“Only those who work the frontier,” Frasier said. “Goodness knows you need a sense of humour to cope with what we see.”
“Where are we headed?” Amara asked as he started the truck and they began to bump along a road that didn’t look as if it had been resurfaced for years.
“Don’t worry, road gets easier up ahead. We like to keep this looking bad, means none of those pure-breds think it’ll be a fun place to vacation, but we still get some trying to come through. It’s why I wanted to check your DNA.”
“People think Shifters Prime is a vacation destination?” Amara asked. “I live out on the plains. This is the nearest I’ve ever got to the frontier, except when my contract was sold.”
“You want to take that damn collar off now?” Frasier asked, eying her up and down in a flattering kind of way.
“Not yet,” she said.
“Up to you, but I would have thought the sooner you’re rid of it, the better,” Frasier said, steering the truck along the quiet road.
“She gave you her answer,” Kane butted in.
Frasier looked at Kane, and she felt him bristle, he heard the claim in Kane’s voice. “She your mate?” Frasier asked.
Amara placed her hand on Frasier’s arm. “This is all new to Kane, that’s why you are being paid to take us somewhere quiet.”
“What do you mean all new?” Frasier’s eyes examined Kane in minute detail. “You’ve never experienced the change, is that what she means?”
“No. I haven’t,” Kane admitted.
“Oh boy, this I want to see. A grown lion, never had the chance to run free. Or to scent his mate.” Frasier indicated Amara’s collar. “That thing mute all your senses?”
“Yes,” she said.
“Then why not take yours off? We’re far enough away from the border.” Frasier said.
Amara touched the collar that still hung around her neck. “I’ll wait.”
“For what?” Frasier asked.
“I just want to take it off in private.” In truth, she was scared. Like Frasier said, she had no idea how she was going to feel once all those senses and emotions that it had shut off came flooding back to her. She didn’t want to make a fool of herself, not in front of strangers, and both Frasier and Kane were strangers to her.
“Suit yourself,” Frasier said, but she could tell he was trying to work out what this strange couple were really up to.
They drove in silence; Kane was transfixed by the view outside the truck window. They had driven past a couple of people walking along the road, they had been talking to each other, just like everyday people, and then suddenly they changed, their bodies shifting in one fluid movement into a couple of dogs, like the domestic kind that he had probably seen every day of his life and taken no notice of.
He hadn't said a word, just stared at them as they ran. Then his fingers had gone to the bracelet on his wrist and he had begun to nervously twist it round and round. Amara had wanted to comfort him, but she didn’t know what to say and couldn’t bring herself to touch him in case the shock of skin against skin proved too much for her lioness, who was now so close in her mind, she could feel her pacing up and down waiting to be freed.
“Much further?” she asked after they had been driving for an hour or more.
“Another ten minutes, maybe. We turn off here and head for the foothills of the mountain; it’s a good place for you guys to get some privacy,” Frasier said and then winked. “My guess that once you too strip that damn metal off, you might want a whole heap of privacy.”
Amara blushed, and Kane just looked from Frasier to Amara, knowing there was an inside shifter joke there somewhere, but not wanting to ask.
She slumped down in her seat. This was going to be harder than she imagined. Once his bracelet was off, anything could happen. She couldn’t tell what was going to be the strongest pull on him, or her for that matter: the need to become a lion, or the need to mate.
His hand on hers made her nearly jump through the roof. “Are you OK?” he asked. “You look pale.”
“I was just thinking how hard this might be. We need to go over a few things before we take the bracelet off,” she said.
“Damn right,” Frasier said. “Listen, I know I've been teasing you, but just remember, I am here to help. If things go wrong, come find me. I’m used to clearing up the mess us shifters leave behind.”
“There won’t be any mess,” Amara said confidently. “Kane will be just fine.”
The truck came to a stop outside a small group of cabins. “Just make sure he knows how to change back.”
“Is it hard?” Kane asked.
“Not when you are taught it from when you are a kid. But for a grown man? Well, we’re all about to find out, because you will be the first. That I know of, anyways.”
“Great. I’m glad I’ll be providing the entertainment,” Kane said sarcastically.
“No, you won’t. We’re going to do this together, alone. You trust me, don’t you, Kane?” Amara asked.