Page 109 of Visions, Paws, and Claws

Rudy’s fear swelled from a stream to a raging torrent. “You’re frightening me.”

Valmer kissed him on the lips, and the sweet embrace took away a little of his anxiety. “I was a student of ancient studies, the history of language, the arts, literature, even the first written records of civilization. You might have heard of one of my classmates. Sarah Delaney?”

Rudy blinked. “The archaeologist?”

He nodded. “We became friends. What’s more, we’ve stayed friends. I’ve even visited her on some of her digs. Well, she contacted me a week ago to tell me she’d unearthed something extraordinary. A tomb—an ancient shifter’s tomb, to be exact.”

“Whose?”

“His name was Berengar, and the tomb was found in Germany. Sarah was so excited. Actually, they’d need to invent a new adjective to adequately convey her emotions. She called me a few hours later to tell me all about it. And the next day? She opened the tomb.”

Rudy’s stomach clenched. “What did she find?”

“She only gave me hints. But she also said she’d called the shifter archive in Rome.”

He did the math. “These hints… did they have anything to do with what you said to me? About everything we believe being built on lies?”

Valmer nodded. “The day after she called, the dig was closed down.”

“And you think that was because of what Sarah found in the tomb?”

“I know it was.”

Rudy stared at him. “Then tell me whatelseyou know!”

The horror in Valmer’s expression froze the marrow in Rudy’s bones. “I can’t. Because if I did that, you’d be in danger.”

Rudy gaped at him. “You can’t know that.”

“Oh, can’t I? Let me tell you what Idoknow. After that last phone conversation with Sarah, I tried to call her back. Only I couldn’t reach her. She’d disappeared.” Valmer’s face tightened. “It’s as if she never even existed. And the tomb? It was covered up again.”

“With everything still inside it?”

“Hell no. Sarah told me arrangements had been made to remove its contents. That was the last message I had from her.”

Rudy sat upright and grabbed his shirt.

“What are you doing?”

“I know someone who might be able to help.” Aelryn would know what to do.

“No!” Valmer grabbed Rudy and held him close. “Please, you mustn’t.”

“Give me one good reason why.”

“Ever since Sarah disappeared, I haven’t been able to shake the feeling that… I’m being watched.”

Rudy stared at him, letting his senses do the talking.

He didn’t like what they told him.

“You’re serious.”

Valmer nodded, then kissed Rudy’s forehead. “Yes. And if I’m right, they can’t know about you. I can’t lose you.”

Rudy couldn’t bear the idea of losing him either.

His stomach chose that moment to growl, and he managed a chuckle. “I think you’re about to lose me to hunger. I’m starving.”

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