The Call of Corvids by J. C. McKenzie

Author:J. C. McKenzie
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: J. C. McKenzie, Ilona Andrews, T. A. White, fantasy, fantasy romance, shifter, shifter romance, fae, urban fantasy
Publisher: J. C. McKenzie
Published: 2020-06-29T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

“Fuck it.”

~ Bear’s final thought before making decisions

Bear glanced over his shoulder for the third time since leaving Chloe behind in his rune-protected apartment. The dark fae lord had assured him as long as the runes were drawn, they’d trap the Claíomh Solais and prevent anyone from portalling into the apartment. But the client had also banked on Bear not opening the box.

Bear waited in the apartment building’s hallway for almost an hour to see if she’d emerge.

Nothing.

She didn’t even try the door handle. When she found out today’s date, she’d wanted to watch television and “catch up.” Exactly how long had she been trapped in that box? She wouldn’t say.

Tasha clicked as she flew overhead, occasionally stopping on awnings, windowsills or ledges to click at him some more. He didn’t need to speak bird to know she was both telling him off for the disappearing act at the same time as expressing her excitement to see him again.

A man walking in the opposite direction on the sidewalk rammed his shoulder into Bear’s.

“Hey! Watch it, asshole!” the man barked over his shoulder.

Bear waved at him with his middle finger and kept walking. If he ran into someone, he’d normally apologize, but the other man had been walking side by side with his buddy and the two of them had taken over more than half the sidewalk. Why should Bear have to flatten himself against the wall to let two inconsiderate strangers walk past?

“Didn’t you hear me, asshole?” A large, heavy hand clamped on Bear’s shoulder and tugged.

Bear spun with the motion and blocked the predictable punch to the face with his arm. He stepped inside the man’s guard, grabbed both his shoulders and whipped his head forward.

Crack!

The man reeled back from the head butt and clutched his spurting nose. “Phuuck.”

Bear ignored him and turned to his buddy. “You want to come at me, too?”

The friend shook his head, raised his hands and backed away.

Everyone stared. Great. Low profile blown. His heart pumped blood hard enough the pounding of it drowned out all other sounds. He rounded his shoulders, turned back and ducked around the next corner. He didn’t want to make a scene and here he was getting into scraps on the sidewalk on the East Side. Stupid.

Not wanting to risk the main streets, he made his way through the filthy side streets to the local convenience store that sold everything from onions to cell phone cases decorated with kitties. He needed a burner phone, and in less than twenty minutes, he walked out of the store with one set up.

When the next SkyTrain slid to a squeaky halt, he hopped on and ignored Tasha’s indignant squawk. She’d find him again soon enough. She always did.

Bear got his lodestone ready and pulled out the business card of the dark fae. He stared at his phone. Maybe he should call Raven. Not for advice or help—he didn’t want his twin mixed up in this—but just to hear her voice. He knew his distance hurt her.

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