Moon Sworn (Riley Jenson Guardian 9)

"Granted, but that doesn't explain how it manages to stop a shape-shift."

I shrugged. "From what I've read, the electrical activity emanating from the brain increases exponentially when we shift. Maybe the device somehow disrupts that surge and prevents the shift process."

So why hadn't it prevented the seagull shift? I frowned down at the thing in my hand. Maybe it could be programmed. Maybe shifting into different shapes resulted in different energy signatures, and if these things could be programmed, then it was here to prevent the wolf shift.

Because he doesn't know about your alternate form, that internal voice whispered. He doesn't know about your other skills.

If only I could figure out who he was, my life would be a whole lot easier.

I dropped the metal mouse back into Evin's hand. "Keep them safe for me."

He looked surprised but pleased. "I will, trust me."

I did. And not just because he wanted my help to rescue his soul mate. There was no cunning in his gaze, no artifice in his actions. Granted, he may have spent the last few days doing nothing but lying to me, but that wasn't his nature. Wasn't his soul.

Evin was honest. I'd stake my life on it.

And given the situation, I probably was.

"So what's our plan of action?" he asked.

I hesitated. "As I said earlier, I think the first thing we need to do is talk to Harris. What happens after that very much depends on whether he believes us or not."

"If he doesn't, we're stuck. I can't leave Dunedan until I'm told to, because if I don't report in every night, they'll kill Lyndal."

"So they've told you to call from that phone only?"

"Yes. They gave me the location and number, and said if I use any other phone, Lyndal will pay."

"Meaning they're using caller ID - and there are ways around that." Not that I could actually recall any of them at the moment. "Is the number you call local or interstate?"

"Interstate. The calls are killing my credit card."

I snorted. "They're making you pay for the calls?"

"And the villa. The bastards aren't exactly free with the cash."

"I guess it's one way to avoid a paper - or credit - trail."

"And if they were planning to kill us at the end of it, I guess it's probably easier to waste my cash than theirs."

"Probably. If Harris can trace the phone number for us, that'll at least give us a starting location." Though I very much doubted the phone number would relate to wherever they were keeping Lyndal. That would be a dumb move, and whoever was behind this wasn't dumb. Arrogant, yes, overconfident, probably, but not dumb.

"We've still got to get her out of there without them suspecting."

"We will."

"I don't think you and I have enough firepower to stop them."

"I don't intend for it to be just you and me."

He glanced at me. "Your brother?"

"If I can remember him, and find him, trust me, we won't need a fucking army."

He didn't say anything to that, but the sliver of fear whisked through the darkness again. Silence fell. I kept the truck thundering through the night, but it was well after one before we got back into Dunedan.

I swung the truck down a side street and drove straight to the police station. I expected the place to be lit up, but it was as dark as a grave.