Black Queen: Stray: Fated Mates Paranormal Shifter Romance (Shifters Among Us Book 1)

by Lidiya Foxglove

  I felt a sudden, sharp pang of missing Ian and his easygoing Celtic jams down at O’Malley’s, with everyone just having a great time and no uncomfortable sense of a power struggle. And I missed the way Ian had a confident light-heartedness in situations like this. He would probably make a joke or two and diffuse the tension I felt.

  Alistair and Mina certainly wouldn’t be diffusing any tension. They were the embodiment of tension. I seriously couldn’t tell if Mina loved or hated Alistair from one moment to the next.

  “Let’s get some drinks first,” Mina was saying.

  “I think you had quite enough to drink last night. I’ll get you a virgin pina colada.”

  “Are you kidding me? One drink! Just one. You know I think a lot better with one drink. Don’t make me have to make this face, Al. Al, look!” She gave him this moist, quivering, I-want-it face.

  “You’re ridiculous. A virgin pina colada, please. And a glass of the syrah. Frankie, do you want a drink? You can have one, if you like. You look like you can handle it better.”

  “Uh, just…a white wine? I don’t really care.”

  Although my nerves could use some steadying, I also wanted to keep my wits about me. The atmosphere in here made my skin crawl. I saw men getting handsy with the waitresses and their plastic smiles.

  It all seemed like such a strange game. No one was actually in their bird form, and I don’t think the humans were here to see birds. They were here to see women. But why these women, when there were plenty of beautiful human women? I could think of no good reason to come here, to drink in the fact that all the pretty girls—and boys, too—could turn into birds and fly away if the humans hadn’t outlawed that a long time ago. They were all trapped in their human forms, in this human world.

  And that went for Alistair too. I didn’t know how Mina could even stand to tease him, knowing that he had chosen her over all the human women who could have been his equal.

  Worst of all, the collar around my neck also marked me as a shifter even at a glance. If I didn’t glue myself to Alistair and Mina I would start attracting my own unwanted attention.

  As I did anyway, within seconds. “Why are you here alone, kitten?” asked a guy who looked like a Wall Street type, old enough to be my dad.

  They were all here to enjoy the fact that they had us trapped.

  I had to follow Alistair around while he prowled the room, sizing up servers and dancers. A few people waved at him.

  “I guess the club doesn’t mind you poaching their talent?” I asked.

  “We give them a very nice kickback. So they’re sort of like scouts for us in that way. Merryweather’s work force is eighty percent shifter at this point, and my mother likes to think of it as one big family, so she takes hiring very seriously. I look for people who stand out in some way. Who are ready for something much bigger than this.”

  “Oh, like reciting safety rules for a roller coaster or selling hot dogs out of a cart?”

  “You’ve never been to our parks,” he said. “They’re a little more involved than Coney Island with shifters. They all have extensive ‘back lot’ areas where shifters can live how they want off-hours. The parks are all self-sustaining with their own solar and food farms.”

  “Cool,” I said, with vague sarcasm and not much interest. Hopefully Mina would plead my case to Esther and I’d be home tomorrow.

  “What about him?” Mina said, pointing at a scruffy guy in a leather bomber jacket. He was carrying two drinks, and took a seat with an attractive older human woman.

  “I think he’s her pet,” Alistair said. “Is he your type?” he added incredulously.

  “He looks like a man of action,” Mina said. “I like men who get their hands dirty. Men who sky dive and hunt for treasure.”

  “Well, I could put on a bomber jacket and grow some stubble for you.”

  “No good. I know you’re all about paperwork and data and spreadsheets. Unsexy paperwork.”

  “If that guy actually sky dives and hunts for treasure, I’ll be shocked. But you wouldn’t really enjoy being with anyone who wasn’t rich. You’ll think my data and spreadsheets are a lot sexier then. I don’t do it because I adore it, I do it to keep you in the manner you demand.”

  “He’s rich from treasure hunting, obviously!” Mina exclaimed.

