Bodyguard

Rebecca was still up and told Elizabeth cheerfully that there was supper still hot in the kitchen. Elizabeth found a gigantic soup pot half full of thick beef and barley soup, a huge loaf of bread, and jars of five different flavors of jam to go with the bread.

Hungry, Elizabeth ladled soup into a bowl and threw a piece of bread on top of it. "How does Ronan afford to feed all of you on a bouncer's paycheck?"

Rebecca gave her a nonchalant shrug. "I guess we're good shoppers."

"Sorry," Elizabeth said quickly. "It's none of my business."

"No worries." Rebecca caught up a large purse. "Speaking of that, I need to go out. Will you watch Olaf for me? He's usually asleep by now, but he's a little keyed up because you and Mabel are staying here. He likes company. Cherie's spending the night with a friend, and I don't want to leave him alone."

"Sure," Elizabeth said readily.

Rebecca hesitated. "If you'd rather not, I can wait for Ronan."

Elizabeth took a bite of soup and found it delicious. "No, no. That's fine. I like Olaf. You go . . . shop." When all the stores are closed. Hmm.

"Thanks." Rebecca breezed out, banging the door behind her.

Olaf was in the living room watching television. The TV was an old model--no flat screens or HD for Shifters. A rerun of a seventies comedy was playing. Olaf wasn't so much watching it as standing in front of the screen, staring at the people on it as though trying to figure out what on earth they were doing.

"I like this one," Elizabeth said. "One of the ladies I lived with when I was little loved this show. She was nice." In retrospect Elizabeth knew she should have been kinder to the woman, but Elizabeth had been so afraid of being split up from Mabel that she'd been prickly and defensive. The sweet old lady had understood that, Elizabeth saw now.

Olaf listened as though Elizabeth imparted great wisdom, then he abandoned the television and climbed up onto the sofa beside her. Olaf was nine, Ronan had said, but he acted younger. Maybe because Shifters matured at a much slower rate than humans, or maybe because Olaf had been through a lot.

As Olaf seated himself against Elizabeth, she noted that his white-blond hair bore tiny blue streaks. Mabel.

Elizabeth was tired, but she was happy to eat the terrific soup and have the warmth of Olaf beside her. This reminded her of what she and Mabel would do in the bad old days, sitting tightly side-by-side as though that would keep them together forever. I won't ever let us be split up, Mabel. I promise.

She'd kept her promise, no matter what.

When the show ended, and Elizabeth set down her empty bowl, Olaf climbed down from the sofa, calmly removed his clothes, and shifted. He did it too close to the coffee table, which got shoved over, but Elizabeth found herself looking at the cutest polar bear cub she'd ever seen.

Not that she'd seen many, not this close. Olaf made a little baby growl then climbed back onto the sofa, his long claws tearing the fabric. He flopped down next to Elizabeth, put his head and one paw on Elizabeth's lap, and closed his eyes.

Elizabeth went still, the trust Olaf was showing both stunning and warming her.

Olaf stirred a little, then let out his breath, eyes closing more tightly. Elizabeth couldn't stop herself from stroking his fur. She found it both soft and strong, sort of wiry without being tough.

Elizabeth went on petting him, finding comfort in the act. Olaf's breath whuffed hot over her blue-jeaned knee, the cub relaxing into sleep.

Rebecca didn't return. Elizabeth lifted the remote and switched off the television, and silence crept over the house. They didn't have any clocks in here, so nothing ticked. There was only the quiet of the outside world, the faint breeze through the open window. Austin summers were hot and sticky, but the coming fall could be cool and clean.

She was still sitting there, Olaf half on her lap, when Ronan came in.

Chapter Nine

Again Elizabeth was struck with how quiet he was. When he'd charged Marquez in her store, she hadn't heard a thing until he'd reached them.

Ronan saw Olaf sleeping, closed his mouth on the greeting he'd been about to give her, and stepped inside. A cool breeze stirred wind chimes on the porch and wafted through the windows.

"Where's Mabel?" Elizabeth whispered.

"With Cherie. I took her to Cherie's friend's. Two doors down."

"Connor?"

Ronan righted the coffee table, which had been left on its side, and put her empty bowl back on it. Nothing had broken, at least. "Took him home. Scott's staying over at the Morrisseys tonight too, so it will be less crowded here. Becks went out?"

"She implied shopping, but nothing's open this late."

"Means she's prowling. Becks is past ready to mate, but she's being very picky."

"What about Ellison? He seems like he'd be willing."

Ronan grimaced. "Goddess, I hope not. He's a Lupine. That's all I'd need, half-wolf, half-bear Shifters all over the place, full of themselves, like Ellison."

"How would that work?" Elizabeth remained still as Ronan collapsed on the sofa next to her, stretching into a sprawl. Olaf never moved. "How can a Shifter be half wolf, half bear?"

"Wouldn't. The cubs would be born in human shape and then take their animal form a few years later. They'll go one way or the other, so a Lupine-Ursine mating could have half the family wolves and half bears. That would be interesting."