Torment (Craving 2)

Why should I believe you? he asked.

His mistrust was understandable. “Not asking you to. That is something you have to decide for yourself, so look into it. Find out what happened to my immortal grandmother, Lisa MacForly, and see for yourself whose side we are on.”

He made a chortling sound deep in his throat, threw up his head and howled to his pack. They responded in a sequence of howls that came from every direction.

He briefly eyed me over his shoulder and in a different tone this time, I heard him almost gently in my head, in a voice that was filled with…almost unwilling friendship say, Later, Red.

We watched him lope out of sight and I looked at Jeremy and shook my head. “Okay, enough drama for one day and night. I am going to sleep before anyone else decides to drop by.”

Both Devin and Jeremy followed me back into the house, firing questions at me all the way up to my room. I put up my hands and said, “The wolf hates Ramon and means to do him harm. He wanted to know why we were helping Beyland, who he thinks of as Ramon’s buddy. You heard my answers. Figure it all out. I am going to sleep.”

Jeremy grumbled and said, “Right then, I am as well. I have a few appointments in the morning, but I should be back in the late afternoon.”

“Okie-doke and good night,” I said, and went into my room.

Devin hovered at our barrier and asked, “What did he say to ye just before he left, Bobbie? He may have been in wolf form, but something about the way he looked at ye makes me wonder.”

“What? Oh, he said, ‘Later, Red’,” I told him, and stripped off my top, fully aware that he was watching and meaning to tease him just a little, and hopefully improve his sudden sullenness.

“I dinnae like it,” Devin said.

I snorted. “Not much you like on this side while you are on your side. I get it. But what exactly don’t you like now?”

“He means to see ye again. He said, ‘Later, Red’, which means he will visit ye again, and he has an affectionate term for ye. Nae, I dinnae like it.”

I laughed. “Go to sleep, vamp…go to sleep.”

“Nae. With something unexpected happening at every turn, I think I’ll just watch over ye for a bit longer,” he said, and settled in at a worn spot in the grass. “Sleep well, my bonnie lass, sleep well.”

That was the last thing I heard after I pulled off the rest of my clothes and boots and dove under the covers. I was beat, and when my head hit the pillow…blackout!

* * * * *

Mrs. Tunny and Davis left early this morning, as she needed to replenish the pantry. With the four of us eating (especially with Jeremy’s and my appetite) most meals at home, we had depleted most of the fresh foods.

“Should I go with them?” I asked Jeremy as I watched them walk to their vehicles.

“I’m off for town, so I will follow them in. I think they’ll be fine,” Jeremy said. “It’s early and they should be back by lunch.”

“Yeah, but what about demons?” I worried.

“I think the demons answer to your Dark Warlock, not to Allora or Ramon,” he said.

“No…remember the one that tried to kill me?”

“Yeah, but he is dead, and I think the others working for Allora through Ramon are under Beyland’s control. He doesn’t seem to want you harmed yet, so…I think they will be fine. It is the vamps at night we have to keep them safe from.” He hurried outside and waved. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

I watched them all go and turned to look for Devin. He was nowhere about. I had thought about spending a little time with him and returning with another notebook for Beyland. I went up to the barrier and called, “Devin? Devin?”

He came trudging through the high grass and his face was drawn in a grim expression. “What is it, Dev? What has happened?”

“We have a problem,” he said.

“Of course we do, nothing new,” I said, and laughed.

“Och aye, but more than the usual, lass. It’s Loli. She went to her father with what she called ‘damning information’. He then called a meeting of the council.”