Free Moonlit Feathers by Sarah Makela

at last, happy he was here.
    Cody headed into the kitchen, and I followed him. My home wasn't all that big, but it was large enough that I wouldn't want to have to yell out him, especially since I wasn't sure what his hearing was like. I still didn’t know if he was a shifter, even though I kind of suspected he might be after the growl. "So, I guess I should get on with the information, since that's what you came over for."
    He looked back at me with a raised brow and a slight frown on his lips. "That's not the only reason I came over. You should know that."
    I stifled my smile and slid onto the barstool near the kitchen's breakfast bar. "Fine, I guess you're right. So here's what I found out."
    Playing with the can of Coke, I started recounting what I’d learned from Kevin. I could see Cody's eyes glaze a little when I related his theory of the elemental conversion, but I didn't blame Cody for that. Not many got into the material sciences or material fabrication. Cody's attention was raised again as soon as I shared the detail that someone had tried to sell the stones at various merchants, and that I knew some of the areas where they’d reportedly found the stones.
    "Can you show me on the map?" he asked, leaning gently toward me with genuine interest in his eyes. It had been a while since I’d seen anyone get into hunting like he was.
    I brushed against him softly as I reached over to place the map between us. The touch of my skin against his was electrifying.
    He gave a soft cough and leaned over the map.
    "I know these areas." He pointed to two locations north of the town. "But it doesn't seem like there’s a pattern here. And without a timeline of when these spots were found, I don't think we can specify exactly how things have progressed," he continued, musing over the map.
    While I’d shared what Kevin had told me, I decided to keep Mr. McGuire's involvement from him. I’d turned him down after all, and I didn't want to unnerve Cody, or make him nervous that someone else might be looking for stones. Cody was my client, but he didn't need to know about other opportunities I might have. I pushed the thought out of my head and showed where I had found my piece of gold. "And there was one here as well," I said, and looked up at him.
    There was a small glint of light in his eyes, and he tilted forward. "You know, all of these are along old hunting paths. These two were used for hunting deer back in the day. See how they both end up facing a cliffside? And this one here has a stream running through it, good for fishing in mid-spring. I think that we’re looking for someone who’s a hunter, which, sadly, out here means about half the population," he finished, his voice slowly losing its enthusiasm.
    It had been there on the map all along, but somehow I’d missed it. Yes, all of the locations were perfect hunting grounds, although rarely used. "Well, at least now we have a clue to go on," I said, raising my head to look into his hungry eyes.
    Cody brushed his fingers along my jawline, and I leaned into them, greedy for the tenderness in his caress. If I closed my eyes, I could remember Ezra's touch, but I also had growing feelings for Cody. He'd somehow wormed his way into my heart in much the same way Ezra had. With both men, I'd been adamant about not getting too close, already reeling from loss that had made me vulnerable emotionally. Now Cody had managed to get closer than I'd hoped.
    I found it hard to care when he was this close and warm against me.
    I wrapped my arms around his neck. He smiled at me and rested his large hands on my hips, as if we'd start dancing to non-existent music at any moment.
    "Things are going so good. I can't imagine not having this time with you." He leaned in, and my body stiffened at the brush of his lips across mine. He hesitated, as if waiting for me to tell him that he'd done something wrong, but I couldn't. He wasn't doing anything that I didn't want him to do.
    What he'd said in