Page 18 of Judge of Saints and Sinners

I nodded, the pull in my chest growing tight and angry as I began to step away from Justine. But when I contemplated leaving, my instincts threatened to overwhelm me. I couldn’t leave. The deal wasn’t done. And I wasn’t talking about her part of it. I must’ve missed something, since my protection was still incomplete.

That meant I had to stay with her. With a grimace, I gestured to the street. “Lead the way.”

Justine tilted her head again. “Excuse me, what?”

“You asked for protection, isn’t that right?”

Shock washed over her features. “From that guy!” Her slender fingers were pointing down the street down which our offender had rushed.

“You did not clarify that.” I hadn’t either, but no need to inform her of my mistake. I was quite sure a woman like her would need protection from something else soon enough. Then the deal would be done. Informing her of my mistake would only give her more ammunition against me.

“So what, you’re just going to follow me around?”

“If necessary. As soon as the deal is complete, then I will be able to leave.”

“That is not necessary. Your end of the deal is fulfilled.”

“I will decide that.”

“Well, that’s fucking great,” she said, stalking off down the sidewalk.

I followed, my stride swinging and casual as I kept up with her furious stomping. After a block, her ire seemed to fade, and she slowed, letting me walk side by side with her.

“Where are we off to in such a hurry?”

“I need to feed my dog. Unless dog-care duties are a part of the package too.”

“Not at this time.”

“Well, too bad. You can at least help while you wait to save me from something.” Justine eyed an incoming bus warily then looked back to me, mouth open. “What if…”

“It doesn’t work like that. You can put yourself in as much danger as you’d like, and while I would be forced to help you because I’m a decent male, it won’t make the deal any more complete than before.”

Justine pouted.

“It has to be an authentic event.”

“This is going to take forever, then,” she grumbled. “I don’t need rescuing very often.”

I nearly snorted, blocking another passerby from bumping into her, my scowl making him scurry to the edge of the roadway. “I’m sure.”

“Am I responsible for feeding you now?”

“I am not a stray animal, Justine, and am quite capable of feeding myself if the need arises.”

She snorted. “Good, because I don't know if I can afford to feed you both, and I like the dog better.”

Together, we wound our way up to an older building then up a rickety, loudly protesting set of stairs. Every once in a while, she would look at me, mouth open as if she might say something else but thought better of it. As for me, I was content to just stay at her side. But when her apartment door swung open to reveal one very smug and pleased-looking Cerberus, I couldn't stop the growl that slipped from my mouth.

Justine whirled to stand in front of him, her hands raised. “Now it’s certain. I definitely like him better.”

I glared at my pet, whose stubbed tail thumped the floorboards in welcome. “Most people do.”

8

Justine

I should’ve run away, or maybe even slammed the door in his face. But instead, I stood there in between the dog and my newly acquired paranormal bodyguard and squared up against him. After what I'd just seen him do, I knew I should be freaking out, but maybe it was the survivalist in me or the fact that I’d always felt like there was something I was missing, but I held my ground.