Michael was rewarded with a burst of momentum as he flicked his tail back and forth. Great! He might actually live through this… just to be massacred by Carissa’s brother. Why had she insisted on them running?
Seeing that he had figured out how to swim, Carissa rubbed up along his side and shot for the shore.
Michael snorted and followed a few lengths behind her. She was going to have some explaining to do.
Carissa had already shaken off and was curled in the warm sand by the time Michael dragged his carcass from the water. Michael shook himself, shedding water droplets before turning his anger towards Carissa. He yelled at her—or would have, if he’d had a voice. Pacing the sand in front of her, he let go with the rough side of his tongue. Sure, she couldn’t hear it, but she would get the fact that he was mad at her, and it made him feel better. Was that amusement in her eyes? Did she find this funny? They could have been killed! He stuck his face into hers and growled at her.
The end of Carissa’s tail thwaped down on top of his head, knocking his chin into the sand. A clawed foot followed, pressing his head down. “One—” Carissa snapped at him, “—you do not talk to me that way!” She pressed harder on him, emphasizing her point. “Only my mate has the right to talk to me like that, and you have no claim on me!”
Michael’s inner voice writhed in agony at the truth in her words.
“My brother doesn’t even talk to me like that!”
Michael went limp under her claws. She was right; he really shouldn’t have blown up at her like that.
Seeing he had gone limp, Carissa shoved his head away, making Michael roll onto his side. Now she paced, yelling at him. Only she had the voice to do so. “Second—what the hell do you have to be mad about? I just saved your sorry ass!”
Michael lay there, taking his tongue lashing.
“We had to get out of there. My brother was not in a listening mood.” She let out a deep breath and flopped down on the sand. She was perpendicular to Michael’s sprawled form with her nose almost touching his. “We had to go. Give Daniel a little time to work. He was always good at handling my brother when he was in a tiff.” She sounded so forlorn.
Michael shifted so they lay together.
Carissa leaned against him. “I’m sorry that I didn’t warn you before we shifted space.” She let out another noisy breath. “I suppose that was your first time.”
Michael paused for a moment before nodding his head. What did she mean, ‘shift space’? He opened his mouth to ask, but closed it again. There was no point. He snorted again and leaned into her. Goodness, she felt good against him. He was going to miss her warmth when this was over. His inner voice screamed at him, but he smacked it down with a note of finality that silenced it. She already told him he didn’t have a claim to her. He was just going to have to find a way to deal with it.
“Let’s go.” Carissa sighed and pushed her way up from the soft sand. “It’s not far.”
Michael heaved himself up and followed her. Life’s simple truths had left him rather depressed. He was a hunted man, drawn to a woman he had no rights to. As soon as this whole sordid affair was over, she would go back to her world of high society. Hell, she probably had dozens of suitors waiting for her return. She might even have a lover somewhere. That thought depressed him even more. And he, well, he was likely out of a job.
Even if Daniel could clear this mess up, his coworkers would always look at him suspiciously. Then there was the whole split-personality thing. How could he handle missions with a voice in the back of his mind, feeding him commentary? Some of it went strictly against what he needed to do.
Michael let out another snort as he decided. Once this was over and his name was cleared, he’d resign. He’d pack up anything left from his ruined home, hop on his Harley, and hit the road. It didn’t matter where he went, life as he knew it was already over. Surprisingly, the voice in his head remained morbidly silent.
16
The sight Carissa saw when she peeked back over her shoulder confused her. Michael looked so forlorn. The tips of his wings scraped across the ground as he pulled himself forwards. His tail hung limply behind him, and his nose was just barely held above the dirt path. What did the man have to be depressed about? They had escaped unharmed. Daniel believed them. He could convince Kyle of Michael’s innocence. They could then arrest the one responsible, and things could go back to the way they were supposed to be.
But, they couldn’t. Carissa’s mind churned as they walked. Michael was a different person now. Sure, he was adjusting to his new nature, but it would be a while before he had that under control. And his good name had been dragged through the mud. Oh, that could make people not trust him, even if he were innocent. Ouch. She pondered the other changes in his life. His ruined home. That bit of his psyche his instincts had hijacked. What if he had a girlfriend? That thought brought a growl rumbling up from Carissa’s chest. She didn’t like the idea of someone else having a claim on him. Whoever this mystery chick was, she was going to have a fight on her hands whenever this was over. Carissa wasn’t going to let him go that easily.
What? Carissa stopped dead in her tracks as she processed the thought that passed through her mind. Her instincts had just staked a claim on Michael! How could she be so stupid? She had just reprimanded Michael for acting like her mate, and here she was, trying to claim him. In his brooding state, having her reject him like she had may account for part of his overwhelming depression. Her tail thrashed in anger at herself, and the fringy end whapped Michael in the side of the head, knocking him over.
Carissa squeaked as she spun around to check on Michael. His eyes were closed as he lay crumpled in the dirt. All the fight had gone out of him. She hadn't hit him that hard, had she? Shifting to human, she bent over the sprawled form.
"I am so sorry." Carissa felt his side to make sure he was breathing. He rumbled lightly under her fingers but didn't move. Okay, so she hadn't killed him with her tail. He was just giving up on life. That was almost as bad. She was going to have to do something to bring that fire back into him. It hurt her heart to see him so down.
"Come on." She carefully lifted him up to rest against her shoulder. He hung there, limp as a water-starved plant. "It's not that bad." She patted his back as she stood up. There was only a little bit farther to go.
Michael snorted a warm puff of air into her hair.
"Just give Daniel a little time to bring Kyle around. That will solve half the problems." Maybe. "I'm sure the two of them can figure out a way to clear your name with the information we gave them." Possibly.
Michael squirmed against her, scratching her with the points of his claws.
"Shhhh." She petted him soothingly as she headed towards the small cabin tucked away in the woods.
Carissa cuddled Michael to her as she dug out the keys to the cabin. Only she and her brother knew about this place. They had both gone to great lengths to make sure Eternity didn't discover it. It wasn't much, but it had served as Carissa's private getaway for those times when the world had finally gotten to be too much for her. She crossed the small living room to the couch and placed Michael on the center.
"Why don't you shift back while I go find something to wear?" Carissa turned from him and headed back down the hall. She didn't mind being naked around him, but Michael's depression had triggered her protective instincts. She just wanted to cuddle him close and make sure he was okay, and that would work a whole lot better if they were both dressed. Although, staying naked was one surefire way to break him out of his funk. She considered it for a moment as she pulled out clothing, a flowing gown for her and one of her brother's robes for Michael. Then, if things did turn hot and heavy, there wouldn't be much to get out of the way. Wow, she really needed to get her mind back up to a civilized level and stop thinking about ways she could distract Michael from his problems. Carissa pushed that thought away as she slipped into her dress.