Page 58 (1/2)

Stefan didn’t rise to the bait, but his pupils did a quick, irritated wax-and-wane "I trust Cooper"

"I trust Cooper, too," I added quickly

Stefan inclined his head "I will place him at your disposal Is there any other means by which I may assist?"

"Not at the moment, but stay tuned," I said "You’re sure the Palmer ladies are safely out of town?"

"Yes" He didn’t elaborate and I didn’t ask hi "Call upon me at need," he said when I finished "If there is widespread panic, we can assist in alleviating it"

"Without ravening?" Cody asked bluntly

Stefan turned his ice-blue gaze on him "Did the Outcast not serve you well in thesatyr?"

My tail twitched at the reat," I assured him "I can totally tell that they’re more disciplined So, umcan we borrow Cooper now?"

Stefan looked back atWhether I liked it or not--and the jury was still out on that one--we had a bond, and the silence that stretched between us was filled with unsaid things "Yes"

For the remainder of the day, Cody and I drove around Pehs

Although it would have delighted rave robber, alas, it wasn’t so Cooper confirmed that her mother wasn’t, either And in fact, neither were any of the other seven members of the coh

"Sorry to waste your ti to the chief

Cooper shrugged, hands deep in the pockets of his jeans "It was a lead worth following And I’ll tell you what, none of the when they said they didn’t do it, but they were nervous"

I re with stuff on her desk "About what?"

"Can’t say I can’t read thoughts, just euess, I’d suspect none of them were sure that one of the others hadn’t done it"

"But none of theht"

"Do you think they knowone hand froain, not a mind reader, me Butno More like fear and uncertainty"

"Huh" I wondered if we should cast a wider net, maybe interview husbands and wives instead of just blood relatives I glanced over at Cody, as listening and nodding into the phone It was getting late and the fading sunlight glinted on his stubble; he needed to shave again I shivered a little at the ainst aze "There’s no future for the likes of you with a wolf, , couldn’t you?"

"I could, but I won’t," he said with another eloquent shrug "Myself, I’ht actually be funny if your boss had indicated he was interested in me that way"

Cooper’s pupils contracted "You think he hasn’t?"

"I don’t know Has he?" Noas uncertain Sure, there was the hunger I sensed in Stefan, but that had more to do hat I was than who I was, didn’t it? And yes, he’d made a co, but I hadn’t taken them seriously for reasons that seemed pretty damn obvious to me "Cooper, we come from different worlds Different centuries He’s a freakin’ reed "And soht of six hundred years’ worth of i Outcast, six hundred years of hunger He feels the cut of every betrayal, everyone who turned against hihoul, called him a monster, called him unnatural He feels the loss of every loved one who succue and death, while he went on and on; so, only to be thrown back into the feckin’ mortal coil in no more ti Cooper wasn’t just talking about Stefan

"But you knohat?" he continued, gazing steadily at ular old boyo he used to be before heaven and hell slammed the door in his face Soh with his mates, drink poteen, and steal kisses fro the way And those days? Those are the loneliest days of all"

I doubted that was the sort of regular old boyo Stefan Ludovic had been, but I got the point "I’m sorry," I said softly