  “This man only exists in movies,” Alistair said, unperturbed. “Keep looking…for someone who isn’t a pet.”

  It’s going to be a long night with these two, I thought.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Ansel

  “They went into the Shangri La. Damn. Not quite my scene, but I think we can make it work,” I said, keeping my eyes locked on Frankie from a distance. I’d managed to chase around the Merryweather heir and the girls all day, but I’d almost lost them a few times, even with Waylon’s best spells for finding people. “You got any spells for this?”

  “Saffron water. We can wash our hands in this and give them a gambler’s luck.”

  “It’s a nightclub, not a casino.”

  “I don’t think I have anything special,” Waylon said. “You’ve got a luck spell and a charm spell.”

  “I need a good parking spot first.”

  “I don’t have a trick for that,” Waylon said. “Not one worth using materials on.”

  “What good is magic anyway?”

  I found a spot in a parking garage and dug around in our bags in the back seat for an outfit that would suit the Shangri La. Even though it was a bird club, it was definitely not my vibe. I didn’t think I could pose as a waiter. I was pretty sure they had uniforms. So I would just have to look like some rich person’s pet, but the specific sort of rich person who would go to a club like that. A classic suit would probably work, but I didn’t have one.

  “That seems like something you should probably always carry around,” Waylon muttered.

  “I can’t anticipate every situation. Well, I have a pink shirt and dark red dress pants.”

  “You don’t own a regular suit, but you have a pink shirt and red pants? Just hurry up.”

  I slithered in and out of clothes in the backseat.

  “No guns, no metal,” I said. “I’m sure they’ll check for those at the door.”

  Waylon shrugged off a gun holster that was hiding under his Dickie’s work wear and jammed it in the glove compartment. “Well, just try not to get in trouble.”

  “Same for you.”

  We washed our hands with the saffron water and then shook on it. I guided Waylon to the back of the club and parked him at the back door.

  “I got this from here,” Waylon said, running a hand through his hair and fussing with the name badge that said “Franklin”. “Are you good?”

  “Oh, I’m good. I’ll call you in a few minutes.”

  He banged on the back door.

  I ran for the side of the building, grinning. Waylon was being pretty brazen considering we were in the human world. I couldn’t help but worry about him when I left him alone. But if you weren’t willing to be brazen, you lost.

  I headed for the front of the club and started to go in like I belonged there. I expected to be challenged, but the bouncer waved me through with a little nod like he knew me.

  “I like your hair,” he said.

  “Oh, thanks, babe.” Well, that was easy. Maybe he was into me. These good looks will get you anywhere.

  I was feeling pretty cocky as I was in so easily. I surveyed the interior. The bar was on a balcony level over the dance area, where tables overlooked the open space and the band and singer, which were on a half-level between the two. Once I was up the stairs I had a good view of everything. So I just needed to find Frankie.

  Skimming the crowd, even though the surface was all glossy and shiny, it was hard not to think of the time when I was a rich person’s pet myself. Just a kid. Helpless, with no future I could imagine. I hated places like this.

  Frankie’s presence jumped out, even though her dark hair was styled in a way t
hat I didn’t think suited her. Alistair and Mina stood out too. He was dark, hovering over his bird, and she was blonde and full of smiles like bubbles—light and true, but easy to pop. A devil and his angel. He had his hand on her shoulder.

  I just had to get Frankie to understand that she needed to come with me without hesitation.

  I took the stairs down to the dance floor and moved into her view, but some distance away. I couldn’t let Alistair and Mina see me. Luckily they were looking toward the stage while Frankie stared at the servers, her lashes lowered in a look of disgust at the whole thing. Mina must have put that pink lipstick on her. Oh no. That is not her color, I thought. But she was still gorgeous, with so much fighting spirit in her posture. She was already looking for a chance to bolt.

  She noticed me.

  Her eyes widened now, and then she looked nervous. I just casually lifted a finger and nodded at her. Wait for it. I’m here for you.

