line includes survivors of the Trail of Tears. I have Cherokee and Seminole blood through her, as well as more Irish.”
I could have named each of my relatives going back at least five generations. Most of our kind can. Because there are so few of us, relatively speaking, bloodlines often become important to make sure we aren’t mating with someone too closely related. I didn’t name them though. I had something else in mind, something important if I really was going to be Matt’s mate and a leader in pride and clan.
I blew out a breath and steeled myself. This was the moment of truth. Or at least one of them.
“Matt, I assume you know how to contact the head of the Oklahoma clan?” It really wasn’t much of a question. Still, I waited until he nodded. “Please call them. When you are sure you’re talking to Irene Walkinghorse, let me have the phone.”
For a moment, he simply looked at me, a thousand questions reflected in his eyes. Then he looked down at the cell phone I held out to him. He took it and I waited as he programmed in a number. Time slowed as we waited. How many times the other end of the call rang before it was answered, I don’t know. It felt like a lifetime. Then, finally, he identified himself and confirmed he was, in fact, talking with Irene Walkinghorse. He asked her to hold on a moment and handed me the phone.
“It’s me,” I said simply. My grandmother gasped slightly before regaining control. “Shenandoah.” That was our code word I was safe.
“Dallas?” she asked simply.
“Yes. I need you to confirm my identity and bloodline to the clan leader. He’s offered me a place here and I want to accept. But I want him to know exactly who I am before we make it official.”
“Jennings?” She spat the name like an epitaph.
“Is part of the reason. I’ll explain later, I promise. Please answer any of Matt’s questions and he has my permission to explain why he’s asking.” I looked at him and he nodded, understanding easing his concerned expression.
“All right.”
I could tell we’d be having a long talk about all this, but it had to wait. Something told me I needed to secure my position here as quickly as possible. Once Michael learned how close his trackers had come to capturing me, he wouldn’t give up. He hated losing and he’d already proven he didn’t care about the sanctity of clan territory. That meant he’d do just about anything if he thought he could get me back.
I handed the cell phone back to Matt. Nerves on edge, stomach churning, I walked out of the kitchen. Unless I was badly mistaken, the call would take some time. He might be as drawn to me as I was to him, but he was still clan leader. He’d not forget his responsibilities just because our cats wanted us together. That meant he’d quiz my grandmother as much as possible, confirming my bloodline, my early training and what little she could tell him about my years after fleeing California.
None of which would match her questions. Since I had no desire to listen in and I couldn’t leave the house--no, I wouldn’t leave the house. Matt would worry and there was no guarantee the trackers, or their human agents, weren’t watching. So I returned to the guest bedroom and its adjoining half-bath. Just then, nothing sounded better than standing under a hot shower and letting the water ease my muscles, suddenly tight with worry.
The water was beginning to cool when a slight draft warned me I was no longer alone. Someone was in the bathroom. Matt’s scent reached me and a moment later the shower door opened. I didn’t turn. I didn’t even lift my head. Instead I let the water cascade down on me and waited, smiling slightly as hands found my shoulders and then made their way to my waist and pulled me close.
“You keep surprising me, Finn,” he said softly. I moaned as his hands cupped my breasts. “If I had any doubts about our being mates--and I didn’t--I most certainly don’t now.”
I
I could have named each of my relatives going back at least five generations. Most of our kind can. Because there are so few of us, relatively speaking, bloodlines often become important to make sure we aren’t mating with someone too closely related. I didn’t name them though. I had something else in mind, something important if I really was going to be Matt’s mate and a leader in pride and clan.
I blew out a breath and steeled myself. This was the moment of truth. Or at least one of them.
“Matt, I assume you know how to contact the head of the Oklahoma clan?” It really wasn’t much of a question. Still, I waited until he nodded. “Please call them. When you are sure you’re talking to Irene Walkinghorse, let me have the phone.”
For a moment, he simply looked at me, a thousand questions reflected in his eyes. Then he looked down at the cell phone I held out to him. He took it and I waited as he programmed in a number. Time slowed as we waited. How many times the other end of the call rang before it was answered, I don’t know. It felt like a lifetime. Then, finally, he identified himself and confirmed he was, in fact, talking with Irene Walkinghorse. He asked her to hold on a moment and handed me the phone.
“It’s me,” I said simply. My grandmother gasped slightly before regaining control. “Shenandoah.” That was our code word I was safe.
“Dallas?” she asked simply.
“Yes. I need you to confirm my identity and bloodline to the clan leader. He’s offered me a place here and I want to accept. But I want him to know exactly who I am before we make it official.”
“Jennings?” She spat the name like an epitaph.
“Is part of the reason. I’ll explain later, I promise. Please answer any of Matt’s questions and he has my permission to explain why he’s asking.” I looked at him and he nodded, understanding easing his concerned expression.
“All right.”
I could tell we’d be having a long talk about all this, but it had to wait. Something told me I needed to secure my position here as quickly as possible. Once Michael learned how close his trackers had come to capturing me, he wouldn’t give up. He hated losing and he’d already proven he didn’t care about the sanctity of clan territory. That meant he’d do just about anything if he thought he could get me back.
I handed the cell phone back to Matt. Nerves on edge, stomach churning, I walked out of the kitchen. Unless I was badly mistaken, the call would take some time. He might be as drawn to me as I was to him, but he was still clan leader. He’d not forget his responsibilities just because our cats wanted us together. That meant he’d quiz my grandmother as much as possible, confirming my bloodline, my early training and what little she could tell him about my years after fleeing California.
None of which would match her questions. Since I had no desire to listen in and I couldn’t leave the house--no, I wouldn’t leave the house. Matt would worry and there was no guarantee the trackers, or their human agents, weren’t watching. So I returned to the guest bedroom and its adjoining half-bath. Just then, nothing sounded better than standing under a hot shower and letting the water ease my muscles, suddenly tight with worry.
The water was beginning to cool when a slight draft warned me I was no longer alone. Someone was in the bathroom. Matt’s scent reached me and a moment later the shower door opened. I didn’t turn. I didn’t even lift my head. Instead I let the water cascade down on me and waited, smiling slightly as hands found my shoulders and then made their way to my waist and pulled me close.
“You keep surprising me, Finn,” he said softly. I moaned as his hands cupped my breasts. “If I had any doubts about our being mates--and I didn’t--I most certainly don’t now.”
I
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