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  After I'd taken a bite, he looked up at me with his expression sheepish.

  "I'm really sorry about that...about the bread and butter. I was just in a rush to eat, but I would have tried something different had I known that I'd be having company."

  For some reason, he just tickled me. I liked him. I knew I was really going to have to watch myself around him until I knew for sure who was working with the Angels. Specifically, I was going to have to watch my heart.

  Unable to help myself, I gave him a big smile.

  "Your bread and butter is just fine. But now I'm curious...what would you have done differently if you'd known I was going to be joining you for dinner? Would you have microwaved the butter and tried to drizzle it on?"

  I didn't want to be rude, but I did want to tease him a little, just to see his reaction, and his reaction was well worth it. Raking a hand through his dark hair, he fought a grin, and the expression was devastating in its sexiness.

  "You know, Jayme, keep talking, and I might just take that bread away from you."

  "Would you have torn the bread into pieces to dunk in the melted butter, just like lobster butter?"

  "Give me that. You just lost your bread privileges."

  Still fighting a grin, he grabbed the slice of bread right out of my hand, making me gasp.

  "No fair! You can't just serve a person a piece of bread and then rip it right out of their hand like that! It's very rude."

  Eyes twinkling in the warm light of the amber-colored Tiffany lamp above the table, Cameron shrugged, taking an enormous bite of my bread.

  "Well, what are you going to do about it?"

  I immediately grabbed his remaining slice of bread and took an equally enormous bite.

  "That. Mm...got a huge chunk of cold butter with that one. Tasty."

  Cameron chewed and swallowed his bite while clearly struggling not to grin.

  "Well, good work. You've done it now. I have a new mealtime policy."

  "And what's that?"

  "Jayme Adler is now banned from the table any time I'm present...unless she issues a heartfelt apology for what she just said and admit that the bread and butter I serve is delicious."

  I refused, and we continued joking, taking large bites of each other's bread. Little did I know that within just a few minutes, I'd be wild with genuine anger, threatening to kill Cameron.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  My threat to kill Cameron all started with a light scratching on the side door, which was behind me in the dining area. Though faint, I was still able to hear it above the pattering of the rain, which had decreased in intensity.

  Holding my last little bite of Cameron's bread, I turned toward the door.

  "What was that?"

  Just then, my question was answered in the form of a bark.

  I turned back toward Cameron, thrilled.

  "You have a dog?"

  I loved dogs. Loved them. I'd had several growing up, and they'd each become like actual family members. However, I'd never been able to have one as an adult, first having lived in a dorm during college, and then various non-animal-friendly rental properties afterward. Back in Hastings, all the rental properties that did allow pets were on the expensive side, well out of my price range. It had always bothered me that I'd never been able to have a dog as an adult, and it had always made me feel like something was missing in my life, some fundamental connection that I needed; however, as with most things in my life, I'd just grown accustomed to things. I'd just become too comfortable with the way things were.

  Now the prospect of living in a house with a dog had me miles beyond excited and hopeful, but, to my extreme dismay, Cameron frowned.

  "He's not really my dog. He's not really anybody's. He's just a stray that wandered into the village from God only knows where a month or two ago. I've just been feeding him sometimes. He was all skin and bones...no tags, no collar, nothing. Based on how dirty he was, it looked like he'd probably been wandering in the woods an awfully long time."

  "Well, don't you want to formally adopt him? Don't you want to bring him inside the house?"

  "You haven't even seen him yet. How do you know that you'd want him inside the house?"

  "Well, his bark sounded sweet enough, and that's all I need to know about him."

  It really was.

  Tossing his napkin on his plate, Cameron heaved a sigh.

  "Look. Here in Haverwood, we have bigger problems to deal with than a stray dog."

  "So you're saying that you don't want to adopt him? You do not?"

