Page 21 of Broken Fate
Immediately, I looked away. Nudity was common among shifters, but we weren’t supposed to think of it like that. I wasn’t supposed to think ofhimthat way. It was impossible for a wolf to blush, but on the inside, I was as warm as could be.
I got to my feet and padded past him after the others, only to see they, too, had shifted back. Cocking my head to the side, I joined them.
“Are we here or just another rest?” I asked, climbing to my feet and using an insane act of willpower to ensure my eyes didn’t drop below the deliciously well-defined V-shape of Kiel’s lower abs. It was hard because they were basically a giant arrow right at his—
Enough.
I wasn’t normally one to be so distracted by flesh, but with Kiel …
“We’re here,” he said, walking past and out of the forest and onto the overgrown back lawn of a large estate.
“Looks abandoned,” I said, gazing at the garden beds overflowing with weeds. At the edges of the property, wild growth crept in, threatening to take over. Debris from storms past was scattered all around, and none of the paths had been raked in what looked to be forever.
As we approached the manor house, I noted the worn and untouched exterior. Shutters hung crookedly, and piles of leaves and other detritus had gathered in corners and under overhangs.
“That’s the point,” Andi said just a little bit harshly. “If it looks like nobody’s here, then there’s little reason for anyone to come looking for us here.”
That made sense.
Taking the lead, Andi hauled open a cellar door with one hand, the heavy wood cover creaking and raining down debris. The others ducked under it with nods of thanks and entered the mansion.
I followed in Kiel’s footsteps, the cool basement air caressing my body, puckering skin until I shivered involuntarily.
The others were already pulling clothing from nearby piles and putting it on. Kiel handed me a shirt and pants, the rough homespun material slightly itchy on the skin but nice and loose in case it needed to come off in a hurry.
“Thank you,” I said, following him through the dim cellar and up the stairs to the house's interior. The rest of the group was already peeling off, heading in their own directions.
Judging from the sounds of life throughout the house, others were already there.
“How many of youarethere?” I asked. There was enough noise to indicate it was more than one or two.
“Not enough,” Andi said, pushing past me and heading deeper into the mansion without another word.
I watched her go. “Sorry for asking,”I muttered under my breath once she was gone, leaving me alone to think.
What came next? Was that to be my life, living in a house full of dust and refugees? Hiding out from those who wanted me dead, all because I’d dared to try to do things my way?
Running a finger over a layer of dust covering a side table, I stared at the mark I’d left. Was that some sort of metaphor? A message I couldn’t see engraved in the layer of gray dust?
I stiffened as the smell of fresh pine needles filled the room. A second later, I sensed his presence behind me, like a warm blanket holding me close, making sure I was comfortable.
Kiel. I turned slowly to see him staring at me, his eyes hooded, preventing me from seeing just what was going on in them. What was he thinking?
“Don’t mind Andi,” he rumbled, his presence filling the room until it seemed to shrink around us. Nothing else was important.
“I don’t,” I said, wishing I felt as confident as I sounded.
Wrinkles formed at the edges of his eyes. Maybe I hadn’t come across all that confident after all.
“You have more people here than I expected,” I said into the quiet.
“What did you expect?”
I shrugged, looking around me. “Not creaky old floors, rusty chandeliers, and a pervading smell of mustiness, if I’m being honest.”
“Would you prefer huts in the forest somewhere?”
“I suppose not,” I agreed, falling silent, lost in thought.
