Kick Back - Susi Hawke Page 0,11

your own life on the line to assist me with this final mission. This is the first time I've been inside the royal plane, would you believe it?"

Nash snorted a laugh. "I believe it. Coming here was my first time and let me tell you, it rides as smooth as you think it will. I didn't feel so much as a bump of turbulence, although that could have been luck." He glanced at the omegas before looking back at me. "This is a fine thing you've done here, Father. A mighty fine thing. As life missions go, this is the best one I've seen. How long have you been involved in the underground? My brother says Darius has been doing it for ten years; did you start at the same time?"

I'd noticed during the hours we spent together that Nash wasn't a big talker. The fact that he was making conversation now showed me that he was truly interested. Either that, or he was trying to get me talking so I'd stop worrying. He seemed like a kind man, despite his avowed profession, so either option was a possibility.

"No, I've been doing this for twenty-eight years, believe it or not. After my brother went missing and I discovered the truth, I took a sabbatical and searched for answers. I traveled the world, asking anybody in authority for help. Another priest finally took me aside and that was it. He told me to stop asking questions before somebody considered me a danger. He was an older man, a koala shifter, actually. He didn't give me his name but instead told me about the underground and how I could help."

I scratched the bristles where my five-o'clock shadow was already thick enough to shave. Hmm, maybe now I could let it grow. My bishop had preferred a clean-shaven look but I'd always liked the look of a beard. I gave my head a shake when I realized my mind was wandering and returned to my story.

"After that conversation, I got in touch with the underground and then returned to the seminary. It was perfect timing that the position here on my home island opened right after I was ordained. I suppose it felt right to return to the place where my brother was stolen from me to help save others from his fate. By that time, my brother had been missing for five years."

Nash looked surprised. "I didn't realize you were from this country; I'm not sure why I assumed otherwise. It makes sense that you would work to save your fellow citizens."

I smiled, shaking my head. "I wasn't born here. My family is originally from Sweden. We moved here when I was a cub after my father was offered a job with the palace. That's how I met Darius, in fact. I attended many state dinners before I broke contact with my parents."

"Are your parents still around?"

"Oh, yes. Darius still sees them at the occasional party when he makes an appearance. But we haven't spoken in years, aside from superficial chitchat when we find ourselves at the same gathering or pass in the marketplace. While I try to keep a low profile and not attract too much attention in order to protect the underground, I'm not so perfect that I can pretend to forgive what they did. That's between them and their maker. He can forgive them but I'm not going to. And yes, this is something that I repent for as often as I feel necessary. But those moments of concern don't happen quite as often these days. As I get older, I’ve realized that it's okay to judge them for the evil they did."

Our conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Darius and Gib. I watched with bated breath as my mate followed them onto the plane. He didn't say a word, but simply walked over and took the seat beside me. My lion purred and I looked inside myself to find him grooming himself for our mate. Silly cat. I blinked and turned to look at him when I felt myself being watched by those whiskey-brown eyes. He smiled softly, but held his tongue while the rest of our party got settled. Dear was his name, I’d learned. It fit—I knew already that he would be quite dear to me.

Nash closed the cabin door and let the pilot know we were ready for takeoff before joining us. Darius and Gib sat directly across from me, both of them watching