Dakota cleared her throat. Stick to the plan. “I’m going to go do some stargazing. It calms me.”
She didn’t count on Aven’s eyes lighting up. “I know the best spot. I’ll grab a blanket.”
Dakota was about to object to him inviting himself along, but the flutters in her belly told her she wanted him to come. The plan was to get away from him, but maybe she just needed to get away from the bed.
“I’ll go put the top down. See you out there.” She headed out the front door. Within minutes Dakota had the top folded back and stowed in place, the engine running, and her libido under control.
Aven stepped out of the cabin and climbed into the passenger seat. He wore sweatpants and a t-shirt, a black hoodie and tennis shoes. He carried a folded blanket over one arm. Dakota thought he couldn’t possibly look sexier in a suit and tie than he did right now. Maybe in jeans and a flannel shirt. Sleeves rolled up. Chopping wood. Hell, the golden scruff of that beard lent itself to all kinds of “wood”-based fantasies.
And not one of them was going to happen, so focus on the stars.
They drove up the mountain until Aven directed Dakota to park. It took a few seconds for Dakota’s eyes to adjust to the darkness around them and locate the path to one side of the road. Aven’s eyes shone in the light of the moon as he smiled. “If you’d rather shift we can tuck your clothes in the blanket and I’ll carry them. I promise not to look.”
Dakota hesitated, as if she had the choice. “How far is it?”
Aven tilted his head. “Half-mile or so, it’s just steep.”
Dakota waved him off. “It’s fine. I’m good.” Aven accepted her answer with a casual nod and turned to lead the way.
They didn’t talk. Dakota hoped Aven didn’t feel awkward about it, because she didn’t. And that was nice in itself, being with a man she could just… be with. Fifteen minutes they climbed the uphill path, until she heard Aven say, “Here we are.”
Dakota stepped onto a wide, flat rock, buried in the ground so that only its smooth surface showed. They stood in a clearing made of dozens of buried rocks, overlapping and crowding each other, keeping anything but moss and weeds from growing between them. Aven walked to the center of the clearing and spread the blanket he carried on the ground, waving Dakota over and gesturing to the sky.
She looked up. The rocks kept any trees from growing, so there was a space in the canopy. They were high enough on the mountain and deep enough in the forest to be away from most of the light pollution. The black of the sky was transformed by a million stars. Dakota breathed into the cool air as she crouched and felt for the blanket, her eyes never leaving the heavens. “Whoa.”
Aven settled beside her, leaning back with a satisfied groan. Dakota did the same, her hands behind her head. “What’s it like to fly?” she said.
The answer came easily in Aven’s deep voice. “Complete freedom. From everything, even gravity. You can go anywhere your wings will take you.”
Dakota smiled at the thought and looked over at Aven. “Not up to the stars, though.”
His eyes sparkled in the dark as he answered, “Not that high.”
Dakota settled onto the rock and looked up. “What’s your favorite constellation?”
Aven moved beside her. His hand entered her field of vision and he pointed over the tree line. The side of Dakota’s body where they almost touched felt warm. Dakota wanted to snuggle closer. She held herself rigid on the rocks instead.
“Orion and the scorpion. What about you?”
Dakota pointed to a cluster of stars forming an “M” shape, almost directly above them. Before she could name it, Aven did. “Cassiopeia? Nice.”
Neither one of them said anything for a long moment. Aven’s voice was hushed when he broke the silence. “Dallas didn’t talk much about his childhood. Where did you grow up?”
Dakota froze, just for a second. But Aven already knew she and Dallas were half-human. She could tell him stuff without, well, telling him stuff.
She settled into the blanket again, the stone beneath her cradling her body. “We were born in Texas, but after Mom left, Dad moved us back to Bisbee, Arizona, where he was from. Grandpa was the only family who would take us. Everyone else was too pissed at Dad for mating a human.”
“Your Grandpa was okay with it?” Aven asked.
Dakota smiled at the stars, thinking of her Grandpa, and if he was up there somewhere. “Not at all. He was a tough old cat, and he was not shy about sharing his opinions.”
