Midnight Wolf (Shifters Unbound #11)(60)

“Yes,” Tamsin said without hesitation. “Of course we are.” Angus didn’t know it yet, but . . .

“Just a warning. If you travel with us, you have to work. Dante will hire you if you want jobs, but at the very least, you’ll have to help out in some way. We can’t afford too much hospitality.”

“Absolutely. We’ll earn our keep. I was thinking of an act to do as a sideshow. It will be hilarious.”

Celene raised her brows. “Does Angus know about this?”

“Not exactly. Not yet.”

Celene laughed, and even that was beautiful. “That’s how you deal with Shifters. Keep them guessing, so they don’t come over all dominant and growling. Oh, no offense.”

“None taken. You’re totally right. Are you sure you’re part Fae? You’re too nice.”

“I’m supposed to want to see all Shifters in Collars and cages, and I pull wings off flies too, right?” Wisdom lurked in Celene’s eyes. Tamsin wondered how old she was. Fae lived a long time—did half Fae?

“The Goddess’s honest truth is I’ve never met a Fae,” Tamsin said. “I’ve only heard the rumors.”

“Some Fae are wonderful, some are terrible. Like Shifters. And humans. My mother was Fae, my dad human. I spent some of my childhood in Faerie, some here. My mom had a hard time in the human world, so finally she stayed in Faerie. My dad lived out his human life span and passed about ten years ago.”

“I’m sorry,” Tamsin said quickly. “My dad’s gone too.”

Celene nodded. “It’s tough. But I met Dante, and he filled up the empty spaces, you know what I mean?”

Filling up the empty spaces made sense. Angus was rapidly doing that with Tamsin, without her realizing it.

Angus reached them. Celene gave Tamsin a broad smile and, to her surprise, pulled her into a hug, Shifter-style.

Tamsin realized with a start that hugging a Fae, her traditional enemy, wasn’t so bad. Celene’s slim arms were strong, comforting, her scent now familiar, hers. Celene released her, leaned down to kiss Ciaran on the top of his head, and left them.

The “trailer” they’d been lent was in reality a large, sleek RV. Tamsin had expected a pickup with a camper shell or a rickety mobile home, but this was an older but well-cared-for camper trailer, the kind people drove cross-country in, living their vacation.

Benches lined the walls just inside the door. Halfway along was a booth with a table and two wide seats across from a tiny kitchen with a sink, stove, a very small refrigerator, and cupboards. Beyond that was a closet, above which was a curtained bunk bed. The bathroom was tucked across from the bunk bed and closet, and did indeed have a shower. In the very back, taking up the rear five feet of the RV, was the master bedroom, which consisted of a large mattress on a platform.

“Nice!” Ciaran instantly climbed up to the bunk bed and pulled the curtains closed. “This is my room.”

That left Angus and Tamsin standing in the middle of the RV, looking at everything but each other.

“Awkward,” Tamsin said at last.

A flush rose on Angus’s face. “You take the bed. I’ll get our things from the truck, then go patrolling. I’ll sleep there tonight.” He pointed at one of the forward benches.

Tamsin reached up and touched his hot cheek. “You know, I’ve never met a Shifter who blushes about mating frenzy. I like it.”

“Patrolling,” Angus said. “I’m blushing about patrolling. But I need to do it. Too many risk factors out here.”

Tamsin brushed his cheek again, liking the feel of his whiskers under her fingertips. “I don’t know. I’ve felt safer here than anywhere in a long while. I think Dante is all right. Weird, but okay.”

“We don’t know anything about him,” Angus said. “The less we tell him, the better. I’m grateful for his help, but we can’t know what he means to do. We’ll be out of here tomorrow anyway.”

“Um,” Tamsin said, lowering her hand. “About that . . .”

Angus’s eyes narrowed. “What?”

“I kind of told Celene we’d be traveling on with them. I have this great idea for a show . . .”

“Tamsin.”

“Think about it—we’re buried in a crowd here. We’ll blend in with all their trucks and trailers when we go. We’ll be just more anonymous people with the carny. But Celene says Dante will want us to earn our keep, so I’m working up a show idea.”

“No shows.” Angus stepped closer, irritation wiping away his embarrassment. “The last thing we need is someone telling their friends that there’s a beautiful redheaded Shifter woman doing a carnival sideshow. What were you planning? A fox hunt?”

Tamsin stared at him, lips parting. “Did you say ‘beautiful’?”

“Yes.” The answer was impatient. “Memorable. No one could forget you, Tamsin.”

Words stuck in her throat. That’s the most wonderful thing anyone’s ever said to me.

Why couldn’t she say that? Smile at him? Make him blush again?

Because it was too important. Tamsin got through her life waving her emotions aside, teasing to cover up her hurt and fears.

What she felt for Angus was too strong to be pushed aside. Joked about. Shrugged away.