Indigo pushed the dirt back into the hole. "Just in case they come back to check."

"Good idea." Drew patted it down as the Psy operative had done, hiding all evidence of interference.

"I'll go get my cell." But when she did, she found she had no signal either at the spot where they'd stashed the packs or at the clearing itself. "d.a.m.n, the storm must've damaged the cell transmitter up here. I'll have to run to lower ground." The phone had worked fine at the campsite.

"I don't think there's any huge urgency," Drew said. "They'd have had no need to hide the object if it was meant to do something soon."

Indigo agreed. "Then one of us might as well head all the way back to the den. It'll be easier to lead the techs up here than try to direct them to the spot."

"You're faster," he said. "You do the run. I'll shift and stay in the trees."

Stashing the phone in the hollow of a fallen tree, Indigo shifted. Drew waited until she was in wolf form before stroking his hand down her back in a long, slow caress. "Be careful." A pause. "You belong to me now."

He was pushing. That's what predatory changeling men did-and it was something she could handle. Biting lightly at his arm in mock reproof, she streaked out from under his touch, his fingers trailing warm and heavy through her fur.

It was only when she was almost halfway down that she realized Drew hadn't even hesitated before stating that she was the faster runner. In spite of the fact that he'd followed her lead earlier, part of her had still been expecting some stupid male act, but again, he'd surprised h- She yipped, having almost missed a jump.

Taking that as a sign, she pushed all human thought out of her mind and let her wolf take over. The den appeared out of the forest just as she was starting to tire from the intensity of the run, a welcome sight. Inside, she followed Hawke's scent to his quarters in the area set aside for unmated soldiers. As alpha, he could've commanded a far bigger s.p.a.ce, but he had a room almost identical to Drew's. The sole difference was that he had another, slightly bigger, connected room-with an attached galley-where he could hold private, relaxed meetings with the senior members of the pack.

Sc.r.a.ping her paw on his door, she waited for him to open it. He did so almost at once. "Indigo," he said, his tone sharp. "I'll get you a T-shirt."

She nodded, grateful. Nudity with her alpha was no big deal, but she'd just come from Drew's arms-something Hawke had obviously scented-and it would feel odd to be naked in front of another man when things between her and Drew were so new, so fragile. Moving behind one of the armchairs in the front room, she shifted.

Hawke threw a large plain black tee to her on the heels of the shift and she pulled it over her head as she rose to her feet. "We've got a situation," she said and laid out the facts. "Brenna's worked with Psy technology. She might be able to figure this thing out."

Hawke gave an immediate nod. "Dorian's here. He brought up something his mate wanted Bren to look at."

A year ago, Indigo would've been stunned at the idea of bringing a leopard into pack business, but now the leopards were, in a sense, Pack. Her wolf continued to find that odd, but even it accepted that the cats had proven their mettle, earned SnowDancer's trust. "Great," she said, knowing that though the DarkRiver sentinel was an architect by trade, he had both a keen interest in and experience with complex computronic systems. "The two of them together should be able to figure out what it is-and they can rope in Ashaya"-Dorian's mate-"if necessary."

Hawke was already making the calls. While he did so, she went into the well-stocked galley and made herself a huge sandwich to offset the calories used up during her high-speed run. She was chewing the final bite when Hawke walked in. "Dorian and Brenna will meet you out front in five. They'll have to come up in human form-with equipment to test the object."

"I figured." She gulped down a gla.s.s of milk fortified with a protein mix, then made a second-larger-sandwich, which she sealed in a lunch bag. "I'll grab one of the all-wheel drives." They'd still have to do the last part of the trek on foot, but they could always return to the vehicle for the heavier equipment if necessary.

Hawke's face was grim when she looked up. "I'm not letting the Psy poison our pack again, not with those e-mails about 'Purity' and not with this s.h.i.t."

"We're stronger than we were before." They rarely spoke of the dark years when Hawke had been only a child, but those years had shaped so much of what SnowDancer was today. "And we're no longer alone."

