Page 39 of Bounty Hunter

And then all is quiet. Tension from our conversationlingers, but I refuse to turn and apologize. This softening heart of mine is growing dangerous. I stubbornly lay facing the wall, unwilling to move any closer to him, even though the warmth he emanates is tempting. But a different sort of tension joins the mix. Every breath and movement feels so close within the confines of these walls. I try to ignore our close proximity. He may be a dangerous, manipulative criminal, but so far, he’s protected me and treated me well, and that only makes him more attractive.

I’d also like to point out that it’s very different sharing a blanket than walking side by side—too intimate and warm. I shift as far as I can toward my side of the cave, which is maybe a hair’s width more, while still ensuring the blankets are covering me. The chill in the cave is deepening, and I don’t want to freeze in my sleep, but I also don’t want to fall asleep beside the man that I feel guilt for calling a criminal even though heisone. I don’t know if Ikar feels the same tension as me as we both lie beneath our doubled blankets, but I assume not, because, within moments, his breathing settles into the deep, rhythmic breaths of sleep. I don’t know how to feel about that, wondering if my attraction is one sided, and then angry with myself for caring if a bounty is attracted to me or not. After fighting with myself for an undetermined amount of time, I also, finally, drift off to sleep.

I’m in that fuzzy state between waking and dreaming, wrapped in warmth so deep I never want to move. I sigh in comfort. I’m content to stay where I am as I enjoy the slow process of coming fully awake. My eyes open blearily, then I blink twice, and they open wide in a flash. Very, very wide.Thecave.My body awareness slowly kicks in, and I realize my head rests in the soft spot between Ikar’s shoulder and his chest, his strong arm wrapped around me. My eyes travel the length of my right arm laying across his broad chest and find my hand curled into the fabric of his shirt, his larger hand resting over mine, both of which rise and fall slowly, up and down with the movement of his chest.

I’m afraid to move my head to see what my legs have done, but I don’t need to see to know that amidst the mess of blankets, one of mine is twined with one of his. We sleep as lovers, which we most definitely are not.Don’t cuddle with dangerous criminals. Make thatanycriminal,I mentally scold myself. Then my eyes snag on a ball of white, still huddled beside Ikar’s neck, near the steady beat of his strong pulse. Rupi’s tiny body rises and falls, her head tucked beneath a small wing, soundly asleep. As content as I was just moments ago. My eyes narrow.Traitor.But if she’s one, then I am too. I carefully gulp and look up just as he’s slowly blinking away sleep himself.

“Storm’s passed,” he mumbles.

And then, for what seems a very long second, he realizes what I realized. We both move at the same time. Rupi flaps her wings ornerily at the disruption as I laugh awkwardly, and I mention in words that leave my lips too rapidly how bad the storm was while he quickly agrees, and I scootch back to my side of the cave feeling cold and something else I don’t want to admit might very well be disappointment at the separation.

Morning light reaches into the space, and already the air is warm enough to begin to melt the icicles that formed from the storm like jagged teeth across the cave entrance. I know we need to leave soon. I sneakily glance across at Ikar again, who has rested his back against the cave wall, and find Rupi once again settled on his broad shoulder, right beside his neck,and frown.Jealous of Rupi? Absolutely not.My eyes don’t linger long, but I notice that what was once a shadow of beard along his jawline when I first arrested him is now darkening, he looks more dangerous, and more handsome, as he sits looking like a pirate, inspecting and organizing his weapons. Though, the white fluff on his shoulder that has her tiny head cocked at an innocent angle is a far cry from a battle-hardened parrot.

Time to go.I swallow dryly.

We set off quickly after that, and the warmth of the morning soon has us removing our heavier layers and strapping them to our packs once again.

“We should be able to cross the Shift Forest in three days, maybe four.” His eyes scan the map that I’ve given him, mentally calculating the distance and time. “Then we should reach the fae.” I’m happy to let him guide. I’ve given up, as long as we really do stop at the fae. I’ve got dues to pay and Mama Tina is my messenger.

“One day there,” he says.

I quickly curb his attempt at taking charge. “Two.” I know he’s in a hurry, but I only see Mama Tina twice per year.

He frowns. “Two days there, then we head to Moneyre. That means we should be there in less than a week, if all goes smoothly.”

A week longer to resist the wiles of my criminal. A week until I get the reward I need. A week until I’m free. I can do this.

