The Werewolf Dates The Deputy - Kristen Painter Page 0,77
smiled, but there was a little reserve there. Probably because she was feeling the seriousness of what they were about to attempt. “They know their parts.”
“Excellent.” Titus pushed back from the table. “Peach cobbler is going to have to wait for the victory celebration. I say we do this now.”
Jenna checked the time. “We have an hour yet before I’m supposed to meet Sola, but we can definitely head out there and get into position.”
Birdie stood. “You all go. Bridget and I will do a quick cleanup, then we’ll swing by the department, pick up Remy, and get started on our search. According to what Alice told us, we can’t do anything until we know Sola’s actively engaged in possessing Ingvar’s body, so as soon as she reaches Jenna and the circle, we’ll be good to go.”
Pandora raised her hand. “That’s one of my jobs. Keeping Birdie and Bridget in the loop on our end of things.”
Titus nodded at Jenna. “You really do have this all worked out.”
“We do,” Jenna said. “Still lots that could go wrong, but I think we’ve got most of that covered. I hope.”
He hooked a thumb toward the bedroom. “I’ll get my boots on, and I’m ready. Jenna, could I see you for a sec?”
“Sure.” She walked with him to the bedroom.
He opened the door and went in, motioning for her to do the same.
When she’d entered, he closed the door. He had to tell her how he felt now, before things blew up. “Look, before we head out there, I want you to know that when the spell is lifted later tonight, I don’t expect my feelings for you to be any different. I want us to still be us. I want us to be a couple. We’re good together. I see no reason to change that just because we aren’t magically bonded anymore.”
She smiled and gave him a little nod. “Me too.”
He exhaled. “Yes?”
“Yes.”
He grinned. “I love you, you know.”
She smiled. “I know.” Then she laughed for a second before her expression went back to a serious, but happy, smile. “I love you too. And it scares me more than anything we’re about to do, but I figure we’re in this together, right? Just the way we have been.”
“That’s right,” he said. “And I’m not going to let you get hurt.” He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her, a solid, full-on promise of a kiss. He held her there for a long moment until he knew he had to let her go.
Her arms stayed wrapped around him. “I’m not going to let you get hurt either.”
“Good,” he said. “Now let’s go kick some wraith ass.”
The plan was that, to Sola, Jenna would appear as if she were alone in the woods, desperate to meet her friend and find out how things had gone so wrong with the trap to catch the wraith.
Except none of that was true. Well, maybe the desperate part.
Jenna knew exactly what had gone wrong with the trap.
She also wasn’t alone. Titus, Hank, and Tessa were on the outcropping of rock just above the circle, the same place Titus had been last time. Pandora was an equidistance away in the opposite direction, hidden in blackberry bramble. Not that she really needed the coverage.
Marigold had made a camouflage spell for Pandora that allowed her to blend into the forest. Marigold, Pandora’s sister, was a florist by trade but a green witch by practice.
Jenna had tried twice to spot Pandora, and even though she knew where the witch was hiding, she couldn’t see her. That was good. It meant Sola wouldn’t see her either.
Just like Jenna prayed Sola wouldn’t see or smell or sense the wolves waiting on the ridge. Hopefully, the seer would be too preoccupied with her own devious plans to give much thought to Jenna having backup.
Although Jenna had had some last time, and Sola was no fool. But Jenna had a plan for that.
As the meeting time approached, Jenna pushed all other thoughts out of her head except for what she had to focus on. Defeat the wraith. Take Sola captive. Free Ingvar.
Helgrind sizzled with energy, the same energy that ran through Jenna’s blood and bones, the same energy she’d felt on the battlefield or while transporting worthy souls to Valhalla or pursuing a criminal.
Which, in all honesty, didn’t happen that much in Nocturne Falls. She loved being a deputy, but most of the things they did day-to-day was deal with speeders, the occasional drunk