by Dianna Love
Baatar would know that message and post a reply ... unless he’d failed to reach Portland by now. Based on what Hector of the Black River pack had said, Baatar had escaped after she had, as he’d intended.
That would have been Saturday morning and today was Thursday, which would have given him enough time, if he’d also had money in hand when he escaped.
Or he could be somewhere alone, suffering a seizure or mental breakdown with no one to watch over him.
After giving the thumbtack one more hard press, she stepped back with her heart thumping wildly.
Please let Baatar see this, even though it will mean disappointing Rory.
After those stolen hours with Rory in the little motel and the many miles they’d traveled, she’d begun facing a new problem. She didn’t want to walk away from Rory. Yes, she would love to live free with Baatar, but she didn’t want to give up Rory.
But if she stayed with Rory, Baatar would be captured.
Sure, Rory and his people meant well, but the memory of two magic users kidnapping her from a hospital room secured by a locked steel door remained vivid in her mind.
“Need anything from the store before we go?” Rory asked.
To know the future would be nice.
To have more time with Rory would be even better.
She drank in how hot he looked with his dark brown hair mussed by the wind and that sexy body hidden beneath a long-sleeved navy pullover he’d left loose over his jeans.
The weather had been refreshingly cool, which had to be why Baatar chose this place.
He said he wanted to live where it snowed.
She’d need more than the jeans and the knit pullover she wore to survive snow. Boots would be nice. For now, she enjoyed her sneakers. Not so much the cap.
She’d nearly forgotten what it was like to walk around with her hair loose.
“Siofra?” Rory said her name softly as if it was his secret name for her.
“I don’t need anything. We should leave.”
He walked at her side as they left.
She’d explained to Rory when they arrived that she had to wait until early morning to post a coded message. That meant she got another amazing night with him, because she could not return until tomorrow morning to see if Baatar had been there and left her a message.
Baatar had read about this area and this store in a magazine article on his flight from China.
His English was basic, but he’d understood enough to remember the details he’d shared with her.
The magic user delivering Baatar to the Cadell camp had warned he’d kill the entire airplane of innocents if Baatar made any attempt to escape. It would have been difficult to try since they had titanium cuffs on Baatar’s wrists and documentation that showed him as an international fugitive being delivered to the United States.
Baatar had said the trip over made him sick constantly. His insides churned and twisted no matter how hard he worked to be calm.
Maybe his power caused him to react. Could that be behind Siofra’s issues when she’d flown in the helicopter?
Sunshine gave a sparkle to everything. She cupped her hand over her eyes and turned her face up to the warmth. After so many months in the heat of Texas, she embraced the weather up here.
“You said we have to wait until tomorrow morning to check for his message, right?” Rory asked.
She nodded. “He told me to be very careful in case anyone was tracking one or both of us. I can’t alter our contact plan without putting him at risk.”
“That means we have a day to burn. What do you want to do?” Rory asked as they strolled toward the old port.
“I don’t care. As long as we stay in the area, but nowhere around this store, we’re good.”
“Let’s kill a little time walking around, then I’ve got a place for lunch.”
She’d come to realize Rory enjoyed showing her new things, like this morning when he took her to a diner called Betty’s, which had been busy even very early. He clearly liked walking and the restaurant hadn’t been far from their hotel. In fact, everything seemed close enough to reach on foot, so she hadn’t minded leaving his sport utility parked.
Even along the way from Spartanburg to Portland, Rory had stopped at rest areas, showing her the beautiful settings where people could just stop to use a clean bathroom and stretch their legs while their kids and animals played.
Now he had something else in mind? She asked, “Where are we going for lunch?”
“It depends on whether you have a phobia about water,” he said, angling them through a quaint shopping area.
She told him, “I don’t have phobias.”
“You don’t fly.”
“Phobia sounds like a disease. I just don’t like to fly.” She shrugged with a grin.
Instead of scowling, as he would have when they first met, he just chuckled and said, “Got it. So you’re okay on a boat?”
She gave him a big smile. “I have always wanted to ride on a boat.”
Once they took in the shops along the way to the docks, he led her to where he bought two tickets for a ferry ride to Peaks Island. When he pointed out the island, she felt relief at being able to easily see it. Perfect. She’d remain close to Portland, yet go on a small adventure.
Since she was too excited to pay attention, he had to keep guiding her this way and that until they were standing at the front of the ferry when it departed the dock. Rory explained how Peak’s Island was a small community. A five-mile race was held each year on a road that circled the island.
She’d been leaning back against his chest, standing between arms he braced on the rail. Her eyes were closed, letting her feel everything, like the cool wind that brushed her face. A nice breeze, but not strong enough to dislodge her cap.
She mused, “I would like to run a race one day. I’m not fast like Ba ... my brother, but I would train to do that.”
“Really? Why?”
