steadily. “Because it’s true.”
She was saved from answering by her cell phone beeping. Kenzie looked at the text message and made a face.
“Everything okay?”
“My brother is just being brotherly again. Connor can’t stand that I’m alone out here. I finally had to promise him that if a man dropped out of the sky, I’d date him.”
“Really? Bet you didn’t count on meeting someone with a helicopter.”
She opened her mouth and closed it again, momentarily stunned.
“I’m thinking dinner at The Caribou in Glennallen, followed by dancing at the Tapout Lounge,” he continued. “What day works for you?”
“I’m—we’re—I’m not going out with you!”
“Sure you are, or I’ll have to tell your brother.”
“I wasn’t serious when I made that promise.”
“Maybe, but I’m serious about helping you keep it. Consider it an educational experience—did you know that The Caribou has a ceiling made of copper? They used to mine the stuff in this region back at the turn of the last century.”
She folded her arms. “Big deal. The Ahtna discovered copper thousands of years ago in this region. Your restaurant isn’t exactly a historic site.”
“Taste their poached salmon or their Halibut Olympia , and you’ll change your tune. Saturday is good for me by the way.”
Exasperated, she got up. “Thanks for dinner, Josh. I’m going to bed now.”
“Now? It’s still early.” He sat back in his chair and looked at the twilight sky. “Okay, it’s not early but hey, it’s not dark yet.”
“I like to be at my site when the sun comes up.” She glanced around. of c KaroyetJust where were you planning on staying tonight?”
“In the chopper. Unless I’m invited somewhere else of course.”
“Nice try. Good night.”
“Night.” He gave her a mock salute. “Make sure you dream about me.”
Anya opened her eyes ever so slightly. The fire had died down but was still giving off plenty of heat. She wasn’t being watched—Kenzie had gone into her tent and Josh had dozed off in the camp chair—and she rolled on her back in pure bliss. For the first time in days she’d gotten enough to eat, she was warm and safe, and she wasn’t quite so lonely.
Josh told good stories. And just like Anya and her mother, Kenzie was a Changeling. Her wolf was pretty, blueish gray like rainclouds. Anya’s mom was pretty too when she was a wolf, and her fur was soft. If only she were here. She’d like Kenzie and Josh, Anya was sure of it. And maybe her mother wouldn’t be so lonely anymore either.
She sighed and rolled over to rest her head on her paws. Her mother had told her not to talk to strangers. Ever. But was a person still a stranger if you knew their name?
It was hard work to keep a grown-up Changeling from seeing what was inside your head, but Anya was very good at it. It was even harder, though, not to answer questions, not to say a single word in her mind, and especially not to ask for help. Anya wanted so badly to tell Kenzie what had happened—she might help her find her mother. That would be all right, wouldn’t it?
Anya closed her eyes. Maybe she’d talk to Kenzie tomorrow.
Nate paced his hotel room, occasionally glancing at downtown Anchorage through the wide fourteenth floor window. The Chugach mountains lined the horizon, capped with snow even in July. His inner wolf was restless, wanting Nate to Change and head for those mountains, wanting to run free, to hunt and howl.
Later, he murmured. He had to think, had to figure this out. The IBC wanted his expertise again, but what did he have left to offer them? It wasn’t his fucking fault that things had gone south in the last operation. He’d earned his pay, delivered exactly what they asked for.
But now they wanted more.
He flopped on the king-sized bed, gazed at the expensive teak furnishings. The money he’d earned from the IBC allowed him to stay in places like this, the kind of places he belonged. Travel often
She was saved from answering by her cell phone beeping. Kenzie looked at the text message and made a face.
“Everything okay?”
“My brother is just being brotherly again. Connor can’t stand that I’m alone out here. I finally had to promise him that if a man dropped out of the sky, I’d date him.”
“Really? Bet you didn’t count on meeting someone with a helicopter.”
She opened her mouth and closed it again, momentarily stunned.
“I’m thinking dinner at The Caribou in Glennallen, followed by dancing at the Tapout Lounge,” he continued. “What day works for you?”
“I’m—we’re—I’m not going out with you!”
“Sure you are, or I’ll have to tell your brother.”
“I wasn’t serious when I made that promise.”
“Maybe, but I’m serious about helping you keep it. Consider it an educational experience—did you know that The Caribou has a ceiling made of copper? They used to mine the stuff in this region back at the turn of the last century.”
She folded her arms. “Big deal. The Ahtna discovered copper thousands of years ago in this region. Your restaurant isn’t exactly a historic site.”
“Taste their poached salmon or their Halibut Olympia , and you’ll change your tune. Saturday is good for me by the way.”
Exasperated, she got up. “Thanks for dinner, Josh. I’m going to bed now.”
“Now? It’s still early.” He sat back in his chair and looked at the twilight sky. “Okay, it’s not early but hey, it’s not dark yet.”
“I like to be at my site when the sun comes up.” She glanced around. of c KaroyetJust where were you planning on staying tonight?”
“In the chopper. Unless I’m invited somewhere else of course.”
“Nice try. Good night.”
“Night.” He gave her a mock salute. “Make sure you dream about me.”
Anya opened her eyes ever so slightly. The fire had died down but was still giving off plenty of heat. She wasn’t being watched—Kenzie had gone into her tent and Josh had dozed off in the camp chair—and she rolled on her back in pure bliss. For the first time in days she’d gotten enough to eat, she was warm and safe, and she wasn’t quite so lonely.
Josh told good stories. And just like Anya and her mother, Kenzie was a Changeling. Her wolf was pretty, blueish gray like rainclouds. Anya’s mom was pretty too when she was a wolf, and her fur was soft. If only she were here. She’d like Kenzie and Josh, Anya was sure of it. And maybe her mother wouldn’t be so lonely anymore either.
She sighed and rolled over to rest her head on her paws. Her mother had told her not to talk to strangers. Ever. But was a person still a stranger if you knew their name?
It was hard work to keep a grown-up Changeling from seeing what was inside your head, but Anya was very good at it. It was even harder, though, not to answer questions, not to say a single word in her mind, and especially not to ask for help. Anya wanted so badly to tell Kenzie what had happened—she might help her find her mother. That would be all right, wouldn’t it?
Anya closed her eyes. Maybe she’d talk to Kenzie tomorrow.
Nate paced his hotel room, occasionally glancing at downtown Anchorage through the wide fourteenth floor window. The Chugach mountains lined the horizon, capped with snow even in July. His inner wolf was restless, wanting Nate to Change and head for those mountains, wanting to run free, to hunt and howl.
Later, he murmured. He had to think, had to figure this out. The IBC wanted his expertise again, but what did he have left to offer them? It wasn’t his fucking fault that things had gone south in the last operation. He’d earned his pay, delivered exactly what they asked for.
But now they wanted more.
He flopped on the king-sized bed, gazed at the expensive teak furnishings. The money he’d earned from the IBC allowed him to stay in places like this, the kind of places he belonged. Travel often
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