Hawke didn't say anything.

Her energy levels back to full strength after the snack, she walked over to pat him affectionately on the cheek. "You and Riley, no wonder you're best buds. You both hold things too tight, too close."

He didn't shake off her touch, their friendship old enough, deep enough, that such skin privileges were an accepted part of their relationship. "Look who's talking," he pointed out, tapping her on the nose.

Shrugging, she dropped her hand but didn't move away. "Takes one to know one."

"You going to tell me what's happening between you and Drew?"

"No." It was too new, too private, to expose to the light of day.

Hawke raised an eyebrow. "Word of advice-Drew and Riley are more similar than people realize."

Indigo thought of the way Drew pushed at her, the way he tried to steamroll in his own charming fashion. "You could've warned me earlier." It was a disgruntled statement.

"And miss all the fun?" A tug at a curling strand of her hair. "Now why would I do that?"

Scowling, she comforted herself with the thought that his time would come. Boy, would it come. "I better go put on some proper clothes for the drive." Borrowing a pair of his sweats-way too large for her frame-for the short walk to her quarters, she quickly shimmied into jeans and a longsleeved sweatshirt for the drive back.

Even with that detour, she was the first person at the vehicle, Dorian and Brenna having stopped to a.s.sess and grab the necessary gear from SnowDancer's tech lab. After placing the cases in the back, Dorian took the front pa.s.senger seat while Brenna ducked into the back where she could fiddle with one of the scanners.

"Older model," she muttered. "It switched on okay, but I want to check that it's fully functional. Haven't had cause to use it for a while."

The drive pa.s.sed by in a flow of technical dialogue between Dorian and Brenna, and they were soon stepping out for the final part of the journey-with only the essential gear. "Bren," Indigo said, picking up the sandwich she'd made from the dash, "can you stow this in your bag?"

"Sure."

Leading them to where she and Drew had left their packs, she stopped just long enough to pick out a sky blue T-shirt and jeans. Going commando, she thought with a hint of amus.e.m.e.nt, wouldn't be a problem for Drew. He was the least self-conscious male she knew, and that was saying something in a pack of wolves. "Alright. Let's go."

When they arrived, Drew padded out of the trees to greet them-it was clear from his relaxed state that the Psy hadn't returned.

Her wolf wanted to nuzzle at him, but she kept her tone professional. "Clothes," she said, placing them behind a tree.

As she returned to join the others, Drew brushed past her close enough that her fingertips stroked over his fur. Fighting the urge to follow him, to stroke him a little more, she came down on her haunches beside Bren and Dorian. "Any idea what it might be?"

Brenna tapped something on the little computer connected wirelessly to a device Dorian was running over the ground. "Nothing unusual about the metallic compound," she muttered. "Device is computronic without a doubt, and functional."

"It has to have a power source," Dorian said, putting down the scanner. "Battery of some kind."

Brenna brushed her bangs out of her eyes. "Time to dig, I think."

Indigo helped, and it took only a minute to unearth the metal ball. Instead of lifting it out, Brenna and Dorian put their heads together and muttered more technospeak. Having felt Drew come to stand at her shoulder, Indigo retrieved the sandwich from Brenna's bag and got to her feet. "Eat," she said, knowing he wouldn't have left the device unattended in order to hunt.

He ran his knuckles over her cheek. "Thanks."

As he took a big bite, she realized she'd forgotten to pick up his drink bottle. "Is there water nearby?"

"Yep, but it'll be faster to run down to the packs." He'd already demolished half the sandwich. "Be back soon."

Aware Brenna and Dorian had matters in hand, she walked to the edges of the clearing after Drew left and began to do a detailed quadrant-by-quadrant search, just in case the Psy had left something else behind. Nothing in the immediate area. And more nothing in a radius of several meters from the site of the device. She was about to turn back when she caught Drew's scent on the breeze.

He found her a few seconds later. "Hey, Lieutenant." His mouth was on hers before she could do more than part her lips to respond.

