Loose Changeling: A Changeling Wars Novel Read Online Free PDF Page B

looked back at the bed. My gaze fell on the bedsheet Kailen had been using. I frowned. It was the bed sheet I’d caught Owen and Jane in. Mousy Jane. Owen kicked out. Divorce lawyer. Kailen. Hobgoblins.
    Questions. Right. “Wait. I have questions.” Kailen had both hands on my shoulders, and was rubbing them in a soothing manner, his hands warm and strong and… “Stop!” I took a step back. My head cleared. “Don’t touch me.” I remembered, too, the enticing scent of his cologne. “Actually, go to the other side of the room. I don’t want to be able to smell you either.”
    Kailen backed up.
    “No more distractions,” I said. “First question—who are you?”
    “Kailen MacDiarmid.”
    Okay, simple enough. “What do you do for a living?”
    “I’m an attorney.”
    This was getting me nowhere, fast. I thought things over before formulating my next question. “Is that all you do?”
    His lips shut tight as a submarine door. Aha. He shook his head.
    “What else do you do, Kailen MacDiarmid?”
    His lips remained shut, his brows low. I waved my hand in the air. “My gas stove isn’t going anywhere.” My gas stove isn’t going anywhere? Way to sound threatening .
    “I’m a mercenary. A Fae mercenary.”
    I blinked. Not exactly what I’d expected. “What? You’re gay?” That—well, it wouldn’t explain anything. Nothing at all.
    He glared at me. “Fae. I’m a Fae mercenary. I specialize in protection—people, objects, animals—you name it. And I make my home in the mortal world. Sometimes this is useful for the Fae.”
    “So you were sent here to protect me,” I said, following one thought to another. “Who sent you?”
    “The Aranhods.”
    Not a name I was familiar with. So this guy must have some crazy idea in his head that he was sent here by someone to protect me, and he'd picked up a cool little sword on the way. I had to admit he knew how to use it. And then there were those nasty critters in my living room. I wasn't sure yet how to explain those away, but I wanted to. “What's an Aranhod?”
    Kailen shook his head, an amused little smile on his lips. “Not what. Who. They're an old Fae family, used to be very powerful, not so much anymore. Well-respected though. Liked.”
    This was getting good. Like plot-to-a-novel good. At least he was interesting-crazy. “And why would they want you to protect me?”
    He tilted his head back and let out a long breath, as if he were trying not to laugh. He brought his gaze back down to look at me. “You really don't know, do you? I'm going to bet that no one's told you. Thirty-two years old and nobody's told you.”
    I gritted my teeth. “Told me what?”
    A crash sounded from downstairs. Kailen and I glanced at each other, and we came to some sort of silent truce. He went to my side of the bed and grabbed his sword. His gait was like a panther’s—all smooth, silent, and padding grace. No wonder I hadn't heard him move before. He brushed past me and started for the door, but then pivoted. “Nicole,” he whispered. “Come with me. Stay close.”
    I stepped so close to him I was sure he must have felt me breathing on his neck. What? Wouldn't you do the same? No, I don't like being ordered around by men who apparently think they know more than I do, but neither was I going to stay in my room alone when there might be freaky monsters loose in my house. Besides, he had a sword. There’s a certain comfort in sharp, pointy things when they’re not pointed at you.
    We crept onto the landing and then to the stairs. Despite my best efforts, I was about ten times louder than Kailen. All my joints popped as I walked, and even my bare feet seemed to sweep against the carpet with all the subtlety of a bear crashing through the brush. He glanced back at me a couple times, gaze laced with irritation, but really, it was the best I could do.
    At the bottom of the stairs I reached for the light switch, but he grabbed my hand and shook his head. No lights.