Page 89 of Stubborn as a Shadow

That wasn’t nice.

Did he want to hurt me too?

I swung my head to make sure he noticed my horn, hoping he understood I was prepared to use it if I had to. But I really, really didn’t want to. I’d seen enough blood to last a lifetime. My horn slammed against the wall again, and the shock reverberated through my skull.

Oops. I forgot I was still inside. And I forgot how big my horn was. That’s what happened when I didn’t shift regularly.

Nelson was at my side in a flash.

“Morgan,” he whispered. He brushed his hand along my body, patting me down as if to confirm I was uninjured. “Are you okay?”

Nelson wouldn’t let anyone hurt me. And interestingly, I suspected no one else would either. I let my shift sparkle over me.

“I’m okay,” I said, pleased that he was still cupping my cheek when I finished shifting. “I just forgot how big my horn was.”

Carter let out a loud rumbling laugh.

Nelson frowned at the other man. “You’ve been spending too much time with Jeremy and Isaac.”

The big man just shrugged. “Come on. You know it was kind of funny.”

Nelson sighed. He turned his attention back to me. He held my gaze for a long moment. “I don’t trust the vampire…”

There was a derisive noise from Keenan.

“…but I do trust Carter. He’s also a bear shifter, so he’s strong. If the vampire turns on us, we can take him.”

“How lovely,” Keenan said.

Carter stepped into the cabin now and stared at Nelson and me. “Fuck me, you guys are mates.”

“Quit saying that,” Eric muttered behind him. “None of them are fucking you.”

“Right. Sorry.” Carter’s cheeks darkened, but he nodded and rubbed the back of his neck. Then he looked around the cabin. “Do you need help hauling anything to the car?”

“What about the… you know.” I couldn’t look at the bodies, so I waved vaguely toward the wolf.

“My people will take care of everything,” Keenan said.

Carter and Nelson exchanged a look.

“We don’t have much,” Nelson said as he met my gaze again. “You ready to get out of here, Sweet?”

“Yes.” I would follow Nelson anywhere, especially when he called me a cute little nickname.

34

WE SHOULD GET MATCHING CLOAKS

NELSON

Morgan and I gathered our few belongings from the cabin and then the bike—Morgan had insisted on getting his cloak—then everyone trudged through the snow to where the vehicles were parked, including Keenan. I wasn’t sure how he got out here, but there were only two vehicles at the entrance: the limo and a beat-up hatchback with a wolf suncatcher hanging from the rearview mirror.

Keenan walked to the passenger side of the limo like he expected to join us.

“What are you doing?” I demanded.

“Coming with you, of course,” Keanan said like it was obvious.