by P. Jameson
“What kind of effect?” Layna asked, her voice sharp.
Sunshine reached over to lay a hand on Layna’s knee. “Nothing is for certain. When we formed the curse, it was to apply to anyone who carried Alley Cat blood. Or rather, anyone related to the shifters we fought with in the field that night.”
“Anyone?” Owyn rasped. “I thought only the males would be punished.”
Sunshine nodded. “Yes.”
Magic scowled. “But you said—”
“Affected,” Mirena cut in. “She said anyone related to them could be affected. It’s not the same thing as being punished.”
“Explain,” Magic growled.
The clan waited on pins as the three Sorcera shared a look.
Nastia took a deep breath. “We believe the reason you didn’t scent the baby’s mother when she was here was because her animal has been altered. You mentioned her scent was disguised, but I don’t think it was on purpose. She wasn’t a normal shifter. A normal werecat. She was nothing you’d ever scented before. And we believe it was due to the curse.”
“What like…” Magic cocked his head. “… a new being? A new beast?”
“Precisely.”
Thames cleared his throat. “We already know the Sorcera can do this kind of thing.” His own mate was one such example. No one was quite sure what Nastia was exactly, but she wasn’t human and she wasn’t shifter. And she wasn’t fully Sorcera either. She was something other since her sisters were forced to revive her with one of their spells. But she was more or less… normal. She lived and breathed and was healthy unless she got too hot or didn’t get enough sunlight, which her body needed like a battery.
“What kind of beast?” Ryan forced the words out.
“We don’t know. Only time will tell.”
His eyes went to Dandi. Something other. He remembered a time when being human in a clan of shifters had made him feel so different that his skin crawled. Made him wish he was anyone other than himself. Now his baby was different too. And he hated that she might struggle like he did someday. Different. He lived for the day when it didn’t feel like a dirty word.
Different.
But so was Ouachita.
They were a colorful group of individuals that came together to form a bone solid family. They could open their hearts for yet another different little soul. Couldn’t they?
“I tried to contact my brother,” Gash added somberly. “To see if I could learn anything that would help us with Dandi. But I was told he… well, he is dead.”
Sunshine shook her head. “Dead he is not. Let it be, you will see.”
Gash scowled. “She keeps saying that, but my contact in Memphis tells me he burned up in a fire, trying to save some of the clans mates.”
“Mates?” Eagan thundered, causing his mate beside him to jump. Eagan wasn’t one to raise his voice. The outburst spoke to how fragile they were all feeling in light of this revelation. “I thought those assholes couldn’t hurt females anymore.”
“They can’t,” Nastia confirmed. “If they’re able to mate, it’s because they’ve broken the curse we put on them.”
Mirena agreed. “And if they’ve broken the curse, it’s because they’ve had a change of heart.”
“Change of heart.” Ryan couldn’t imagine it. He’d met Gash’s brother, Felix, during his time in Memphis. There was something wrong with the man. A fact proven when he and his Alley Cats came to the Ouachitas to hurt Gash’s mate, Bailey.
“It means they’ve healed,” Nastia continued. “Learned to love and sacrifice. Truly love. It’s the only way to break what we cast on them.”
Owyn snorted. “Yeah right. If those assholes can learn how to love, I’ll lick my own—”
“There’s no if about it,” Nastia insisted. “So I wouldn’t finish that if I were you. If they’ve mated, then they can shift. If they can shift, they’ve broken the curse. If they’ve broken the curse, then they’ve found love.”
“And not just found it,” Sunshine added. “Nurtured it. Proven it.”
Mirena nodded. “Exactly.”
A knock on the door stopped all conversation, and Ryan noticed how Sunshine straightened. “That’s Mason now,” she announced.
“Finally,” Magic muttered.
Gash, who was closest to the door, answered it. Mason filled the opening, his eyes gleaming before he shot Ryan a look that could only be described as a warning. And as far as warnings go, it was a shitty one. Because in the next breath, all hell broke loose.
