Shiver(82)

“Stow the weapons too.” Raven indicated Lynx’s rifle. Lynx reluctantly handed it over to Pike with a pout. “After the kids are taken care of, we can sit down and make a plan.”

Eva nodded and patted Lynx’s arm. “Would you help me find a place to lie down and rest for a while.”

Lynx gathered his pixie wife up into his arms. “I knew you were overdoing it.” He carried her out of the kitchen leaving Raven and Aidan alone.

Raven felt the burn of Aidan’s gaze as she slowly put away the first aid kit and cleaned the kitchen. Pike returned with a flannel shirt and parka. Aidan thanked him, and he left.

“Where’s Fiona?” Aidan asked, carefully sliding his injured arm into the borrowed shirt.

“Fairbanks. Gran had an appointment.”

“Is she okay?”

Raven grinned. “Once a month, Gran meets with a group of friends who are concerned over protecting the habitat of the mosquito.”

“Excuse me?” His brows shot up in disbelief.

“They get together and drink Bloody Marys in sympathy of the mosquitoes’ plight.”

Aidan laughed, though it didn’t break the tension that weaved through the room like the electric currents of the Northern Lights.

“You can’t stay out at Earl’s anymore,” Raven said. “You don’t have any firewood, and—”

“I’m not arguing with you.”

“—you’ll stay at my place,” she finished.

“What?” He paused in buttoning his shirt.

“You heard me.” She folded her arms across her chest.

“No.” He shook his head, his mouth tightening into a hard line. “I won’t put you and Fox in harm’s way.”

“Your uncle is a coward. He’ll wait until you’re alone.”

A reluctant grin crossed his face. “I’d love to see Roland’s face hearing you call him a coward.” Then he sobered. “You don’t want me staying with you.”

She looked at him from under her lashes. “You don’t know what I want.”

His hot eyes flicked to hers, and he made to get out of his chair just as a wide-eyed Fox barreled into the room.

“Dad?”

Raven’s heart tripped. Dad?

“What happened to your Tahoe?”

“Uh…big rock hit the windshield.”

“Then how’d you get a bullet hole in the rear fender?”

Aidan shared a look with Raven, and then turned back to Fox. “You’re too smart for your own good.”

Fox pulled up a chair. “What happened.”

Raven joined them at the table. “Fox—”

“No more secrets, Mom.” He tightened his lips, his eyes those of an adult and not a boy.

Raven shared another look with Aidan. “Okay, no more secrets. Aidan, you want to start?”

Aidan blanched. “Me?”

“Welcome to parenthood.” She couldn’t help the smirk. Parenting wasn’t for wimps.

Aidan cleared his throat and hesitantly started the afternoon events with seeing the smoke from the woodpile. He kept glancing at Raven to see if he was doing okay. The man was as nervous as an arctic hare staring down a pack of ravenous wolves.

She had to give it to him. He downplayed the shooting and focused on the moves that had brought them to safety, even going so far as to compliment her on her NASCAR driving skills. She gave him a nod of approval.

Aidan wiped the sweat from his brow.

“So, you’ll be okay?” Fox asked, glancing at Aidan’s arm.

“I’ll be fine. Eva will make sure of it.”

Fox planted his elbows on the table. “Okay, so what’s the plan?”



The plan sucked.

Aidan fell back in his chair. How did he get these people out of his life? Being a loner wasn’t so bad. Why had he always wished for a large, caring family? They were noisy, opinionated, and they were going to get themselves killed.

All because of him.

He wouldn’t have it.

They’d crowded into the kitchen, the whole clan, except Chickadee who’d been sent away with a frustrated Fox, and Gran, who was tipsy from her mosquitoes’ plight party. Peter and Lana had been invited to join in the scheming.

“We need to call Garrett,” Peter repeated.

“No troopers,” Aidan said. Besides, he’d had more than enough of Garrett last summer.

“You were shot at,” Peter stressed, holding Lana’s hand. “When do you think we should bring in the troopers?”

“I’m the law here,” Lynx injected. “We’ll catch him and then we’ll turn him over to the troopers in Fairbanks.”

Lana smothered a sob.

“You okay?” Aidan asked, concerned that this was too much for his young cousin.