Claws and Effect (Small Town Shifters Book 1)

by Lola Kidd

  "The runt still here?" she asked Nora.

  Nora smiled. "Sure is. I'm getting ready to phone Rhett and let him know you can take the thing. Or you can take it now if you want."

  "I don't think I should. I don't want to bring it home for Rhett until I'm sure he wants it."

  "There's no way that shifter is going to tell you no. Shifters are very much pushovers when it comes to their mates."

  "Mate?" Joseline laughed nervously. "I'm not his mate. We're just good friends, is all. He's helping keep me safe, if you haven't noticed."

  Nora nodded. "I've heard all about your little predicament. Come on, sugar. There's no need for you to stay at his house."

  "If those dragons are as dangerous as they seem, yes, there is."

  "He could've farmed you out to his other men," Nora pointed out. "Tuck would've kept you safe if need be, and he's a dragon. He could have sent you to Zach's house or to Beau."

  "Could've, but they wouldn't have done as good a job."

  "They would have done a great job. Beau is his right-hand man. Rhett would trust him with his own life. He'd only entrust his mate to someone else if he was dead. That's the only reason he's keeping you all to himself."

  "How much did you say the puppy was?" Joseline asked.

  She needed to get out of there. Nora was nice, but she didn't want to get her hopes up. Rhett hadn't said she was his mate. Speculating with girlfriends was never a good idea. None of them were mind readers.

  Nora laughed. "I told you it was free. Listen, he might not have said he's your mate, but he's a very serious man with a serious past. He doesn't just say things unless he's sure you're ready to hear them. I haven't seen him with a woman, ever. For sure, I've never seen a woman staying at his house for days on end. He thinks you're special, trust me."

  Her chest tightened. There it was. She tried to control herself. Tried to fight the smile that threatened to spread ear to ear. She was letting Nora's words get to her. "You're a shifter too, right?"

  "I don't go advertising or anything, but yes." Nora pulled her hat down over her eyes. "Phoenix."

  Joseline's mouth dropped open. "No way. That can't be true."

  "I'm not going to shift just so you'll believe me," Nora snapped. She took a deep breath. "Much like Rhett, I don't like shifting very much. People get strange when it comes to shifters like me."

  "Thank you for telling me," Joseline said. "It really means a lot to me that you would trust me when you barely know me."

  "Well, don't feel too special about yourself," Nora chuckled. "Everyone in town knows what I am. I just don't spread it around to humans very much. But seeing as how you're going to be a staple around here soon, I might as well tell you sooner rather than later."

  "Please keep us updated on the dog. I really want him."

  She walked away feeling much better about the whole thing. It wouldn't be that hard to get out of her lease and come and live here with Rhett. She could be friends with Nora and maybe Lydia. They could go to eat and get served by Sheridan every weekend. This could be her life. She wasn't getting too ahead of herself if she just fantasized about it. It wasn't like she was telling Rhett all of this and making him say things he could regret later.

  Now was the time to be bold and take a chance. She would make him something for dinner tonight. She made steaks and baked potatoes. What man wouldn't love that? She tried a new rub she'd seen in a magazine.

  "It smells like you've been cooking," Rhett said when he walked in the door.

  "It was really easy finding everything," she said. "I hope you like meat and potatoes. I know it's a little basic, but I really wanted to try this rub."

  He kissed her on the cheek. "Everything smells great. I'm going to change out of these clothes, and I'll be back down to eat."

  "Sounds great."

  She had set the table with the nicest plates she could find. He didn't seem to mind. They talked amicably over dinner, and he told her about his day. He was making strides on Murry's case.

  "I don't think this is an isolated incident," he said. "It may be random, though. I find it hard to believe Murry would be the target of anything nefarious. He's a very low-key man. I also don't think this will be a widespread thing. Which is very good for you."

  "Wouldn't that make it an isolated incident, then?" she asked. He wasn't making much sense.

