Chapter 31
ONE WEEK LATER
Leonie checked her watch again. The hands had barely moved since the last time she’d looked. Maybe it was broken.
“She should be her by now.” She shaded her eyes, peering down the access road that led to the camp. “Maybe I should call her again.”
“Leonie.” Shan caught her hand as she reached for her phone. “She’s only five minutes late. Fretting won’t make her arrive any faster.”
He was right, unfortunately. Which only made her more antsy. “How can you be so calm?”
“Practice.” He slid his fingers through hers, claws carefully retracted. “Contrary to popular opinion, working as a special agent isn’t all dangerous infiltrations and midnight chases. There’s a great deal of tedious waiting around, too.”
She leaned against him, taking comfort in his calm, steady presence. “Such as when you’re sent to a summer camp?”
He smiled, bending to brush his lips against her forehead. “I wouldn’t call that tedious.”
She captured the back of his neck, pulling him down for a proper kiss. “Good.”
Despite his words, she didn’t think he was quite as self-composed as he claimed. His muscles were taut, biceps straining against his camp T-shirt. Her stomach twisted with a faint, phantom pang, his emotions leaking through the half-finished mate bond.
Over the past week, she’d been careful not to reach out to complete that connection. At times, the temptation had been almost overwhelming. When they were skin to skin, mouth to mouth, every instinct screamed to claim him forever.
But she couldn’t. Not yet.
She pulled away, breaking the kiss. “I’m going to see if I can spot her.”
“Shall I come with you?”
“No, you stay here.” She passed him her phone. “Just in case she calls.”
“I’ll wave if she does.” He resumed his professional stance by the camp entrance, like a bouncer outside a club; feet apart, eyes on the road. “But if she doesn’t, don’t rush back down. Take your time.”
Because this might be your last flight for a while, hung unspoken in the air. Lola couldn’t stay for long. By evening, she’d be on her way back to Alaska…taking the eagle with her.
But she still had her wings for now. Leonie reached down, finding that golden, shining other self. Dropping to all fours, she leaped into the sky.
Yes.
It always felt like shaking off a burden. On the ground, she always had duties, responsibilities, people who were counting on her. But in the sky, all of that fell away.
Up here, she was free.
I don’t want to give this up.
She shook off the selfish thought. Her sister loved flying just as much as she did. How could she keep the sky all to herself?
Cupping her wings, she balanced on the fresh mountain wind. With these eyes, she could see far better than she could as a mere lion. Everything was sharper, brighter, more intense. She could have counted the individual blades of grass far below; the whiskers on a mouse.
A car turned off the main road, heading up the gravel track that led to the camp. From above, she couldn’t see the driver...but only one person would be heading this way.
Letting out a cry of welcome, she spiraled down. By the time her claws touched the ground, the car was coming to a halt in the camp’s parking lot. A familiar short, stocky figure emerged, tired and travel-worn, but grinning.
“Hey, Catbutt,” Lola said casually, as though they’d only been separated for hours rather than weeks. “Looking good.”
It was hard to let go of the effortless power of the griffin. She did it anyway, shifting back to human form so she could hug her sister.
“I’m sorry to make you come all this way,” she said into Lola’s ear. “But I’m glad to see you.”
“Same here.” Lola hugged her back. Even though she must have showered since she got off the fireline, the scent of smoke still clung to her short blonde hair. “Sorry, I probably stink. It was a long trip.”
“I would have come to you if I could. But I can’t take that much time off while camp is in session.” She released Lola, stepping back to study her anxiously. “How have you been?”
Lola shrugged. “Eh, I’ve had worse weeks. Though I can’t say it’s been a barrel of laughs, being grounded for this long. I don’t know how you do it.”
Because I have to, she didn’t say. Because I love you.
There was no point in delaying. Steeling herself, she held out a hand. “Here, I’ll give you the eagle back now.”
“First things first. I want to meet this tiger of yours.” Lola looked past her. “Is he the huge guy who looks like he’s about to meet a firing squad?”
