think she’s moved on, but she needs . . . “
He couldn’t think of the right word.
“Normal,” Garrett said. “She needs someone normal. Not some guy who sees people getting offed.”
“Yeah, that’s the word I was looking for.” He paused. “Normal.”
Garrett checked his watch. “We should probably head back.”
Lucas groaned as he thought about the trek back to the cabin. He didn’t know how far they’d walked, but getting back just might do him in. Put him in the baby or old person category and call it good, because he was going to need a nap.
They walked a few yards and Garrett broke in to a jog. “Pick it up, Lucas,” he called over his shoulder.
“Nah. I’m done. You go ahead.”
Garrett stopped and waited for him to pass, and Lucas continued down the hill. After a few moments, he turned around and gasped. A large black bear walked a few paces behind him. He looked around and didn’t see Garrett. Then, he smiled. “You scared the ever-loving crap out of me, Honey! But damn, that’s some cool shit you have going on there.”
The bear stopped and looked at him, its honey-colored gaze on Lucas. A knot of worry curled in Lucas’s stomach as he realized he didn’t know how his friend would act in his bear form. Did he turn into a bear mentally as well as physically, or was Garrett still in there, almost like he wore a costume?
After a brief stare down, the bear stood up on his hind legs and roared, its dagger-like claws pawing the air in front of Lucas’s face. It had to be at least seven feet tall.
“Jesus!” he yelled and turned to run as best he could through the knee-high snow. The bear lumbered a few feet behind him. Lucas looked back again, and the black behemoth snarled and snapped at him.
After what seemed like a small eternity, the cabin came into sight, and Lucas put it into high gear. He scrambled up the steps and went inside, slamming the front door. Gasping for breath, he looked out the large picture window to see Garrett walking toward the house, naked as the day he was born.
Lucas opened the door. “What the fuck was that about?” he screamed.
Garrett chuckled. “I told you to pick up the pace.” He pushed his way past Lucas into the living room. “Maybe next time, you’ll listen to me.”
Chapter 13
“Rise and shine, you big fucking baby.”
Lucas moaned and turned over, doing his best to ignore Garrett and return to the place of blissful rest where his body didn’t feel as if it had been run over by a bulldozer a few dozen times.
“Come on, man,” Garrett said. “Joe’s here, and Thomas cooked up some grub. You need to get up.”
Sitting up, Lucas rubbed his face. It felt like he just lay down, but glancing at the clock, he saw he’d been sleeping for five hours.
Garrett kicked the bed, making it shake. “Let’s go.”
“All right, Garrett! I’m awake! Just give me a minute.”
Garrett left the room grumbling something about not being appreciated, shutting the door behind him.
Lucas stood and went to the bathroom. After using the toilet, he met his reflection in the mirror. Decision time. “Do I stay or do I go?” he whispered.
The thought of going back to the streets didn’t sit well. He gazed over at the big bed, then ran his fingers through his clean hair. His stomach growled, and it felt nice to know a meal waited just a few minutes away.
Joe had assured him he’d be safe from the government, because once they knew he’d gone, they had to have started hunting him. How Joe would guarantee that, he didn’t know, but he’d definitely ask.
It really seemed like a no-brainer, but there still lingered a niggling of doubt. “You’re just going to have to listen to what he has to say, and then make the final decision,” he whispered to his reflection.
His cheeks had caught more sun today, a red glow emanating from them. Despite his small frame, he looked healthier than he’d felt in months. His stomach growled again, and he decided
He couldn’t think of the right word.
“Normal,” Garrett said. “She needs someone normal. Not some guy who sees people getting offed.”
“Yeah, that’s the word I was looking for.” He paused. “Normal.”
Garrett checked his watch. “We should probably head back.”
Lucas groaned as he thought about the trek back to the cabin. He didn’t know how far they’d walked, but getting back just might do him in. Put him in the baby or old person category and call it good, because he was going to need a nap.
They walked a few yards and Garrett broke in to a jog. “Pick it up, Lucas,” he called over his shoulder.
“Nah. I’m done. You go ahead.”
Garrett stopped and waited for him to pass, and Lucas continued down the hill. After a few moments, he turned around and gasped. A large black bear walked a few paces behind him. He looked around and didn’t see Garrett. Then, he smiled. “You scared the ever-loving crap out of me, Honey! But damn, that’s some cool shit you have going on there.”
The bear stopped and looked at him, its honey-colored gaze on Lucas. A knot of worry curled in Lucas’s stomach as he realized he didn’t know how his friend would act in his bear form. Did he turn into a bear mentally as well as physically, or was Garrett still in there, almost like he wore a costume?
After a brief stare down, the bear stood up on his hind legs and roared, its dagger-like claws pawing the air in front of Lucas’s face. It had to be at least seven feet tall.
“Jesus!” he yelled and turned to run as best he could through the knee-high snow. The bear lumbered a few feet behind him. Lucas looked back again, and the black behemoth snarled and snapped at him.
After what seemed like a small eternity, the cabin came into sight, and Lucas put it into high gear. He scrambled up the steps and went inside, slamming the front door. Gasping for breath, he looked out the large picture window to see Garrett walking toward the house, naked as the day he was born.
Lucas opened the door. “What the fuck was that about?” he screamed.
Garrett chuckled. “I told you to pick up the pace.” He pushed his way past Lucas into the living room. “Maybe next time, you’ll listen to me.”
Chapter 13
“Rise and shine, you big fucking baby.”
Lucas moaned and turned over, doing his best to ignore Garrett and return to the place of blissful rest where his body didn’t feel as if it had been run over by a bulldozer a few dozen times.
“Come on, man,” Garrett said. “Joe’s here, and Thomas cooked up some grub. You need to get up.”
Sitting up, Lucas rubbed his face. It felt like he just lay down, but glancing at the clock, he saw he’d been sleeping for five hours.
Garrett kicked the bed, making it shake. “Let’s go.”
“All right, Garrett! I’m awake! Just give me a minute.”
Garrett left the room grumbling something about not being appreciated, shutting the door behind him.
Lucas stood and went to the bathroom. After using the toilet, he met his reflection in the mirror. Decision time. “Do I stay or do I go?” he whispered.
The thought of going back to the streets didn’t sit well. He gazed over at the big bed, then ran his fingers through his clean hair. His stomach growled, and it felt nice to know a meal waited just a few minutes away.
Joe had assured him he’d be safe from the government, because once they knew he’d gone, they had to have started hunting him. How Joe would guarantee that, he didn’t know, but he’d definitely ask.
It really seemed like a no-brainer, but there still lingered a niggling of doubt. “You’re just going to have to listen to what he has to say, and then make the final decision,” he whispered to his reflection.
His cheeks had caught more sun today, a red glow emanating from them. Despite his small frame, he looked healthier than he’d felt in months. His stomach growled again, and he decided
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