She opened her eyes to see they were almost to the island. “I read everything I could get my hands on and one magazine had a story about local road races. I know there are big competitions in different areas, but those local races sounded more like community fun than a brutal competition. I’m not a runner, but they had one-mile races for kids. I’d like to see that one day. I started teaching the children in one camp to run, only because I could keep up with them.” She laughed. “I made up a race for a quarter mile and I sewed prizes for them. They enjoyed it.”
He kissed her neck and she sighed.
Such a loving guy. Even when he got grumpy, she enjoyed him.
Rory said, “You’ll be a great mother some day.”
She tensed. “I will never be a mother of my own child, but if I ever get the chance to live a normal life and choose a job, I will care for children and maybe adopt some.”
“But you’d like to have your own.”
Her heart sighed. She admitted, “Yes, but I can love any child.”
“They could be wrong about you,” he said, so determined to make her happy even now. “If they are, I’ve screwed up big-time by not using a condom.”
“Maybe, but I’ve proven them correct time and again.” She refused to think about her inability to become pregnant when she was about to have another stolen moment. “We’re here.”
He backed up and let her head for the exit with him right behind her.
Once the handful of cars drove off, people departed with the group spreading out along the long dock leading to the island. She envied these humans, assuming most, if not all, were. Even if some shifters were secretly mixed in, they still had normal lives.
They had the freedom to come and go, to choose how to live.
A gust of wind lifted her hat.
She grabbed at it, but missed.
Rory lunged and caught it, then looked around at everyone before placing the cap on her head and tucking her hair out of sight. “No problem. No one was paying attention,” he reassured her.
He
r heart continued having a little cardio workout for a few more steps.
She noticed a number of couples holding hands and reached over to snag Rory’s, weaving her fingers with his. He startled, then folded his hand around her smaller one.
That hint of a smile lifted the corner of his lips.
She enjoyed making him happy. He’d been giving her experiences she might never get the opportunity for again.
And he would be the reason she found Baatar if all this went as planned.
She’d have to talk to Baatar about shifters. He’d argue, but he was an intelligent man and he’d listen to her. In a perfect world, she’d find a way to keep Rory as hers to give joy to every day. But her world was far from perfect.
She would have to settle for making children happy if she had that opportunity. Any time she could put a smile on a child’s face, her heart grew a little stronger and more content. She’d missed having kids at the last camp, but only for a fleeting moment, thrilled to see no children captive when she’d arrived.
He squeezed her hand gently. “Ready for lobster?”
Her stomach growled right on time. “Clearly, yes. How many can I have?”
“I’ll buy as many as you can eat as long as you stop before you get sick.”
“I won’t get sick. I would never waste food or anything you did for me.”
He paused at the entrance to a quaint restaurant humming with activity, and gave her one of his long looks before opening the door.
The meal turned out to be as amazing as everything else they’d done, plus she got him to talk of the things he’d enjoyed growing up.
“I couldn’t play football, so I took up baseball,” he said and chomped down on another bite of his pie.
“Why not football?” She stole a bite of his dessert and licked her lips after she ate it.
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Lick your lips like that or we’ll make a scene when I clear this table and bend you over it.” He leaned close, saying, “That way I can push in deep and have both hands free to enjoy your lovely titties.”
She fisted her hands to keep from rubbing her sensitive breasts that perked up with just that suggestion.
Rory’s gaze dropped to them and he gave her a knowing smile. He inhaled deeply. “Ah, your unique perfume.”
He was talking about her arousal.
She looked around the room nervously until he said, “There are no other shifters in here. Your sexy little secret is safe with me ... until I get you alone.”
Narrowing her eyes at him, she warned, “You should be careful what you start and fail to finish. I’m a determined woman who may surprise you ... when we’re not alone. I might decide to lick you up and down instead of getting the ice cream I’d had in mind.”
He muttered a soft curse. “You win. Let’s get out of here.”
She laughed, but had a moment of disappointment when she thought their outing was over.
Silly woman. Her Rory was full of surprises. He suggested they walk around the lower part of the island and follow a loop that was just over two miles.
Now, he took her hand in his, giving her yet another gift she could hold dear forever. But every time he did something wonderful, her determination to leave with Baatar weakened.
She gave herself a stern talk. You are a terrible sister to think of staying with Rory. Baatar needs you. Also, Rory does not want a mate. It’s not like he’ll keep you around once he is done here. Have fun, but don’t forget why you’re here.
With that settled in her mind, she relaxed and soaked up every moment with Rory. Leaving him would hurt, but the longer she stayed, the harder it would be for both of them.
Her body had finally calmed down from his sexy whispers.
Then Rory murmured something sensual and teasing right next to her ear again. If he didn’t stop it soon, she would come the minute he touched her.
She darted into a museum that had umbrella covers. What a clever idea to display unusual sleeves for umbrellas.
He entered right behind her and pulled his sunglasses off. The message in those deep brown and gold eyes said she could run, but he was faster.
