Now I know why Vlad wanted them staying near humans, although, when they’re smoke, they could hunt anything at night.

“This is Tobias Walker, the foreman of Prairie Gold’s ranch,” Joe said.

“We brought many books for Jesse Walker and Shelley Bookman,” Tolya said as the female joined them. “This is Nyx.”

“Ma’am.” Tobias brushed the brim of his hat with a finger before turning to Joe. “Mr. Wolfgard, we should get the boxes loaded and be on our way.”

Hearing wariness, Joe looked around. There were too many humans paying attention to them. “Yes, we should.”

Tobias wrangled a cart from the baggage handlers. Joe helped him stack the boxes on the cart and roll it out to the parking area while Tolya and Nyx trailed after them.

After they loaded the boxes into the pickup’s bed, Joe remembered Tobias’s comment about making trips up to Bennett. “Do we need to buy anything while we’re in town?”

“Just gas for the truck.” Tobias shifted his eyes in Nyx’s direction but didn’t look at her. He simply opened the passenger door. “Ma’am.”

She shifted to smoke from the waist down and flowed into the pickup.

“There’s room on the seat for you, too, Tolya,” Joe said. “I can ride in the back.”

Tobias shot him a panicked look before lowering his head enough for his hat to hide his face.

“I can ride in the back with you,” Tolya said.

Joe shook his head and patted a hand against his leg. “This clothing fits in with riding in the back of a pickup. Your clothing does not—at least while we’re in the human town.” Once they left Bennett, it wouldn’t matter, and he thought Tobias would feel less threatened if there was only one Sanguinati riding up front with him.

“You are more familiar with the customs in this part of Thaisia.” Tolya got in and pulled the passenger door shut.

Joe jumped into the back and settled in the remaining space. Lots of books. More than he’d expected Simon and Vlad to send to the humans. Then he noticed his name on two of the boxes and happily realized they had sent books for the terra indigene settlement too.

Tobias came around and closed the tailgate. “Mr. Wolfgard...”

“They aren’t going to feed on you,” Joe said, then added silently, At least not while you’re driving.

Tobias got behind the wheel and drove to the gas station. As he pulled in, Joe studied the human males who were gathered around watching a man in overalls tape a hand-printed sign above the pumps.

<Your human is angry,> Tolya said. <I don’t understand all that he’s saying—he speaks differently from the humans in Toland—but I understand some of the swearwords mixed in with the rest.>