Free Blood of Destiny (Witch Fairy #6) by Bonnie Lamer

a…vacation, of sorts.”
     
    Right.  Or you get your wings stripped off and then they boot you out because you did something you weren’t supposed to do.  But, the more I argue with him about this, the longer we’ll be here.  “Okay, whatever.  I’m supposed to take you back home to wait for Ambriel.”
     
    Another eyebrow raise.  “I see.  And where might this home be?”
     
    I bite my lip.  Nowhere if I can’t convince Isla to let him stay.  “In the Fairy realm.”
     
    He studies me for a moment.  “Ambriel told you nothing more?”
     
    I shake my head.  “No.  We didn’t exactly hit it off, so the conversation was pretty brief.”
     
    “Yet you agreed to do favors for him?  Interesting.”
     
    Kallen clears his throat.  I think he’s trying to convince me not to tell Ray why.  I’m with him on it this time.  It’s none of Ray’s business.  “It’s complicated.  So, are you ready to go?”
     
    He doesn’t chuckle this time.  He laughs.  It’s more of an ‘at me’ thing than a ‘with me’ thing.  I’m liking him less by the second.  “Just forget about the life I have here?  Because you come along and tell me an Angel has requested my presence?”
     
    Well, yeah.  That’s how this is supposed to work, right?  I shake my head.  Good lord, I am naïve.  I stop myself before I smack my forehead in stupidity.  “I guess I didn’t look at it that way.”
     
    I look up at Kallen and he gives me an ‘I told you this wasn’t going to be easy’ look.  Or, he’s just waiting to hear what I say next.  Probably both.  Turning back to Ray, I say, “Okay, I wasn’t thinking about you having a life you may be enjoying.  How can I convince you to come with us?”
     
    He closes his eyes for a moment.  Opening them again, he says, “I trust Ambriel.  If he says it is time to go home, then I will go.  But, I have some loose ends to tie up here.  I walk Mrs. O’Lory’s dog every morning.  I will need to find a replacement for myself.  I have been commissioned to finish my drawing by the day after tomorrow.  I could probably have it done by tomorrow night.  I also have a cat.  I need to find a home for him.”
     
    He has a cat?  And he walks some woman’s dog?  I have no idea what to think about Ray at the moment.  So, I’m going to focus on the important thing he said.  “Tomorrow night?  You want us to wait here until tomorrow night?”
     
    He looks stubborn now.  “Yes, I do.”
     
    I’m about to tell him no way, when Kallen puts his hand on my shoulder again.  It’s kind of a craps shoot for him whether it works to shut me up or not.  I’m impressed he keeps betting on it.  “What?” I say to him, taking some of my annoyance at Ray out on him.
     
    Instead of answering me, he turns to Ray.  “Tomorrow night will be fine.  Shall we meet here at closing time?”
     
    “What?”  Yes, I sound like my own echo, but one day tending bar has been enough to convince me that it’s not the career for me.  I probably poured all of today’s profits down the drain as I kept spilling the ale.  Patrick should be glad to be rid of me.
     
    Kallen’s annoyed too.  At me.  “It is a reasonable request, Xandra.”
     
    Meaning I’m not being reasonable.  I moan.  Of course, he’s right.  My need for instant gratification has struck again.  Turning to Ray, I say, “Fine.  Tomorrow night at closing.”
     
    He nods slightly.  “Until then.”  Sliding off his bar stool, he gathers his art things from the table he was sitting at when we first arrived, and he lets himself out.
     
    The only good thing about this situation?  I get to spend a night with Kallen completely alone. 
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 8
     
    Before Patrick left, he set out some clean sheets for the old cot in the cluttered backroom.  It’s pushed up against the far wall, away from the empty boxes and cleaning supplies.  The cot kind