The storm raged, making conversation almost impossible as they drove back to the cabin. Not that she minded. There was a certain intimacy in sitting here, cocooned in warmth, the sound of rain pounding on the car's roof mingling with the swish of wipers. And Ethan caressing her thigh as he drove, warming her more thoroughly than any car heater ever could.
She was almost disappointed when the car slowed and he moved his hand to change gears. She opened her eyes to discover they were back at the cabins.
"If those lights are anything to go by, you're grandmother's still awake," he said. "You want to go in and give her an update?"
"We'd better." If they didn't, she'd just come in to see them. "Besides, she might have heard from Seline while we were out."
They got out of the car and raced for the door. Gwen opened it as they neared, and heat and warmth rushed out at them.
"Lit the fire in your cabin, too," she said. "Thought you might appreciate it."
"Thanks." Kat took off the two jackets and hung them over the chair to dry. "You heard anything from Seline yet?"
"They found some text that looks promising. She hopes to have it transcribed by morning." Gwen's gaze narrowed slightly. "I'm gathering the mara got away again?"
Kat nodded and held out her hands to the fire. "With the kid, unfortunately. The farmer's son took me out before I had a chance to follow it."
Gwen looked at Ethan. "And you had no chance of following it?"
He shook his head. "I couldn't even smell it, let alone see it."
"So the mara is invisible even when it's holding the kid?"
Kat turned and warmed her rear-end. "The kid was invisible, too. I didn't feel any sort of psychic shield, so it has to be some form of magic."
"Psychic shield?" Ethan asked as he stripped off his wet shirt.
Kat tried not to stare at all the lean muscle on show, then gave it up when she realized her grandmother was openly enjoying the view, and Ethan didn't seem to care.
"Many vampires have the ability to touch your mind and make you think they disappear into shadow," she said. "But the reality is, your brain simply stops seeing them."
"So is this mara some form of vampire, or a spirit?"
"It could be both." Gwen disappeared into the bathroom and came back with towels she tossed to both of them. "So, we — or you — try to hunt down this thing in the morning."
Kat nodded. "We'll start with that cabin Ethan found. The zombies have to be guarding something."
"It could just be a trap," Ethan said.
"The only way to know if it's a trap is to spring it." Gwen's voice was grim.
"You two had better go get something to eat, then grab some sleep. I've got a feeling it's going to be a long day tomorrow."
But hopefully, in the end, a more successful one than today, Kat thought. "Have you eaten?"
"Yep. I'll stay here and work on zombie deterrents." She hesitated, her eyes twinkling mischievously as she added, "With the all the noise of the storm and such, I'm not going to be getting much sleep anyway, am I?"
"I guess not," Kat said blandly. She could feel Ethan's gaze on her. Feel his sudden amusement. "Just make sure you set the warding stones again."
"I have. Stop fussing and go get warm."
Kat walked into the other cabin and discovered two meals of steak and fries waiting for them in the fridge. And the coffee machine on and ready. She zapped the meals in the microwave and poured two cups of coffee as Ethan squatted near the old record player.
"What do you prefer?" he said. "Elvis Presley or Frank Sinatra?"
"There isn't anything more modern?"
"It's them or jazz, and personally I'm not a big fan of jazz."