When we broke for lunch, I caught up with Daniel outside the classroom. Corey...

When we broke for lunch, I caught up with Daniel outside the classroom. Corey and Brendan took off, saying they'd meet up with us at our table.
"What's wrong?" Daniel said.
"Noth--"
"If those guys can tell something's wrong, then it is, Maya."
I led him to a corner and waved to Nicole that I'd catch up with her later.
Daniel and I stepped out the side door into the empty yard. I caught the faint smell of smoke on the wind and turned, frowning. I was about to mention it but decided not to. If I hinted the fires were getting closer, he'd never let me do what I was about to ask.
"I need a huge favor," I said. "And you know I wouldn't ask this if it wasn't important."
"Okay."
"Can I borrow your truck?"
He lifted one brow. "That's a huge favor? You can borrow it anytime. You drive just fine."
"I need it to go see Rafe. Now. Over lunch."
"Oh." His gaze shuttered.
"No, I'm not asking for your truck because I want to get back together with him. I'm worried about him and his sister being out there with the fire threat. They should be in town."
He relaxed. "Good idea."
"Under normal circumstances, I'd run there, and try to make it back by the end of lunch period but--"
"Not when we might have a man-killing cat roaming around. Come on. I'll drive you."
He started toward the lot.
I jogged up beside him. "You don't have to do that. Go eat your lunch."
"I've got some energy bars in the glove box."
I jostled him. "What, you don't trust me to drive your baby? Go on. I can handle it."
"It's not that. She's been acting up lately, remember? I don't want you stranded and walking back through the forest."
Getting a lift from Daniel was going to make it a whole lot tougher to ask Rafe about skin-walkers. But I'd have to work with it.