  "That's correct; I do not. He's a nice enough little guy, and I do like dogs, but we don't need to bring him inside the house. Indoor dogs require more care and attention than I-"

  "It's raining outside, Cameron. It's raining." Realizing that I'd wadded my napkin into a little ball in my fist, I tossed it on the table. "Do you even care about that? Do you even care that an innocent dog is stuck outside, getting all wet?"

  With his expression one of complete wariness, Cameron glanced over at the side door. "He's got a little spot in the shed, which I always leave open so he can get in. It's like his very own doghouse. He's okay."

  "A 'doghouse?' You make him stay in a doghouse, like he's a...well, a..."

  Knowing I'd backed myself into a bit of a corner, I didn't really know what to say.

  Cameron, however, did. "I make him stay in a doghouse like he's a dog? Yes...I do. And, yes, he is. He is a dog."

  Cameron's eyes were twinkling again, and I didn't like it. It was only further increasing my anger.

  "Well, as generous as it is for you to stick the dog in the shed, like he's a rake or a lawn mower or something, and not a human being-"

  "He's not a human being. As I just said, he's a dog."

  If Cameron was trying to get me to move from angry to irate, he was doing a brilliant job. He certainly hadn't needed to point out how I'd misspoken.

  "Well, no matter if the dog is just a...a dog, or what, I bet the shed isn't the coziest place in the world on a night like this. I bet it's frankly miserable."

  Just then, a bark sounded from the other side of the side door yet again, as if the dog could hear us and wanted to make it known that he indeed thought the shed was miserable.

  I glanced at the door, then looked at Cameron again.

  "See? He just confirmed it. The shed sucks."

  Groaning, Cameron dragged his large, long-fingered hands over his face.

  "We don't need a dog in the house, Jayme...a dog neither of us is going to have time to care for. We're leaving him outside. He's fine."

  The dog barked yet again, the sound tapering off into sort of a mournful howl, nearly breaking my heart in two.

  "If you don't allow me to bring this dog inside the house, Cameron, I am going to kill you."

  He immediately laughed. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to laugh, but it's just that what you said is a little ridiculous."

  "Oh, you don't think I'm capable of killing you? You don't think I can actually do it?"

  "Well, no...I don't."

  Hands balled into fists, I hopped up from my seat.

  "Oh, really? Why? Because I'm a female? Because you think I'm weak or something? You saw what I did to that red-eyed wolf out there today, and now that I've had a chance to rest up a bit, I bet-"

  "Now, just hold on a second, Jayme."

  "No, you hold on a second. Maybe take a second to think about the fact that I'm a Gifted, and think about how much damage I can do with my zapping and my-"

  "Jayme, please. Just settle down."

  "Excuse me? Did you seriously just tell me to 'settle down?'"

  I was only getting more and more riled up the more he spoke; which he continued to do, rising from his seat.

  "Just listen. The only reason I said the idea of you killing me is ridiculous is because of the fact that you actually can't. It's impossible. Angels can only be killed by shifters, and shifters can only be killed by other shifters. Remember how all that works?
"

  Embarrassed, I suddenly did and said nothing in response.

  "I'm sure you could do some serious damage to me, yes...maybe even knock me unconscious, but you can't kill me. No matter how much you may want to. I hate to tell you that I'm probably going to live another day...probably going to attempt to spread cold butter on bread yet again."

  In spite of myself, I couldn't hold back the tiniest of smiles, and Cameron returned it, softening me even further. He was incredibly handsome no matter what expression he wore, but the hint of a smile on his face made him handsome on a level of being completely irresistible.

  Without even realizing it, I'd folded my arms across my chest, and I now let them fall to my sides.

  "Look. I didn't mean to say that I was going to kill you, and I'm sorry that I did. I wasn't being entirely serious about it, either; I wasn't actually going to kill you. I was just really upset about the dog, and I still am. It's not right to make him stay outside in the rain, Cameron, not even in a shed."

  "Well, first things first. I'm late in giving him his dinner, so why don't we do that right now. He eats out on the back steps, and you can even give him his can of dog food if you want. I'll put some leftover chicken scraps in a bowl to give him, too."

