Leap of the Lion (The Wild Hunt Legacy #4)(41)

“Faster would be better, but this is what we have,” Calum said.

“Owen and I wondered if you can sense your littermates at all,” Gawain said.

Darcy turned to face him. “Sense?”

Gawain nodded. “I can usually tell where Owen is—at least the general direction.”

“I didn’t know that was possible.”

“Some littermates can, some can’t,” Owen said. “Try.”

Bossy cat. She closed her eyes and tried to search for her brothers, then shook her head. “I can’t feel anything.”

“That’s a shame.” Gawain patted her hand. “Of course, the distance might affect your ability to sense them.”

They might be out of the country, true. But it was more likely the fact that she’d spent very little time with them in captivity. A few minutes every few months didn’t nurture a bond.

“Could we ask Wells for help?” Vicki asked Calum. “If the Scythe are attempting to influence our government, they’re more than a simple mercenary organization. Wells needs to know, and he has resources we lack.”

There was a silence for a moment.

“All right. He might, indeed, be able to help.” Calum touched her cheek. “It will also give him an excuse to check on his Sergeant. I think he misses you.”

Vicki’s eyes filled with tears. Saying a foul word under her breath, she wiped her eyes and told Darcy, “Don’t get pregnant. The hormones suck the big one.”

“Ah. Right.” Darcy smiled at the Cosantir’s mate. Such a tough female, and her embarrassed frustration made her all the more likable.

When Alec slid his chair closer to his mate, Vicki gave a husky laugh. “I’m all right. I’ll give Wells a call.” Her voice hardened. “He’ll be very interested in the bastards.”

“Darcy.” Gawain waited for her attention and warned, “This part might hurt.” Holding her hand open, he spread ointment over her abraded palm.

A yelp of pain almost escaped despite the warning.

“Sorry, sweetling,” Gawain murmured…and continued. He was as stubborn as Owen was in his own steel-cored, calm way.

She pulled in a breath and asked Vicki, “Who is Wells?”

“He was my boss when I was a”—Vicki grinned—“you’d call it a spy.”

A spy? And a soldier? “Oh.”

“Wells is a human version of Thorson,” Alec said. “Mean, sarcastic, anti-social, extremely competent, and deadly.”

Thorson nodded, more pleased than offended.

“Wells heads up a covert operations force.” Vicki smiled. “Since the Daonain have been here since the country was founded, he knows they—”

“We,” Alec corrected with a tilt of his eyebrows.

“Right, we aren’t a threat, and he helps keep us undiscovered.”

Darcy nodded. Undiscovered was always good.

“There you go,” Gawain said, giving her hand a pat. “All fixed up.”

“Thank you.”

Leaning forward, he ran his fingertips over her cheek. His calm eyes held hers. “You’re most welcome, pretty panther.”

As a flustered quiver woke in her center, she dropped her gaze, but then she couldn’t avoid seeing the broadness of his chest, the strength in his corded, thick forearms. He had a blacksmith’s muscles…and her fingers wanted to touch.

A wave of heat rolled up and right into her cheeks, and she tore her gaze away. What was she thinking? She couldn’t get interested in a male. By the Mother’s breasts, she wouldn’t even know what to do with one…although from the intimidating confidence in his gaze, Gawain knew exactly what to do with a female.





Chapter Ten





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The prospective property was off the main road and a couple of blocks from the tavern. Owen yawned as he walked with his littermate down the private graveled lane. Last night had been dark of the moon when the cahirs patrolled the town all night. It’d been quiet, but his tail was dragging today.

He’d have slept longer, but both he and Gawain wanted to check out this two-story log cabin. Yesterday when they’d complained about turning down all the houses shown by the realtor, Calum had suggested this place. He’d also warned that the house was in bad shape.

How bad could it be?

“At least with Calum in charge of the property, the paperwork should be quick.” The last owner—a shifter—had died without an heir, so the property had gone to the Cosantir to manage for the good of the Daonain.

“Why should the legal stuff be faster than normal?” Gawain asked.

“Calum was a lawyer before the God yanked him into being Cosantir. According to Alec, his littermate wasn’t at all pleased with the change in his profession.”

Gawain grinned. “The God does what the God does. I take it the Cosantir is used to babysitting Daonain property.”

“I don’t know how many places he has, but the Wildwood Lodge was one. Zeb and Shay had managed it before they talked him into letting them buy.” Owen shook his head. “In the purchase contract, Calum added a clause so the Cosantir of the territory would always have one room to loan out—free—at his discretion.”