Page 23 of Snowbound with the Alpha Wolf
“With lots ofcurry.”
His nose wrinkled. “Curry? I’m afraid not, Darcy. Curry and I do not getalong.”
“Too bad. You don’t know what you’remissing.” She dug into the groceries she’d insisted on helping him purchase and withdrew a bag of corn chips. Darcy ripped open the cover and began munching. She held one out tohim.
Adrian shook his head. “Do you know what that does to your insides? There’s enough oil on those to makekindling.”
He snatched the bag from her and marched into the livingroom.
“Hey, that’s mysnack!” sheprotested.
After removing a chip from the bag, he tossed it into the fireplace. Flames licked the chip and then eagerly consumed it as much as Darcyhad.
She gave him a pointed look. “I’m not going to swallow a lit match, so you don’t have to worry about my insides burning up. I like junkfood.”
“How a sprite like you survives on barbecued cardboard and oil isbeyond me,” he murmured. “Stick with me, and I’ll serve you real food that will make you forget where the chip aisleis.”
In no time, he’d seasoned and prepared the roast lamb, and the smell drifted through the kitchen. He’d added new potatoes to the oven while she made a salad. Raising a brow at the carrots and cucumbers she added, he remarked, “Real vegetables, Darcy? Notchips?”
“Up yours,” she retorted with cheer, though her stomach tightened. Food was a delicate issue with her shifting. Too much of the wrong food and she’d struggle to accommodate a different animalbody.
Without making a quick trip to drink the magick potion that enabled her to easily transform, shifting presented a real challenge. But she couldn’t risk a trip now, not under his watchfuleye.
While dinner cooked, they went into the living room to look over the map Adrian provided of the abandoned town and the mine. Darcy didn’t like that the mine had one entrance. One exit. If they ran into trouble, they were sittingducks.
“Are you sure you hid the snow crystal in the back of the mine?” At his nod, she sighed. “And of course you hid it near Lars’sbody.”
“No,his body is here.” Adrian leaned forward, pointed to a side shaft. “It’s a long drop down and filled with water. He’s probably rotted bynow.”
Maybe. In her thirty-four years, Darcy had learned to never take anything for granted, especially the magick of a powerful alpha who’d originated in the Dark Kingdom. Lupines who’d lived there had exercised their powers and honed them as ninjas sharpenedtheir swords. They were more lethal, and unpredictable, than Lupines who lived among Skins and learned to control their magick and showrestraint.
“How long will it take to get to the mine?” Judging from the snowfall outside and the shrinking daylight, they would be under a tightdeadline.
“A couple of hours.” Adrian leaned back, firelight casting shadows on his handsome face, histaut jaw. “We leave in the morning. I don’t know how bad the mountain road is. If the snowmobile doesn’t work, we’ll have to go on foot for a couple of miles. There are snowshoes in the backshed.”
Good thing she was in great shape and enjoyedhiking.
“They’ll come in handy. Do you still have that short sword youbought?”
“Packed it in my carryon. Concealed with magick sosecurity didn’t see it.” Adrian gave a lazystretch.
“Wish I’d have packed more than my knife,” shemused.
He laughed. “My little bloodthirstywarrior.”
Darcy stiffened. “Sorry, I’m practical. In my work, I run into all kinds of threats, unlike the polished females of your pack who think breaking a nail is cause forworry.”
His fingers tunneled through her hair as hedrew closer. “Pearls and designer dresses versus jeans and hiking boots. You’d look elegant in anything, but I prefer you just the way you are.” Adrian’s voice dropped to a husky whisper. “Even better in the suit you were born in, lying in my bed beneath the flannel sheets. I would keep you very warm,Darcy.”
She gave a singularly sweet smile. “Adrian,honey.”
“Yes?” He leaned closerstill.
“You’redinging.”
The timer chimed again. Muttering a curse, he sprang up and dashed into thekitchen.
A few minutes later, they dined on Adrian’s gourmet-cooked lamb, which was roasted to perfection. He added a bottle of sparkling water, knowing she preferred not to drink before anassignment.
