I smiled at him, channeling all the confidence of a woman who’d just outsmarted an interstellar criminal with nothing but a jury-rigged speaker system and some helpful plants.
“Now,” I said pleasantly, “let’s wait for Lor to come home, shall we? I think you two have a lot to talk about.”
Lor appearedlike vengeance made flesh. One moment the bunker entrance was empty, the next he filled it completely—golden eyes ablaze, claws fully extended, every muscle coiled tight with lethal intent. Then he froze, taking in the scene before him: me, standing tall, and Vaskari trussed up like a Christmas turkey in a web of pulsing vines.
The look on his face was worth every moment of danger. Shock, disbelief, and something else—something that looked suspiciously like awe—transformed his usually stoic features.
“Miri,” he said, voice raw. “You—what did you do?”
I shrugged, feigning nonchalance despite the adrenaline still coursing through my veins. “Lured him. Ghost-style.”
Vaskari snarled from his vine prison, silver face contorted with rage. “The human is more dangerous than you claimed, Reaper. A witch who commands the jungle.”
Lor ignored him, eyes never leaving mine. “You were supposed to stay in the shelter.”
“Yeah, well,” I gestured at our captive, “I got bored.”
Lor blinked, processing. Then his attention snapped to Vaskari with such focused intensity that I almost pitied the fugitive. Almost.
“How did you know to lure him here?” Lor’s eyes refocused on me, sharp with curiosity.
“I’m a cryptid hunter, remember? Most of my job is figuring out where monsters hide and how to draw them out.” I gestured to the comms setup I’d rigged. “Sound travels weirdly in these tunnels. I bounced my voice all over, making him think I was moving, leading him straight back here. Classic ghost hunting misdirection.”
“Ghost hunting,” Lor repeated, the term clearly unfamiliar but the concept registering nonetheless.
“Plus,” I added, nodding toward Phil, “I had help. Turns out when you’re neurally linked to an entire sentient ecosystem, setting traps becomes a whole lot easier.”
Lor’s expression shifted—concern still lingered in the tense set of his shoulders, but pride had overtaken the anger in his eyes. He reached out, trailing gentle claws along my cheek in a touch so tender it made my breath catch.
“You could have been killed,” he said, but there was no real rebuke in his tone. Just wonder.
“So could you,” I countered. “That’s why I didn’t wait. The jungle showed me what was happening—how he was trying to lure you away while his weapon activated. I couldn’t just sit and hope you figured it out in time.”
Vaskari made a disgusted sound. “Primitives. Talking to plants. The jungle is a resource to be exploited, not a partner to be coddled.”
Lor didn’t even look at him. His focus remained entirely on me, those amber eyes searching mine with an intensity that made my skin flush hot.
“You are not what I expected,” he said finally.
“Good,” I replied, unable to suppress a grin. “I’d hate to be predictable.”
His answering smile—rare and precious—transformed his fierce features. “We must secure the weapon. The countdown?—”
“Already on it,” I interrupted, pointing to where Phil had extended several vines into the bunker’s command console. “Phil’s transmitting the location to your Legion friends using the emergency frequencies. The atmospheric interference is clearing, and your signal is getting through. Backup’s on the way.”
Lor stared at me for a long moment. Then, without warning, he pulled me against him, one powerful arm curling around my waist while his other hand tangled in my hair. His mouth found mine in a kiss that was equal parts possession and reverence.
“You are magnificent,” he growled against my lips. “Brilliant and reckless and perfect.”
“Does this mean you’re not mad about me leaving the shelter?” I asked when I could breathe again.
His tail flicked once, betraying his lingering concern. “I am... reconsidering my definition of ‘safe.’” He glanced at Phil, whowas still smugly connected to the comms system. “It seems you have guardians beyond just me.”
“I told you,” I said, resting my head against his chest, listening to the powerful thud of his heart. “I’m not helpless. I’ve faced down Mothman. This guy was amateur hour.”
Vaskari snarled at the insult, but the vines tightened around him, cutting off whatever retort he might have made.
Lor’s arms tightened around me, his body relaxing incrementally as the immediate danger faded. Above us, the bunker’s alert systems pinged—incoming transmission from Legion command, confirmation that a response team was en route.
