Page 109 of Hoofin’ It

“She was cut when she fell. I reached her first, and when I saw no sign of Gibby, she became my priority.” Quinton shrugged. “I was outside when the second detonation occurred—the one that broke the grate for the canal. Quick job, not well planned. Had it been planned in advance, they would have gotten the entire grate rather than just a section of it. I believe Gibby was their target, however.”

My mother crept forward, her ears flattening. “Why?”

“They left when he didn’t surface. I could feel them watching.” The vampire hissed, flexing his hands. “I recognized a predator hunting, waiting for his prey to emerge. I know the scent of satisfaction. He thought he’d won.”

“He?”

“I could smell him.”

Dad growled. “Close, but not too close. How sensitive is your nose?”

“Not as sensitive as yours, werewolf,” Quinton replied. “Papa’s nose is better.”

“Is the scent still there?”

“Likely gone now. The cops do as they do, bringing too many people who have no real interest in finding the truth.”

I could guess why, especially with my name on the victim list. My stunt at the shooting range wouldn’t have earned me any friends, and after my resignation and the court trial, it wouldn’t be surprised if they were disappointed I’d survived.

Mom clacked her teeth together, flexing her hands as though restraining herself from taking a swipe at something—or someone. “If you smelled him again, would you know him?”

“Yes. I have a long memory. I won’t forget, not until his blood flows down my throat and his life sustains mine.”

I added a bloodthirsty, infuriated vampire to my list of problems. Marian burst into laughter, and I leveled a glare at the woman. If anything, when she noticed me watching her, her mirth intensified.

Ernesto glanced in my direction, and he chuckled. “What do you find so amusing, dear girl?”

“Two angry werewolves, three pissed-off vampires, the world’s cutest little otter…” Instead of getting to the point and saying what exactly she found so funny about the combination, she dissolved into helpless giggles.

“I may have given her too much medication,” Dr. Yasolovic admitted. “I thought I’d err on the side of caution. Young Quinton informed me the Gibsons were in town and might respond adversely to her being in pain, especially with Mrs. Gibson being so close to her first shift. Close wasn’t an exaggeration, I’ve noticed.”

Young Quinton? I twisted around on Pierina’s shoulder and regarded the ancient vampire with a canted head. While I wanted to ask questions—complete ones, in English—I settled with an inquisitive chirp.

“Gibby knows roughly how old I am.” Quinton laughed. “You are not as sly as you think.”

Dr. Yasolovic scowled. “Vampires,” he spat.

Over Marian’s laughter, Pierina cleared her throat. “We need to hunt. Don’t waste time. First, we need to decide who’ll stay and protect Gibby’s woman—and how to get Gibby to shift back to human.”

“I will guard her,” Dr. Yasolovic said, dismissing Pierina’s concerns with a flippant wave of his hand. “As for Shane, you may wish to leave him as he is for a while, if his health checks out. He shifted for a reason, and forcing another shift may exhaust him more than necessary. With three pissed-off vampires and two angry werewolves guarding him, he should be perfectly safe. I wouldn’t recommend irritating the frothing lycanthropes.”

“Frothing?” Dad asked, his tone mild.

Without any evidence of fear, the doctor pointed at my mother, who had a bit of foam along her jaw, the result of her growling and gnashing her teeth at the same time. “I’m genuinely impressed she hasn’t bitten anyone yet—and trusted your child with a vampire.”

“I’ll eat her if she hurts him,” Mom growled.

She meant it, too. What would happen if my parents went up against Ernesto and his brood? I suspected a lot of bloodshed and maiming on both sides. I sighed, twisted around, and did the only thing I could. I hid my head in Pierina’s hair, covered my eyes with my paws, and wished I could disappear.

No such luck. Dad chuckled, and a moment later, he plucked me from Pierina’s shoulders. “And you’re confident you can protect her?”

“The man I called in is an exotic species specialist, and his magic rating is in the upper tiers. The surgeon specializes in breaking people apart and putting them back together again. He has no problem breaking them apart and neglecting to put them back together again. I have a few tricks up my sleeve.” Dr. Yasolovic glanced at Quinton. “Right, young Quinton?”

Vampires could move fast, and in the time it took me to blink, Quinton relocated to a safe spot conveniently behind his father. “Right.”

“I think I’ll be fine, Mr. Gibson. You have bigger fish to fry.”

Chapter Thirty-Two