Guardian's Mate

Rae watched him in suspicion, not trusting that he wouldn’t drag her to the showers the moment her back was turned. Zander didn’t move, one hand on the wall, as he waited for her to go.

Rae backed away slowly, putting a few yards between them before she slid the sword into its sheath and turned toward the stern deck.

When she looked around again, Zander had vanished. In his place was a pile of clothing and, a moment later, Rae heard a loud splash from somewhere in the bow. Water fountained up and Zander was gone.

* * *

Zander had been correct that Miles would know places to drop them off on the coast where they wouldn’t have to worry about port authorities, customs, police, or anything else that would slow them down. He needed a quiet place with an airstrip—or at least a place to land—so the cargo plane pilot he’d called could pick them up.

Miles had been able to put in near Juneau, as he’d wanted, to resupply. Zander, Ezra, and Rae had stayed out of sight and Carson had not made a noise. Carson had been subdued since Rae had found out about his wife. He didn’t speak much when Zander brought his food but at least Carson was eating the food now without fuss.

Zander made many phone calls and arrangements while they’d waited for Miles to finish restocking. Zander was anxious to take Rae home and get her into the Guardian’s database. The Guardian Network held the secrets of the ages—it might tell them how to put the sword back together, where Rae came from, and how to find the out-of-control Shifters who’d hurt Carson’s wife.

Might, Zander reminded himself. Or the database might hold nothing but menus for all-Guardian parties. Who the hell knew?

The human pilot Zander had contacted landed in a seaplane in a little harbor Miles sailed into that housed a fishing and hunting resort. Miles moored as close as he could to the plane and Marlo, the pilot, cut his engines and waited for them.

Rae was ready, the backpack of her things Ezra had transferred from Zander’s boat in her hand. The sword gleamed on her back as she waited for Miles to lower the small speedboat that would take them to the seaplane.

Zander had resumed his usual jeans, sweatshirt, and duster, ready to quit the high seas. Ezra waited next to him to board the speedboat, the Lupine also looking as though he’d had enough of the ocean.

“Miles,” Zander said as Miles finished cranking the boat into the water. “Come with us. I’ll introduce you to some Shifters who’ll show you it’s not so bad being one of us.” He tried a grin. “As soon as I figure out who they are.”

Miles shook his head, dark eyes haunted. “I gotta look after this boat. Carson and I own it together and I’m the only one who knows how to run it.”

Zander shrugged, pretending he understood, but Miles’s loneliness and worry reached out to him. Jake the Snake was staying with Miles, the reptile preferring the freedom of shipboard life to stifling in Zander’s pocket. But Miles, in the long run, would need more company than a snake.

Zander wouldn’t force the man into an embrace this time. They were out on open deck and Miles looked as though he feared Zander hugging him more than he feared being caught as a Shifter.

Rae had no such compunction. She threw her arms around Miles’s waist and held him hard. “Thank you,” she said. “Thank you for helping us.”

Miles might not have wanted to hug a loud, annoying bear, but Rae was hard to resist. Miles put his big arms around her in return. “That’s all right, honey. You gonna be okay with him?”

Rae nodded. “I think so. What about you?”

“I’ll survive,” Miles said, resolute. “I always do. Hey, you ever need anything from me, you call me, all right?”

Rae nodded, gave him another squeeze, then released him. “I’ll do that.”

Zander moved to Rae to help her into the boat, where Ezra had already jumped. Ezra had softened way down too. Rae had that effect on people.

Carson’s bag landed in the speedboat and Carson followed. He was tightlipped but had announced last night that he’d take up Zander’s offer to help him find the Shifters responsible for putting his wife into a coma. Rae had gotten to him too.

Zander said a final good-bye to Miles, handed his swords to Rae, then swarmed down into the boat and took them back from her. She didn’t smile but her eyes were warm. She was heading in the direction of home, and she was happy.

Miles waved as Zander revved the speedboat and steered them carefully away from the larger craft. Rae sat down and waved back at Miles, her smile beaming.

The seaplane was small but the four of them fit themselves into the cramped passenger seats without fuss. There were single chairs with an aisle between, so Zander couldn’t sit right next to Rae. He sat directly behind her instead, where he could keep an eye on her as well as on Carson.

Marlo talked to whoever regulated the airspace around here and soon had them up and away.

An hour or so later, Marlo touched down on a lake somewhere in Canada, returned the seaplane to the friend from whom he’d borrowed it, and loaded them onto his cargo plane. This one was a replacement for the one that had gone down a few years ago but it was as old and clanging as the last one, not a comforting thought. Marlo had survived, the thin man as wiry and energetic as ever, so maybe that was comforting. Marlo seemed indestructible.

This plane was larger but didn’t have seats other than the copilot’s chair. Zander sat on the floor in the back next to Rae, she leaning against him as the trip grew long.

It was just past sunset when Marlo landed at an airstrip far from any town. He’d radioed ahead, and a Shifter Zander didn’t know picked them up outside the tiny hangar.

Rae knew him though. She’d been snuggled into Zander’s side, her scent and warmth delightful, but as she walked sleepily off the plane and saw the Shifter, she came instantly alert. Dropping everything, she ran at the stranger and leapt into his arms.

The Shifter was Feline, Zander saw as he scooped up Rae’s backpack and sword and followed. He smelled Rae’s scent on the Feline as well.

Rae wrapped herself around the Shifter, jammed a kiss to his face, and laughed out loud. “Goddess, Colin, it is so good to see you!”

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

“You’ve only been gone a week,” the Feline said, a hint of an Irish accent coming forth. He embraced Rae warmly and returned the kiss.

“Is that all? Feels like forever.” Rae reluctantly climbed down and turned to Zander. “This is Zander Moncrieff. Zander, this is my brother Colin.”