Page 8

CHAPTER EIGHT

X av flashed his lantern into the darkness after the fast-moving cat. “Lindsay!” he called. “Wait! Dios mio.”

“She’ll be all right,” Neal said tightly. He still had the sword trained on AC, who eyed it warily. “Shifter lynxes were bred for this kind of terrain.”

“It’s not the terrain I’m worried about,” Xav said tightly.

The darkness could hold other dangers, from drug dealer exchanges to people in weird cults. Even an innocuous camper could shoot Lindsay because they’d think it cool to bag a giant wildcat.

Without another word, Xav started off after her.

“Want backup?” one of the DX men offered.

“I’ll shout if I need it,” Xav said without turning. Everyone had walkies if phones didn’t work, and Diego had put a new tracker on Xav. Big brother wasn’t risking losing little brother a second time.

Xav figured Lindsay was working off steam, like he’d done with his impromptu ski trip today. He also knew Neal was right—she’d probably be fine. But Xav couldn’t stop himself tramping out into the darkness, his heart hammering.

His flashlight soon picked her up. Lindsay was loping along, moving fast but not fleeing. Xav jogged toward her, choosing his footing carefully.

Moonlight caught Lindsay’s pale fur as she climbed a rise. She wasn’t hiding, which was good, because Xav knew he’d never find her if she didn’t want him to.

Lindsay finally halted halfway up the slope, putting a rock-strewn ridge between her and the view of the men gathered at the campground.

Xav’s breath came fast as he climbed the hill, and he collapsed onto a boulder next to where Lindsay waited.

“AC’s an asshole, Linds,” Xav said to the silent cat who sank down next to him. “Always was. But he’ll pay you what he owes you. I’ll make sure of it. He’ll also be grateful for your help. I’ll make sure of that too.”

Lindsay turned green eyes on him that held Feline skepticism. Xav couldn’t read her body language like Shifters could, but he quickly understood. She was sick of humans—all of them.

Xav switched off the flashlight and gazed across the pristine landscape, this area isolated by the protected wilderness around them. The slice of moon brushed the rocks with silver light and glittered on quartz-laden gravel. Stars smeared the sky, the lights of Las Vegas obscured enough to render dimmer constellations visible.

“Nice night,” Xav said. The wind picked up again, and he shivered. “Cold, though.”

In silence, Lindsay rose and moved closer to him, sinking down with her side pressed along his right leg. Her body warmth stole over him, making Xav want to rub his hands through her fur.

He resisted, not wanting her to snarl and leap away. It was nice to have her close.

“I know you’re concerned about Dean,” Xav said. “So am I.” He drew his left foot up onto the boulder to stretch his knee. “We’ll find him.”

Lindsay huffed, her breath fogging in the cold air. Xav wished she’d talk to him, but she probably didn’t want to become human while her clothes were stashed back at the cave.

“Wanna go for a beer after?” Xav suggested. “It’s still early.”

Lindsay’s impassive gaze didn’t give him an answer one way or the other.

He’d been in a very bad mood when he’d walked away from her earlier today. Xav wouldn’t blame her for telling him to jump off a cliff and take his condescending attitude with him.

There were plenty of cliffs around here, in fact. If Lindsay shifted into her half-Shifter, half-human form, she’d be strong enough to drag him to one and drop him over.

Xav pulled his gaze from the nearest sharp ridge to find Lindsay gone, the cold by his side even greater than before. He stood up quickly, but to his relief saw her picking her way down the far side of the hill.

Xav switched on his flashlight and went after her.

Instead of running in frustration, Lindsay moved with deliberation, as though heading for a specific spot. Xav slipped and slid on gravel as he descended the rise, but he made it to the bottom without mishap.

Lindsay trotted onto a very flat, dry lakebed whose water had evaporated centuries ago. The depression might fill an inch when torrential rains poured down the mountain’s washes, but now, despite the rain a few days ago, it was completely arid.

Xav caught up to Lindsay as she halted, her nose twitching, and stared with intensity at the middle of the lake bed.

