I smacked my head against the head rest once Ritch was
inside. I shouldn’t have touched him, not even to pat his back. It only made
the want and desire to touch him in other places that much worse. Ritch was
such an odd mix of vulnerable and strong male that it was hard to remember why
I needed to stay focused. The first time I’d met him was only a brief contact,
with him as one of several werekin moving between clans.
I’d been out of my head with grief over the loss of my
brother, and I’d been focused on removing threats. We were still under threat,
but it was easier to let my human spirit guide me than my tiger soul. Ritch had
the full attention of both the second he’d knocked on my door though.
He was tall, with a solid build. I was taller and stronger and
had more advantages as a bonded werekin. I watched him around the humans who
walked into the store, and he didn’t shy away from them, but he was still leery
around other werekin. Maybe it would be better to help him set up a life
outside of a streak or herd once this was all over.
My tiger soul was not happy with that thought. I caught my
breath, rubbing my hand over my chest. I’d just have to get used to it; my job
as protector of the streak extended to him when Deke accepted him. My focus
needed to be on finding the people who’d hurt my brother, transforming him into
a bonded werekin with two animal souls—something that no one had ever seen
before—and preventing an attack that could destroy our way of life, or worse,
alert the humans to our culture in the worst way possible.
I sighed. Deke and I had talked about this a few times. The
world was so technologically advanced now, making things both easier and harder
for werekin. A bonded werekin couldn’t just go into town. The bone structure of
our faces was subtly different, creating a muzzle with sharp cheekbones and
jutting jaws. Our animal souls marked our bodies with distinctive patterns that
were impossible for many to hide. For a long time, human werekin had been the
face of the clans, interacting with the human world while most of the streak
lived simple lives.
But now there were online schools and businesses. More
bonded werekin could receive an education and have a career without revealing
our kind, if they were careful. Deke did it. But how long before someone out
playing with a drone caught video of one of us? Or a traffic camera? Deke and I
were convinced that we’d have to reveal our existence to the humans in our lifetime.
We’d discussed preparations for that—but then all hell had broken loose when
Kraig was taken and Deke’s dad died. He had to grow up fast to lead the streak,
and I’d taken over protecting it.
A sharp rap on my window startled me. I rolled it down. “Why’d
we stop here?” Cameron kept his hood up and his hands inside his pockets. His
back was to the camera, and he blocked any view into my window.
“Ritch needed some things. Once we’re done here, we’ll meet
the others at the edge of our territory.”
“They won’t be happy if we’re late.”
I shrugged. “They’ll get over it. We got an early start this
morning because I knew we needed to stop. I don’t think he’ll be very long.”
“Okay.” Cameron headed back to his car. Not even fifteen
minutes later, Ritch came outside with several bags. He opened the passenger
door and slid inside, pulling a backpack off his shoulder.
“I thought I’d need something to put it all in.”
“Good thinking. I didn’t even consider that.” He had the
ability to think ahead and focus on details I lacked.
“You sure it’s okay? You didn’t tell me to buy it.” I knew
Ritch was unused to anyone being nice to him, other than the cousin he’d lost.
Every time I tried to do something for him, he looked at me like horns were
growing out of my head.
“Of course it’s okay. Otherwise you’d have to carry your
things around in plastic bags. That wouldn’t work very well.” I pulled out of
the parking lot, checking to make sure Christian was behind me. “We’re meeting
everyone at the border, and then we’ll head to the hotel where Christian found—”
I broke off, working my jaw. I didn’t really know what to call him.
“Where Christian stopped searching,” Ritch said quietly.
I took a deep breath. “Yes.”
As I drove, Ritch packed the backpack he’d purchased. “Did
you get the phone?”
“Yes.” He pulled out a box.
“Good, you can plug that in. They don’t usually come fully
charged.” I dug my phone out of my pocket. I pulled up my contacts, and hit the
button to add a contact. “Here. Type in your name and phone number.” As soon as
he handed it back, I set him up as the second contact.
“So how long until we reach the meeting place?” Ritch
fiddled with the strap of his backpack.
“About twenty minutes.”
“Will some of them ride with us?” His nervous fidgeting
betrayed his anxiety.
I wanted to reach out and touch his hand, still the
compulsive rubbing of the seam in the strap, but I’d felt his muscles tense
when I touched his leg the day before at the meeting. Touch still seemed to
inspire more anxiety than it relieved.
“No. That’s why Christian is driving the SUV. He can take
several with him, and then Durant’s man will take the others. We’ll make sure
the clans are split equitably to avoid… conflict.”
TBC
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