“Iain’s no fae-skilled shifter. I’d have to even the playing field with him and set my ability aside. It’d be the only right thing to do.”
“You are all talk.” She laughed and squeezed his arm. “There’s a very good chance should I ever allow my good sense to fly out the window and let my mate capture me, that I’d get real feisty with you for playing with what’s mine. I might even have to take you down.”
“You couldn’t take me down if you tried.”
“Wanna bet?”
“Five bucks says I’m right. I bet I could take your mate down and you wouldn’t even lift a finger to help him.”
“One hundred bucks says I’m right and you’re the one going down.”
“I’ll stretch to ten but that’s it.”
“You’re clearly worried I’ll win. One hundred and not a cent less.”
“Fine. I was just trying to save you some money for when you lose.”
“Sure you were.” More of her tension seeped from her. Daniel knew how to divert her thoughts and lighten her mood.
“Have I ever mentioned how much Emma likes being levitated?” That teasing grin of his was back in place. “I spin her around and have my wicked way as I—”
“No.” She flung up a hand. “Too much information.”
“Wimp.” He chuckled as he motioned toward the gas station up ahead. “I’ll pull over here and refuel while you grab us some lunch.” He indicated then crawled into the far lane once it had cleared.
She strolled inside, perused the café area with its shelved delicacies and drooled over the offerings. She had a mighty sweet tooth and selected two slices of gooey chocolate cake as well as half a dozen sandwiches to share between them, of which Daniel would eat the lion’s share. He always did. Where he packed all the food he consumed though, she had no idea. With two cups of steaming coffee in hand, black and strong, she trod back to her partner and passed him his brew.
He drove and they munched and planned their coming mission. The weakened offshoot Mathie branch only held four shifters and Owen and Ewan could only shift on the night of the full moon, which meant tonight was the night they had to catch them if they wished to ensure another innocent person wasn’t harmed.
Hours passed and Daniel weaved along the winding forest road while along the horizon, the sun began its descent. “You need to hurry it up,” she told him.
“We’re almost there.” He eyed the GPS. “We’ll make it before nightfall and before the Mathies have a chance to shift. We’ve got to catch them before they cause more mayhem.”
“I’ve never been this far east before.”
“I have, a time or two.” He pointed up ahead at a quaint stone cottage nestled within the woods. “There’s the inn we’re after.”
He slowed then pulled into the gravel parking lot. A sandstone cobbled path led to inn’s front door with its rustic bed and breakfast sign strung above it. With one finger, Daniel lifted his aviator sunglasses up and surveyed the area. “Nice and remote. The untamed forest surrounding this place would definitely call to their bears.”
“Then let’s go rope us some big bear.” She hopped out, patted her weapon still resting at her back and walked around to Daniel as he holstered his gun under his jacketed arm and straightened his buttery-colored t-shirt over his black pants.
At the hood, he breathed slowly out, his claws slicing in and out.
“You okay?”
“Just fighting the early stages of the full moon. I want my mate.” The males always suffered to a greater degree on this one night, their need riding them hard if their female remained some distance away. It wouldn’t help that it had been some time since they’d last been able to join as one.
“You got the sedative?” She nudged his arm.
“Sure do.” He dug out two vials from his inner denim jacket pocket and gave the deep orange concoction a swirl. After they’d caught the Mathies, they’d ensure they slept until they’d dropped them off to their contact. Owen and Ewan would require containment unlike the rest of the criminal population. Daniel turned in a slow circle, this time sniffing the air.
She did the same.
A trace of smoke puffing from the inn’s chimney added a slight taint to the pine fresh air swirling around her. She dug deeper. Beneath the pine, she caught the deep earthy tones of the land. No bears.
She attuned her hearing. Small critters scampered through the dense underbrush and the splashing of water beyond, traveled to her with ease. “There’s a river close by.”
“But no bears. We’ll need to check inside as well as do a wider perimeter search.” He set a hand at her back and guided her past a scratched-up mustard-colored Jeep, a white van and a blue sedan.
At the front door, he pressed the bell and waited beside her.