Freeze Line

Chapter One...

Winter hit hard above the freeze line, and it lasted forever. Most of the time, Shane liked it that way. Fewer opportunities for visitors, fewer supply runs into Hamilton.

Fewer reasons to be sociable.

He throttled down, but the trail had already been packed hard with snow. Braking was tricky, and the snowmobile lurched sideways a few inches before he managed to carefully correct the slide. He had to remember to make his runs in the morning, before Bobby Settles ran through with his massive truck and a load of greenhouse produce.

You're cranky, Sullivan. Odd. Usually the colder weather lifted his spirits. Sure, he was stuck indoors most of the time, but at least the fevers faded, sapped away by the frozen earth along with the rest of the magic. He was free from them for months--no sleepless nights shredded by fitful dreams of running under the moon, howling with the others of his kind.

In the winter, the magic slept, and the glittering, barren world was a relief to him in a way his human neighbors would never understand.

He crested a hill, the last before the straight shot across Gilroy Lake and the border of his property, and spotted a dark figure ahead, beside the trail.

He'd gone to town in the first place because an ugly sky and a biting wind from the north heralded a storm, the kind that could shut him in his house for weeks. None of his neighbors were foolish enough to wander around in such weather alone unless they had no choice.

Shane slowed as he neared the figure, but a frown drew his brows together. A slight figure, in gear too light for the weather. Lost.

He stopped the snowmobile. "You need some help?"

The figure turned. Slow and unsteady, boots slipping on the packed snow. A pale feminine face peered from beneath the hood of a too-big parka. Her words came out breathless and choppy as she shivered so hard her teeth chattered. "I was looking for shelter?"

"Not from around here, I guess." He jerked one thumb over his shoulder. "Nearest town's that way."

She blinked as if she was having trouble parsing the words, and her gaze shifted too slowly to follow the path of his hand. "Oh. You're not going in that direction?"

She was already disoriented. If he left her walking, she'd become even more confused, would probably sit down and freeze to death. "Where's your ride?"

"I don't have one." She wrapped her arms around her body, looking tired and lost. "I'm...I'm not from around here."

No shit. "Why don't you climb on? My place is just across the lake. You can warm up, maybe make some calls."

She didn't move at once. Wariness stirred in her eyes, the first real emotion she'd displayed, and even with his senses dulled, he heard the too-fast pounding of her heart. Fear.

Finally, she looked away. "I'm a witch."

He hadn't felt the pull of her magic, but that didn't surprise him. This far north, she might as well be human. "Dead of winter above the freeze line, lady. I'm not scared of you. Are you scared of me?"

At least she didn't lie. "Yes. Right now, I'm scared of everyone."

It didn't matter what--or who--she was afraid of. Fear spelled trouble. "You coming or not?"