Page 57 of Moody as a Minotaur

“We’ve let the SC know what’s happening, but until we have proof that they’re hunters, there isn’t much support they can offer that we can’t do ourselves,” Gage said. He didn’t sound bothered by that. Sure, the SC were supposed to be the good guys, but investigators were usually powerful and connected. People like that could be dangerous. If Gage didn’t get to personally vet them before they came, I doubted he’d want them here. “We’ll provide backup to your mission.”

Mission. The word alone sent a new trickle of sweat rolling down my spine.

“Seeing those two together is enough to scar me for life,” Parker muttered as he trudged down the stairs, distracting me from my rising panic. “People always talk about trauma from having walked in on their parents having sex, but they’ve obviously never experienced their grandmother pressing a younger woman against the wall and pulling at her shirt buttons with her teeth.” He rubbed his eyes. “Why couldn’t they have waited until I dropped her damn bags and left the room?”

As Parker approached, Teague, who was standing beside me, tensed.

“What?” I asked him. I scanned the room for threats. The world beyond the windows was dark, but I didn’t see any movement. No one else was reacting to a threat, and surely they would if someone was spying on us.

But the death mage merely shook his head as his gaze bounced between Parker and me. He covered his mouth with his hand, but I swore he was smiling. What the hell was that all about?

Some long-ago memory niggled at the back of my mind. Death mages could see mate bonds, couldn’t they? But that couldn’t be what Teague was smiling about now. Parker and I weren’t mates.

“You ready to leave, Levi?” Parker asked around a yawn. “Today’s about done me in.”

“Leave? What do you mean? You’re staying here, aren’t you? Shit. We forgot to bring your overnight bag, didn’t we? Do you want me to go with you to grab one? I can accompany you back.”

“Nope.” Parker shook his head. “We’re bunking together tonight.”

I froze. “Uh… what?”

“We’re together tonight.”

“When did this get decided?” I glanced at the others, all of whom were struggling to keep their faces straight.

“Jake and I talked it over earlier. Nana and Davina agreed,” Parker said, like that was what would sway me. “Besides, the risk to us should be low. The hunters think we’re both human.”

“But…” My gaze darted wildly around the room. “But webrought your grandmother here because we all agreed it wasn’t safe at your place.”

“No one is staying alone tonight. Van is with Doc Roberts. Isaac is with Carter. Hell, not even Old Thom is staying alone. He’s crashing with Sally and the Jennings, which is fantastically weird to me. And for the record, I can’t believe he’s a troll.” Parker shook his head a little and smiled at me. “And I’m at your place. Hey, don’t look so worried. I can take the couch.” Then he narrowed his eyes. “You do have a couch, right?”

“Of course I have a couch,” I muttered. “But…”

“It makes sense,” Van said. “When the hunters were in there before, they didn’t get into your apartment. Your house is safer than most places in Willow Lake. At least you’ll have plenty of warning if they do come and try to break in. I have extra patrols running, so we should be there quickly if you do need help.”

“Come on, Levi,” Parker said, walking to the exit without waiting for me to agree. “I need to get back to my apartment, feed the fishy gang, and grab a change of clothes. Then I want to put my feet up. It’s been one hell of a day.”

It had been, and it wasn’t over yet.

Parker was spending the night. With me. In my inner sanctuary. Alone.

To the tune of my fellow Willow Lakers’ snickering, I swallowed down my panic with an audible gulp and followed him out the door.

20

SMOOCHING WITH THE MINOTAUR AND OTHER GREAT IDEAS

PARKER

“I should have fed the fishy gang when we picked up Nana. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it. Sushi will be so pissed. He’s the leader in the tank. The rest follow his example,” I said as I trudged up the stairs to my apartment. I’d been nattering at Levi ever since we left the inn. I’d never thought I was one for nervous chatter, but apparently I was.

Levi didn’t say anything, but he had to be listening. He was right behind me, after all. And why was that making me feel self-conscious? Yeah. I didn’t know, but I was. Self-conscious, I mean.

Geez. Even my brain was rambling.

My apartment was as I’d left it when I’d gotten up to open the café this morning. I’d expected Nana to have rearranged the furniture to her liking while I was gone, but she hadn’t. I crossed to the fish tank and the fishy gang went wild.

“Hi, guys,” I greeted them. “I’m sorry I forgot to feed you earlier. I was a little caught up in everything that was happening.”