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greater interest in this. Also—and she wasn’t ashamed to admit it—she had hoped he would help Kieran move the carcasses so she wouldn’t have to touch them.
    "He had other business to attend to. Did you take the dogs home?"
    "No. I left them with the sheep. They’re not really watchdogs, but they can keep an eye on the flock anyway."
    He nodded. "Well, let’s get to work before these foul things get any worse."
    Silently, they loaded the trailer, the mangled bodies of the ewes lighter than they should be. They were difficult to handle nonetheless, already stiffened. The smell hadn’t eased either.
    Can you do something about the smell? She had a fair understanding of how vampires functioned in general, but they weren’t all the same. They had different skills and strengths, especially when it came to using magic. Her fear of the Rider had prevented her from studying everything she could do. It could be she had no special abilities, or she could be really good at something.
    Her mother had been able to heal with magic, a really useful skill to have, but one Gemma had been especially afraid to try. If she had her mother’s strengths, she might have her weaknesses too.
    She might turn into a killer.
    Blocking her sense of smell was within the Rider’s abilities. All olfactory input ceased—a distressing sensation in itself. She hadn’t been aware she relied so heavily on her sense of smell. Nevertheless, she would have blocked her eyesight too, if that were possible—or practical. For all she knew the Rider could make that happen. She nearly threw up when a movement caused intestines spill from one of the carcasses in a ghastly cascade. Kieran wasn’t as squeamish, and he stuffed them back into the gaping hole before hefting the poor dead animal onto the trailer with more care than it needed in its state.
    They weren’t in a hurry anymore and could have taken the lane that led from Tom’s farm to the Greenwood clan estate. It was a longer route, however, and they both wanted to get rid of their cargo as fast as possible. So they headed over the fields again.
    The urgency of their earlier ride was gone, replaced with the gloom of the task. Gemma drove more carefully, the pace sombre even, and Kieran kept his distance from her, even when the uneven terrain made the vehicle jump.
    Her smell likely worse with blood and intestines on her, she didn’t wonder he wouldn’t get closer. His mind was in turmoil, too, and like all shifters he didn’t see the need to hide it. His shifter energy churned hot and almost violent around him. It pushed against her, invading her personal space, making her uncomfortable.
    Worse, it was pushing her off balance. Upset as she was, she already had to make an extra effort to keep the Rider in check. This could make her lose control. She upped her shields, essentially a barrier of Might. The heat of his shifter energy hit them, but the sensation was still too strong. Recoiling, she pushed back with her own energy.
    He leaned backwards. She took the advantage and extended her shields towards him, needing him to cease. Instantly, her cool vampire energy began to mix with his warm Might. At first the mixture was almost uncomfortable, even affecting her ability to drive, but then it began to change, to cool. The mixture steadied gradually and the churning around him slowed down. As it did, he relaxed too. His energy ceased roiling completely and he sagged in relief.
    He wrapped his arms around her in an easy show of affection so alien to her kind. "Thanks." They remained silent until they arrived at the same side gate where she had picked him up. "I’d better drive from here. It’s easier than explaining the route."
    They switched places and it was Gemma’s turn to hold on to him. She placed her hands gingerly on his trim waist, not wanting to get too close to him. She was off-balance as it was, and didn’t need a manly body to distract her. His muscles were taut under her fingers,