Series: Shifter Ops Series by Renee Rose
Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 30911 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 155(@200wpm)___ 124(@250wpm)___ 103(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 30911 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 155(@200wpm)___ 124(@250wpm)___ 103(@300wpm)
“It’s not safe to travel far with vampires on our tail.” Parker can’t stop looking over his shoulder. I also feel a prickle between my shoulder blades, like someone is watching.
“And we need to sleep sometime,” I add. Allison’s eyes are heavy. She’s on Laurie’s lap, leaning into him until their scents mesh in a blend of sweet flowers and soft cotton balls. They make such a cute couple. I should be upset about this, but I bet Laurie would do anything to make Allison happy.
Allison deserves that.
“We need a hideout,” Parker says.
“I know a place.” Bern hits the gas.
Chapter Five
Declan
It’s twilight by the time we reach the safehouse, which is a tiny cabin tucked into the side of a snowy mountain.
“My brothers live that way. And that way,” Bern points out. “And over there. Oh, and Darius is here this weekend, and his cabin is down there.”
“You have four brothers?” Fiona asks. She’s sitting on my leg, holding her shotgun and leaning forward to keep most of her weight off me. It’s all I can do to keep myself from burying my face in her hair and giving her a mating bite.
“Seven. Teddy and his mate are in California.” Bern parks, and Fiona’s off like a shot, opening the door and leaping out.
Good job, Declan. You scared the poor lass.
“Where is this place?” Allison asks. Laurie helps her out of the car, and they remain holding hands. At least he’s getting over his shyness, but who’d a-thought the owl would have more game than me?
“Welcome to Bad Bear Mountain.” Bern heads to the cabin. “You’ll be safe here.” The door opens with a creak, and he waves us all in.
I expect something out of a horror movie, but it’s clean and cozy, if a bit cramped. There’s a couch by the door and a narrow bed pushed against the far corner. A cabinet with a hotplate and minifridge in the opposite corner beside a window. Everything from the curtains to the blanket on the bed and throw on the couch is the same green and red Tartan plaid.
“It’s small,” Bern says. “Only one room and an outhouse out back. Sorry.”
“It’s fine. Like you said, we’ll be safe here. No one will scent us.” Parker says diplomatically. What he doesn’t say is a thick werebear musk coats everything.
“Very festive.” Fiona goes to a bookshelf filled with paperbacks and pokes at the set of carved wooden figurines on top. Tiny bears, foxes and wolves, all wearing little hats and scarves. She and Allison coo over them.
I swallow. This cabin is sweet and festive, especially when Bern gets a fire going in the stone fireplace. It’s like something out of a holiday movie, and for some reason, I can’t stand it one minute longer.
“I’ll keep watch.” I duck out into the fresh air.
“What’s with him?” I hear Fiona ask from behind the heavy wooden door. Damn shifter hearing. I can all but hear the pity in her voice. Parker answers something that, thankfully, I can’t hear.
My wolf hound whines. He wants to be back with Fiona. “I know,” I mutter. “I know.” I walk past Bern’s Jeep and our broken-down bus. Not even the cold night air and the scent of snow and wild pine is enough to break up the tension clogging my throat.
The cabin door swings open, and Bern jogs out. If he notices my dark mood, he doesn’t say anything. “My brother Axel is great with cars. I’ll drop yours off, and it should be good to go by morning.”
“‘Tanks, man.”
“No worries. I’ll send my brother Everest by with some food.” With that final shout, Bern expertly turns the Jeep, bus trailer and all, and hauls off.
I sigh and look up at the endless, star-studded sky. My heart squeezes like a mushy fruit. Too soft to be of any use to anyone, least of all me.
A stick crunches, and the delicious diner scent wafts over me. Fiona. She must have followed me outside. I don’t turn. “You gonna keep sculking in the shadows, lass, or are you gonna come talk to me?”
Fiona emerges from the side of the cabin, tossing her long dark hair. There’s a small strip of tanned skin between her black crop top and high waisted black jeans. I want to press my face there and inhale.
She’d probably sink her sharp little teeth into my ear.
“You’re the one skulking,” she shoots back.
I scoff.
“Sulking then. What do you call it when you leave the nice warm cabin to come stand in the cold and dark?”
“You’re out here too,” I say.
Fiona sniffs. “Yeah, well, they’re settling in with hot cocoa and mulled cider. It’s so fucking domestic, I could puke.”
“Fecking A,” I agree. The tightness in my chest has eased somewhat, but my hand tingles. It’s about now I’d reach for a bottle, but I forgot to take one out of the bus before Bern drove off.