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"Hey Mack Attack!" he called over, with e nickname

Lucy craned her neck round his body "Mackenzie! I didn’t see you there Are you joining us for the stake-out?"

"This’ll be good," said the arsehole, stepping out froirl is what Iand a million times more useful than a human"

Hah! The irony of his statement wasn’t lost onblood Alex came closer and wrapped his ar, dude?" he whispered into see why the wolf calls you Red That temper of yours is seriously scary If you attack hinorant idiot, all that will happen is the other Brethren will be forced to take his side Which will iven all the trouble I went to save your sorry hide last night, I will be very pissed off if that happens"

I pulled free and looked away "Fine," I muttered

The arsehole came up and stuck out his hand "Pleasure to finally make your acquaintance There’s been a lot of discussion about you since we arrived I do hope that you decide to leave this rural hell-hole when all this is done and coreasy palm, and shook it I will aders at the same time He pulled his hand away and shook it in rip you’ve got there, tiger" What ith all of the cat nicknahtened and he eyed me curiously "What’s your were, anyway? You smell kind of funny"

"Haet the word out

He looked surprised "Uh, really?"

I shrugged, not trustingelse, and walked back to the other side of the portal He re puzzled, until the two other Brethren moved impatiently and he shook hi with Lucy As the first two guards walked towards the trees and back to the keep, he continued to stare at ain, but Alex put a hand on my arm and made a face I rolled my eyes at him Whatever I sat back down on the sand and started to wait

Chapter Seventeen

Lucy and the human hater took up the same positions as the previous two Brethren had, and maintained the same stoicism I was faintly surprised that Lucy was as strict about her vigil as the others had been but guessed that Corrigan’s stranglehold on the Brethren was viciously strong I, y for when so – hopefully Iabartu – finally appeared I was confident that I’d hear the change in tone as the portal prepared to eject soht, straight backed, military style stance was a waste of time

I pulled out a couple of cans of Coke from my backpack and offered one to Alex He sat down beside tops I hoped that the Brethren idiot on the other side could hear the satisfying hiss as the carbon dioxide was released although I did feel slightly guilty about Lucy Then again, given what I’d already discovered about her tastebuds, she probably wasn’t too bothered Alex sat down next to ives, Alex? I thought you weren’t the fighting type?" I asked hiarded me seriously "Oddly I find myself suddenly invested in what happens in this quiet little corner of England Not that I’ll be squaring up to any heebie jeebies any time soon, you understand," he added hastily, "just that I find ht be a damsel in distress who needs hed and clinked ainst his then beca my fault that John died You really think that was true?"

He sighed heavily "All I know is that the wichtlein definitely thought it was true And, no, before you ask, I don’t anything about what a Draco Wyr is, other than it o froht now and wait to see what comes out that" He nodded towards the portal and I was rather taken aback at the confidence in his voice For someone as a self-professed non-couts

We sat in companionable silence for a few moments before it occurred to me that I really didn’t know very much about hiht make the time pass by a bit faster I arched a look over at hi if you weren’t here?"

"NothingI spend a vast a down lost objects and trailing unfaithful spouses You’d be surprised at what a fickle bunch the otherworld pop can be"

"I don’t doubt it," I said drily "But you don’t alork for shifters?"

"God, no!" he said "My services are for hire to the highest bidder I have to ithin the dictates of the Ministry but for the most part I can be employed by virtually anyone Fae, vamps, trolls, even a unicorn once I’ve worked for them all"

"Have you ever worked for a human?" I asked softly "I e or a wicca or anything?"

Alex was silent for a second "No," he answered heavily "I’m afraid I’ve not"

So there was no-one liketo be doing all this"

"I ed his point A plane rumbled softly overhead and we both leaned back and tracked its jetstreah the sky

"It really is very lovely here," he coone "I can see why you are so keen to stay"

"Yeah," I sighed "It is lovely But that’s not why I stay These guys are my family Since my mum split, I’ve never had anyone else I could depend upon But the pack, they’re always there for h…" my voice trailed off and I looked at the Brethren

"You don’t get bored?" he asked, changing the subject