Wild Hunt - Kali Argent Page 0,61
responded, and he sounded utterly exasperated with her lack of knowledge. “They bring you presents if you’re good.”
“That’s Santa Claus,” the girl shot back with a roll of her eyes.
Cade coughed to cover his laughter, but no one seemed to notice him.
“My mom says the Others are bad,” the other girl at the table whispered. “She says that when you die, they come and steal your gold!”
Over the years, Cade had heard various and creative tales about these so-called boogeymen of the paranormal world. From what he could piece together, they were nothing more than the stuff of myth, told to children to frighten them into eating their vegetables and cleaning their rooms. He’d never heard anything about them stealing gold, though.
“Your soul,” Abby corrected the child gently. “They don’t steal it, though. The Others come and take your soul when you die, and they lead you to the next life.”
She had the children’s full attention now, and even Cade held his breath as he waited for her to elaborate. He’d heard her mention the Others once before, just in passing, but never like this. Her tone held confidence and authority, a certainty that what she said could and should be accepted as truth.
For about the dozenth time since her rescue, he wondered what the hell had happened to her during those missing weeks. She looked like Abby. On the rare occasion that she talked to anyone other than Luca, she sounded like Abby. Yet, at the same time, everything about her had changed.
She hadn’t changed in the way Mackenna’s experience had changed her. Not in the way Roux had become stronger and braver. There had been a fundamental change at Abby’s core that frankly made a lot of people uneasy these days.
“What do they look like?” the first little girl asked.
Conner held his drawing up again. “Do they really have wings?”
“Some of them.” Abby nodded slowly as if carefully choosing what she wanted to say next. “They’re not from our world, but they come here sometimes to help us. You don’t have to be afraid of them.” Her smile returned with a little more enthusiasm than seemed genuine. “Okay, it’s almost time for dinner. Let’s get this cleaned up and go wash our hands.”
Not wanting to be caught lurking in the background, Cade slipped back down the hallway and through the double doors to the kitchen. The cafeteria was in full swing preparing for the evening meal, just as Abby had predicted. Cade didn’t have much of an appetite. Instead, he crossed the dining area largely unnoticed and pushed open the glass doors that led out onto the patio.
A cold front had moved in earlier in the afternoon, plunging the temperature to below freezing. Winds gusted down from the mountains, stinging his exposed skin and causing plumes of steam to puff from his lips when he exhaled. At least the snow had melted, and according to the three werewolves in residence, it would remain clear until after the full moon.
How they knew that, he couldn’t guess, but it probably said something that he didn’t question it, either.
The door swung open behind him, bringing the enticing aroma of garlic, roasted tomatoes, and freshly baked bread.
“The spaghetti smells good,” Mackenna commented as she came to stand beside him. “And the breadsticks.” She folded her arms across her breasts and tucked her hands close to her sides as she shivered. “I even heard someone say something about dessert.”
Grunting, Cade shrugged out of his jacket, draped it over her shoulders, then pulled her into his arms. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled into her hair as he breathed in her scent and let it calm him. “I shouldn’t have walked out like that.”
“Believe it or not, I understand. I probably would have reacted the same way, but I can do this. I know I can.”
“I don’t doubt your ability, baby. The logical part of me knows that you’re the best person for the job, and if you weren’t mine, I’d probably have been the first one to suggest it.” He brushed a kiss over her forehead. “The part of me that’s in love with you, however, doesn’t want you anywhere near this.”
“But that’s not the world we live in.”
“That’s not the world we live in,” he agreed with a resigned sigh. Everyone had a role to play. Everyone did their part. She would do it regardless, so he could either help her or get out of her way. “If something goes wrong, if you feel