“I’ve been calling up Sasha’s phone,” Bradley said, closing his in frustration. “I’ve left her countless voice mails, but I don’t know where she or the team is.”
“The last time we made contact,” Doc said calmly, “they were on their way in to the Fae fortress. Our gadgets don’t work in there.”
“When the time is right, we will be able to communicate our plan,” Silver Hawk said in a wise, peaceful tone. “Clarissa and I do not sense danger at present.”
“I really don’t,” Clarissa assured him.
Winters looked around the group with a shrug. “Dude, so let’s just chill and go get that iron gear you were talking about.”
It was the eeriest sensation, feeling her body sucked into a small pinpoint of light. One moment, Sir Rodney had a fistful of dust in his palm, blowing it in their direction, with them all standing in the hallway-the next moment, she became smaller and smaller until she could actually see each line of thread in the huge wall hanging so closely that it became impossible to see the entire pasture scene. Everything became larger-than-life and blurry, distorted by the extreme shift in size. Then, as though a cyclone had swept her up screaming, she felt lighter than a dust particle, whirling in between the fabric threads to land on her butt on a green, green hillside.
Hunter and Shogun were dazed and sprawled out beside her.
“Remind me never to jack with the Fae,” she said in an awed murmur.
Even though they’d never admit it, she could tell the guys beside her were a little more than shaken. There was newfound respect for Sir Rodney’s capabilities.
Hunter jumped to his feet in a move that Shogun matched. Both male wolves scanned the terrain cautiously, canines beginning to crest.
“If I were a Wood Sprite,” Sasha said, pushing herself off the ground. “I wouldn’t show myself to you guys, either.” She walked off from them a bit, growing weary of the display of testosterone, and called out gently. “We’re here as friends, not foes, on behalf of Sir Rodney Clerk of Penicuik… you know, the guy who runs Forte Shannon of Inverness, current king of Seelie Court and Clerk Castle?”
Sasha’s shoulders sagged as they waited, and then she finally sat down hard on the grass-using hand motions to get Shogun and Hunter to also sit down. To a small Wood Sprite, king’s orders or not, she imagined it might take a bit of courage to lead several scary wolves deeper into the forest. That had to be the antithesis of all things they were taught according to the Faerie tales.
“Friend, not foe,” Hunter shouted, losing patience.
Sasha cocked her head to the side and placed a hand on her hip. “That tone had foe all in it. Wanna try again-this time losing the growl?”
“It was a long night,” Hunter said, staring at her.
“Friend,” Shogun said in a low, sensual rumble, the edges of his eyes beginning to blaze wolf. “definitely not foe.”
Hunter turned and tilted his head. But before things got ugly, a small face peered out of the bushes right next to Shogun, giving Hunter a start. It took a moment before Shogun realized what had made Hunter back off. All Sasha could do was laugh.
“Well, hello,” she said in a chipper voice, trying without much success to swallow away a smile.
The Sprite waved and then ducked its head back into the bushes.
“You big guys back up,” Sasha said, going to the shrub where the tiny creature had appeared.
Hunter loped off, with Shogun following, and stopped several feet away. Sasha bent down and glanced over her shoulder, but shook her head as Hunter turned away from her, rubbing the nape of his neck. Shogun had paced away to lean against a tree, facing away from her with his eyes closed. Men.
She returned her focus to the frightened Sprite, trying to coax it out with a sugar cube. Holding it on the flat of her palm the way one would feed a horse, she slowly moved her hand closer to the bush, just inside it, so the Sprite could make off with the sugar cube without being seen.
The sensation of it grazing her hand and snatching the cube away tickled and she laughed. Apparently, it responded to happy tones of voice, and it peeked its small face out with a cheerful smile, licking the cube that it held between both hands.
“Ah…” Sasha crooned, “so that’s it. You heard me giggling before and came out.”
The Sprite squeaked a happy sound and licked the cube, then released what sounded like a contented bee buzz. That only made Sasha laugh more. “You are sooo adorable,” she said, going down on her hands and knees.
It had a small face tinged light green with wide brown eyes and the longest lashes she’d ever seen. Its soft brown hair was swept up in an updo of wild hazel-toned ringlets. Pretty autumn-hued leaves covered its body in a makeshift dress, laced with vines, and its tiny toenails were each painted a different fall color.
“Aw… just look at you,” Sasha said as though doting over a cute toddler. She pulled out another sugar cube, offering it just to bring the small creature closer to get a better look.
But another tiny face popped out from behind a leaf and made her squeal in surprise. Both Sprites giggled as the second one, brown faced and with green hair, stretched out his arms for the sugar cube Sasha had promised.
“There’s enough for both of you. You guys are soooo awesome. I didn’t know what to expect, honestly.” She laughed and gave up the sugar, watching the second Sprite thoroughly enjoy it while swinging his legs as he straddled a small branch. “You don’t have to be afraid… You can have more if you want it.”
Yes! She’d made contact. Now was the delicate balancing act of getting the two edgy males behind her not to make any sudden moves while she asked for something deadly. She turned to glance over her shoulder to give them the eye to be cool, and then could only shake her head.
Hunter was leaning against a tree, one arm fully extended, back turned to her, taking in very slow breaths. A deep V of sweat stained his t-shirt. Shogun had claws dug into the bark where he remained, motionless, head back, eyes closed. They were so not going to be much help.
“Listen,” Sasha said, keeping her voice gentle and happy. “Sir Rodney needs us to find a really bad plant and to take as much of it out of the forest as possible… that way it won’t be over here to hurt you… And he sent a couple of big, bad wolves to do that-because they’re real strong and can carry a lot. They can also protect you, if we have to go somewhere scary to find it.”
The Sprites stopped licking their sugar and seemed like they were about to flee. “Would we have been able to get royal castle sugar if we were trying to trick you? Look at the stamp in it. This came from the king himself.”
With raised eyebrows of suspicion, the Sprites slowly turned the cubes over and then relaxed when they saw the royal coat of arms indented into the sugar cubes. But they then cast a questioning look at the two male wolves struggling to breathe by the tree line.
“Yeah, I know,” Sasha muttered. “I’m not that keen about going into the woods alone with those guys, either.”
CHAPTER 20
Sasha’s voice had sliced through Hunter’s groin so brutally that he’d broken out in a cold sweat. After needing her all night, the near-full moon staining his suite in madness blue… tossing and turning, nearly mating with the sheets, to hear her voice low and cooing… the words she said sending twisted translations through his head, her backside perfectly accented by her jeans, and then she’d gone down on all fours?
There wasn’t enough “safe haven” in the entire world. He had to walk it off. The fact that Shogun did, too, was forming a growl inside his chest. She was radiant at breakfast, the smell of her she-Shadow and rose petals and whatever she’d bathed in. Great Spirit help him; do not let him kill his brother in these woods.
“You guys ready?”