by Lucy Farago
She had the same opinion about sand and beaches. “So, your parents eloped but never got to say their I do’s?” After he’d gotten her to proclaim he was the best lover she’d ever had, Loki had confided his parents’ ill-fated love story.
“Inside the pack, there are strict rules about mating. And my grandfather wasn’t council leader. He was ruler of the western pacts.”
She now understood his disdain for organized leadership. Loki was a prince. A prince to a pack who’d torn his mother away from her true love and married her off to a brutally abusive man. Then they’d turned their back on her…on him. She died protecting him from that man, someone who hadn’t thought her child wasn’t worthy of living with the pack.
“The world evolved, they didn’t,” he said, putting his hand over hers as she hugged his waist. “They chose a man right for the pack but wrong for my mother. They have this out-dated theory that their reasoning is why we’ve been around for so long.”
“You don’t buy into that?” Given her kind was on the verge of disappearing, she wasn’t so sure the Siberians hadn’t gotten it right. At least in part. They’d made a terrible mistake, a deadly mistake. But still, they thrived. It was scary to think that soon there could be nothing left of her species.
“I don’t know, and I don’t care. As soon as I was old enough, I enlisted and never looked back.”
He’d explained how his mother had been coerced into leaving his father at the altar. Unbeknownst to anyone, she was pregnant. She’d been guilted by her own father, with what Loki had believed was some bullshit excuse of family honor and duty. Mia now understood Loki’s visceral reaction to her telling him her plans with Josh. He’d thought she, too, was allowing family loyalty to rule above all else. And in a way, she guessed she was.
His parents, Loki said, were mated, and that bond, like a tightly woven weave, linked them physically and spiritually, forever. A part of her had to wonder. Loki told her he’d been afraid he wouldn’t reach her on time. Had he known she was in trouble? And if so, how did she feel about that?
“Did you join the army because of your father?” she asked, pressing her face against Loki’s back, the sound of his beating heart against her ear a reminder of how close she’d come to losing him.
“I thought I would learn something about him. He spoke so highly of his military life in the journals my uncle gave me.”
His father had felt the change in Loki’s mother but had only learned the truth about the baby after her death. He’d joined the military, needing to fight something, anything, when he couldn’t fight for his love. That distance, however, had prevented him from helping her when she needed him the most. He never got over it and volunteered for every dangerous mission until his last one got him killed.
“I’m sorry,” she said, even though the words were never enough. She had a distant recollection of those words. A room full of strangers. Platitudes up the wazoo. Smelly flowers and homemade casseroles she’d refused to eat. And something else. An elusive memory better left unremembered.
Feeling the need to change the subject, she asked, “Any idea where the Sasquatch went?”
“Not entirely. But I mapped the fires. Looks to me like he’s heading somewhere higher up into the mountains. If we follow his trajectory, maybe we’ll get lucky.”
They ducked in unison under a low-hanging branch, each engrossed with their own thoughts for the rest of the way.
Every so often, they’d catch the scent of what she’d been unceremoniously told to not refer to as, funky dog. But it had this odd, earthy aroma. If not for the sulphur, which they now knew to be the shifter’s fire-breathing, they’d have considered the scent not unpleasant, simply wild-like in nature. With every charred tree they passed, their excitement grew. The ATV had allowed them to climb higher and faster than she’d thought possible. Sleek in design, it was able to manoeuvre through the thick forest but had power enough to take them up rocky terrain. Loki truly was a genius engineer.
“We’re getting closer.”
He was right. Not only were the destroyed trees evidence of that, but it felt or smelled like the entire landscape had been exposed to rotten eggs. If this was Mastermind’s handiwork, what the hell had he hoped to accomplish by making the creature stink?
Then, without warning, the trail went cold. They found themselves surrounded by healthy growth, and while the smell still lingered, most likely embedded in their clothing and throats, nature now won out over that foul stench.
Loki stopped the ATV. “Something’s wrong. It’s like he dropped off the face of the earth.”
