Cloud Rebel (R-D #3)(35)

"Be sure to explain that to Shaw," Auggie gruffed. "To me, Cori will always be one of us. I'm sorry if that offends you."

"It does not, although please understand that she belongs to the Larentii just as much or more than she ever belonged to any humans."

"Val, let's go get Jen and Brett," I said. "I wish I could make Farrell fly the conventional way, but I guess we'll haul him to Quebec, too."





Chapter 8

Corinne

"Rinnelar?" Jennifer looked up from her packing. She had a new, military-issue duffle, in which she was placing carefully folded and rolled clothing.

"Hey, Jen," I said. "Call me Cori. I can come out of the closet now that Rafe's not here."

"I'm sort of excited to go on assignment," she grinned. "Why is it safe to call you a different name, now that Rafe isn't here?"

"Long story," I said. I didn't say what else I was thinking—that from now on, I should probably stay away from Rafe. Every cell in my body wanted to ache and protest at the same time. I shoved down the pain of seeing and not seeing him—either way I'd come out the loser.

"Will we be briefed on the assignment?" she asked.

"I think you'll understand when you see that big hole in the ground," I replied. "Captain Finch has probably been all over the robotic delivery vehicle. Not sure if he's found anything, yet."

"Finch is sort of a legend," Jen said. "Everybody hears about him. Nobody sees him," she added.

"I've seen him and let me tell you, his reputation is put to shame by the magnitude of his insolence."

"Aww, you're spoiling the dream of my future ex-boyfriend," she laughed.

"It's good to hear you laugh," I said.

"I'm happy to be alive to laugh," she agreed. "I have weird dreams and strange thoughts now and then, but I guess that's a small price to pay for my life."

"You ready?" Brett walked in, looking as if he'd lost some sleep. Considering that he'd gone out with William and Wayne Winkler on a werewolf run during the full moon the night before, it was understandable.

"She's almost ready," I turned to Brett. "Any problems last night?"

"A few. Nothing I couldn't deal with. I don't feel uncomfortable now—like I did for the past few days."

"You have to let the wolf out," I shrugged. Yeah, I'd read plenty about werewolves in the Larentii Archives.

"I can't believe—well almost can't believe—that werewolves are real," Jen shook her head and stuffed folded socks into her duffle.

"Vampires are also real, young one," Val folded into the room. "I will arrange for accommodations while we are in Canada—the weather is unforgiving at the moment."

"What he means is there's a blizzard going on," I reassured Jen, whose eyes had widened at Val's words. "Don't worry, if Val says he's taking care of us, then we'll be taken care of."

"Thank you for your support, dearest," he flashed a grin at me. "I believe that Captain Finch is—as a human might say—freezing his ass off right now."

"Probably holed up in a tent," Brett said.

"He is. I will provide much better housing when we arrive. He may stay in a tent if he wishes after that."

"Doubt it," I muttered. Val laughed.

*

"From inside a warm house, the snow is incredible," Jen said. Outside, the snow was falling and blowing so hard you couldn't see more than two feet in front of you. Inside Val's Lodge, as we'd dubbed it, we were comfortable.

Even Captain Finch held his questions back after seeing all nine blue feet of Val when he transported him and his team inside.

After all, their tents had all but blown away in the blizzard. Nathan grinned and flung his arms about me when he arrived and that, I believe, also helped keep Finch at bay.

His questions would come, though, when he imagined he wouldn't be killed outright by what was surely an alien working for the government.

"We should go get Leo," I said. "He's stuck at the airport in Montreal."

"Master wolf, do you think you might keep all here in line and refraining from harming one another?" Val lifted an eyebrow in Brett's direction.

"Sure thing," Brett lifted his coffee cup in a salute.

"Very well. We will return with Dr. Shaw shortly." Val took my hand and folded space.

*

Jennifer Troutman, 1st Lt, US Army

"Master wolf, huh?" I wrinkled my nose at Brett.

"It's my commanding presence," he teased. "Besides, Finch doesn't outrank me." Brett sipped more of his coffee.

"Corinne says he's a jerk," I sighed. "I was hoping for something different."

"Heroes are seldom what we build them up to be," Brett agreed. "The real heroes, though, are the ones who are even better in person."

"I can't figure out who—or what Corinne is. Yes, I know they're Larentii, but there's something else there and you know it."

"I was thinking that she's one of those heroes who are better in person, and we hadn't even heard of her, before."