My Perfect Mate by Caryn Moya Block Page A

them,
taking care of their wounds. It looked like Susan was alpha of her
own pack.
    “Aisyt, we need to move to shelter.
The wounded need to shift. I’ve still got to deliver the ring to
the queen.”
    She nodded and Ujarak released her.
Qannik shifted into her wolf form and then hurried to the rest of
the amarok. Aisyt took Ujarak’s hand. “Are you ready to see where I
live?” she asked him. He brushed a kiss to her forehead. “Of
course.”
    Aisyt reached for JP’s hand
and he in turn buried his hand in Susan’s rough. “Have the dogs touch you, or they won’t port with
us.” JP sent to his mate. Susan soon had
six dogs leaning against her.
    “On three,” Aisyt began. “One. Two.
Three.”
     

Chapter Eight
     
    Susan blinked at the sudden light
around her. She shivered from the change in temperature. It was
warm. Gazing around, she realized they were in a massive cave. Dark
earth lined the sides. The ceiling was at least twenty feet high.
Where were they? JP patted her head.
    Aisyt smiled at the group. “Welcome to
the home of the amarok. This cave has been carved out by hot
springs. It keeps the inside from freezing and helps warm the cave.
I found it quite by accident when I fell into one of the small
vents above.”
    “It’s so warm.” Ujarak looked around,
amazement on his face.
    “Some of that is magic, and some is
the hot spring. There is a pool if you would like to soak.” Aisyt
looked up at Ujarak and winked.
    “Perhaps later,” JP said. “Susan and I
need to get the ring back to Quebec City and the
portal.”
    “I wish you would join us for dinner,”
Aisyt said. Susan got the feeling it wasn’t a request. “Perhaps
Susan would like to shift. I’m sure we can find her something to
wear. Her dogs are probably hungry. We have enough food to offer
them some. Come, let me show you.”
    JP inclined his head in agreement.
Susan fell into step with him, while her dogs trailed behind. Aisyt
led them deeper into the cave. A smaller tunnel forked off and she
stepped into it. The path wound this way and that. Susan realized
rooms had been dug off the passage. Several held people and
occasionally she would see a white wolf. The farther down they
went, the colder it got. Finally, Aisyt stopped in front of an
entrance to a small dark room. Susan could see inside using her
lycan senses. A platform filled with furs for sleeping sat in the
middle of the space. Against the wall was a wooden
trunk.
    With a wave of Aisyt’s hand, two
candles flamed, lighting the room. She went to the trunk and pulled
out several pieces of clothing made of fur. She laid them on the
platform. “Feel free to rest, or explore as you wish. Leave the
dogs here and I will send someone with food.”
    “Thank you, Lady Aisyt. We appreciate
your kindness.” JP bowed.
    She smiled regally and left, taking
Ujarak with her. Susan called the shift and reached for the furs on
the bed. There was a long skirt and jacket. She wrinkled her nose
at the smell of polar bear and wolf, and was glad it wasn’t nanuk
and lycan she smelled. “She can be kind of intimidating. I’m not
sure I trust her.”
    “You shouldn’t, nor should you
underestimate her. Aisyt was a goddess long ago. She is very
powerful. But her heart is good. You don’t have to worry about your
friend. Ujarak is probably the safest person alive. She’s waited a
long time to find her Destined One.”
    “Why do you sound worried?” She
wrapped her arms around Jean-Paul’s waist.
    “I think she might want the Gryphon’s
Eye, though I can’t figure out why. She could have killed Itigaituk
years ago. Why hunt him now?”
    “Itigaituk kind of forced the
situation. He hunted and killed the amarok,” Susan said.
    “Yes, but he’d been doing that for
years. No, there’s more here. I can’t see it.”
    “Why don’t we leave? You could port us
out of here.”
    “True, but I think we should stay for
dinner. Besides, Ujarak might be safe, but I want to make sure