She laughed. “That’s him. Come on. I’ll introduce you.”
Shan was indeed standing rather stiffly, apparently fascinated by a passing cloud. Leonie led her sister over to him.
“Shan, this is my twin, Lola.” She smiled, filled with deep, possessive joy. “Lola, this is Shan. My mate.”
Lola did not seem impressed. She looked Shan up and down with an expression of profound skepticism.
“So, you’re the guy who spent most of the summer trying to run away from my sister.” Lola’s tone made it clear what she thought of that. “I see you finally came to your senses. You treating her right?”
Shan’s eyebrows rose slightly. “Ask her.”
“Leonie?” Lola snorted in derision. “She could be on her last legs with her right arm hanging by a thread, and she’d still insist she’s fine. She takes care of everyone other than herself.”
Shan let out a pained sigh. “I am aware.”
“Hmph. Good.” Lola narrowed her eyes at him. “Just so we’re clear, if you don’t make her deliriously happy, I’ll rip off your balls and shove them down your throat.”
The corner of Shan’s mouth curved up. “Truth.”
“And don’t you forget it.” Lola turned to her. “You really like this overgrown hunk of man-meat, Catbutt?”
“Yes, I do,” she said, grinning. She slipped an arm around Shan’s waist. “And I prefer him in working order, thank you. Please don’t maim him.”
“No promises,” Lola said ominously. She glared at Shan for a few more seconds, then stuck out a hand. “Glad to meet you, Shan. Don’t screw this up.”
Shan hesitated for a second, clearly self-conscious. Nonetheless, he clasped Lola’s hand. She didn’t flinch from his claws. As if coming to some private agreement, they shook hands.
“Well, Catbutt.” Lola released Shan, but kept her hand outstretched, palm up. “Let’s get rid of the last obstacle keeping you from your happily ever after. Shall we?”
Pushing back a strange surge of reluctance, Leonie placed her hand on her sister’s. Lola’s fingers curved around hers.
This was never exactly comfortable. But normally, she could separate her animals without too much difficulty, peeling her two halves apart.
Now, however, she felt…resistance. The griffin fought her, sliding away from any attempt to grasp it.
*Leonie?* Lola’s voice sounded very far away. She could sense her sister reaching out, like she was groping through thick fog. *Nothing’s…happening…*
*Don’t worry.* She tightened her grip, concentrating. *It’s going to be okay.*
She had to do this. She had to. Her sister needed her. Shan needed her. She gritted her teeth, finding, pulling, ripping—
No!
The griffin’s shriek split, turning into a lion’s roar, an eagle’s cry. Even then, the two animals clung to each other, fighting to stay together.
No, no, no! The eagle beat its wings, refusing to fly to her sister’s soul. You will split us forever! You will change us too much, we will no longer fit together, no!
She grimly thrust between her struggling animals, mentally pushing them apart. With a final despairing scream, the eagle fled.
Lola gasped, yanking her hand back as though she’d just received an electric shock. “Shit, Leonie. What the hell?”
She couldn’t reply. She felt like she’d just run a marathon uphill. While being beaten with broomsticks. She collapsed against Shan, struggling for breath.
“I’ve got you,” he murmured, supporting her weight. He glanced at Lola, frowning. “Is it always like that?”
“It’s never been like that,” Lola replied, slightly breathless. “She practically flung the fucking thing at me. Felt like being smacked upside the head with a fastball.”
“Sorry,” Leonie managed to gasp. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” Lola touched the middle of her chest. “Just took me by surprise, that’s all. Are you all right?”
With a surge of relief, Leonie saw that her sister’s eyes were back to their usual piercing, bird-bright yellow. That was right, at least.
Not right, her lioness growled. It prowled underneath her human mind, bereft and angry. Not right at all.
“I’m fine,” Leonie said to her sister. She bit her lip, glancing at Shan. “But we have a problem.”