Mia had another idea. “Or in it.” She patted his back and dismounted, wanting to talk to him face to face.
“What are you talking about?”
“The province made sure to barricade old gold or coal shafts, but what if he found one?”
Loki nodded appreciatively. “Smart kitty. You think he’s underground?”
“I’m not sure if it’s him or our clothes I’m picking up.” The stench had been that bad. “But it’s not as pronounced. And the trees are healthy. He’s either gone up…” She pointed upward, “Or…” She pointed down.
Loki dismounted and retrieved their aerial maps from the compartment under the seat. “We’re in luck,” he said after he examined the satellite images and then passed them to Mia. “There are two old shafts in the area, but only one on the route we’re following.”
“Cool,” she said, handing it back to him. “What are we waiting for?”
“A plan,” he said, marvelling at her eagerness to tangle with the fire-breathing hairball again, given he’d nearly baked her alive. Although she didn’t know it, she was lucky he’d mated to her. The first flickers of her panic had hastened her heartbeat. He’d kicked himself for having given her the space she seemed to want. And because of that, no way would they charge into an unknown situation.
“We go into the shaft and find him.”
“Really? That’s your plan?” It wasn’t a very good one.
“Do you have a better one?” she asked, remounting the ATV.
He did. She would stay here, and he’d go after the Sasquatch. But knowing she wouldn’t see things his way, when they reached the shaft, he tried a different approach.
“Let me go in first.” He raised a hand when she started to object. “Let’s see if I can flush him out. Better that you be outside to catch him. Right?” There’d be nothing left to catch, but she didn’t need to know that. Any creature who dared hurt her wasn’t going to be around long enough to try again.
She folded her arms across her chest. “And when he turns you into a burnt Sunday dinner, then I go in and kill him?”
She was cute when she got all smart-mouthed. “You leave on the ATV and wait for backup.” They’d been apprising Cooper of their progress, and another team had been prepared to assist. “Then you can send Sasquatch a thank-you note for ridding you of me.”
“You are one sick asshole, you know that?” she said, all the humor between them gone. “And we do this together, or not at all.”
Together. Two days ago, he’d have laughed at the idea. “Look, I know you’re capable of taking care of yourself, but this freak can blow fire. Remember what happened the last time—”
“Yes. I especially enjoyed your imitation of a skinned rug.”
Well, she wasn’t wrong there. “Right. I didn’t see it coming. Shit, I don’t think he saw it coming. He looked confused.” He paused, trying to find the right word to describe the erratic behavior and couldn’t. “I don’t think he’s right in the head.”
“Did you read the report Cooper gave us?” she asked, pretty much accusing him of not following protocol.
The joke was on her. He’d read half. “My point is we won’t know what he’ll do next.”
“Right, so better to give him two targets instead of one,” she said, running into the mineshaft before he could stop her.
Damn, the woman was fast. He prayed her speed and
agility kept her alive.
The abandoned tunnel was exactly as expected, his night vision making everything more eerie, creepy. Timbers shored the walls, and a dank stink hovered like old lady perfume. Spiders had created the perfect setting for a B-rated horror flick, hanging gauzy sheets from every corner and ledge. As they carefully picked their way over fallen stones and dirt, he was grateful for one thing. While he could smell the bat droppings—sometimes toxic to humans—Mia and Loki’s presence didn’t create a frenzy of fuzzy flying vampires. Perhaps something else had beaten them to the bats? He grabbed Mia’s arm and held her back.
Keeping his voice low, he said, “You should let me lead.”
“Why, because you’re a man?”
“No, because I’m bigger and less agile than you. If his attention is on me, maybe we’ll get lucky and you can sneak up from behind.” Plus, he was the man.
Scowling, she let him lead.
Despite their hundred and twenty-odd years, the hand-hewn beams did what they’d been intended to do. But unless there was some underground spring, the heat level was disturbing. “Do you feel that?”
“It should be colder in here.”
