Harpy's Escape: Supernatural Retrieval Agency, #2

By Laura Greenwood

A harpy and her team are left to investigate without official backing.

When a couple of new leads come in, they learn that things are a lot worse than they first expected, and if they don't act fast, then they risk something far worse than a new crime boss.

Fighting crime might be one thing on Harper's mind, but her growing relationship with Elias is also part of the equation and she finds herself spending an increasing amount of time in his arms.

Can they start building a case against Ocypete that people are going to believe, or is she going to get the better of them?
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Harpy's Escape is book two of Supernatural Retrieval Agency, an urban fantasy romance series filled with harpies, cupids, action, and a hint of steam with a m/f romance.

If you like your romance with unusual supernatural creatures, action-packed law enforcement plots, and a quirky best friend, try the Supernatural Retrieval Agency series today, starting with Harpy's Mission.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Drowlgon Press
• Release date: Mar 18, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393640394

Laura Greenwood

Laura is a USA Today Bestselling Author of paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and fantasy romance. When she's not writing, she drinks a lot of tea, tries to resist French macarons, and works towards a diploma in Egyptology. She lives in the UK, where most of her books are set. Laura specialises in quick reads, with healthy relationships and consent positive moments regardless of if she's writing light-hearted romance, mythology-heavy urban fantasy, or anything in between. You can find a full book list and more information on her website, or in The Paranormal Council Facebook Group. Happy Reading!

Book preview

Chapter 1

Pippa sets a mug down in front of me and perches on my desk.

Thanks. I pick it up and put it in a safer place where I don't risk knocking it off while doing my paperwork.

So, how was your date? she asks in a sing-song voice.

What date?

Her mouth falls open. Have you two not been on a date yet?

If you mean me and Elias, then no, we haven't.

But I thought he owed you home-cooking.

He does. But there hasn't been time. I wave my arm at the huge stack of paperwork on my desk, our so-called punishment for not making any arrests at the house where Regina was being held captive.

I don't know why we're the ones being blamed when there was no one there to be arrested and everyone's reports of the situations say the same thing, but that's what's happening.

I'm not going to have to sit here and watch the two of you pine for each other am I? she asks dramatically.

I let out a light laugh. Would that really be so bad?

Pippa shakes her hand in a so-so gesture. Don't get me wrong, the energy the two of you are giving off is delicious...

Excuse me? I can't keep the shock out of my voice.

Oh, right. Cupid magic. I feed off love energy.

I narrow my eyes. I'm not in love.

She shrugs. There are many kinds of love. You two are in that pre-love stage which is all confusing and loud. I'd really like you to start dating properly so I can stop snacking and start having decent meals at work.

Do you always refer to love as food? I raise an eyebrow.

I need it to live, so it is kind of food.

So cupids are love-vampires, I mutter.

"Hey, that's offensive to both cupids and vampires. We're completely separate beings. We're all...ahhhh. She clasps her hands over her heart. And they're all...grrr." She puts her fingers up to her mouth and pretends to have fangs.

I've met plenty of nice vampires, I offer.

And I've met plenty of not-very-nice cupids. It still doesn't mean we're the same, she points out.

Thankfully. I don't think you'd be very good at your job if you couldn't go out in daylight.

Which is why you'll find a lot more vampires pulling the night shifts. It's nice to have them on the force, to be honest. Can you imagine having to work overnight on a regular basis? She fake shudders at the thought. No thank you. I need my sleep.

We still work nights, I point out.

Oh, I know. But only when there's something specific we need to do. Most of the time, we get to stick to the daytime. Just the way I like it.

You're nothing like I'd expect a cupid to be, I admit, though if I think about it, perhaps that's not true. She's bubbly, always has a smile for everyone, and makes truly terrible coffee. They all do feel like cupid traits.

Pippa raises an eyebrow. Are you implying that we're all the same?

No. But you have to admit that some of our species characteristics do influence our personalities, I say.

Hmm. True. But it's still not great to tar everyone in with the same brush, she warns.

True. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that.

Apology accepted. So long as you make sure you go on that date soon. I really do need more of a top-up than what the two of you are giving me right now.

I let out a low chuckle. I promise I'll make sure Elias takes me out.

Out where? the subject of our discussion asks as he walks through the door.

For dinner, I believe. Pippa is acting like our fairy godmother or something.

Pfft. Don't insult me by comparing me to one of those quacks. I know ten times more than they do about love. Pippa hops off my desk and goes to her own, plonking herself down as if truly mad about the comment.

How did the meeting with Michelson go? I ask Elias, keen to get the subject of conversation away from our impending date.

It isn't that I don't want to talk about it, more than I want to do it at a better time.

As infuriating as you imagine it to be, he mutters. Is this mine? He picks up the mug Pippa brought me.

You can have it if you want, I say, smiling at him.

He takes a swig, then his eyes widen. Pippa...

Yes? she asks sweetly.

How can you mess up coffee from a vending machine? he asks.

It's a gift. She swings back and forth on her desk chair.

Meeting, I say sternly. Tell us about it.

Elias sets down the coffee with a look of intense distaste on his face. I'll have to remember not to drink it myself, I've been caught out by one of Pippa's cold coffees more than once when I've picked one up and drunk it without thinking.

He sighs and takes his seat. It pretty much went the same way every meeting with him has in the past couple of weeks. He doesn't want to accept that we're not to blame. He expects us to miraculously make an arrest, and refuses to believe that Regina Forbes is Ocypete.

Eurgh. How can he be making things this difficult when all we're trying to do is our jobs?

It gets worse, Elias warns.

How can it possibly be worse than desk duty and everyone treating us like we're pariahs? Pippa mutters.

It might be about to pick up for you, he counters. You have a new partner arriving in ten minutes.

That's barely enough time to search for them on the internet, she whines.

"True. But that's not the headline. This is." He throws each of us a newspaper.

I catch mine deftly and open it up.

I don't even have to ask what he's talking about. Regina's photo is plastered all over the front page with a detailed article about the record amount of money a charity ball she hosted made. Last night.

"Great. No one's going to believe she's guilty." I slap the paper down on my desk.

Probably not, no, Elias agrees.

That's some balls she's got,