Her tone made it sound like that should have been self-evident. Evan nodded, trying to seem at least a little bit knowledgeable about what that could mean. He spent the next few seconds leaning this way and that in an attempt to ascertain what overheating actually meant. Following the trail of steam, he noticed a hose had become disconnected. Pointing, he said, “I think that’s your problem.”
Marika leaned next to him, close enough for him to inhale her unique scent. She smelled of the woods mixed with something spicy. “That’s just great. Unless you can magic up some water, then we’re still stuck out here.”
Evan dropped his backpack. “I’ve got water in my canteen.”
Marika shook her head. “That’s not nearly enough.”
“We’ll see. You might be surprised.”
Without even knowing it, Marika had given him enough direction to fix her vehicle’s problem. Evan started bending forward to refasten the hose when Marika leaned across him and grabbed something. She continued to push him out of the way as she twisted the cap off and looked inside.
“Yep, just what I thought. All of the water drained out of the radiator.” Again, almost faster than he could see, she turned, her face only inches from his. “Can your magic make water?”
Evan shook his head. “It doesn’t work that way.”
Marika’s shoulders sagged. “I knew this was too good to be true. What am I going to do?”
Unable to restrain himself, he placed his hand on her bare arm. The thrill of the electricity passing between them registered on her face, but Evan had no idea what it could mean. He’d never heard of such a thing happening before. Clearing his throat, he said, “Why don’t you sit in the car? I’ll take care of this and join you in a minute.”
“But you just said—” she started.
Evan cut her off. “I’ll take care of it. How much time do you want to waste arguing about it?”
Without another word, Marika turned and left. Evan went right to work. Pulling a small amount of elemy from the earth, he resecured the hose, and then called water from the ground, storing it inside the place where she’d removed the lid. Hopefully, that was what was supposed to happen.
He hadn’t even thought about studying transportation mechanics before leaving his home. Belatedly, he realized his folly. Next time, he’d be better prepared. That is if his mother didn’t trap him at home in some crafty manner.
Looking over his handiwork for another few seconds, Evan screwed the cap back in place. After dropping the hood and making sure it latched securely, he gave Marika a thumbs-up gesture, grabbed his pack and blanket, and moved around to the passenger side of the car.
He deftly threw his things into the back of the car just before dropping into the passenger seat. “All set.” He hoped that were true.
Marika’s hands gripped the steering wheel as if she needed it for support. She twisted to face him, her eyebrows drawn down fiercely. “Just like that? No way. I just barely got seated, and you say you’re done? It takes longer than that to pour several gallons of water into the radiator.”
“Radiator? So, that what that’s called. Interesting.” Tilting his head, he said, “Go ahead and try it. What can it hurt? You’re already broken down, and I thought you said you were in a hurry.”
“Right.” She continued to shake her head as she twisted the key in the ignition. The car started right up.
Evan assumed that was a good sign. He split his attention between staring at Marika’s profile and listening to the sound of the engine. Nothing seemed amiss, and he relaxed into his seat for the ride.
Marika took several seconds before looking over her shoulder and carefully pulling out onto the road. Evan had no idea where they were, but sitting in the car was bliss compared to blundering through the wilderness without any clue where he was headed.
He should have paid more attention to where they drove, but his attention stayed riveted to Marika. Something about her called to him, something more than just the fact he had healed her. The tire falling into a giant pothole jarred him back into the present.
Looking around, he could have sworn two wolves ran beside the car for a split second before melting into the underbrush of the forest. Evan didn’t see any houses, but Marika didn’t alter her car’s pace as she sped along the bumpy road. A scowl marred the perfection of Marika’s face, but Evan didn’t see anything different to change her mood. What had he missed?
Chapter Five
Chapter Five
She should have known the pack’s sentries would report her breach in protocol. Instead of coming to Michael on her own, she would undoubtedly have a summons waiting for her as soon as she parked her car. Her eyes flicked over to the clock on the radio—only two minutes late. Even with all of her unfortunate delays, at least Darla’s date wouldn’t be interrupted.
