me.”
A brief flash of amber in her eyes told him all he needed to know. This woman was some kind of mortal wolf shifter.
Gods above.
Varik had heard the legends, but never met one of these shape-changers for himself.
She must have sensed the ability in him somehow.
The mortals shifted in a rough, biological way that included the melting and reshaping of bones and flesh that sometimes tore right through their clothing.
Varik’s shifting was that of a fae lord - smooth and magical, with all of his belongings intact when he changed back.
But rumor had it the end result was pretty much the same.
Darcy had turned on her heel and was leading them toward a hay filled bed attached to a tractor.
“Enjoy your ride,” she said, handing Ashe a basket. “And feel free to stop back for a run on the next full moon.”
Varik nodded, and then helped Ashe onto the hayride.
“What was that about?” Ashe asked. “And how did she know about Ronan being in your bag?”
“It’s complicated,” he told her. “But there are magical beings in this world, too. And I’m getting the sense that the family who owns this farm might be an important one in this realm.”
Ashe nodded, eyes wide.
Another couple climbed aboard, followed by an older lady with two small children.
They all smiled and nodded to each other in greeting.
“Okay, here we go,” the teenager driving the tractor shouted happily.
They took off with a bump that had Ashe clinging to him.
Varik pulled her closer, willing himself not to react to her delicious scent. He would have taken her then and there, on the bed of hay, in front of the other guests, if he had thought there would be no consequences.
But for now, he would keep his feelings in check.
The morning was overcast so far, and mist clung to the gravel road and floated among the gnarled trees in the orchard, lending the farm an air of haunting beauty.
“This looks almost like home,” Ashe murmured.
She wasn’t wrong. There was something almost magical about this place.
“Here we go,” the boy called out as he pulled the tractor up at the edge of a huge hillside of trees. “Climb down and choose a picker.”
Varik and Ashe waited for the others to get out.
When Ashe approached the steps, the boy reached out his hand to offer her help.
Varik had to choke down a jealous growl at the sight.
“I’m fine,” Ashe said brightly to the boy, as if she had sensed Varik’s unease.
She got down without assistance, then allowed the teenager to show her the merits of various pickers.
In truth, they were all merely little baskets on poles. And the trees were laden with fruit, so the quality of the picker wouldn’t matter anyway. But Varik enjoyed watching her solemn choice.
He grabbed a pole for himself, and they set off into the mist together.
The other two groups moved slowly and began picking close to where the truck was parked as Varik and Ashe continued farther into the orchard.
After a few minutes, they were relatively alone.
“Hang on,” Varik said, bending to let Ronan out of his satchel.
The pup shook himself and trotted into the trees, one ear alert, the other flopping lazily.
“Stay close,” Varik called to him.
The pup slowed his walk but still disappeared a bit in the fog.
“Is the veil thin here?” Ashe asked.
“I don’t know,” Varik replied, but in truth he did feel the vestiges of magic here, as if his own world were just on the other side of the mist.
“Oh, how about that one?” Ashe said, pointing out a particularly delicious looking apple.
“Looks good,” he agreed. “Give it a try.”
She used the picker to pluck it easily from its branch and then laughed in delight as she placed it in their basket.
“You’re a natural,” he told her.
“Am I allowed to eat it?” she asked.
“We’re probably not supposed to before we’ve paid,” he guessed. “But I’m sure one won’t hurt.”
She put it to her lips and took a bite.
“So good,” she murmured, juice glistening on her lips.
He stepped closer, then took her hand and stole a bite of the apple.
It was crisp and sweet. It tasted like autumn.
She tried to pull it back, but he pulled her close instead, pressing his lips to hers.
The kiss was sweet and tart and sent shivers of need through him.
He pulled back and looked into her eyes.
She blinked up at him as if she were hypnotized and he kissed her again, slowly and thoroughly this time.
She pressed her soft form close to his,