'That's how,' she said loudly then spun and walked away.
It was a few minutes before she heard him move, longer until he began following her. His anger was a cloud that practically reached out and suffocated her. She had no idea why she was sensing his emotions so clearly, but she really wished it would stop. Right now, she'd rather not deal with any of it. Maybe if she put some distance between them, it'd give them both time to cool down.
She swung onto a side street and shifted shape, taking to the skies on night-dark wings. The air was crisp and cool, and the sheer freedom of it felt so good. It had been too long since she'd flown for the pleasure of it. For several minutes she simply drifted, enjoying the caress of moonlight and the play of air through her feathers. She soared a little higher, circling as she watched Ethan's progress. He reached the side street and came to a halt, and even from above she could feel his surprise. A laugh bubbled through her, but it came out the harsh and raucous cry of a raven.
He glanced up. She flicked her wings and swept away, flying across the small town until she was on the opposite side. This section was in the foothills, and street lights and houses were few and far between. Not an ideal place to be alone in the dark of night — unless you were trawling for the dead. In a town the size of Rogue River, the lonely outskirts were the only place they could hide with any degree of safety. The hearts of such towns were usually too full of gossips who didn't miss a trick. Even dead ones.
She spiralled downward, shifting shape as she neared the ground. The minute her feet hit dirt she felt it.
Death, headed her way.
Ethan stared at the empty street and wondered if his eyes were playing games. No one could move that fast. Not even him in wolf form.
High above a bird squawked, the sound oddly reminiscent of a laugh. He glanced up, catching sight of a black form before it flew off. Odd to find a raven this close to the coast — not that he was any sort of expert when it came to bird life around these parts.
He let his gaze sweep the street again. She definitely wasn't here. Her scent stopped at this spot and became something else, something far more ethereal. He walked on, but the night air gave no clue as to where she'd gone.
He cursed under his breath, then got his cell phone out and dialled Mark.
'Hey,' his partner said. 'I thought you were supposed to be screwing yourself silly right about now?'
'I was.' And had it not been for this case and one infuriating woman, he probably would have been.
He glanced skyward again. This afternoon's lovemaking had eased the pressure, but as the moon rose, so, too, did the fever. It worried him. He had no wish to find another partner right now, but if Kat wasn't accommodating, he just might have to. When the moon ran to fullness, desire gave way to base level need. He had no wish to test the breaking point of his control.
'But I want you to do me a favour,' he added.
'Sure. What?'
'Go check out that body they found in the back of the truck.'
'They wouldn't have had time to do an autopsy yet.'
'I know. Call in some favours if you have to, but get down there tonight and check it out for me.'
'Why the urgency?'
'Because there may not be much of a body left in the morning to check out.'
Mark hesitated. 'Have you been drinking?'
'No.' Though he wouldn't have minded a beer or two right now, if only to ease the stiffness in his bruised back muscles. 'Just trust me on this and do as I ask.'
Mark grunted. 'Anything else?'
'Yeah. Do another background check on Katherine Tanner. I want to know all there is to know about her.'
The phone line was silent for several seconds, then Mark said, 'Don't tell me she's the pretty girl you're bedding, partner, because the captain will hit the roof.'
'My sex life has nothing to do with Benton.'
'It does when the woman you're involved with is a major player in a case you've been warned off.'
'I started this case, and I have every intention of finishing it. And neither the department nor the captain is going to stop me.'
'This could get you into very deep trouble, my friend.'
'If we catch this killer, I don't really care.'
Mark grunted. 'So where the hell are the three of you now? The captain went off his tree when he discovered they'd left the hotel with no word.'
'We're in Rogue River. The killer's apparently on the move, so I can't say how long we'll stay.'
'You want me to inform the local sheriff you're there?'
No, he didn't, but if things went pear shaped, it was better to have their butts covered. 'You'd better. I guess you'd better tell the captain, too.'
'I will. And keep me posted. If you find anything — and I mean anything — you report in. I don't want to be going through the hassle of breaking in a new partner. I just got you trained properly.'
'Yeah, right,' Ethan said dryly. 'Just do the checks for me, will you?'
'I'll see what I can do and call you back.'
'Thanks.'
He hung up and stopped at the end of the street. There was no sign of movement to the left or the right. It was as if she'd disappeared into thin air. But then, someone who could throw him across the road with sheer energy probably had another trick or two up her sleeve.
He sniffed the air, sorting through the odours of the night, and detected the faintest hint of sunshine to his right. He turned that way, but he had barely gone three steps when pain hit him so hard he stumbled.
Kat. In trouble.
He didn't question his certainty, just ran like hell in her direction.
Kat ducked the zombie's clenched fist and lashed out with a booted foot. Her blow hit the creature's knee with a satisfying crack, but if she'd done any damage it certainly didn't show. The creature swung around, fists a blur. She leaned back and felt the rush of stinking air past her chin.
She hit the zombie kinetically, thrusting it backwards. It tumbled over a roadside barrier and disappeared from sight.
Two more emerged from the night. She swore softly.
Three against one was decidedly unfair. Time for a strategic retreat, perhaps. She reached for her alternate shape, but in that instant, she felt the breeze of a fourth approach. She dove away, but something hit her arm, sliding through her jacket and sweater and deep into her flesh.
White fire burned through her veins and pain engulfed her. White ash. They had white ash. Holy hell, she was in trouble now. She gulped down air, fighting the blackness.
Ignoring the sweat beading her face, she pivoted, smacking the zombie hard in the nose. Bone crushed and bits of flesh and God knows what else flew, but he didn't seem to care. He grabbed her foot, twisting hard, and she screamed. Energy bubbled through her, and she flung it his way, twisting it around his neck and snapping it taut.
He was dead before he knew what hit him. She thrust his limp body into the other two. They went down like bowling pins but just as quickly righted themselves.
She turned and ran. She had no other choice. The white ash pinned her to the one form, and if she didn't get it out quickly it could very well kill her.
Their footsteps thudded behind her, drawing ever closer.
Zombies might be dead, but they weren't slow. Even without turning she could feel their fingers reaching for her.
She flung kinetic energy at the nearest tree, ripping free a heavy tree limb and tossing it behind her. Bodies thumped, and the stink of their presence disappeared. She stopped, spun, and hit another one kinetically, breaking its neck. Two down. But her whole body was shaking, and it wasn't just a reaction to the white ash in her arm. She was pushing her abilities to the limit. If she wasn't very careful, she'd have no energy left with which to
