deal with a threat. For now, it was busily coming up with an answer, and taking far too long to do it.
‘Can’t make that decision for you,’ it said, the echoing voice trailing off. It was gathering its strength before saying more. ‘Werewolves make dangerous opponents. They have superior senses of smell and hearing, which means it is next to impossible to sneak up on them. However, they are all intensely allergic to silver, and with me to augment your skills you should be able to match their speed, if not their strength. Only an alpha like your ex might have the speed to outmatch you in hand-to-hand combat. If you are willing to take the risks inherent in fighting something with greater reach and strength, we may be able to take him down. I can formulate a plan to do as much during the day. Do you want to proceed?’
I thought about it. It listened in, seeing everything I saw, feeling everything I felt, knowing my answer before I spoke aloud. “I’m not sure yet. Let me know what you think up. I’ll come to you as soon as I get home from work tonight.”
‘Don’t try anything during the day,’ it warned, voice fading. The sun must have been rising behind the thick thunderclouds outside. ‘Stay clear of them all, even the Moonwalkers. They come offering peace, but you saw where trusting one of their kind got you.’
“I’ll be careful,” I promised, lightly touching the leather even as the tension holding it together faded. The belt loosened around my waist, signaling that the spirit was gone for the day. “Very careful.”
Bolstered by coffee and the promise of assistance, I wandered over to listen to my voice mail, sipping my coffee as the messages played.
Sara had left one around 8:30 last night that she was home and she’d pick me up on her way in to the office at around ten this morning. My brother Mike left one asking if I was back yet, why I wasn’t picking up my cell, and asking me to call him as soon as I got the message. He sounded agitated, but he’d just have to wait until I was in a better frame of mind before I called him back. Chaz had left one, too, but I savagely slammed the delete button as soon as I recognized his voice.
Then came Royce’s voice, late, past midnight, pleasant and smooth as it always was.
“Ms. Waynest, I’m sorry I missed your call. I trust you got my message before you left for your vacation, though I do hope nothing untoward occurred during your time out of town. If you still need to speak with me, I’ll have my cell phone on me the rest of the night. Call me anytime.”
I had to hunt for the phone buried under the covers somewhere on my bed. I’d been so dead to the world I hadn’t heard it ring, even though I’d somehow shoved it under my favorite pillow. Settling cross-legged on the bed, I picked at a loose thread on my nightshirt as I listened to Royce’s phone ring, not quite sure whether or not I was hoping he’d bedded down for the day.
Just as I was about to hang up, he picked up.
“Ms. Waynest. You called?”
“Yeah, I did,” I said, hating my sudden bashful stammering. Last night, thinking nothing but angry thoughts about Chaz and the Sunstrikers had done plenty to boost me with false courage. Now, though it was necessary that I speak with him right away, I was regretting ever calling the vampire.
“Well then. What can I do for you?”
“I—I’m sorry. I need a sec to get myself together,” I admitted, leaning forward to balance my forehead against my palm.
He made a sound of frustration, faint but unmistakable. “I do hope you don’t consider me responsible for whatever may have happened while you were out of town. I have little control over the Were population, and did not have enough time to sufficiently prepare—”
“Royce, shut up,” I demanded, though my heart leapt into my throat once the words left my lips. Telling him off wasn’t a great way to start off this conversation, but neither was letting him go on about how much he hoped he hadn’t been implicated in something he had no control over. “I’m sorry. Actually, no, I’m not sorry. But I need you to be quiet and listen to me for a minute. Can you do that?”