Leap of the Lion (The Wild Hunt Legacy #4)(40)

“You did great with the fire extinguisher.” The girl bounced up and down on her toes. “That was so cool. MomVee’s been teaching me about using whatever is around in a fight. Stuff in the house or on the street, but you were in a store and, hey, you could hardly bring an armload of books to a fight, but I’d never have thought about using a fire extinguisher.”

Darcy almost laughed. The girl hadn’t even taken a breath. “I’m Darcy, and those sound like useful lessons you’re getting.” But didn’t a male usually teach fighting? She eyed the Cosantir dubiously.

Reading her expression, Calum flashed a grin. “My mate became Daonain with a Death Gift. She was a soldier when human.”

“Please…I was a Marine. I’m sorry I wasn’t more help. Carrying a baby…babies…a litter”—Vicki glared at Calum—“sure takes the fun out of a good fight.”

A good fight? A soldier? The female was barely an inch taller than Darcy.

Arm still around Darcy, Owen was chuckling.

The door opened, letting in Gawain. “Darcy, are you all right?” He was at her side in an instant, turning her to face him. His gaze ran over her face, her body.

“Mostly good, but her palms need attention,” Owen said in his gravelly voice.

Gently, Gawain gripped her wrists and turned her hands over. “You’ve got dirt in those scrapes.” He glanced at Calum. “First aid supplies?”

“In the kitchen. Jamie, can you bring the kit to Gawain?”

“Sure, Daddy.” The teen had the grace of a panther shifter as she bounded across the tavern to the back.

“Sit here, Darcy.” Owen pulled out a chair and firmly guided her down.

She didn’t get a chance to object before Gawain sat beside her, still holding her wrist. Owen moved behind her chair, standing so close she could feel the warmth of his body. She was being sheltered. The realization made her breath thicken in her throat.

“Did you have questions for us, Cosantir?” Owen asked.

“Actually, I wanted to thank you and Darcy for your actions.” Gaze soft, Calum looked down at his mate, then smiled as Jamie trotted back out. “You protected my mate and child. Thank you.”

Owen made a deprecating sound low in his throat, and Darcy almost laughed. He sure wasn’t comfortable in the spotlight, was he?

She smiled at Calum. “I’m glad they’re safe. But, since I’m here, may I ask what’s happening with the people from my village? Have we made any progress?”

“Mostly in elimination, I fear.” Calum tried to help his mate sit, got an elbow in his ribs, and chuckled as Vicki seated herself.

Seeing Darcy trying not to laugh, Vicki grinned. “He and Alec started off too protective. Now that I’m pregnant, they act as if I can’t walk across the room by myself. They’re driving me bat-shit crazy.”

Calum ran his fingers through his mate’s hair with a slight smile. “Sorry, cariad. But new life is a gift from the Goddess—every instinct in a shifter is to protect that life and the life of the mother.”

When he kissed the top of his mate’s head, Vicki rubbed her cheek on his hand.

Darcy’s tears burned her eyes. There’d been a few lifemates in Dogwood, and she’d always been mesmerized by the extra…something…about them. Most mates showed affection, but with lifemates, the bond of love almost glowed.

As she watched, Calum and Vicki turned toward the door to smile at the sheriff, and the love encompassed Alec as well.

Lifemating. Not for her. The Scythe would hunt her forever. And hey, she wasn’t a starry-eyed cubling needing someone to protect her.

Alec dropped into a chair next to Vicki. “The hellhound will be disposed of in the canyon. The alley is cleaned up. And the gossip is some tourist tried to mug Jamie and ran into Vicki.” He grinned at his mate. “No one was surprised when we said the guy had to be escorted out of town, and we doubted he’d ever return.”

“You’ve got quite the reputation, love,” Calum said.

“Quite the bloody one.” With an evil smile, Thorson sat down at an adjacent table.

Darcy gave him a careful look. The older shifter’s shirt was torn and his jeans scraped up, but he was moving without obvious pain. Spotting blood on his forearm, she frowned.

He followed the direction of her gaze. “Just a scrape, lass. I get worse running past blackberries.”

Jamie set a bowl of water and washcloth on the table next to the first aid kit.

“Thank you,” Gawain said. He turned Darcy’s hand over and started to wash away the dirt.

She hissed and tried to ignore the pain as she turned her gaze back to Calum. “Progress?”

Calum leaned back in his chair. “Tynan continues to hunt in the city. Because the females haven’t gone through First Trawsfur, they won’t carry the scent of the wild. He has to rely upon matching your description of the property.

As she fought the need to run out and do the searching herself, her muscles tightened. Owen’s hands pressed against her shoulders as if he could read her thoughts.

Gawain’s deep blue eyes held sympathy and understanding—although his hold on her wrist was unbreakable.

They wouldn’t let her leave.

“But…” She had to clear her throat. “It’s taking too long.”