Page 4 of Homecoming

The boardroom had some boxes. Aeryn tore them open and grinned. It was time to make a call.

An hour later, Aeryn heard the knock on the door and opened it to Thera and her three mates. The guys looked worried until they saw her, and then, they relaxed.

Thera grinned, and they hugged. “Back in the islands, eh?”

“Yes. I am guessing you are adapting well?”

Thera giggled, and her men looked relieved.

Aeryn smiled and introduced herself. “Gentlemen, I am Aeryn Yesterway. I am the assistant to the new minister of tourism. Serin. I have a few things for your mate that I believe she will enjoy, and you will have to carry, so this works.”

Thera blinked. “Oh, sorry. I am getting used to this. This is Orc, Skaay, and Kayak of the Daring Pod. My pod.”

“Pleased to meet you.”

Thera murmured, “Aeryn works for Serin, and Serin convinced Ford to send me here to shoot the background shots.”

Aeryn smirked. “Serin is a long-term thinker. I prefer to act in the moment. So, Thera, did she share any of what we are going to need?”

Thera shrugged. “She was vague.”

“Right, well, come this way. I will explain as you open the boxes.”

Thera was curious, and so were her pod. Thera got to the boardroom and started opening the boxes, squealing as she did so.

“We are going on a fullwhat can you do in five daysad campaign. Everything action-centred is going to be there, and I need you to take the images, still or moving.”

Thera gasped as she unwrapped box after box of cameras, bags, tripods, and equipment. When she was caressing thehandheld camera, she looked up. “Do you have an athlete or fitness model for me to shoot?”

“Well, yes and no. The person that you are going to be photographing is me.”

Thera laughed and said, “No. You are kidding, right?”

Aeryn smiled. “Since your pod is taken, there isn’t any issue, so...”

She released her hair to cascade down with the ends near her ankles. Aeryn removed her glasses and calmly walked over to the ironwood table. She lifted it. “So, I will be removing my camouflage for this as there are some stunts that I have planned that would not be suitable for someone else to attempt. The jet ski is in storage, and tomorrow, I would like to take it for a spin. Those will have to be distance shots, I am afraid.” She set the table down.

Thera was holding a camera and cocked her head. “Can you outline your figure a bit? I want to see what I am working with.”

Aeryn laughed and reached behind her to tighten her maxi dress, and Thera nodded with a smile. “Thought so. You were in one of the battle scenes on one of Ford’s videos.”

“Yes. Part of an army of amazons running across the plains or something.”

“Yeah, you weren’t even winded.”

“I’ve got stamina, but I try and avoid being in the public eye. This is the one exception I am willing to make.”

Thera snapped her camera and looked at the image. “Nice. So, why are you hiding what you look like?”

“Once upon a time, I did a good deed, and I have had someone trying to track me ever since.” She held up a hand. “It isn’t malicious. It was just interest, and I am hoping that enough time has passed that he has lost that interest.”

Kayak snorted. “So, he was an alpha?”

“He probably still is. There was a gunfight, a car chase, and a bloody kiss in the hospital.”

Orc murmured, “Oohh. All the elements of a good romance. How long ago was it?”

“Eight years. I was working at an auction house, and there was an incident. The attackers were... detained for the authorities. I got fired for leaving my post.”

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