by Kiki Howell
Lucinda frowned at her. “What does that mean?”
“Well, basically it means I do whatever Mr. Draco asks me to.”
Lucinda shifted in her seat as she stared at Cara with growing apprehension. What exactly did that cryptic statement mean?
“And, obviously Dominic has asked you to attach yourself to me, so tell me ... why does Dom have you on babysitting duty?”
Cara gave an almost apologetic smile and shook her head. “I’m not babysitting you, Lucinda. I’m helping to protect you.”
“What, like a bodyguard?”
Cara’s smile got bigger. “Exactly like a bodyguard. Mr. Draco can see how irritated you’re getting with the constant throng of security he’s been insisting on, and he hates the thought of you being so upset over the matter. He wants to make you happy, but he also has a strong need to keep you safe. He thought you might feel more comfortable just hanging out with a friend instead of having a bunch of big-muscled oafs following your every move. So effective immediately, and until he says otherwise, I’ve been assigned to you. I stick to your side ...”
“Like a constant shadow?” Lucinda interrupted.
“More like a best girlfriend you can hang out with and confide in,” Cara answered with a wink.
Lucinda shook her head, giving a slight roll of her eyes. “Confide in? Why does that sound like you’re assignment is to spy on me for my boyfriend?”
Cara looked truly stricken. “Oh, please don’t think that! Mr. Draco never mentioned keeping tabs on you in any way. Lucinda, my job is to keep you safe, that’s all. Anything you say to me will stay firmly between you and me, I swear.”
Lucinda studied the girl’s eyes for a long moment as she thought about Dominic’s obsession with her safety. It had gotten worse since Dinah Martin’s funeral. He even had a man stationed outside the dressing room door at the nightclub, like he thought someone might sneak in and steal her away before she could hit the stage.
She sighed and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “So what are you, like some martial arts fighting badass, or something?”
Cara grinned at her. “No. I’m just a badass wolf shifter with street skills. Don’t worry. You’re in good hands. And we’re not completely on our own either. We still have a couple of big-muscled oafs watching our backs from the air – a pair of hawk shifters that have been assigned to you as well. They’re there if I need them.”
“Dominic’s seen to everything. How thoughtful of him,” Lucinda muttered as her gaze drifted down to the half-eaten blueberry muffin in front of her. She was being sincere, but she wasn’t exactly sure what to think about all of this. It was as though he were tormented by Dinah’s death, and Lucinda wanted to do what she could to set his mind at ease over the situation. It was difficult, but she was trying hard to understand his anguish.
“Are you angry?” Cara asked, breaking off a piece of her cherry scone. “You asked me directly, and I wanted to be honest with you, but was that a mistake? Should I have not told you the truth?”
“No, it’s all right.” Lucinda smiled at her. “I’m glad you told me. Thank you for your honesty. I’m not angry at you or him. I know he’s just trying to keep me safe. It’s sweet in its own twisted way. He worries that something bad will happen to me now that we’re together.”
Cara popped the bite of pastry into her mouth. “And you are definitely together. He’s marked you. That’s definitive.”
Lucinda swallowed a sip of her coffee and looked at Cara. “So, how does that work, exactly? I mean, can everyone smell that on me now?”
Cara nodded as she set her cup down. “Every shifter, yeah. That’s kind of the point. It tells everyone who you’re mated to and what species he is. What position he holds in his pack or pride or clan or whatever. And it warns other males to back off.”
Lucinda nodded, absentmindedly popping a bite of muffin into her mouth as the scope of Cara’s explanation sank in for her. She felt a little foolish for the question forming in her head when she already knew the answer, but she had to ask it anyway. Just to put her mind at ease. “And shifter males, they ... they only mark one mate, right?”
Cara frowned at her. “You’re thinking about what El Tigre said a few weeks ago about dragons hoarding treasures. About Mr. Draco and other women? Dinah Martin?”
Lucinda met Cara’s gaze and shrugged a shoulder. Cara shook her head.
