Piper (Queen's Birds of Prey #4) - Kathi S. Barton Page 0,19

and move to the couch.

When Duncan cleared his throat, Grant looked to where he was looking.

“Holy Christ.”

~*~

Piper stared at the man who was staring so intently at her. “I have to go as soon as we’re finished with dinner.” Taking her eyes off the man while she looked at Duncan was harder than she thought it should have been. “There was an explosion in Kentucky. They’re saying it is larger than the one they had back in seventy-seven at the supper club.”

“I remember that. There were a lot of people killed there because of something to do with doors.” She said they’d not opened in the way that was now law. Duncan told her the name of the place. “The fire broke out in the kitchen, and when people rushed to the doors, they were crushed because they couldn’t pull the doors to open inward due to the crush of people behind them.”

“Yes. That’s it. Over a hundred and fifty people were killed. More were injured. The man that called me to come to the fire said this one is worse. That there might be as many as three hundred dead. I have to head there right after dinner. I’ll probably be gone for a few days.” Duncan introduced her to the man. “Hello.”

Piper wanted to back away from him. Not that she thought he’d harm her, but she had a feeling she wasn’t going to like it when he touched her. When he left his hand out there, she had no choice but to shake it. The power surge that ran over her body had her falling back on the floor, the same for Grant. When he sat up, his nose was bleeding, as well as his lip. But he didn’t move anymore after sitting there.

“Mom knew the two of you would be mates.” Taking her eyes off Grant to look at Duncan, Piper wanted to tell him to shut the fuck up for a minute. “She said that great things would come from this union. As well as great power.”

“I don’t know what to think about any of this.” Grant agreed with her. “I’m not going to be all sappy around you either. I will nip that shit in the bud if you try it. I’m not a romantic type, and I don’t want you fawning all over me either. It’s gross.”

“Since we’ve only just met, I’m thinking you can take it down a notch or two. My head is spinning from being knocked on my ass, and I have a headache that beats all.” Grant stood up. “I’d like to say I’m happy to meet you, Piper, but so far, all you’ve done is tell me what you’re not going to do. Do you have the slightest bit of happiness about finding me?”

“I don’t know.” Piper looked at her sisters, then back at Grant. “I don’t know what to think, to be honest with you. I have so many questions right now that I don’t even know where to begin. I’m sorry I snapped at you.”

“Thank you for that.” He put out his hand and asked her if he could help her up. “I don’t know how the power we felt from each other has changed us, but I think I’m even more than I was before. Fae, for the most part. A little of other things as well.”

Piper took his hand. Standing up, she was startled by how tall he was. He had to be over six and a half feet tall. She, in her bare feet, was six-two. Not letting go of his hand right away, she looked into his eyes. They were almost a clear blue—icy, she thought. Taking a step back from him, she felt the warmth of him leave her too. Piper was tempted to move closer to him again but decided there were things she needed answers to.

Dinner was called a few minutes later. No one had spoken to her since she’d gotten up from the floor. Not that she thought she could have answered anything asked of her. Her mind was still a mess. She knew some of the things going on in her head were his memories too.

It was just too much for her, and she stood up. But she’d not meant to draw attention to herself and sat back down. Looking down at her plate, her embarrassment making her angry, Piper wanted to take flight right at that minute and never return. But something happened, and her anger