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14
“Done.” Relieved to be quit of this place and its depressing selection of weaponry, he made arrangements for delivery and then escorted Andrea to the car. He couldn’t help a frown as she slid behind the wheel. Driving was one of the things he would have to learn if he stayed here much longer.
Would he want to? He looked around at the traffic lights and passing cars as he considered the question. This world was very different from his, and he wouldn’t like to give up the Dark Lands.
Fallon seemed content enough straddling two worlds, and although he’d come along as a curious visitor, Mathin couldn’t help but wonder how he’d feel about that. Certainly it would take more study than the overview he’d absorbed about Earth befo
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Scent of Danger 15
Mathin didn’t have to ask to know that Andrea would not be. Even if she discovered the true nature of the Haunt and feared it, she would never seek to destroy them, not once she was assured that they were no threat.It was giving her that reassurance that would be tricky.***Panic faded to a sense of foolishness as Andrea put away the groceries less than an hour later. Mathin had helped her bring the sacks into the kitchen and then disappeared; not that she blamed him. She grimaced, absently cradling a small canister of cocoa to her chest. He must think she was pretty weird just now. She didn’t even kn
Scent of Danger 16
Frowning, Fallon shook his head. “You’re going to make yourself miserable.”“Then you’ll be highly entertained this evening,” Mathin said cheerfully, placing his hands on Andrea’s shoulders for the blessing.Andrea didn’t miss the wolfish look Mathin cast her as he sat opposite her. He purred in ecstasy at his first bite, and the glow in his eyes as he looked at her showed another kind of hunger. “Delicious. I can’t wait for dessert.”She snorted softly and picked up her sandwich. After they’d taken the edge off, she asked Fallon, “So, what is it you do? Grandma never said.”
Scent of Danger 17
She flinched, and he sympathized. It wouldn’t be pleasant if the cults got to her. “Many Haunt died this way. To defend themselves and stop the slaughter of their families, some Haunt began assassinating any known charmers. Others searched for another way.“They found it. One Haunt, a prospector, discovered a doorway between worlds. The world he discovered was a place of beauty, yet danger. Best of all, as far as he knew, it was unclaimed. He told his people about this world, which he called the Dark Lands, and many of them chose to leave Earth with him and settle there. The ones who chose to stay elected an ambassador, a man to serve as an emissary between worlds, should any of them ever choose to leave Earth. The Haunt who crossed over conquered the Dark Lands, and flourish there to this day.”
Scent of Danger 18
Seriously off balance, she stumbled hastily from the room.Crossing his hands behind his head, he stared at the ceiling and brooded. Why did women have to make everything harder than it was? He was a man of action. If he wanted something, he went for it. He’d certainly never stayed up nights worrying whether he deserved it or not. What was it about females that made them protest every gift and analyze every action? More often than not they came to the wrong conclusion anyway and then blamed the man.Moving her to the Dark Lands wasn’t going to be easy. Nor would she take the move in good grace, especially with her grandmother to consider. He felt no guilt over his plan; not when the alternative was seeing her fall into the wrong hands. Adaptation might be d
Scent of Danger 19
Mathin observed her. His nose told him something wasn’t right. While still lovely, her scent was tainted, and her hand shook a little as she brushed her hair from her face. It worried him. “You’re not feeling well, are you?”Startled into looking at him, she reluctantly shook her head.“What do you need?”She sighed. “I explained about the blood sugar thing last night. I just need to eat something healthy. I’m already feeling better.” Her head felt clearer, and she wasn’t heading for the floor. It could have been much worse.“Maybe you should lie down for a
Scent of Danger 20
“No one really knows,” he answered easily, ignoring Fallon’s dark look. “The Haunt like to call them parasites, but any Symbiont-human will argue that they are anything but. For one, they restore life and health to their human host, feeding off the impurities and dead cells in their body. In return they enable rapid healing, agility and an increased life span.”“Huh. Sounds kind of gross. Is it like a bug?” Andrea mussed aloud, thinking of several Star Trek episodes. She smashed another mosquito. “I hate bugs.”“It’s not a bug,” Mathin told her, annoyed at Fallon’s snort of amusement. “And if we ever enter the Dark Lands, it’s the first thing I’ll find for you.”
Scent of Danger 21
The object of her terror turned its black head toward them and waved its antenna, mildly interested.Andrea yelped and skittered behind Mathin, using him for a shield. “It’s the size of a cocker spaniel! You’ve got the gun; shoot it!”With a grunt of amusement, he grabbed a small stick from the forest floor and tossed it half-heartedly toward the beetle. It bounced off its back with a dull clunk, sending the creature scurrying.“There. Now…” He frowned as she backed away, her eyes on the towering forest.Wild spice scented the air of the alien world around her. The surrounding wo
Scent of Danger 22
“Keilor!” Relieved at the interruption, Mathin greeted him, clasping forearms with the dark-haired warrior who entered the clearing. He kept a grip on Andrea, knowing she couldn’t be trusted.With high cheekbones reminiscent of a Cherokee warrior, the man radiated energy and command. Several volti followed at his heels like a pack of tamed hunting dogs.The man’s dark eyes settled on Andrea, assessing and reassuring at once. He shook his head. “My wife has shared those exact sentiments; particularly as he dragged her through the swamps and fed her giant snails. Will you come and meet her? She is human, like you.”Keilor’s calculation worked. With a nervo
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