But it would have been completely inappropriate, so he stayed put.
I was on the porch, she sent.
He shook his head. What do you mean?
Earlier. The green house in Barker’s Bend. I think you knew I was there, that you sensed I was watching you.
He nodded slowly. You’re right. I could feel your eyes on me. But I don’t understand. Why couldn’t I see you?
Better if I show you. I call it a cloak, not having a better term. He watched her slowly begin to disappear, her chest first, her back end, her front shoulders and legs and finally her head.
He drew in a soft surprised breath. What the holy fuck are you?
Not sure, but this is how we’re getting out. I can cover you as well, although you’ll have to be close to me for it to work.
Zane moved in her direction but brought his hands into two tight fists since that same compulsion to touch her returned, sharper now. But the last thing he wanted was to frighten her off.
In the distance, he heard Margetta call out, “Bring the prisoner to me.”
Whatever you’re going to do, Olivia, better do it fast.
And just like that, he felt a vibrat
ion rise up his legs and over the rest of his body so that the moment two of the guards entered the tent, he was no longer visible to them; her cloak had worked.
One of the guards backed out quickly, shouting the alarm. “The prisoner has escaped.” The second guard shook his head and left as well.
Zane gestured to Olivia with a forward wave of his hand. She paced right next to him as he simply followed after the last guard, then dipped beneath the tent ropes, the wolf with him. He began working his way carefully through the ensuing chaos, avoiding collisions with the Invictus pairs running in their direction.
Eventually, he made his way to the far eastern side of the camp, stunned that he was completely invisible to the Invictus.
He breathed easier once he was at least a hundred feet away from the chaotic search going on near the tent he’d so recently occupied.
When he’d moved a good distance beyond the last row of empty tents, Olivia telepathically told him to stop, that they’d reached the spelled wall.
Where is it? he asked. All I see is a rocky landscape that goes on for miles in the direction of the Arundel Mountains.
Stretch out your right hand, but not too hard. It will feel like a wall.
He did as she suggested so that the next moment he was touching the spell. This is like stone. If I’d been running, I would have crashed into it.
Exactly.
But Margetta’s spell set his nerves to crawling. The ancient fae had so much power.
How do you want to do this? he asked.
You’ll need to levitate, which means you’ll have to hold me in your arms if you want to remain cloaked. But that’s up to you. I know you could fly out of here quickly enough, maybe even without setting up an alarm and having the entire camp after you in the air. And I’m sure I can bound out of the camp. It’s your call.
He didn’t have to think twice. We go together.
Then I’ll change to my shifter form because I’ll be easier for you to hold than if I remain in my wolf form. Agreed?
Sounds like a solid plan. Go ahead and shift.
Over the course of his life, Zane had seen thousands of shifts, but for some reason this one cast a spell over him.
What emerged out of silvery fur was a tall woman, with flowing blond hair and large green eyes surrounded by thick dark lashes. She wore jeans and a low cut, light blue t-shirt so that not only was her cleavage on display, but a companion silver ruff of fur as well, which set off the swell of her breasts.