Page 107 of The Hunter’s Affection

Chapter 27

“You’ve had the herbs for a week. Charlotte is begging for this. So what in the name of St. Ninian are you waiting for?”

Torr stepped out into the cold, which didn’t affect him in the least. He and Laria had just left Ye Old Curiosities after talking to Toni’s aunt Birdie. Toni had asked them to check on her. They’d spoken earlier in the day, and Birdie had sounded “off” to her. She’d wanted to go herself but couldn’t leave the bar.

“I can see why Toni’s concerned,” he said, trying to change the subject. “Birdie doesn’t seem herself.”

“Hmmm.”

“I know she said she’s fine, but this whole thing is weighing on her, I think.”

“It’s weighing on all of us. Which is why I agree with you. We’ll need to follow that lead in Lindisfarne.”

He agreed that needed to happen.

“You still haven’t answered my question,” Laria prodded.

They were about to part ways—his sister to The Vault, and he to the Addy Hutton Mansion. He had arranged a date with the very woman they were discussing, and for this one, he needed his brother’s car.

“You’re a nosy one, sister. I’ll get to it. I gave Charlotte my word and I don’t mean to go back on it.”

Because she’d helped him acquire the necessary ingredients for the Nine Herbs Charm, Laria knew all about his agreement with Charlotte. She’d even suggested she should be there, just in case. Torr wasn’t sure what, exactly, his sister thought she’d do if something went wrong.

There would be no second chance.

It was a tricky thing, turning a vampire, but while he’d only done it once in seven hundred years, Torr had fed on plenty of humans. He knew how to do it safely. And knew when to stop. He’d learned that the hard way.

And yet it didn’t matter. He was more nervous than he’d ever been in his life. So much so, he finally understood Kenton’s hesitance to turn Alessandra.

Charlotte was not just any human.

She was the love of his life, and if anything happened to her, he would never forgive himself.

“Anyway, like I said, I think Birdie’s just worried about Toni and what would happen if Lawrence were forced to leave. I mean, Toni would go with him, of course, but . . . Laria? Are you listening?”

“Mm-hmm.”

But she wasn’t listening. And Torr was pretty sure he knew why. Still, he didn’t press her. He’d rather discuss Annabel Walsh. Or the fact that Rowan Morley, who was currently halfway across the world dealing with a member of the Sect, had vowed to make a trip to Stone Haven upon his return so he could “eliminate the Cheld.”

Otherwise known as Alessandra and Garrett.

He’d pretty much rather discuss anything other than his sister and Drake Morley.

“Wait.” Laria froze and Torr stopped with her.

“I just thought of something.”

A couple brushed by them as Laria turned back toward the shop they’d just left. “You go ahead. I need to talk to Birdie about something.”

“What in the devil—”

“Just trust me. Go. You don’t want to be late.”

Before he could argue with her, his sister was gone. Torr thought about going after her, but a quick glance at his phone proved she was right. He was on the verge of being late. And so he hurried to the car, putting on just the slightest edge of unnatural speed, and managed to pick up Charlotte just on time.

She looked extraordinary in her simple black dress, elegant and sexy at the same time.

“So what’s with all the secrecy?” she asked, climbing into the passenger seat. “Are we going where I think we are?”