I didn’t need another stray dog. One was hard enough and then Puca had been brought into the mix when this Council business started. I couldn’t handle the two of them. Not apart and now not together.

I was tired.

“Here,” Lacey said, pulling a bottle of liquor down from a cabinet and setting a glass on the counter.

“What’s that?” I asked.

“Only the best Irish whiskey in existence.” I perked up and got a little closer. My eyes slid to the golden dagger.

“I feel like I’m trying to lure a wild animal into my house,” she said with a smile. I sighed and walked up to the counter. She slid the glass to me and I picked it up, looking at the color. Knowing Lacey, this stuff was pricey.

“How much is it?” I tipped back the glass and chugged it.

“Two hundred grand a bottle,” she said and I choked. The liquid burned my sinuses and my eyes watered. “So that little sip was close to twelve grand. Worth every penny, don't you think?” She asked while I tried not to die from choking on it.

“Fucking hell,” I rasped out, wiping my mouth. She picked up the golden dagger and I jerked back. Lacey looked up at me with assessing eyes. Slowly, she cut a slice of cheese before popping it in her mouth. She kept her fingers on the dagger after setting it down, playing with the hilt. She gripped it tightly like she was going to pick it back up and my nostrils flared.

“Don’t like my knife?” She asked. I looked at her and didn’t answer. “You know, I’m curious about something. If you’re immune to my luck, why didn’t you just come grab me while I’m sleeping in bed or snatch me off the street? We even ran into each other but you didn’t seem interested in getting too close at all.”

“I have my reasons.” I rubbed my eyes. It was getting hard to stay awake.

“You’re dead on your feet, Dullahan. Come here,” she said, leaving the knife on the counter and walking into the dark hallway. I looked at the knife a moment, as if it was going to leap off the counter and stab me itself.

I was definitely too tired. It'd been days, hell maybe weeks, since I'd had any real sleep. A catnap here or there, but there was always something needing attention. I followed after her, my eyes scanning the room she brought me into.

“Is this your room?” I asked.

“Yes,” she answered, peeling her clothes off and dropping them to the floor. She was filthy. Zombie gore smeared on her thighs and hands. I stood there watching. Lacey wasn’t a shy one and didn’t give me much mind as she stepped out of her panties and kicked them with the rest of her clothes.

Lacey was a sight. I didn’t think I’d ever seen such a beautiful woman. Her skin was as fair as the moon, her body soft but strong. She held herself with confidence and power plus her arse was an amazing shape. She took long strides toward a massive wooden wardrobe. Her full breasts swayed as her green eyes bore into me. She hadn’t a care in the world that I was watching her stride around naked.