She should've been used to the way he had of doing that, but she staggered back a little, gripping at his waist to keep herself upright. Not that it was necessary; his arms were already locked tight around her, his mouth exploring hers with a lazy sensuality that made her want to purr like a d.a.m.n cat.

"This," she said on a breath, "is hardly the time."

Another kiss, one big hand moving down to shape her b.u.t.tocks. "I'm behaving," he told her, all innocence. "I didn't do it in front of Dorian and Bren, did I?"

Her wolf laughing, she wiggled her arms out from around him and reached up to cup his face. Then she kissed the h.e.l.l out of Andrew Liam Kincaid.

CHAPTER 26.

Andrew was sure he'd had a rational thought a minute or so ago, but it was a distant memory. The lieutenant was making his brains leak out his ears, her tongue a fast, sleek dart in his mouth, her teeth sharp little accents on his lips, her hands brands against his skin. Groaning, he gripped her hips and gave in.

His reward was a kiss so hot, it turned his jeans uncomfortably tight. Unable to keep his hands still, he stroked up over her sweatshirt to close his hand around one lush breast. Her nipple was already pebbled behind the soft fabric of her bra, and he played with it through the clothing, wanting to learn each and every facet of what drove her crazy.

The sound took time to filter into his consciousness, the voice recognizable. Dorian, calling Indigo's name. "Time to go back," he murmured against those lush lips that had turned him into a willing slave.

"If you're a very good boy," Indigo murmured in a s.e.xy, husky tone as she reached down to cup his straining c.o.c.k for one electric second, "I might kiss you other places, too."

He bit back a very blue word as she withdrew her hand and stepped back. "How the h.e.l.l am I supposed to go back and face my little sister if I have a raging hard-on?"

"Poor baby." Except her eyes were dancing with unfamiliar wickedness. "I'm sure you'll think of something." She walked away, her hips swiveling in a fashion that he knew was meant to shoot his already boiling temperature through the roof. s.e.xual frustration was a b.i.t.c.h, but his wolf smiled-because the lieutenant was playing with him again. And Indigo Riviere was a woman who played with very few.

Blowing out a breath, he gritted his teeth and counted to a thousand, somehow managing to get his body under control. "So, what did I miss?" he asked, rejoining the others where they crouched around the object.

"It's a transmitter," Dorian said, holding the steel orb in hand.

He met the leopard sentinel's surfer blue eyes. "You sound very sure."

But it was his sister who replied. "The tech is pretty common once you strip away the fancy exterior."

"Range isn't huge," Dorian added. "Maybe five hundred meters or so."

Brenna's eyes met Andrew's, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth that augured trouble-but her words were practical. "We think it's meant to act as a locator beacon."

"Locator for what?" Indigo murmured. "This area is wilderness. Aside from the forest creatures, only wolves come-"

A pointed cough from Dorian.

"Wolves and leopards," Indigo said, shaking her head at the blond sentinel's smirk, "are the only ones who come up here." Lines formed between her brows. "The only ones who should. I wonder if the Psy we scented when we were with the juveniles were scouting for places to put these things."

"Would make sense," Brenna said. "You were a bit more east of here, but not that much lower down in terms of the elevation."

Dorian's hair flashed almost white in the harsh sunlight as he lowered his head to the device once more. "We can sweep the ground with high-strength scanners, but we have a logistical problem-den territory covers too wide an area." A glance at Brenna.

Andrew's sister nodded in confirmation. "We need to figure out some sort of specific region to search."

"How long would the batteries last in those things?" Indigo asked. "Best guess?"

"I'll confirm when we dismantle one, but three months would be the outer limits," Brenna said, looking at Dorian.

He nodded and added, "The transmitting function sucks juice. Three for safety, but I'd say two months would be a more realistic estimate."

Andrew saw where Indigo was going. "So we can probably eliminate all the areas where the snowpack has been pretty much solid for over two months." That would take care of a good chunk of their territory.

