“Keep those senses peeled.” She blew him a kiss as her phone pinged and she jogged down the sidewalk toward her brother.
I don’t like this one bit, Kelos grumbled to his dragon.
We just need to look out for any threat and neutralize it, his dragon said. We’ve done that enough times before.
Kelos focused on Amber. As she entered the property and slipped down the side of the house, everything was just as Fabian had told her. The police officer sent to protect him was watching TV inside of the house. There were no officers outside of the house so she could go around the side of the house and into the back yard without being seen.
Kelos tilted his head to one side as if he were trying to tune an antenna. There was someone there. Close to Amber. A threat?
Amber was about to enter the back yard and he could sense someone inside the house, no doubt Fabian, walking toward the rear. The plan was for him to open the downstairs kitchen window and climb out, since the door was locked and the officer inside the house had the key.
But as Fabian was walking toward the back of the house, there was someone in the back yard skulking in the undergrowth. He froze for a split second and sniffed the air. It wasn’t a someone skulking in the back yard, it was a something.
Damn it. He ran along the sidewalk, arms pumping as he covered the ground between him and his mate, his long strides eating up the distance, but he wasn’t going to be fast enough.
He skidded around the gate post that was swung open and sprinted toward the back yard, his fists clenched as he faced the impending threat to his mate.
“Kelos?” Amber hissed as she swung around to face him. “I thought you were going to wait outside…” Her voice cut off as the kitchen window opened and a man with a similar nose and lips to Amber poked his head out. “Fabian.”
As Fabian pushed his shoulders out of the small window and rolled forward onto the lawn, the shifter sprang their attack.
“What the hell!” Fabian sat up, nursing a bruised elbow as a wolf leaped out of the darkness and stood with feet splayed, ready to fight.
“Come on, Fabian. Get up.” Amber hooked her hands under her brother’s arms and hauled him to her feet, putting herself between him and the wolf that had shot out of the undergrowth.
“I don’t want to fight you,” Kelos warned as he struggled to keep his dragon under control. The winged beast wanted to take the wolf down and make sure she never got up again.
Kelos sniffed the air. Yes, the wolf was a female. Not unusual, female wolves could fight just as well as their male counterparts, sometimes better as they were more cunning and agile.
The wolf looked at Kelos, her eyes ablaze as she bared her teeth and growled low and threatening. However, she didn’t attack. Was it because she’d lost the element of surprise? Or was it because she could sense what she was up against?
“Leave,” Kelos told Amber. “Take Fabian and go.”
“He’s not going anywhere.” The wolf shifted in a blink of an eye and was replaced by a tall woman with well-toned muscles and a set expression.
This woman does not like taking any bullshit, his dragon said with respect.
“She was a…” Fabian pointed at the woman in front of them. “A wolf. Did you see?”
“I saw.” Amber put her hand on her brother’s arm. “It’s okay.”
“Okay?” Fabian asked, his voice high as he pointed at the woman. “That is not okay.” His brows knitted together. “You aren’t surprised, you knew.”
“I didn’t know the wolf was a woman, but it makes more sense than a wild wolf being in the back yard.” Amber looked at Kelos for reassurance.
“Makes more sense?” Fabian asked.
“I take it he doesn’t know about shifters.” Kelos directed his comment to Amber since Fabian didn’t look as if he could think straight as he stared at the woman in front of them who had barely moved a muscle.
“No, he doesn’t.” Amber slipped her hand into Fabian’s. “It’s all right.”
“Is it all right?” Kelos narrowed his eyes as he surveyed his would-be opponent.
“That depends.” She nodded toward Fabian. “I was told to guard the house and make sure there was no further attempt on Mr. Gladstone’s life.”
“We’re not here to hurt Fabian,” Amber stepped forward and thrust out her hand. “I’m Amber Gladstone, Fabian’s sister.”
“Ahh.” The woman looked sideways at Kelos. “And you?”
“I’m Amber’s mate.” There was no use in pretending he wasn’t. He believed the woman. “And you are?”
“Detective Joanna Hargreaves.”
“And you are here to protect me?” Fabian asked, not sounding too sure.
“I’m undercover,” Joanna told him drily.
“You are expecting someone to try to hurt Fabian?” Kelos asked.
“We think there’s a good chance,” Joanna replied.
“Because there’s a leak, isn’t there?” Fabian asked. “Someone is selling me out.”
“Roman Ostabell has a lot to lose. Your evidence is the key to getting the bastard put in jail. Without you, Fabian, there is no case. We know it, he knows it.” Joanna’s temper flared. “Which is why my boss decided to keep a special eye on you.”
“Special? As in…” Fabian waved his hand at her. “What are you called, a shifter?”
“Yes, a shifter.” She shrugged and held her hands out to him. “I was sent here to protect you with my life. When I sensed your sister approaching, I thought we were finally going to get whoever was after you.”
“Sorry to disappoint.” Amber gave a humorless smile. “We came here to take Fabian with us to safety. Don’t worry, he’ll be there to give evidence at the trial.”
“Do you really think you can keep him safe?” Joanna asked.
“Safer than leaving him here as bait.” Kelos arched an eyebrow at the police detective. “Why do you care so much?”
“I’m
