of groups like that. The coven in Phoenix caters to some healing needs of the city. For the most part, we make do or fly someone in.” I got into my car and leaned on the steering wheel.
“What if she was lied to? What if it was Mygi?”
“We’d know if it was Mygi,” I mumbled, shaking my head, which amounted to rolling it over the steering wheel. “She’d know, anyway. Mygi doesn’t do anything without slapping their logo on it for PR purposes. Look at their attempts to recapture you.”
“Kaliya…I didn’t know it was them by name until after I got out of the lab,” he pointed out. I hadn’t known that, but it didn’t really change much.
“Still, they would have rolled up to the prison in branded vans, Raph.” I was suddenly exhausted. I didn’t lift my head from the steering wheel, wondering how I found myself in these positions. I hadn’t faced a situation this bad in years.
Actually, this is the worst. Sinclair was almost normal, other than the turning into an unidentifiable beast. Honestly, nothing is even comparable to this.
“Are you okay?” Raphael’s voice was like sweet honey, thick with concern. I enjoyed the sound of it. I never let myself revel in the pleasures of life anymore. Raphael was a pleasure of life, even though the entire situation was complicated.
Only I can have a complicated relationship with a man and not get sex out of it. And without him knowing just how complicated it is. Fucking figures. Not like I can tell him. ‘Oh, didn’t I tell you? I can only breed with one person on the planet due to biology, and that person happens to be you. My female organs think I need to jump your bones. You cool with that?’
“Fine,” I said, finally pushing myself up. “Just getting tired.”
“I can drive. I feel pretty good right now.”
“No. I don’t know how you’d react to hostiles on the road, and if we’re attacked…I just don’t want to risk it. Sorry.” I wished I could let him drive. A little shut-eye would be nice. “And I know the roads better than you, which will prove useful in the storm over Phoenix.”
“Figured I’d offer,” he said, sounding only a little put off.
“Thank you for the offer,” I whispered, meaning it. “I just can’t take you up on it. Maybe next time.”
“Maybe.” He chuckled darkly.
Sad that we both assume there’s going to be a next time.
18
Chapter Eighteen
To kill time on the drive, I called Hasan using my hands-free Bluetooth set up. I liked technology. I liked the first phone, the first beeper, and the Internet as they all became publicly available. If there was a way to communicate easier, or really anything else, I wanted to use it. So, the new BMW was done up with all the latest technologies. It probably didn’t seem like much for humans, but I could still name dozens of supernaturals who liked living off the grid, only dealing with technology when they were forced to.
“Yes?” Hasan didn’t sound tired, but there was a lack of professionalism to his greeting that didn’t seem normal. I didn’t know him well enough to know if he sounded pissed off.
“Hey, you wanted me to call about the prison. Raphael and I are driving back to Phoenix.”
“Go ahead,” he said. I distinctly heard leather rubbing together, like a chair or couch. He’d probably had as little sleep as I did as we approached ten in the morning my time. I didn’t know where he lived or the time for him, but he had been up when I called about the prison breach, and the likelihood he got any sleep since then was slim.
“First, let me say, I have no solid suspects, only hunches I intend to keep to myself until I have more information. I don’t want arrests or anything else happening until the majority of the danger has been resolved.” I knew better than to say, ‘Oh, Korey did it in my professional opinion’ because it could easily get an innocent werewolf killed.
“Understood.” He wasn’t as talkative this time.
“Okay, first thing, the prison definitely had unauthorized guests. You’ll want to talk to Callahan or Corissa because it has to do with Wesley.”
“Tell me everything you learned.” He seemed to perk up. I wondered if he wanted to stick it to the werewolves, or if he really cared about Wesley.
I’ll assume the latter. The Last Change and the problems that come from it are also a werecat