Aven grunted. “Most shifters don’t feel the way your family did. What else are we supposed to do, with so few females around?”
Dakota hadn’t thought of that before. The prejudice had been so strong in her world, she’d thought it was that way everywhere. Maybe not. “Grandpa loved us, though. Always said there was more out there for Dallas and me, we just had to know what it was and when to grab it. He died when I was in high school.” But Dakota hadn’t forgotten his advice.
And then, two years ago, it had all fallen to pieces. But Dakota couldn’t tell Aven that part.
They settled into quiet then, both of them looking at the dark sky littered with sparkling lights, like diamonds scattered across black silk. The stone at Dakota’s back was warm and somehow soft, as if it was molding around her body. Or maybe that was just the heat Aven was giving off. If she rubbed up against him, Dakota was half-convinced she’d see sparks. She held herself still.
The urge to spill her secret pushed at Dakota, creeping her out, making her wonder if she was falling for Aven, which was exactly what she did not need.
Aven reminded her why they were there. He spoke, all business.
“I forgot to tell you. I have to do a job tomorrow morning. You’ll be okay on your own for a while?”
Dakota gave him a look and started ticking off weapons on her fingers. “Two guns, all the knives in your kitchen, and my hand-to-hand combat skills. I think I can manage.” Too late, she realized she should have mentioned her claws and fangs, not her guns.
“I know you can,” he said, then considered. “Maybe you should come. You would get to meet Cora, and Auntie.”
“Auntie?”
“She’s this old switch who doesn’t know she’s a switch. She doesn’t do any magic, but she glows pink, according to Jameson. He and Cora are trying to get her out of the nursing home and into their place.”
“I’m in,” Dakota said. Anything that was Cause business was her business.
* * *
Dakota memorized landmarks the next morning as Aven drove them into Shady Pines, to a small town square a block off the main street, surrounded by a mix of red brick municipal buildings and clapboard stores in shades of brown and grayish-blue. The courthouse had planters full of chrysanthemums in autumnal colors scattered around, but almost no parking.
Aven pulled up to the curb and pointed to a group of people, Jameson among them. “There’s J. Cora’s the green one. I’ll park and be there in a minute.”
Dakota got out of the car and stood in the whipping breeze, watching Aven turn the corner at the end of the block. She looked at the people at the top of the stairs. The green one? And Auntie glowed pink? Nobody in that group was any color Dakota hadn’t seen before. Apparently Dakota was just as handicapped with glows as she was with scent. Damnit. Maybe once she shifted the first time she would be able to see it...
Dakota’s eye caught on a man standing a hundred feet away, across the square.
He looked normal, and somehow familiar, his brownish hair pulled back in a short ponytail. He wore jeans under a black t-shirt and blazer. It was his eyes that stopped her. They burned with an intensity that made the tautness of his body even more striking. The look wasn’t hatred, or longing, just… focus. Complete and total focus. And all the power of his gaze was aimed at the group on the courthouse steps, where Jameson stood.
Dakota’s cop instincts pinged loud. She made her way to the group on the steps, keeping the man in her peripheral visi
on as the wind blew her hair in her eyes. Her gut told her something wasn’t right.
Jameson spotted her at the bottom of the steps and called a greeting as Dakota came up to join them. “Morning. Aven with you?”
Dakota gestured over her shoulder. “He’s parking the car.” She turned back. The guy with the ponytail was walking swiftly away. Dakota relaxed.
Jameson introduced her to the others in the group. “This is Cora, my mate.” Dakota shook hands with the petite switch with long, wavy chestnut hair, liking her immediately, wishing she could see the glow.
Cora spoke, seeming to like Dakota back. “Thank you for coming. We didn’t want Auntie to be alone with only the court officer during the hearing. We’re still not sure how much she understands. She rarely speaks.”
The woman standing between Jameson and Cora did look confused, or at least, ‘not all there’. She was stooped over, her white hair escaping in wild clumps from the bun at her nape. Her skin had a pale, grayish cast and was more wrinkled than smooth. Dakota stepped closer and Jameson spoke, trying to catch Auntie’s eye. “Auntie, this is Dakota.”
