menagerie.”
“Wulfe gave me Lady as a wedding present a couple of months ago. Jag gave me Tramp, the tabby, and Hawke gifted me with Princess, my cockatiel.”
“They must have known you like animals.”
Skye’s smile was soft. “I’m drawn to animals, and they to me, in a way far beyond human understanding. I don’t really understand it myself, I just know that it is.”
“Then it seems like you’re in the right house.”
“With shape-shifters, you mean?” Her expression turned wry. “You would think so, and yet, if you knew a little more about our world, you would think not. I’m Mage.”
Natalie jerked with surprise.
Skye’s mouth twisted ruefully. “I see you know what that means.”
“Ten of them broke into my house tonight.”
Skye blanched. “But you’re okay.”
“Wulfe was there. He . . . took care of them.”
Skye nodded. “Too many of my people have had their souls stolen. We’re not all like that.”
“I can see that. And I’m glad.”
“You’re human.”
“Yes.” Natalie cocked her head. “Can you see my glow, too?”
Skye nodded. “It’s faint—I don’t usually see auras—but it’s there. The colors are beautiful.”
“Thanks . . . I think. From what I gather, it’s Daemon-related, which is probably not good.”
Skye frowned, looked at Wulfe. “Is the Shaman going to take a look at her?”
“He already did,” Wulfe told her. “All he can say is that it appears to be Daemon energy. But he doesn’t know what that means.” Wulfe strode into one of the rooms, a large room with a massive poster bed sitting in the middle. Against one wall sat a dresser with a mirror. But other than a single nightstand, that was it. The walls were white, there was no rug on the hardwood floor, and only a single sheet covered the bed. Against one wall sat a pair of plain army green duffel bags.
A woman . . . presumably one of the Therian Guards, poked her head out the bathroom door. “I’m gathering up our toiletries. I’ll be out in a minute.”
“Is Natalie going to stay here?” Skye asked, surprised.
Natalie responded without rancor, “Wulfe’s been ordered to put locks on the windows and door as a precaution. It’s odd to be considered dangerous among immortals who could end my life in an instant, but I get it.”
Skye’s eyes darkened with sympathy. “I’m glad you’re not angry about it.”
The woman strode from the bathroom, her hair short, her body toned and strong beneath her tank and fighting pants.
“Sorry for running you out,” Skye said.
The woman grabbed the duffels and turned to her with a smile. “Thank you, but a bed is a luxury we don’t need.” She nodded to Natalie and Wulfe as she left.
Skye set the kitten down to scamper over to the puppy. “You’re going to need fresh linens,” she said and began stripping the bed. As Natalie stepped forward to help, another woman strode into the room, her arms laden with sheets and towels, a small canvas bag slung over one arm, a gun strapped to her waist.
“I’ve got them,” the newcomer said.
Melisande walked in behind her. “Tighe wants to know if you want him to bring anything back for you, Natalie.”
“I’d love him to, but I don’t know if he’ll be able to find them. I had to drop my purse and a yellow suitcase in the woods behind my house when the Mage started chasing us.” She glanced at Wulfe. “I’d love to have my laptop, too, but I’m not sure that’s allowed.”
“Where is it?” Melisande asked.
“On the sofa in the family room, where the battle took place. The power cord is on the desk in the kitchen.”
“We’ll bring them. Lyon can take it from there.” A second later, Melisande disappeared.
Natalie stared, nonplussed. One moment she was there, the next . . . gone.
“You’ll get used to the Ilinas popping in and out,” Skye said softly. “The rest of us have.”
As exhaustion trembled through her, Natalie wondered just how many more
“Wulfe gave me Lady as a wedding present a couple of months ago. Jag gave me Tramp, the tabby, and Hawke gifted me with Princess, my cockatiel.”
“They must have known you like animals.”
Skye’s smile was soft. “I’m drawn to animals, and they to me, in a way far beyond human understanding. I don’t really understand it myself, I just know that it is.”
“Then it seems like you’re in the right house.”
“With shape-shifters, you mean?” Her expression turned wry. “You would think so, and yet, if you knew a little more about our world, you would think not. I’m Mage.”
Natalie jerked with surprise.
Skye’s mouth twisted ruefully. “I see you know what that means.”
“Ten of them broke into my house tonight.”
Skye blanched. “But you’re okay.”
“Wulfe was there. He . . . took care of them.”
Skye nodded. “Too many of my people have had their souls stolen. We’re not all like that.”
“I can see that. And I’m glad.”
“You’re human.”
“Yes.” Natalie cocked her head. “Can you see my glow, too?”
Skye nodded. “It’s faint—I don’t usually see auras—but it’s there. The colors are beautiful.”
“Thanks . . . I think. From what I gather, it’s Daemon-related, which is probably not good.”
Skye frowned, looked at Wulfe. “Is the Shaman going to take a look at her?”
“He already did,” Wulfe told her. “All he can say is that it appears to be Daemon energy. But he doesn’t know what that means.” Wulfe strode into one of the rooms, a large room with a massive poster bed sitting in the middle. Against one wall sat a dresser with a mirror. But other than a single nightstand, that was it. The walls were white, there was no rug on the hardwood floor, and only a single sheet covered the bed. Against one wall sat a pair of plain army green duffel bags.
A woman . . . presumably one of the Therian Guards, poked her head out the bathroom door. “I’m gathering up our toiletries. I’ll be out in a minute.”
“Is Natalie going to stay here?” Skye asked, surprised.
Natalie responded without rancor, “Wulfe’s been ordered to put locks on the windows and door as a precaution. It’s odd to be considered dangerous among immortals who could end my life in an instant, but I get it.”
Skye’s eyes darkened with sympathy. “I’m glad you’re not angry about it.”
The woman strode from the bathroom, her hair short, her body toned and strong beneath her tank and fighting pants.
“Sorry for running you out,” Skye said.
The woman grabbed the duffels and turned to her with a smile. “Thank you, but a bed is a luxury we don’t need.” She nodded to Natalie and Wulfe as she left.
Skye set the kitten down to scamper over to the puppy. “You’re going to need fresh linens,” she said and began stripping the bed. As Natalie stepped forward to help, another woman strode into the room, her arms laden with sheets and towels, a small canvas bag slung over one arm, a gun strapped to her waist.
“I’ve got them,” the newcomer said.
Melisande walked in behind her. “Tighe wants to know if you want him to bring anything back for you, Natalie.”
“I’d love him to, but I don’t know if he’ll be able to find them. I had to drop my purse and a yellow suitcase in the woods behind my house when the Mage started chasing us.” She glanced at Wulfe. “I’d love to have my laptop, too, but I’m not sure that’s allowed.”
“Where is it?” Melisande asked.
“On the sofa in the family room, where the battle took place. The power cord is on the desk in the kitchen.”
“We’ll bring them. Lyon can take it from there.” A second later, Melisande disappeared.
Natalie stared, nonplussed. One moment she was there, the next . . . gone.
“You’ll get used to the Ilinas popping in and out,” Skye said softly. “The rest of us have.”
As exhaustion trembled through her, Natalie wondered just how many more
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