Free Steal the Moon by Lexi Blake

immigrated. Why not the undead? Dallas is hopping lately. Where do I start looking for this bitch?”
    “They typically work in villages as a butcher or some form of meat processor,” Albert explained. “I believe if you look on the Internet, you’ll find everything you need. Though they’re rare here, the stories are plentiful.”
    I hopped off the barstool and planted a quick kiss on his cheek. I was certain if he hadn’t already been red, he would have blushed. “Thanks, Al. I really appreciate it.”
    “You’re welcome, mistress,” he said solemnly. “Think on my advice. You might want to push this issue before it breaks the three of you. My master loves you, but make sure his need to see you safe doesn’t turn you into something you don’t wish to be.”
    I promised I would consider what he’d said and knew I would think about it far too much. For now, I just wanted to get upstairs and start my search. It was easier than thinking about my problems with Dev and Danny. The truth was I was invigorated at the thought of the hunt. I was already thinking of how I could track this bad girl and find out who sent her. It had my adrenaline up. Since returning from Vegas, the most adrenaline I had was picking a new nail color at my mani-pedis. I missed working. I missed being me.
    Things had to change.
    “Can we go upstairs now?” Daniel asked, irritation flavoring every word.
    “We can go upstairs but just so you know, you might as well grab a pillow and cuddle up with Dev on the couch because if you think I’m getting into bed with you, you are so wrong.” I passed him and started toward the door.
    I heard him curse as I ran up the stairs.
     

Chapter Five

     
    I didn’t find my boys cuddled together on the couch in Dev’s office when I woke up the next morning. Daniel was safe in the interior room we used for visiting vampires and Dev was up and out before I woke up. The only person waiting to greet me after I showered and got ready was Zack. Though he was perfectly dressed, there was a puffiness to his eyes that let me know he hadn’t slept much the night before. I guessed Lisa had kept him up.
    “Good morning, Zack.” For the first time in a long time, I felt a thrum of excitement at the coming day. I had some adrenaline pumping, and I was looking forward to needing it. I had a job—hunting down the aswang.
    Zack grumbled something that may or may not have been a hello.
    “Where’s Lee?” Zack might be a hard-ass, but Lee was the one who loved the hunt. If I could talk just one of them into going with me, I could get started. Lee was a much better bet than Zack. Lee was reasonable and didn’t have his head up Dev’s ass.
    I’d stayed up late reading everything I could about the awful, baby-eating aswang and her familiar, the Tik-Tik bird. What I read hadn’t made me feel kindly toward my attackers. That freaking bird had been after my liver, damn it. I needed my liver.
    I was certainly intrigued because I wasn’t their normal prey. Someone had sent that bad girl after me, and I was going to find out whom.
    Zack yawned and shuffled through some papers. “Lee’s at the restaurant.”
    “What restaurant?”
    Zack handed me a single sheet of paper. It was my daily itinerary. Once Dev had taken over Daniel’s bid for the crown, we’d become extremely organized. Dev believed in efficiency when it came to running a royal household. “He’s at the restaurant where you’re meeting Kelly. Mr. Quinn says you need a new summer wardrobe. He doesn’t want you attending the Gathering in cutoffs and a tank top. He’s also banned flip-flops.”
    I rolled my eyes. I was getting awfully tired of shopping and besides, I looked damn good in shorts and a tank top. What the hell was Dev expecting at this gathering? Wolf society isn’t as formal as vampire society. I was pretty sure most of the wolves would be wearing as little as possible, when they weren’t showing off the fur god gave them. “I need