“Once we’re done foraging for food here, we’ll go see Liam again,” Sean said. “We’ll make a search if we have to. If Glory gets pissed at us for interrupting whatever she’s got going on, that’s her problem.”
“I’m glad you’re so calm.”
“I’m not, but going into hunter mode in the middle of a human grocery store would be a bad idea.” Sean folded up the coffee bag and put one hand on her shoulder. “We’ll find her, love. I promise you.”
At last they were finished, carrying the bags of food Sean had paid for and heading for Sean’s motorcycle. Sean had calculated buying just enough to fit the saddle bags and no more. He settled everything, and Andrea climbed on behind him. She liked holding on to his waist as they moved through the streets to Shiftertown. Sean was strong, warm to lean into. She rested against him and closed her eyes, breathing his scent.
Liam was home when they walked next door, but Dylan had gone again.
“I wish he’d stay put,” Andrea growled.
“He has a lot to think about.” Liam looked from Andrea to Sean, his blue eyes grim. “I’ll put out a lookout for Glory, but I haven’t heard anything.”
A step sounded on the stairs, and Eric descended, his face a bit white, his gait shaky. “Are you all right?” Andrea asked him.
“We tested the Collars last night,” Liam answered for him. “Eric’s getting good at it, but it’s still hell.”
“Hell is one word for it,” Eric said. He wore jeans and a T-shirt but was barefoot, his hair damp from a shower. “Damn painful is another.”
“You don’t know where Glory is, do you?” Andrea asked him. “You didn’t arrange to meet up with her?”
Eric looked surprised. “Are you kidding? With Dylan watching me? I’d be bloody stupid to step between the two of them.”
“I bet Dylan went out looking for her,” Kim said.
“I just hope he finds her.” Liam looked both worried and annoyed. “I’ll call Spike and have him start a search for her—discreetly. Sean, can you help me today?”
The way he said it told Andrea that he expected Sean to understand what he meant. Sean’s eyes flicked to Feline white blue and back again.
Liam also shot a pointed gaze at Eric, who took the hint. “The less I know about this, the better, right?” Eric asked. “I’ll go for a walk.”
His green gaze was speculative, but he brushed by Liam on the way out, showing that the two Shifter males had become friends.
“All right,” Andrea said once Eric was gone. “Mind telling me what’s going on?”
“Liam wants to try to remove your Collar,” Sean said.
Her eyes widened. “Remove it?”
Sean put a protective hand on her back. “He’s trying to find out how to remove all Collars, but doing it can make the Shifter crazy, even more feral than before. But you.” Sean traced the design of the Celtic knot. “Your Collar doesn’t affect you. Liam wants to study it, to see whether he can safely remove it from you.”
Interesting. “Ooh, I’ve always wanted to be a lab rat.”
“I won’t let him if you don’t want to.” Sean’s voice took on a hint of growl. “I’ll protect you from him with my last breath.”
Andrea found Liam’s gaze on her, his alpha stare matching Sean’s. Wasn’t that wonderful? Two powerful Felines pinning down a little Lupine. She smacked that gaze right back at them.
“Yes,” she said to Liam. “The answer is yes. I’m curious, and it might be worth it to find out.”
Sean did not want this, and he let Liam know with every bit of body language that he didn’t. Liam, damn his eyes, pretended to ignore him.
Connor was at school, so they didn’t have to explain why they’d left him behind to go to the innocent-looking garden shed behind another Shifter’s house; Kim was at her office. Eric didn’t like being left out, but Eric understood. The less he knew, the less culpability he’d have if humans found out what they were doing. Eric and his Shiftertown didn’t need to pay for the Morrisseys’ experiments.
The inside of the garden shed looked innocent as well. Tools hung on the walls, an old lawn mower sat in the corner, and the whole place smelled of grass, earth, and oil.
Liam removed a small tarp hanging on the wall and took down his tray of instruments. No one who didn’t know would understand what the little files and probes were for—to fix the lawn mower, maybe? Liam kept them deliberately grimy, sterilizing them only if he needed to nick Sean’s or Dylan’s or his own skin.
The Shifter to whom this garden shed belonged wasn’t home, but Liam came and went here as he pleased. Kim had saved that Shifter’s life, and the grateful Feline and his mother who lived with him obeyed Liam’s every wish.
Liam had Andrea sit on a stool. Andrea did, betraying no fear, but Sean knew her enough to read her by now. He saw the minute flicker of her lashes, the small nervous movement of her hands as she brushed a speck of dirt from her jeans.
“I’d love to tell you this won’t hurt,” Liam said. “But I have no bloody idea.”
The Collars were fused to the wearer’s skin, so they never moved, never slipped. Liam touched a probe that looked like a small flashlight to the Celtic knot at the base of Andrea’s Collar. A spark leapt from the knot to run around the Collar, and Andrea jumped. Sean snarled.
“No, I’m all right,” Andrea said quickly. “It just—I wasn’t expecting that.”
“Don’t hurt her, Liam.” Sean knew he’d die if Andrea was hurt. He’d be scrambling around like a madman trying to save her, the mate bond closing like iron around his heart. If Liam hurt her, clan leader or no, brother or no, Sean would attack him.
Andrea’s hand on his calmed his craziness, her gentle touch a link to sanity. “I’m really fine, Sean. Is that it?” she asked Liam.
“No.” Liam took out another instrument that looked like a scalpel, scrubbed it clean with some antibacterial wipes, and dipped it in alcohol. “I’ll try not to cut you.”
“Oh, that’s reassuring.”
Liam held up the knife. “I also have to ask you not to talk.”
Sean squeezed her hand. “Andrea likes to talk.”
“Especially when I’m nervous.”
“Well, for now, resist the urge,” Liam said. “Shifters have fine metabolisms, but not if I accidentally slit your throat.”