  "This is the fourth time it's happened in our area," he told her. "I think someone's trying to make this happen. What they want to gain out of this, I don't know. But I do know it's not good for any of the shifters involved."

  "Well, that's not going to make things better for me, is it?" she sighed. "The dragons are never going to give up on me now."

  "I have a feeling they're going to care a lot less about you once I tell them what I think," he assured her. "There's no way you could affect our issues now."

  "I'm not going to tell anyone, but they're never going to believe that," she said. "What is more talking going to convince them of?"

  "It's not me talking to them. More like me showing them what's going on. Showing them we have bigger fish to fry."

  She chewed her food thoughtfully. "What if this is them? What if someone from their side is doing it?"

  He shook his head. "I doubt it. The other two instances happened here. This is the first time it's happened with one of their people, and even then, it was in my territory. I have a feeling it's someone in my area."

  "What if they're just sending them to your area? What they're just testing it out here in your area?"

  Rhett put his fork down. "Shit. You might be on to something. I didn't think about that. We're a poor area, and it would be easier to test something on shifters here. We do have a drug problem, after all."

  "Does Murry do drugs?"

  "I highly doubt it. I'm going to have to talk with my guy Tuck about this. He's the only one that I can get to right now. Thanks for inspiring me."

  Joseline leaned back in her seat, satisfied. She was helping. She was doing good things in his life. Maybe she could help him figure it out and end it. That would be very exciting.

  After dinner, Rhett settled in on the couch with an old book.

  "Do you mind if I watch TV?" she asked.

  He looked up from his book. "Nope. Watch whatever you like."

  She flipped on her favorite fantasy program, Red River. He had every TV subscription possible, so she could watch all the episodes she had missed. For a man who hated TV, he paid a lot of money to keep his subscriptions up. Not that she was complaining.

  As she watched, she got lost in the show. She kept talking at the characters, a habit she had picked up from watching alone for so long.

  "Are you talking to me?" Rhett looked up, annoyed.

  "Sorry. Talking to the TV again," she said sheepishly.

  He stood up and stretched. "I'm going to go read in my room."

  She stopped the TV. "I'm sorry. I don't want to make you feel unwelcome in your own home. You can stay here, and I'll go upstairs."

  He shook his head. "No, it's fine. I like reading in bed."

  Joseline still felt bad. He wanted to read, and she wanted to make noise. She wondered how annoyed with this he would get in the long run.

  She finished her show and went upstairs to find him. He was sitting in his bed with reading glasses on.

  She had only meant to say good night and go to her own bed, but seeing him with the glasses ignited something in her. He looked so sexy. It made him look smarter and more distinguished.

  She sauntered over to his bed and lay down next to him. She propped herself up on one elbow and looked at him, batting her eyelashes. "You want make out before we go to bed?"

  Rhett closed the book and threw it across the room. They might have different ways of unwinding after a long day, but she'd found one thing they had in common.

  "Lights on or off?" he asked.

  She gripped his neck and pulled him in close. "On."

  Chapter Sixteen

&n
bsp; "Tucker's here," Beau said, putting his head into the office. "You want me to send him right back?"

  Rhett nodded. "Send him in."

  He didn't like to use his private office very often, but this called for it. He didn't want someone strolling in off the street and hearing what he and Tucker were talking about.

  Tucker strolled in, looking his usual casual self. "How's it going, brother?"

  "Pretty good." Rhett stood up and shook his hand. "Have a seat."

  "I assume you brought me here because of the whole human-staying-in-your-house thing, right? If not, my dragon bros are going to be pissed at me."

  "It's tangentially about Joseline."

  "What does that mean?" Tuck took off his hat and put it on backward. "Please don't yank my chain, man. Seriously, the Abbott Town Council will not happy with me."

  "I don't want to get you in any trouble, but I think I have something bigger for us to talk about. You know Murry wasn't the first shifter to go crazy in this area?"

