The detective shrugged. “Exactly.”
Getting more irritated by the moment by a conversation she couldn’t follow, Sinead released a pent-up breath. “All right, I’m still standing here. Mind clueing me in on what’s going on? You brought the sword here to get a demon to try to steal it?”
Petrakis looked surprised by her question. Maybe he’d just remembered she still stood there. “How do you think I got there quick enough to shove you back through the portal?”
Sin narrowed her gaze. “It wasn’t coincidence?”
“Nothing ever is.”
Sin turned back to the shopkeeper. “Are you like him?” she asked, eyeing him dubiously.
The shopkeeper’s smile deepened. Then he shook his head rapidly, like a dog shedding water. Two, three shakes, and his body expanded upward, his shoulders spread. His graying brown hair lengthened to the tops of his shoulders.
Sin was a little disappointed his clothing stretched right along with his body. The man might have some snow on the peaks, but he still could have been a cover model for a romance novel. “All right. That answers one question. Why are you showing me this?”
The “shopkeeper” gave the detective a nod.
“We have need of you, Sinead O’Rourke,” Petrakis said, his tones deepening, lengthening into his familiar, melodic drawl.
“How did this happen? Were you born with this gift?” the shopkeeper asked, his golden-brown gaze still raking over her.
Sin thought it a little obscene to call her new ability a gift, given she’d shed blood and lost a friend to acquire it. “I was shot,” she bit out.
&nb
sp; “A woman of few words, Theo,” the older man said. “A treasure, hmmm?”
“She’s reckless.”
“She needs training.”
“She’s human. Her skills are limited.”
Athanasius locked his gaze with hers. “But does she have courage?”
“Miles of it,” Petrakis said, his tone begrudging.
Athanasius relaxed, a smile stretching his thin, masculine mouth. “Then, what is the problem? Bring her down. We’ll introduce her to the team.”
“Dammit, Athan,” Petrakis ground out between clenched jaws.
Athan’s expression grew solemn. “We’ve been playing hide-and-seek games with these skinwalkers for months. At last, we have a break. Don’t you think you should simply give thanks to the gods for his gift?”
“We’re going to get her killed,” Petrakis replied quietly.
“She has you to watch her back, friend.”
“I already have a partner,” Sin growled, really tired of them talking as though she wasn’t standing there.
“A slight complication only,” Athan said, with small wave of his hand. His glance fell on her again. “Perhaps you’d feel more comfortable joining us if you brought him along as well?”
“Oh, I can see Jake going for this, all right,” Sin muttered.
“Something to think about, anyway.” He gestured for her to follow him then led the way into the back room.
She paused at the door. “Aren’t you worried about someone entering the shop when no one’s here?”
“Someone is always here, Sinead,” Athan said. “You just can’t see them.”