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Della counted her lucky stars, wanting to get back to Chase, and zipped out the door.
She had one foot on the first porch step when she heard Burnett’s growl. “And Della!”
She stopped, let out a puff of air, and did a U-turn, all the while wondering how two words could evoke so much frustration. She stepped inside. “You said—”
“I can stay, right?” Miranda interrupted. “I’m the reason we found him.” The witch stood by Holiday’s office door and watched Perry usher his very unhappy cousin into the office.
Burnett faced Miranda. Della could almost see him rein in his temper. His shoulders dropped and his jaw unclenched. Why didn’t he ever rein it in for her?
“Yes, you did,” he said. “And I appreciate that, but we’ll take it from here.”
Miranda made her frustrated face and started out, but stopped next to Della. “Everything okay?” she whispered, the question telling Della the witch had heard her phone message to Kylie.
“I’ll explain later.” Della cut her eyes up at Burnett, standing a few feet away and scowling down at her.
At least the big, bad vampire waited until Miranda had stepped out before speaking. “Actually, I think you’re going to start explaining right now. And start by telling me why Chase isn’t here. I texted both of you.”
But damn, all this happened so fast, Della didn’t know how to start to explain. “Yeah, but … uh, Chase kind of … He—”
“Spit it out,” Burnett ordered.
Della would have commenced spitting, but a loud crash came from Holiday’s office. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a jet black grackle come flying out of the office.
Standing closest to the door, Della slammed it shut to prevent the bird’s escape. Turned out, however, it wasn’t necessary. Burnett, almost as if he expected it, or if he caught and ate birds for dinner most of his life, reached up and snatched the bird from the air.
“Go check on Perry,” Burnett snapped, while he stared daggers at the feathered captive.
* * *
She found Perry a little woozy from taking a whack with a lamp across the head. But he was fine. After a few minutes, Burnett asked again about Chase. She spilled her guts. If his red face and four-letter muttering were any indication, Burnett didn’t take the news well. Della, however, was too concerned about Chase to be traumatized.
The first thing Burnett did was call Holiday and ask her to go check on Chase. Then he called Steve to meet Holiday there, where she was to assess if another doctor needed to be called in.
“Can I go now?” She wanted to be there to hear Steve’s assessment.
Burnett looked puzzled. “Don’t you want to hear what Perry’s cousin has to say?”
“You can just tell me, right?”
He studied her. “Just like you told me about Chase being hurt?” Frowning, he waved his hand. “Go. I’ll fill you in. But we will talk about this.”
Nothing like postponing an ass chewing. She flew off and arrived just in time to hear Holiday calling Dr. Whitman. Chase’s wounds now looked infected.
* * *
Chase woke to an empty stomach, his need for blood almost painful.
He lifted his eyelids and stared at the ceiling, feeling disoriented. A vague memory of going to the prison, of … pain. Lots of pain. Bits and pieces of memory fell into place. The were had escaped, another had cut him with a knife. Then the ghost had appeared.
Leo, the guard, had called the council.
He tightened his muscles, preparing to shoot out of bed to find answers, when he caught two scents. Baxter. And then one a hell of a lot sweeter than his dog.
Della.
Careful not to move, he glanced to the side through his lashes. The need for answers faded against his growing need to just … linger here. In this moment, with her, beside him. Asleep. In bed.
A smile, the one that just naturally appeared when she was close, widened his mouth. He worked to keep his breathing low, so as not to wake her.