“You’re afraid of a little bunny rabbit?” Daniel teased.
“I’m not afraid of anything. It’s just that…there was something there.”
Walking past me, he bent and snatched up my flashlight. “Like what?”
Okay, fog sounded even less dangerous than a rabbit. And since he wasn’t there the night of the harvester attack, he hadn’t seen what I and the others had. But still I confessed, “It looked like mist.” Coming for me. Or at the very least, blocking my path. And now it was gone.
“‘Looked like’? You think it was something else?”
I shouldn’t have been surprised that he’d picked up on my wording. We came from a world where everything wasn’t exactly as it appeared.
“I don’t know. I mean, it was there and then it wasn’t.” I felt uncharacteristically paranoid.
He glanced around. I heard his deep intake of breath, knew he was scenting the air.
“I smell only the rabbit…and an owl. If that rabbit’s not careful, it’ll end up as a late-night snack.” He handed me my flashlight. “So what are you doing out here? Taking a break from sleep?”
“Ha! Very funny,” I said, turning on my heel and trudging back to the condo. “I was just out hiking.”
His deep laughter rolled through me. “I’m beginning to think you’re a compulsive liar.”
“I work during the day. It’s the only time I can enjoy the outdoors.”
“Yeah, sure. Why can’t you just accept that we’re in this together?”
Because we’re not. I didn’t answer him. Instead I came to a stop, swung around, and studied the trees again. Everything seemed peaceful and quiet. Natural.
“You really were spooked,” Daniel said.
“It was weird. It was like the night I saw the harvester.”
His whole body language changed. He was suddenly very alert. “You think it’s here?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know how it finds us. I just know that for a couple of minutes back there, it felt as though I wasn’t alone.”
“You weren’t. I was following you.”
I glared at him, before continuing back to the condo. “You could have alerted me to your presence sooner.”
“Wanted to see what you were up to.”
I came out of the forest near the shed. “You stole my snowmobile,” I said tartly. “I should report you to the police.”
“You’re going to report I stole a snowmobile that you stole?” Daniel asked. “I don’t think so.”
“When did you do it?” I asked.
“Before I went in for hot chocolate.”
“So you knew where I lived before we walked home.” He didn’t say anything. “Is there anything about me you don’t know?”
“Sure. Your dreams. Who gave you your first kiss. Your favorite movie. Mine is Avatar, by the way. Awesome special effects.”
It was so difficult to stay irritated with him when he was so comfortable around me. But I was determined not to be distracted from my purpose by his charm. I marched over to the stairs. Guilt pricked my conscience. I stopped and studied him. “So where are you staying while you’re here?”
He shrugged. “Around.”
So I figured he’d probably been guarding me in wolf form and shifted back when he saw me going into the woods. In wolf form we had the ability to communicate telepathically with others in wolf form. I’d also heard that some true mates could read each other’s thoughts while in human form. But to communicate with me now, Daniel had to be in human form.
I was still mad at him for taking my snowmobile, but he was just following orders. There was an old saying about keeping your friends close but your enemies closer. Daniel wasn’t the enemy, but I was beginning to think that knowing exactly where he was would work in my favor. “You could sleep on the couch if you want.”
He grinned. “Such a sweet invitation.”
Okay, so I’d sounded a bit petulant. “Look, I’m mad about the snowmobile, but I’m trying to be nice.”
“You don’t have to try.”
I rolled my eyes, and his grin widened as though he realized how corny his line sounded.
“Do you want the couch or not?” I asked. I knew his being on the couch meant I couldn’t make another break for it tonight, but I probably couldn’t anyway. It was late and I was tired, and Daniel was way too vigilant.
“Okay, sure,” he said.
I glanced back toward the trees. Why did I have this creepy sense of being watched? And not by Daniel.
I hurried up the stairs and inserted the key into the lock. I opened the door and Daniel followed me inside.
“Nice,” he said.
The living room was large with a fireplace and a flat-screen TV. A couch was nestled between two end tables in the sitting area in front of the fireplace.
“I’ll get you some blankets,” I said, and went to a hallway closet. I stretched up to grab the blankets and became intensely aware of Daniel reaching over me, his chest brushing against my back.
“I’ve got it,” he said.
I slipped under his arm and watched as he grabbed the blankets and a pillow.
“I really appreciate this,” he said. “I hadn’t considered that all the hotels and bed-and-breakfasts would be full. Not that I mind sleeping in a tent, but a couch is better.”
Dark Guardians spend their summers leading campers through the national forest. They were into the outdoors in a big way. I knew Daniel had probably traveled on all fours, but once he got here, he would have purchased any supplies that he needed. It was easy enough to carry some cash in a collar.
“I guess you traveled on all fours,” I said, wanting to confirm my suspicions.
“As much as possible, yeah. But we’ll use the snowmobile to get back to Wolford.”
“So if you traveled in wolf form, where did you get the clothes?” I asked.
“Did a little breaking and entering when I got here this morning. Don’t worry. I left money on the counter.”
“I wasn’t worried. Just curious. Make yourself at home.”
He headed for the couch and I headed upstairs. Then I heard the front door open. I darted back down, just as Lisa was coming into the entryway.
“Hey,” I whispered. “I’m letting Daniel use the couch.”