"Yes." Brenna's eyes sparked. "A telekinetic could have moved the snow, but one, it's a ma.s.sive waste of power, and two, against all that white, any intruders would have stood out like sore thumbs to our satellite."

Indigo nodded. "I agree-we can safely eliminate the snowpack areas for now. We can also eliminate all those areas that get a high amount of traffic."

Andrew looked at his sister. "You got a piece of paper, Bren?"

"I think there's a pad in this bag . . ." Turning to rummage in it, she made a sound of success. "Here it is. And a pen."

"Thanks, baby sis." Grinning at the kiss she blew him, he flipped open the pad and sketched the basic outline of their territory. "Okay, so this is here." He made an X on the map. "The other one's useless as a marker since it could've come from anywhere, but how about this?" He drew a rough semicircle, using their current spot as the center of the arc.

Indigo looked over his shoulder. "The entire area's equidistant from the very edge of den territory." She took a moment to think about it, nodded. "We've got enough light that we can test the theory at least."

"We have two scanners," Brenna reminded them, "so we can go in both directions."

"Drew," Indigo said, her tone crisp as she slipped into full work mode, "you go with Bren. I'll work with Dorian."

He knew what she was doing-pairing each tech expert with someone who could keep an eye on security, but he found he didn't want her alone with the good-looking leopard male. Her eyes met his at that moment, and from the sudden frost in them, he knew she'd accurately read the hotly possessive urge. Gritting it back with sheer strength of will-and having to fight his wolf to do so-he turned to Brenna. "You need all the gear?"

"Just the scanner pack." She slid the little computer into a carry bag and swung it crosswise over her body, the scanner itself held in her hand. "Dorian, are you okay using the-"

"No problem, sweetheart." Setting the computer over his body the same way as Brenna, Dorian picked up the somewhat bulkier scanner. "It'll do the trick, but the range is shorter," he said to Indigo, "so we might cover less distance."

Brenna began to move out. Andrew followed, forcing himself to keep his attention on his sister and not on a woman who was quietly furious with him. Brenna didn't say anything until they were well out of earshot. "Judd told me."

Andrew grunted, not in the mood to be teased.

"She's a lieutenant, dumb-a.s.s," Brenna muttered. "Going all he-man on her isn't exactly going to put you in her good book."

He blinked. "You have eyes in the back of your head now?"

A beatific smile. "I have experience with hardheaded men-though I never thought I'd be giving you this little talk. I always thought Riley was the one who'd have trouble. And he went and got himself happily mated to a sentinel."

Checking the area for threats and making the a.s.sessment that they were the only two out there, he allowed his attention to return to the subject of him and Indigo. "I couldn't help it," he muttered, feeling sulky and grumpy-though he'd have shown that to no one but the sister he'd watched over since she'd been but a babe. "My brain knew I was doing something stupid, but my hormones tell me to protect her-and right now, instinct is kicking reason's whiny a.s.s."

Brenna shook her head, the late afternoon sun making the fine strands of her hair shimmer like spun gold. "The easy fix is that you grovel and she forgives you . . ."

"But?" He nudged her shoulder with his, his wolf willing to listen to her even if she was younger and far less dominant.

"But this is who she is," Brenna murmured, her eyes troubled when she looked up. "You stood in front of a bullet for me, Drew." Her voice hitched. "That's who you are."

"Hey." He hugged her to him, kissing the top of her head. "I'm not going anywhere."

Holding on to him for a couple more seconds, Brenna stepped back and started scanning again. "What I'm saying is that you protect-do you think you can handle, really handle, being with a woman who not only doesn't need your protection, but for whom it would be an insult that you'd even offer?"

The words. .h.i.t hard, cut deep. But the truth had nothing to do with his acceptance of Indigo's rank.

"I'm jealous," he admitted bluntly, to the one person with whom he could admit the vulnerability. "I know I don't fit the image she has in her mind of her perfect partner, and it rubs me the wrong way whenever she interacts with another male who does fit that image." A male who was probably far more acceptable to her wolf, for all that that wolf had accepted him on a certain level.