I steeled myself to look at the photo. There were prone figures everywhere. Conleth wasn't a serial killer; he was a massacre on legs.

I walked out of the office and into Ryu's kitchen, where I pulled a glass down and filled it with water from the tap. I drank half of it and then placed the glass in the sink. When I turned around, Ryu was leaning back against his granite island, watching me.

“One of those pictures looked suspiciously like an exploded Porsche.”

He gave me a wry smile. “I told you I had an accident.”

“When did Conleth try to kill you?”

“Right before he disappeared. That's why I didn't say anything. I figured the threat was gone, no reason to frighten you.”

I frowned. I hated when Ryu coddled me. I knew I was half human and ignorant of many things in Ryu's world, but I wasn't a child.

“How close did you get to capturing him?”

“Not very. He's extraordinarily powerful. And he

can do things I've never seen before. The way he travels, it's like a fucking comet. I've never seen anything

like him.”

I fell silent, as I finally began to put together everything that had happened tonight and what it meant for me and for Ryu.

“He obviously still wants you dead,” I said to my lover. He only nodded.

“That's not what I'm worried about, though. I'm worried that Conleth saw you.”

“He wouldn't come after me, would he?”

Ryu frowned. “I don't know, baby. But there's a good chance he would if he could, either to get to me or because he thinks you're a pureblood.”

I mulled over the implications of Ryu's words before speaking. “What are our options, then?”

“Well, you could stay here. I could protect you, but you're also guaranteed to be a target. Or we smuggle you back to Rockabill, but set Nell to watch over you.” Ryu shrugged ruefully. “I hate to say it, but you're safest with her.”

He read the doubt on my face before it could be articulated.

“I know you find it difficult to take Nell seriously, but you should. I've told you about how powerful a gnome is, and I know you've felt her strength. And that's just her doing her daily thing. Imagine her pissed off.”

“It's not Nell, Ryu. I don't like the idea of leaving you like this, knowing there's some loony tune out to get you.”

“I know, Jane. And I appreciate that. But, really, what can you do?”

“I'm not completely inept,” I said drily. “I came in quite handy the last time we were being stalked by a killer, remember.”

“I know, babe. But this is different. We didn't understand the threat to you when we went to the Compound before. Had I known Jimmu was behind everything, I wouldn't have delivered you right to him, believe me.”

“But what if Conleth does follow me back to Rockabill? I'm not as worried about myself as I am about my family, my friends.”

“Nell will understand how serious it is. I'll make sure she has everything covered.”

My frown grew. Nell might be strong, but she was only one person. Er, gnome.

“Plus, there's Trill—” My face went deadpan at Ryu's suggestion. I loved the kelpie, and she was an awesome swimming partner, but really? Sitting ducks were tougher.

“Ryu, my dad and my human friends are totally vulnerable…”

“Okay, fine. I'll call Anyan. Will that make you happy?”

I blinked at the edge in his voice. “Ryu, this isn't about me getting my jollies. This is about me protecting the people I love. I don't like the idea of leaving you here alone, to start with. And I really don't like the idea that I may be bringing some fiery harbinger of death back to Rockabill. So yeah, I would feel better if I knew Nell had some backup and I would appreciate if you did call Anyan, or whoever else you think could do the job.”

I could tell that Ryu still wasn't pleased, but he forced his face into a neutral expression.

“I know, Jane. And I'm sorry you got dragged into this. Con doesn't have any way of finding you, that I can think of, once you're out of Boston. So you should be safe. In the meantime, I'll make sure you're protected. No matter what.”

I went to him and wrapped my arms around his waist. “I know, baby. And I'm sorry we have to cut our visit short.”

“Not as sorry as I am, honey,” he said, as he lowered his face to mine and kissed me soundly. And I knew he meant it. It sucked that I had to leave. But I couldn't be ticked off at the fact that we were attacked, or ticked off that our time together had been short. That was unfair to Ryu. I wasn't dating an accountant, after all. I knew what Ryu did for a living; hell, we'd met because Ryu did what he did and I'd seen, firsthand and from the get-go, that what he did was dangerous. So I couldn't turn around now and wish he drove a cab or sat in some cubicle somewhere.

