Pick your copper and I will make the coil.”
Altion walked forward and held his hand over the wires, a few inches away. He sought through every shelf and scowled. “Nothing is quite right.”
Leda snorted. “Then, it isn’t wire you want. Come with me.”
She took him to the plumbing supplies, and his eyes lit as he saw the lengths of tubing.
“Those will do nicely.”
“Nice choice. They are all from the same manufacturing batch, so they are identical in composition.”
“I know. I do live in the human world, after all.”
He pulled two lengths of copper pipe out and stood with them held like a spear.
Ohmygod he’s a merman! The connection suddenly put everything together. It certainly explained the scent of the sea, if not the sunlight.
She took him to the machine shop at the other end of the deceptive-looking storage unit. He handed her the pipes, and she got the jig out to curve the metal, going to work.
* * * *
Altion watched the woman work, and he kept his admiration to himself. She was strong, even for a shifter. She also moved with a competence and easy grace that said she was familiar with her environment.
The exotic spices in her tool belt didn’t do anything to hide the sweet tang of her scent. If they were under water, he would be able to sense her from miles away.
He shook his head and concentrated on the smell of copper. He was here to anchor a portal, not find a mate. He had to keep his focus.
Images of her wrapping those strong arms around his neck as he breathed for both of them and took her to the deep would have to wait for another day.
Chapter Two
Leda finished the forming, and she looked at the matching coils. She removed the electrical tape that she had used to make sure they were perfectly matched for every twist she put into them.
She cut carefully between the layers, separating them as she went. When she had two individual coils, she handed them over to Altion. “Here you go. Sorry if it was boring.”
He took them and chuckled. “Apologising? Are you Canadian or something?”
She grinned and wiped her hands. “I am a beaver. Of course I am.”
He laughed. “Well, thank you very much. Can you show me how to get out of here?”
Leda nodded. “Sure. Come with me.”
She checked to make sure that all of her tools were in place before she beckoned to him and led the way back through the storage facility.
The coils he carried were about two feet wide, and he seemed pleased with them.
She led him out, and to her disgruntlement, the sun was setting.
“You are unhappy about something?”
“I am stuck here for another day. There is a lockout on service personnel returning to the council hall. After sunset, I am stuck until dawn.” She grimaced.
“Can’t you just stay in one of the bed and breakfasts?”
She shook her head. “Nope. Those are for guests. I work for a living.”
“Where do you stay?” He seemed concerned.
“With family, if I can get to them before they shift and get into their dams.” She twisted her lips.
“Are you joking with me?”
“A little bit. I just crash in the hostel. I get a meal in the café and then get a shower and some sleep. In no time it is morning.”
He frowned. “It isn’t right that you are uncomfortable because of me.”
She shrugged. “It is fine. I often have to do things that are a little awkward in the line of duty. This isn’t even registering on the scale.”
She led him back to the centre of the Crossroads. “If you need anything else, Teal can find me at the café.”
“Thank you for your help, Leda.” He looked like he wanted to take her hand, but his were full of the coils.
“Have a nice time here, Altion. It is a fun place as long as you don’t have anywhere you want to be.”
She winked and headed for the café. Her meal was way overdue.
Leda was face deep into a burger and fries when Altion came through the door. He inclined his head and wandered over to her with
Altion walked forward and held his hand over the wires, a few inches away. He sought through every shelf and scowled. “Nothing is quite right.”
Leda snorted. “Then, it isn’t wire you want. Come with me.”
She took him to the plumbing supplies, and his eyes lit as he saw the lengths of tubing.
“Those will do nicely.”
“Nice choice. They are all from the same manufacturing batch, so they are identical in composition.”
“I know. I do live in the human world, after all.”
He pulled two lengths of copper pipe out and stood with them held like a spear.
Ohmygod he’s a merman! The connection suddenly put everything together. It certainly explained the scent of the sea, if not the sunlight.
She took him to the machine shop at the other end of the deceptive-looking storage unit. He handed her the pipes, and she got the jig out to curve the metal, going to work.
* * * *
Altion watched the woman work, and he kept his admiration to himself. She was strong, even for a shifter. She also moved with a competence and easy grace that said she was familiar with her environment.
The exotic spices in her tool belt didn’t do anything to hide the sweet tang of her scent. If they were under water, he would be able to sense her from miles away.
He shook his head and concentrated on the smell of copper. He was here to anchor a portal, not find a mate. He had to keep his focus.
Images of her wrapping those strong arms around his neck as he breathed for both of them and took her to the deep would have to wait for another day.
Chapter Two
Leda finished the forming, and she looked at the matching coils. She removed the electrical tape that she had used to make sure they were perfectly matched for every twist she put into them.
She cut carefully between the layers, separating them as she went. When she had two individual coils, she handed them over to Altion. “Here you go. Sorry if it was boring.”
He took them and chuckled. “Apologising? Are you Canadian or something?”
She grinned and wiped her hands. “I am a beaver. Of course I am.”
He laughed. “Well, thank you very much. Can you show me how to get out of here?”
Leda nodded. “Sure. Come with me.”
She checked to make sure that all of her tools were in place before she beckoned to him and led the way back through the storage facility.
The coils he carried were about two feet wide, and he seemed pleased with them.
She led him out, and to her disgruntlement, the sun was setting.
“You are unhappy about something?”
“I am stuck here for another day. There is a lockout on service personnel returning to the council hall. After sunset, I am stuck until dawn.” She grimaced.
“Can’t you just stay in one of the bed and breakfasts?”
She shook her head. “Nope. Those are for guests. I work for a living.”
“Where do you stay?” He seemed concerned.
“With family, if I can get to them before they shift and get into their dams.” She twisted her lips.
“Are you joking with me?”
“A little bit. I just crash in the hostel. I get a meal in the café and then get a shower and some sleep. In no time it is morning.”
He frowned. “It isn’t right that you are uncomfortable because of me.”
She shrugged. “It is fine. I often have to do things that are a little awkward in the line of duty. This isn’t even registering on the scale.”
She led him back to the centre of the Crossroads. “If you need anything else, Teal can find me at the café.”
“Thank you for your help, Leda.” He looked like he wanted to take her hand, but his were full of the coils.
“Have a nice time here, Altion. It is a fun place as long as you don’t have anywhere you want to be.”
She winked and headed for the café. Her meal was way overdue.
Leda was face deep into a burger and fries when Altion came through the door. He inclined his head and wandered over to her with
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