Sucker Punch (First Fangs Club #3) - Kristen Painter Page 0,77

his phone to Charlie. “Can you text that back to him?”

“Sure.” She tapped away at the screen, then hit send. As she held the phone out for him to take, it chimed again.

“Just read it,” he said. “I’m not supposed to be doing that while driving anyway.”

“Okay.” Charlie looked at the screen. “Ishalan says outside the gate is fine. He’ll see you at sundown.” She looked back at Donna. “Is that good with you?”

“Yes.” Donna yawned, unable to stop herself. “I really need to get back on a regular sleeping schedule.”

Pierce glanced at her. “I don’t think it’s that so much as you’re still recovering from your injury. You need sleep now more than ever.” He tilted his head. “In fact, you ought to go to bed as soon as we get home.”

She smirked. “So bossy. But I’m not going to argue, because I’m not sure I could stay up much longer.” Her leg was also still aching, but she kept that to herself.

“Well, good.” He smiled. “You did what you needed to do this morning. You showed support for the wolves. And you got to confront Fitzhugh. After that, you’ve earned a rest.”

And rest she did, going straight to her bedroom when they returned. She stripped down to her underwear, threw on a tank top, and got under the covers in her deliciously dark room.

Sleep came fast and deep and dreamless, which was a blessing. When she awoke hours later, she felt the best she had in a few days.

She got up and went straight to the bathroom, flicking on the light to look at her leg. The bruise was almost completely gone. There was no more ache either. She was finally almost whole. Now if she could just keep from being poisoned or shot or stabbed or bitten or anything else, she’d be in great shape.

Of course, she had a meeting with Ishalan in—she looked at the time—two hours, so what were the odds nothing else would happen to her?

She touched her crucifix and prayed the meeting would be peaceful. Then she added a request that the rest of the week would stay that way too.

After a quick shower, then putting on jeans and a sweater, she went out to feed and find out what everyone was doing.

Rixaline was in her pajamas, playing a video game on the living room TV. There was a bowl of cereal on the coffee table, and Lucky was lying beside her on the couch. Donna walked over and gave him a tummy rub but spoke to Rixaline. “How are you doing?”

“Good. How are you?”

“I’m doing better. Going to meet with Ishalan today. He’s the fae that helped us at the raid.”

Rixaline paused the game. “Do you want me to go?”

“No.” Donna smiled. “Just mentioning it. Enjoy your breakfast. Lucky looks like he’s ready for a nap.”

“He’s waiting for me to brush him, but I told him not until after I eat my breakfast.”

“Did he eat?”

“Yep, fed him first thing.”

“Thank you for taking such good care of him.” Donna felt a twinge of guilt. Rixaline had pretty much become Lucky’s favorite person since she’d moved in, but then, Donna had been a little busy, so it was actually a very good thing.

Rixaline shrugged. “I love him. And he loves me. Dontcha, Lucky boy?”

Lucky’s only response was a single air biscuit.

Donna laughed. “See you later.”

She went down the hall to the office, where Charlie was hard at work. “What’s going on? Anything new?”

“The complaint to the council is drafted, just waiting on you to read it and make whatever changes you want. Same with the letter announcing your daywalker status. Marcus sent a formal announcement to the governors’ loop that Artemis’s memorial service will be held at midnight next Wednesday at her estate.”

“Where is that?”

“Kansas.”

Donna stared at her. “Artemis’s royal estate is in Kansas.”

Charlie nodded. “Lebanon, Kansas, to be exact.”

“That seems…random.”

“She chose it because it’s the center of the United States. She felt it would give her the best access to everyone that way. Also, she was able to buy the entire town, so I think she liked that part too.”

“Oh. Wow. Who gets the town now that she’s gone? Her successor?”

“No, the town is part of her personal holdings, along with her estate, so I imagine it’ll go to whoever she left it to. It’s not like with the governor’s holdings that go to the next person to take the office. Her successor can make their headquarters anywhere they want. That’s part of