The Hunt (By Kiss and Claw #2) - Melissa Haag Page 0,17
of my travel book with longing. Cyprus had been one of the dog-eared pages.
“It is.” Mrs. Quill studied me for a moment, and I could see she was weighing her next words. “Is there a reason you told Oanen and Megan to stay away?”
“Oanen has a big mouth.”
“He’s worried. We all are.”
“You should be. Ashlyn’s missing, and whoever caused it is going to get a one-way ticket to hell once Megan gets here. Since she holds the Council responsible, I wanted to give you all a chance to find Ashlyn. Not that anyone seems to care. Instead of focusing on Ashlyn, Adira’s hellbent on making me wish I was the one who disappeared.”
Mrs. Quill’s expression turned to pity.
“Raiden and members of his pack, who he trusts implicitly to protect Ashlyn should they find her, have been searching night and day. Lander is hunting by air as well. And, Adira’s put out the word that we want to hire a druid for a location spell. We won’t stop until we discover what happened to her. No matter how it might look, we do care.”
She stood and slid the bag toward me.
“Let me know when you need more chocolate. I’ll get it for you, no questions asked.”
She gave me a tender smile and left the kitchen. I stared after her. At least I knew they were doing something. But I could see in Mrs. Quill’s eyes that even she knew their methods were unlikely to find anything. It only affirmed my decision to meet with the druid later today.
Before leaving the kitchen, I opened the bag Mrs. Quill had given me and inhaled the scent of chocolate. It smelled heavenly but didn’t make my mouth water. Had it been filled with lemon cake, I would have dived in headfirst. As it was, I stashed the bag in one of the cupboards and headed out the door.
I sent a quick text to my mom to let her know that I was on my way then followed her directions to an older house on the northern outskirts of town. The bungalow style home had crisp, white trim that contrasted its dusky blue siding. Even with snow covering the majority of the yard, I could see signs of neat landscaping.
Dad opened the door and watched as I parked. The moment I stepped out of the car, he called to me.
“I hope you’re hungry for waffles, baby girl.”
“I am if you’re making them.”
He ushered me inside, took my jacket, and wrapped me in a strong hug. When he pulled back, I noticed the dark circles under his eyes were less pronounced.
“Did you sleep well last night?” I asked.
“Like a rock. I’m so glad your mother brought me here. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
I looked around the house. From the entry, I could see the living room, and farther back, the dining room then kitchen. The cozy decorations made it feel lived in. As did the smells of chocolate and vanilla. I inhaled appreciatively.
“It is a nice house,” I agreed.
I followed him toward the dining room, which flowed into the kitchen. My mom, dressed in a gossamer evening gown that was barely decent, rose from her spot at the table and opened her arms for me.
“I’m so glad you could make it, baby.” She hugged me, her hand stroking over my hair. “Is the taste gone?”
I pulled back and nodded with a smile.
“The taste is gone, but not the problem.”
She gave a curious frown.
“Tell me about it.” She motioned for me to take the seat beside her, and I glanced at Dad, who was already happily moving around the kitchen.
“Another brownie was in my room this morning. The little sister of Piepen’s very jealous girlfriend. I feel like I’m on some bad daytime drama show, and I just want it to stop.”
“Did you feed off of this one?”
“Gods, no.”
“Eliana. You know better. It’s God with a capital G,” Dad said from the kitchen.
“Jason, censoring what she says doesn’t change her thoughts, only the words she’s willing to speak in front of you. Is that what you want?”
Dad gave Mom a sheepish, yet completely devoted, look.
“No. You’re right.” He returned to the food he was removing from the oven. I watched him for a moment, my heart heavy.
“I’m glad this one wasn’t as persistent,” Mom said, patting my hand. “In time, Piepen will forget about you.”
“I sincerely hope so.”
Dad carried two plates to us and set them down with a flourish.