  "All right. Thank you."

  The dog barked again, and I dashed over to the door, not wanting him to have to wait a second longer for some attention. Cameron began making his way over to the kitchen, saying that he'd be right back with the dog's food. Opening the heavy wooden door, I began to say okay, but the word kind of got stuck in my throat. That was because I'd laid eyes on one of the sweetest, most beautiful, most heart-melting creatures I'd ever seen.

  Illuminated by a porch light, a wet, dirty yellow lab sat on the stoop, just beyond the screen door. After yipping happily to see me, even though he didn't even know me, he sat panting, with an expression on his face that almost resembled a human smile. There was no overhang to protect the small stoop from the rain, and drops were rolling into his big brown eyes. They were also rolling down his right front leg, which was the only front leg he had. The other one was missing, with only a small bump in its place, like maybe he'd been born with some kind of a birth defect. I shuddered to think about the alternative, that maybe a human had attacked him and hurt him badly.

  Flooded with sadness, tenderness, and white-hot anger, which was quite a strange feeling of emotions, I whirled toward the kitchen. "Seriously, Cameron? He only has three legs, and you still made him stay outside? What kind of a monster are you? What kind of an absolute –" The dog barked to get my attention, and I glared at Cameron. "Oh, never mind." After whirling back around to the dog, I flung the screen door open and ushered him inside. "You just come right on in, little sweetheart. You just come right on in."

  Despite only having three legs, he actually bounded in, yipping. I knelt, opening my arms, and again, he bounded right in, covering my face with kisses.

  I held him close, rubbing his dirty, wet back. "What a sweetheart. What an angel."

  Alternately yipping and whining with joy, he was wagging his tail so hard it was thudding against the door frame.

  We continued our love fest, and after a minute or so, Cameron joined the scene, eying us warily.

  Without releasing the dog, I pointed a finger at Cameron. "If you try to kick this dog out of the house, I will zap you, and that's not a threat; it's a promise."

  I was not joking around in the least.

  With a sigh, Cameron set two plastic bowls of food, one of dog kibble and the other of chicken scraps, on the floor beside us. "I'm not going to try to kick him out of the house. He's in now, and I guess that's that. He'll be your dog, though. Being a bit preoccupied dealing with murderous sorcerers who want to take over the world, as well as with their equally-murderous wolves, I don't have time to care for a dog."

  "That's fine. Even if I become very busy as a Gifted, I'll make time. This poor little guy deserves some tender loving care, and I'm going to give it to him."

  Though he wasn't incredibly thin, he looked like he needed many more hearty meals, too. He'd all but attacked the bowl of chicken scraps the moment Cameron had set it on the floor, burying his face in the bowl.

  I sat back on my heels, watching him. "Have you even given him a name?"

  Standing beside me, Cameron said no. "Like I said, I've never claimed him as my dog, so I saw no need to. Why would a person name a stray?"

  Thinking that anyone who could respond so coldly might very well also be cold enough to be working for the Angels, I turned my face up to look at Cameron. "I think you can leave us alone now, please."

  I hadn't forgotten that I had been given the task of getting him and Elliot both into bed in order to get closer to them and get information, but at the moment, I could hardly stand the sight of him.

  However, the dog wasn't feeling quite the same way. Having already wolfed down his chicken, he now hopped over to Cameron, yipping and wagging his tail, clearly very familiar with him. That's when it occurred to me that Cameron couldn't be quite as cold as I was thinking of him as, because after all, he had been feeding the dog for "a month or two," as he'd said. And he was now kneeling, petting the dog and gruffly saying that he was a good boy.

  Suddenly sorry for a few things I'd said, I apologized. "I didn't mean to call you a monster. I just have very strong feelings about dogs, particularly this one, even though I just met him. I think he should have an owner who loves him, and he should be cared for inside, out of the rain, and he should have a name, too."

  "I understand."

