Luther's Return

She felt Roxanne’s hand on her shoulder. “I volunteered.”

Katie nodded slowly, relieved on one hand, scared on the other.

“Don’t worry. I’m trained for this.” She bent closer to Katie, and lowered her voice. “I’m better than most of the guys in this room. Just don’t tell them. It’ll only ruffle their feathers, then they’ll start taking their dicks out to prove who’s got a bigger one.” She chuckled softly. “Boys.”

Involuntarily, Katie had to smile. “Thank you, Roxanne.”

“Well, let’s get this show on the road then,” Roxanne said out loud. “Who’s going to help me slip into Katie’s role?”

Wes grinned from one ear to the other. “Oh, that would be me.” And by the looks of it, he would see to it personally that every detail about Roxanne’s appearance was perfect.

“Well, well, the witch. Guess it’s my lucky day,” Roxanne answered dryly.

39

Luther looked over his shoulder and peered into the dark, while Katie unlocked the front door to her house. As suggested by Blake, he’d parked the car in front of the house instead of the garage so that anybody watching them would see him and Katie enter the house.

He couldn’t see anybody, but it didn’t mean they were alone. While the man walking his dog was clearly human and minding his own business, there were plenty of places a vampire could hide without being seen. Buena Vista Park across the street from Katie’s Victorian home was located on one of the many small hills in San Francisco. It provided many such places among its heavily wooded terrain and the many view points along the path that wound its way up to the top where visitors were rewarded with a gorgeous view of the city.

When Katie pushed the door open and flipped the light switch upon entering, Luther turned his back on the park and followed her inside. He closed and locked the door behind her.

“Switch on the lights in the living room,” he instructed. “Make sure you can be seen in front of the windows, before you pull the curtains shut.”

“I understand.”

Luther was almost certain that Forrester was watching the house. It was therefore of vital importance that he only saw Katie and Luther enter and later exit the house together.

Katie walked into the well-lit living room with the tall bay windows, crossing in front of them slowly, before pulling the curtains closed. She did the same with the curtains on the next window, until all curtains in the room were drawn.

Luther followed her into the dining room, where he helped her close the curtains. Within minutes, all curtains on the first floor were drawn and nobody from the street could look into the house anymore.

The blinds on the upper floor had already been closed.

“Ready?” Luther asked, exchanging a look with Katie.

“Ready,” she answered.

He opened the door to the garage. “Wesley, we’re ready for you.”

Katie’s brother appeared on the stairs a moment later, Roxanne on his heels. “We’re here.”

“Did anybody see you?” Luther asked, stepping aside to let the two enter the foyer.

“We went through the gardens in the back. We entered through a tradesmen entrance of one of the houses on the street parallel to here. Nobody saw us, but if anybody did, they wouldn’t have been able to figure out where we were heading. The gardens are so overgrown we had plenty of cover. We’re safe.”

Luther nodded, satisfied with Wesley’s explanation. He looked at Roxanne. “Thank you for doing this. I know the risk you’re taking.”

“It’ll be my pleasure. I love kicking guys in the nuts.” She tossed a sideways glance at Wes.

“Ouch,” Wes commented, mock flinching. “Wouldn’t want to be on your bad side.”

“Well, then we understand each other, don’t we?”

Luther turned away, not wanting to know what undercurrent was flowing between the vampire female and the witch. None of his business.

“Shall we start getting you ready?” Katie asked from beside him.

“Lead the way,” Roxanne said.

Katie headed for the stairs and Roxanne followed her. When Wesley made a motion to head in the same direction, Roxanne pivoted and slammed her palm onto his chest, stopping him.

“We won’t need you for this part,” she said sweetly, but firmly.

“Uh.”

Roxanne narrowed her eyes.

“Wes, why don’t you come into the living room with me?” Luther asked, intent on diffusing the situation.