Clay frowned. "Could be the structure's breaking down."
"Or," Tamsyn suggested, "they've become overconfident. They could have started taking the specific children they want instead of waiting for a safe target."
"Maybe," Nate agreed, eyes intent. "Bottom line - you need to get Shine to give up the reason they single out children who might be termed gifted."
"Not all of them are," she pointed out.
Clay stroked his hand up and down her arm, a comforting act but also a disturbing one. "Maybe not, but there are enough that we need to know why."
"I'm not anywhere high enough in the organization. Dev knows me but - " She broke off as something beeped. "What's - Oh, crap." She dug through her pants pocket to retrieve a small silver phone. "The kids I'm watching over for Rangi have this number." Flicking it open, she held it to her ear. "It's Talin."
So close, Clay had no trouble catching the response. His entire body went on alert. A second later, Talin's hand reached out to clutch at his. "Tonight?" She looked at him, eyes huge with shock.
He nodded.
"Yes, okay. What time?" A pause. "All right. I'll talk to you then." She closed the phone. "Whoa, that was weird."
Clay tangled his fingers more firmly with hers as his cat batted the tone of what he'd heard in the air, considered the taste of it.
"I didn't catch the name," Tamsyn said. "Who was that?"
Talin stared. "You heard everything from the other side of the table?"
"Sorry." The healer winced. "Bad manners, but in my defense, human-level speech is pretty loud for us."
"I guess I need to invest in an earpiece." Her tone was intrigued rather than offended.
Clay wondered if she realized she was already thinking in the long term. Something very tight in him unfurled a fraction.
"The name," Nate prodded, when she remained silent.
"Clay." She looked to him, mischief in her eyes. His Tally had bounced back as she always did. But he still intended to pet her afterward. Being able to get past the pain of losing those under her care didn't mean it had stopped hurting. "You want to do the honors?"
He scowled at her for the way she was teasing the others. She grinned, unrepentant. "It was Devraj Santos," he said, his cat delighting in the small bit of fun. It would've surprised his packmates - he wasn't known for indulging in the kind of play that was second nature to them. But Talin had always made not playing impossible. He hadn't known how much he missed that aspect of their old relationship until this instant.
"Weird doesn't describe it," Nate muttered. "We talk about him and he calls. You sure he's not an F-Psy?"
Talin laughed. "No, he's very much human - I've heard he's got such a temper, he can't keep a secretary." She rubbed the pad of her thumb along Clay's where their hands lay intertwined. "The meeting's for nine at a restaurant about an hour from here."
Need a raw ache in his throat, Clay looked at Nate. "If we push the pack meeting to six, I can leave with Talin around eight."
"I'll make the calls." Nate stood. "Tammy, how about a hand?" His tone held an intimacy that was so deep and true, it needed no words to communicate itself.
Talin swallowed the lump in her throat and waited until the other couple had gone upstairs before turning. "Clay, you heard Dev say I should come alone."
He nodded, changing their handclasp so he could stroke his thumb along her palm.
Her cheeks colored. "Then, can I borrow your truck?"
"No." Soft, she was so soft.
Lines formed on her forehead. "Why not?" She tugged at her hand.
He refused to let go. "Dev knows very well I'm going to be with you."
"And you know this because you're a foreseer, too?" She smirked.
He wanted to kiss that smirk right off her lips. So he did. She gave a startled little whimper and then a curious stillness stole over her. He didn't push, didn't force, but neither did he back off. She could've done so by making a single move to the side but she didn't. So he kissed her, nibbled at that deliciously tempting lower lip, then licked his tongue over the small injury.