Free The Heat by Heather Killough-Walden

out of the way as the engine started up. He watched the vehicle back up and then inch through the mulling crowd until it was down the street and out of sight.
    And then Daniel took another deep, calming breath, squelched his nausea, and turned to face the waiting news crews.

Chapter Six: House Arrest
    Tabitha nodded at the cops sitting in the marked car across the street from Daniel’s house. They nodded back. She unlocked the front door and went inside. It was quiet. She looked around and noticed Lily’s purse on the love seat. There were two full bottles of Coke on the coffee table. The side table drawer had been pulled and left open. It was empty.
    Tabitha knew what Daniel usually kept in that drawer. She groaned and closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose. She set down her own purse and headed for the stairs, taking them quickly but quietly. Daniel’s bedroom door was ajar. She slowly pushed it open the rest of the way and Lily’s sleeping form came into view.
    Tabitha stood there in the doorway and took in the bruises around her best friend’s wrists and the scratches around the bedposts and she knew, instantly, what had transpired. The cuffs were gone now, but it didn’t take a genius to guess that if a cop had to tie someone down in a hurry, he would go for those.
    “Christ, you really made a mess of this, Danny.” She shook her head and came forward to sit on the edge of the bed. She watched Lily’s breathing. It was still very deep and slow; she wasn’t about to wake up.
    And then Tabitha noticed the blue knot symbol on Lily’s right forearm. A tattoo? Gently, she took her friend’s arm and turned it over. A beam of light cast through the window and seemed to shimmer off of the entwined line of intricate blue. It was the exact color of her brother’s eyes.
    Not a tattoo.
    “Holy shit, big brother.” She dropped Lily’s arm and let out a shaking breath. “She’s gonna kill me.”
    Tabitha had known that he would do something to protect Lily, but she’d kind of figured on him stealing her strength with his kiss or even going the human route and drugging her up some how to keep her in his house. She hadn’t figured on this. It made sense, in a way. And Tabitha knew how badly Danny would want Lily.
    “You just couldn’t resist, could you.” Again, she sighed, and wondered how long Lily would sleep. The longer, the better. Daniel’s home was one of the few places Malcolm Cole couldn’t enter. Alpha werewolves could not enter one another’s territory. Like a vampire trying to infiltrate a human’s home without an invitation, Cole would simply stand at the threshold and not be able to move. And, so, he wouldn’t even try.
    Lily was safe here, and as long as she slept, she wouldn’t try to leave. But Tabitha knew that the moment she woke up – the moment Tabitha tried to explain the situation to her – Lily would bolt. She supposed that was the reason for the cops out front. For whatever good it would do. Tabitha knew her best friend, and when Lily St.Claire got it into her head to do something, she went at the task with a relentless determination. She’d saved a lot of abused wives that way. And a few kids.
    A wave of fondness for her best friend swept over Tabitha. Gently, she brushed a lock of golden hair from Lily’s forehead. Lily frowned. Her breathing became more shallow.
    Holy crap , Tabitha thought. She’s waking up. The girl is stronger than either of us thought.
    *****
    “Tabby?” Lily’s voice was soft and scratchy. Her eyelids fluttered a little and then opened. She blinked several times.
    “I’m here, girl.” Tabitha knelt beside the bed. “Thirsty? Can I get you a drink?”
    Lily tried to focus on her friend, but her vision was blurry. Her throat was a little tender. Like she’d spent an evening cheering on the Penguins; she always screamed too much while watching a hockey match. She nodded, her cheek brushing the soft sheet beneath her. “Yes,