Page 106 of Blade

And it’d worked.

He paused, cocking his head and looking distracted for a moment before he sighed. “Covens need to stop trying to handle problems on their own.”

Huh?

“Um.” Henley might’ve been freaked out, but he was still my adorable mate. “I don’t know what else you can do besides appear through a portal but the lightning guy is bleeding and I have no idea why they were attacking.”

Something made Henley blink. “Honest. I didn’t do anything this time.”

The smile was gone in a flash but it seemed like the Guardian thought he was cute too.

“Truth.” Pausing, he studied Henley again. “This time.”

We were both smart enough to keep quiet about that last part, which seemed to tickle him too because he shook his head. “You are going to be trouble, young Leap Mate.”

So he knew Henley was mine?

Wait.

What?

“Not as much as he is.” Henley pointed to his brother. “He’s troubleandstupid.”

Agreed.

But now what?

“I’m still getting used to things but the only thing I was really told about you guys was that you’re magical helpers?” I hadn’t actually been sure they were real. I’d never known anyone who’d met them. “I got that lecture when I was like five, though, so I don’t have any idea what you’re going to do.”

Before I could feel too stupid about that, Henley raised his hand. “If no one uses the spell anymore, how do they contact you? I’ve never met anyone who talked about Guardians.”

That was interesting…Henley talked to everybody.

“That was an English translation of the old German word for us.” The Guardian didn’t seem to think it was a stupid question based on how even his tone was. “We are now called The Justice Council.”

“Cool. Like your superheroes.” Henley’s awe-filled response had the man…or whatever he was, smiling. “Thank you for your help, but what are you going to do?”

That was a very good question.

“Oh. The shifters online mentioned you on the regular paranormal site. You’re the council guys that sounded like the magical FBI…or maybe CIA? You seem like you could go darker than FBI kind of stuff.” Henley shrugged as I tried to decide if that was offensive or not. “But that’s okay. Someone needs to do it because people make terrible decisions sometimes. Like them.”

And the rest of his family.

“We…” He paused, glancing around and frowning before looking back at Henley. “We are called in when local councils cannot handle situations.”

That was vague.

Henley opened his mouth to start listing off his thousand and one questions, but the Guardian…no…council member, maybe…held up his hand and kept going. “We must be called first.”

“Oh. Like having to call the cops and they just can’t keep an eye out for trouble? That’s weird.” Shaking his head, he gestured toward the still unconscious men. “What if they’d killed us?”

Council Guy shrugged. “Not all-knowing or all-seeing.”

I really didn’t like how logical that was.

“How do we call you going forward? I run into…situations on a regular basis and you would’ve been helpful.” Crossing his arms over his chest, Henley frowned. “Everyone is very vague about how to contact anyone in charge. There is way too muchI can handle thisgoing on in your world.”

The Council Guy actually smiled that time. “We’ve got an app.”