Hunted – 39

Faolán watched with a bit of amusement while Brice went through the routine to make coffee with his fancy espresso machine. “Instant would have done just fine as far as I’m concerned,” he commented.

“That is not coffee,” Brice replied. “This is coffee, or it will be if it ever gets done brewing.” He glared at the machine then jumped, startled, when his phone rang.

“It won’t be Maximus,” Faolán pointed out when Brice seemed hesitant to answer. “He’s not going to call and announce he’s on his way over.”

With a tight smile Brice nodded and answered. When the call was over he said, “The friend I told you about is on his way.”

“Perfect. We might as well find out if he’s willing to be part of this.”

“He’s bringing someone else with him.”

“Someone who knows what’s going on?”

“She does now,” Brice replied a bit disquietedly. “Logan was just going to try to decide if she could be trusted not to tell her housemates about my being stalked. He took it a few steps further.”

Faolán cocked an eyebrow. “Let’s hope his instincts are correct then.”

Skye’s voice came from the living room. “Man, that was…freaky.”

“Your company has arrived I suspect,” Faolán muttered as he and Brice went to greet them.

When they entered the living room, Logan growled low in his throat and stepped defensively in front of Skye, his eyes locked on Faolán.

“It’s okay, he’s friend, not foe,” Brice quickly told him. “I should have warned you he was here.”

“Yeah, you should have,” Logan agreed as he relaxed, marginally.

“Faolán, this is Logan, and the young woman he’s protecting is Skye,” Brice said by way of introductions.

“Hi, Faolán.” Skye stepped from behind Logan, hand outstretched in greeting. “Are you a..?” She quickly amended her intended question to ask, “Umm, are you just visiting?”

Faolán shook her hand, amusement lighting his eyes. “Yes I’m just visiting, and as to your aborted question, yes I’m another shifter.”

Skye sighed. “I already blew it, didn’t I?”

“Not really.” Logan grinned at Brice as he said to Skye, “You could have been being polite and decided not to ask the question at the top of your mind—if he was Brice’s current lover.”

“I wouldn’t do that, I’m not that much of a jerk,” she grumbled. “Do I smell coffee?”

“You do. It’s ready, finally.” Brice headed back to the kitchen and the others followed. Once everyone had a cup, he leaned against the counter to look at them.

Logan cocked an eyebrow when Brice didn’t say anything. “Yes?”

“Nothing.”

Skye sighed and stood up. “I’ll go find something to do in the living room while the rest of you discuss…whatever.”

“Sit,” Brice told her. “Since you know everything anyway, you might as well have some input. I have a feeling you’ll be able, and probably quite willing, to point out flaws in any plan we might come up with.”

“Something we really ought to start thinking about,” Faolán put in quickly. “Maximus is no one to fool around with, even though from what you said, Brice, he seems to be making a game of this.”

“Well he’s only done one thing, so far.”

“So far being the operative words,” Logan pointed out. “Who knows how long he’s going to keep it up before he goes in for the kill.”

“And he will do that. He wants Brice in the worst way, and if I don’t miss my bet, he’s not going to outright kill him. He’ll do his best to get his hands on him first, and make him pay for what he considers an affront to his dignity, as it were.”

Brice shivered. He could just imagine what that would involve and it wouldn’t be pretty.