They’d just left the museum area and were strolling along the coast highway when Rory became very still. He gently squeezed her hand and said, “Don’t look around, but we’re being followed.”
Adrenaline wiped out all thoughts of sex. “Maybe it’s Baatar and he saw me in town.”
But that didn’t make sense. Baatar would stick to the plan just to keep both of them safe.
Rory sighed. “Not unless he’s a wolf shifter. Be ready to do exactly what I say when I say go.”
Chapter 25
Rory couldn’t figure out what went wrong. There had been no shifters on the ferry. He’d walked the entire boat with Siofra under the guise of showing it to her so that he could be sure there were no unexpected riders.
She clamped her fingers in his hand hard and smelled of fear.
Turning toward her so he faced the coastline, he leaned down smiling and said, “When I point, be sure to look excited.” He lifted his arm to indicate a flock of birds. She turned on a smile that wouldn’t fool anyone up close, but would do, and nodded as if he’d shared something important.
He took that opportunity to scan behind them, but saw no one. Standing back up, he tugged her to the left when he saw an entrance to the wooded area. While the northern half of the island had more neighborhoods, the homes on this end tended to be scattered along the coast road, which left a large chunk of forest.
The predator following them stayed in the edge of the woods. He probably thought it gave him an advantage to remain hidden until he attacked or maybe he was just collecting intel for someone else.
Rory would bet on intel. Shifters in the northeast had been careful not to create problems. An incident on this island would be all over the news, which any local packs would not want.
If their tail belonged to the Black River pack, even better, because they didn’t attack except as a pack and Rory had scented only one.
Either way, if he allowed this shifter to get off the island with information about a white-haired woman and a shifter, this wolf’s pack might have an alert to find Siofra.
Rory would make the wolf meet him on Rory’s terms. He gave Siofra’s hand another squeeze and said in a calm voice, “We’re going into the woods ... now.”
He took a hard left and walked quickly toward the tree line while watching for any humans who might see them. They’d passed a few people outside, but being a Thursday, the tourists were sparse at this end of the island.
When he saw no humans nearby, Rory made his move as quickly as he could without pulling Siofra off her feet. He towed her through the woods until he found a lake, probably a pond, he recalled from a map of the island, which he’d taken a moment to review at the ferry office.
What hadn’t been on the map was whether there were any suitable trees near the water, but the one he spied now was perfect.
Turning to her, he kept his voice barely audible. “See that tree just ahead? I’ll hoist you up, then you climb as far as you can.”
Her eyes got big and she started shaking her head. “I told you ... ”
He kissed her to silence her words. Yes, she’d explained how she was terrified of heights and particularly of being up in a tree, but she was tough.
“I don’t like asking you to do this, baby, but you made it through that helicopter ride. You can do this.”
She jumped into his arms, clinging to him.
Ah, hell, he already hated himself for asking her to climb the tree. Kissing her firmly, he eased her back down and said, “Listen, Siofra. I know this scares you, but don’t look down. You trust me, right?”
“Y-yes.”
“I’ll come for you and I’ll keep you safe, but I need you out of the way while I deal with this shifter. We can’t leave the island until I find out who he is and what he wants.”
/> “Let me stay with you. I’ll help,” she pleaded.
“You’re going to be a terrific help. He’ll follow your scent to this tree and I’ll step in as soon as he shows up. Please, hurry and get up there.”
Backing away, she wrung her hands and stared up at the limbs going up, up, up and looked lost, but being the little badass she was, she turned and put her hands on the trunk.
She grumbled, “Hurry up, before I change my mind.”
Rory gave her a boost to the first limb. She pulled herself up and carefully got to her feet, then climbed another level up and glanced down, moaning.
He waved for her to keep moving. “Don’t stop. Don’t look down.”
Without replying, she turned her head to face upward and nervously worked her way higher.
Damn, he was proud of her.
Ferrell sent him a picture of ripping a wolf to pieces.
Rory muttered, “We don’t know who he is yet.”
That pissed Ferrell off. His cat had been so happy and content, Rory hadn’t even thought about him, but the jaguar battered his insides now.
Rory hissed at the pain and silently warned, Stop it, dammit, or you’ll get Siofra killed.
Never had his cat behaved so quickly.
Ferrell demanded, Protect.
That had been the most selfless word Ferrell had ever given him while agitated. Usually, his jaguar wanted to maim and murder, which was all about making Ferrell happy.
Rory took a couple of breaths to get past the internal pummeling the damn cat had given him and said, Yes. We will protect her if you work with me.
Ferrell calmed, but grudgingly.
With one last glance up to see that Siofra had reached the highest point she could safely climb, Rory cursed himself one more time for asking her to face a personal fear. He had no other choice with no one to help but an island full of humans.
Neither could he shift to fight where a human might see him. It would only cause chaos. The only exception to that rule was if a Gallize shifter needed his animal to survive.
He headed toward the center of the island where the backside of the road loop he’d been walking with Siofra would have returned them to the docks.
