Page 21 of Tall, Dark and Haunted

Chapter Ten

Red

“There’snowayI’m going to let some crazy dragon shifter lady turn me back into a ghost,” Davy huffs down below.

I don’t know how he has enough air in his lungs to say anything at all when he’s running as fast as he is, let alone to rant on an endless loop.

I can’t believe that we’re being chased down cobblestone streets by the police. And for what? Because we used to be dead? Talk about prejudice.

I flap my wings, enjoying the feel of the wind on my face. Flying is a lot easier than walking, even though I haven’t been able to shift in over a century. It makes me sick to think that if we’re caught, I will never be able to shift again. Right now might be the only chance I’ll get to really be me.

The others run for several minutes while I fly overhead, turning corners until we’ve lost our pursuers—at least for the time being.

“I haven’t even had a chance to—” Davy starts when Topher pushes him and Rhiannon into another side street. I almost fly past, but manage to change course at the last second.

Davy lets out a series of swears, followed by, “What the hell, Toph?”

“This isn’t going to work.” The deer is his usual dominant, in-control self, just like his animal. Seriously, I don’t think there are many situations that he wouldn’t know exactly how to handle. He’s got this aristocratic air about him that just demands that people take him seriously. Except the Silver Springs deputy mayor, it would seem. “I have a plan, but we need to split up.”

“No. Absolutely not.” Davy looks at Topher like he’s deranged.

“It’s our only option.”

“And let me guess, you’re taking Rhi with you?”

“Well, yes. Obviously,” Topher says, his chest puffed out as if to prove that he’s the right man for the job. In his mind, no one can protect Rhiannon better than him. And he might be right. It’s not like I can fly with Rhiannon on my back.

“I’m not leaving my mate alone with you.” Davy’s temper flares, and for a moment they both seem to completely forget that we’re on the run from the police! We’re outlaws. Fugitives. And they’re acting like a pair of lovesick teenagers.

“She’s my mate, too!” Topher practically growls.

I land behind them and shift back. My species doesn’t shred its clothes mid-shift, which is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, I’m not naked. On the other hand, I’m still wearing these cursed clothes I’ve been stuck in for over a century. And I don’t want to be stuck in them for the rest of my death.

“We really don’t have time for this.” I step between Davy and Topher before either of them even has time to consider throwing a punch. “Topher is right.”

“How can you say that?” Davy turns on me, his brown eyes glowing with rage. Anyone would think I’ve personally betrayed him. Which I haven’t. I just don’t see the point in wasting valuable time on their fight for dominance.

I don’t need to prove my masculinity right now. I might feel differently later, when Rhiannon isn’t in actual danger. Maybe once these idiots stop carrying on like a pair of nestlings.

“I trust Topher more than I trust the people who want to turn us all back into ghosts,” I tell Davy. I try to sound reasonable, keeping my voice calm, but the truth is, I’m panicking. What if they catch us? What if we become ghosts before I’ve even had a chance to—

I don’t think I could bear to spend another century or two knowing what I could have had. Knowing that I can’t touch my mate. Can’t kiss her. Can’t run my hands through her hair as I slip my tongue between her lips, thrusting my hard length into her. Over and over again.

Never being able to do that, while craving it, would be torture. Excruciating torture. Always imagining, but never actually having her.

It was torture enough having her pop up, naked and soaking wet, and knowing she’d always be out of reach. And that was before I knew she was my mate.

I have to shake the thoughts away as I feel myself harden. This is not the time for me to be lusting over Rhiannon. I need to find a way to keep us alive so that I can actually have her. So I can lay her down beneath me and take her body, the way she’s taken my very soul.

I almost burn from the pain of knowing that there are people who want to take this second chance away from me. People that want to keep us apart.

It seems unbelievably cruel that fate would finally allow me to find my mate, only to have us on the run from a town with pitchforks and—

Well, okay. That might be a slight exaggeration. They certainly don’t have pitchforks, but they don’t intend to let me and my mate live long enough to enjoy finding one another. If they catch us, we won’t have a single night, let alone the lifetime I crave.

“Everyone should shift,” I say in my most business-like voice. I almost sound as commanding as Topher—almost—and I’m proud that I manage to keep the depth of emotions I’m currently feeling out of my voice. I don’t want to scare Rhiannon any more than she no doubt already is. “We can meet at the library. We might find something helpful in the books there.”

“We don’t need books. We need a witch,” Davy argues.