“You think her life is in danger?” Logan visibly flinched, but he hadn’t moved to get up yet.
Amanda tugged a T-shirt over her head and then pulled her long hair free of the neckline. “We would be stupid to take any chances. Melinda said all three previous times the spirit manifested itself to your siblings it was to warn them against some sort of future doom. Let’s assume that’s the case here. Maybe I’m the doom.”
Logan at least swung his legs over the side of the bed.
Sawyer already had on jeans and was reaching for his boots. “Move it, Masters. Let’s go.”
He hesitated a moment and then stood. “Okay, but we need to think this through a bit further. It’s not as if we can just drive up the access road where anyone who works there can see us.”
“You’re right,” Sawyer said as he tied his work boots. “That’s why we aren’t going to take the access road. We will park off the main road to the west of that entrance and walk up.”
“In human form?” Logan asked.
Amanda turned to look at him as she pulled her hair back in a band. “Is this the juncture where you tell me I now have the ability to shift like you?”
Logan shook his head. “I wish.”
“Then I’m going to say yes. I’m human, so I’ll be in my regular everyday body,” she joked.
“One of the two of us should shift so we have a better sense of our surroundings,” Sawyer declared. “And then we will pick our way up the mountain toward the site. When we get closer, but not close enough to be noticed, we’ll turn around and come back down.”
Logan blew out a breath, but he finally gathered his wits and rushed around putting on clothes and shoes. “Coffee at least?”
“Nope,” Amanda replied. “After we get this done, then we can caffeinate. I feel an urgency that won’t let up.” She pointed to the spot where the spirit had hovered. “Spooky black auras hanging around in my bedroom can do that to a person.”
Amanda ducked into the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth, but that was it. They needed to move. How she knew was a mystery, but after everything she’d been through in the last few days, she wasn’t about to question the plans Fate had for her and her mates. Fate as an actual entity with powers and control over the universe was a new concept to her, but she was a bright girl. It was time to take heed.
»»•««
“How much farther?” Amanda asked. Her legs burned from exertion, and the chill in the air when they’d started out was dissipating, leaving her too warm in her jacket and jeans. It wasn’t far. But it was uphill, and they weren’t on any sort of path.
She had considered changing to yoga pants or shorts, but both men had shaken their heads and explained how dense some of the brush would be hiking up a mountain in an unmarked area. She needed the protection of having her legs completely covered against poisonous plants and the risk of getting cut by a branch.
“Almost there.” Logan pointed ahead of them. “See that smoke? That’s coming from the vehicles as they park to get started.”
Sawyer plodded along directly in front of her in wolf form. He was larger than any normal wolf she’d ever seen, but then again, so was his human side. His fur was a gorgeous dark brown that matched his human hair, and his eyes were the same deep chocolate also.
Occasionally she rubbed his back with her hand as if he were a puppy. He didn’t seem to mind.
“I know it seems far, but taking this direct route, it’s really only about a quarter mile from where we left the car.” Logan paused to reach a branch at eye level and tie another length of red rope in place.
The rope was the best thing they could come up with on short notice to leave some markers. And it worked out splendidly he happened to have red. Although he said every man worth his salt had red rope on hand in case he needed to haul something in his truck that stuck out too far and needed to be flagged.
Sawyer agreed, so Amanda simply took it in stride and continued cutting several lengths of it to carry with them.
“There.” Logan pointed in front of them again. “See that tree swaying?”
“Yeah.” She lifted her gaze, using her hand as a visor to cut down on the glare of the sun.
“It’s about to fall.”
“Wow. It’s so tall. That’s amazing.” She watched as it leaned to one side slowly and then faster until it disappeared out of sight. “And sad in a way.”
“Yeah.” Logan grabbed her hand. “But look around you. The forest is vast. As long as everyone follows the law, clearing an area is actually beneficial to the environment in many ways. They have to replant of course, and take care of the area after they’re done, but Nature will take over after that.”