Free Renegade by Nancy Northcott Page A

the information contained in his files.
    Thinking about seeing him should not give her the warm fuzzies, blast it. She couldn’t fall for him. His certainty reminded her too much of her ex-fiancé, Drew Sampson, who’d constantly tried to steer her away from the dangerous parts of a deputy reeve’s job. He’d taken risks as a quick-reaction force fighter but wanted her to go into forensics, not enforcement. The conflict had eventually destroyed their relationship.
    Once she’d straightened out the problems with her department’s intel and had time to think about a relationship, it wouldn’t be with a guy who had an agenda. A guy who didn’t know how to compromise.
    Been there, done that. Getting involved with a renegade would be totally insane.
    Even a brave one with hands that were both strong and gentle. And eyes that could heat her up with just one look. And the chivalry to catch her as they both fell, to take the brunt of the impact and then shelter her with his body.
    Crap, crap, crap. Lack of sleep was making her moony. She had to stop thinking this way.
    Before leaving, she would hide the disk, just to be on the safe side. There would be time when she got back to worry about Griffin Dare.
      
    Where the hell was Valeria? What was she doing? Seated at Marc’s desk, Griff shoved his cleaned breakfast plate away. He’d searched magically for a vision of her off and on throughout the night, with no luck. That probably meant she was within the Collegium’s screening wards, but doing what?
    Surely she’d had time to see he had information worth discussing. He could give her more he hadn’t written down.
    He shouldn’t feel so eager to see her again. Dumbass. She was a potential ally. She could never be anything else to him.
    He ran a hand over his face. Waiting purely sucked.
    His phone vibrated on the desk. He picked it up, checked the caller ID. Javier Ruiz, the wiry, dark-haired mage whose tax accountant business in Athens gave him the flexibility to chase ghouls.
    Griff flipped the phone open. “Yeah, Javy?”
    “Chuck and I caught a prisoner.” Javier’s tenor drawl held deep satisfaction. “Stopped him snacking on a paper delivery boy near the college campus.”
    “Good on two counts.” Chuck Porter, former NFL wide receiver, security agency owner, and interim athletic director at Walmer Lawrence College, considered ghoul hunting almost as fun as football. His tall, burly frame and dark skin contrasted with Javier’s wiry build and olive complexion, but the two made an effective team. “Y’all learn anything?”
    “Nothing useful.”
    Hell.
    Javier continued, “Chuck has football staff meetings coming up, what with the season starting, but I’ll keep looking.”
    “Take someone with you. Hunt in pairs, Javy, always.”
    “Except for you,” Javier said in a dry voice.
    “Benefit of being in charge.” Anyone caught with Griff by the Collegium would receive a death sentence. He wouldn’t let anyone risk that for something as minor as trying to take a random ghoul captive. “Try Tasha Murdock. She’s between decorating jobs right now. Anything else?”
    “Not so far. I’ll call Tasha. We’ll get something, boss, just might take us a while.”
    They had little more than a week before the waning moon went dark and conditions became optimum for blood magic. “Okay. Watch your backs.”
    They signed off. Brooding over ghoul mysteries, Griff took his breakfast tray to the kitchen and set it down without bothering the busy volunteers. He headed back to the office, although the wise play would be to leave, and soon. Until he spoke to Valeria he’d stay there, where she could find him easily. He knew it was risky but he was tired of running.
    He had to figure out another way to reach her. Careful of his wounds, he leaned over the silver bowl on the desk. Infusing power into the pure springwater it held would make it show what he asked for, unless what he sought was hidden by magical