Layna stood, turning to shield the baby from danger.
Magic, Eagan, and Owyn also stood and faced the door, growling and snarling as if… as if Mason was the enemy.
Renner and the bears spread out to guard the other females.
Something was wrong. Very fucking wrong.
Ryan didn’t have to be part beast to know there was danger near. Without thinking, he slung his legs over the counter to land just in front of his mate. He wrapped his arms around Layna and Dandi, craning his neck around to see what had the werecats riled.
“What is he doing here?” Magic snarled while Gash stood at the door, unmoving.
Mason lifted his hands, palms out, and opened his mouth to speak. But before he could, a familiar and most unwelcome face appeared behind him.
“How could you…” Gash’s shock left the question open ended, and Mason stepped aside, letting the shifter he’d brought with him come inside.
Inside Ryan’s fucking home.
The male was battered and wrapped in mangled bandages, but there was no missing the piercing glint of evil that every Alley Cat held in their gaze. He didn’t bother scanning the room. Instead, he looked straight at Gash.
“We have much to talk about.” Felix smirked. “Brother.”
Chapter Twelve
Layna’s cougar was clawing for a way out so it could protect Dandi from the brutal male that now stood in her living room. With all the snarling shifters in the small space, the danger level was even higher. If one shifted, they all would. Lions and tigers and bears… yeah. The cabin couldn’t contain them.
“What are you doing, Mason?” Magic snarled through his teeth, sounding like he was seconds away from slicing the cat with his claw.
“Have I ever done something that wasn’t good for the clan?”
“Answer. My. Fucking. Question.”
“Felix can answer your questions better than I can.”
Magic growled, lunging forward as if he meant to rumble.
“Come on…” Mason sighed, at least having the decency to be unnerved. And right well, he should be, bringing their enemy into Lake Haven. Into Layna’s home. “Listen, you’ve always trusted me before. Trust me now. You will want to hear what he has to say.”
Dandi kicked in Layna’s arms and made the squeaky grunting noise that came just before she started crying. Like she was winding up for it. Funny how well Layna knew her after only twenty-four hours.
The stirring brought Felix’s gaze to Layna and Ryan where they huddled around the baby. Shit. If he found out she was related to him, he might try to…. what? What would he do? What could he do, with the Sorcera and so many shifters here to protect her? Layna didn’t know, but it couldn’t be good.
“Is this the one you told me about?” he asked Mason.
“Yes.”
Layna swung her eyes to the mountain lion she loved like her very own brother. She wanted to scream at him, why, why would you do this? And he must have known how deeply betrayed she felt because he couldn’t hold her gaze.
“What a small goddamned world we live in,” Felix muttered. “Never thought I’d see this. My… niece, right?” He staggered and for the first time, Layna realized how weak he was. The bandages and bruises and… damn, he looked like a shell of the man who came to Ouachita years ago to take revenge on Gash for leaving the Alley Cat clan for a better life.
“You knew we had a sister?” Gash boomed.
Felix managed a hard nod.
“I knew. Our father told me she died. Same as our mother, as you recall.”
“Cruel motherfucker.”
“Yeah. Or maybe he was keeping his secrets for a good reason.”
“What reason?”
Felix smiled and it was the same cruel thing it had always been… or was it? Layna blinked, trying to understand why he was here.
“Maybe he knew they were safer away from the shadow clan.”
Gash scoffed, making Felix’s smile dip. “Our father never cared about anyone’s safety. None of the Fathers did. You know that better than anyone.”
Felix narrowed his eyes at Gash. “Things fucking change.” He swung his glare to the Sorcera. “Isn’t that what this whole curse thing was meant to do? Change us?”
Sunshine cocked her head. “It was meant to give you a choice.”
Felix laughed humorlessly. “A choice. Felt more like taking away choices.”
