probably make sure it cooperated.
Which seemed to mean the Lady approved of this separation.
Could Sam have known that? She didn’t see how . . . unless he and the Lady were both acting based on those mysterious patterns. Maybe Sam had counted on the Lady seeing the same things he did and making sure the mate bond didn’t interfere. If so, would it have killed him to tell them that? Or something, anything, about her errand in Whistle? Lily was not feeling happy with the black dragon when they pulled into the tiny town at five thirty-five that afternoon.
There wasn’t much to see. Typical small rural town, she supposed. They came in on—surprise—Main Street, which was brick-lined and boasted two gas stations, a tiny post office, Chrissy’s Beauty & Supply, a hardware store, Sunny’s Market, the Tip-Top Café, two empty storefronts, an antique store, an accountant’s office, and a handful of similar establishments.
They’d driven past the park on the way in, so finding it wouldn’t be a problem. That meant they had just enough time to drop off the flat tire at one of the gas stations. They also filled the tank and emptied their bladders—at least, the two-legged among them did, taking turns in the only restroom. Charles would have to wait for a less public venue. While Carson grabbed a few snacks to tide them over until supper—with “a few” being defined in lupi terms—Lily found out that the closest hotel was thirty miles away, in the county seat.
The attendant at the station was painfully young. Biracial, she thought, which made her wonder briefly about his story. Southern Ohio was overwhelmingly white. He was shy, keeping his head ducked most of the time, but did answer Lily’s question about hotels, going so far as to offer that the Hampton Inn in Gallipolis was “supposed to be pretty nice.” She sent Rule another text, letting him know they’d arrived and suggesting that the Leidolf guards meet them at the Hampton Inn in Gallipolis.
Then they headed for the park. That took a whole four minutes.
They were the only ones there. The grass looked tired from the heat. Otherwise, it was a pretty little place with three picnic tables, a swing set, a pair of slides, and a metal trash can. A barbeque made from a metal barrel was welded to a post sunk in concrete. No one would be carrying it off, not without a cutting torch. A creek trickled along the east side of the little park, shaded by trees.
José got out first. No one shot at him and he must not have smelled anything threatening. He gave a nod, so she and Carson got out; she held the door open for Charles. He jumped down, and if he landed more heavily than lupi usually did, it didn’t seem to cause him any pain. He trotted straight for the tangled field along the park’s western boundary, probably seeking the pit stop he hadn’t been able to take at the gas station. There was a narrow path, maybe a game trail, leading into the uncut grass and weeds. Really tall grass. Charles was a big wolf, but it was over his head. She could follow his movement in the twitching of the grass.
Nothing else happened. Lily checked her watch. Five fifty-eight.
It was July. It was hot. Hotter than San Diego, which seldom got above eighty, thanks to the Pacific Ocean. It was more humid than she was used to, as well. There was a bit of a breeze blowing east to west. Locusts serenaded them from the trees.
Nothing continued to happen. “You smell anything I should know about?” she asked the lupi with her, and got two head-shakes in answer. She walked around, looking. Someone had cooked on the barbeque without cleaning out the ashes. They’d burned wood, not charcoal. The metal trash can held an assortment of trash and more ashes. She sighed, checked her watch again. Straight up six o’clock. The shade under those trees looked inviting. Might as well wait there as anywhere. If nothing kept on happening, she decided as she headed for the creek, she’d take
Which seemed to mean the Lady approved of this separation.
Could Sam have known that? She didn’t see how . . . unless he and the Lady were both acting based on those mysterious patterns. Maybe Sam had counted on the Lady seeing the same things he did and making sure the mate bond didn’t interfere. If so, would it have killed him to tell them that? Or something, anything, about her errand in Whistle? Lily was not feeling happy with the black dragon when they pulled into the tiny town at five thirty-five that afternoon.
There wasn’t much to see. Typical small rural town, she supposed. They came in on—surprise—Main Street, which was brick-lined and boasted two gas stations, a tiny post office, Chrissy’s Beauty & Supply, a hardware store, Sunny’s Market, the Tip-Top Café, two empty storefronts, an antique store, an accountant’s office, and a handful of similar establishments.
They’d driven past the park on the way in, so finding it wouldn’t be a problem. That meant they had just enough time to drop off the flat tire at one of the gas stations. They also filled the tank and emptied their bladders—at least, the two-legged among them did, taking turns in the only restroom. Charles would have to wait for a less public venue. While Carson grabbed a few snacks to tide them over until supper—with “a few” being defined in lupi terms—Lily found out that the closest hotel was thirty miles away, in the county seat.
The attendant at the station was painfully young. Biracial, she thought, which made her wonder briefly about his story. Southern Ohio was overwhelmingly white. He was shy, keeping his head ducked most of the time, but did answer Lily’s question about hotels, going so far as to offer that the Hampton Inn in Gallipolis was “supposed to be pretty nice.” She sent Rule another text, letting him know they’d arrived and suggesting that the Leidolf guards meet them at the Hampton Inn in Gallipolis.
Then they headed for the park. That took a whole four minutes.
They were the only ones there. The grass looked tired from the heat. Otherwise, it was a pretty little place with three picnic tables, a swing set, a pair of slides, and a metal trash can. A barbeque made from a metal barrel was welded to a post sunk in concrete. No one would be carrying it off, not without a cutting torch. A creek trickled along the east side of the little park, shaded by trees.
José got out first. No one shot at him and he must not have smelled anything threatening. He gave a nod, so she and Carson got out; she held the door open for Charles. He jumped down, and if he landed more heavily than lupi usually did, it didn’t seem to cause him any pain. He trotted straight for the tangled field along the park’s western boundary, probably seeking the pit stop he hadn’t been able to take at the gas station. There was a narrow path, maybe a game trail, leading into the uncut grass and weeds. Really tall grass. Charles was a big wolf, but it was over his head. She could follow his movement in the twitching of the grass.
Nothing else happened. Lily checked her watch. Five fifty-eight.
It was July. It was hot. Hotter than San Diego, which seldom got above eighty, thanks to the Pacific Ocean. It was more humid than she was used to, as well. There was a bit of a breeze blowing east to west. Locusts serenaded them from the trees.
Nothing continued to happen. “You smell anything I should know about?” she asked the lupi with her, and got two head-shakes in answer. She walked around, looking. Someone had cooked on the barbeque without cleaning out the ashes. They’d burned wood, not charcoal. The metal trash can held an assortment of trash and more ashes. She sighed, checked her watch again. Straight up six o’clock. The shade under those trees looked inviting. Might as well wait there as anywhere. If nothing kept on happening, she decided as she headed for the creek, she’d take
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