The Puppet Assassin [TTR sequel]

The Puppet Assassin - Ch 27 [faults]

She pushed his shoulder. “You’re the awkward one. You were emailing away like nothing else in the world mattered.”

“Are you two siblings?” I asked. They seemed like it although I didn’t see any familiar features.

Kayli cackled with laughter and Donovan looked at me disbelievingly. “Are you serious? Please don’t tell me I look anything like this twerp,” he said, tugging Kayli’s hair to stop her from laughing so wickedly.

“You act like it,” Anka spoke up. I had forgotten the kids were there.

Kayli wiped her eyes. “No, we are not, in any way, related.” She looked like she was about to say more but a black blur charged at her and the kids cried out in glee. Well, all except Dexter.

“A puppy!” They all gathered around Kayli as she tried to shove the hairy dog down off her.

“I thought he was on a leash,” she growled at Donovan.

“Yeah, James must’ve let him off.” Donovan took a grip on the dog’s collar and pulled him off her. “Sit, Sting!” The dog’s backside instantly hit the ground. It looked up at Donovan expectantly. He scratched the dog between the ears and looked at the kids who were barely holding themselves back. “You can play with him but be careful. He’s not exactly gentle.”

They leapt at it anyway and he sprang to his feet, tail wagging, looking ready for fun. As they wrestled around with it on the grass, Donovan looked at me again.

“Do you know where Luke is?” he asked. “I didn’t see him on the deck.”

The image of Luke snoring on the couch came to mind. “He’s not here today,” I said automatically.

“I heard he’d been overworking himself,” Kayli said with a laugh. “Don’t tell me that Garth knocked him out or something.”

“Nah.” It was Larkin that knocked him out, I added silently. “But he is resting.”

Donovan laughed and Kayli gave him an arched look. “What is it?” she asked.

“The other guy, Larkin, knocked him out and he’s still unconscious.”

Kayli chuckled. “Seriously?” she asked me.

I frowned. “How did you know that?”

Donovan leaned forward. “I can read minds,” he said mystically.

“Bollocks,” I said softly. The idea of someone doing that should be outrageous to me but, then again, I was surrounded by witches. Still, I just couldn’t believe him.

Donovan smirked. “I can.” He nodded towards Dexter. “That kid there is keeping an eye on you, looking out for you, because his idol, Larkin, asked him to.”

Dexter flushed red and Kayli elbowed Donovan. “Don’t be such a bastard,” she growled.

I looked down at Dexter. He was shuffling his feet. “Is that true?”

He glanced up at me. “Yeah, but it’s not like I was needed anyway.” He jerked his head towards the deck. “Lark’s been staring at you for most of the time we’ve been here.”

I glanced over quickly, in time to see Larkin turn his attention to the guy next to him. But then he turned his head towards me for a moment and winked. I felt myself blush.

“Whoa, something’s definitely happened between you and Lark since I last saw you.”

Memories popped up and I quickly shoved them back. I grimaced at Donovan. “Can you, um, not read my mind?”