Jenks slowed to pull off into the short grass eking out a living by the packed dirt. I lifted my head in question, meeting his worried eyes with mine. Why was he stopping?

“They know we’re coming,” he said, awkwardly twisting to make a three-point turn and head back the way we’d come. “I can’t fight that many Weres. We’re going to have to swim.”

My heart pounded and a whine slipped from me. Angular face tight, Jenks accelerated. “I won’t let you drown,” he said. “Or maybe we can find somewhere to hide until things settle,” he added, knowing as well as I that the longer we remained, the more likely it was that we’d be caught. But Nick was unconscious, and the idea of me dog-paddling all the way was daunting even if I would have a break traversing Round Island in between. I couldn’t swim it as a person. What would being a wolf do for me? The entire situation was crap, but we had to get off the island.

“Shut up! Everyone shut up!” came a frantic voice through the radio, and I leaned over Nick, my ears swiveling. “This is the lighthouse. We have a problem. Unknown incoming force! Six boats from the Mackinac ferry dock. Mixed Weres!” the high-pitched, young voice said. “Uniformed. They know she’s in trouble, and they’re coming for her!”

Really? Somehow I didn’t think it was an unexpected rescue, but a second Were faction taking advantage of the chaos. Damn it, that would make Mackinac Island tricky!

Brett’s voice crackled out, chilling me. “Radio silence. Search leaders check in by cell phone. The rest of you, find them! Fire on them if you have to, but they can’t have Sparagmos!”

The radio turned to a grating hiss.

Jenks pulled the Jeep to the side of the road. “Wake him up,” he said tightly, undoing his belt and getting out. “This is where we came in.”

My nose wrinkled when I scented the faint taste of decay on the breeze as the heat of the sun hit that deer carcass. Muscles tense, I hesitated, then licked the side of Nick’s nose, not knowing what else to do. Hell, it worked in the movies.

Feet spread wide, Jenks looked up and down the road, squinting from under his borrowed cap. My tongue had made a long wet mark on Nick, but otherwise there was no change. Leaning into the Jeep, Jenks jerked Nick’s head up by the hair and slapped him.

Nick exploded into motion. Screaming obscenities, he lashed out, arms flung blindly. Frightened, I jumped from the Jeep. My nails dug into the dirt and I stared at him.

Wild-eyed, Nick took a shuddering breath upon realizing where he was. His haunted look turned into a glare, and he stared at Jenks standing belligerently with his hands on his hips and that pack hat on his head. The jays yelled back at him, and I wished they would shut up.

“We walk from here, crap for brains,” Jenks said darkly. “Let’s go. Ever scuba dive?”