Page 27 of Renegade

She very much did need an escort. “Someone was just burned to death out there, and we don’t know why, who did it, or if they are still there. If you want to shift and run, then I’m going with you.” It wasn’t a question. I shrugged my shirt off my shoulders.

Karelis stepped back. “I didn’t know it was that bad.”

“I can never unsee it, and I’m a trained warrior who is rarely fazed by violence. I cannot in good conscience allow you to go out there alone. If anything happened to you, I’d never forgive myself.”

Something flickered behind her gaze. “I-I can’t.”

“Why not?” I was torn, hoping on the one hand that she’d be sensible and not go out at all, but my wolf was surging, anxious to meet hers.

“Umm, I’m shy.”

Narrowing my gaze, I studied her. “It’s not your first shift, is it?” It couldn’t be.

“No, but I, ummm…I just can’t. I guess I’d better go back to my room.”

“One day you won’t be so shy around me.” It was better this way though. Not that I doubted I’d able to protect her, but it would be easier with her indoors.

“Okay.” She lifted a hand in a wave but her gaze was on my bared chest. My wolf surged and other parts of me took notice.“I’ll see you.”

“Oh, no you don’t.” Reaching out, I took her hand in mine. “I am walking you home. I can’t rest until I know you’re safely there.”

She tugged at her hand for a second then let it stay. “Are you going to tuck me in bed, too?” Not quite so shy. And since when was any shifter embarrassed about undressing to take their fur? Was it just the intimacy of the two of us alone in the night? That was my favorite part of the whole thing.

“If you’ll let me.” I rubbed my thumb over her palm, enjoying her little shiver.

“Isn’t that against the rules?” This time when she pulled, I let her free her hand. Not that I wanted her to, but we had time. “I don’t think we’re supposed to be entertaining in the room late at night.”

“No, but you were about to break two big rules on your own.”

“Two?” She looked startled. “I know I wasn’t supposed to be out after curfew, but what else was I doing wrong?”

“Shifting without permission?”

“Who makes rules about when someone can shift? Why that’s…immoral.”

I lifted my shoulders and let them drop. “Lots of rules here that don’t exist other places. At the Urban Academy, you can shift anytime you like unless that’s changed, but here, there’s a lot more control. We’re a bunch of troublemakers, in case you hadn’t noticed. You must be one, too, since you’re here.”

“I need to get to bed.” She started off. “Come along if you like.” I didn’t point out how much that sounded like an invitation to her bed. It wasn’t. She wasn’t flirting, not really.

“I do like.” Falling into step beside her, I didn’t say anything more. It was a miracle we hadn’t been seen or heard before now. Silently we crept along the hallways until we got back to her door. “You’re home.”

She looked up at me, and I got my first shy smile of the night. Maybe she was truly shy shifting with a man on her own. Had her wolf told her what mine had been chanting since we first laid eyes on her?

No…she would not always be shy with me.

“Thanks for walking me. I’d better go in now.” But she didn’t move, and I cupped her chin and lowered my lips to brush hers. I waited then, but she didn’t protest or pull back, so I kissed her longer, more deeply, inhaling the scent and taste of her until, suddenly, the door behind her jerked open to reveal her roommate.

Karelis gave a little gasp and ducked inside, the door closing after her. From inside, I heard their voices, giggles and quick talking. She was all right. She was better than all right. She was perfection.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Karelis

I had to shift. After running into Casimir last time, I’d let him walk me home, but it hadn’t done anything for my needy wolves. Well, a little something. They loved the kiss. But tonight, I had to let my wolves out to run for a few minutes. It had been too long, and it was feeling very crowded inside me. I considered asking June to come with me, but then I realized I couldn’t do that to her. It was bad enough I was risking myself, and I wouldn’t if I felt I had any alternative at all. It was dangerous as well, and I’d make it fast.

But every shifter needed to let their wolf out from time to time, and with two, it became even more necessary. I understood that there would be opportunities at some point, but none had come up yet, and I was getting desperate. Things were so shut down right now, it was like living in a straitjacket.

So, I waited until June was fast asleep, muttering deep in dreamland, and then I pulled on my jacket and slipped out of the room. It was pretty late, and I could only hope I’d be able to avoid getting caught. I tiptoed down the hallway, making my way to the nearest exit and not daring to think what I’d do if it was locked or—goddess forbid—there was some sort of alarm on it. Nothing like that had happened when the Three Kings went out and found that body, and it wasn’t like there had been workmen making changes, but who knew what might already be in place that only needed activation.

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