Crash slowed further, stopped and turned toward Eric. “What happened?”

Eric touched his bowtie and lowered his head, and when he spoke again, pain filled his voice. “There was another ceremony, a third one. They were truly prepared. My cousin was killed in New Orleans that same night.”

“Eric, I’m so sorry,” I reached a hand out to him and he took it, his palm engulfing mine. “I’m so sorry. If we’d known . . .”

“I know. I tried to warn him, but he thought I was being ridiculous. He said I was being paranoid.” He shook his head.

Crash put a hand on Eric’s shoulder, but said nothing. A very manly move—no words, just a hand on the shoulder.

Eric patted his hand, again no words.

“We need to hurry.” Crash slid his hand around my back again and picked up speed. “You two have to get to the Hollows.”

“But what about the mages? They put a spell on all the mentors and trainees so no one can speak about them, and they made it pretty clear they’d punish any one who interferes.” I bounced the words out because Crash was jogging, moving at a good clip. “What if one of those guys shot at us?”

That slowed Crash. “You were just out there visiting a friend. Why would they come after you? I don’t know who shot at you, but I’m sure it wasn’t a mage.”

I shrugged, as if I hadn’t been out there on a job, working for his ex-wife. “They could be angry that I interfered before. They seem pissy in general, like they wear their underwear two sizes too small and it pulls on their pubes with every step they take.”

Crash’s face went carefully blank, and then he let out a chuckle. “You . . . you’re right, they are generally pissy.” As if he knew.

I swallowed hard, deciding to take a chance. “One of them was the guy you’re working for, Crash. The one who wanted you to make the crucible.”

That slowed him down. His eyes closed for just a moment. “That is . . . not good.”

“You know who they are?”

“I do. But I can’t speak their names either,” he said.

He slowed further and his hands loosened their hold on me. The second my foot hit the ground I grimaced. For some reason, the wound had been at the back of my mind as Crash carried me. Even now, it was bad, but not as bad as before.

He took my hand and led me out to a boat—Feish’s boat, with Feish in it. Her eyes widened when she saw me and Eric. “My friends, what are they doing out here?”

“Getting into trouble,” Crash said.

“Hey, I resemble that!” I said as I stepped around him, taking Feish’s webbed hand as she helped me into the boat.

Eric followed, but Crash did not.

“Wait, where are you going?” I leaned over the edge of the boat, splashing water at Crash as Feish backed us away from the shoreline.

He gave me a wink. “I don’t like people shooting at my friends. I’m going to see if I can track the shifter.”

Eric rocked the boat as he settled into his seat and I tightened my grip on the edge. “Crash, don’t get hurt.”

Gah, I hated how that sounded. Like I cared. I mean, I did. But I wasn’t supposed to care. Another wink was all I got, and then he turned away and jogged back the way we’d come.

I slumped in my seat and put a hand to the wound in my leg. It was definitely better healed than it should have been.

Was that Crash? Had he healed my leg even after I’d asked him not to? Did he want me to owe him a favor, after all? Ducking men and their ducking games. The memory of his kiss reminded me why we girls put up with them. Hotness factor one thousand, that was why.

Feish looked me over. “Are you okay?”

I sighed. “Maybe. I don’t know.” And I really didn’t.

As the boat scooted down the river, headed toward the boundary line of the Hollows, a fluttering set of wings caught up to us.

“Kinkly!” I yelled as she shot toward my hand. Her wings were tattered and she looked like she’d been pulled backward through a knothole. “Hey, what happened?”

“Fight with the B-boys.” She slumped as she landed in my upturned palm. “I was coming to check on you, and they caught me as they were leaving.”

I pulled her close and whispered, “The yellow and black fairies?”

“Yes. Pricks,” she mumbled. “They roughed me up, but I’m faster than them. What did you see?”

I gave her a quick report, down to the fact that Crash had almost caught me but still didn’t know what I was doing because I’d used Eric as an alibi. Kinkly looked at Eric. “Hi, Eric. How are you doing?”

“Kinkly. I’m well.” He was being strangely formal. I realized then that she was showing a lot of leg and he was blushing like crazy while trying not to stare. Oh, lordy, that was not a match made in heaven. The size difference alone was staggering.

Kinkly nodded at him, then pointed at my leg. “What happened? Did Crash shoot you?”

