Both males snapped to attention. “What are you talking about?” Gabriel moved closer, his concern obvious.
Heather pointed toward the towel, which now rested on the coffee table displaying the artificial bug. “It started humming like an amplifier that’s just starting to feedback. Then it blinked as its shields stopped working. I’m pretty sure it’s dead now. It hasn’t moved or made a sound in several hours.”
Patrick picked up the towel and examined the device. “It’s electronic.” He looked at Gabriel. “Did you make this?”
“No. Let me see it.” Patrick handed him the bug, towel and all. “This is sophisticated circuitry, defense level shit. Those bastards don’t want us to leave the planet so they’re still spying on us.”
“I shouldn’t be surprised,” Patrick muttered, “but I am. I thought we were finally free of this sort of bullshit.”
Confused by the comment, Heather asked, “You think Nuevo Biotech did this?”
Gabriel shook his head. “This is military. Likely the multinational coalition that funded the Griffin Project or someone similar.” He shook his head again and handed the bug back to Patrick. “I need to tell Raphael about this. We all need to be on the lookout for spy bots now that we know we’re being watched.”
“Understood.”
Gabriel grabbed his coat and went outside to speak telepathically with his brother.
Patrick set the bug aside, his expression tense and thoughtful.
Heather waited for him to finish processing the new information, but the silence lengthened so she asked, “Whathappened in the tunnels? Were you able to learn anything useful?”
Patrick crossed to the fire. “The wolves built their village on top of an old mine. That was the one and only fact we learned today.” Facing the blaze, he stretched out his hands and sighed. “That wind is downright bitter.”
The entire day had been cool, but the wind hadn’t picked up until after the sun went down. If they’d returned sooner—Heather pinched off the thought. She would not wish for more time with these two. Gabriel seemed reasonable, but Patrick was not the same person she’d known back on Earth. Recapturing their easy comradery wasn’t an attainable goal, but she hoped they could find some sort of common ground.
The door opened and Gabriel hustled into the cottage, followed by a gust of frigid air. “Raphael suggested we catch one of the swarmies and find out if they’re actually birds.” He shut the door and unzipped his coat. “We’ve accepted their odd behavior because this is an alien planet, but they have always seemed like they’re watching us.”
Patrick nodded. “It’s a good idea, but those things are fast as lightning and twice as maneuverable.”
“Now you’ve made it a challenge.” Gabriel grinned as he took off his coat and returned it to the chair he’d used earlier.
“You said there was nothing interesting in the tunnels,” Heather digressed. “Did you at least block off their access to the village?”
“There were three tunnels that led to our village,” Gabriel explained. “Our hunters located and collapsed them all. The wolves will not be sneaking into Eagle Village ever again.”
“Not using the tunnels at least,” Patrick clarified with a subtle sigh.
“I know the wolves are at war with the cats, but why did they attack Eagle Village?” Heather asked. She was curious about the conflict and the longer she kept them talking, the longer she could avoid their next round of punishment and humiliation.
Patrick stalked toward her, his gaze narrowed and gleaming. “I’m not in the mood to debate shifter politics. I’m going to take a long, hot shower and then avail myself of the willing body of my pleasure slave.” He caught a strand of her hair as he added, “You will be naked and on your knees when I return. Is that understood?”
Fighting back her instinctual need to argue, she nodded.
“I require verbal responses. You know this.”
“Yes,” she hesitated a beat before adding, “Master.”
He dragged his fingers downward, pulling on the lock of her hair before releasing his hold. Without saying anything more, he turned and walked into the bathroom.
The door closed behind Patrick and Heather shifted her gaze to Gabriel. “I have friends in Eagle Village. I just need to know that they’ll be protected. Will the wolves attack again or not?”
“I’m doing everything I can to avoid more bloodshed, but wolves are unpredictable.” Gabriel slowly approached as he elaborated. “Eagle Village has been politically neutral since its foundation. Then Zion made a deal with the only females on the entire planet. Wanting access to those females, my brother made a deal with the cats. I understand his motivation, but he negotiated the alliance without asking me.”
“You’re against the alliance?”
His handsome features tensed, and for a moment she thought he wouldn’t answer. Then he said, “Siding with the cats put us at odds with the wolves. I was trying to avoid the conflict entirely.”
“You said the hunters collapsed the tunnels. Are my friends safe now or will the wolves keep trying?” He’d eluded the question before, so she tried again.
