and, to some extent, sound, feel, and smell as well.
Or like getting animals to do what you wanted.
If this was nephilim-related, that only meant we should mobilize faster. "I can only smell seagull and fish, but I…feel it…him."
Diesel handed me the notes he'd gathered and pushed his long dark hair off his forehead. He'd started washing it again, a fact that was pleasing to my nose as much as my soul. "Lead the way. I've been itching to get out of here for a bit anyway."
I scowled at that but kept my face away from his. I wasn't offended by the suggestion, but Diesel had lost more than any of us when our pack, the pack lands, and every living thing contained within had been destroyed. While we'd been away on a mission—one we failed—Diesel's heart, his mate and, one day, omega, had been ripped from him, torn from this world by an enemy we'd only recently identified.
For five years, I didn't think he would make it. He'd been like a ghost ship, sailing without a single crew member aboard. He was still touch and go. His outward behavior had improved along with his hygiene, but I saw him when he thought no one was looking, and the man was tortured.
But he was improving. And if he wanted to get out of the house for a bit to help me track down a person in trouble, then I could swallow my apprehension. Dog wasn't a great conversationalist anyway, and I didn't know how long we'd be on the road.
"Might take a while. You don't mind taking a break from the investigation?"
He jerked his head. "I know strategy. Knox will hold until Portal plays more of their cards. We're at too much of a disadvantage for anything else."
"Then let's go."
***
Knox was doubtful our search would come to anything but had no cause to ask us to stay. Knox's doubt mirrored what lurked in my gut. All I had was a stack of notes that smelled like animal. Not a one of them had a message that was all that helpful.
Green…so green.
Storri.
Tall tower.
Help me.
It wasn't a road map, but it was something. I didn't need clues anyway; I only needed to get out there. My wolf clawed close to the surface, aware that we were on the edge of something important.
Though it couldn't have been more than ten minutes, it felt like an eternity before Diesel, Dog, and I were on the road. After an accident involving a truck, a trailer, and a cliff, the Hummer had needed hours of work before it was road-ready again. She'd need a little more body work before the outside matched her insides, but she purred like a fat, old cat.
The seagulls hadn't left us. They'd followed me and Diesel back to the hotel, squawking angrily until we'd come back out. At the end of the cracked, uneven driveway, they'd flown in a chaotic swarm, turning right on the highway at the end of the cracked uneven driveway and setting us on a southerly course down the coast.
Dog lay longways on the seat behind us. His muscular hind legs stretched out before curling at the paws. I'd never tire seeing him relaxed enough to sleep with others present. I'd been a kid, hanging out with packmates off pack lands, when we'd stumbled on a dog-fighting ring. The others hadn't wanted to interfere, but I couldn't leave the tiny, bleeding gray puppy behind. I'd called in an anonymous tip, waiting for the cops to come in before I snagged the puppy and smuggled him back to packlands.
He wouldn't eat for two days and wouldn't sleep for another three, and then it took years to get him to feel safe enough to sleep with more than just me around.
Now he slept, ate…farted. He was well past the age where most dogs started taking life easy. I had a hunch that living with shifters and their longer lifespans had rubbed off on him somehow.
"Crack a window, man." Diesel slid his own window down while likely rethinking his decision to accompany us on a road trip to an unknown location.
I pushed the button to lower the back windows and let the ocean wind whip through the inside of the Hummer, carrying Dog's stench with it. Diesel complained prematurely. He should have tried sleeping in the same room, particularly after we'd had pizza and Dog had eaten everyone's crusts.
At least the weather was nice. Bright orange sun and blue skies for