Wildfire Griffin (Fire & Rescue Shifters: Wildfire Crew #1)(12)

The dog’s ears perked up. His copper eyes turned hopefully in the direction of the forest.

“It’s like you understand every word I say.” She reached for his collar, only to discover—to her surprise—that he wasn’t wearing one. She settled for taking a firm grip on his harness instead. “Come on, big guy. Let’s get you inside, just in case the hare is still around.”

Even though the animal had attacked her, she didn’t want the huge black dog hunting it down. There had definitely been something odd about the hare, but that didn’t mean it deserved to be torn limb from limb. The poor creature had probably just been terrified by the fire.

She cast a last backward glance at the forest as she led Fenrir up the stairs. She hoped the hare would be all right.





Chapter 4





The hare’s body wanted to run.

It tightened its grip on the animal, squeezing with iron will. The hare had only a small mind, a candle flame of soul. It was easy to dominate.

It crouched in a charred thicket of brambles, wearing the hare’s skin, and watched.

Five souls. Dangerous souls, not human nor animal, but a mixture of both.

Shifters.

It knew their kind. Knew enough to be wary of them.

At the moment they walked on two legs, working their way through the forest. It had feared at first that they were hunting for it, but they only scraped at the ground and hacked at trees with cold metal tools. Sometimes they stopped to smother smoldering patches of vegetation with dirt. Fire seemed to be their enemy.

That was interesting. That was what made it creep closer, watching.

That…and one other thing.

The shifter leader’s soul was like none it had ever scented before. Power rolled from him, thick and intoxicating. If it could find a way to wear that one’s skin…

Nothing would be able to stop it.

The shifter leader was too strong to attack directly. Not yet, not now, when it had only fed on weak, animal hosts. To claim its prize, it would need a subtler approach.

If only it had been able to sink its teeth into the human woman. She was linked somehow to the shifter leader—that was clear from the way both their souls brightened when they were together. Even now, it could smell his sickening desire and longing for her.

She would be able to get close to him. He would never suspect her, until it was too late.

The hare’s body would not last long. Already the changes had started—teeth lengthening, nubbins of horns pushing up, fur falling away. In a matter of days the small animal would be twisted into uselessness.

It needed to find a new host. A stronger one, a better one.

And then…

Then, it would hunt.





Chapter 5





Edith was perfect. That little snub nose, those wide hazel eyes, the freckles dusting her sun-browned cheeks…every inch of her was utterly perfect.

And she thought he was an idiot.

Rory had always secretly hoped that he’d meet his mate while doing something heroic, just like his own father had. When he’d been younger, he’d avidly listened to tales from mated couples about how they’d met. He’d pictured himself taking the starring role, boldly winning his own mate’s heart. One day he would rescue his one true love from a burning building, or fight a duel for her honor, or save her from a corrupt dragon.

Bunnies had not featured prominently in his fantasies.

Rory was pretty sure that no one, in the entire history of shifter kind, had ever made a less impressive first impression on his mate.

She is our mate, his griffin said consolingly. We are made for her. She will see that.

Given that so far Edith had seen him fall down three flights of stairs, get beaten up by a rabbit, and then completely lose coherent speech, Rory did not share his griffin’s confidence. Not unless Edith had a secret kink for tongue-tied dorks.

She will choose us, his griffin insisted. Once we prove that she can trust us. That we will always guard her back, always support her and cherish her.

Yes. Edith needed a mate who was strong, who could protect her. She’d been so wary, so shy. She hadn’t even been able to meet his eyes after that first lightning-bolt of recognition.

Just recalling Edith’s hesitant, nervous body language filled him with protective fury. Who had hurt her so badly, that she curled in on herself like that? Who had shredded her self-confidence to the point where she stumbled over words as if she didn’t believe she had the right to speak at all?

He longed to stroke away the tension in those huddled shoulders. He wanted her to hold her head up high, meeting his gaze boldly, so that he could bask forever in the beauty of her green-brown eyes.

He’d prove that he could be the mate that she needed. That she didn’t have to move through the world like a wild creature on the verge of flight. That he could shelter and protect her from any threat.

Rory revved his chainsaw, attacking the next dead tree with renewed determination. From Edith’s own fireline, she clearly knew a thing or two about fighting wildfires. She’d understand how much skill and endurance it took to contain even a little forest fire like this one. He had to work faster, harder, to impress his mate-

“Rory. Rory!”

Blaise’s yell cut through the snarling whine of the chainsaw. Letting the blade power down, he turned. He’d left a messy trail of devastation through the forest, cut-down vegetation scattered haphazardly in his wake. Blaise clambered over a tangle of branches, her heavy work boots stomping through the leaves.