A whooshing sound came from above two seconds before Naomi landed ten feet in front of us.
“Did you see anything of note?” I asked, starting to disrobe in front of her.
“Non, there was nothing. And I don’t believe there’s any hurry. It’s most peculiar, but it seems no one knows the plane went down. I found an airport in a city not too far from here. It would be a logical place to send out a search party, but there is no panic or activity whatsoever.”
A plane doesn’t usually pop off the radar without someone knowing. “That’s great news for us, but bad for the pilots.” I glanced over at the damaged plane.
Rourke nodded, and said, “Naomi, since there’s no immediate pursuit, I want you to fly to the closest town you can find and call the crash in. Be obscure about how you discovered the information and make sure you use a phone that can’t be traced back to us in any way. Snatch one from a human if you need to, and then meet up with Ray. We’ll see you in two hours.”
“Oui, no problem,” Naomi said.
“Also,” I added, handing her my shirt, “I want you to take our clothes after we shift. Tyler and Danny will need clothes too, once they arrive, which we hope will be in a few hours.” I eyed my mate’s white linen Bahamian outfit and tried to stifle a smile. They had been the only duds we could find on the island before we left. “Rourke will also need some… alternative clothing. Island linen isn’t his first choice.” He growled at my comment and I started peeling off my pants. I addressed my mate. “Tell her what size you need. She can stop somewhere after she calls in the crash.”
“XXXL.”
3
Naomi left after we undressed, taking both sets of our clothes and my backpack from the plane. I called to Rourke, who had stationed himself behind the plane to disrobe so he wouldn’t embarrass Naomi. “Where do you want to shift?”
He walked around the plane looking strong, virile, and very, very naked.
I wished, with every fiber of my being, that we were back on Rum Cay at this very moment. But we weren’t, so we had to make do. And we only had about four minutes left to get out of here before Marcy’s spell ran out.
“There’s no great place.” He gestured in front of me as he came forward. “Pick anywhere. We’re going to get wet, but it can’t be helped. And, Jess, once we’re in our animal forms, I need you to follow me no matter what.”
“I have no issue with you taking point.” I waded toward a very narrow patch of land surrounded by knee-deep water. “I haven’t fully shifted in a long time, so my body feels itchy. I’m so ready for it.” I lay down in the prickly brush trying not to be too disgruntled about where we had to make our transformations. However, my wolf howled in pleasure at the prospect of shifting. Once we start running, I’m giving you control. She barked her agreement. Having my wolf at the forefront in animal form was the best for both of us.
Rourke made his way to another small patch of marsh nearby and dropped to his knees. “I keep forgetting you haven’t shifted very many times.”
“It’s easy to forget when I’m constantly in and out of my Lycan form.” That form was almost second nature to me now. It wasn’t the same as a full shift into a wolf, but it did give me a break from constantly craving a full change. “Do you think we’ll be able to talk internally when we’re in our animal forms?” We hadn’t shifted together since we’d mated and made it official.
“I would assume so,” he said, grinning over at me, “but we’re about to find out.”
Once I was down, almost instantaneously my back bowed and my arms and legs lengthened. It was a smooth, pain-free transition, and over before I knew it. Once we were done, we jumped to our feet. I’d forgotten how exaggerated everything was in this form. My hearing, sense of smell, and awareness were amplified. I turned my head toward Rourke. He was already up and it was all I could do not to cower. How did we forget how awesome he is in this form? My wolf howled and our muzzles lifted to the sky before I could rein her in.
The sound we made was beautiful as it echoed around the marshlands.
Rourke snuffed at us, turning his head north and nodding once. His fur was a beautiful dark gold with chocolate stripes flowing down his flank and over his legs. He was intimidating in this form, but now that we had coupled and had a bond, there was much less fear. His front incisors were curved and long, and as he lifted his head to roar, the ground shook.
He took off at a run and I followed without hesitation.
Rourke, can you hear me?
Yep, I can hear you loud and clear. Try to dodge the water and stay on higher ground. Do you scent the animals?
I raised my muzzle in the air. I did smell them. Over the smell of all the grasses, stagnant water, insects, and salt, there was an overlay of musky reptile. Several kinds from what I could detect.
When you smell one close, he said, go around it. We’re moving too fast for them to actually get a good bite, but if we surprise a large gator at the right moment, it’s not going to be pretty.
Got it. I don’t smell many, thankfully.
Me neither. I think the water down here at the southern tip is not deep enough. The true Everglades will be to our left as we head north. We need to be tactical about how we’re going to get there. Where did Naomi say the wolves were, exactly?
She didn’t say. But before we took off on the plane, she said they were in something like an abandoned homestead. I’m thinking that kind of place has to be deep in the Everglades, very remote.