“Overkill much?” But I grab one of the three he keeps on the kitchen counter. Like a cell phone, but they get reception everywhere.
“Perhaps, but I take no risks with your safety.”
“I’m sure it’s fine.” I grab the list, the PO Box keys, and the Land Rover’s keys, and head to the garage. I always make sure the door to the inside is securely shut before rolling up the overhead door. Once I back out, I wait until the door has rolled all the way down before I leave.
The gate opens automatically for me when I leave, and I pause to make sure it closes securely behind me before continuing on to town. The PO Box first, then the store. There were a couple of other things on the list we needed, but they could’ve waited until I made the trip tomorrow. Down at the airport, I see the small plane that arrived earlier is being unloaded, a cargo crate about the size of a large chest freezer being moved from the rear of the plane into a windowless panel van while three guys stand by closely supervising.
At the grocery store, I make sure to smile and say hi to everyone. Because while I’m new, I’m now considered a “local,” in a way, since I’m a “relative” of a long-time local.
Besides, if I do end up staying on, I don’t want to alienate everyone.
I’ve walked away from enough people in my life. It gets harder every time, and this time, I ripped my heart out in the process.
As I’m digging money out of my wallet to pay, Sandy, the clerk, lets out a sigh. “Wow,he’scute. Never seen him in town before. Must be a tourist.”
I look up but see nothing more than the back of a jean-clad guy disappearing around the end of another aisle.
As I load my purchases in the Land Rover, I freeze when the hint of a scent drifts to my nose.
Shifter.
Wolf. Not one that I know, butdefinitelya wolf.
Fuck!
With my pulse pounding, I slam the back hatch closed and jump behind the wheel, peeling out of the parking lot before I even put on my seatbelt.
Instead of heading toward the homestead, I race in the opposite direction. I have all the roads and tracks and trails in the immediate vicinity that can take the four-by memorized, just in case I ever needed to know them. I’ve learned a lot about the local terrain from driving Chaldis around at night, too.
I keep glancing in the rearview mirror, but no one’s following me.
My pulse finally slows, and I pull off and wait a couple of minutes not far from a turnoff I can take to make my way home, just to make sure.
The gun’s in my hand and ready.
No one follows me.
Chaldis has been careful not to make enemies while in Alaska. There’s no wolf pack here in Homer, no other vampires. No resident shifters. He doesn’t draw attention to himself, meaning there’s no reason why anyone should be hunting him.
Hopefully.
Feeling stupid, because ofcoursethere are shifters in Alaska, I finally head home, not relaxing until the garage roll-down door’s safely shut behind me.
The door to the house opens and Chaldis is standing there. He immediately frowns and blurs over to the driver’s door. “What’s wrong? Are you all right? You smell stressed.”
“That’s freaky. I’m fine.” I tell him about scenting the wolf.
“Homer does have an airstrip. It’s not unusual for shifters to pass through, on occasion.”
“Dude, you sound about as convinced as I do, and it’s not making me feel any better.” The house line rings, and I walk over to the garage wall phone to answer. “Bianchi residence.”
“Miss Hayley? This is Jarred down at the barn. Mr. B’s regular food shipment just arrived down here. Want me to send the delivery driver up to the house?”
That means his blood shipment. They think Chaldis receives regular shipments of special perishable nutritional supplements. I turn to find Chaldis standing right next to me, scowling as he listens.
He shakes his head.
“No, I’ll come get it,” I tell him. “Down at the barn?”
