Page 25 of Valentine's Day Treasure

Ella shook her head while she washed her bowl, laughing a little. She didn’t know whether to make the stew again often… or never again.

Behind her, Trevor surprised her by saying, “You’re right—we will have to haul gear. Beckett, how many snowmobiles do you have?”

“Only two, and neither has a tow assembly.”

“Bruin’s can tow a sled,” Mac said quickly.

Ella turned around to watch the males as they started to work together. Trevor had his hand on his chin, his eyes on the ceiling.

“The females will all ride,” he said, ticking off three fingers on one hand. “Two on one snowmobile, and some gear can go behind the single rider.” He pointed at Mac. “Mac, you and Bruin get the sled out of the garage and hook it up. You can take the stew, and everyone’s uniforms. The rest of us are going in wild.”

Ella felt a rush of excitement. She was going to snowmobile and Trevor was going to run as a wolf?

The day just gotinteresting.

13—Landing in Scotland

Graeme flew over the Cairngorms Mountains, going lower and lower the closer he got to home, breathing deeply of the crisp Scotland air, a mix of conflicting feelings twisting his mind.Nae bother.His home was with Heather now, and the young in her belly, with a fierce pack ofwolvenand half-angels as their friends.

They’d been flying for three hours, faster than a plane, and the time difference from Serenity to Scotland meant it was now 7 p.m. and dark out. The night was cold and the sky cloudless. Graeme scanned the mountainside, and the forest below, sensing no humans, no people at all, but plenty of wildlife sleeping and hunting in the forest.

“There it is!” Heather shouted, pointing in the correct direction.

My cottage? Can ye see it?

No. I guess I just… feel it.

Gar it appear.

What?

Make it appear.

From up here?

If ye can sense it, ye can make it appear.

Graeme tilted a bit to compensate as Heather leaned to the side, getting a good look. Her temperature flared briefly, and the cottage appeared.

Heather squealed in delight and Graeme swelled with pride at his littledragenmate. His whole life, he never would have considered someone adragenif they couldn’t transform, but Heather proved she had adragen’sheart every single day. He flew past and around his cottage, descending in slow circles, skimming the dark treetops, relishing the feel of his mate on his back, thinking she must surely make him stronger. The ground came up too fast, and he spread his wings wide to go up again, skimming the clearing in front of the cottage, making Heather whoop and grip him tighter with her thighs.

Aye, lass, that’s the way, he purred at her, feeling suddenly like having her underneath him rather than on top of him.

She didn’t respond for a second, then she laughed silkily in his head.Are we flying or…?

Graeme landed in the clearing near the front door with a bit of a thump. Again, he transformed and spun, catching his mate before she could fall. He pressed his lips to hers, pulling her close, his hands on her hips, hers around his shoulders. He put her down gently, pressing her against him, still kissing her, until, regretfully, he had to pull away. Her eyes were closed and she smiled slightly, her face upturned, her lips parted, as she waited for more. He gave her one more soft kiss, and then he let go of one of her hands and smiled at her. She opened her eyes, and only then saw his secret project.

“What’s that?” Heather said, pointing at the edge of the trees where a small building stood that had not been there the last time they’d visited.

Forest loo, Graeme said.

Heather smiled at him. “For me?”

He laughed.Isnae for me, lass.

She squeezed his hand and said, “Thank you.”

Yer fine,he said, with a wink and a smile.It’d cost a fair bit to have the composting toilet built way out in this remote area, and the police chief had had to pull a few strings for him, but Heather’s comfort was important to him, and he had plenty of money.

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