Chapter 121

Ethan dragged her beneath the protection of his shoulder, his arm circling her slender waist. She looked as if she would fall down if he allowed her to stand on her own for too long.

The driver watched them descend the two steps. Behind them, the doors snapped closed. Sheets of rain slammed down from the sky, obscuring his vision. Blinking hard, he peered out the windshield, but he couldn’t see anyone. The mysterious gangster and the woman were gone as if they had never been. There wasn’t so much as a car around.

Without a word, Ethan scooped Pearl into his arms and covered the distance to his waiting family using his preternatural speed, blurring their images as he did so. Pearl lay against the solid wall of his chest, cradled in his arms, peeking out at the group suddenly crowding close around her.

"Are you all right?" One of his companions, a red-haired guy, asked gently.

"She is fine," Ethan answered before Pearl could speak. "We will join you on the next rising