by Zoe Chant
“Whoever he was, he probably saved your lives,” Shane said quietly. “Red’s, anyway. He’s a tough guy and you took good care of him, but you’re still fifty miles from Fairbanks.”
She shivered involuntarily. Shane offered her an armful of clothing. “Need some help, or should I turn my back?”
“Turn your back.”
As she changed into the warm, dry clothes, she realized that the only reason Carter had been able to get them help was that Justin had told him where he worked. His compassion for a man he had every reason to hate had ended up saving his life.
“Last one,” Lucas said, holding the thermos to Justin’s lips.
Justin swallowed, his eyes closed, then mumbled, “Fi...?”
She lifted him into her arms and bent to kiss his cheek. It was still cold, but a little color had returned to his skin. “I’m here. Rest now. I’ll be there when you wake up.”
“‘Kay,” he whispered, and relaxed into sleep.
Shane took out a cell phone and sent a text, then packed up his backpack. “How are you doing, Fiona? Can you stay awake for a dragon ride?”
“I’m tired, but I’m not that tired,” she replied.
Lucas stepped back, giving himself room to shift. A swirl of golden sparks whirled around him, then blinked out to reveal the dragon that he had become. Shane picked up Justin and settled him on Lucas’s back and leaning against Shane’s chest, then gave Fiona a hand up to sit in front.
Shane wrapped his arms around Justin’s chest, then called out, “I’ve got him!”
Lucas spread his translucent wings and sprang into the air. Fiona had never flown on dragonback before, as dragons normally only let their mates ride them. Under other circumstances she would have enjoyed it, but now she just wanted to see Justin safely to a doctor and herself to bed.
She only realized that she had dozed off when she was startled awake by the thump of the landing. They were in front of Dr. Bedford’s office, which she had last visited when they’d rescued Shane from Apex, and her teammates were running to meet them. Shane had his arms around her as well as Justin.
“You awake?” Shane asked.
“Yes. How’s Justin?”
He let her go. “He’s all right. Still out. Just as well. He reacted pretty badly the last time he woke up here.”
“He had a flashback?”
Catalina, who had just run up, said, “He turned into a snow leopard and clawed the hell out of Shane. But don’t worry, Dr. Bedford and I tried to make the place look less... medical.”
The whole team had crowded around them now. Ellie was there too, having apparently come with Hal, and so was Raluca, with her hair disheveled and in what Fiona would swear was a nightie. A very beautiful and expensive nightie, but a nightie nonetheless.
“What are you doing here?” Fiona asked her.
“Searching for you and Justin,” Raluca said. “The rest came by helicopter, but Lucas and I could fly faster than that. We can only carry three people each, and two of you were lost. I let Catalina ride on me, since she’s a paramedic.”
“And I really appreciate it,” Catalina said enthusiastically. “It was awesome!”
Nick helped Fiona down, and Hal gave Shane a hand. Shane carried Justin inside.
They were greeted by Dr. Bedford, a serious-looking woman with cornrows and wire-rimmed glasses. She was swallowed up in a black coat so long that she tripped over the hem as she came forward. “Drat this thing.”
It was only then that Fiona recognized Hal’s coat. When Dr. Bedford indicated a bed to lay Justin on, she saw that the white hospital sheets had been covered over with a patchwork quilt.
“My grandma just gave it to me, so it was still in the trunk of my car,” Destiny explained when she saw Fiona staring at it. “When I heard you two were lost in Alaska, I grabbed it and brought it with me in the helo. Lucky, huh?”
Since there was no way of disguising the IV stand and the medical monitoring equipment, Fiona didn’t know how much the effort would help. But it touched her. Even people like Hal and Destiny, who barely knew Justin, had offered their own prized possessions to try to make him feel safe and comfortable.
She sat on the edge of the bed, holding his hand, as Dr. Bedford approached, a little nervously and holding up the edges of Hal’s coat so she could walk. Shane stood on the other side and kept his hand on Justin’s shoulder.
He woke up with a gasp when Dr. Bedford touched the stethoscope to his chest. Then he took in the room and relaxed. “Oh. Here again.”
