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Authors: Jennifer Ashley
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without that
picture in my head.”
“Tough. I have a life. But my cubs come first. I’ll be right there.”
“No, no.” Brody’s words came in swift distress. “You don’t have to. I’ll find him.
Don’t interrupt your date. I just thought you’d want to know.”
“Why do you assume I’m on a date? I could have dumped Cormac by the side of the road
and be home alone in a bubble bath.”
“I know you didn’t, because I saw how you were looking at him when you two were dancing.”
He raised his voice a little. “Good job, Cormac.”
Cormac leaned over Nell’s shoulder. “Thank you. I’ll come back with her. I think you’re
right that we need to find Shane.” He looked at Nell, his blue eyes close. “Even if
he’s only making out in a broom closet.”
“No, really . . .” Brody began.
“We’re coming,” Nell said firmly, and clicked off the phone. She looked up at Cormac,
who hadn’t moved an inch. “Sorry.”
“You’re right. Cubs come first.”
“Shane’s a hundred years old and bigger than I am. When am I going to believe he can
take care of himself?”
Cormac slid an arm around her waist. “Not until he’s taking care of you.” He kissed
her cheek. “Come on. I’ll drive you down.”
Chapter Six
A light snow had fallen while they’d been in the cabin, and white dusted the roads.
Cormac took it slowly, the narrow ribbon of road with its hairpin turns and no guardrail
at times heart-stopping.
They made it back to the main road, the snow vanishing as they wound down to the desert
floor. The air was still cold when they made the turn to 95, but less icy.
The parking lot at Coolers was still full. The place closed at two, and it was one
thirty, but Shifters would linger until the last minute, before taking their party
back to Shiftertown.
Brody came out the front door when Cormac pulled up before it. The bouncer—tonight
a large Lupine who worked for Graham—watched as Brody half-dragged, half-helped Nell
from the truck.
“I seriously can’t find him, Mom. And yes, I checked the broom closets.”
“I never saw him leave,” the bouncer said. “Ma’am.”
“Let’s not panic,” Nell said, adjusting her wrap. “We’re talking about Shane. He’s
not stupid.”
She walked inside past the bouncer as Cormac roared off to park the truck. The club
was still going strong—plenty of dancers, loud music, and Shifters at the bar.
After the safe, snug cabin alone with Cormac, the weight of all the people crashed
into Nell’s senses. Too many sights, scents, sounds. She wanted to find a nice quiet
den somewhere and hole up to think about what had just happened with Cormac.
She kept walking, scanning the dark crowd, hoping she’d spot her tall oldest son dancing
in slow interest with a female. She knew that Brody would have been thorough, though,
or he wouldn’t have called.
Nell smelled wolf before she saw him—Graham, the leader of the large group of Lupines
who’d joined their Shiftertown in November.
“Haven’t seen him,” Graham said before Nell could speak. “We’ve all looked. Brody’s
pretty sure he didn’t leave with a woman.”
“What if he left with a man?” the young woman who’d walked up to Graham’s side asked.
She had brown hair in a French braid and wore a dress similar to Nell’s, except it
was bright red. Graham slid an arm around her waist, and the Lupines who had approached
with Graham subtly widened the space between themselves and the young woman.
Graham answered, “If you mean Shane decided he’s gay, I doubt it.”
“I meant, maybe he didn’t necessarily leave for nookie,” the girl—Misty—said. “People
can talk to each other without having sex.”
Graham grunted a laugh. “People, sure. Shifters, not always. Mating frenzies hit hard.”
Misty shrugged. “Still, you should find out who he was talking to before he left.
Maybe he went off to another bar
picture in my head.”
“Tough. I have a life. But my cubs come first. I’ll be right there.”
“No, no.” Brody’s words came in swift distress. “You don’t have to. I’ll find him.
Don’t interrupt your date. I just thought you’d want to know.”
“Why do you assume I’m on a date? I could have dumped Cormac by the side of the road
and be home alone in a bubble bath.”
“I know you didn’t, because I saw how you were looking at him when you two were dancing.”
He raised his voice a little. “Good job, Cormac.”
Cormac leaned over Nell’s shoulder. “Thank you. I’ll come back with her. I think you’re
right that we need to find Shane.” He looked at Nell, his blue eyes close. “Even if
he’s only making out in a broom closet.”
“No, really . . .” Brody began.
“We’re coming,” Nell said firmly, and clicked off the phone. She looked up at Cormac,
who hadn’t moved an inch. “Sorry.”
“You’re right. Cubs come first.”
“Shane’s a hundred years old and bigger than I am. When am I going to believe he can
take care of himself?”
Cormac slid an arm around her waist. “Not until he’s taking care of you.” He kissed
her cheek. “Come on. I’ll drive you down.”
Chapter Six
A light snow had fallen while they’d been in the cabin, and white dusted the roads.
Cormac took it slowly, the narrow ribbon of road with its hairpin turns and no guardrail
at times heart-stopping.
They made it back to the main road, the snow vanishing as they wound down to the desert
floor. The air was still cold when they made the turn to 95, but less icy.
The parking lot at Coolers was still full. The place closed at two, and it was one
thirty, but Shifters would linger until the last minute, before taking their party
back to Shiftertown.
Brody came out the front door when Cormac pulled up before it. The bouncer—tonight
a large Lupine who worked for Graham—watched as Brody half-dragged, half-helped Nell
from the truck.
“I seriously can’t find him, Mom. And yes, I checked the broom closets.”
“I never saw him leave,” the bouncer said. “Ma’am.”
“Let’s not panic,” Nell said, adjusting her wrap. “We’re talking about Shane. He’s
not stupid.”
She walked inside past the bouncer as Cormac roared off to park the truck. The club
was still going strong—plenty of dancers, loud music, and Shifters at the bar.
After the safe, snug cabin alone with Cormac, the weight of all the people crashed
into Nell’s senses. Too many sights, scents, sounds. She wanted to find a nice quiet
den somewhere and hole up to think about what had just happened with Cormac.
She kept walking, scanning the dark crowd, hoping she’d spot her tall oldest son dancing
in slow interest with a female. She knew that Brody would have been thorough, though,
or he wouldn’t have called.
Nell smelled wolf before she saw him—Graham, the leader of the large group of Lupines
who’d joined their Shiftertown in November.
“Haven’t seen him,” Graham said before Nell could speak. “We’ve all looked. Brody’s
pretty sure he didn’t leave with a woman.”
“What if he left with a man?” the young woman who’d walked up to Graham’s side asked.
She had brown hair in a French braid and wore a dress similar to Nell’s, except it
was bright red. Graham slid an arm around her waist, and the Lupines who had approached
with Graham subtly widened the space between themselves and the young woman.
Graham answered, “If you mean Shane decided he’s gay, I doubt it.”
“I meant, maybe he didn’t necessarily leave for nookie,” the girl—Misty—said. “People
can talk to each other without having sex.”
Graham grunted a laugh. “People, sure. Shifters, not always. Mating frenzies hit hard.”
Misty shrugged. “Still, you should find out who he was talking to before he left.
Maybe he went off to another bar
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