Bound to Shadows (Riley Jenson Guardian 8)

"Well, could you let him know I've found her? If he wants me to make a report, then he knows where to find us. "

"I will. " She paused, then added, "Are you going to the pub later on?"

"Sorry, love, I don't drink. But that doesn't mean I won't be there later. " He gave her a wink, then swung me around and headed out.

"You do so drink," I said, when we were out the door. "Why didn't you tell he

r the truth?"

"What, that I'm moon-sworn and unavailable? Why spoil her day?"

Shock rippled through me and I stopped, ripping my arm from his grasp. "When did you go through the moon ceremony?"

Something flitted through his eyes, and I had a vague suspicion he'd just said something he shouldn't have. But why would he want to keep something like that a secret?

Why was I so damn suspicious of everything?

"You can't remember anything right now, so is it really surprising you don't remember the ceremony?" he said awkwardly.

"So I was there?"

"Yeah. " He grabbed my arm again and walked me - quite forcibly - toward the car. "Now, let's get home, get you cleaned up, and then call the doc. "

Let's not, I thought, and pulled my arm from his grasp again before stepping back. Damn it, he was my brother. Surely to God I could trust him? But I didn't, and I didn't know why, and it was just so frustrating that I wanted to scream. I drew in a breath to try and calm the sudden, angry shaking, and that's when I smelled it.

Blood.

There was blood on the wind.

A lot of it.

Which could only mean that someone nearby was dead.

Chapter 8

I swung around to follow the scent and sidestepped Evin's attempt to grab my arm. "Can't you smell that?"

"It's blood. So what?" He fell in beside me, his expression none to happy.

"It's human blood," I corrected. "Someone's dead. Or about to be. "

"Hanna, we're not cops. This is not our business. "

"Well, I'm making it mine. " I frowned up at him. "What if we walk away and the victim could still have been saved?"

He tried grabbing my arm again, but I slapped his hand away. He growled in frustration and said, "This is not smart - "

"Damn it, Evin, if I can save someone, I will. I'm more than a little fed up with the other option. "

Confusion flicked through his expression, which I suppose was understandable, given I wasn't entirely sure what I was talking about, either.

I followed my nose into a side street that was little more than dust, and past several houses. Ahead lay a grassed paddock. A small dam filled with muddy-looking water dominated the middle of the paddock and, beyond it, there was a stand of scrubby-looking wattle trees and shrubs. The blood scent was coming from that direction.

Evin's steps slowed. "Hanna, we really should get the cops. "

"Then do it. " I walked on.

He muttered something under his breath and dragged his phone out of his pocket, but continued to follow me nonetheless.