Page 124 of Blade's Battle
“Yes, ma’am,” Blade said as he saluted and followed his mate into the cave.
* * *
“Anna?” Blade called out. She’d only walked off the path a few feet for privacy, but she should have returned by now. He followed her scent and found her bent over an old stump that had been filled with salt.
“Another salt lick,” she said when he approached from behind.
“When will they learn? Hunting over salt licks is illegal, but hey, so is hunting shifters and we all know how hard the government works to stop that.”
“My, my, Blade, I didn’t know you had such a cynical side.”
“Too late, Angel. The blood-bond is permanent. You’re stuck with me.”
“Promise?”
Hell, he hated when she doubted herself. That bastard Drake did a number on her. “I promise,” he said, with a smile that she quickly mirrored, even as she used a maple leaf to scoop up some salt and pour it into a condom she’d stretched open.
“I hope that’s not the condom I used,” he said as he watched her tie off the condom. “And if it is, I hope you’re not gathering salt for the next time we eat eggs. I know my place, excuse me, our place is rather bare on dry goods, but really, Anna. . .”
“Bare doesn’t begin to describe your cabinets. If you had field mice, they would have died of starvation long ago. You don’t even have a jar of instant coffee never mind anything to eat. Secondly, my robe has a pocketful of condoms. Probably thanks to Tess. I remember putting one in for our mating run, not twenty. Either she thinks you’re really horny, or. . . scratch that. I don’t want to know what she was thinking. Anyway, I need the salt for a theory of mine, so unless you have a plastic bag in your pocket, the condom’s as good a container as anything.”
“Fair enough. Which reminds me, can you cook?”
“A few dishes. No deserts though.”
“Don’t worry about that. I know what I’ll be eating every night for dessert.”
The way her cheeks turned red, he knew his Anna would be perfectly fine. She’d climbed out of the dark pit Drake had thrown her into, and Blade would be there to catch her if she started to fall back in.
“Do you think Drake will still be there?” she asked as she slipped her hand into his.
“Not sure, but if he is, I’ll keep him away from you.”
She fell quiet for a while. As he stroked her hair for a few minutes, she said, “I’m done running. I’ve been running for a long time, from death, from the WSSO, from Drake. I need it to end, and it won’t end unless I do something about it.”
“You’re not running. We’re returning home. Drake is Damien’s problem now. You’re a part of this pack, which means Drake has to go through the Alpha—andme—to get to you. Focus on taking it easy for a while. Okay?”
“Sure.”
A shiver ran through Blade. Fear, for Anna. She was too quiet, but he wasn’t sure if she was caught up in memories, or if she was planning something.
Chapter Twenty-One
BLADE
Before they reached the compound, Blade’s senses went on high alert. The natural rhythm of the woods was ‘off’. The birds and the insects all seemed to be quiet as if they had deserted the area in anticipation of a storm. The sky was clear, and the winds light and airy.
The only part of Blade that felt settled, at long last, was his wolf. His wolf no longer clawed and raged from within, not since he’d blood-bonded Anna two days ago. Each breath felt new and free. Blade no longer worried about his wolf taking control. His wolf was permanently content to defer to Blade.
In all, Blade enjoyed the casual walk to camp with his Angel who walked alongside him, blessedly unaware that something was wrong up ahead.
Eerie, quiet. Too quiet. This section of the woods should be brimming with small game, even a few shifters would normally be out here running, enjoying themselves. Nothing was here. The complete silence brought back memories of entering his birth pack’s compound where he’d found them all dead.
He debated finding a spot for her to hide while he scouted ahead, but leaving her alone was too risky.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Anna asked, concern written all over her face.
“I’m nervous about returning. I’m afraid Hayden will give me flack for blood-bonding you in private, denying him a show.”