  I could tell she was both surprised and relieved to see me. She had thought I was ditching her for good. Well, she would soon learn that I always came through.

  I turned away from her and called Waylon on my phone.

  “Hey,” he said. “Things are going great on my end. No one is even watching the back. I managed to find the breaker box on my own just feeling the wall. Did you find Frankie?”

  “Yep. I was just looking at her.”

  “My luck spells are the fucking shit,” Waylon said smugly. “Then here goes nothing.”

  Waylon shut off the main breaker and the lights went off.

  At this same moment, I felt a large hand grab my shoulder and someone snarled at me, “You should know better than to come onto my turf!”

  “Turf?” I managed right before a fist made contact with my cheek, barely missing my temple, which probably would have left my head ringing.

  “If you can’t pay Shaw then I’ll take the price out of your face!”

  “Who the hell is Shaw?”

  Some backup lights came on, just enough that I could see him coming. I twisted as I kicked him and managed to get out of his grasp. Frankie had scurried up next to me in the dark.

  “Frankie, go to the back doors,” I said. “Waylon’s waiting for you. I’ll be there in a sec—“

  She wasn’t listening. She launched at my attacker and plunged her shoulder into his gut, then slammed her foot into his foot.

  “Damn, you’re cool,” I said, taking her hand. “I love a girl who’s prepared.”

  “C’mon,” she said.

  “Once we’re out of danger,” I said, “I’m going to kiss you.”

  “Okay,” she said, and unfortunately I missed her smile in the shadows, but I think it was there.

  Chapter Twenty

  Waylon

  The music stopped. I heard the loud collective rumbling of concern and annoyance a couple hundred people make when the party stops.

  I quickly followed the wall back out the door, banging into something and smothering my curses.

  “Hey, who’s there?” a woman yelled behind me somewhere. “There’s a guy.”

  “I’ll check it out,” a man said.

  Now heavy footsteps were coming at me fast. Escape was out. I guess the luck spell had run out. I broke one of the rules of magic not to get cocky. Oh well. Wouldn’t be the first time.

  “Hey, man, what are you doing back here?” a guy growled at me as he was still coming at me fast. He sounded very tall and his voice was so low I imagined he probably had a huge body to match.

  I made a calculation that it wasn’t even worth trying to pretend I was here with the power company.

  Oh, well. Plan B works too.

  I whipped out a bone knife. “Are we doing this?” I said.

  “If you don’t have anything to say, then yeah, I guess we’re doing this.” As he came closer I held up the knife. It looked very mystical with all sorts of carvings on it. It was pretty much all bullshit, but I held it up and took some powder from my pocket and cast it over the blade and started chanting something.

  “You’re not a sorcerer,” the guy said. “You’re just making that up.”

  “I am a sorcerer,” I said. “I cast a spell on this building so I could walk right in unmolested and shut off your power. When the devil took my eyes he gave me this power.” I grinned in the most psychotic way I could manage.

  “That shit ain’t real.” He sounded uncertain.

  I took off my dark glasses so he could see the contacts I’d put in. They looked like red eyes pointed in wonky directions, and usually they were good for a jump scare.

  “Jesus!” Now the guy was trying to figure out what the hell he was dealing with. Liar, crazy person, or sorcerer. It was a gamble many people didn’t want to take.

  Magic had always been real, but it had never been easy. Most humans still didn’t like dabbling in it, and they didn’t understand how it worked that well. Shifters were the ones who leaned on magic to protect themselves over the centuries.

  I waved the dagger. “O, dark lord, I place a hex upon—“

  “Wait! Just wait. Hey—okay—why did you turn off the power?”

  “I was just trying to help out a girl I know. An Istaran who got captured as a pet. I didn’t damage anything. I needed to cause chaos to provide her some cover.” If the guy had no sympathy for this, then I might have to try and fight anyway.

  “So you just tripped the breaker?”

  “That’s it.”

  “All right, man. If you swear that that’s all it is…I really want to just let you go.”

  “I swear it.”