“Not for as long as last time, I think,” Dr. Bedford reassured him. “Now take a deep breath.”
Fiona sat stroking his hair as he obeyed the doctor’s commands. But whether it was Hal’s coat and Destiny’s patchwork quilt or the presence of her and Shane or something that had changed in Justin himself, he didn’t seem bothered by being in the hospital, and only tightened his grip on Fiona’s hand a little when Dr. Bedford put an oxygen mask over his face.
He soon drifted off again, and stayed asleep for the CT scan. Afterward, Dr. Bedford reported, “There’s no internal bleeding or organ damage—nothing his shifter healing can’t take care of. He just needs to rest. And so do you, Fiona. You can share the bed if you like.”
Fiona gratefully crawled into bed beside him, draping her arm over his chest so she could feel him breathing. The last thing she remembered was Hal pulling the patchwork quilt over them both.
She woke to the sound of voices. For a moment she had no idea where she was. Then she opened her eyes. Justin was sitting up in bed beside her, leaning against a pile of pillows and talking to Shane and Hal. She couldn’t believe how much better he was—still tired and pale, but his eyes were bright and his voice was strong.
“Hey,” he said, glancing down. “Did we wake you up? I can kick them out.”
“No, it’s fine.” She sat up, rubbing her eyes. “How long did I sleep?”
“Almost 24 hours. You were exhausted. I hadn’t realized how long you carried Red.” Shane patted her shoulder. “Thanks for taking such good care of him.”
“You’re welcome.” Fiona rubbed her eyes again. “Is there coffee?”
“I’ll go hunt some down.” Shane went out.
“Hal was just catching me up,” Justin said. “We can’t bust anyone for crimes they committed as part of Apex, since that doesn’t officially exist. But Hal spoke with the FBI and MI6, and they’re going to arrest Bianchi for arms dealing, Attanasio for making drugs, and Elson for attempted murder and a whole laundry list of other crimes.”
“But what about Apex? Is it gone for good?” Fiona asked.
“I hope so,” Justin said.
“Whether they are or not, I don’t think either of you has to worry about them,” said Hal. “Fiona’s blown up two of their bases now. If they ever try to start up again, I bet they leave the US just to get away from her.”
Shane returned with a cup of coffee, and a whole lot of people at his back. Fiona hurriedly tried to smooth out her hair as she realized that her entire team had apparently been lurking outside, just waiting for her to wake up.
“Hi,” she said. “I’m fine. You don’t have to worry about me.”
That clearly didn’t satisfy them, as they all crowded in anyway. And not just her team, but their mates as well. Grace and Journey, who’d had time to prepare rather than having to rush off to the rescue on a moment’s notice, were loaded down with flower arrangements, a suitcase, and a familiar toolkit.
“Is that...?” Fiona began.
Grace nodded. “Journey and I dropped by the office to bring you some things we thought you’d like. Your toolkit...”
“Spare clothes...” Journey opened the suitcase, displaying the clothes Fiona kept at the office in case of emergency.
“And something to tinker with!” Grace pulled out a tiny robot dog.
Justin leaned over. “Oh, I’ve been wanting to see one of those. Does it fetch?”
“No, but it goes a
round obstacles. Watch.” Fiona started up the dog and set it on the floor. It trotted across the room, avoiding everyone’s feet, until it arrived at the door. There it sat on its haunches, pointed its nose in the air, and emitted an electronic bark.
“Good dog!” said Justin.
Now that Fiona had everyone gathered together, she decided not to put off telling them her secret. They all had to be wondering about the anonymous tip that had led them to Alaska, and Justin certainly wouldn’t have said anything about that without checking with her first. Besides, they were her teammates and friends. Shane and Lucas had just saved her life. Raluca had jumped out of bed to go on a mission even though she wasn’t on the team. Grace had brought her a robot dog.
“Everyone...” Fiona said. “There’s something about me I’d like you all to know.”
Justin put his arm around her waist and held her close as she began to talk. When she’d told him that story, it had been incredibly difficult, terrifying, and painful. But the second time was much easier.
When she finished, Nick shook his head in amazement. “And all this time I thought you used to be down on me because you were such a straight arrow.”
“I apologize—” she began.