Auntie looked up, her rheumy brown eyes taking a moment to focus. She shuffled forward, and before Dakota knew what was happening, Auntie wrapped her arms around Dakota’s waist and stepped in close for a hug. Surprised, Dakota hugged her back. “It’s nice to meet you, too, Auntie.”
Dakota had to duck her head to hide the tears that had sprung unexpectedly to her eyes. She rubbed them away irritably, calculating where she was in her cycle. Too early for PMS. She had to admit she knew what it was. Auntie reminded Dakota of her grandpa. And being held by Auntie was like getting a hug from beyond the grave, just when she needed it most.
Jameson’s gruff voice spoke up. “I think this will work out fine.”
Dakota smiled into Auntie’s frizzy hair.
Chapter 15 - No Spring Chicken
Aven parked and ran to catch up with Dakota. He saw her as soon as he got close. She stood at the top of the courthouse steps, facing him, and she was hugging Auntie with a peaceful expression on her face, looking like long-lost mother and child reuniting.
Before he could take the thought any further, a stiff breeze picked up and blew a scent across Aven’s face. What the hell? The primal-but-not-quite-animal scent assured Aven that it was some kind of shifter, but what kind, he didn’t have a clue. Not pure, whatever it was. But also not human. Another push of wind and the scent was gone.
For just a moment, Aven had scented Darby’s stalker. For just a moment, Aven wondered if he was scenting things that weren’t there. No, he had to be getting this right.
Darby had shown up in Nantahala with Goldie, now a Breath switch. They were sisters, on the run from some guy who kept sending Darby creeptastic anonymous letters. The stalker had tracked them to Five Hills and, near as anyone could guess, staked himself outside The Bear Claw, where Darby had worked. Nobody had gotten eyes on the guy, but Goldie had freaked out nonetheless. She’d grabbed Darby, with Shiloh tagging along, then crashed her car trying to leave.
Aven had seen the wreck starting, seen Goldie’s car sliding off the road. He’d trusted Flint, Goldie’s mate, and Shiloh to handle that end of things. Aven had been locked-on to the most intriguing scent ever to cross his path. Completely unique.
The stalker wasn’t a vampire, they at least knew that, because Goldie had run from him instead of at him. Anyone that had ever seen a switch after a vampire knew that was definitive proof.
Aven had followed the mystery shifter almost all the way to Bryson City before the guy ditched the car on the side of the road. The driver’s door had opened, but by the time Aven landed, the man was gone. Poof. Just like that.
Aven took another whiff, scenting deep, but nothing was there, and he saw no one the scent could belong to in the area. He was tempted to back between the buildings, do a quick flyover of the immediate area, but court was about to start. He needed to get to Auntie.
Aven frowned, not liking not knowing. It felt to him like another failure of his raptor senses. He’d had about enough of those.
He jogged up the courthouse steps. Jameson saw Aven and lifted his chin in greeting, Aven nodded back. Auntie clung to Dakota’s side, as if she didn’t want to let her get away. Dakota was smiling, the richness of nostalgia flowing off her. Auntie reminded her of someone. Her Grandpa?
High-heeled shoes clacked on the courthouse steps, and Aven turned to see a curvaceous female with black hair, harsh bangs, and red lips making her way toward the front door.
Cora’s eyes narrowed and she turned to the group, muttering, “Here comes Nurse Whorepocket.” Her anger spiked and sparkles of green magicks dripped off of her fingertips onto the ground, betraying her desire to use magic to end this right here. Shifters could see magicks, but humans couldn’t, and sometimes, it seemed like even the switches couldn’t. Each time Cora had fixed an everweft spell on him, she’d first rubbed her hands together, making green glow fly everywhere, but paying it no attention. Aven had been spellbound.
Jameson took Cora’s hand and gave her a look that fell somewhere between adoring approval and not-around-the-judge disapproval.
Cora refused to look at the nurse as she came closer. “It’s not like she’s Auntie’s family. She only works at the nursing home.” The nurse passed behind Auntie and Dakota. Her eyes were shaded by her bangs, but Aven felt a sharp stab of longing from that side of their gathering.