  “If I ever see you in this club again I’m going to knock out your teeth,” he said, but with a tiny quaver in his bravado.

  “I’ll keep my teeth. Thank you.” I flashed him a smile. My teeth were sharp even for a cat shifter, almost fang-like.

  The guy slowly backed off. Ansel and Frankie were running toward me.

  “This is the girl?” the guy said. “You’re—you’re lucky I don’t call the cops on you guys.”

  “I realize I’m lucky,” I said. “I’m always lucky. Thank you. Let’s go, Ansel.”

  We went out the back door and I put the knife back, wiping sweat off my brow. I didn’t want to look at all nervous around Frankie. If I had stayed the old me I could have fucked that guy up in a fight. It was her fault I had to fake it instead.

  “My luck spells really are the shit,” I said, shaking off the remaining adrenaline. It was dangerous, what we did tonight, but that didn’t matter. All that mattered was getting it done.

  Once we were away from the club, Ansel grabbed Frankie and gave her an impulsive kiss. She laughed, and her laugh was more girlish than her voice, which was a note low for a girl. Both voice and laugh were cute in their own way. I hated thinking about her that way, though, even for a moment.

  “Ansel—please. Don’t get involved with the target.”

  “I’m not your fucking target,” Frankie shot back, as I knew she would. She was very easy to provoke.

  “Well, you can thank us for rescuing you, unless you’d rather stay with Alistair.”

  “Thank you. That’s all you get, though. I know you didn’t do it out of benevolence! But I need to get this collar off. Alistair can track me.”

  “We have tools in the car,” I said.

  One of the things I learned, studying sorcery, was to think of everything in advance. Sometimes you didn’t even need magic. Sometimes you just needed a good pair of clippers, or pliers, or the right ID or change of clothes. Or the ability to bluff.

  The best magic you’ll ever have is swagger, Leif said. You just gotta act like you know what you’re doing, because most people don’t know what you’re doing or what you’re capable of doing. So as long as they think you have a plan, they’ll freak out. They’ll think you can just toss out curses like candy at a parade, you know?

  This definitely seemed to be true. Even for me. I knew magic wasn’t well suited to a fight, but I also didn’t k
now how powerful other sorcerers might be. If you were dealing with a master, who knows? Everyone guarded their secrets.

  I opened the trunk and dug around for the clippers while Ansel and Frankie were breathless with exhilaration over the escape.

  “So you made it through a day at the Merryweathers all right? I see someone took it upon themselves to give you a makeover,” Alistair said.

  “Oh, that was Mina.”

  “I did a better job.”

  “Well, I can’t wait to wipe it all off, no matter who did it. But what about your face? That guy slugged you!”

  “Oh…”

  “The bruise is looking pretty nasty. If you have some balm you might want to apply it now.”

  “He thought I was someone else,” Ansel said. “Someone who owed him money.”

  Frankie gasped. “That’s right! I think I saw Florian!”

  I held up the clippers and reached for Frankie’s collar. “Florian?”

  Ansel’s hand slammed the roof of the car. “You…saw my brother? Are you sure? I don’t believe it.”

  “Yeah…he was honestly just standing outside right across the street. From a distance I thought he was you.”

  “That’s too much of a coincidence.”

  “This guy came up to him and called him ‘Flor’. Ouch!” she exclaimed as I had to use all my strength to pop off the metal band of the collar. I guess it pinched her as it came off.

  “You’re free,” I said.

  She grabbed the collar and pitched it into the distance. “Then let’s get out of here.”

  Ansel was pretty quiet as we got in the car. He drove about as fast as he could get away with. When I pulled him out of that shitty work house, he seemed ready to get to work for me, but the one thing that weighed on him, and had a pull on him back to his old life, was the feeling that he had abandoned his little brother.

  It was more powerful than our friendship. More powerful than me saving him, or anything else.

  After a moment, he exclaimed, “I want to go back. I need to see if that was him.” He jerked on the wheel to turn around and Frankie and I were both slammed against the side of the car since we didn’t expect it.