Guardian's Mate

by Jennifer Ashley

  She laid a comforting hand on Zander’s arm. “You all right?”

  Zander’s shaking eased and he took a long breath. He looked down at Rae’s fingers on his sun-bronzed skin. “Probably you shouldn’t do that.”

  Rae started to withdraw then stubbornly kept her fingers in place. They could fight their frenzy . . . couldn’t they?

  Zander’s fists clenched on the rail. “Let’s focus on getting your sword fixed and finding the Shifters that hurt Carson and his wife. We can’t let Shifters out there go on rampages. Miles also saw Shifters brutalizing others, so there’s something wrong, and it’s been going on for a while.”

  “Fine by me,” Rae said, but she couldn’t make herself let go of Zander’s arm. “How are we supposed to find them? Stand in the woods and call out for any feral Shifters to come on by?”

  “Ha. Leave the comedy to me, sweetheart. No, we’re going to find them with technology. What do you know about the Guardian Network?”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  “I don’t know anything about it,” Rae said, bewildered. “I know it exists but no one gave me the password or anything. I don’t think the other Guardians want me near it.”

  “We’ll ask them,” Zander said, a resolute light in his eyes. “You’re a Guardian, Little Wolf, whether the other Shifters on the planet like it or not. Take the power and run with it. Guardians have access to knowledge the rest of us grunt Shifters never see—and to be honest, most of us don’t care. You’re of the lineage of the first crop of Guardians gathered in Ireland back in the fourteenth century. Your sword has been handed down to you from the first Guardian who swung it.” He gestured to the hilt on Rae’s back.

  “But I broke it,” Rae reminded him. “I used the sword wrong and I broke it. Maybe that means the Goddess takes back her choice.”

  “Nah,” Zander said. “With the Goddess there’s no backsies. You’re Guardian, and the rest of the world has to get used to it. Tell the Guardians to suck it up and let you into the database.”

  Rae’s heart beat faster. He was always so sure. “Just like that?”

  “Why not? Guardians are weird and full of themselves.”

  A laugh left Rae’s mouth. “Thanks a lot. Anyway, so are you.”

  “Everyone Goddess-touched is,” Zander said, unoffended. “Didn’t Daragh ever look you up in the database? Figure out your lineage?”

  “If he did, he never found anything.” Daragh had never come to her and given her any kind of revelation.

  “Or, he just didn’t tell you. Maybe he saw you had come from a Guardian line and kept that to himself.”

  “Daragh wouldn’t . . .” Rae stopped herself saying, lie to me. Daragh had sometimes been an enigma. He might have been troubled by what he discovered and said nothing in order to protect her. Or, more likely, he hadn’t found anything at all.

  “Want to go back to your Shiftertown?” Zander asked.

  Rae jerked her attention to him. “What are you talking about? I’m supposed to be learning how to be Guardian. That will take the rest of my life, right?”

  Zander turned his back to the railing, resting his elbows on it. “There’s more going on here than the Goddess Choosing the first female Guardian, Little Wolf. You drew the short straw for a reason and I’d like to know why. We’ll go to your Shiftertown, grill your dad, and then call a gathering of the Guardians.”

  He looked so casual saying that—Let’s question the authority of a Shiftertown leader and then tell the Guardians we want to talk to them. All of them.

  “You’re crazy,” Rae said.

  “It’s your right, Little Wolf. Guardians get to call a moot. Which is a very old word for meeting. Any time they want, about anything they want. Doesn’t happen often, because a true Summoning forces Shifters to come whether they wish to or not. It’s painful. So you might ask them to volunteer before you invoke a Summoning.”

  “Seriously, seriously crazy.” The Summoning was rarely used these days. Only clan leaders and Guardians could invoke it, and they did so sparingly. Once the compulsion to obey wore off those who’d been Summoned, the clan leader would have to deal with some very pissed-off Shifters.

  “I know I’m crazy,” Zander answered calmly. “It lets me get away with a lot of shit. So does being a healer. We live outside the rules.”

