Free Spike's Day Out by Zenina Masters Page A

Alaska.”
    The fishing boats, mountains and cruise ships gave away her location.
    Toby cursed. “No wonder we couldn’t find you. The others are all in Miami. How did you get to Alaska?”
    “The nastiest transport I have ever had. Can you track me?”
    “We have you now. We were using the wrong map. Can you get to your captors?”
    “Yup. Give me a moment.” She scuttled back to the men who were just beginning to stir. “Time is a factor, Toby.”
    “We have you. Bringing you in.”
    Spike felt her skin prickle and she grabbed the hair of the men at her feet. Seconds later, they were in the auspices of the transporter offices at the Shifter Council Centre.
    “You are a little more informally dressed than the last time I saw you, Spike.”
    Sicily Markum unbuttoned the shirt and tossed it at the transporter on loan to the Shifter Council. “Zip it, Toby. Send them to holding and send me home. I have an Easter egg hunt to attend.”
    He batted the fabric away, raised his brows and started the charm. “Your councillor is going to want to know about today’s events.”
    “I will tell him. He is going to be at the egg hunt, too.”
    Toby grinned. “Happy bunny day.”
    She crossed her arms as she disappeared. “With my family, every day is bunny day.”
    Sicily heard his laughter as she materialized. It hung in the air.
    With quick movements, she took a shower, and then, she put on her Easter dress and low heels. Sicily grabbed her purse and keys and headed out.
    It was still before nine, so she had time. Her car moved easily down the country roads until she saw the gathering at the warren. She parked next to the other vehicles and left the keys and her purse in the car. No one came onto warren lands if they knew what was good for them. Parents and children were heading for the lake’s edge. Her father raised his hand and she walked over to stand with them while they all made the short walk to the water. The younger children began to hunt for chocolate eggs while the adults shucked their clothing and transformed.
    Sicily took a seat on the grass and watched close to a hundred bunnies hopping around while the children squealed and cuddled them. This was the one day that no one minded.
    A large brown rabbit hopped toward her, carrying a daffodil in his mouth. She smiled and blushed as he put the flower on her hand. “Thank you, Warren Master.”
    He flicked his ears in irritation. He was always perturbed when she called him by his title rather than his name.
    When she was younger and stupid, she had thought that they might have a chance at a life together, but when he became the prime buck in the warren, there was no way in hell that he could make his life with a random.
    He cuddled up against her thighs, and against her better judgement, she stroked his fur. He was so very soft in comparison to her exterior in her animal form. Not cuddling him was an act of will.
    The children suddenly squealed and clumped at the water’s edge.
    Sicily dumped Roger to the side and walked to see what was so exciting.
    In all its calm splendour, a white swan was cruising toward the shore. The gleam of awareness let Sicily know that this was a shifter and not a natural swan who had gotten lost. “Come on, kids. Back away.”
    “But, Spike, it’s so pretty.”
    “Come on, back to the hunt. I bet the proper Easter bunny left even more goodies under that raspberry bush.”
    The dozen kids made a run for the bushes. The swan paddled into the shallows and shifted into a man with white-blonde hair and smiling amber eyes.
    She had seen him around the council centre but never met him. “Yes?”
    His lips curved. “From this angle, I can see right through your dress.”
    She laughed and put her hands on her hips. “From this angle, I can see everything. The water must be very cold. State your business. You are distracting the kids from the egg hunt.”
    He looked down and scowled before raising his head. “My business is rather