  Tuck kicked his feet up on Rhett's desk. Rhett was going to stop him, but he decided against it. Let Tuck get comfortable so he would hear him out.

  "Did you know that we had a shifter here in Lake Magnolia who went feral twice? Once as a child and then again a decade ago."

  Tuck stroked his chin. "I seem to have a vague memory of that. But I thought the lady left her family and died. That must be why she went away, though. Cause she had feral problem. That's what you're thinking right?."

  "It's possible."

  Tucker shook his head. "Twice isn't enough to prove a pattern. And there's no way it happened more than the two times. Going feral is a scary story humans tell, it doesn't actually happen. Those were accidents."

  Rhett laughed. "Kids these days. Going feral is a very much a thing. It doesn't happen often but it can happen. Obviously, you saw it the other night."

  "But how do you know that's what happened with Murry?"

  "I can't be sure but I have a hunch. Does Murry do drugs?"

  Tucker thought for a minute. "Yeah, he does, actually. Not often and not much, but he does do drugs. I think he smokes pot, and maybe a few times he tried mushrooms."

  Jackpot. Now the pieces were falling together for Rhett. This had to have something to do with what was going on here. There was no way that three drug users had all gone crazy and it wasn't related somehow. He was going to lay all of his cards on the table.

  "I think it's the drugs, then. I think someone is messing with the drugs, testing out something that makes shifters lose their minds. The other people didn't attack any humans, but they almost attacked shifters. Murry was the first time someone almost got hurt."

  "I can go figure out if Murry did drugs that night." Tucker took his feet off the desk and leaned forward. "We should probably keep this quiet. That Pegasus? I don't trust that guy. I think my fellow Keepers will lie low and wait until I figure stuff out, honestly, they don’t even seem like they care that much anymore. But Magnus? That guy is a wildcard. He'll do whatever the hell he wants."

  Rhett nodded. "I agree. Joseline can protect herself, but I'll keep her close for now. You figure out some stuff on your end and then get back to me."

  Tucker stood up. "I'll check our records to see if we have anything about any shifters going wild. I seem to recall it happening a few decades back. I might've come across the files once when I was bored. I want to be positive before I before I give you any bad information. And for sure I'll let you know about Murry."

  "I appreciate it, man." Rhett stood up and shook his hand again.

  Tucker didn't let go. Instead, he pulled him closer. "But we should also talk about the woman, Joseline."

  "What about her?"

  "She can't be wiped. Magnus is the best we have and he already said he couldn't do it."

  Rhett stood still. He didn't want to confirm that but he needed to tell Tucker something. The dragon shifter was working with him after all. "I don't know if it's impossible but yes it is difficult."

  "Have you tried yourself?"

  He tilted his head side to side. "Not in earnest. I probed at her but didn't put much effort into it."

  Tucker nodded and then sat down again, hands clasp in front of him between his legs. "Can I be straight with you?"

  Rhett sat back down too. "Of course."

  "Magnus thinks the lady is your mate or at least that you're attached to her." Tucker put up a hand when Rhett started to protest. "You don't have to confirm or deny that. Even if she is your mate, they won't let this go. Hayes and Knox might but not Magnus and the Abbott Council. They think this is a substantial threat to our town."

  "Even if she was my mate, they would still come after her?"

  Tucker nodded. "Just between us, yeah I think they might. Those guys are crazy. The doctors don't think Murry will attack anyone again. That's all under control. But the Council and Magnus, I don’t know, they up to something. I think it might be something to do with Joseline."

  "There's nothing for worry about then."

  Tucker locked eyes with him. "I think you should wipe her. Not her whole mind but if you could just pull that one incident and make it go away, she wouldn't be in any danger. They would leave her alone."

  "I told you-"

  "You could do it," Tucker interrupted. "You know you could. Especially if she is your mate, you could do it. Just think about it. You wouldn't have to hurt her. Just make her forget five minutes. Is that really so bad? You guys could be fine. They would never bother you again. I’m not saying for sure that they’ll come after her but why risk it? I would do it. That’s all I’m getting at."