“El Tigre was just trying to upset you and stick it to Mr. Draco at the same time. Dragons may hoard treasures, but not female companions. Whatever may or may not have been going on between Dinah and the Boss doesn’t matter anymore. Mr. Draco has chosen his mate. He marked you, and no matter what El Tigre says, he knows as well everyone else that shifters of all species only do that once.”
Lucinda couldn’t stop the broad goofy smile that took over her face, so she took another sip of her coffee in an effort to control herself.
Cara shook her head and grinned at the blush that stole over Lucinda’s face. “There’s no hiding your feelings, that’s for sure.”
“What?” Lucinda asked, sounding completely innocent.
“Oh, come on. You’re clearly head over heels. It’s so cute to see you and the boss around the club together lately. You’re both so ga-ga over each other,” Cara said, tossing another piece of scone into her mouth. “It’s weird too though. I mean, he’s always so serious and intense, and scary intimidating. But there’s this whole other side to him now when he’s with you. We all see it. He’s different with you. Calmer maybe? Like he’s at peace or something. I don’t know.”
Lucinda grinned to herself and took a sip of her coffee as she thought about Cara’s description of the new and improved Dominic. Cara said he seemed at peace. To Lucinda, that meant happy. She was making Dominic happy. She popped a piece of muffin into her mouth with a contented smile.
As they finished up their breakfast, they chatted on about all manner of things — men, the nightclub, life in general — and Lucinda found herself genuinely enjoying Cara’s company. They laughed and joked as though they had been friends for many years, and she decided this new security arrangement was infinitely more appealing than having a small herd of large scowling men around her all the time. She would remember to thank Dominic later for letting up some, and for being so thoughtful in his new security choice for her.
“Well, shall we go hit that mall now?” Cara asked when their pastries were gone and their cups were empty.
“Yep. Let’s do this,” Lucinda replied with a smile as they stood up.
They left the cafe and walked around the side of the building to the rear parking lot. As they neared her new car – a gift from Dominic – Lucinda stopped in her tracks as four large cats appeared out of nowhere and surrounded them. A black panther, two cougars and a cheetah. Her heart began to pound as she shot a panicked glance Cara’s way.
Her new friend barely had time to shift into wolf form before the two cougars pounced on her, and Lucinda watched in horror as the large gray wolf tussled around on the ground with them.
Never content to just sit back and let life happen to her, Lucinda knew she had to do something to help. Her eyes darted frantically around for something she could use as a weapon.
Everything seemed to happen all at once as she spotted a small fallen branch in the grass beside the blacktop of the parking lot and grabbed it. She hoisted it like a baseball bat as the cheetah shifted into human form and started for her. Her stomach twisted in fear, but she set her stance as the man advanced on her. Then she swung with all her might.
The branch caught the man in the forehead, and he snarled as the blood dripped down into his eyes. She raised the branch to swing again, but he was ready for her this time, grabbing the branch and yanking it from her hands. He snapped the branch in two and tossed it aside before he came at her again.
She heard a loud squawk overhead as she turned and ran in the opposite direction. Giant arms went around her waist and she was lifted off her fee
t as the man grabbed her from behind. She kicked and fought to get away, as she watched two hawks swoop in low over their heads.
They shifted into human form and one of them leaped into the fray with the two cougars, giving Cara some much needed backup. The other one came running straight for her and the cheetah shifter. Lucinda reached out her arms to the hawk, her savior, her would-be champion. But the last thing she saw clearly before she lost consciousness was the black panther leaping at him and taking him down.
.
Chapter Eight
“WHAT THE FUCK do you mean? Is she dead?”
Dominic’s voice boomed around the study as he glared at Talon’s men. He had been expecting a simple positive update from his friend. But when Talon entered his home with two other hawk shifters, followed by Loup, Barrett, and two of their men as well, he knew something was up and that it wasn’t good. He’d led them all to his study and summoned two of his own men as well. The unwelcome sense of dread sat heavy in his gut as his scrutinizing gaze darted around the room, looking each man in the eyes. Someone had better start talking, and quick.