He cut her off. “Don’t worry about it. It’s cool, actually. You were a better fucking criminal than I was!”
That opened the floodgates. Everyone started assuring her that it didn’t matter and they didn’t care. But she’d already known that. The sheet of ice she’d kept between her and others had melted away for good, and her fear of their judgment had gone with it.
She leaned her head on Justin’s shoulder. It would be a while before they made it back to Santa Martina, but as far as she was concerned, she was already home.
Epilogue
Fiona
Fiona’s braids had come loose. They flew out, then whipped across her face as she ducked down to mold a snowball. “Fetch!”
She threw it in a high arc. All six of their dogs raced across their backyard for it, even Laila, the little white chihuahua, who had to wear a sweater to protect her from the cold. Foxy, the three-legged husky mix, leaped and caught it, then snorted indignantly when it broke apart in her mouth. Midge barked, then pounced on Foxy, bowling her over. The entire pack began to tussle with each other, leaping and rolling in the snow.
“I have to say, snow is a lot more fun when you have dogs,” Fiona remarked. “I’d still never want to live in Alaska, though. Two inches is plenty.”
Justin packed two snowballs tight and tossed them at the same time. Biscata, the Jack Russell terrier, and Lucy, the beagle and blue tick mix, went for the same one and collided. Biscata shrugged off the blow and bit down on the snowball, while Lucy yelped, then ran back to Fiona to be comforted. Angel, the Dalmation, caught the other neatly and intact, then trotted up to Justin and dropped it at his feet.
“Good girl.” He fondled her ears, then glanced up at Fiona. “You know, I had a nightmare the other night, when you were off guarding that woman from the stalker.”
“Oh, no. I was worried about that.” They’d both had jobs with Protection, Inc. since they’d returned to Santa Martina, but only during the day. That had been the first night they’d spent apart.
But Justin didn’t seem upset. “Angel woke me up. She was on the bed, nuzzling my neck and patting my arm with her paw. Lucy was on the bed too, licking my hand, and the rest of them were piled up alongside of me and at my feet. They knew. They’d all been in their doggy beds in the other room when I fell asleep. So you don’t have to worry about leaving me alone anymore. I’ve got the pack. I’ll be all right.”
The rest of the dogs wandered back to sit, panting happily, at their feet. Fiona gave them each an ear-rub. “Just as well we couldn’t agree on the same three, huh?”
“Actually, I did that on purpose. I always wanted six.”
“You did not!”
He shrugged, grinning, until she dumped a handful of snow down the back of his shirt. “Okay! No, I didn’t really.” After a moment, he added, “But I would’ve if I’d thought of it.”
Fiona lunged for him with another handful, but he ducked away and bolted across the yard. She chased him, accompanied by the delightedly barking pack, all around their big backyard. Justin ran easily, dodging around trees, kicking dog toys out of the way, and finally taking a flying leap across the swimming pool.
“Show off!” she yelled from the other side.
He laughed, not even out of breath, and teasingly beckoned to her. “Here, kitty, kitty!”
Instead of following him immediately, she took a moment to look at him from across the pool. His T-shirt was riding up, giving her a glimpse of one of the scars on his side. He’d put on a few more pounds of solid muscle, thanks to his own home-cooked meals and the Protection, Inc. gym, and was strong and lithe rather than thin. With his brilliant copper hair, black eyes, and sharp features, he looked like he should shift into a fox rather than a snow leopard. As he’d predicted, people did turn to look at him when he walked by. But it didn’t seem to bother him now that he was no longer hiding in the shadows.
Fiona jumped across the pool and cornered Justin against the fence.
He threw up his hands. “I surrender!”
“You better,” she said, and kissed him.
He caught her up in his arms and held her tight. Fiona relaxed into his embrace, enjoying the strength of his grip and the heat of his mouth. She stroked his soft hair and broad shoulders, and he slipped his hands beneath her blouse to caress every inch of her that he could reach.
For a long time they stood and kissed as if they’d been parted for months instead of a single night. Then snow started falling again, melting on their faces and sprinkling their hair like confetti.
“Let’s go in. I’ll start a fire.” Justin put his arm around her shoulders.
