Page 106 (1/1)

I was in the clear for a little while, then felt it again, stronger than before But before I could get away, sohta troubled child I looked up into Owen’s concerned blue eyes

"Katie, what’s wrong?" he asked "What are you doing out in this weather without a coat?"

I didn’t have tiet into that at the moment "I think there’s someone afterainst his chest At any other tis to worry about at the et out of here," he said Then he looked down at me, his eyes very serious "Katie, do you trust ive him a flippant, lip-service reply, the same way you auto, whether or not you’re really fine But I got the feeling he needed a real answer for this "Yes, I trust you," I said at last

He nodded "Okay ThisI think I can ically useless for the rest of the evening Hold onto etposition, I could kill hiht For now, I just wanted out of the cold I wanted to be safe I wrapped htened his hold on , like I’d left my stomach behind at the top of a roller coaster And then I was suddenly war onme, then he released ht it would be," he said, his voice a little rough, as if he’d been truly nervous

I reluctantly releasedas I tried to take stock ofthrough a en waved a hand and the lights ca to life "Okay, I think I’ stronger

I looked around and realized I was in a roo rooe wooden desk faced theThe walls to either side of the ere covered in bookcases Directly behindmaterial Across fro inside and Christ from the mantel On the wall at the other end of the room was a television set A lit, decorated Christmas tree stood in the far corner of the roos and door andfacings of an older building, and the floor was of polished ith Oriental rugs scattered on it It was a room where delicate antique furniture would have been entirely at hos made it look cozy and livable, like a home rather than a museum I didn’t have to ask to knoen’s place It looked exactly like I would have expected of hi the roopink "U with his collar I looked down and saw that my blouse was still partially unbuttoned

"Oh, oops," I said, hurrying to button up

He looked intensely relieved "Here, you should have a seat" He guided han off the back of the sofa and wrapped it around my shoulders "You’ll be safe here This place is heavily warded, as well as physically secure Noas going on that had you running through the streets on a night like this without a coat?"

I was still trying to think of a good anshen a white streak shot into the rooht it before it could jump up onto the sofa, and I then saw that it was a s black spots "A farin on his lips "No, just a pet" He addressed the cat he held, "Be good, Loony, Katie’s a guest," then gently dropped the cat onto the sofa, where it proceeded to investigate me

"You named your cat Loony?" I asked as I scratched it behind the ears and listened to the answering purr

He slipped out of his overcoat and threw it over a nearby chair "I nay Rod started calling her Loony, and it stuck"

I tried not to stiffen at the mention of Rod "She’s sweet," I said