The Last Shifter (a Loki romance)

Chapter 28

Ok, so the pistures are not mine and the three on the left are Jane's things.  The hearts and the invisible cutout are on her ring.  Darcy's are on the right and there are two ring gems because alexandrite changes colors according to lighting.

As soon as my brain registered the light, I pulled Loki's mane, forcing him to stop.

"Ouch! What was that for?!"

"I'm sorry. There's a light on inside."

"Well I fail to see why that is a problem."

"Well that means that someone's awake."

"No, it means that the woman with brown hair fell asleep in her chair and the woman with black hair fell asleep on the sofa. I'm a horse, I have better night vision. We're safe."

"If you say so." We continued forward at a slower pace, finally coming to a halt outside the doors. Before I had the chance to get off, Loki switched back into human form, leaving me clinging to his back with my arms around his shoulders and my legs around his waist.

"Tether the halter where you would normally leave your horse and leave the peace offering inside. Do you need me to unlock it?"

"No, I know where the spare key is." I lifted the false rock to the left of the door and unlocked the door. True to Loki's observation, Jane was asleep in her chair, still dressed in her day clothes and her hair not braided as it usually was. She was slumped over several sheets of paper spread out across the table, overlapping and some about to slip down to the floor. Taking pity on my friend, I pulled the blanket off the top of the sofa where Darcy was sprawled out like a starfish and draped it over her shoulders. As one final touch, I placed the present on top of the papers and the spare key on top of that. For a moment, Jane stirred and shifted and my heart leapt to my throat and my body froze in fear. But when all she did was change positions, I let out a sigh of relief. I was just about to shut the door when I heard a voice come from inside.

"I knew you'd show up sooner or later." It took all I had to not scream at the top of my lungs but I couldn't stop the shrill squeal. Darcy had been shaming.

"You're awake."

"And you're about to leave."

"Yes. And?"

"Does your friendship with Jane mean nothing to you!? She's been so worried. Look at her! I've never seen her with dark circles under her eyes but she certainly has them now!"

"Darcy–"

"And why did you come in the dead of night? How are you connected to those tornadoes? Where did you go!?"

"I–I can't tell you. Right now. I promise I will. Once everything is over."

"What do you mean, 'once everything is over'?"

"I can't explain right now, just...try and keep Jane off my scent. Please? The both of you could be put in considerable danger if she continues down the path that she is on."

"Danger-danger? You mean like: we could die danger?"

"Yes. Now, please don't tell her you saw me and spoke to me. Please don't repeat anything I've told you."

"How did you get here anyway?"

"By horse. I'm leaving Susie's halter as well." I heard Loki clear his throat from the shadows.

"Now I have to go. I left the two of you presents but don't open them until Jane wakes up." Darcy sighed.

"Fine."