Edgar’s movements registered. He was creeping along at a snail’s pace, the vampire who’d once been great at stalking prey having lost his edge many, many decades ago. Adrenaline coursed through me. If he wasn’t careful, he’d be the piece that upset this whole night.
Jasper circled the house, far overhead, his eyesight clearly amazing. I hoped that deer’s wasn’t so good, though even if it was, spotting a dark-skinned gargoyle within the dark sky would be a feat. Jasper wouldn’t blow it.
The deer jerked and my heart stopped. Its head swung toward the front of the house. Its body tensed, and then it exploded into movement, bounding away through the trees. Jasper soared in that direction a moment later.
“Oh ’rap,” I said, the breath leaking out of me, my swear muddled.
The deer shifter must’ve seen the prowler at the front. It would have had a clear vantage point from its last location. Given it had run, they probably weren’t on the same team. One threat was bad enough, but two opposing threats? At the same time?
Or maybe it was just a shifter that had lost its way, with a rare magic that hid it from Ivy House, and a burglar that got unlucky with timing? Totally unrelated. Maybe the shifter spooked because it saw someone, not because it saw an enemy that might not know it wasn’t just a deer.
My gut pinched and then swam. Not even wishful thinking helped me swallow that one down. Danger was coming this way, and it was happening when my parents were here.
I jogged to the front of the house, where Ulric and Cedric waited in the sitting room near the window, wanting a look at that prowler, only belatedly registering my dad coming down the stairs. Having emerged from the seldom-used sitting room attached to the dining room, I slid to a stop just before the entryway. My wings snapped out, not in control, punching a vase on a stand. It flew across the room and smashed into the wall, the pieces tinkling as they rained down onto the floor.
My dad startled, pausing with one foot on the ground floor and the other still on the step, holding the banister for support.
“Ennnnd innn…” Mr. Tom prompted.
Blend in.
It should have been in my wheelhouse, but other facets of my magic had taken precedence in my training. I was now seeing the flaw in that thinking.
“Heeeey, Daad,” I said, super nonchalant, my wings still stretched out behind me, my body covered in tough, light purple, luminescent skin that shed streaks of light whenever I moved. Although I had smaller teeth and a more reasonable jaw than the creature form of the male of the species, I still did not look in any way human. Hiding my long fingers ending in claws behind my back would do nothing to detract from the effect. Even hiding in shadows would not make this in any way normal. Not even remotely. The only thing that could be worse, I figured, was changing back right in front of him and standing around in human form while naked. Not sure if that would be worse for him or for me, but I was definitely not going to do it.
I hope he doesn’t have a heart attack, I thought without meaning to. Reducing the stress of this moment for my dad was a lot more important than seeing the prowler with my own eyes. Niamh and hopefully the guys could tell me what they saw. No one would be able to help my dad cope with this situation if it went off the rails.
Further off the rails.
He stared at me for a very long moment, the only sound the ticking of the grandfather clock behind me. Austin surged onto the property at the edge of the wood—not the rear, like I’d thought he might—still a distance away but coming fast. He’d made incredible time. He was still too late for the deer, although not too late to give my dad another polar bear peep show that hopefully wouldn’t drive him over the edge.
“Dooooin’ ‘ood?” I tried the last again. “Guh-ood?”
“Jacinta, how many times have I told you to enunciate when you speak to someone.” My dad’s foot slowly left the step and joined the other on the ground floor. He didn’t remove his hand from the banister. “Your mother has me taking something called melatonin. She claims it’s to help me sleep, but I don’t know. I’m starting to see things.” He shook his head, turning down the hallway. “Doesn’t cure my midnight hunger, either. Is there any clam dip left?”
He didn’t wait for me to catch up. Austin was nearly at the house.
I darted into the sitting room and to the guys hiding behind the curtains.
“Sheee anneee’tang?” I would’ve grimaced, if my face could contort that way, and then I changed form.