Loki debated going back. He wanted to catch this shifter, but not at the expense of his mate. He’d opened his mouth to say something he was sure Mia would give him grief over when the shaft gave way to a central expanse, from which three more tunnels snaked through the mountain.
“Which way?”
She’d given him the perfect opportunity to suggest back the way they’d come, but she cut him off by answering his own question. Mia pointed to the second tunnel to their right.
“Can you smell it?”
“Sulphur.”
It wasn’t abnormal in old mining shafts, but that dissipated once they’d passed the mouth of the tunnel. Now, the earthy sour odour had returned. Their prey was close. Every instinct told him to keep Mia behind him, but she’d already drawn her weapon. Determination and, most likely, revenge for nearly being roasted turned her eyes gold. Was it wrong to think she looked hot as hell?
“You look pretty hot yourself,” she said, running her index finger down the center of his chest and to his belt buckle. “After we extinguish this guy, I’ll show you how hot.” She gave him a sly, sexy grin.
Caught completely off guard, he was slow to react, and by the time he did, Mia had disappeared down the second tunnel. He hurried to catch up, telling himself to forget what had just happened. She hadn’t heard his thoughts in human form. She’d surely just read it on his face. There was, after all, no mistaking a horny man. Later. He’d confront her later.
Soon, warm water submerged his boots. He caught sight of Mia as she rounded the corner, too far ahead to risk shouting for her to stop. They had the element of surprise, and with this shifter, they’d need it. A woman’s shriek changed everything. He ran, water soaking his socks.
The shaft opened into yet another open area, some thirty feet square. The man they hunted sat on his haunches in one corner, staring down the barrel of Mia’s gun. Every hair on Loki’s neck prickled. At any moment, the asshole could open his mouth and roast Mia. And yet he didn’t. In fact, he…shook…scared as shit…or worse. He reminded Loki of the addicts he’d seen, strung out, or in withdrawal.
“Mia?”
It was a mistake. She unwisely turned her head, took her eyes off the experimented-on, dangerous Sasquatch. Everything after that was all a blur. The gun being slapped out of her hands, causing her to accidentally fire it. The bullet, striking a support beam when the beast unfolded his behemoth frame, eclipsing Mia. Loki remembered his feet, propelling him forward, just as a horrendous crack snapped the musty air. And then, the ceiling split, giving the mountain free rein to claim them.
9
Loki choked out Mia’s name. Ears ringing, he found himself flat on his belly, legs pinned but relatively pain-free. He pushed himself onto his knees, surprised how easily earth and timber fell away. Perhaps it wasn’t so bad after all. He blinked, his night vision unable to see beyond the dust and still cascading dirt.
“Mia.”
He quickly scanned what remained of the shaft. No Mia. When he saw the pile of wood, stone, and, fuck, mountain, he nearly broke down. He told himself not to panic. It would do her no good. Instead, he assessed the situation. Picking the wrong stone could prove fatal…if she’d even survived. His heart pounding, but determined to find her, he chose a large timber from the top and tossed it aside. With each piece of debris he freed, he called her name. Afraid to listen to his instinct, fearing it would tell him she was dead, he did the next best thing. I’ll find you, Mia. Hold on.
It was foolish to think she’d hear him. But if she could, at least she’d know he was trying to find her. It was enough to keep digging, to ignore the sharp stones cutting his hands and breaking his fingernails, to push past his straining muscles and lift more. I’m here, Mia. Hold on. He repeated it over and over again, channelling the mantra through the insurmountable pile of debris. Each long minute took a bigger piece of him until he couldn’t take it anymore. He took a leap of faith and listened.
His breath caught on the first beat of her heart. She was alive. But not only alive. Conscious.
Loki, can you hear me?
I can hear you, he told her, I’m coming. It hadn’t been one colossal joke on him. She’d heard him. She was his mate, and he was hers. And he sure as fuck wasn’t going to let some fucking mountain take her. He kept digging until his swollen fingers grew numb, until his back threatened to split, until the mound started to move on its own. Until, from underneath the stone and soil, hair emerged.