And together they came in from the cold.
A note from Zoe Chant
Thank you for reading Spy Snow Leopard! I hope you enjoyed it. If you’re starting the series here and would like to know more about Justin and Fiona’s team, the first book is Bodyguard Bear, the second is Defender Dragon, the third is Protector Panther, the fourth is Warrior Wolf, and the fifth is Leader Lion. The final book in the Protection, Inc. series, Top Gun Tiger, is coming soon!
Protector Panther introduces Justin, and he has cameo appearances in Warrior Wolf and Leader Lion.
If you enjoy Protection, Inc, I also write the Werewolf Marines series under the pen name of Lia Silver. Both series have hot romances, exciting action, emotional healing, brave heroines who stand up for their men, and strong heroes who protect their mates with their lives.
If you’d like to be emailed when I release my next book, please click here to be added to my mailing list. You can also visit my webpage, or follow me on Facebook or Twitter. You are also invited to join my VIP Readers Group on Facebook!
Please consider reviewing Spy Snow Leopard, even if you only write a line or two. I appreciate all reviews, whether positive or negative.
Page down to read a special sneak preview of Protector Panther, the book which introduced Justin.
The cover of Spy Snow Leopard was designed by Augusta Scarlett.
More Paranormal Romance by Zoe Chant
Bodyguard Bear. (Protection, Inc. # 1). A curvy witness to a murder + the sexy bear shifter bodyguard sworn to protect her with his life + firefights and fiery passion = one hot thrill ride!
Defender Dragon. (Protection, Inc. # 2). A curvy backpacker who loses a shoe at a ball + a lonely dragon prince facing an arranged marriage to a princess he doesn’t love + magnificent castles and deadly assassins = one thrilling romance!
Protector Panther. (Protection, Inc. # 3). A curvy paramedic who doesn’t know the meaning of fear + a mysterious panther shifter bodyguard with the power to inflict terror + sinister experiments and desperate passion = one heart-pounding romance!
Warrior Wolf. (Protection, Inc. # 4). A runaway dragon pr
incess who wants to experience life outside of castle walls + an ex-gangster werewolf bodyguard with a chip on his shoulder the size of Texas + uptown parties, downtown nightclubs, and deadly assassins = one explosive good girl/bad boy romance!
Leader Lion. (Protection, Inc. # 5). A tough lion shifter bodyguard hiding a lonely heart + the determined stage manager he'll protect with his life + deadly danger behind the scenes = one sizzling thrill ride of a romance!
Firefighter Dragon. (Fire & Rescue Shifters # 1). A curvy archaeologist with the find of a lifetime + a firefighter dragon shifter battling his instincts + a priceless artifact coveted by a ruthless rival = one blazing hot romance!
Firefighter Pegasus. (Fire & Rescue Shifters # 2). A curvy pilot wary of flighty men + a firefighter pegasus shifter determined to win her heart + a high speed air race with even higher stakes = one explosive romance!
Bearista. (Bodyguard Shifters # 1). A tough bear shifter bodyguard undercover in a coffee shop + a curvy barista with an adorable 5-year-old + a deadly shifter assassin = a scorching thrill ride of a romance!
Pet Rescue Panther. (Bodyguard Shifters #2). What's hotter than a sexy man holding an adorable kitten? How about a sexy, protective panther shifter cop holding five adorable kittens! Ben must protect curvy cat-rescue volunteer Tessa (and her box of kittens) from the dragon assassin who has sworn to kill her.
Ranger Griffin. A lonely reporter in deadly danger + a protective griffin shifter who thinks he’s a monster + a cozy cabin in the snowy woods = on exciting and heartwarming romance!
A Pair of Bears. One lonely cat shifter + two sizzling hot bears who want to share + a whole lot of action (in and out of bed) = one wild and sexy adventure!
Bought by the Billionbear. A curvy single woman + a billionaire bear shifter + a bachelorette auction = one broiling-hot story!
The Dragon Prince’s Baby Bargain. He's a dragon prince promised in an arranged marriage to a princess who's just disappeared. She's a lonely virgin on vacation who just happens to look exactly like the missing princess. Has he got an offer for her...
