quieter.
Go back to Jasper. Trust him.
She made her way back out to the bar. Her date had a fresh glass of Scotch sitting in front of him as she sat down. “Devon?”
“I hope everything went all right; you were in there for a while,” he answered.
“I’m having a great time and all, but—”
“Hey, while you were in there some lady came by our table. Said she was looking for you,” Devon said, interrupting. “She gave me this to give to you.” He handed her a sealed envelope. Nothing was written on the outside.
“Did she say who she was?”
Devon shook his head. “She was good-looking but not as pretty as you.” He tipped his glass toward her. “And she talked with an accent. Couldn’t put my finger on where exactly it was from though.”
Who would have tracked her down in a seedy out-of-the-way bar in a city where no one but Jasper knew where she was? Had he told someone where she was? Or, whoever had left her the letter must have been a supernatural, and whatever news the letter carried could only be more supernatural shit—shit she was trying to avoid. She ripped open the top of the envelope and pulled out the paper that was tucked inside. It read:
My dear Starling,
What you seek can be found where many ghosts wander. This magical place is where new memories are made and the moss whispers of the memories of the past. It is not round, but what lies at its heart is. Take a moment to remember and soak in the energy, and you may soon find your way.
Best of Luck
There was no signature.
Who would have written this cryptic note? And why? The only person besides herself who knew of her quest to retrieve the books was Jasper. Anger steamed through her. He had promised to keep her secret.
Asclepius had told her to return to Jasper, but how could she trust a man who might have betrayed her?
Chapter Seven
Jasper hoped to grab Starling as she’d left the restroom, but he stopped himself when he noticed the angry look in her eyes. Maybe the date wasn’t such a success.
At Devon’s table, the drunken fool slobbered over Starling, making Jasper’s skin crawl. Up until a few minutes ago, he’d been hoping she had merely showed up to follow through on her word. Yet, as he watched Devon’s hands roam the hills and valleys of her body, he couldn’t deny that she must have been at least a bit attracted to the asshat.
He should have grabbed her when he’d had his chance.
He sat his glass down on the bar. Well, if she wanted to be with the banker, so be it. “Another round,” Jasper said to the barkeeper, pointing at his drained pint.
“IPA?” the bartender asked.
He nodded. Beer would take the edge off his confusing mess of emotions.
The man slid the glass down the bar to him and took his money.
Devon leaned into Starling and ran his frog-like lips up her neck and over her chin. It was more than he could take. Grabbing his glass, Jasper rolled out of the shadowy corner and across the bar. He couldn’t stand by idly and watch. Sometimes safeguarding meant having to protect a person from herself.
“You ready to go?” Jasper asked, interrupting the make-out session.
Starling jerked, away from Devon’s slavering kiss. She wiped the back of her hand over her lips. “What are you doing here, Jasper?”
“I’m taking you back to the hotel. You need your rest.” He bit his tongue to stop himself from saying what was really on his mind.
“You can take the hotel and shove it up your ass. I’m not some weak, fragile girl who needs a babysitter,” she said, glaring at him. “I’m just fine here with Devon.”
Devon looped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. “That’s right, baby, I got you.”
“You can’t be serious,” Jasper said, motioning toward Devon. “This guy is the biggest asshole I’ve ever met. You don’t need to slobber all over him just to make me jealous. I don’t give a damn.”
Starling leaned back, forcing Devon to loosen his grasp. “Did it ever
Go back to Jasper. Trust him.
She made her way back out to the bar. Her date had a fresh glass of Scotch sitting in front of him as she sat down. “Devon?”
“I hope everything went all right; you were in there for a while,” he answered.
“I’m having a great time and all, but—”
“Hey, while you were in there some lady came by our table. Said she was looking for you,” Devon said, interrupting. “She gave me this to give to you.” He handed her a sealed envelope. Nothing was written on the outside.
“Did she say who she was?”
Devon shook his head. “She was good-looking but not as pretty as you.” He tipped his glass toward her. “And she talked with an accent. Couldn’t put my finger on where exactly it was from though.”
Who would have tracked her down in a seedy out-of-the-way bar in a city where no one but Jasper knew where she was? Had he told someone where she was? Or, whoever had left her the letter must have been a supernatural, and whatever news the letter carried could only be more supernatural shit—shit she was trying to avoid. She ripped open the top of the envelope and pulled out the paper that was tucked inside. It read:
My dear Starling,
What you seek can be found where many ghosts wander. This magical place is where new memories are made and the moss whispers of the memories of the past. It is not round, but what lies at its heart is. Take a moment to remember and soak in the energy, and you may soon find your way.
Best of Luck
There was no signature.
Who would have written this cryptic note? And why? The only person besides herself who knew of her quest to retrieve the books was Jasper. Anger steamed through her. He had promised to keep her secret.
Asclepius had told her to return to Jasper, but how could she trust a man who might have betrayed her?
Chapter Seven
Jasper hoped to grab Starling as she’d left the restroom, but he stopped himself when he noticed the angry look in her eyes. Maybe the date wasn’t such a success.
At Devon’s table, the drunken fool slobbered over Starling, making Jasper’s skin crawl. Up until a few minutes ago, he’d been hoping she had merely showed up to follow through on her word. Yet, as he watched Devon’s hands roam the hills and valleys of her body, he couldn’t deny that she must have been at least a bit attracted to the asshat.
He should have grabbed her when he’d had his chance.
He sat his glass down on the bar. Well, if she wanted to be with the banker, so be it. “Another round,” Jasper said to the barkeeper, pointing at his drained pint.
“IPA?” the bartender asked.
He nodded. Beer would take the edge off his confusing mess of emotions.
The man slid the glass down the bar to him and took his money.
Devon leaned into Starling and ran his frog-like lips up her neck and over her chin. It was more than he could take. Grabbing his glass, Jasper rolled out of the shadowy corner and across the bar. He couldn’t stand by idly and watch. Sometimes safeguarding meant having to protect a person from herself.
“You ready to go?” Jasper asked, interrupting the make-out session.
Starling jerked, away from Devon’s slavering kiss. She wiped the back of her hand over her lips. “What are you doing here, Jasper?”
“I’m taking you back to the hotel. You need your rest.” He bit his tongue to stop himself from saying what was really on his mind.
“You can take the hotel and shove it up your ass. I’m not some weak, fragile girl who needs a babysitter,” she said, glaring at him. “I’m just fine here with Devon.”
Devon looped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. “That’s right, baby, I got you.”
“You can’t be serious,” Jasper said, motioning toward Devon. “This guy is the biggest asshole I’ve ever met. You don’t need to slobber all over him just to make me jealous. I don’t give a damn.”
Starling leaned back, forcing Devon to loosen his grasp. “Did it ever
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