Xav clicked off his light and stood with her for some time, letting the moonlight take over.

He didn’t need night vision goggles to make out what Lindsay had spotted. In the middle of the lake bed, the dust had been disturbed by something that had blown it into widening, concentric circles.

Lindsay looked up at him with a glint of triumph in her eyes.

Xav walked toward the markings, Lindsay padding beside him. In the middle of the dust circles, he found the unmistakable signs of what he’d suspected he would.

He smelled nothing, because a good ground crew would make certain no oil or other fluid leaked, but Lindsay, with her superior senses had likely detected the exhaust.

“They took him out in a helicopter,” Xav said softly. “Good one, Linds.”

Lindsay huffed, as though happy he’d caught on.

Xav grinned down at her. “Helicopters can fly anywhere, sure, but air traffic is hard to hide. I’d say this really does call for a beer.”

Lindsay didn’t respond. She turned her back and walked away again, heading down a path he couldn’t see that led in more or less the direction of the campground.

Without question, Xav followed her.

* * *

Lindsay dressed in the shelter of the boulders back at the cave with both Neal and Xav ensuring that attention didn’t focus on her. She grabbed her bag and joined the others, uncertainty making her legs wobble. Or maybe it was the agony of shifting after long treks on uneven terrain.

As she neared Xav, her whole body gave a throb. Nope, uncertainty.

AC was busily insisting that DX Security have Lindsay sniff out wherever the helicopter had gone, right now. Idiot.

“We have the means of finding it,” Xav said coldly. “You sit tight and let us do our jobs. If your brother is being held against his will, we’ll do everything to get him back.”

“Sit tight, where?” AC demanded. “I’m not rotting in your little do-it-yourself cell. If you want to have me arrested for detaining your brother, go ahead, or else I’m out of here. You can’t hold me against my will.”

“You’re not calling the shots,” Diego informed him. “But no, you won’t have to stay in our cell. We don’t have the resources for long-term guests.”

AC relaxed. “Fine, then you can drop me off at my apartment in Henderson. I won’t be going anywhere until we find Dean.”

Diego fixed him with his steely gaze. “I have another place in mind. It’s not far, but it’s cozy, with plenty of food.” He turned to Xav. “You want to do the honors?”

Lindsay watched Xav stiffen. “I’m too busy to babysit tonight, bro.”

Diego gazed at Xav for a long time, and Xav met his stare without flinching. Lindsay watched something pass between them, communication among brothers only they could read.

Diego finally gave Xav a nod. “All right. Neal?”

Neal adjusted the sword on his back. “Sure.”

AC’s eyes widened. “You can’t cart me off with Shifters—that’s in violation of so many laws. I’ll have Shifter Bureau down on your ass so fast you won’t know what hit you.”

“I always love it when criminals threaten me with the law.” Diego sounded amused. “Don’t worry, the place I’m sending you is owned by a human and a long way from Shiftertown. Neal will accompany us and patrol the perimeter. For your protection.”

AC didn’t look convinced, but with armed guards who clearly didn’t like him surrounding him, his only choice was to capitulate.

Xav turned away as Diego gave orders as to who would do what. “Let’s go,” he said quietly to Lindsay.

Lindsay didn’t argue. She followed Xav back down the trail from the cave to the waiting vehicles and climbed into his SUV. She was too distracted to wonder if there’d be enough room for the others in the remaining vehicles. Probably there would be—Xav wouldn’t drive off otherwise.

They didn’t speak as Xav moved slowly along the rutted road to the highway and then turned onto smooth, empty pavement. Xav didn’t mention the celebratory beer again, only drove toward Las Vegas without any suggestion of a stop.

The sky had grown darker, with the moon already setting and very little traffic this far outside of town on a winter night.

Xav finally broke the silence. “He’s taking AC up to Iona’s cabin.”

Iona’s mother owned a cabin on Mount Charleston that she generously lent to Shifters. It was a nice retreat from the heat of summer and great for a run in the deep woods when Shiftertown grew too confining. Lindsay sometimes went up with Cassidy, Diego, and Amanda, which was more fun when Xav came along.