  “Yeah, you’re a badass,” Rae said. He was telling her how much power she had now, power she’d never dreamed of as a clan-less young Lupine. It shook her.

  Zander’s eyes held promise. “Someday I’ll show you just how bad I am, sweetheart.”

  “Sure,” Rae said, deadpan. “Can’t wait.” She frowned. “I don’t know much about you at all, actually. You came from the Shetlands, you love Alaska, being a healer is hard on you, and you like to fish. That’s it.”

  Zander’s look turned guarded. “What else is there to know?”

  Everything. Rae wanted to learn what made him laugh or grow sad, whether he liked action movies or sappy ones, what he liked to eat—besides fish and sandwiches—how he’d met Piotr, who his other friends were, and had he ever fallen in love? Zander was old enough that he might have had a mate, though he didn’t hold the profound sorrow of one with a severed mate bond, so maybe not. But he must have had a girlfriend or a lover before this—maybe that was why he preferred being alone, to nurse his sorrow.

  All that information might be in the Guardian database.

  “All right,” Rae said abruptly. “The Guardians do need to let me into the database. I’m one of them now, whether they like it or not.”

  Zander’s grin returned. “That’s my girl.”

  Rae warmed under his smile—which was large like everything else about him. “I’m not your girl, you big lug.”

  She’d meant it to be teasing but Zander lost his amusement. He swung around and had his hands on either side of her on the railing before she could draw another breath.

  “Yes, you are my girl,” he said in a rapid voice. “Don’t you forget it.” His eyes held ferocity as he gazed straight into hers.

  Zander curved over Rae, trapping her in place, but she had no desire to duck under him and run. The sword, still on her back, pressed into her shoulder blades.

  Rae reached up and touched his face.

  Zander’s growl turned savage. He bent to her, his hands never leaving the rail, and he kissed her.

  His body was warm, cutting the chill from the wind and water. The boat swayed but Zander held Rae firmly, his mouth opening hers. The sword’s sheath against her back kept her stiffly upright.

  Rae’s blood fired, the mating frenzy never far. It wasn’t going to go away, that frenzy. Not before it was sated.

  Rae moved her hands to his hard shoulders, then his chest, then his abdomen. Zander’s kiss turned fierce, robbing her of breath. Rae slid her hands to his waistband, everything he had in easy reach under the thin sweats.

  Zander broke the kiss and jerked his head up, his teeth scraping her lips. His was breathing hard, his cheekbones flushed.

  “No, no, no, we won’t go down that road again, Little Wolf. We’ll burn up.”

  “I don’t care,” Rae said softly. She cupped his cock through the sweatpants, heart racing as she found him hard, big, and wanting.

  Zander pushed himself from her and slammed against the wall of the cabins. “I care,” he said, the words coming out stiffly. “If I don’t back off, I’ll be going for a swim in icy waters again. Unless you want another cold shower?”

  His eyes glinted with so much heat and mischief that Rae wanted to laugh. He’d do it. Zander took a step toward her as though ready to haul her off to the showers right now.

  Rae drew the top half of the broken sword and held it in a defensive stance. “Back off, bear.”

  Zander snarled. The rumble tore out of him, full of anger and mating frenzy, and Rae held the sword more firmly.

  “Put it away,” Zander said. “Get your ass back to the stern for some more training. You need it. I’ll be
there in a minute.”

  Rae watched him in suspicion, not trusting that he wouldn’t drag her to the showers the moment her back was turned. Zander didn’t move, one hand on the wall, as he waited for her to go.

  Rae backed away slowly, putting a few yards between them before she slid the sword into its sheath and turned toward the stern deck.

  When she looked around again, Zander had vanished. In his place was a pile of clothing and, a moment later, Rae heard a loud splash from somewhere in the bow. Water fountained up and Zander was gone.

  * * *

  Zander had been correct that Miles would know places to drop them off on the coast where they wouldn’t have to worry about port authorities, customs, police, or anything else that would slow them down. He needed a quiet place with an airstrip—or at least a place to land—so the cargo plane pilot he’d called could pick them up.