“Somewhat,” she agreed. “Taking away your power until you could realize just how much power there was in choosing the right path. Which… if I’m not mistaken, you have done.”
Felix paled, his gaze shooting back to Mason who scowled.
“You didn’t think I’d let you come here without knowing you’d changed, did you? What the hell, does everyone around here think I’m stupid?”
Renner shrugged, his expression still deadly as the first moment he scented Felix. “You’re not doing much to prove us wrong.”
Mason sighed, staring up at the ceiling as if asking for patience.
“Felix, what’s he talking about?” Gash growled, stepping in front of Bailey. “You have your abilities back?”
Swaying again, Felix muttered, “Several of us do. It started with Malcolm. Bastard ran away to some cold ass place and found him a little mate. She gave him his animal back… except…”
“Except what?” Magic snapped.
“His new beast was different. Not just a werecat.” Felix’s eyes glazed over as he continued. “The animal is made of fucking fire.”
“Fire?” Gash pressed.
“Fire for a mane. Fire breathing, dangerous fucking beast that has only one goddamned weakness.”
Theo relaxed, his shoulders going slack. “Shit, he’s lost his damn mind,” he said. “Doc, should you check him out?”
“I’m not crazy,” Felix roared. “It’s real. The Firecat is real. First Malcolm then Ratchet. Then Monster and fucking Skittles. They all broke the curse. They all carry the beast inside them. And they’re all fucking invincible.”
Silence swept over the room as it was clear Felix really believed there was a fire cat beast taking over the Alley Cat clan. Layna was as skeptical as the others, but she couldn’t help thinking of what Nastia said about the curse affecting Dandi and her mother. Layna stared down at the baby who let off a good squeal and then went quiet.
Would she become a fire beast like Felix spoke of? If so, they needed to know everything they could about this new animal. Starting with…
“You said they had only one weakness?” Layna met the Alley Cat’s narrow gaze.
“You want to know it so you can hurt us.”
Layna frowned. “That wasn’t my first thought, but now that you mention it—”
Magic snapped his fangs, cutting her off.
She took a deep breath and tried again. “I want to know so I can protect the little one.” She didn’t expect him to care about the baby she held. Especially since it was a female, and the Alley Cats were especially cruel to females… or… had been?
He blinked hard, as if her words somehow pained him. When he opened them, his expression was clearer, but only a touch. “Lost Daughter,” he murmured.
Ryan straightened. “What?”
“She’s a Lost Daughter. That’s what we call ‘em, the ones that escaped.”
Ryan shook his head. “The baby is too young to have been part of your clan.” Layna could hear the defensive tone in her mate’s voice. She and Ryan were on the same page. Felix had zero claim on Dandi. No matter what, her mother had intended for her to be raised by Ouachita.
“No, but her mother was. My… well… fuck… sister. She was a Lost Daughter. We’ve only found one other.”
Gash stiffened at that news. “Just how many are there?”
Felix laughed, but no one would call it happy. Sad. It was really fucking sad. “So many, brother. More that I could have every guessed. It was Mama Kitty.” Gash’s face softened for the sparest moment. “She helped so many of our females escape over the years.”
“Did you punish her for it?”
“Couldn’t,” Felix slurred. “She was protected by the F—”
“Firecats,” Gash finished.
“Yes. You don’t have to believe me. I can prove it.”
Magic glared at Mason. “That why you brought him here?”
“Partly.”
Magic threw his hands up. “Well what’s the fucking rest?”
Layna knew Magic needed information to protect the clan, but at the moment, all she was worried about was Dandi’s future.
“How can you prove it?” she asked.
A whole body shiver rolled through him and he suddenly seemed ill. “I… like I said… I can shift.”
Layna exchange a worried glance with Ryan.
“And when you shift, you turn into one of these fire beasts?” Doc pressed.
“Yes.”
One by one every clan member turned their attention to the Sorcera.