“I’m sorry, sir.” Deacon, Talon’s man spoke up, looking at Dominic with eyes full of sorrow and trepidation. The man looked disheveled as he addressed Dominic, like he’d clearly been in battle. “We dove from the air the instant the fight broke out, but the cats double-teamed her. She did kill one of the cougars just as we landed, and Mitch took out the other, but we were too late. Cara’s in pretty bad shape. The shifter medic said she may not survive.”
“Fuck!” Dominic bellowed. He picked up a small glass bauble that sat on the shelf and threw it across the room, shattering it into pieces as he paced around the study like a caged animal. A large puff of gray smoke blew from his nostrils and wafted through the air in his wake like the tail of a comet. This was his fault. He never should have let Lucinda’s unhappiness with the security situation influence his decisions. He should have continued to follow his gut instinct to keep his mate safe.
He suddenly found it difficult to breathe as panic gripped his heart. He turned and glared at Deacon again. “Lucinda?”
The man shook his head. “I was so close. I nearly had her, but the moment I reached out to grab her the panther came out of nowhere, sir. I’m afraid they got away with Ms. Lindley. I failed you, Mr. Draco.” He turned to look at his immediate alpha. “I failed you both. I’m sorry, Talon.”
Talon placed a hand on Deacon’s shoulder, but said nothing, and Dominic knew the distraught hawk shifter was already punishing himself more than he or Talon ever could.
“As soon as Deacon called, we tracked down the van he and Mitch saw the cheetah toss Lucinda into.” Loup stepped forward and looked at Dominic with his ever calm demeanor. Something about the cunning intelligence behind the wolf shifter’s eyes always put Dominic at ease somehow. It was one of the reasons Loup had always been one of his closest advisers and most trusted friends, even before they had both risen to the alpha positions in their respective packs. He respected Loup’s level head, and always welcomed his counsel.
“The scent led us from the cafe parking lot through the city, and into the outskirts of Cat territory, to a trail that winds deep inside their lands. A trail that we know leads to El Tigre’s home,” Loup added.
“El Tigre is obviously trying to lure you to his turf, Draco. So he can fight where he has the advantage.” Talon looked grim as he spoke the words.
The fire lit up behind Dominic’s eyes as more smoke billowed from his nostrils and a small flame licked at his nose. “He has kidnapped my mate. I will hunt him all the way to the gates of hell to save her. He has no advantage anywhere!”
“Well, you are not mounting a rescue mission alone. My men and I are ready to fight with you,” Barrett grumbled in his deep baritone grizzly voice.
“We all are. You know that,” Loup said as nods of affirmation went around the room.
“And so are we!”
Everyone in the room turned to the door of the study, where two other men stood by. They were both slight of build and meek in stature. Buddy and Muir, the leaders of the fox and gazelle shifter communities. The two men shared a nervous glance before addressing the room once more.
“We are not great predators by nature such as you all,” Buddy said, speaking for them both as they stepped further into the room. “But we heard what happened with Ms. Lindley, and it troubles us a great deal. This is our Alliance too, and we’re grateful to be a part of it. And, well ... we’re ready to defend it if need be.”
Dominic stared at the two men with a mounting sense of awe. Back when the Alliance had been formed, it was pretty much a predator shifters only club, created to fight against the Cats’ oppression. Non-predator shifter communities like the foxes and gazelles had been left to fend for themselves against the Cats’ tyranny. But when Dominic’s alpha fell, and he rose to power as leader of the Alliance, he’d made a concerted effort to pull the lesser shifter communities into the fold, believing they would all be stronger for it. Buddy and Muir were proving him right.
“Thank you, my friends. Your bravery has been noted by everyone here. Don’t think I don’t appreciate the offer.” He turned from them and looked at the others. “I appreciate each of you more than you know. This Alliance is stronger because of all of you. But this fight is mine alone.”
He turned and walked toward the door without another word, leaving them all to stare at one another in bewilderment.
“Well, we can’t just let him go into Cat territory by himself.” Talon glared at the others in anticipation.