Chapter 26

Vera

We walk through the city before the Shift Forest.The Gatekeepers,they call themselves, according to a large sign that welcomed us when it came into our sights. It’s a whimsical place, one I’ve never seen since I’ve never been this far west. I’d have almost thought we entered a garden instead of a city. After I’m able to pull my eyes from the life-size topiaries shaped into all varieties of animals, I begin to look past them and see homes, interspersed between quaint shops, almost built atop each other they are so close. One small house is the palest blue. Two large, round windows are set on either side of the door, and three more line the second floor. The door is a blue so dark it’s almost black with a circular gold handle. Most cities I have visited have bland-colored buildings, with occasional pots of flowers to give color, but I find as I look around that the blue house fits in among the rest. Another is tall, painted a minty green, but its windows are long, narrow rectangles. Almost as if someone wants light, but not too much. Its door is also so narrow and tiny that it appears completely impractical, until I see a black salamander withgreen spots and gold eyes scamper out. The other houses are all unique, painted in colors from shades of pastel to bright pops taken straight from a field of moody flowers. I see windows of all shapes and doors from the tiniest to a double set so large I’m not sure I could pull them open by myself.

Animals and other humans fill the garden paths, and I notice quickly that most, whether in animal or human form, have gold eyes. A city of shifters. I begin to think the bit of gold on each of their buildings has something to do with that. The only commonality they all have is the gold door handle.

“This place a little creepy, or is it just me?” I whisper to Ikar, as we walk. Rupi must agree because she’s been huddled on Ikar’s shoulder since before we entered the city, her feathers halfway to quills, revealing her nervousness. I don’t mind her choosing him over me this time. I can’t blame her. If I could fit, I might jump on his shoulder, too.

“No. It’s creepy,” he mumbles, but his confidence never falters. There’s hardly a hint of the limp in his step today, his stride long and sure as ever. I almost have to jog a bit to keep up.

Besides being one of the few humans amongst a population of potentially violent shifters, I can’t pinpointwhyit feels so creepy. Maybe it’s too perfectly weird? Manicured grasses and enormous beds of oddly shaped, bright flowers lead through the city, intertwined with all sizes and varieties of animal topiaries, from small rabbits with horns to lions, banthas, and armored wolves. Fountains with statues of animals atop their burbling streams are artfully placed along the path. I spot several animals lapping water from their depths and birds perched on the edges and realize they were placed there for more than just viewing.

From what I can see, it seems a friendly, happy place,except for the panther topiaries that remind me of the bantha Ikar killed just days ago. Admittedly, most of the shifters look very… predator-like, even in their human form. All stealthy with hungry eyes. A tall, gangly man sniffs me as I pass, and I cringe away, bumping into Ikar. No one has stopped us or spoken to us, though we do garner a few more sniffs. I make sure to keep up with Ikar, but I can’t help but think that if the Shift Forest is as odd and weird and easy as this, it will be the most enjoyable part of our journey yet.

We finally approach a wood structure painted in deep burgundy with the words ‘Shift Forest Authority’ engraved across a metal plate and bolted to its exterior. A heavy gate blocks the entrance to a spindly-looking bridge that spans the length of a deep crevice, and my eyes widen as I see the length of it dance and quiver in the breeze that blows between the canyon walls with a high-pitched whistle. I look at Ikar uncertainly, but he sets his jaw determinedly and steps forward to rap on the door.

A handsome man opens the door, his hair is long and tied back low with a band. He’s wearing a pair of snug-fitting trousers, and his shirt is half unbuttoned, not leaving much to the imagination in regard to his muscled chest. He looks like he belongs on a pirate ship with Ikar. My cheeks pink, and Ikar scowls as the man’s golden gaze locks on mine.

“Welcome to my humble abode,” he says charmingly, his hands spread in a gesture of welcome. His eyes catch on Rupi perched on Ikar’s shoulder, and I see mocking laughter tug at his lips until they twist.

I ignore his antics and quirk an eyebrow, glancing around. Looks like a place of business rather than a house. “You live here?”

He laughs. “Only when on duty.” He keeps his eyes on mewhile he slowly grabs my left hand, then flips it over quickly. He glances at my wrist and then back to me with a look in his eyes I don’t quite like. “In search of a mate, my lady?” Anywhere else and that question would be odd. How exactly can he tell I’m not mated simply by looking at my wrist?

Ikar clears his throat, but it sounds more like a growl. “She has one.”

I don’t know if it’s the tone or the growl that surprises me more, but I think being amongst these shifters is bringing out his inner animal. I try not to think too hard about how it makes me feel to hear him say we’re mates. I know it can’t really be.He’s my criminal, not my boyfriend.I repeat that five times to really cement it. Besides, we aren’t even shifters.

The two men stare each other down, but finally the shifter smiles, a contrast to the simmering intensity in his eyes. “If you plan totemporarilymate, you can head to the office of licenses in town. “Humans,” he says, like we’re a group beneath him, “can’t gain entrance without it.” Then he turns his gaze to me. “If you find you need somethingmore,” he drawls, “I’m here. Shifters can mate with humans with no expiration.” He winks for good measure.

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