  Seeming to have gotten his fill of affection from Cameron for the moment, the dog trotted back over to the food bowls, once again wearing an almost human-like expression of happiness. And right then, his name just came to me.

  "I think I'll call him Sunny. He's obviously been through some very tough stuff, but he still seems happy, and he still seems to almost be smiling. Even in the rain, the sunshine in his soul still shines through."

  Cameron nodded, though while suddenly pressing his lips together, as if trying not to grin or laugh.

  After rising to my feet, I folded my arms across my chest, glaring at him.

  "What? You think dogs can't have souls or something?"

  His expression immediately became sober, and after simply looking at me for a moment, he spoke in a quiet voice.

  "No...I do think dogs can have souls. I was just smiling with delight...at you. Even though you've been yelling at me and threatening bodily harm against me during the majority of our time together tonight, you just make me want to smile, Jayme."

  Looking into his dark gray eyes, I didn't know what to say. But within a second, I was spared having to respond by the sound of commotion coming from somewhere just beyond the kitchen. I turned my face in that direction and heard the heavy foyer door shut, followed by footsteps. Soon Elliot appeared in the kitchen, asking if anyone was home.

  When he saw me, he lifted one side of his mouth in a sexy half-grin.

  "After fighting ugly red-eyed wolves all day, I've gotta say, Jayme, you're a sight for sore eyes."

  With a few butterflies dancing in my stomach, I smiled. Even with a shirt on, unlike the last time I'd seen him when he'd been bare-chested, Elliot was pretty close to masculine perfection, in both body and face. His navy blue, fitted t-shirt hugged the contours of his hard chest, and even all the way in the dining area, I could see and appreciate just what a vivid shade of green his eyes were. I also recalled how his skin had smelled when I'd rested my face on his chest. I'd gotten a whiff of some musky, woodsy, faintly citrusy scent, a scent that I was eager to smell again, maybe while in his arms.

  *

  Elliot joined Cameron, Sunny, and me out in the dining area, looking from Sunny to me with a grin.

  "I see you've made a friend. Good of you to take him inside and out of the rain. I was even thinking of doing the same myself on my way home. Figured this probably isn't the best night to be holed up in a shed,
alone."

  Hoping Cameron had clearly heard every word of that, I smiled at Elliot. "My thoughts exactly."

  Cameron soon left the house, saying that he wanted to go check on the surveillance patrols around the village before he went to sleep. After announcing he was starving, Elliot began wolfing down some of the leftovers from Cameron's and my dinner while Sunny finished his own, which didn't take him long at all. Then, with both of his plastic bowls thoroughly licked clean, he hopped over to where Elliot was sitting to beg for a few more scraps, which Elliot gave him, grinning.

  To my relief, Sunny didn't seem to have much trouble with mobility, despite the fact that he was missing a leg. He didn't walk normally, of course, like a regular dog, but moved more like a horse in a way, with a galloping sort of hop, which he was able to do both slowly and quickly. He was even agile enough to turn on a dime and head in the opposite direction immediately, which he did when a bite of chicken I tossed in his direction went long.

  Once they were both finished eating, Elliot helped me get Sunny into a warm bubble bath in my master bedroom. Being that I wasn't sure if Sunny had ever had a bath in his life before, I thought he might protest, maybe even refusing to get inside the tub; however, true to his sunny nature, he absolutely loved it, yipping and wagging his tail while Elliot and I shampooed his dirty fur. He seemed to love the attention, as well as the warm water, and actually rolled onto his back for a belly rub while we rinsed him.

  With his t-shirt drenched with water from Sunny's exuberant movements, Elliot glanced over at me, grinning.

  "It really was good of you to take him inside. I had thoughts of doing it weeks ago, but the damned Angel wolves have kept me so busy that I've barely even been home. I hope Cameron's at least been feeding him."

  "Oh, I'm sure he has been."

  The fact that Sunny had a little meat on his bones attested to that. Just then, Elliot's phone went off, and he hastily dried his hands on a towel before taking his phone from his jeans pocket and glancing at the screen.