Page 25 of Stray Cat

“AC’s an asshole, Linds,” Xav said to the silent cat who sank down next to him. “Always was. But he’ll pay you what he owes you. I’ll make sure of it. He’ll also be grateful for your help. I’ll make sure of that too.”

Lindsay turned green eyes on him that held Feline skepticism. Xav couldn’t read her body language like Shifters could, but he quickly understood. She was sick of humans—all of them.

Xav switched off the flashlight and gazed across the pristine landscape, this area isolated by the protected wilderness around them. The slice of moon brushed the rocks with silver light and glittered on quartz-laden gravel. Stars smeared the sky, the lights of Las Vegas obscured enough to render dimmer constellations visible.

“Nice night,” Xav said. The wind picked up again, and he shivered. “Cold, though.”

In silence, Lindsay rose and moved closer to him, sinking down with her side pressed along his right leg. Her body warmth stole over him, making Xav want to rub his hands through her fur.

He resisted, not wanting her to snarl and leap away. It was nice to have her close.

“I know you’re concerned about Dean,” Xav said. “So am I.” He drew his left foot up onto the boulder to stretch his knee. “We’ll find him.”

Lindsay huffed, her breath fogging in the cold air. Xav wished she’d talk to him, but she probably didn’t want to become human while her clothes were stashed back at the cave.

“Wanna go for a beer after?” Xav suggested. “It’s still early.”

Lindsay’s impassive gaze didn’t give him an answer one way or the other.

He’d been in a very bad mood when he’d walked away from her earlier today. Xav wouldn’t blame her for telling him to jump off a cliff and take his condescending attitude with him.

There were plenty of cliffs around here, in fact. If Lindsay shifted into her half-Shifter, half-human form, she’d be strong enough to drag him to one and drop him over.

Xav pulled his gaze from the nearest sharp ridge to find Lindsay gone, the cold by his side even greater than before. He stood up quickly, but to his relief saw her picking her way down the far side of the hill.

Xav switched on his flashlight and went after her.

Instead of running in frustration, Lindsay moved with deliberation, as though heading for a specific spot. Xav slipped and slid on gravel as he descended the rise, but he made it to the bottom without mishap.

Lindsay trotted onto a very flat, dry lakebed whose water had evaporated centuries ago. The depression might fill an inch when torrential rains poured down the mountain’s washes, but now, despite the rain a few days ago, it was completely arid.

Xav caught up to Lindsay as she halted, her nose twitching, and stared with intensity at the middle of the lake bed.

Xav clicked off his light and stood with her for some time, letting the moonlight take over.

He didn’t need night vision goggles to make out what Lindsay had spotted. In the middle of the lake bed, the dust had been disturbed by something that had blown it into widening, concentric circles.

Lindsay looked up at him with a glint of triumph in her eyes.

Xav walked toward the markings, Lindsay padding beside him. In the middle of the dust circles, he found the unmistakable signs of what he’d suspected he would.

He smelled nothing, because a good ground crew would make certain no oil or other fluid leaked, but Lindsay, with her superior senses had likely detected the exhaust.

“They took him out in a helicopter,” Xav said softly. “Good one, Linds.”

Lindsay huffed, as though happy he’d caught on.

Xav grinned down at her. “Helicopters can fly anywhere, sure, but air traffic is hard to hide. I’d say this really does call for a beer.”

Lindsay didn’t respond. She turned her back and walked away again, heading down a path he couldn’t see that led in more or less the direction of the campground.

Without question, Xav followed her.

* * *

Lindsay dressedin the shelter of the boulders back at the cave with both Neal and Xav ensuring that attention didn’t focus on her. She grabbed her bag and joined the others, uncertainty making her legs wobble. Or maybe it was the agony of shifting after long treks on uneven terrain.

As she neared Xav, her whole body gave a throb. Nope, uncertainty.

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