Free Legend of the Ir'Indicti 5 - Destroyer by Connie Suttle

miniature tablet," Gavin grumped. "The salesclerk assured me that this will keep any young one occupied for hours."
    "You're mollifying him through daylight hours? That's so unlike you." Tony wanted to smirk but held it back. One never smirked in Gavin's presence. One might roll his eyes while Gavin's back was turned, but even that was a risky proposition, as Gavin could move faster than the eye could blink and Tony was too afraid of his surrogate sire to offer excuses.
    * * *
    "Ready for the GED?" Winkler settled his tall frame on the opposite end of the sofa Ashe occupied.
    "Yeah." Ashe was toying with a side-pocket flap on his cargo shorts. "Mr. Winkler?" he turned his gaze to Winkler, whose dark eyes were watching him. Ashe figured it was curiosity mixed with genuine concern.
    "What is it, Ashe?"
    "What happened to that rifle and the poisoned darts that Chump and Wormy had?"
    "They're locked away in my gun cabinet."
    "Good. I don't want anybody else to have access," Ashe sighed.
    "Agreed," Winkler nodded. "We don't need another death like that. And if Marcus had any sense, he'd be thanking you that there weren't more deaths."
    "Marcus doesn't trust where he should," Ashe's eyes filled with stars before clearing abruptly. "Randy's girlfriend is a shapeshifter. She turns into a flop-eared rabbit. She's pretty, too. Both ways. I think it might be dangerous if she comes back to Star Cove."
    "I heard she was a veterinarian. A good one."
    "Yeah. Randy's in love."
    "If she shouldn't come back to Star Cove, what do you expect Randy to do, kid?"
    "I don't know. I can always lend him money to fly to Chicago, I guess. Or she can meet him in San Antonio when she flies down. I just don't know how to tell him that."
    "I have a condo in San Antonio," Winkler said. "Three bedrooms. Plenty big enough and in a good neighborhood. Trace uses it sometimes, when his partner visits. Randy could borrow it if he wanted. I'll let him know." Winkler raked fingers through his hair before pulling out his cell and tapping in a reminder.
    "Heard from the vamps?"
    "I got a text from Tony—Anthony Hancock." Winkler offered Ashe a wry grin. "I know he says his last name is Rockland, now, but that name is for humans. He said they landed in New York to spend the day. They'll be here tomorrow night, around midnight."
    "I called him a hero in a paper I wrote for a school assignment," Ashe went back to worrying his pocket flap. "I didn't know much, back then."
    "Will it make you treat him differently—to know that he didn't do all those things the history books say he did?"
    "I figure he didn't have much control over that part, and at the time, he was probably protecting somebody else."
    "He was. He was protecting Lissa. Sort of. I wanted to protect her, too. You see how that turned out."
    "I can't figure out how they don't remember her."
    "Kid, I can't figure out why they don't and the wolves do. You have to leave around seven in the morning to get to the testing location on time. Breakfast is at six. Trace will take you to Beeville, and see you get lunch at the break."
    "I'll be ready, Mr. Winkler."
    "Good. There's still time for a run on the beach or a workout in the exercise room before dinner."
    "I think I'd like a run," Ashe rose and stretched.
    "I'll get Trace or Trajan to go with you."
    "I'll get my shoes on."
    * * *
    "The kid was asking about that dart gun," Winkler jerked his head toward the locked gun cabinet inside his study. Ashe had already gone to bed and Winkler was having a last-minute meeting with Trajan before heading for his bedroom.
    "That worries me, then," Trajan sighed, shaking his head. "Not much gets past Ashe. You think somebody might try to break in?"
    "The house is alarmed and the cabinet is locked. I'm not sure what else to do with it."
    "How about letting the kid take it into the hidden room in the basement?"
    "There's a thought." Winkler nodded, considering the idea. "How about this—you arrange to have a smaller gun cabinet