Page 171 of Blue Moon Mistress

It’s going to be a long walk, but I can’t stay here.

I pop the trunk and look down at the few things therein I can’t leave behind.

There’s salt everywhere.

I pull out the shovel with all its engraved spellforms and the emergency kit with a touch too potent of spells to leave for someone else to find.

They’re more dangerous than an unlocked hand gun.

And then, I slam the trunk closed, just a little harder than I need to, and head for the highway.

Chase’s wolf is gone. Back—I hope—to look for him, or look after him.

There are no lights on this stretch of road, but the moon is full, and I can light a small torch with the right kind of pine cone…

Light fills the air around me and I turn into the glare. Only to be met a moment later by flashing red and blue.

I hate how familiar that is.

And I hate that I’m going to have to ask him for a favor.

“What happened to your car?”

“Someone crashed into it.”

One brow rises up his forehead. “You okay?”

“Aside from being stranded, I’m fine. But I do need to get back to my house so I can finish what someone else started.”

I don’t trust the glare he turns on me. “Get in. I’ll take you home.”

I throw the shovel and the bag into his back seat and sit in the passenger, happy when he turns off his lights, but not happy enough I don’t drop my head back to the seat.

“You look like you went muddin’.”

“Something like that.” I lie. Grateful we’re already to the turn off from the main highway.

Even more grateful when he drops to silence a few minutes later.

But it doesn’t last.

“Ready to tell me what’s going on?”

“No.”

He’s quiet for a moment, but I know he’s just thinking of something to get me talking.

“There are some rumors going around town… which one of them are you actually dating?”

“You know? I never was very good at picking and choosing.”

“Lucky them.” But even though he says it, I’m not sure he believes it. “Just remember, it is a small town and Thomas’ job is going to field any questions. He might lose it.”

“I’ve mentioned it to them.” A silence stretches and I feel his censure. “You can rest assured, Sheriff. I will do everything I can to protect them. No matter who from, or how high the cost.”

He doesn’t say another word until he stops the car, tires crunching in the gravel in front of my house.

“What the?”

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