It had spit him out through a crack in rocks, and now bright desert sunshine poured over them. He’d expected to land back in the obsidian cave—a place he never wanted to see again—but he was on a ridge in the desert, overlooking the abandoned mine and the shack, with Dougal’s bike still parked beside it.
“At least we have transportation,” Graham said.
Or tried to say. His throat was so dry, his thirst so great, his words stuck and wouldn’t come out. He was weak, and Dougal was only half-conscious, his hand still bleeding from the Fae sword. It wouldn’t be blood loss that killed him, but the Fae spells in the sword.
The thirst and their state told Graham that Oison was still alive. The Fae’s spell would have died with him.
I hope Reid gets the bastard. Graham decided against speaking the words out loud, saving strength and whatever moisture was left in his body.
They’d die out here though. If he couldn’t get Dougal someplace safe, both of them would go.
Not Shiftertown, not right now. Graham wouldn’t worry about holding his own against the Shifter Bureau’s soldiers, but Dougal didn’t need to be interrogated by them right now, not when he was hurt. Dougal would go to pieces. No, they needed to lie low, heal, and then decide what to do.
Misty, I love you.
Graham wasn’t afraid to admit it anymore. He needed Misty in his life, as his mate, as his love.
He’d make her see that she needed to accept his mate-claim, and they’d live happily ever after. As happy as she could be shacked up with a Shifter, and sharing a house with Graham’s nephew with confidence problems and two cubs who liked to tear the place down.
He dragged Dougal into the shade of the shed before he made for the motorcycle, hoping there was still gas in it.
Rock clicked behind him, and Oison appeared. This time he was in his guise of the hiker, in T-shirt, shorts, and hiking boots. He looked ordinary and evil at the same time.
Graham stood up. “I’m not being your battle beast,” he said. “Not bringing other Shifters to you, not training to be in your army.”
“I know.” Oison said. He drew out his sword from the long pack humans would assume was for hiking poles or camping gear. “I gambled on making you a slave, because you’re a strong leader and could pull other Shifters to me. But it looks like you’re going to be a bad slave.”
“Damn right,” Graham said.
“I can barely control you. Therefore, I came to a decision.” Oison hefted his sword. “I will kill you, and take your nephew instead.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
The commander questioned Misty for a long time before he finally let her go. Diego and Xav had stood by her, the only ones allowed to stay with her, because they were human.
Misty, Diego, and Xav had come up with the story that the cubs had tried to run away—somewhat true—and Misty had gone after them, worried they’d get hurt. They’d led her out into the desert, where they’d all gotten lost. They’d found a cave to stay out of the sun, and there Matt had gotten hurt.
Why hadn’t she called anyone? the commander asked. Her cell phone hadn’t worked out there, Misty said. How did they survive? She’d brought plenty of water with her and snacks, knowing that Kyle and Matt, as wolves, liked to run off as far as they could. They’d been used to living half-wild up in Elko, and didn’t understand they couldn’t do that here. They were just little kids, weren’t they? So everyone should cut them a break. How did she get back? Walked to the road and hitchhiked in. She’d been bringing the cubs, Matt hurt, back to Shiftertown when the soldiers had spotted her.
Xav and Diego confirmed everything she said.
Xav walked away with her to look for Ben while Diego stayed with the commander. The soldiers, who’d been sent by the Shifter Bureau, weren’t leaving, it seemed. Someone had called in an anonymous tip this morning, Xav told her, that not all Shifters’ Collars were working. Eric was being questioned about that now, surrounded by the soldiers. Xav had no idea who’d called in the tip, but Misty had a bad feeling about it.
Oison had vanished from the cave before Graham, Misty, Dougal, and the cubs had fled. Had Oison stirred up trouble with the human government as part of his efforts to control Shifters? Graham in particular? Oison had disappeared not long before they’d run out of the cave, but if time moved differently in Faerie, as Diego had told her, maybe Oison had emerged hours before they did.
Xav queried other Shifters as they went about Ben and the cubs—Lindsay said she’d seen a weird guy with both cubs headed for Graham’s. She’d wanted to follow and make sure all was well, but the soldiers had pulled her aside to speak to her. Lindsay looked worried, not her usual laughing self. She put her hand on Xav’s arm as she answered, and what was in her eyes told Misty that maybe she’d reconsidered pushing Xav away.
Misty thanked her and hurried away, pretending not to notice Xav lingering to stay with Lindsay.
As she approached Graham’s house, Misty heard yelling. A woman on Graham’s front walk was loudly telling three soldiers what they could do with themselves as they surrounded her and tried to cuff her.
Misty recognized Jan, the Lupine woman who’d attacked Misty after she’d spent the night with Graham. Jan’s blustering was to cover her fear, Misty realized. Misty remembered that Jan’s Collar hadn’t gone off when she’d gone for Misty—perhaps she was one of the Shifters whose Collars didn’t work right. If the humans discovered Jan wore a Collar that didn’t stop her from violence, what would they do? Fit her with a new one? Cage her? Or worse?
Misty sped her steps to take her into the path of the soldiers and Jan. Jan saw Misty, and fury entered her eyes along with the fear.
“Come to gloat?” Jan demanded.
“Where are you taking her?” Misty asked the soldiers, ignoring Jan.
“To have her Collar tested,” he said. “All Shifters are. Orders.”
“Huh.” Misty put her hands on her hips and gave Jan a disgusted look. “You don’t have to test that one. It’s real, all right.”
“Why do you say that, ma’am?” the soldier asked, trying not to look irritated.
“Because I got into a fight with her the other day,” Misty said. “She’s jealous as hell. Her Collar started crackling before she even got in a punch at me. I smacked her a good one, and she ran off. Believe me, the Collar worked. The sparks got me—they stung.”