Series: Shifter Ops Series by Renee Rose
Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 30911 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 155(@200wpm)___ 124(@250wpm)___ 103(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 30911 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 155(@200wpm)___ 124(@250wpm)___ 103(@300wpm)
“Yeah, okay.” Selene looks thoughtful then nods like she’s come to a decision. “This is kind of random, but I think of you as my pack.”
“What?” Declan and Parker’s eyes bug out. Mine too, but I don’t dare squawk. My owl stays very still, as if hoping Selene won’t notice me.
“Yeah. I mean…” She shrugs. “After what happened to my old pack, I grew up alone. I don’t really fit in with any other shifters, you know? Especially now that I’m with Lucius. And he’s everything to me, but sometimes it’s nice to know there’s a pack of shifters who has my back.”
“They’ve had your back?” Allison asks.
“Oh yeah. Since the day I met them. You’re all the best.”
“Awww,” Fiona says. “Group hug?” she mouths to us when Selene’s face is turned away from her. Declan and I shake our heads “No!” vigorously. Parker does the same and adds a chopping motion in front of his throat.
“Oh well,” Fiona shrugs and mimics a Cockney accent. “God bless us, each and everyone.”
Chapter Twelve
Fiona
The creak of brakes wakes me. I blink and raise my head and realize that the warm surface cradling my head is Declan’s shoulder. Shit, did I drool on him? I pat the fabric, looking for damp patches, and my touch shakes him awake as well.
“Wha-?” He looks up.
“We’re here.” Parker sounds exhausted, but he insisted on driving through the night, all the way to Tucson. After Lucius and Selene left, Declan and I hitched up the trailer to the truck. Allison called all the deer into the trailer and lulled them into a calm, drowsy state.
The first thing I do is turn my head to check on the trailer, but it’s gone. “Where are the deer?”
“Dropped them off an hour ago,” Parker says. “Selene had people waiting to take care of them, and it was easy.”
“Geez. I slept through all that?”
Declan brushes my hair back from my face. “Ya must have been tired from the fight.” He rests his hand on my nape. I’d never let anyone else touch me there, and it feels amazing.
“I guess.” I stretch my arms in front of me. There’s not much room back here, crammed next to Declan. In the front seat, Allison’s cozied up to Laurie, fast asleep. He carefully opens the passenger side door and slips out, turning to scoop her into his arms. She doesn’t stir.
Turning into a dove also must have also worn her out. It’s not like we shift and fight vampires regularly.
Laurie carries Allison up the walkway to a single-story stucco home. The place is cuter than I’d expected, neatly landscaped with stone and cacti.
“Is this where you live?” I ask.
“Yes,” Parker answers slowly. “Except…”
Declan slides out of the truck cab and props his hands on his hips. “Who decorated?”
There are twinkly white lights edging the roof and door. In the dawn-prelight, the whole place has a cheery glow.
“G-g-guys?” Laurie calls. He’s at the door, still holding Allison. We scramble up the path to help him. Declan unlocks the door and holds it open, so Laurie can carry Allison in.
“You’ve got mail.” I point to the big red envelope taped above the doorbell.
Parker grabs it and rips it open. “To Allison, Declan, Fiona, Laurie and Parker. May your solstice be merry and bright. Love, Selene and Lucius.”
“Awww, they gave us a holiday card,” I say and sniff the paper. It smells like Selene.
Declan steps inside and makes a shocked noise.
“What the hell is happening?” Parker says.
“What?” The house is bright and airy and smells a little like fresh paint. There’s an espresso-brown leather couch and two matching recliner chairs. Someone put a white mantel-style shelf on the wall and hung five stockings from it. There’s one for each of us, bearing our names. “This is nice.”
“Exactly,” Parker spins in a slow circle. “When we left, this place was a run-down wreck.”
“Well, someone’s cleaned.” There’s a scent of lemony polish, as well as freshly baked cookie scent–sugar and vanilla. I follow Declan into the kitchen and gasp in delight. The wooden cabinets are a bit old fashioned, but polished to a golden shine. The stove and fridge are vintage 1950s, but well preserved and a pristine white. A plate of sugar cookies sits on the big white table in the breakfast nook. The big bay window has a great view of the Catalina Mountains–and a big Christmas tree is on the patio.
“Is that the tree from the top of the bus?” I ask. It’s the same size and type of fir but looks totally transformed covered with white lights and golden ornaments. There are wrapped presents piled under it.
“Santa came,” Allison says. She strolls in, looking sleepy, with Laurie in tow. He and Parker and Declan all have their mouths open, jaws on the floor.
“With a little help from Selene and Mr. F. Look.” I pick up one of the cookies. It’s shaped and decorated as a raccoon, with red candy pearls for eyes. There’s a dove, an owl, and two canine-shaped ones, too. One of them is wearing a gray fedora. I pass them around.