has a girlfriend,” Teresa mused, rummaging in the duffel bag that held their dwindling store of supplies.
Eager to forget all about the bird now that it was gone, Rune asked, “How are the supplies holding out?”
“Really well if we’re not very hungry,” she told him with a shrug. “We’ve got enough for tonight and maybe tomorrow. Then we’ll need to hit another village.”
He didn’t like it. Didn’t like taking her into rural towns and villages with him, but couldn’t really convince himself to leave her alone while he went. He did a slow turn now, letting his sharp eyes scan their surroundings. While the firelight played and danced behind him, he stared into the shadows. At the clumps of trees, the high grasses, the rocks along the river rushing past them. Anywhere an enemy might hide.
Uneasy, he felt a prickling awareness sliding along his spine. Something was out there. He was sure of it. Felt it down to his bones. His protective instincts stirred. He could grab Teresa and flash out—or, he told himself, he could make a stand and get rid of whoever was following them here and now.
Dropping to one knee in the sand, he caught Teresa’s eyes across the fire. “I’m going to make a sweep,” he said, voice low. “Make sure we’re alone out here.”
“Why? Did you see something?” she asked, fear overshadowing the fatigue in her voice.
He shot another look over his shoulder at the lush vegetation beyond their campsite.
“No,” he assured her, despite the fact that every finetuned sense he possessed was tingling. There was definitely something out there. Somewhere. No point in scaring Teresa, though, he told himself. “I just want to check. Do you have your knife?”
She reached into the pocket of the dark blue jean jacket Rune had helped her manifest. For a moment, he remembered her pride, delight shining in her eyes when he showed her how to use her magic to conjure what clothing she needed.
God, was that only a few nights ago? Time with Teresa was ticking past in a frenzy, stealing his breath, niggling at his mind. A constant reminder that their task was unfinished and that there were those out there willing to do anything to see that it remained that way.
Teresa pulled out the knife he’d given her. “I have it.”
Firelight played on her features, in her dark, sober eyes. It danced along the blade of the knife she now held with confidence after their intense training sessions. And still he hated to see her with the thing. Hated to think of her having to defend herself without him at her side.
“You won’t need it,” he told her and meant every word. He wouldn’t be so far away that he couldn’t flash back to her in an instant. Nothing was going to happen to his witch. “But it’s a good idea to keep it close.”
“I will.” Nodding, she then lifted one hand and let sparks fly, shooting up from her fingertips like blue and white showers off a sparkler. “And I’ve got my powers, too. I’m fine, Rune. Go. Check.”
He didn’t like leaving her, but better he find whoever was hunting them and take care of it away from her. And the longer he delayed in leaving, the harder it would be. It stunned him to realize just how vital she had become to him in these two weeks. She was more than his mate. She was the very air he breathed.
That realization hit him like a fist in the gut and he wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about it. He knew damn well he was still dealing with ancient crap when it came to his feelings for her. But the bottom line was, she was his.
“I’ll be back soon.”
“I’ll be here.”
As much as he wanted to stay next to her, he could better protect her by locating the threat and eliminating it. Before he could talk himself out of it, Rune called on the fire. He looked down at her through the inferno covering his body, then bowed his head and flashed out.
Chapter 43
He reappeared a couple of hundred yards away from their campsite. Far enough to get a bead on their surroundings without being distracted by the scent and sound of his woman.
The flames covering his body winked out in an instant and he was enveloped by the darkness. Perfectly still, he barely breathed as he listened to the night sounds. The wind sighing through the trees and grass, the soft rustle