Dangerous thoughts, his dragon replied.
We live in dangerous times, Kelos told his other side.
His other side did not argue.
Chapter Eight – Amber
“How was town?” Margie asked as Amber hauled the groceries she’d bought around to the kitchen. “Full of wolves and bears?”
Amber chuckled. “No, only Cougar Ridge is open about their shifter population. The rest of the towns around here are pretty normal.”
“Normal?” Margie squeaked. “They can turn into animals.” She didn’t hide her mild distaste from Amber.
“I do not have a problem with that.” Amber smiled to herself, but Margie didn’t miss a thing.
“You like him.” Margie inclined her head in no general directions. “Our host. Kelos. You like him.”
“What’s not to like?” Amber teased. “Have you seen his muscles? And he has the cutest smile.” Although hidden beneath that smile was an unfathomable strength and wisdom.
“He’s quite the catch.” Margie glanced around the room. “But you need more than muscles and a cute smile to live.”
“No, you don’t.” Amber began to unpack the groceries while Margie sipped her coffee.
“Come on, do you really want to live in a place like this?” Margie asked.
“Yeah, I do.” Amber inhaled deeply, breathing in the scents of the forest as they wafted in through the open kitchen door. “I love it here.”
“The place needs a lot of work.” Margie curled her bottom lip. “And it only has one bathroom.”
Amber laughed as she opened the fridge and placed the milk and yogurt she’d bought, along with some fresh fruit and vegetables, inside. “I’ve lived in houses with no bathroom.”
Margie looked at her sister-in-law as if she were from another planet. “I think a hotel would be better.”
“Margie, this is the safest place for you and the kids right now. No one will be looking for us here.” Amber filled the kettle and put it on the stove. “Tea?”
“I’m okay with coffee, thanks.” Margie held up her coffee mug as proof.
“Is that the kids up?” Amber looked up at the ceiling.
“I hope they don’t fall through,” Margie muttered. “We might be safer here from whoever is after us, but are we really safe?” She arched her eyebrows in question, but Amber refused to take the bait. Margie had made her opinion quite clear, but Amber was adamant that Kelos’s house was the safest place for them. For now at least.
“Can we go outside?” Lauren bounded down the stairs and into the kitchen, with Elliot close behind her.
“I don’t think so,” Margie replied quickly, eyeing up the view through the kitchen door with worry. “We don’t know what’s out there.”
“We’ll stay in the yard surrounding the house,” Lauren assured her mom.
“The doctor is coming to see Elliot so we can get his asthma inhaler. You know your brother has to be careful.” Margie placed her coffee cup down on the counter and went to her youngest child, putting a protective arm around him.
“We’ll just be outside. It’s not as if we are going to go running off.” Although the glint in Lauren’s eye might say she’d planned otherwise.
“Why don’t you eat first?” Margie suggested.
Elliot looked at his older sister before dutifully sitting down in the chair Margie pulled out for him. “I am hungry.”
Lauren rolled her eyes, took a longing look at the green grass and ancient trees just begging to be climbed, and sat down next to her brother. Amber watched the exchange but didn’t voice her opinion. Margie was their mother and she knew best.
Although, Amber was not always sure that was true. Margie had lived a privileged life. She hated getting her hands dirty. If the house needed cleaning, she hired a cleaner, if the lawn needed mowing, she hired a lawn care man. Unfortunately, her kids were being raised the same way.
Except Lauren rebelled every inch of the way.
“After breakfast, can Aunt Amber take us outside?” Lauren asked as Margie went to the fridge and fetched the orange juice Amber had just bought.
“Sure,” Amber answered before Margie could say no. She took the kettle off the stove as it began to whistle and made tea, while Margie put out breakfast for the children.
As she turned around and leaned against the counter with her cup clasped in both hands, she met Margie’s gaze. Keeping her expression neutral, she sipped her tea, pretending to be oblivious to her sister-in-law’s concern.
“Do you think there are bears and wolves in the forest?” Elliot asked as he spooned his cereal into his mouth.
“We’re not going into the forest to find out,” Margie said quickly, her eyes locked on Amber’s. “Are we, Aunt Amber?”
“No, we’re just going to stay close to the house. The sunshine will do you good.” Amber smiled softly at Margie. “You might even be able to freshen up your tan.”
Margie stretched out her arm and examined it critically. “I am looking a bit pale.”
“Let’s eat breakfast and then get outside.” Amber winked at Lauren who winked back after making sure her mom couldn’t see.
Amber sighed and wandered over to the open door. Leaning against the doorframe, she stared out into the forest surrounding the house. It was so peaceful here. Surrounded by nature, the only sounds were the soft rustle of the breeze through the fresh new leaves and the tweets and chirps of birds busy finding food for their young.
Amber had been searching for a place like this her whole life. A place where she could feel as one with the world around her. The house certainly enhanced Kelos’s hunky body and cute smile. Who needed money and credit cards when you could have peace of mind?
“Are you eating?” Margie asked, the box of cereal raised as she shook it.
“Yes, please.” Amber turned her back on the scene outside and went to the table. She sat down next to Margie and dug into her cereal. “Did you all sleep okay?”
Lauren looked at her mom briefly before nodding. “Although an owl hooting did wake me up.”
“I wish I’d heard the owl,” Elliot