He reached for it and froze. It wasn’t Mia but the Sasquatch rising to all fours. He was on the verge of shifting when he heard her.
Loki, it’s okay. I’m here. And from beneath the hairy creature crawled out the sweetest lynx, the one he was never happier to see.
She jumped into his arms, licking his face as she transformed back into the woman he’d fallen in love with. “Good dog,” she said, locking her arms around him. “I knew you were too stubborn to let me die.”
She’d been in lynx form. But he’d heard her. That wasn’t supposed to happen. “Are you all right?” he asked, sliding his hands over her body, looking for broken bones.
“Hey, quit copping a feel. We’re not alone.”
Sobering, he climbed to his feet and set Mia down behind him. The Sasquatch shook his mangy fur, littering the air with more dirt and tiny pebbles. And then to Loki’s surprise, and the look of horror on the shifter’s face, the hunched-over Sasquatch covered his mouth with both hands and squatted into a ball.
“What’s he doing?” Loki said, utterly confused by his behavior.
“Probably trying not to torch the shit out of us. Come on.” She grabbed Loki’s hand. “Let’s get out of here before she does.”
She?
When they made it out, Loki asked again, “Are you sure you’re okay? Before the collapse, I heard you scream.”
“That wasn’t me,” Mia said, taking the T-shirt he offered. “That was her.”
“He’s a she?”
“Yup. I don’t have all of the story. She was a little…frazzled…and afraid of releasing another firebomb. But he’s a she.”
Two seconds later, the shifter emerged, and Loki jumped in front of Mia.
“Stop doing that. One, it’s not cool. Two, she isn’t dangerous.”
But when the Sasquatch opened her mouth, Mia gave Loki a hard enough shove that together they rolled to the ground as a loud achoo was followed by another tree succumbing to flames. What the friggin’ fuck?
Pushing himself onto his elbows, Loki glanced between the burning tree and the Sasquatch.
“She has a cold,” Mia said, as if that were an explanation.
“Sow-wee,” the Sasquatch said, shoulders hunched as if that would make her smaller.
“That’s okay, Ester. It’s not your fault.” Mia rose to her feet. Sadly, the T-sh
irt fell, covering all those delicious lady parts.
The Sasquatch could talk. “Is someone going to explain?” Loki stood, making sure he kept enough distance between them and whatever this was.
“I hab a cold,” Ester repeated on a sniff.
Loki rubbed the back of his neck, wondering what he’d done to deserve this.
“When she sneezes, she breathes fire,” Mia explained. “Mastermind’s accidental doing.”
Well, how inconvenient. “Okay, shift and let’s talk.” He didn’t want to be offensive, but she was nearly two feet taller than him, and it made him all sorts of uncomfortable.
Clasping her hands behind her back, she ducked her head with a shake.
Understanding, he headed for the ATV to see if he had a T-shirt big enough to fit her.
“No,” she told him. “I…I can’t shift. Wis I could. Buweave me, I wis I could. But I can’t.”
Mia’s warm hand on his arm drew his attention. “She’s…she’s…” Mia lowered her voice. “She’s in heat.”
Huh? “How do you know? I mean, you weren’t alone long before I found you holding a gun to her.”
“After the cave-in, when you were digging us out, we talked. If Ester hadn’t used her own body to shield mine, I’d be flatter than your sense of humor on Monday mornings.”
“That’s not fair. You crashed one of my golf carts.” He remembered wanting to strangle her. They weren’t intended for joy rides after raucous Saturday night karaoke.
“I didn’t crash it. Just sort of parked it…in a creek bed. Now stop interrupting me. Ester saved my life. Or doesn’t that mean anything to you?” she asked, her tone saucy, as if she hadn’t brought up that Monday morning.
That cart had been a new prototype, and they’d argued over it for weeks. But he shuddered to think what would have happened if he hadn’t gotten to Mia on time. “Thank you, Ester, for saving her life. I’ll be forever indebted to you.”
