about what she’d been up to and he rewarded her with a pleased smile.
“I can’t wait to see them. Especially the otter one. It sounds like you’ll have to put that one up at the nature center.”
“It’s absolutely darling,” Kira promised him. “Before I came back here, I had no idea otters cuddled in the water when they slept. I mean, it just kills me.”
“It’s really cute. I’ve seen them do it a couple of times now. One time they woke up and came to the side of the pond, and I felt like I’d kicked a puppy or something. They seemed happy to see me – or maybe it was the fish I had – but I hated to interrupt their peaceful moment.”
“I’m sure they have plenty of them. They’re out there all day long with little disturbance.”
“I suppose. I still felt like I’d walked in on a special moment or something.”
“How are things going with the planning of the center?”
“Amazingly well, actually.” Brogan slowed as they approached a particularly tight curve in the road. “With the help of Dylan and Liam, things are moving way faster than I could have ever imagined.”
Kira desperately wanted to ask him about the studio he had claimed he was building for her, but bit her words back. All in good time, she reminded herself.
“Are we going to see the otters then?” Kira asked. Brogan had driven past the cove and up the winding road that led toward the otters, his land, and his gran’s cottage. Her heart skipped a beat, wondering if he was taking her to his home instead.
“I hadn’t planned on it, but we’re close. Do you want to pop by and see them?”
“Do we have time?”
“Of course,” Brogan promised, pulling the car to the side at the trailhead. “The rest of my day is all yours.”
And night, Kira silently hoped.
It was a quick hike from where Brogan had stopped the car. As they approached, a nervous feeling began creeping over Kira, and she couldn’t shake it.
“Brogan. Be careful… I don’t know. I feel like something bad is happening.”
“What’s wrong?” Brogan stopped instantly and turned to her. “Do we need to go back?”
Kira closed her eyes and listened with her senses. “No, it’s at the pond. Hurry!”
Together they raced the rest of the way up the hill. They rounded the cusp of the hill in time to see a large man holding Fergal by the scruff of his neck, with a knife in his free hand.
Before Kira could shout, Brogan was on him. She’d never seen someone move so fast before, she was sure of it. Kira gasped as Fergal was flung to the side, his little furry body lofting through the air and landing with a hard splash in the water. She rushed to the side of the pond and waded in, not caring about getting wet.
“Fergal,” Kira whispered, reaching for the otter who floated naturally on the surface. She picked him up gently and was relieved when his eyes blinked open.
Friend. Mean man.
“Yes, mean man. Are you hurt?”
No. Where’s Heather?
Kira craned her neck while she cradled Fergal, and caught a flash of movement in the corner of the pond.
“She’s just over there. Hiding.”
Put me down. I have to go to her.
“Is she hurt?”
No. He got me first. Destroyed my den.
“We’ll build you a new one.” Kira gently put Fergal back in the water, then turned as a sickening crunching sound met her ears. The men had squared off, and Kira gasped at the blood she saw running down Brogan’s face.
Her stomach twisted as the man landed a punch in Brogan’s gut, but he barely flinched. Instead, he caught the other man’s chin with a stiff uppercut that had the stranger staggering backward. Racing from the pond, Kira crept up behind the man and delivered a solid kick between his legs. A squeal of pain left the man’s lips, and as he doubled over, Brogan knocked him unconscious with one more punch. He crumpled like a sack of potatoes.
A furry streak raced from the water, and Kira gasped as Fergal sank his teeth into the man’s leg. Heather followed suit, applying her sharp teeth to the man’s groin.
“Fergal! It’s okay, we’ve got it. Thank you for helping.”
Bloody arse.
“Yes, he’s an arse. Heather, are you all right?”
Yes.
Brogan had dropped to the ground and cradled his head in his hands. Kneeling beside him, Kira pulled his hands away and gasped at the amount of blood that poured down his face.
“Brogan, are