A Vigil in the Mourning (Soulbound #4) - Hailey Turner Page 0,30
a plane,” Naomi said after a long moment.
“Does that mean you’ll grant us pass-through rights?”
“I know human laws. I can’t stop you.”
“That’s not a yes.”
Naomi shoved her chair back and stood. “Do your job, Special Agent Patrick Collins. Just make sure none of the packs in this city are caught in the crossfire or we will have words.”
He felt she was asking for a miracle there, but Patrick wasn’t going to tell her that. “I’ll do my best.”
Around them, werecreatures were heading for the door, but Naomi had yet to move. Alejandro downed what was left of his beer before getting to his feet, standing shoulder to shoulder with her in a solidarity no one could miss.
“I met Estelle and Youssef once before when I spoke in front of the United Nations on indigenous rights some years back. They would have never asked permission one way or another if they came to Chicago. You did.” Naomi pursed her lips. “Eventually.”
“We’ll remember that,” Alejandro said.
Patrick didn’t know what to say to that, so he kept quiet rather than dig himself a hole he couldn’t get out of. He watched the Chicago god pack leave the bar and didn’t breathe easy until they were gone.
“That probably could’ve gone better,” Patrick said.
“Yeah,” Wade agreed, then shoved a plate closer to Patrick. “Fried pickle?”
Patrick went for the mozzarella sticks instead.
6
“You should call Patrick.”
Jono decided the better part of valor right then was to pretend Sage wasn’t glaring at him at half past nine on a Wednesday morning. He grimaced as Victoria finished washing out the knife wound on his side with saline and started to apply the poultice. Her thick black hair was tied back in a ponytail, and her scrubs that morning had kittens playing with yarn balls on them.
“Stop moving,” Victoria told him, never taking her eyes off his ribs.
She was seated on the coffee table, her potions case open and supplies scattered around her. Victoria worked as an RN at Mount Sinai and had a standing contract with Marek to help heal the migraines he got from his visions. It had expanded into caring for multiple pack members when needed, and she didn’t seem to mind the extra work.
Jono rarely needed her services, but silver and aconite poisoning was something every werecreature needed help with. His body couldn’t heal the damage on its own in a timely manner. He’d spent the better part of the night after Leon drove him home getting sick in the toilet. Leon hadn’t left his side, and everyone else had met them at the flat. Which meant there was no escaping Sage’s wrath, but at least Emma and Leon were making breakfast for him.
“Jono,” Sage said.
“He doesn’t need to know about this right now,” Jono gritted out as Victoria started taping a bandage over the poultice.
Sage frowned at him, mouth twisting angrily. “You should have let me tell him what was going on when he called last night.”
Jono shook his head sharply. “I don’t want to worry him.”
“The Krossed Knights are hunting you and you think Patrick will be fine being the last to know?”
“He won’t be,” Emma called from the kitchen.
Jono lifted a hand to rub at his eyes, wincing at the pull in his ribs. His skin felt clammy, and his head hurt. Sage’s anger was only making his shit mood worse, mostly because he knew she had a point.
“You know why Patrick was sent to Chicago. It’s not like he can just up and leave from working this case. I want him to keep his head in the game. If Patrick is worrying about me, he won’t be worrying about himself,” Jono said.
“All I’m hearing is an excuse. Patrick hates being lied to. You know that,” Sage argued.
“This isn’t lying. It’s…just not telling him the whole story.”
“Obfuscation doesn’t make this situation better.”
“No, but it’ll keep Patrick focused.”
“A hundred dollars you’re sleeping on the couch for the next few months when he finds out,” Marek said as he came out of the kitchen.
“A hundred dollars he’ll be sleeping on our couch,” Sage retorted.
Victoria straightened up and began putting bottles and jars away. “All right. I’ve done what I can. The purge potions are in the fridge. Take one bottle every six hours for the next two days. That should clear your system of the poison, but you’re going to find shifting difficult until it’s all out of your system. I’d advise against changing forms until you feel completely better in your human body.”