Page 45 of Unforeseen Mate
“That doesn’t sound too bad. Isn’t there a lovers card?” His eyes gleamed with mischief, and she nodded. “Let’s hope you draw that one.”
“As you might guess, it isn’t a bad card, but there are others that may also indicate a great and true love.” She drew the second card, placing it to the right of the first. “Six of Wands. I like seeing that, as well. I generally think of it as a victory card—you’ve achieved your goal and have the success and reward for a job well done. Given what we’re facing…”
“There’s not a snowball’s chance in hell that you’re going to remain tucked away some place safe, is there?”
She grinned up at him. “You catch on fast.”
He snorted.
“Last card.” She drew the last card, placing it next to the Six of Wands. “The Empress. She usually symbolizes unconditional love, as well as sensuality and pleasure. After all, she is a symbol of Mother Earth.”
“That doesn’t sound bad at all.”
“I would agree. I also think it’s pretty on point for where you are right now.”
“Can the cards tell me how to balance duty and desire?”
“I don’t need the cards for that. It’s like you said, our people don’t know me and what they know of humans isn’t necessarily good. That will change with time, honesty, and seeing that I am committed not only to their leader, but to them as well. Hayden, can I ask you something?”
“Could I really stop you?” he laughed.
“Delay me? Yes. Stop me? Probably not,” she admitted.
“Then fire away.”
“In the dreams I had of you, I also saw a great black beast whose fur was tipped in fire and who had a kind of ethereal glow to his eyes. Even now, it’s as if your dark brown eyes have a golden line around the outside of the iris. The beast is you, isn’t it?”
“Yes, that is me in my hellhound form. The thing hellhounds have over shifters is that we can shift into the beast that you saw in your dreams as well as shimmer to move through the Underworld. It gives us invisibility in this world but allows us to move over great distances without being seen.”
“Like we did when we escaped down the dock.”
“Exactly. Until you are fully transitioned, you can shift into your hellhound and be gone from the Underworld for brief periods of time, but you can’t shimmer unless we are together, and after that I would prefer you not do so without protection. Negotiating the Underworld can be tricky, and I want to train you so you can be safe.”
“What about shifting into a hellhound?”
He grinned at her. “Now that you can do. Probably be better to do it outside, but if you like we can shift and go for a run.”
“It’s awfully cold out there.”
“Not if you’re a hellhound. We generate our own heat. It’s fun to run through the snow—the stuff melts with every step. But I warn you, going across frozen lakes or rivers is dangerous at best.”
“Do you think we have time?”
“We’ll make time. Come on. Colby should have some kind of changing area downstairs. We’ll take clothes for when we come back inside.”
“Why can’t we just re-use the ones we have on?”
“Mainly because as it will be your first time shifting, I worry that you won’t have the finesse and control required to shift indoors. Done incorrectly, you could start a fire. Better to shift outside, which will incinerate your clothing, and then have something to change in to downstairs.”
They grabbed clothing, stuffed it into a duffle bag, and headed out into the hall. Deke was topping the staircase and turned towards them.
“Problem?” asked Hayden.
“Not really. I was just coming to check in with the two of you. Colby and I need to meet with the rest of the leaders of the Resistance to go over some geeky, genetic, scientific stuff, but he does want to sit down with you to try and persuade you to get the hellhounds to join us. I don’t think staying neutral is going to serve your people all that well.”
“I think you may be right. Fallon and I were going to change and go for a run. I’m assuming Windsong has a changing area.”
Deke nodded. “Back by the kitchen. I was going to admonish you about the cold, and then I remembered—hellhound.”