The cabin was difficult to reach on snowy days, a good place to isolate oneself, or to stash a villain in that Diego wanted to keep track of.

“I figured,” Lindsay answered. “Why didn’t you want to go?”

Xav shook his head. “I’ve spent way too much time with that guy already. Diego has plenty of competent people to help him out. I need a night off.”

“You said you were too busy to watch him.” Lindsay couldn’t stop her need to know. “Busy doing what?”

Xav shrugged. “Stuff.”

When Xav didn’t want to answer, twenty feral Shifters couldn’t pry information from him.

“Okay.” Lindsay strove to sound nonchalant. “Well, thanks for not volunteering me to babysit.”

Xav’s jaw tightened. “I don’t want AC anywhere near you. I’m happy Neal has his sword.”

AC seemed more afraid of the Sword of the Guardian than all the firearms and tasers Diego’s guys carried. Wise of him.

“Neal can take care of himself,” Lindsay answered, for something to say. “You don’t have to drive me all the way home. Drop me off at Shiftertown’s gates, and I’ll walk from there.”

Xav glanced at the bag at Lindsay’s feet. “You don’t have a party dress in there? You’re not going to run off to a club?”

“Not tonight. I’m tired. It’s a cup-of-hot-chocolate-and-a-good-book night. Though I might pop in to see Cassidy, tell her what happened. She must be itching to know.”

“I think she’ll grill Diego just fine,” Xav said with a touch of humor.

“I can soften things for Diego if she’s prepped.” Lindsay shared a smile with him.

It felt good to connect over their mutual understanding of Cassidy and Diego, but would it last? Or were they destined to be just friends from now on, maybe downgrading in time to mere acquaintances?

Xav grew quiet again, and Lindsay stared out the window, watching the starlit hills roll by.

She was intrigued about how Xav thought he’d track a helicopter, but she felt awkward asking—or saying anything at all. Of course, Xav could find things on a computer like no one else. Even Neal stood in awe of Xav’s cyber skills. Guardians were among the world’s greatest hackers, so Neal’s praise was huge.

Not long later, Xav pulled down the side road that took them to Shiftertown. He braked outside the gates but only to drive over the bump in the pavement that demarcated Shiftertown’s entrance before he continued inside.

Lindsay gazed at him in surprise. “I said you could drop me off.”

Xav didn’t stop. “A gentleman doesn’t let his lady walk home alone in the dark.”

“I’m a Shifter.” Lindsay let out a laugh, even as her heart pounded. His lady?

“Doesn’t matter.”

Xav slowly navigated the narrow streets in silence. Callum’s birthday party was long over, but since many Shifters were nocturnal, cubs and their parents were still out prowling in wildcat or wolf form. Only the bears liked to turn in early.

Shifters they passed recognized Xav’s SUV and either waved or let out growls of greeting. Xav politely returned the waves with a lift of his hand, then he pulled to a halt outside Lindsay’s house and turned off the engine.

“Want to come in?” Lindsay asked, though not as enthusiastically as she usually would. She wasn’t certain she could sit through polite chatter between Xav and her parents while she tried to decide her relationship status with him.

“No.” Xav stared straight through the front window. “I think I should go home.”

Lindsay fought disappointment. Having him converse with her parents while she stewed was better than not having him there at all.

“Okay, then.” Her statement was soft. “I guess I’ll say good night.”

She touched the door handle.

“Lindsay.”

Lindsay let go of the handle so fast it burned her fingers. “What?”

Xav turned in his seat to face her. “Just …”

Lindsay expected him to start in again about her taking AC’s offer, or for running off into the wilderness when her frustration wouldn’t let her stand still, or for … whatever he could think of.

Instead, he sat mutely, while Lindsay’s heart raced.

“Good night, Xav,” she said with more finality after a few moments had gone by.

Xav’s jacket rustled as he moved to her. Before Lindsay could reach for the door handle again, Xav seized her face between his strong hands, stilling her, and kissed her firmly on the mouth.