I shook my head. “No, someone else.”

She sighed and lifted above my hand. “I’ll check in with you after I report back to my queen.”

Just at the periphery of my vision, Feish stiffened up. Of course, she would understand what I’d gotten myself into more than anyone else. Karissa was Crash’s ex. Feish would of course side with him. “Okay, sounds good. Be safe, Kink.”

She blinked at me, what I think might have been tears. “Okay. You too. Don’t get shot again.” She paused. “Bye Eric.” And then she was gone in a flash.

“Goodbye,” he whispered, sounding like a lovesick puppy.

I leaned back against the edge of the boat. The sun was on its downward slide already. I was going to be late for training if we went the usual route to River Street then across Savannah’s downtown district to get to the Hollows. “Feish, how long before we are there?”

“Ten minutes, if we go all the way by boat,” she said. “You be a little late, but not too late.”

True to her word, we pulled up not nine minutes later to the riverside edge of the graveyard the Hollows called home. I might have brought a couple of uninvited guests, but at least I was on time.

Eric held out his hand, but I didn’t need any help. My leg felt almost like new.

Crash had definitely pulled a fast one on me and healed me. There was no other way I’d be doing this well after being shot like that. I rubbed at my leg, a tingle running down it. Yes, definitely something magic.

“Son of a bitch,” I muttered. Feish threw me the rope and I tied the boat up to a small tree. From there, the three of us hurried up the slope to the back side of the graveyard. The sound of training reached my ears before we crested the last of the rise. Meaning the sounds of running, grunting, and an oof or two.

Luke was the first one to see us, his young face an open book as he grinned my way. “Hey, Bree, you brought friends!”

I grinned back. “Yes. I. Did.”

He and Suzy came over and fist bumped me. See, I could be cool when I wanted.

However, others were not so cool. Sarge stalked over to us, a strange smell wafting along with him. “What the hell is this? You can’t bring them here.”

My jaw dropped. “Wait, what?”

“Feish works for Crash. She can duck right off.” No, he did not say duck, but my autocorrect fixed it for me.

“Have you lost your marbles along with your sense of humor?” I snapped. “Go chew on a bone, you oversized poodle.”

Sarge strode up to me. “You’re out.”

I blinked up at him. “What the duck?”

His eyes narrowed, his whole body vibrated, and his hands clenched like he was trying to keep from strangling me. This was not the Sarge I knew. And yet I was staring at him as he said words I couldn’t believe. “You brought enemies here, to the Hollows. That is strictly forbidden. You’re out.”

My fists shot to my hips as my own temper flared. “Are you crazy? Eric was a client. Feish is my friend. And I just got—”

“Get out. I don’t care if you got shot,” he growled the two words, his mouth elongating as he began to shift to his wolf form. “As a mentor, if I believe there is a cause, I can remove you from the training program immediately. There is a cause. You are bringing harm to the Hollows.”

A wash of power seemed to flow off him and push me back, and even though I didn’t understand, I had no doubt he’d somehow just cut my ties to the Hollows.

“Sarge, have you lost your mind?” I couldn’t lose this job. I needed to keep training, to keep learning. More than that, I liked most of the people here, they were becoming friends.

Suzy cleared her throat. “I think you’re being harsh, Sarge. Eric is fine I’m sure, and Feish is not going to—”

“You can go too then.” Sarge wheeled on her, and that same push of power curled around her. She gasped and stumbled backward as if he’d struck her.

He’d lost his mind, that was the only way I could make sense of it. This was not the lighthearted, sweet guy I’d met. His body kept on shifting, kept on changing until he was the massive werewolf I’d tackled on that first night in the cemetery.

I didn’t take a step back as he bared his teeth and growled at me. I was between him and Feish and Eric. “Sarge, don’t make me stab you again. ’Cause this time I’ll cut your balls off to make sure we deal with the obvious overload of testosterone that is frying your brain.”

His ears flattened against his head, but he didn’t come at me.

He didn’t back down either.

Eric touched my shoulder, his big hand engulfing it. “We should go. Before this gets any uglier than a werewolf being territorial.”

He wasn’t wrong, but damn it, I hated to leave as if I were the one who should have my tail tucked between my legs.

I put my hand on top of his, and gave it a pat. “You go with Feish, take the boat. I’ll meet you at my gran’s house.”