Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
Alistair
Aidan, who was eyeing off the remains of the fruit and cheese platter (there’re a few grapes, but he seems reluctant to grab those for some reason), drags his gaze back to me and says, “What about?”
“What you’ll be doing tomorrow while I’m driving out to Beker County.”
He sets his jaw, a mulish look in his eyes. “I do not need a babysitter.”
“I agree. But this isn’t about your competence or capability. It’s about what might happen if Tish knows you’re here and sends a team to grab you. No single person can be expected to come out best when up against a team. You’re a valuable asset, and Tish has to know that he can use you against us.”
“He doesn’t even know we’re here!”
“Are you sure about that?” I counter. “Don’t you think he or some of the Beker County hellhounds would have contacts here in Portland? We spent the whole morning being very high profile with most of the local pack members. They all know your name and that you’re here.”
“I’m not the one who made it quite so high profile,” he gripes. “You’re the one who started the whole limbo thing.”
I grin because that was one of my better ideas. And no matter what anyone says, I was robbed—I should have won. I’m willing to let it go, though, because did you see how bendy Aidan is? Like… rawr. The things I can do with that kind of flexibility.
“Alistair?”
I yank my attention away from some very interesting fantasies and smile innocently at him.
“It doesn’t matter who started what,” I say, which is something I’ve said many, many times in my life in an attempt to get out of trouble. It hardly ever works but is still worth a try. “What’s important is what we do to make sure you’re secure.”
“I really hate the idea of an enforcement team coming to stand guard over me,” he admits.
I nod. “Do you have any alternative suggestions?” I already have an idea in mind, but I want him to think he’s got options. He’s already mad at me, and I haven’t yet given up my hopes for sex.
He shrugs. “Well… nobody knows specifically where we are, right? They could possibly know I’m in Portland, but not where exactly.
And the only time I’ve left this house was in a car, so the chances of them being able to track us back here are slim—the rental car is pretty generic.
With that many of the same make and model in the city, it would be impossible to isolate the scent of ours specifically. ”
He’s right about that—one of the first things I did when we got the car was take a nice deep sniff. There’s nothing to distinguish our car from the hundreds—thousands—of others of the same kind in Portland.
“So you think you’ll be safe if you just stay here inside the house?” It’s likely he would be, but I’m uneasy about taking that risk.
“Well… aye.”
I shake my head. “I agree that it’s unlikely anyone would find you here, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible, and a decent team could easily trap you in this house.
They might not even want to take you, just strike a blow at us by killing you.
In which case, they can stay safely out of reach and set the place on fire or something, then shoot you when you run outside. ”
His already fair skin goes a little paler. “What a charming thought that is,” he murmurs. “So no matter what happens, I don’t run out the front door. And the back door is probably not an option either, right?”
“They’d have lovely cover in a fenced courtyard,” I inform him. “Nobody to see them and wonder why they’re loitering.” I might not have to suggest anything after all. It seems like he’s working his way toward the solution on his own. Is the burst of pride that gives me weird?
“What about the upstairs windows? All these condos are joined together. I could shift, go out a window, and escape over the rooftops.”
“What’s to stop them from anticipating that and waiting for you? Or chasing you once you’re up there? You’ll probably be dealing with hellhounds—once they have your scent, they’ll be able to track you anywhere you go.”
His face creases with frustration. “Well, what do you suggest, then? Other than a squad of enforcers.”
I slide off my stool. “You’re on the right track. Come on.” He follows me across the room and up the stairs, and then into each of the bedrooms and bathrooms as I examine the windows.
“Are you going to tell me what you’re doing?” he asks finally, stepping back from the doorway of the en-suite bathroom off my bedroom. He looks around, then goes to take a seat in one of the armchairs by the window. “You really are a sneaky bastard, aren’t you?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I say loftily, coming out of the bathroom and collapsing across the bed. I roll onto my stomach and prop my chin on my hands. “I’m never sneaky.” I kick my legs and smile winsomely.
