Chris came awake with a curse. “Is Stryker back?”
“No,” Kat snorted. “We had to leave the road.”
Sasquatch slowed a bit so as not to throw one of the tank tracks that replaced the SUV’s tires. They were a lot sturdier in this climate but were still a fair cry from being infallible, and the last thing they needed was to be stranded out in the open with daylight so close.
Just as the sun peeked over the mountains, they broke through the trees and came to the concealed entrance for Elysia. Phoebe let out a relieved breath as she saw Shanus and two counselors standing outside it. Waiting.
Cassandra hissed and released his hand.
“It’s okay.” Phoebe opened her door and ran over to them. She lifted the hood on her jacket to protect herself from the rising sun.
Tall and blond, Shanus stood in the shadows with his companions. “Cutting it close, aren’t you?”
“Don’t even. It’s been a rough night.”
“Where’s Urian?”
She bit back her tears. “He’s not with us.”
“He let someone else drive his truck?”
“ ‘Let’ is a word for it.” She gestured at the SUV. “He’ll die when he finds out it’s a Dark-Hunter.”
Shanus’s eyes bugged out, along with those of the two men with him. “Are you out of your fucking mind? You can’t bring one ofthemhere! You know better!”
“We have to let him in.”
“No! And I mean no! No, no, no! All kinds of no!”
“Shanus—”
“No, Phoebe, no!”
“I’ll tell Urian. You don’t want me to make that call.”
A tic started in his jaw. “You’re making it really hard to like you right now.”
“I know, and I swear if he does anything wrong you can kill him. Urian will help.”
He let out an exasperated sigh. “Fine, but only because it’s dawn and I don’t want to burst into flames.” He glared at her. “Damn you!”
“Believe me, I know.”
Of all the crappy timing, Sasquatch and Kat picked then to get out of the SUV and head for them. If that weren’t bad enough, Sasquatch had his hand on his sword as iftheywere the problem here.
Yeah, right. Gah … Dark-Hunters and their arrogance!
Phoebe glared at Sasquatch. “Do you mind, Dark-Hunter?” She gestured at the sun. “We’re running out of time. Don’t need your attitude right now. But if you hand over your weapons instead of preening like a peacock, it sure would help facilitate things and go a long way in helping me convince my guys that you’re not here to kill anyone. And it would allow Cassandra to get to the Apollite doctor who’s inside waiting, and one who actually knows how to tend an expectant mother in her unique condition.”
Sasquatch looked over his shoulder at her sister before he gave a subtle nod. His face unreadable, he finally handed over all his weapons without protesting.
Grateful to the gods, Phoebe finally let out a relieved breath. “Thank you!”
“You’re not welcome.”
Ignoring Sasquatch’s dig, Phoebe clapped Shanus on the arm while the two councilmen led him inside. Then she and Kat went to get her sister and Chris.
The expression on Cassandra’s face said that her sister wanted to claw out her eyes for letting them take her large hairy boyfriend. “What’s going on?”
