it a good kick sending it down the slippery slope of the garage roof.
Royce watched as his gun slid down the roof, disappeared over the edge, and dropped to the ground with a soft thud.
Landon shook his head in amusement at the sequence of events. “Uh-- Royce, Trevor killed Rouel. She’s right, he won’t hurt her.”
“How do we know that?” Royce gritted.
“He just chose her life over his own,” Landon said gravely.
Becki gasped. She looked first at Royce and then Trevor.
“Is that true, Trev?” she whispered, horrified at the possibility.
Trevor dropped his head refusing to confirm or deny Landon’s proclamation.
“Why?” Becki asked. “Why did you do it, Trev?”
Trevor Simmons looked at the only person in the world he had ever loved. But he knew she belonged to the man whose arm now slid around her. The man she clung to in return.
Royce watched emotions roll across the warlock’s face.
“Doll,” he drawled adopting that familiar wicked grin, “you know I’m not a sharing kind of guy.”
“What do you mean?” Royce asked Landon.
“My Beta read the blood memory of Rouel’s second in command before he turned him to ash. The Black Swan has a sudden interest in coin collecting.”
“You’re working for The Black Swan?” Royce directed his question to Trevor.
“Who is this Black Swan?” Becki asked with a frown.
“I was,” Trevor acknowledged. “But I’m pretty sure my employment has been terminated.”
“Who-- is--” Becki began again, annunciating each word individually.
“Bad news,” Landon answered. “Trevor’s job was to locate the coin. Rouel was sent to retrieve it. His murder will be viewed as an act of treason. Therefore--”
“You knew that, didn’t you Trev? You knew it and you did it anyway,” Becki accused.
Becki glanced up at Royce silently asking him to understand and then slid out of his arms to reach for Trevor.
“I’m so sorry, Trev,” she sobbed quietly.
Trevor wrapped Becki in his arms, “You have nothing to be sorry for, Doll. I’m the one who’s sorry.”
“It seems I owe you one,” Royce said acknowledging Trevor’s sacrifice.
“You don’t owe me anything,” Trevor retorted. “I didn’t do it for you.” He dropped a kiss on Becki’s head and whispered, “Be safe doll.” He shifted her gently into Royce’s strong arms.
Royce wrapped one arm around Becki and extended the other to the Warlock. Trevor hesitated for a moment, and then accepted Royce’s hand-shake of gratitude.
“I need to get out of here. But if you mistreat her, I’ll be back,” Trevor promised.
Royce nodded his acknowledgement, knowing the Warlock would never be far away.
Trevor offered a cocky grin as he continued, “And just for the record, you and I both know I can kick your sorry human ass.” Then he was gone.
Becki buried her head in Royce’s chest and fought to hold back the tears that threatened to overtake her. She felt as if she might burst into a million tiny pieces.
Royce tightened his arms around Becki. She lifted her head from Royce’s chest. “Trev?” she whispered.
“He’s gone baby,” Royce confirmed.
“Will I ever see him again?” she asked with tears flooding her eyes. “Will he be ok?”
Royce breathed deeply, thankful to have her in his arms. “I don’t know, baby. I’m sure he will be keeping tabs on you.”
“Please get me off this roof,” Becki whispered. “I think I might be sick,” she said dropping her head to his shoulder.
* * * *
CHAPTER NINE
Kurt had plugged his phone into Vic’s charger while he unloaded the equipment from his truck. As soon as the text had come in alerting him that the panic room’s door had been locked, he had jumped back in the truck and broken land speed records getting home. As Kurt pulled into the cul-de-sac, he saw Landon pick Joanna up and haul her into his house. He saw evidence of a fight, but most of the casualties had been cleaned up. There were still a few Werewolves in shifted form prowling around to make sure the area was clear. Soon there would be no evidence of the immortal battle that had obviously been fought.
Royce was walking toward the house with Becki in his arms. That meant she had locked the girls in the panic room but elected not to stay there herself.
Kurt crossed the yard and entered the house. He barely had time to close the door before Becki launched herself into his arms. She was sobbing and trying to talk at the same time, making no sense at all. He let her fall apart for just a minute. Giving her a gentle shake, he