Just as she parked the car outside of Darla’s cabin, she spotted Michael surrounded by several men heading her way. The last thing she needed or wanted was a scene in front of her son. Time was no longer on her side.
A sideways glance over to Evan steeled her resolve. Evan was special. The pack should be thanking her for bringing him to their attention. As the former mate to their Alpha, they should at least listen to what she had to say—she hoped.
She didn’t wait for the confrontation to get to her. Instead, she opened her door and said to Evan, “I’ll be right back. Don’t talk to anyone until I return.” Her heart raced in anticipation, but she kept her pace even as she crossed the yard and knocked sharply on Darla’s front door.
Darla must have been waiting since she opened it before Marika’s hand made it back to her side. “You cut that really close. Thank goodness Zack was napping, so I was able to get ready.” She held out the toddler to Marika. Her gaze moved away from Marika. “What’s going on with Michael? He doesn’t look happy.”
“I don’t have time to explain right now. Have a great time tonight, Darla.” Marika hated cutting Darla off like that, but she had to move this confrontation away from her son. Forcing a smile she didn’t feel, she said, “See you tomorrow.” Marika rushed back to her car, fastened Zack in the rear car seat, and returned to her place behind the wheel. She didn’t bother trying to modulate her speed to conform to human standards.
“What’s wrong, Marika?” Evan asked.
“Outsiders aren’t allowed.” Marika turned the key, and the engine started. But before she could shift the car into reverse, Michael’s men had surrounded the vehicle making their escape impossible.
Michael stalked up to her window; anger emblazoned across his expression. He leaned forward until his face was at the same level as Marika’s. His mouth opened to speak, but not a single syllable left his lips.
Marika held out her hand, palm facing Michael, somehow managing to keep her nerves under control and not show the quivering she felt inside. She knew she was taking a terrible risk, but what choice did she have?
Michael rocked back on his heels as if she had struck him. His eyes flared wide, but his hand gave the signal to stand down. The men moved away from the car, but their postures remained hostile.
With a curt nod, Marika backed up, turned around, and drove several blocks to get to her house. Now would come the tricky part. She shut off the engine and turned in her seat to face Evan.
“I should have expected this and given you some warning. We have a close-knit community, and outsiders aren’t allowed. I’d like to share what you did for me with Michael.” She could have kicked herself for only now realizing how badly she had messed this all up. So consumed had she been about picking up her son, she hadn’t considered what Evan would think of her decision. But, she had a responsibility to her pack, and Evan had seen her shift–maybe.
“What? Why?” Evan leaned hard against the passenger door, looking as though he were trying to escape.
She didn’t get a chance to answer. Michael knocked on the driver’s side window. The vibration rippled through Marika’s body, signaling for her to
resume her position as Alpha’s wife—even if her husband had died. Without another word, she turned and shoved her door open.
“Kohr, please watch Zack while I talk with Michael inside.” She opened the rear door and brought her son out of the car. “Do you want to show Kohr your new fishing pole, Zack?” Her son’s eyes lit up, and he nodded enthusiastically. His arms reached toward Michael’s second-in-command.
Occasions such as this made Marika bless the established ranks of their pack. Kohr’s demeanor instantly transformed into that of a favorite uncle entertaining his nephew. No matter that they shared no blood, Kohr knew his duty to her. He bounced Zack in his arm as he left them to walk down to the lake.
Marika caught sight of Evan standing awkwardly across from her. She didn’t have time to encourage him. Gesturing for him to follow, she led the way into her small lakeside cabin.
She held the door open for Michael and Evan to enter her kitchen. Her fingers clutched the doorknob as though it might offer some assistance to the problem she’d brought on herself. How could she explain everything to Michael? He was already furious with her, for good reason. Maybe she should start there.
