Tier looked toward the woods, his face showing anguish. “Nootau and Pules, find Rohahen in the woods. He’s closer to the highway than where we were looking. He must be,” he swallowed, “unconscious. Have someone from the clinic meet you and take him to the hospital if necessary.”
A lean, young man and a muscular woman showed their agreement and then headed for the woods. They paused for the moment at the edge, and the man’s clothing collapsed around him as his body shrank. A chipmunk darted out and the woman gathered what he’d been wearing into a tight bundle. Then they were off again.
The Chief looked after them for a long time.
No one spoke for a moment, and Declan crept over to Geir’s side. He pulled him in tight.
A moment later, a crane, so graceful in the sky, darted awkwardly through the close trees to land beside the Chief. Geir looked away politely, catching only the hint of bones lengthening and flesh filling in over feathers.
Declan also turned his head down, but he could tell that the boy was peeking anyway.
Soon, a trim and lethal human form stood naked in front of them all. Her hair was steely gray and her muscles and small breasts just starting to sag, but only a fool would doubt her.
“Kayla!” Declan exclaimed.
She gave him a small smile, then turned to the Chief. “What’s the status?”
“We know where the children are. I’ve sent Nootau and Pules after Rohahen.” He gave one more longing glance toward the woods, and Declan’s gaze followed. He must be worried about his friend, and Geir didn’t want him to be worried. He wrapped him tighter.
The stork woman placed a hand on the Chief’s shoulder. “You should stay.”
He shook his head, his face hard. “No, we know where he is. I need to find the children.”
They talked quietly for a moment, and then the stern woman snapped out a series of commands. The shifters headed toward their vehicles.
Tier looked the other direction, east, squinting his eyes in concern.
Declan looked that way, too, his face worried. May was out there. Probably cold and scared and alone.
“Do you know exactly where they are?” Geir asked. “I know the direction, but I couldn’t tell you how far away they are. The landmarks mean nothing to me.”
Tier blew out a puff of air. “I have a sense of the distance, but finding it exactly? Knowing which roads to turn down? My plan was to get as close as possible, then shift and find them by smell.”
“I’ll go with you, then. We can repeat that as many times as we need to until we’re there.”
Tier bowed his head again. “I would not ask it of you, but if you are willing, we would appreciate your aid.” He gestured toward the van, taking the front seat himself.
Geir gently let go of Declan and started toward the van, but a flash of blue darted past him. Declan swung himself up into the seat. “I’m coming, too.” He crossed his arms, like he was expecting an argument.
Shit. Geir hadn’t even considered that. “You’ll be safer here.”
“I’ll be safer with you. I was looking for you for two days! You’re not leaving me again.”
Two days? Dammit. Geir wanted Declan safe at home. But he wanted him where he could see him, too.
“I promise I won’t leave the van. I’ll be silent and stay out of the way. You won’t even know that I’m there.” Declan’s eyes burned with conviction. He wasn’t pouting or bargaining, just stating his plans.
Geir considered it. He would definitely know that Declan was there. Every minute of it, especially if there was danger. There were also a dozen shifters with teeth and claws and modern weapons. Whoever had taken the children should be subdued easily, and he probably wouldn’t be involved. Once they got there, he could stay next to Declan and watch him the whole time, until May was back with them.
Geir slid into the van. “Promise me you’ll stay put. No adventures.”
Declan nodded. “I promise.”
Chapter 27
Declan
Declan fastened his seatbelt and then twisted half out of it to cuddle into Geir’s side. He soaked in his warmth, arms and cheek pressed against Geir’s naked and still damp chest.
The van started to move, but he tuned it out. The Chief was in the passenger seat, giving instructions over his phone, while a petite but hard-edged woman expertly handled the driving. He wondered if she was Kayla’s daughter, but it was more her cool efficiency than her facial features that gave that impression.
He and Geir were alone in the back, and he needed those strong arms around him.
“Where were you?” he finally whispered, his lips brushing Geir’s warm skin with each word.
“I was in the lake. I was… I’ll tell you everything, but I’d like to do it later.”
“Will you do that often?”
Geir sighed heavily. “I made a mistake and I needed some time. But I will not make that mistake again. If I ever leave in the future, I will let you know. And I will always come back.”
Declan pressed a kiss to his pec. He was curious, and maybe later he’d be angry, but with children missing and Geir returned to him, it wasn’t important. “That’s all I needed to know.”
Geir let out a deep sigh. Declan let himself nuzzle in for another minute, enjoying Geir’s heavy arm over his shoulders.
“I was really scared,” he finally admitted. He knew the shifters could hear him, but he didn’t care.
Geir’s arms tightened around him. “Did they hurt you?”
“No. Ro came to hang out with me. I think he was supposed to be checking up on me, but he would have protected me, too. I hope he’s OK. And I hope he finds someone to care about him as much as you care about me,” he said pointedly to both Geir and the Chief who was pretending not to listen in the front seat. His whole body had collapsed in relief when the call came in that Ro had been found, so Declan was shipping them for all he was worth.
“Things got a little… tense at the end,” Declan continued, “but I understand where they were coming from. I was new to the area, we couldn’t find you, and people were missing. Mostly, I was just scared that you were in danger.”
Geir sighed again. “That was my fault. I…”
Declan cut him off with a kiss. “It’s not important now.” Whatever guilt Geir was carrying around, they could face it later. He still hadn’t gotten over the past two days of worrying about him, and he just wanted to be close.
“Tentacles?” he asked, hopefully.
Geir’s eyes widened in surprise, and then he smiled. Declan had missed that smile.
The cool, slick feeling of Geir’s other limbs danced across his back. One spiraled down his legs and the other burrowed under his shirt and wrapped around his shoulders.
He let himself drift like that, secure in Geir’s embrace. He was terrified for May’s safety and worried about Ro, even though he’d been found. He didn’t even know the two other kids, but he worried about them, too. At the same time, he was also endlessly relieved to know that Geir hadn’t been taken.
The drive seemed to last forever, and eventually Declan’s exhaustion overcame his nerves. He awoke when the car stopped along the side of the highway and found himself sprawled over Geir’s lap. His seatbelt had been unfastened, but he couldn’t have been anywhere safer.