Page 38 of Accidental Mate

Zach laughed. “Women are practical that way.”

“The thing is,” said Amelia, thoughtfully, “when it happened, it felt like I’d hit something in the air, which of course I hadn’t, but all of the instrumentation went bonkers, and then the engine started spewing oil and smoke. If it hadn’t been for Carson, I would have died, and those papers and I would have ended up at the bottom of the lake.”

She shivered as she closed her eyes. Carson put his arm around her and purred soothingly until Amelia opened her eyes and gifted him with a small smile.

“That’s the one thing I really envy about you big cats,” Zach mused.

Carson nodded. “It can be most effective.”

“I’m going to see about increasing the size of the sheriff’s department so we can patrol out here more often.”

“We would welcome your help, but Colby has already asked if he can have one of the cottages for a small group of rotating security personnel, although I’m planning to task some of my colleagues to see what they can come up with.”

Amelia laughed. “Fun games for nerds.”

Zach grinned. “I think you’re going to fit right in. I know we’re going to benefit from your addition to the community. Amelia, thank you for the burrito. It was delicious.”

Zach took his leave, and Carson went into their bedroom, reached under the mattress where they’d put the package and brought it back out to the kitchen table, where he sat down and spread the papers, beginning to organize them into what he thought were logical groupings. Of the most interest were the graphs showing the results from various experiments.

Looking over his shoulder, Amelia asked, “Aren’t those documenting their failures?”

“It appears so, but often we learn as much, if not more from the experiments that didn’t go as planned. It looks like they were able to get some samples from the dragon and experimented with them. I think they were trying to either clone him or at least figure out how to use samples from him to fertilize the eggs of humans or other shifters…” Carson shook his head, letting his voice trail off.

“Bad?”

“Horrific, and NLGP was behind it. Makes me want to puke. This will be a powerful argument in getting the people we need to upend and endanger their lives to join us. Didn’t Zach say the head of the resistance was Doc’s son?”

“I believe he did.”

Carson grabbed his cell phone and dialed. “Doc? It’s Carson Payne. Any chance you can arrange a meeting between your son and me?”

“I can do that; I know he’s been anxious to talk to you. Let me call him right now, and one of us will get right back to you.”

Carson ended the call, but before he could set the phone down, it rang. “Carson Payne.”

“Carson, Mark Hadley. How are you feeling?”

“Well on the mend. I understand you’re the head of the resistance.”

Mark laughed. “My father said you didn’t mince words. I don’t know that I’d claim leadership; I’m more a focal point for all of our efforts. I understand you may hold the key to whatever the League is up to.”

“I don’t know that I’d go that far, but I may be able to figure out how they’re planning to do it and find ways to shut them down. Zach mentioned something about foxes having the ability to tap into the magnetic properties of the Earth?”

“That’s a little grandiose, but foxes have always been able to tap into the magnetic poles to locate prey. What we’ve only recently found out is that shifters once had, but had forgotten, the ability to use that as a kind of weapon. It’s probably easier to show you than explain it,” said Mark.

“Invite them for dinner,” Amelia suggested.

“Would you and your mate be free for dinner this evening?”

“If we wouldn’t be too much of a bother, I think Nova would really enjoy that. Would six work for you?”

“We can make it work. We’ll see you then.” He ended the call with Mark and turned to Amelia. “Do we need to get groceries?”

“No. I think Colby stocked us up with pretty much anything we could need. Are you ever going to tell me what you wouldn’t tell me back at the cabin?”

Carson had to think what that might have been. He’d told her he loved her. He told her they were fated mates. It would appear she believed and accepted both.Barbs. Ah yes, that must have been it.

“It would be far easier to explain if you were naked and we were in bed.”

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