Peri needed to be in Romania attending the meeting that she and Vasile had planned, but instead she stood across the street from a bar called The Dog House and she wasn’t impressed. The pixie who had been staking out the place was standing next to her but was invisible to the human eye thanks to Peri’s magic. Apparently, strong magic, pack magic, had been detected in Oceanside and the trail led straight to the grungy, dilapidated bar currently standing before them. Of course, after her visit with history wolf and the Missouri Alpha, she now knew why there was pack magic in Oceanside. The possibility that she was dealing with those lunatics in the Burning Claw made her want to snarl, not unlike Lucian would do.

“What is it about liquor, pool tables, obnoxious music, and obnoxious people that attracts werewolves to bars?” Peri muttered under her breath.

“It’s only fitting,” the pixie spoke up. “Werewolves, after all, are rather obnoxious.”

“I knew I liked you for a reason.” The high fae grinned down at the little being. “Tell me why you think our Sally is in there.”

“Because the female I saw working here is new. She has long brown hair, brown eyes, just like you described. But most importantly, she isn’t a wolf, nor is she entirely human,” the pixie explained.

“Healer,” Peri whispered.

“That’s what I’m thinking. Funny thing is, I don’t think these wolves even realize the affect she is having on them. Their instincts to protect her were immediate, and all of them seem to be drawn to her in one way or another.”

Peri’s sharp eyes snapped down to the little pixie. “What do you mean, in one way or another?”

The pixie’s shoulders tightened and she swallowed. “There is one that has decided he wants to claim her.”

She let out a string of curses. If this was their Sally, and it certainly sounded like it was, then the last thing she needed was to deal with a wolf that thinks he has some claim upon her. Finders, keepers doesn’t work in the supernatural world.

Deciding there was only one way to find out what was going on in Oceanside, she crossed the street and headed for the door. She stopped on the threshold and considered whether to glamour herself or simply lay her cards on the table and allow the wolves and Sally to see who she truly was. But she still wasn’t sure that Sally would even recognize her. The pixie had made it clear that she was pretty sure that the girl was not aware that her companions were werewolves. It had only been nine days, nine measly days, since Sally had gone missing and yet in those nine days it appeared that she’d suddenly forgotten the supernatural world even existed. That thought caused Peri to shiver. Only powerful dark magic could make someone forget herself and her past, especially someone as powerful as a gypsy healer.

Peri was sick of dealing with powerful dark magic. Why couldn’t it be light, powerless magic that she had to face? Okay, so that was ridiculous, but she was really tired of contending with the latter. Just once she’d like to kick evils’ dark butt and stand the victor for, like, ever. Her irritation grew as she stood there and thought about her past dealings against the forces of darkness. The growing irritation helped her make up her mind. She wouldn’t hide behind a masquerade. These wolves were about to learn that they weren’t the only predators in Oceanside—not any more.

“Are you coming in?” she asked the pixie.

“Wouldn’t miss it.”

Peri smiled. “Jen would like you,” she said and then pulled the door open and stepped inside. Going from the brightness of the Spring day, to the darkness of the bar’s interior, was a shock to the fae’s senses, and she had to let her eyes adjust before being able to fully take in her surroundings.

She was immediately disappointed. The place was…typical. The drab drinking establishment could have been on any street in any coast city in America. Peri didn’t know what she’d been expecting to find, maybe a powerful dark wizard holding court over an army of snarling bloodthirsty werewolves or, perhaps, a bunch of furry mutts walking around and peeing on the bar stools? Okay, so that was probably a little ridiculous, but after all the things she’d seen in the last two years since the Coldspring trio had come into her life, ridiculous was totally a given most of the time.

Her eyes settled on what she immediately knew was going to be a headache for her—and she did not need any more headaches—a large attractive bartender drying glasses on the other side of the bar. He was alone at the bar and, due to the early hour, only a few patrons sat scattered at various tables, each glued to their cell phones, none paying her any particular attention. Though Peri generally leaned toward causing as much drama as possible, she supposed confronting the beast now when there weren’t many witnesses might be the wiser course. It’s a pity the wiser course is always the most boring.

She walked toward the bar, her steps slow and measured, as she continued to watch the male. He was concentrating a little harder than was necessary on the simple task and Peri nearly laughed. He was well aware that she was there and he knew who and what she was.

Once she reached the bar, she took a seat on one of the many, uncomfortable stools. “I’ve never understood why the stools in these places are so damn uncomfortable. You’d think you’d want to keep patrons here longer, not torture their asses until their finally forced to stumble home early,” she said, continuing to watch the bartender closely. His shoulders tensed ever so slightly, and, had she not been watching so closely, Peri would have missed it.

When he finally looked up at her, his eyes were glowing. Peri clucked her tongue at him. “Naughty wolf, do not challenge me here in front of the humans. You know what I am. And I will not hesitate to introduce myself to you in such a way that will be very unpleasant for you.”

“No introductions are necessary,” he growled out. “I know exactly who you are, Perizada of the high fae.”

“What are you doing so far from your pack, Jericho?” Peri asked the wolf hoping to illicit some reaction by mentioning his former Missouri pack.

“We live a long time, sometimes a change is necessary,” he responded and she detected a small amount of bitterness in his voice.

“Mmm, hmm. True, true. But it’s very strange for a wolf to leave his pack, isn’t it? The ties between the members are strong, not to mention the tie you have to your Alpha. Were you running from something? Perhaps, the death of your true mate?”