Page 18 of Spirit Island

“Was keeping upappearances. I am known to be irritated at the best of times. So,when I am in rut, I fall on strict formalities.”

“Wait. So, youget more rigid?”

He chuckled.“Do you want to rephrase that?”

“Oh, right.Socially.”

“Yes.”

“Where are wegoing?”

“There is apathway to the water here. I will transform, and you will hangon.”

“Why?”

“Because Ididn’t bring a boat, and I am in a hurry.” Xo went down the pathslightly before her and held her hand so she could support herselfon the way down.

When the sandcaressed her toes, she smiled. Xo walked to the water and smiled.“I know I don’t need to say this, but don’t try to run.”

“Of course not.How do I ride you?”

He paused.“Huh. I will fold down my spikes behind my head and keep it abovethe water.”

“What if Ishift and hold on so you can move underwater?”

“No. I needpractice.”

That wascurious, but he waded into the water and began to grow until hestretched parallel to the beach. He was big but held out a fin, andshe stepped onto it and was boosted upward until she settled on hissoft, ruffly spinal fin in front of his spikes. The broad, silveryhead wiggled as he worked his way to deeper water, and from there,he started to swim. When he was in deeper water, he accelerated.The shoreline sped past, and the hour-long path to the strait wasachieved in a few minutes. The travel down the strait pulled herhair back with the speed, and a six-hour journey ended up completedin twenty-five minutes.

He wiggled hisway onto the small beach, and she saw the fin out for her. Sheeased off him and stepped down onto the sand. He resumed his alphaappearance, but there was a feral look to him.

He took herhand. “This way.”

He led herthrough the hills and grasses down a hidden path. They walkedalong, and suddenly, his home was there, the lower level of aJapanese-inspired building that looked completely at home in theforest.

“Why do youlive out here? I mean, the house is gorgeous, but it is ratherremote.”

He shrugged,his expression gaining more of a feral cast. “I retired, and Idon’t need people around. This suits me.”

There were twostaff members who came out to greet them.

Xo said, “Weare going to the baths, and it would be a good idea to avoidthem.”

The two menblinked and then nodded. “We will stay away, sir.”

Xo walkedtoward the rear of the house, and Belle stated to the two men, “Itwas nice meeting you.”

They werestartled into smiling and nodded toward her.

The path aroundthe house ended near a wooden deck, and the starlight showed atumble of stone that pressed against the even planks.

“Oh, sobathing?”

He nodded. “Myform left slime.”

“I thought Ifelt a little slicker than normal.”

Xo closed hiseyes. When he had collected himself, he helped her onto the deck. Afew harsh sentences explained what she needed to do, and Belleshrugged and pulled off her top on the way to the washing area.

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