at me was probably the most natural thing to do. Hell, I did the same. I just never said anything.”