He laughs, and there’s real warmth in his eyes as he watches me. My heartbeat picks up a little, and I have to clear my throat.
“So, um, your best bet is the en-suite window,” I tell him. “There’s a sheer drop to the ground, no ledge or anything, and the roof is out of arm’s reach. The window itself is also too small for a hellhound in biped form, so unless they bring a cat with them, it will be inaccessible to them.”
“What are their chances of bringing a cat?” he asks, raising a brow.
“Slim. Gideon’s report mentioned that most of the professional or trade positions within the area were filled by non-hellhounds.
That leads me to think those other species are there because they don’t have that skillset themselves, and thus it seems likely that their muscle is going to be hellhound. ”
He frowns and seems to be thinking about that. “You’re saying they’re raising the majority species in the area—in this case hellhounds—to be soldiers, and bringing in their doctors and teachers and the like from elsewhere?”
“Yes. It allows them to limit education. I’d hazard a guess that any young hellhounds who show high intelligence or aptitude for professional training would be sent to one of the other enclaves for training.
They don’t want people to see one among them getting education that’s not available to the rest, but at the same time, they need skilled, educated professionals. ”
“I’m going to freak out and get pissed over the fact that they’re basically farming their children later,” he says. “For now, let’s assume you’re right and the people who potentially would come after me would be hellhounds.”
“I’m always right, babe. The sooner you learn that, the easier it will be to acclimate to the wonder that is me.” I honestly didn’t mean for the endearment to slip out, but I’m not going to apologize for it now.
He goes adorably pink. Well… flaming red, to be honest. From the collar of his shirt to the top of his forehead, with a particularly virulent shade on his ears.
I wonder if the blush goes downward, too—is his chest all flushed and hot?
Could I follow the wave of his embarrassment with my lips, all the way down…
Phew.
I shift my weight slightly to the side to relieve the pressure on my dick and cough lightly. Maybe having this discussion in my bedroom isn’t a good idea.
On the other hand, once we’ve finished talking business, I’m hoping we can get down to business .
But first…
“So it’s likely to be hellhounds coming for you, and they won’t be able to use the window in the en suite to gain access, nor follow you out that way. Cats climb better than hellhounds, so you have the advantage.”
“Right, but, ah…” He’s still a little pink but seems to be following my lead in pretending I never said the b word. “Once I’m out the window, then what? I climb up or down, and they could be waiting on the roof or the ground. And that’s assuming I make it to the en suite before they catch me.”
I raise a brow, and he gets this funny look on his face, like he wants to smile but is stopping himself. Not sure what that’s all about, but the look in his eyes is all soft, and I like that. He should always look at me that way.
Wait… what?
I may be taking this “ready to put the past behind me” thing a little more seriously than I thought.
Sex. Just sex… for now.
“You won’t need to make it to the en suite,” I say, trying to regain control of my wits. “You’ll already be there.”
He blinks. “Wha— You want me to spend the whole time you’re gone in the bathroom? That’ll be most of the day!”
“It’s the safest place for you. There’s only one point where they can gain entry—which you will lock—and you’ll likely hear them coming and be able to leave before they get anywhere near that door.
” I tip my head toward the en-suite door.
“Even if they come in through the window in here, you’ll have at least a minute warning—provided you’re not blasting music or anything.
” I let my tone convey how stupid that would be.
He doesn’t look happy about the idea of being locked in the bathroom all day—not that I can blame him—and I’m pretty sure he’s going to come back to that point, but all he says is “And then what?”
“You shift and go out the window,” I say promptly. “Hellhounds as a rule need a lot of training to be good at dealing with heights, and it’s unlikely the CCA will have given them that. You go up to the roof, then stay low and go across four condos toward the main street.”
Utter bewilderment crosses his face. “Why?”
“Sam rented that one for us as well. The layout is exactly the same. Before I leave tomorrow, I’ll make sure the en-suite window is open and that there’s a car in the garage.”
His mouth opens as though he’s going to say something, then he closes it again and sucks in a deep breath. “Why did Sam rent two condos for us? And why are we in this one, not that one?”