“So what’s it tonight?” she asked. “Tag? Hide and seek? Fetch?” I gave a soft growl at the last one and she laughed. “Someday, I’m going to teach you to fetch,” she said.

I made it two steps before he snorted. I turned to see him lying on his belly ready to jump up. He jerked his muzzle, telling me to come back. "I thought you'd want to be—" He cut me off with a snort. It was hard for a wolf to scowl, but he managed a good glower.I took the switchblade from my jacket pocket. "I'll be fine. I'm armed." A snort. I don't care. A head jerk. Get back here.

I stopped short and sighed as Derek stepped up behind me, arms sliding around my waist. I leaned back against him and relaxed. “Thought I told you to come home,” he said, bending to my ear. There was no trace of anger in his voice now. “Did you really expect me to listen?” Now it was his turn to sigh. “Always worth a shot.”

"It's me," whispered a familiar voice. "Der—" Thwack. He stumbled, Liz behind him, a sturdy branch raised. "Liz, it's—" She hit him again, a home-run swing between the shoulders, and he went down with an oomph and an oath. She recognized the voice—or the curse—and leaned over, getting a look at him.(Liz) "Whoops." (Simon) "I'd say he deserved that, always sneaking up on people."

"I'm really glad you found me," my voice cracking.Simon squeezed my hand. His lips lowering to my ear, whispering, "I—" He went rigid, head lifting. "Hey, Simon," Tori said behind me. "What is she doing here?"Derek jabbed his thumb at me. "Ask her. I'm not getting any answers."

"I must have been sound asleep if I missed all that shouting," SImon said. "What shouting?" Derek said. "You mean that Chloe just told you that she followed a ghost onto a roof, and you didn't blast her all the way to Canada?"

(Derek) "No casting? No practicing?" He shook his head. "Don't tell Simon that.""Don't tell Simon what?" said a voice behind us.We turned to see Simon step out of the doorway. "That Tori doesn't need to use incantations to cast," Derek said. "Seriously?" He swore. "You're right. Don't tell me." He picked his way across the roof. "Better yet, don't tell her that I need incantations and weeks of practice, and I still suck."

As Simon went to see if Andrew was up, I wandered into the kitchen, where Derek was eyeing a rusty can of beans. "That hungry?" I said. "I will be soon." He prowled the kitchen, flipping open cupboards. "So you don't want me asking Andrew about that kid?" I said. "You trust him, though, right?""Sure." He took down a box of crackers and turned it over, looking for a 'best before' date.*** "Is he drinking the ketchup yet?" Simon swung into the kitchen. "Ten minutes, bro. Andrew's on his way—

Just a guy. A college-aged guy. Talking to Chloe.I watched him bend over the table, hands planted on it, his gaze fixed on Chloe, his lips parting in a smile as he said something to her. A slow burn started in my gut, and before I could stop myself, I was barreling down on them, Simon’s protests fading behind me.