Page 20 of The Lynx and the Llama
“I’m quite capable of doing that myself, you know.”
“I’m sure you are, but I want to do this for you.”
“Well, okay. Just make sure you add a croissant, crepes, and some strawberry compote,” she said with a wink.
“Carol, you were so right! They make a handsome couple. Stan has outdone himself this time.”
Quinn almost choked on his food when he heard what Harriet said. He hoped it didn’t bother Erika, like it had the night before. Quinn wasn’t sure if he was still on shaky ground with the idea of them being a couple or not. He thought it best to change the subject quickly so Erika wasn’t more embarrassed than she already was.
“So what’s the plan for today when we go to Santorini?” Quinn asked. “I know you are all involved in the public operation because you’re hoping to bait Zagan into approaching you, correct?”
“Bait… yes, somewhat,” Harriet answered. “All Zagan has wanted is royal blood, and at this point, the vendetta against us is personal for him. But it’s more than that. We’ve all been part of this case, and crowns or no crowns, our agent sides don’t just disappear. We want to be out there, catching this bastard ourselves.”
“No need to get hopping mad, dear.” Lear patted his wife’s hand before looking back at Quinn. “Yes, the bait aspect is convenient for us. It is likely to force Zagan to act, and it does allow us to continue being part of this operation.”
“And you wanted Erika and me to appear to be on a date, but that can’t be everything,” Quinn added.
“Trust that our intelligence has been working on this,” Rayan assured him. “We’re not tossing you into a strange city in the vague hope that Zagan will appear. We have had tons of people tracking strange and unusual activities, and it’s been building as the talks get closer.”
“He’s resurfaced around each SHIT for the past two years,“ Erika said. “Wouldn’t it be wiser for him to avoid this one? To lay low?”
“I wouldn’t categorize anything Zagan does as wise,” Rayan replied with a bitter laugh. “No, we’re certain he’s on Santorini, and it’s just a matter of nabbing him before he can wreak havoc again.”
“That’s the beauty of this sightseeing tour!” Carol chimed in. “We have a pretty good idea of where Zagan is hiding out. We’ll go there, and we can all fan out pretending we are taking in Akrotiri’s rich history while doing our rounds. One of us is bound to see Zagan or the unfamiliar turtle shifters.”
“Yes, exactly,” Lear concurred. “But I almost hope it’s Zagan and not those pesky Atlantean shifters. I don’t think my people could handle an additional threat.”
“Yeah, that would be tough on all our people, Lear,” Carol agreed.
The group finished up their meal and headed back to the helipad. Once they were all in the helicopter, it took only fifteen minutes for them to touch the land on Santorini.
It was still early, so there weren’t many tourists walking around. They’d planned this on purpose so as not to attract attention to themselves. While Quinn and Erika might not be recognizable, the other couples were royalty. Celebrities in their own right. And if they drew a crowd of fans, that would create more barriers for Zagan to approach them.
Rayan led them toward what remained of Akrotiri. If any Atlantean shifters still existed, they’d settle somewhere near the island’s most important and oldest place. It made the most logical sense since the Bronze Age would be where they were most comfortable. As Quinn set foot on the remains, the hairs on his neck pricked to attention.
It can’t be! Zagan?
Quinn scanned the area, looking for the son of a bitch that had robbed him of so much of his life. His hair always stood at attention when that bastard was near—call it a natural reflex or shifter radar, but Quinn knew when Zagan was around and close! Rayan met his gaze and gave Quinn a knowing look. He placed a hand on Quinn’s shoulder.
“Remain calm. If you look like you’re looking for him, he’ll vanish.”
No sooner had King Rayan said it than the sensation of Zagan’s presence disappeared, much to Quinn’s disappointment.
“We let him get away!” Anger bubbled in Quinn’s stomach, and he balled his fists at his sides. His voice took over just as heat rushed through his cheeks and ears. It was more forceful than he’d ever intended it to be in front of Erika, the royal couples, or Carol, his trainer.
“Quinn!” Erika hissed. “It’s okay. Give it a minute. He might come back.”
Quinn glanced at Erika, whose color had flushed from her face. He had no intention of scaring her with his anger for Zagan. Just the thought horrified him and made his stomach churn. The bile shot up his esophagus and balled up in a lump in his throat.
This is it, exactly what I didn’t want to happen. Letting my temper get the best of me. Self-sabotaging.
“Erika, I didn’t mean to—” He unballed his fists and attempted to go for hers to comfort her from his anger. He turned to look at Carol and the others instead. “I know I’m green, but can you all promise me I’m the one that collars the rat bastard? For FUC’s sake, I’ll bring him back to Canada to answer for his crimes. But please, let me be the one to collar the ass.”
Now Carol was at his side and palming his other shoulder. “Who knows what will happen when shit hits the fan, but I promise we will try. Is that okay?”
“Fair enough. I wouldn’t ask you to jeopardize the Shifter Hellenic Island Talks on my account.”
“Actually, Quinn, I was referring to how it might go down with Zagan,” Carol clarified. “He’s a slippery mother fucker, and it might take more than one of us to bring him down. That’s all I meant.”
