Jade Tiger by Jenn Reese Page B

down her spine.
    Sadly, Ian moved his head away from hers in order to shout to Buckley. In far too short a time, Buckley was standing a few feet away, huffing. Shan steeled herself for his jibes. Frankly, she didn't care what he thought about her and Ian. It was none of his business. And even if it was his business, it didn't matter.
    "Fortier's wife called the cops," Buckley said between breaths. "We've got to get out of here."
    "Damn," said Shan. Her body still buzzed from kissing Ian. She needed to regain focus, to clear her mind. "We need to get back to the car." She turned to Ian. "Can you?"
    "Yes," he said simply. He wobbled a little, but made it to his feet still carrying her. "Let's go."
    They said nothing as they jogged through the forest. Shan's ribs reminded her of their compromised state almost immediately, but the pain didn't seem as bad. She smiled. Ian was just that good. And maybe, just maybe, the ribs were only cracked after all. For now, all that mattered was getting the crane out of Etienne's room and getting the hell out of France.
    When they made it back to the house, Charles and Etienne Fortier were waiting by the little green rental car. Etienne wore Shan's strawberry-pink ski jacket with Ian's messenger bag over his shoulder.
    "Put me down next to the car?" Shan asked.
    "Anything you want," whispered Ian, just to her. Shan growled softly and gave him what she hoped was a smoldering look. Ian lowered her to her feet, and she leaned against the car for support.
    "We have four of them," Charles Fortier said as he rubbed his hands together. "Three men and a woman."
    "Be careful with her," Shan said. "Don't get close to her, no matter what. Let the police handle her."
    Fortier nodded. Etienne removed the messenger bag and handed it to Shan. She took it with a grim nod.
    "When this is all over," Shan said to Fortier, "I'll contact you. The boy needs to come to Los Angeles and study with me."
    Charles Fortier pursed his lips and looked to Ian, apparently for help, but Ian was watching the boy.
    "He will grow wild, even with the dragon gone," continued Shan. "He will be unpredictable, dangerous. I'm sure you've seen the signs."
    "I thought the child was merely reaching puberty," Fortier said. He put one hand on his son's shoulder, but the boy didn't react. Fortier removed it hastily. "I'll discuss it with my wife."
    Shan nodded. Slowly, she lowered herself into a crouch in order to look Etienne in the eye. "You must come study with me," she said quietly. She pointed a finger at him and then at herself, willing him to understand despite their language barrier. "If they do not let you, you must find me yourself when you are old enough."
    "Do not say such things to my son!" Fortier exclaimed, but Ian held up a hand, silencing him.
    Shan folded back the flap of the messenger bag and pulled out the jade crane. Its milky green body seemed to trap the moon's light and keep it within. Etienne's eyes widened, and he reached out a hand to touch the statue. Shan let him.
    "You," she said again, pointing the boy, "come to me." She pointed to herself. "Do you understand?"
    Etienne removed his hand from the crane, looked at Shan, and nodded.
    "Good." Shan stood and turned back to Fortier. "You have a duty to this boy. Please don't fail him."
    Ian and Charles exchanged a few more words, many of them heated, but Shan shut them out. She focused on maneuvering herself into the backseat of the car without puncturing a lung. A noble goal, in her opinion. Buckley climbed into the driver's seat and started the engine.
    "Remind me to take martial artists on all my vacations," he grinned. "You people are pretty useful."
    Shan merely grunted her response, but she couldn't help smiling. Buckley's levity was often ill-timed, but she appreciated it now.
    "You need to work on your snowmobiling, though," Buckley added, and Shan immediately retracted her silent praise.
    The passenger door opened, and Ian folded himself into the little