Page 27 of Enspelled

She gets to her feet and pads over to a small coffee table before turning to growl at me. Since it’s clear she’s trying to show me something, I cross over to her and pick up a large white envelope, the only object on it. I empty the contents into my hand, and the moment my eyes lock on the holiday brochure for a condo on the beach in Florida, I understand why she wanted us to come here.

“Someone is on vacation?” I guess.

My eyes return to her, and she nods.

“So we can stay here?”

She nods again.

“How long for?”

A shrug now.

“Helpful, Briar, really helpful.” My voice is dry. If I wasn’t so certain she wouldn’t act smug about it, I’d let her see a little of the gratitude stirring in me that we have a place to stay, at least for a few days, as well as food.

Her attention returns to the refrigerator, and this time when she pads over to it, I return the envelope to the table and follow her, since she’s not the only one with an empty belly.

It’s not as full as the refrigerator back in her house was. There’s nothing in the crisper, no fresh fruit or vegetables, which makes sense if whoever lives here knew they were going on vacation. But at least it’s not empty.

There’s orange juice, bacon, eggs, and a package of steak, which I’m guessing is the reason Briar came straight to the refrigerator.

I glance down at her, and discover her peering up at me. “I’m guessing you want me to cook the steak?”

She yips in agreement.

My stomach growls. “Or you could shift back and do it, since cooking isn’t one of my skills.”

When she just gazes up at me, I sigh and reach for the steak. “If I burn it, I don’t want to hear even one growl. You understand?”

Her expression may be innocent, but I refuse to buy it. So I grab the package of T-bone steaks—and as I do, wolf howls ring out in the distance.

I pause, waiting for more, but none follow.

Briar presses herself against my legs, her body soft and warm, and I feel a little of her fear return. Not that I can blame her. The wolves out there sound like they’re hunting. What? It remains to be seen. I just hope it isn’t us.

Liam Wolfe is somewhere out there, aware that Briar is a wolf and that I’m still in Madden Grove. For tonight, we might be safe, but tomorrow is looking like we’ll be facing an obstacle course trying to dodge people who want us dead.

8

BRIAR

What smells so good?

I press my nose against the delicious scent of wild forest and another indescribable scent that makes my body melt.

Sighing, I move closer.

A muscled arm locks tight around my bare waist, and that’s when it hits me: I’m naked.

My eyes snap open, and I’m face-to-face with a black t-shirt-covered chest. There’s no doubt in my mind who it is. Keane.

He groans before lowering his head a little so his lips brush against my brow.

I freeze.

Everything comes back to me. Georgia Calla at the dining table, me shifting to wolf and running away, and then Keane driving along a familiar road. A road where a green witch called Erin Sue lives with her husband, who Sera told me would be going on vacation, leaving her isolated home empty for a week.

So we broke in. Or… maybe that’s not exactly what we’re doing, but borrowing the house for a little while.

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