I'm only human.
I can't be risked." "You know how to use a gun?" I hadn't meant to ask that.
I'd meant to just ask her for something of Gabriel's.
But I knew what it was like to sit around while people were in trouble, and you couldn't do anything about it.
At my question, she stilled--just like her father did when something important was going on.
"I have a sweet forty-cal 1911 Dad got me for my last birthday," she said.
"Tell me you found Gabriel?" And the intensity of her voice made my decision for me.
They were young--he was trying not to be serious because he was aiming for college; she was trying not to be serious because she knew he felt that way.
Nothing might ever come out of it, but she cared a lot for him.
That gave her a great big stake in this mess--and if she could shoot, she could protect herself.
Jesse was her father's daughter.
Smart, quick-witted, and tough.
And yet I already had one of my fragile humans in danger, and I was considering another.
But I couldn't talk to the fae or the werewolves about Gabriel, and writing, as my attempt to write down everything for Adam had demonstrated, was too time-consuming.
I needed Jesse.
I pulled Jesse all the way into the room and shut the door.
"Zee called and wants me to meet him at the garage in fifteen minutes.
He has a fae who is terrified of werewolves who can help us.
We need to find something that belongs to Gabriel that he's pretty attached to.
I don't think she intends to hunt for him by scent, so it can be something hard like a ring instead of just things that carry smell, like a sock or shirt." "I get to come?" "You get to come to this meeting," I told her.
"I need you.
But you need to understand that I will not be exchanging Gabriel for you.
I'm not going to get you hurt." I gave her the best smile I could manage because the fae scare the pants off me.
"I need you.
But I need you to listen to me when I send you home, too." She watched me with her father's eyes, and I saw the moment when she decided.
"Okay.
Shall we tell them we're going out to get you stuff that you need because your house burned down yesterday?" "Secret girl stuff," I said.
"Remember they can tell if you lie.
So when this is all done, I'm going to go get a gallon of chocolate mint chip ice cream.""Secret girl stuff," she said.
"And if they try to send Warren with us because for some reason they think he ought to be interested in girlie things--which really makes no sense, since Kyle likes men, after all, the more manly the better--what do we do?" "Preemptive strike," I told her.