Carefully latching the door, she took a deep breath before turning to face the two men. Pushing herself away from the wall, she propelled herself through the room. Act confident—take control.
“I needed this conversation to be private, Michael. I’m sorry for invoking the rule of silence so publicly. This matter is very unusual and, I believe, significant for our pack. You may speak.” She’d always known Michael to be fair-minded, and she hoped he would remain so for this discussion. Arriving at the couch, she dropped onto it, weariness almost overwhelming her.
Michael visibly shook, as though ridding himself of the inability to speak. His eyes narrowed as he shifted his gaze between Marika and Evan. Lifting his head minutely, his nostrils flared as he inhaled. “The pack has smelled this man circling our territory. Is he a spy sent by the shifters?”
Marika shook her head. “Please. Both of you be seated.” She hadn’t heard about this before, but it also didn’t change anything she had to say. Michael hesitated before complying, waiting until Evan seated himself in the single rocking chair across from them. Evan wasn’t making eye contact with either of them, but Michael’s stare almost bored a hole through Marika.
“I’m certain Evan poses no threat to our people.” She held up her hand to stop Michael from interrupting, and possibly reminding him of her injunction to silence earlier. In any event, it served her immediate purpose.
Marika leaned back on the couch beside Michael and recounted the ill-fated events of her trip home. When she got to the part about getting healed, Michael’s gaze flicked over to where Evan sat silently and back to Marika.
“Can I see where you were stabbed?” Michael asked.
If they would have been alone, Marika would have simply removed her dress to let Michael inspect the repair. But Evan’s discomfort with her nudity made her pause for only a fraction of a second. “Sure. Let me get changed into something more comfortable.”
Once again, Marika didn’t bother modulating her speed to appear more human. She threw on the first outfit she could get her hands on and returned to the stony silence in her living room. If the two men had been wolves, then they would have had their hackles raised, and the room would have vibrated with sharp warning growls. But Michael remained in human form, and Evan, although not entirely human, didn’t appear to have any understanding of shifting.
When Michael’s gaze reverted to her, his reaction surprised her with its intensity. Only then did Marika look down to see what she’d chosen to wear. The lurching pain in her heart threatened to undo her as she realized she’d picked her dead husband’s favorite sweatshirt—the one she hugged every night to help her sleep.
Trying to play it off, she waved her hand and said, “It’s just a shirt, Michael. Do you want to look at the scar?” Even as she said it, she hoped one remained. What if Evan’s healing had continued until her skin no longer showed any evidence of the traumatic event?
“I can’t make the scar disappear.” Evan spoke for the first time, his voice gentle and unassuming.
How had he known exactly what she was thinking? “Can you read minds, too?” Marika half-joked, yet she wouldn’t be surprised.
“It was the look on your face that told me. But, yes, I can read minds if I’m asked to. In my culture, it’s considered very rude to intrude on people’s private thoughts unless absolutely necessary.”
“It seems we have something in common.” Michael stared across at Evan, seemingly appraising him favorably for the first time.
That look gave Marika hope; she stepped forward, blocking Michael’s view of Evan, lifting the side of her shirt to let the pack’s Alpha inspect the mended damage to her skin. Just barely, she managed to remain still when his finger whispered along the thin red line.
“Impressive.” His eyes darted up to mine. “You said this only took minutes to heal?”
“Well, I was kind of out of it, but I think so. Evan?” She turned, her eyes practically pleading him to be civil as well as forthcoming. He had no idea that Michael literally held his life in his hands right now.
Evan sighed, his gaze flicked between hers and Michael’s. The silence stretched out. Evan shifted forward until his elbows rested on his knees and his hands hung limply between his legs. “It appears all of us have secrets we’d like to keep. Can we agree than anything we share in this room goes no farther?”
Unconsciously, Michael’s pose mirrored Evan’s. Marika dropped onto the couch, more than ready to hear whatever Evan decided to reveal. She already knew about his healing talent, but she’d convinced herself that his story would be important for her pack. Marika nodded her agreement.
