The Hunt (By Kiss and Claw #2) - Melissa Haag Page 0,36
give you until tonight before I started sending broken heart memes.”
I gave a watery laugh.
“You still can.”
“What’s wrong? Are you crying?”
“Maybe a little. Everyone is just making me so angry, and I’m lonely without a friend.”
“We can be home in five minutes,” she said immediately. “This hell gate thing I do is amazing for travel.”
“Not so good on the luggage,” Oanen called from the background.
“No, there’s no need for you to come home yet. Mrs. Quill said you were in Cyprus. Is it pretty?”
“It is. I never thought I was the type to ooh and aah over old stuff, but seeing some of the ruins is pretty humbling. I texted a pic to my great-grandma, and guess what she said? She remembers them a lot differently. She’s five hundred years old. Can you believe that shit?”
I chuckled at the awe in her tone.
“I can. There are older creatures alive. You might like talking to a few of them.”
“Probably not. I can only imagine the wrongs they’ve committed over all those years.”
“Yeah. I didn’t think of that.”
There was a long, silent pause.
“Are you going to tell me who I have to threaten for making you cry when I get home?”
“It’s a list. My mom brought my dad here. I love him, but I hate seeing how he is around her. Mindlessly happy, and a shell of the man he used to be before he met her.”
“How do you know? I mean, you weren’t born yet. How do you know he’s only a shell?”
I frowned at the phone.
“Megan, this is my pity party. Stop trying to be reasonable.”
She laughed.
“Carry on then. Who else?”
“Piepen has a new girlfriend who is insanely jealous. She sent her little sister to check me out. I’m tired of waking up to brownies in my room. I know I’m locking my window at night, but the little flitters keep getting in.”
“Was she touching herself?”
“What? Eew. No.”
“Well, that’s a win.”
“Your logic isn’t welcome here.”
She laughed again, and I grinned.
“But what’s really getting me is that Adira has a tracking spell on me now because I disappeared on them for a few hours.”
“Oh? Tell me more about this disappearance. Where did you go? Who were you with?”
“You’re missing the point. Adira is driving me insane with her control issues.”
“I promise to punch her in the face when I get back. Now, tell me the details.”
I thought of the caves and who I’d been with the first time and felt a pang of regret.
“Just some hot springs. Oanen can probably tell you more about them than I can. I miss you, Megan. It’s just not the same with you gone.”
“You’re making it really hard to stay away when you say things like that.”
“Sorry.”
“Don’t be. Keep calling me when you’re lonely. Or go hang out with Ashlyn. I know she likes you and isn’t afraid of all of us monsters.”
Guilt hit me like a punch to the middle.
“And there’s always Fenris,” Megan continued, unaware of my pain. “Tell him to give you a hug for me.”
“No way. He’s far too huggy already. Whatever you do, don’t bet hugs with him. I’m up to two a day.”
Her squeal, followed by a burst of laughter, had me jerking the phone from my ear.
“Yeah, real funny,” I said, shouting to be heard. “Just so you know, he’s planning on hugging you and Oanen when you guys are back. Be ready.”
“Oh, we will be. In the meantime, is there anything I can do to make your life easier with Adira? I don’t think tracking spells are breaking any rules, so my fury probably won’t care, but anything else?”
With guilt, I thought of Adira’s lack of effort to find Ashlyn. There was nothing to say about that without damning myself, though.
“No, nothing.”
“Sorry, babe. Hey, how’s the goblin doing? I met a few here who were doing some insane-level upkeep.”
“Your house is amazing. He keeps it spotless and is working on repairing the outside. It’s going to look like a new house when you see it.”
“I can’t wait to settle back in and start raising some more hell there. Adira needs the tables turned.”
“And I can’t wait to watch you do it.”
The tables would do more than turn when Megan found out about Adira’s inaction. They would spin in Megan’s fury.
I couldn’t help but wonder, though, if Megan would be dragging me to hell along with Adira.
Chapter Eight
With nowhere else to go, I decided to head for the Roost. However, when I reached the entrance, the heavy beat