Leah shrugged. “Eh. We can handle it. It’s not like wehaven’t spent the last century learning to fight.”
Actually, Leah was a pretty good fighter. Ivy had nevermastered the movements necessary to really inflict damage on somebody. Shedidn’t have Leah’s grace, but she had a darn good brain, and she knew this wasstupid. “Let’s go. We can grab dinner and then fly to Buffalo.”
Truth be told, she would miss California—or perhaps shewouldn’t. The crime had gotten ridiculous, and the cost of living wasastronomical. She was quite looking forward to relocating to Nashville afterthey’d finished the op in Buffalo. It was a much friendlier business town;plus, she loved music. It would be lovely to be surrounded by it again as sheand Leah finally started making a difference and taking some chances. She wasready.
Leah leaned closer. “So, after we enjoy the lives we justset up for maybe a hundred years, where should we go? I think it’s time we leftthis continent and went to another one.”
Ivy nodded. She’d been thinking the same thing. Maybe she’dlive one more lifetime in the States and then go somewhere else with a newidentity. “We have a lot of good to do first.” So long as the Maxwell familydidn’t discover they were taking chances and working together. The risk waswell worth it, though.
A chill skittered down her spine as they walked out into aheated day. Almost on instinct, she turned toward the other side of the streetto see a tall and broad figure lounging against a light post, his gaze blue andpiercing.
“Whoa,” Leah breathed. “Guess your mate came to yourfuneral.”
Chapter Two
Athan Maxwell watched as his wayward mate sashayed out ofher own funeral wearing an adorable tight black dress with a sassy black hatpartially covering her long, reddish-blond hair. Even across the distance, hesaw the crystal-clear green of her eyes. Once again, the sight of her joltedhim, landing hard in his solar plexus. She’d only become lovelier through theyears as she gained both her independence and a startling penchant for findingtrouble.
She appeared nearly brilliant in business, but she tookchances in her personal life that he couldn’t allow any longer. The enemy drewnear, and while he’d tried to protect her for the last century and a half, itwas time for her to take precautions. He rubbed the green ribbon in his pocketas he mulled over the situation.
His gaze caught on the woman next to her, and he frowned.Wait a minute. Was that...? He straightened, pushing away from the streetlight.
Leah Ferry took one look at him, leaned up, whisperedsomething to Ivy, and turned to hustle down the road. He moved to intercept herwhen she jumped into a waiting black Town Car. The vehicle immediately spedaway from the curb and him. He lowered his chin, irritation crackling down hisspine. Pausing to make sure no cars flattened him, he strode across the streetwhile pulling his phone from his back pocket and making a quick call.
“Hey, brother,” Jasper answered. “What’s going on? Did youfind him?”
“Not yet,” Athan said grimly. The Kurjan scientist who’djust figured out how to mass produce the virus that turned shifters intowerewolves was more difficult to draw out than he’d anticipated, but he was onthe scent and would find the asshole before plans got put into motion. “But Idid find your mate.”
Silence pounded across the line for a moment. “Where areyou? I thought you were going to Los Angeles.”
“I am in LA. Apparently, your mate attended my mate’sfuneral. They walked out arm in arm.” He wasn’t a male who let his temper takecontrol very often, and he fought it with both hands right now.
“Are you kidding me?” Jasper asked slowly. “They know tostay away from each other. They know to keep a low profile.”
“Apparently, we haven’t made that clear enough,” Athan saidquietly. “She sped off in a Town Car headed east. That’s all I know, but I’llget more information for you later.”
“Thanks. I’m on it,” Jasper said curtly, ending the call.
Athan reached Ivy and looked down at her upturned face. Shewas far from the meek and bewildered farm girl he’d once known. She stood talland proud and faced him directly, even though she was still a good foot shorterthan he. “Sorry for your loss,” he drawled.
Her smile was quick, and her chin lifted. “Well, we can’tlive forever now can we, mate?” She looked around the busy street. “You’reabout two months early. We went from once a year to twice, and then everyquarter. Yet here you are, early. You want to explain that?”
No. He most certainly did not want to explain that. He wasgetting weaker, and their enemy was getting stronger. But he couldn’t tell herthat—or rather, he didn’t want to. “I was in town,” he lied.
She arched one eyebrow, giving her a pixie-like look insteadof a dangerous one. “You just happened to be in LA for my funeral? Why do Ifind that hard to believe?”
He had to admire her. A hundred years ago, she wouldn’t havedared to ask the question. Now, she asked it almost casually as if she didn’tactually care about the answer. He’d given her freedom these many decades, andfor the first time, he wondered if that had been a wise choice.
He grasped her arm and drew her toward the car he had waitingnear the curb. At just that one touch, electricity jolted through him, lancingthrough his body and sparking him wide awake. He stood straighter, feeling betterthan he had in months. Just being near her helped fight the curse inside him.“Apparently, we need to talk,” he said, ushering her toward the vehicle.
“I’m good,” she said, pulling her arm free.
“Actually, you’re not.” Without waiting for her agreement,he lifted her, tucked them both into the back of the car, and gave the driveran order to go.
She sat in his lap, surprise tilting her face. Then sheshoved him hard and moved to the adjoining seat. He allowed her freedom thistime. She crossed her arms. “Don’t you go ruining my very perfectly nicefuneral, Athan Maxwell.”
The absurdity of her statement caught him unaware. Amusementbubbled up and through him, battling the possessive lust that only got strongerevery time he was around her. “You know you can’t take chances like that,right?”
She shrugged and rolled her eyes.
