"I mean stop it. Any way we can."

He nodded. "There's twine in the drawer to your right. I'll get a knife, just in case it does come down to killing."

I got the rope and the rolling pin that happened to be in the same drawer, and he got the knife. The scrape of nail came again, this time near the kitchen window.

Kade moved to my side, and leaned close, his lips brushing my ear as he said, "How do you want to play this?"

"You hold it kinetically, and I'll bop it over the head and tie it up."

"Where?"

I pointed to the window. He nodded and moved away. I took up my position, and raised an eyebrow in question. He nodded again.

I said, "Hey," as loud as I could, and that's all it took. The window exploded inward, the deadly shards of glass flying through the air as a mass of hair and snarls leapt into the room Kade froze it in midair, and I hit it across the head with the rolling pin, knocking it out. Then I grabbed the twine and tied all four legs together as well as its snout.

"Okay, you can let it—"

The rest of my words were cut off as a second mass of hair and teeth and claws leapt through the smashed window. It hit me chest-on, knocking me down and back I slid across the glass-covered floor, hissing in pain as I thrust out my hands, grabbing the thing by the throat and barely keeping the snarling, snapping teeth away from my face.

As suddenly as it had hit, it was torn away. There was a crash, then chair parts flew. I scrambled to my feet, saw the flash of metal in Kade's hand a second before he buried the blade in the creature's side.

The creature made an odd coughing sort of sound, and was still. Kade swung around and came to me.

"You all right?"

He didn't wait for my reply, but turned me around and studied my back Pain flared as he lifted the shirt and began to pluck shards of glass out of my back.

"We have to get moving," I said, twitching under his touch.

"Two more pieces to go." He plucked them out, then added, "I doubt whether we'll get out of here without being seen."

"Our only chance might be to run for the trees and edge our way around the town."

"Once we're a safe distance away from this house, how about we steal a car?"

I turned. "I thought you were a respectable builder?"

"Now, yes. As a youth?" He grinned, velvet eyes twinkling mischievously. "Let's just say that stallions tend to be wilder than most teenagers. I've done things that would make your hair curl." He caught several strands of my hair and tugged on them lightly. "Which would actually look quite pretty."

I smiled, rose up on my toes, and brushed a kiss across his lips. "Thank you."

His arm slipped around my waist, holding me carefully but close. "What for?"

His breath teased my lips, and had me trembling. "I'll explain when we have more time."

"Good." He kissed my nose then released me. "You might have to shift shape. Some of these cuts are fairly deep."

I did. "How come you're not fazed by me being a wolf?"

"Because it wasn't the wolf I first saw but a naked, luscious woman. Instinctive prejudices haven't a hope over raging lust."

My smile became a grin. "So how come you were trying to bite me when I first walked in?"

"I thought you might be another of the women they use to tease us into bloom before they milked us."

"What made you realize I wasn't?"

"The blood on your leg and side. And that punch you landed on my nose."

"That was a swat, not a punch."

"Then you must pack quite a punch." He raised a hand and brushed his fingers across my cheek.

"Perhaps." I stepped away, even though it was the last thing I wanted to do. "Let's get out of here."

"What about the mess?"

"The Directorate will send a cleanup crew. Our hosts will be none the wiser."

He followed me as far as the bedroom, then ducked inside, reappearing two minutes later with a wire coat hanger.

I raised an eyebrow. "Are there still cars out there without either central-locking or thumb-print locking?"

"Plenty of them, believe me."

I unlocked the door and walked out onto the small patio. Highlighted sharply against the stormy clouds, a solitary brown shape soared.

I motioned Kade to be still, watching the eagle until it wheeled out of sight. "Now."

We ran across the yard, leapt the small fence, and raced into the trees. The shadows soon enveloped us, and we slowed to a walk. Hurried movement would be more noticeable from above—and though Kade's red-brown skin and black clothing would make him difficult to spot, my red hair would stand out like a beacon if we got careless and hit sunlight.

There was no sound of pursuit, though it couldn't be that far behind. Who knew how long those creatures had been out there, listening and waiting?

It took just over an hour to make our way around the outskirts of the small town. Eventually, we stopped between several gums trees. I wiped the sweat from my eyes with a slightly trembling hand. Two hours' sleep just wasn't enough.

There was small parking lot on the other side of the road, with five cars sitting in the bays. There weren't any people to be seen. Hopefully, they'd all followed the path to the lookout point and wouldn't be back for a while.

I looked up at Kade. "You sure you want to take a car?"

"I can't see any other way of getting out of here quickly." He flicked sweat away from his forehead with a finger, then added, "Your hair is going to glow out in that sun. I'd offer to give you my shirt, but my skin is likely to draw as much attention as your hair."

I gave him a wry look. "That is such a poor excuse."

He grinned, not bothering to deny it. I pulled off my T-shirt. "You tie it back. I might not catch it all."

His gaze skated down my body and his grin grew. "Gotta love werewolves and their lack of inhibitions."

"That lack of inhibitions has landed me in court often enough already. Let's get this over with before a cop turns up and arrests me."

"Sweetheart, not even the holiest of men would be hurrying at this particular moment."

I rolled my eyes, and he chuckled softly. After covering my hair, he slid his hands around my waist, and pulled me back against his warm, hard body. As his big hands slid up to cover my breasts, he brushed a kiss across my shoulder. "When we are safe, I intend to love you senseless."

I tilted my head back against his shoulder, and his lips met mine. Our kiss was slow and tender and so very, very thorough. Neither of us were breathing very steadily by the time we'd finished.

"A vow I shall hold you to," I found the breath to say. I pulled away and twined his fingers through mine "Now, shall we go car shopping?"

He tugged me out of the shadows. The breeze that played amongst the trees was warmer out in the open, and the road surface hot against my toes. We made our way casually across, walking along the strip of grass between the road and the car park until we came to an old blue ford.

"And natural!), he picks the oldest, most battered of all five."

"This is what they call a classic—over fifty years old and worth a sheer fortune."

I frowned dubiously. "If it's that old, and this ratty, will it run?"

"It got here, didn't it?"

"Yeah, but maybe it's still here because it won't go any farther."

"Trust me, it'll go " He raised my fingers to his lips and kissed them before letting go. "Keep watch."

I crossed my arms, checked the skies for spies, then watched him untwine the coat hanger. After making the hook at the end tighter, he moved to the driver's door and wriggled the hook between the door and the frame. Within a minute or two there came a soft click.

Followed very closely by the rumble of an approaching car.

"Kade," I warned, and glanced over my shoulder. "A cop car. Wouldn't you know it."