  So that was why he was here. To convince him to wipe his mate's mind. Rhett could barely speak. He was shaking with rage. "Thanks for the heads up. I'll think about it.”

  Tucker stood up again. "Thanks. I'll be in touch."

  That had come so close to being a great meeting. So freaking close. They knew she was his mate and they still wanted him to wipe her mind. It was only five minutes and maybe he could do it if he really tried. But was it worth it? She wasn't going to say anything and even if he could do it, there was a chance she would get hurt.

  He could see where they were coming from. Things were precarious for shifters at the moment. Humans were running them out of rural towns all around the country. It wasn't making the human news unless you were really paying attention but Keeper's talked with each other. The Abbott Keeper's and Council were worried what might happen if Joseline ever said anything.

  He couldn't believe that they had just threatened his mate. They hadn't even had the courage to come out and say it directly. They'd sent their youngest Keeper to hint at the issue. That was interesting. It made him think they weren't quite ready to go through with it. Maybe they were trying to intimidate him into using mind magic.

  As much as he hated to admit it, he did see how much easier it would be if he did it. He could try after they made love when their connection was strongest and her defenses were down. Her mind might open up to him then. It wouldn't take him long and if it worked, they would never have to worry about the Abbott Keepers again. He could make her think she'd just had a car accident. Run into a scorpion shifter by accident. It wasn't that big a stretch and people would buy the story too.

  The fact that he was even considering this made him sick. Maybe that part of him would always be there. The part that wanted to protect shifters at all costs, no matter who got hurt. He'd done so much in his past life when the shifters had first revealed themselves to the humans. For a long time, he wasn't sure if he could trust himself around humans.

  She was in the house alone again today, and he was still worried. He would have to worry like this all the time if her memories stayed in tact. From the sound of it, the Abbott dragons might never leave her alone. He was putting his entire town at risk keeping her here.

  It was part of his job description that he dealt with all the bad stuff that came to town and made sure his territory was safe. Part of th
at meant he had to make tough choices. Maybe the best choice in this situation was to risk what was most special to him so the whole town could be safe.

  There were so many moving parts to consider. He didn't know how he was ever going to make this decision. His anxiety was getting the best of him. The best way to head this off was to go and see her. Make sure she was safe now. He could worry about the rest later.

  He told Beau to hold down the fort and left for his house. The quick drive seemed to take hours. When he got there, Joseline was sitting on the couch, looking at a magazine.

  She looked up, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

  "I decided it would be nice to come home and see you. Are you happy?"

  The smile took a moment too long to reach her eyes. "Yes. I'm glad to see you."

  "I'm going to make myself a grilled cheese. Want me to make you one?"

  "I have some soup on the stove. Soup and a sandwich sounds like a great lunch."

  They finished making the lunch together and then sat down to eat. The soup was homemade chicken noodle, and it was the best he'd ever had. He complimented her on it over and over. She looked lovely in her oversized sweater and leggings. He could see the curves of her ass and couldn't help from palming them when he stood up at the end of his meal. He'd kept an eye on her the whole time.

  "So, anything new with the case?" she asked.

  He nodded. He struggled to swallow the food in his mouth. "I'm optimistic that this is going to all be dealt with in a few days. Tucker came to speak to me today, and I really think we can make headway very quickly. Everything is falling into place."

  She nodded but didn't smile. "Well, I guess that means I should get myself ready to go soon."

  He made an affirmative noise but said nothing. He didn't want her go but where they would live as the least of their worries. He had no idea how he was going to even broach the subject of using magic on her. He'd told her it wouldn't happen. He knew she would agree if she thought it would keep the town safe. She was a good, selfless person. But she didn't deserve to be put in that spot. He would try to find another way out of it first. There had to be a better solution. One that wouldn't put her in any danger.