So I squished down my disappointment and put on my happy face. Okay, I really put on my horny face but, with Ryu, those were pretty much one and the same.

“I wouldn't bet on that,” I purred. “I've been dying to try this thing Iris told me about, but we would need one of those bouncy castles, at least fifteen feet of aluminum siding, and lots of canola oil. So we'd need time to source the raw materials…”

Ryu's elegantly expressive eyebrows arched and my already frisky libido perked up in Pavlovian response.

“Funnily enough, I just happen to have a bouncy castle in my spare bedroom,” he said. Then I squealed as he picked me up in a fireman's carry. He started off toward the stairs and then stopped and walked back to the kitchen, turning around so I was facing one of his cupboards.

“Do you really have a bouncy castle?” I wheezed, my diaphragm rather compressed by Ryu's shoulder.

“No. But I'm sure we can think of something… because you know what they say, right?”

“No, what?”

“The couple that bounces together, stays together.”

“Is that scientific fact?” I giggled, wheezily.

“I dunno. But we can certainly experiment. Now reach out and grab the canola oil from that cupboard, will ya?” I blinked, then extended my arm.

If this was Ryu's version of scientific experimentation, I was perfectly willing to be the control.

CHAPTER SEVEN

So Linda Allen comes in with her dad and is being absolutely awful,” Tracy told Grizzie as I sat there blushing. Grizzie had been off on one of her mystery jaunts when I got back from Boston, and she'd just returned that morning. So Tracy was filling Griz in on what she'd missed while I quashed down my desire to ask where the fuck she'd gone.

“As usual,” Grizzie chimed in, giving me a conspiratorial wink as she settled down in the seat next to me with her coffee. Traffic through the store was dead that day, so we were all sitting at one of the café tables, enjoying a little three o'clock latte action.

“Linda's ignoring Jane, even though I'm making the coffee. She's just standing there, clutching her book and staring over Jane's head. Even Mr. Allen is looking at Linda like ‘What the hell?'

“Jane reaches for the book, cool as a cucumber, and says, ‘I can help you.' Linda still tries to ignore Jane, until Mr. Allen yells at her.

“Jane rings her up and Linda's futzing with that silly Prada bag she's been showing off like she gave birth to the Messiah and he's contained within—”

At that, Grizzie had to interrupt. “If that thing is real Prada, I'm a goddamned virgin…”

Tracy laughed. “Just wait! You're stealing Jane's thunder!”

“Sorry, passion flower,” Grizzie apologized to her lover. “And sorry, Jane,” she said, wrapping a long arm around me.

“So she's huffing and pawing through that enormous purse, saying to the people behind her, and I quote, ‘My Prada is just sooooooooo big!‘” Grizzie snorted out a laugh and I couldn't help but giggle at Tracy's impression.

“First time Linda's said that; otherwise she wouldn't be such a cunt,” Grizzie murmured, causing me to choke on my coffee as Tracy got to the punchline.

“So she finally comes up with her wallet and pays for her book. As she's putting her stuff away, Jane says, ‘By the way, Linda. The people at Prada are not ‘mad in China,' pointing at the label inside that damned purse. Which, sure enough, says MAD IN CHINA. I nearly died. Then Jane goes for the kill with, ‘They're perfectly content in Italy.’”

“I knew it was a knockoff!” Grizzie crowed, leaning over to kiss my cheek.

“It was amazing. I nearly applauded.” Tracy sighed happily before she nodded toward me. “And she's growing out her bangs,” Tracy added.

I fidgeted as Grizzie smiled at Tracy knowingly.

“Our little Jane is growing up,” Grizzie said, reaching both hands over the table toward her partner's. “Next thing we know, she'll be barefoot and pregnant.”