“Absolutely,” Michael said.
Chapter Six
Chapter Six
“I come from a place called Tuala. I’m sure you’ve never heard of it. This may sound strange, but Tuala is another dimension of Earth.” Having dropped that bombshell, Evan waited for them to refute his claim, yet his rapt audience simply nodded their acceptance. “Wait, have you already heard about Tuala? Is that why you believe me?”
“No,” Marika answered. “But we accept people at their word.”
This was not at all the response he’d been raised to believe about the people from Earth. “Why?”
“Because of who we are. Please continue.” Marika’s eyes softened, and a smile played at the corner of her lips.
Her emphasis on the word who filled him with questions, but it didn’t feel like the right time. Focusing his attention back to his explanation, he continued, “Tuala is the home of Jehoban, the creator of the universe. I believe you know Him as God. We are taught from birth how to use elemental energy, which we call elemy. Pretty much anything the mind can think of, we can do with the elemy.”
Evan’s hands clasped tightly together. He had no idea why he’d shared that piece of information; it went against all of the rules he’d grown up with. An unexpected chuckle escaped his mouth before he could restrain it.
“What’s so funny?” Marika asked.
“Two things. First, Tualans are taught that Earth is a bad place. Second, we’re told never to share anything about our world to an old soul—that’s the term we give people from Earth. I’d already gone against my mother’s wishes by coming here, but I still had my secret.”
“Until now,” Marika said, nodding sympathetically. She reached across the two feet separating them, and reassuringly clasped his forearm. Her eyes widened before her gaze locked onto Evan’s.
“You feel that, too?” Evan asked, his voice barely above a whisper. He could hardly explain the sensation rippling through him at her touch. It almost felt as though he stood on the hard-packed, wet sand, and a wave crashed over his feet, pulling the sand out from under him. At the same time, he felt more alive than he ever had before, as if he’d been asleep until this moment.
“What are you talking about?” Michael interrupted the strange moment.
He couldn’t pull his gaze away from Marika’s. “Something unusual happened when I healed Marika.”
“Explain.” Michael’s tone was just short of a growl.
“I met Marika’s wolf.”
Michael grunted. “So you did see her shift. Marika, how could you be so careless?”
“No, Michael. You misunderstood me. Well, to be honest, I did see Marika shift forms, but I met her wolf inside the Earth. She helped me heal Marika’s wound.”
“What are you saying? Can you shift, too?” Marika looked so hopeful.
Evan shook his head, he’d been trying to rationalize this to himself, but it still didn’t make any sense. “No. I’d never dreamed anybody could shift until I saw it with my own eyes. But in Tuala, we access the elemy to heal. To do that, we have to move our thoughts into the earth to find a person’s life-line before we can begin the healing process. I was doing that when a white wolf stood where Marika’s life-line tied to the Earth’s core. I didn’t have time to question it then. I simply accepted it and healed Marika. But when I finished, the wolf kept a part of my life-line with her. For better or worse, Marika and I are bonded in a way I’ve only heard about in legends.”
“Are you saying you are soul mates?”
Evan nodded.
Michael stood and began pacing the room, his footsteps dropping heavily onto the wood-planked floor. He whipped around, his finger pointing accusingly at Marika. “How could you let this happen? Do you know what this means?”
A surge of electricity raced up Evan’s arm just before Marika pulled her hand away. Anger turned her cheeks red, and she stood to confront Michael. “Let this happen? Do you think I planned for those bikers to stab me? Do you think I planned for some random hiker to come to my aid? I didn’t let this happen.”
“Would someone please tell me what’s going on?” Evan stood, as well, trying to grasp the elusive thoughts racing between Marika and Michael’s silent standoff. Never before had he wanted to break the mind-reading privacy rule as much as he did at that moment. Why did it feel as though they were planning his future without his input?
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