  Miles had been able to put in near Juneau, as he’d wanted, to resupply. Zander, Ezra, and Rae had stayed out of sight and Carson had not made a noise. Carson had been subdued since Rae had found out about his wife. He didn’t speak much when Zander brought his food but at least Carson was eating the food now without fuss.

  Zander made many phone calls and arrangements while they’d waited for Miles to finish restocking. Zander was anxious to take Rae home and get her into the Guardian’s database. The Guardian Network held the secrets of the ages—it might tell them how to put the sword back together, where Rae came from, and how to find the out-of-control Shifters who’d hurt Carson’s wife.

  Might, Zander reminded himself. Or the database might hold nothing but menus for all-Guardian parties. Who the hell knew?

  The human pilot Zander had contacted landed in a seaplane in a little harbor Miles sailed into that housed a fishing and hunting resort. Miles moored as close as he could to the plane and Marlo, the pilot, cut his engines and waited for them.

  Rae was ready, the backpack of her things Ezra had transferred from Zander’s boat in her hand. The sword gleamed on her back as she waited for Miles to lower the small speedboat that would take them to the seaplane.

  Zander had resumed his usual jeans, sweatshirt, and duster, ready to quit the high seas. Ezra waited next to him to board the speedboat, the Lupine also looking as though he’d had enough of the ocean.

  “Miles,” Zander said as Miles finished cranking the boat into the water. “Come with us. I’ll introduce you to some Shifters who’ll show you it’s not so bad being one of us.” He tried a grin. “As soon as I figure out who they are.”

  Miles shook his head, dark eyes haunted. “I gotta look after this boat. Carson and I own it together and I’m the only one who knows how to run it.”

  Zander shrugged, pretending he understood, but Miles’s loneliness and worry reached out to him. Jake the Snake was staying with Miles, the reptile preferring the freedom of shipboard life to stifling in Zander’s pocket. But Miles, in the long run, would need more company than a snake.

  Zander wouldn’t force the man into an embrace this time. They were out on open deck and Miles looked as though he feared Zander hugging him more than he feared being caught as a Shifter.

  Rae had no such compunction. She threw her arms around Miles’s waist and held him hard. “Thank you,” she said. “Thank you for helping us.”

  Miles might not have wanted to hug a loud, annoying bear, but Rae was hard to resist. Miles put his big arms around her in return. “That’s all right, honey. You gonna be okay with him?”

  Rae nodded. “I think so. What about you?”

  “I’ll survive,” Miles said, resolute. “I always do. Hey, you ever need anything from me, you call me, all right?”

  Rae nodded, gave him another squeeze, then released him. “I’ll do that.”

  Zander moved to Rae to help her into the boat, where Ezra had already jumped. Ezra had softened way down too. Rae had that effect on people.

  Carson’s bag landed in the speedboat and Carson followed. He was tightlipped but had announced last night that he’d take up Zander’s offer to help him find the Shifters responsible for putting his wife into a coma. Rae had gotten to him too.

  Zander said a final good-bye to Miles, handed his swords to Rae, then swarmed down into the boat and took them back from her. She didn’t smile but her eyes were warm. She was heading in the direction of home, and she was happy.

  Miles waved as Zander revved the speedboat and steered them carefully away from the larger craft. Rae sat down and waved back at Miles, her smile beaming.

  The seaplane was small but the four of them fit themselves into the cramped passenger seats without fuss. There were single chairs with an aisle between, so Zander couldn’t sit right next to Rae. He sat directly behind her instead, where he could keep an eye on her as well as on Carson.

  Marlo talked to whoever regulated the airspace around here and soon had them up and away.

  An hour or so later, Marlo touched down on a lake somewhere in Canada, returned the seaplane to the friend from whom he’d borrowed it, and loaded them onto his cargo plane. This one was a replacement for the one that had gone down a few years ago but it was as old and clanging as the last one, not a comforting thought. Marlo had survived, the thin man as wiry and energetic as ever, so maybe that was comforting. Marlo seemed indestructible.

  This plane was larger but didn’t have seats other than the copilot’s chair. Zander sat on the floor in the back next to Rae, she leaning against him as the trip grew long.