“He won’t be alone,” Manny spoke up as he started for the door.
Talon, Loup, Barrett and the others slowly filed out of the study after him. As they exited the house, they all looked up to see the entire dragon clan shifting and taking flight as they headed off behind Dominic.
FROM THE GROUND, THE sight of a dragon shifter in flight was a wondrous thing. To see an entire clan of them could bring on fear and trembling, or even a heart attack in an unsuspecting human. Dominic opened up his massive wingspan as he swooped from the air with the roof of El Tigre’s fortress-like home in his sights.
Wings still outstretched, his body shifted into human form just before he landed. Standard practice since most roofs typically couldn’t stand the weight of a fully shifted dragon. He glanced overhead to see his clansmen flying in behind him. They made an intimidating sight, to be sure, but he knew they had most likely been spotted by the cats, killing any chance of the element of surprise. He should be angered by their total disregard of his orders, but at the moment he was much too preoccupied with finding Lucinda to worry about chastising his men.
He lifted his head and sniffed the air around him. He could smell her. She was close by, and the thought of her being held captive by that sleazy tiger shifter made his already heated blood boil. If El Tigre had hurt one hair on his mate’s head, he would string the cat up by its tail and set it aflame.
As he scanned the area he heard a loud squawk overhead. He looked up to see Talon flying straight for him. Tucking in his own wings, he stretched out an arm to his friend. The large hawk swooped in and perched on Dominic’s wrist, then looked directly into his eyes.
“She is being held in a room on the south end of the property.” The hawk spoke to him telepathically, and Dominic frowned as he listened. “I can see her through the small windows. There doesn’t appear to be an entrance leading into that room from the outside though.”
Dominic gave a quick nod of his head. “Then I’ll just have to make one.”
“I believe the bears already have that covered.” The hawk ruffled his feathers in a gesture that pointed to the ground below, and Dominic looked off in that direction. Barrett and a group of his men were working in unison to uproot one of the trees on the edge of El Tigre’s property.
“I thought I told all of you that this was my fight alone,” Dominic said as he watched the bears and then turned back to Talon.
> “I’m sorry, my friend. I can’t hear you over the sound of the blowing wind.”
Dominic smirked at him before lightly flinging the bird into the air. Then he spread his own wings and took flight again, circling around to the south end of the property. He dove down just in time to see the bears take human form. Then he watched as Barrett and his men hoisted the sizable downed tree among them and proceeded to use the trunk of it as a battering ram, running toward the outer wall of the structure.
It took them a few tries, but the large gray bricks soon came tumbling down in a loud crash, sending dust and debris into the air in a large cloud of smoke. Dominic wasted no time waiting for the smog to clear. He swooped in through the gaping hole in the wall and landed in all of his shifted dragon glory as the bricks continued to fall.
Lucinda was tied to a chair several yards away at the end of the long rectangular room. Her mouth was gagged and she looked both terrified and angry as the tears streamed down her face. Dominic felt his heart constrict at the sight of her.
“That is an awfully impressive show of force you’ve amassed out there just to save one little female, Draco,” El Tigre said as he stood behind the chair Lucinda was tied to. He placed a hand on her shoulder, gently tapping his index finger against her neck. “A human female at that. Why, she must mean a great deal to you.”
Dominic shifted back to human form and glared at the tiger shifter. “You know very well that she does,” he said through clenched teeth.
El Tigre smiled. “Ah, yes. I noticed you had taken my advice and marked her as your property.”
“She is not my property, she is my mate. And you will release her unharmed or I promise you, I will kill you.”
El Tigre laughed out loud. “Oh, you dragons are all so damned hot-headed. No one has to die here today, Draco. It’s like I was trying to tell you at that little nightclub of yours a few weeks ago. I don’t have to kill you outright. I will be perfectly happy just taking you down a peg or two. All you have to do is turn over Inferno and your precious Alliance territory to me, and you and your pretty human mate can go off and live happily ever after. Get married, raise a whole clan of dragon shifting babies, and let us all put this Alliance nonsense behind us once and for all.”
