“Two to one,” the first man said with a grin. “Better for your health to move along.”
A half laugh escaped me.
“I’m not too worried about it,” I said.
As soon as she tucked the boys’ heads into her hips, I knew she understood what was going to happen. The men hadn’t figured it out yet, though. The talker drew a gun and aimed for me as his partner stepped out from the car, right between me and the gun.
I dove for the partner, knocking him between the cars so the kids wouldn’t see if they tried to peek. Then I drew back and hit him in the face harder than I intended. The bone of his nose crunched with the impact. The need to contact an Elder gripped me, and I mentally reached out to Winifred.
Winifred, I’m reporting an incident with a human. He started a fight with an unprotected woman. I broke his nose.
Thank you for reporting the incident, she said back to me.
I might have more to report in a few minutes.
Foregoing the use of my speed, I ducked around front of the SUV to circle the man with the gun. He knew what I planned because he took a step back, making his way toward me and further away from Michelle and the kids. I grinned and waited. As soon as he cleared the side of the SUV, I yanked him from their view. A punch to the head knocked him out.
Two men knocked out in the parking lot of a diner. I wasn’t paying attention to the name of the town. The woman’s safe.
Emmitt, I hope you have a good explanation for breaking our la—
She’s my Mate. She’s human and doesn’t know what I am, Winifred.
There was a brief pause.
Bring her home, Emmitt.
Home. Wiping any blood from my hands, I stepped out from behind the SUV, not knowing what to say. A comment about the weather was the last thing she’d want to hear.
“Thank you,” she said, staring at me with her big, wide eyes.
She looked worse than she had in the diner. My girl was going to crash hard, but I needed to get her away from the diner parking lot before she did. If the police were called, they would ask questions and try to put her back into the life she’d escaped, a life that didn’t include me.
“Can you drive for a few miles?”
She nodded slowly, but doubt pulled at her expression.
“Good. I’ll follow you to make sure these two don’t.”
Bitter little puffs of fear were coming from the kids who were staring at me.
“Need help getting your kids in?” I asked, looking down at the boys.
“No, but thanks.”
I followed behind them and watched her open the back door. Once the boys were both in, I opened the door for her and waited to make sure she buckled. Her moves were slow and measured. I wanted to offer to drive, but I couldn’t leave the bike. It would be too obvious who’d knocked out the men. The police could trace the plates right to my place.
“Just drive south,” I said. “I’ll be right behind you.”
She nodded, and I looked her over once more before closing the door. Introducing myself would have to wait; she was scared and dead on her feet. I hoped she had enough in her to get out of town and somewhere to rest. After that, well, maybe we’d have more to talk about than the weather.
Chapter 2
She pulled out of the parking lot, barely missing the curb, but kept between the lines as we headed south. However, her accuracy didn’t last long. A few miles after leaving the town behind, she started to swerve. Nothing drastic, but a definite slip in attention. She needed to get off the road.
Ahead, I spotted a country used car lot, the kind of place that sold more farm implements than vehicles and specialized in old pickups and trading. Perfect. Opening the throttle, I came up alongside her. She glanced at me in surprise. Her white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel didn’t escape my notice. I pointed to the dealer ahead and motioned for her to pull over. She nodded and signaled. I fell behind her and almost had a heart attack when she didn’t slow down enough and fishtailed through the gravel turn.
I pulled in behind her and shut off the bike as I tugged the helmet off my head. She’s just tired, I told myself. She wasn’t trying to kill herself. Still, it took several moments to calm down enough so I would be able to speak to her without growling. When I knew I had myself under control, I set the helmet on the bike and approached the car.
Her head was on the steering wheel, and she wasn’t moving. The boys watched me from the back seat as I knocked on her window. She jumped and fear lit her eyes as she looked up.
Even after she saw it was me, the fear didn’t leave her expression. She reached for the window control but only dropped the glass a few inches. Just enough to hear me.
“You were starting to swerve,” I said, putting my hands in my pockets in an attempt to look unimposing. “How long since you last slept?”
It took her a moment to answer.
“It’s been a while.”
“That man, David, hinted this was how he followed you,” I said, nodding at her car.
I hoped she’d understand she needed to get rid of the car.
She looked away from me, and her gaze caught on the single, small building on the property. A man stood just outside the door, watching us. When the man noticed he had her attention, he started to walk toward us.
“Come on, guys. Let’s unbuckle and get out. Stay close,” she said.
I took a step back and glanced at the salesman as she opened her door.
“Howdy, folks. What can I do for you?”
“I need a different car,” Michelle said while the boys climbed out and moved close to her. She gently ran her fingers through their hair. Seeing her love and fear for them jacked the urgency to get her somewhere safe. To take her home. Given her reaction when I’d stepped up to the window, that might not be so easy. She obviously didn’t trust me, despite saving her.
“A trade?” the salesman asked, breaking my thoughts.
She nodded.
“To be honest, your car is probably worth two of any of the cars I have.”
“It’s okay,” she said.
But, the change in her pulse told me that was a lie. She didn’t need to worry about money, though. I’d help her.
“The insurance on this thing is too much for me. I need something worth a little less to bring down the premiums.”
The dealer happily led her through the collection of vehicles on his tiny lot.
“I think I have just the thing for you, then.”
He showed her a dark blue truck flecked with bits of rust. A truck meant I could put my bike in the back so I could drive and she could sleep. But, it also meant the kids would need to share a seatbelt. While I was trying to think of a way to help prod her to say yes, she surprised me by telling the guy she’d take it.
“Come inside, and we’ll sign the papers. Do you have the title with you?”
“Yes, I think so. Let me go get it.”
“I’ll get it for you and move your things,” I said from behind her. It would give me a chance to load my bike without witnesses. The faster we were on our way once she was done, the better.
While she went to the office with the salesman, I jogged to the car. The title was in the glove box. Tucking the paper into my back pocket, I opened the back door. Though the car seats wouldn’t fit in the truck, I removed them and her purse from the car, then loaded the seats in the back of the truck along with my bike.