  It was just past sunset when Marlo landed at an airstrip far from any town. He’d radioed ahead, and a Shifter Zander didn’t know picked them up outside the tiny hangar.

  Rae knew him though. She’d been snuggled into Zander’s side, her scent and warmth delightful, but as she walked sleepily off the plane and saw the Shifter, she came instantly alert. Dropping everything, she ran at the stranger and leapt into his arms.

  The Shifter was Feline, Zander saw as he scooped up Rae’s backpack and sword and followed. He smelled Rae’s scent on the Feline as well.

  Rae wrapped herself around the Shifter, jammed a kiss to his face, and laughed out loud. “Goddess, Colin, it is so good to see you!”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  “You’ve only been gone a week,” the Feline said, a hint of an Irish accent coming forth. He embraced Rae warmly and returned the kiss.

  “Is that all? Feels like forever.” Rae reluctantly climbed down and turned to Zander. “This is Zander Moncrieff. Zander, this is my brother Colin.”

  Brother. Ah. Zander relaxed but only slightly. Rae and Colin might have been raised as brother and sister, but they weren’t related by blood. Weren’t even the same species.

  Colin was holding on to Rae pretty tightly—but that didn’t necessarily mean anything more than family affection. Shifters liked embracing for comfort and support.

  Colin stretched out a hand in greeting to Zander without letting go of Rae. “I thought bears didn’t have last names.”

  “Everyone says that.” Zander grasped Colin’s wrist and Colin’s fingers bit down on Zander’s forearm with strength. The usual Shifter greeting was an embrace, even a wary one, but the arm squeeze was accepted when the Shifter’s hands were full.

  “So my dad dumped Rae on you, did he?” Colin asked as he released Zander. He had a wide smile and dark eyes, his light brown hair the same shade as his father’s. Mountain lions who’d raised a wolf cub. Shiftertowns made weird combinations happen. “I feel for you, man,” Colin was saying. “She’s wild, is our Rae. No wonder you’re rushing her back home.”

  “Shut it, Colin.” Rae gave him a light punch but she had so much happiness in her eyes Zander felt like he was the one who’d been smacked in the gut.

  Zander broke in. “I’m rushing her home because there’s shit going on your dad needs to know about.”

  “Like how the Coast Guard was chasing you around?” Colin’s smile left him and his eyes narrowed. “We heard about that.” His protectiveness closed around Rae
like a fist.

  Zander didn’t ask how he’d known. Reports of Shifters being pursued in Alaskan waters would have reached Eoin somehow. Shifter leaders had a lot of resources.

  “We need to go,” Zander said impatiently. “I hope you didn’t broadcast that Rae was coming back. I don’t want hostile Shifters waiting for us in your Shiftertown.”

  “I think Dad knows how to take care of Rae,” Colin said. “Oh, and that Lupine you wanted from Austin is on his way. He thought it was a good idea to tell Dad he was coming.”

  Rae finally stepped away from her brother and reached for her backpack and sword. “What Lupine?” she asked Zander.

  Her eyes held annoyance that Zander hadn’t told her about all the arrangements he’d made before they’d left the boat. However, Zander didn’t want to discuss it out here in front of Colin, Marlo, and whatever Shifters could be listening. Eoin and her brothers might have kept it quiet Rae was returning, but Shifters were good at knowing what was going on.

  “This is Carson,” Zander said instead of answering. “He’s a bounty hunter but I’m vouching for him. Ezra’s a Lupine who needs somewhere to chill for a while. And he needs a mate. Introduce him around, all right?”

  He started walking to the only vehicle on the edge of the field, a black pickup with a four-door cab.

  “What Lupine?” Rae asked as she hurried to catch up with Zander.

  Zander kept walking. “Guy I know who can look at the sword. I was trying not to say it too loud.”

  Rae sent him her gray glare. “In that case, you could have told me before we got here.”

  “I didn’t have a chance. Besides, you’re cute when you yell at me.”

  Rae gave him a snarl, pushed past him, and ran to the truck. Watching her hips sway as she went wasn’t a bad thing at all.