  CALLUM POV
  &quot;There we go. Thanks, guys,&quot; Zoe smiles, wiping the sweat off her brow as she, Xander,  n  I finish gettin  Sasha, still in panther form  n  breathin  real shallow, off Drake s back  n  into the hatch of their SUV. Rika s rummaging through their stash o  supplies like her existence depends on it, prob ly lookin  for somethin  to try n help her injured friend. She s somethin  else; never thought a bloodsucker d give a fuck  bout healing, but she s damn skillful an  cares a lot more n she s willin  t say.
  &quot;Here, man,&quot; I say to Drake, shovin  the bundle of his clothes  n  stuff we threw together before goin  into that goddamn warehouse in front of his nose. He takes it gently in his jaws, but his eyes are fixed on Sasha s limp, battered form. &quot;Take  em  n  go find a place to shift back. We ll take care of her. Promise.&quot;
  Drake reluctantly boun

  DRAKE POV
  &quot;You sure you don t want to come in?&quot; Callum asks me. Zoe s just parked their SUV across from our townhouse. I guess I shouldn t be surprised she knew where we live without asking.
  &quot;I ll be fine,&quot; I answer flatly with an involuntary glance at Sasha s limp form beside me. It s not super comfortable sitting on the folded-down back seats of the SUV, but I d rather stay here than leave her alone, or give these WASP operatives a chance to bail without us.
  WHAM!
  I jump and jerk around to look out the window while Callum rolls his eyes at me. Xander s just parked his truck next to the SUV; the noise was him slamming his truck door.
  &quot;We live just a couple streets over,&quot; Zoe informs us cheerfully as she and Rika hop out of the SUV. &quot;We ll be right back.&quot;
  &quot;And if you do anything to Sasha, I ll drink you dry and then use you for t

  ZOE POV
  &quot;Again, and I cannot stress this enough, I have no power to renegotiate the terms of your punishment from the Faerie Queen,&quot; I tell Tempest and Ariadne through gritted teeth, &quot;especially since your current contract of punishment forbids you from entering the fae realm while it is in effect. I can t get there on my own, even if I were inclined to—&quot;
  &quot;Shhhhh!&quot; Ariadne hisses. She closes her eyes and seems to be listening to something. Xander, still beside me and getting increasingly bored and antsy, cocks his gun again.
  &quot;What s—&quot; he begins.
  &quot;Anselm s dead,&quot; Ariadne announces as her strange periwinkle eyes snap open. &quot;His aura, his spirit…they re not here anymore.&quot;
  Anselm s dead?! The idea seems implausible at best, but Ariadne s extremely perceptive, and despite being fae, she usually goes out of her way to avoi

CALLUM POV
  &quot;There we go. Thanks, guys,&quot; Zoe smiles, wiping the sweat off her brow as she, Xander,  n  I finish gettin  Sasha, still in panther form  n  breathin  real shallow, off Drake s back  n  into the hatch of their SUV. Rika s rummaging through their stash o  supplies like her existence depends on it, prob ly lookin  for somethin  to try n help her injured friend. She s somethin  else; never thought a bloodsucker d give a fuck  bout healing, but she s damn skillful an  cares a lot more n she s willin  t say.
  &quot;Here, man,&quot; I say to Drake, shovin  the bundle of his clothes  n  stuff we threw together before goin  into that goddamn warehouse in front of his nose. He takes it gently in his jaws, but his eyes are fixed on Sasha s limp, battered form. &quot;Take  em  n  go find a place to shift back. We ll take care of her. Promise.&quot;
  Drake reluctantly bounds away with his things. I ve no doubt he ll be back soon. Meanwhile, Xander s been talkin  with Zo

Chapter 40 Best Hope