The group moved then, toward the same front door as the nurse. Jameson got there first and held it for all of them, even the nurse making it difficult to bring Auntie home to the covens. The old switch shuffled along next to Dakota. Aven brought up the rear.
A court officer took him, Dakota, and Auntie to another room, saying he’d come back when it was Auntie’s turn to go before the judge. Dakota led the old woman to a chair and sat down in the one right next to her. Auntie wouldn’t let go of Dakota’s hands.
Dakota looked at Aven, concern in her eyes. “I didn’t expect this. Can you tell if she’s scared?”
Aven pulled a chair over. He’d never met Auntie before, so he didn’t know what kind of vibe she usually gave off, and their connection wouldn’t be deep, but he should at least be able to tell if she was frightened. He sat down beside Auntie and opened his perception to her.
A jumble of information came at Aven all at once, as if Auntie was seeing and reacting to many things, but in a scattered, disorganized way. Confused, concerned, hopeful, longing, all those emotions swirled in place… but a gentle haze settled them, blurred their edges. Contentment. Something was making Auntie happier than she’d been in… longer than she could remember.
Was it Dakota? Was she making Auntie happy?
“She’s good,” he told Dakota.
Dakota smiled the softest, sweetest smile. “Good,” she said quietly, and pulled one hand from Auntie’s grip to brush the old switch’s frizzy hair behind her ear. Aven thought he spotted the glisten of tears in Dakota’s eyes, but she blinked and they were gone.
Her vibe was so soft. Not as in barely there, but as in the confident, hard-nosed Dakota had disappeared. A gently nurturing angel sat in her place. Aven was momentarily jealous of Auntie. What would it feel like to have Dakota stroke his hair, lean over and talk sweetly for only him to hear?
Were they fated? The desire Aven felt hadn’t let up, had only gotten stronger the better he’d gotten to know Dakota. Right now it was damn close to taking him down. She had to get into The Cause, soon, so they could explore whatever this was between them.
Aven stood, clearing his throat as Dakota looked up. “You want coffee? I’m going to go find some coffee.” It was as good an excuse as any to get some distance from what he was feeling.
Dakota nodded. “And some water for Auntie.”
“Back in a flash,” Aven said. He hit the door and followed his nose.
* * *
Dakota watched Aven go, noting the rock-hard set of his shoulders. What
had him so tense? She laughed to herself. Probably the same thing as her. All foreplay and no money shot.
Dakota turned back to Auntie, patting the older woman’s bony hand and smiling. “What should we talk about, Auntie?”
She didn’t expect an answer, or at least not one that made any sense. She didn’t get one. Instead, Auntie looked up at Dakota and smiled, then tipped her head to rest it on Dakota’s arm. Dakota guessed that Auntie had to be at least in her nineties, if not older, and was probably suffering from dementia. It was a lucky thing that it left her so sweet.
Her Grandpa had softened with his dementia, too. His condition had degraded fast over his last year. Toward the end, Dakota figured he rarely knew what he was saying. But she’d sat by him anyway, and carried the conversation for both of them. She could do the same for Auntie.
“So you’re a switch, huh?” Dakota squinted at the air around Auntie, trying to pick up on a glow, but she didn’t see anything. Maybe it wasn’t there all the time? Dakota wished Maze was there. He and Aven might not get along, but he knew Dakota’s secret and would have helped her.
She kept up the chatter as she patted Auntie’s wrinkled hand. “Must be nice, having a whole coven to belong to. A whole family all ready to go, ready to back you up, whatever you need.” It was how Dakota had always perceived shifters to be, at least for the ones who could actually do what they were born to. Not like her.
“My brother is my backup. Or he was, until he got shot and-” Dakota let the sentence end there. “I wish I had a place like that. I want to find my pack. Or pride. Whatever it’s called. The place I belong.”
Something about Auntie made Dakota want to confide, tell the old woman her secret. “I guess I’ll be able to see what color you are after I shift, huh? Don’t tell anyone, but I haven’t yet. That’s why I’m here. To learn how.”
Raptor's Peak: Switch of Fate 4 Page 8