“How the ever loving fuck is this possible?” Eagan rasped, still standing guard in front of his pregnant mate.
“I already told you,” Nastia answered patiently. “He has learned to love.”
Layna couldn’t look away from Felix. Could the very worst of them really love another enough to break the curse? It was such a jagged pill to swallow.
Silence deafened the room, swallowing it up in a mix of doubt and distrust.
“The weakness,” Layna pushed. “Tell us the Firecat weakness so we can protect the baby.”
Felix staggered forward, stopping before he reached the Sorcera. Theo and Thames both let off a vicious growl, but Sunshine didn’t seem concerned. “I will tell you, but only on one condition.”
Layna swallowed hard. The asshole wanted something, and he was going to bargain with what little he had to offer. “What do you want?” Her hiss was toxic enough to make some of the others flinch.
But when Felix answered, he wasn’t looking at her. His request was for the Sorcera.
“I want you to lift the curse.”
Mirena frowned. “You’ve already broken it.”
“You don’t understand.” Felix staggered once more and braced himself with a palm against the wall. “I want the thing completely gone. I’d rather be beastless than have that goddamned Firecat inside me.”
Nastia shook her head. “I’m sorry. We can’t do that.”
His expression turned grim. “You have to.”
“What you’re asking is—”
“I can’t risk…” He shook his head. “I can’t risk what the beast might become with me as part of it. It’s a matter of life and death, don’t you understand?”
Nastia frowned, turning to the other two females.
“You’re correct,” Sunshine said. “We don’t understand.”
Out of everyone in the room she seemed to understand the most, so if she was lost…
“I don’t trust the Firecat in me.”
“I assure you, if you shifted, then the new beast is safe.”
Felix shook his head, almost violently, as he slammed his palm against the wall, rattling the pictures that hung there. “No. I won’t risk it. Won’t risk her. Not after I was ready to fucking die for her. I’d be dead if that fucker hadn’t burst out of my body, blazing like the pits of hell. No. If you can’t take the beast from me, then… then I’ll…”
“They’ll do it,” Layna blurted, immediately catching Mirena’s shocked gaze. “It might take some time
, but they’ll help you. Right? Won’t you?”
The three sisters looked at each other, coming to some wordless agreement. It was always a bit eerie the way they seemed to know what the other was thinking.
“Yes.” Sunshine nodded slowly. “There’s no guarantee it will work, but we will try to take the curse from you.” The other two nodded, and their promise was given, to Felix’s obvious relief. He sagged against the wall for several breaths and then pushed off again, trying to stand. He was like a palm tree swaying in the wind.
Layna pressed the baby into Ryan’s arms and pushed forward, even at his objection. She was going to get the information she needed before Felix passed the fuck out.
“The weakness?” Layna grunted as she slid under his arm and tried to take his weight.
“There’s only one.”
“You mentioned that.” She glanced at Ryan. His expression told her she’d crossed a line he didn’t appreciate. Shit. This information had better be worth it.
“The only thing that weakens them…” Felix slipped and Layna was having trouble keeping him steady. “… is their mates.”
With that, she lost her hold on him and he slammed to the floor, his head bouncing off the hardwood. Doc rushed forward, barking orders to Owyn to get her medical bag from their cabin.
“What about their mates?” Layna followed Felix down to the floor.
“Mate is everything.” He coughed. “Fucking everything. They make us weak, they make us strong. But that won’t help you with the child. She’s ice…” His eyes rolled back in his head.
“What does that mean? Tell me what that means!”
“She’s… a… Lost Daughter. They don’t have fire. They have ice.”
Ice.
Ice?
Layna looked at Mason, desperate for an explanation.
“We finally have an answer we’ve been wondering about. And just in time,” he said. “The bloodline of the Alley Cats who were cursed on the battle field are either fire or ice.”
“Are you saying…” Layna swallowed hard. “Are you saying that my baby is going to be a.. what… an ice cat?”
