Page 33 of Urn My Love

Ahead of me on the trail, I caught movement. Slowing to a walk, my eyes made out the form of a man sitting on a log on the side of the path.

“Good morning!” I called out to the man sitting on the side of the trail. “Everything okay?”

The man gave me a lopsided grin. “I’m fine. Just a little dizzy. I guess I’m not used to running at this elevation.”

“It can take some getting used to,” I commiserated, although my phoenix shifter side made altitude of little concern for me.

The man’s chocolate brown eyes squinted up at me. “Hey, aren’t you Iolani? I was planning to come find you when I got back to the lodge.”

“Um, yeah?” I answered, hesitant to answer this complete stranger, even though there was an odd sense of having met him before.

“Sorry! That sounded so creepy.” The man smacked his forehead in an exaggerated gesture. “I’m Thom, and I was sent by Xerxes—well, Ryls. She threatened to come here herself if Xerxes didn’t send someone to help watch your back. Did you get the suitcase I left for you at the front desk?”

“That sounds like Ryls. She’s a firecracker when she gets an idea in her head.” I chuckled. “And yes, thanks for the clothes! I traveled light since I knew I would ride up to the lodge. So how’d you get an entire suitcase up here?”

Thom shrugged. “The weather cooperated yesterday morning for a helicopter to fly up here. After dropping the gear, I rappelled down.”

He stood. “If you’re ready to head back to the lodge, I’m good to jog again.”

“Sounds good!” I grinned, and let him set the pace before following into step beside him. “So when do you leave?”

“Whenever you tell me to, boss lady,” Thom wheezed, clearly still struggling with running in the thin mountain air. “I’m on permanent loan until either you’re finished with your work, or until you get tired of me and send me packing.”

“I hope you’re being paid to do this.” I winced, hating that he was being forced to help me.

“Don’t feel bad! I volunteered. It beats cleaning up the mess at Xerxes’ home and military base in Mexico.” He shot me a smile that, combined with his boy-next-door good looks, would’ve had most girls hurrying to drop their panties.

But although I felt a connection to him, I didn’t feel the pull of the fated mate bond. Plus, I had my hands full with August and Jazriel. The last thing I needed was a third man in the mix.

As we rounded a corner on the trail, we came face-to-face with a moose. I didn’t know if it was a male or female, but I didn’t think it really mattered. Not when it was almost two feet taller than me at its shoulder and its antlers were almost wider than I was tall. Plus, it appeared the only thing this moose hated more than mornings was humans.

“We need to back away very slowly.” Thom’s hand grabbed my arm, and he pulled me backward.

The moose charged, closing the distance between us with an almost paranormal speed. I didn’t want to injure the beast unless there was no other choice, but I also didn’t want Thom to get stomped into a pancake.

Shoving Thom out of the way, I ran toward the moose. At the last moment, I veered to the side and shot down an animal path and away from the main trail. The moose took the bait and changed direction to chase me.

I ran through the woods, weaving between tree trunks and ignoring the thorns yanking at my hair and cutting my skin. When I was sure Thom would be well out of the moose’s line of sight, I turned and ran back to the main trail, planning to spread my wings and take to the air.

But as I raced back onto the trail, I was rammed in the side by what felt like a freaking boulder. My body flew back in the direction I’d just come, sliding across the ground and into the underbrush. I didn’t even have a chance to call my magic before a large hoof cracked down on my head.

Over and over, the two moose stomped and kicked my crumpled body. Ribs cracked, I shrieked as my ankle and forearm shattered under the weight of the hooves. Each time I tried to call my magic, another sharp blow to the head caused me to lose focus.

I’d just closed my eyes to wait for the death blow I knew was coming when a strong wind surged down the trail, whipping up dirt and leaves. An ear-drum piercing shriek of raw fury seemed to come from everywhere around me.

Opening my eyes. I watched as the large gryphon dropped to the ground, still screaming at the moose. He wrapped the talons of one of his massive feet around me, not crushing me, but making it clear he was claiming their kill.

How lame. The only way I’d been able to get the sexy gryphon to claim me was to look like roadkill. I’d learned a lot about weird human kinks during my time on Earth thanks to the internet, but this was a new one I wasn’t really sure I could get down with.

Bellowing in annoyance, the moose slowly backed into the woods.

The moment they were gone, August shifted.

“You really suck with animals, you know that?” His voice was rough, but his hands were gentle as he practically scraped me off the trail.

“I noticed. Really sucks, since I wanted to be one of those princesses who had animals singing to her and cleaning her house.” I laughed, then regretted it as pain ripped through my chest.

Closing my eyes, I called my magic and sent it searching for the damage.

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