Soul Bound

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

When we get to the Bank, I can smell him. River is already here somewhere.

I rush out of the car and throw open the back door, taking T.K. from Hicks. She wraps herself around me like a little monkey and I feel her wipe her nose on the material on my shoulder. Hicks exits after her, but Niki stays where he is, not even bothering to take his seatbelt off.

Part of me wants to leave them in the car. I have no idea what we're walking into and bringing two little kids into the mix feels horribly irresponsible. But I know Finn would never let anything happen to them. He's known their family longer than I have. He was a groomsman at Simon and Anna's wedding for goodness sake.

"Niki, I promise you. On my life. On my soul, and Wolf's, that I won't let anything happen to either of you. And neither will Finn."

"Or us," Dunn chimes in, gesturing to himself and Hicks.

Niki swallows and looks between all of us. I squeeze T.K. I need her brother to be his usual compliant self right now.

"Pinky?" he asks, extending his little finger out to me.

I adjust T.K. and link my pinky finger with his. "Promise."

He unbuckles his seatbelt and Dunn and I both sigh with relief at the same time.

"Okay. But only 'cause I have to protect T.K.," he states. He exits the Hummer and takes my hand.

We all walk towards the big steel doors.

As I pass by a thick patch of weeds I feel something crawl up into my pant leg and wrap itself around my ankle. There's a brief moment of panic as the thing coils tightly, but then I can smell it.

Smell him, Wolf corrects.

The scent of fresh water and marsh grasses gets stronger and stronger. River shifted into a snake, a big one judging by how far up my leg he's had to coil himself, and is now literally hitching a ride inside the Bank. Luckily, I put on an old, baggy pair of jeans this morning and not my usual shorts.

The doors click open as we approach and Dunn and Hicks quickly push through.

Blythe is waiting on the other side, tapping her expensive heels impatiently against the floor.     

She starts to say something, but I beat her to it. "Is Simon here?"

Her face contorts with offense, which turns to disgust as she looks T.K. and Niki over. "Mr. May is in the upstairs office," Blythe's voice raises an octave with each word. "What in the world possessed you to bring those... children with you!?"

"Finn told us to." She snaps her jaw shut at that. "And listen, I know you're mothering instincts died back in the 1920's with your sense of humor, but I need you to keep them safe okay? We had to bring them. Please watch them. Please don't eat them." It's a joke but I say the last part quiet enough so that only she, and maybe River, can hear.

"What? No, I will not. I am not a babysitter. Put them in the basement. Leave them outside. Tie them to a tree. I don't care! You need to go see Mr. Byrom, now!"

"Look, lady, Mr. Byrom said—" Dunn begins.

But I brush past him and hand T.K. to Blythe. T.K., like she did with me earlier, immediately wraps herself around Blythe's torso, so tightly that Blythe doesn't even have to support her with her hands. Which she doesn't. Wolf growls at Blythe, a low and threatening rumble in my head. She stops when she sees Blythe's face soften a bit.

Niki stands close to my hip and grabs hold of my belt loop. "T-that's my little sister. I'm watching you." He stands straight and puffs his chest out a bit.