Free Change by Keeley Smith Page B

didn’t
matter. It wasn’t difficult to guess who had appeared. They were
all here now.
    Tabitha
scowled at the two visitors. “Could you not pre-warn us before you
barge in on our High Priestess?” Tabitha barked.
    “ A'm sairy,
but we be needin’ tae talk.”
    Tabitha glared
at Alastair before turning to face Jack. “Next time they walk in on
you unannounced, you have our complete backing to flatten
them.”
    “ Good to know,
but I would have done it without your permission.” Jack heard the
sharp hiss of anger escape Alastair’s lips. That little glimpse of
the lava bubbling under the surface made him grin. He wanted to see
just how far he could push Alastair.
    As everyone
settled into the seating area, Jack pulled Cora into his lap and
noticed the way the young man looked at her. It wasn’t a passing
glance and this bothered him. It was a head to toe,
I-will-drink-you-in kind of look. Jack bristled slightly and shot
the man a hard stare.
    “ This is Quinn
Kay, he is a member of ma coven.” Quinn nodded his head in
greeting. Jack didn’t like the way his eyes remained fixed on
Cora.
    “ A’ve come tae
tell yer aboot the plans for the morn. We will be meitin’ in the
hotel reception at 5am. Dae-”
    “ Why so
early?” Ayden demanded. “Meetings don't take place that
early.”
    Alastair
looked at Ayden in disgust. Jack sat back, enjoying the look Ayden
returned. No one in their sane mind would go head to head with
Ayden. It was suicide.
    “ A will
continue as A was rudely interrupted-”
    “ No, you will
answer,” Cora demanded.
    Alastair
glared at Cora. His teeth nipped his lower lip holding back a
retort which Jack didn’t doubt would lead to the eruption. Jack was
silently begging him to snap.
    “ Fine, we be
meitin’ early as coven members huv day jobs, satisfied?”
    “ Hardly, but
you can continue.”Cora’s flippant comment brought colour to
Alastair’s cheeks. Jack was really enjoying this.
    “ Anyway, dae
not be late. As for the rest of the afternoon, yer can gae
shoppin’,” he smiled but there was nothing warm about
it.
    “ Gee, thanks.
It's so nice that you gave us permission to explore Edinburgh,”
Clay remarked sarcastically.
    Jack saw
Alastair’s anger flash dangerously in his eyes. The temper was
barely pushed underneath the surface.
    Alastair gave
one last sneer and then left the room, but not before Quinn got one
last look at Cora. Cora hadn't noticed the attention, but he sure
as hell did. Cora stood to her feet now that the Scots had left the
room. Eli shuffled over and knelt down beside him.
    “ So, what do
you think to the young Quinn?” Eli whispered.
    Jack growled,
keeping an eye on Cora who was deep in conversation with Ember. She
couldn’t hear their conversation.
    “ He was
looking at Cora far too much, and it wasn’t just looking ,” Clay
added.
    So he’d
noticed too. But then again, Clay would notice if someone else
looked at Cora. For the second time, Clay’s feelings had helped
their group. All the same, he would definitely be keeping an eye on
Quinn Kay.
    “ I don't trust
Alastair. There's something about him. Did you see the way he
looked at you Clay?” Eli said.
    “ Yes,” Clay
smiled, remembering the snarl on Alastair's face. “I would give
anything to go one to one with that man.”
    “ We cannot do
that, we do not know what they have planned,” Tabitha argued wisely
as she too turned to make sure Cora was still deep in conversation
with Ember.
    “ We can only
trust our coven, anyone else is a threat. We protect you and Cora
at all costs,” Ayden said.
    That's what
Jack was afraid of, the costs. They’d already lost too
much.

9
     
    SIGHTSEEING
     
     
    Cora tried to
shake off the biting cold that seemed to have a firm grip on her.
She stuffed her hat firmly on her head as they gathered outside the
hotel. After sitting in their room for half an hour thinking over
the unexpected visit, they’d decided to go and sightsee. There was
no