“Um. What…what did Sam tell you?” Catherine was having trouble phrasing the proper question. How much did this woman know? Had she always known?
At the center of the room was what looked like a kitchen island. Maisie bent down, opened one of the cabinets, and retrieved a steel bowl. “Hold this, please.” She thrust it at Catherine, then pulled the whole setup downward, forcing Catherine to bend at the waist. “Down here.”
“Oh, uh—okay.” Catherine watched as Maisie dug through the cabinets, her fingers coming up with herbs, spoons, measuring cups…all of it was dropped into the bowl, which was apparently her shopping cart.
“Sam said there are some folks who want to become shifters, who can’t become shifters,” Maisie said. “So, I have to make it so that they don’t get to become shifters. Sound about right?”
Catherine stammered.
With a fond smile, Maisie stood, dropping a small plastic bag into the bowl. “I know. It’s a bit overwhelming. Honestly, I get a kick out of it.” She winked, then whisked the bowl from Catherine’s hands and placed it on the counter. “Turn on that hotplate, please.”
“So you know that Sam’s a…that…” With shaking hands, Catherine flipped the switch on the small heating unit.
“That he’s a lion, and that you’re a lioness?” Maisie reached over and squeezed Catherine’s hand. “Yes, lovie. I’ve known for years. There’s a few of us in the area that know, but not many. We help each other.”
Catherine shook her head, unable to assimilate everything that was happening. “He says you’re a witch.”
Maisie snorted. “Hardly. I’m a rock-hound and an herbalist. I’ve done a spell or two, I suppose—I set up the magic alarm system that alerted Sam to this whole situation—but if anything, I’m a magical chemist. Have you read Harry Potter? I’m Snape, but less evil.” She was sorting things on the counter as she spoke. “See that pump over there?”
Catherine looked. An old-fashioned water pump sat atop a stone basin in one corner.
“Get some water in this, would you?” Maisie dropped a plastic measuring cup into Catherine’s hands.
Bemused, Catherine did as she was told. It took a few seconds to get the water flowing, but soon she had the container filled. She brought it back to Maisie, who was scooping up powder from one of the baggies. “Thanks,” Maisie said. “Just set it there.”
“What are we making?” Catherine watched, fascinated, as the woman weighed ingredients on a scale.
“Well...” Maisie eyed the pile of ingredients, tapping a bit more powder onto the pile. “It’s not cough syrup.”
Catherine huffed a brief laugh. “I’d be surprised if it was.”
“Whoever wants to turn, have them drink this. Tell them it’ll make them strong enough to survive the change. But trust me, that’s not what it’s going to do.” Seeming satisfied with her dry ingredients, Maisie added water to the bowl, then poured the powder into it. She then went to the shelves and selected three shimmering stones—more like pebbles, really—came back, and plunked them into the water. She placed the whole set up on the hot place. “This needs to simmer for fifteen minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon, one quarter turn every thirty seconds,” she told Catherine. “I’ll be upstairs.”
“Wait, what? Are you serious? Every thirty seconds?” Catherine looked frantically for a clock, then stared at the still-whirling liquid in the bowl. “What do you mean, a quarter turn?”
Maisie giggled, then reached over and patted Catherine on the cheek. “Couldn’t resist. Just stir it once in a while, it’ll be fine.”
“Oh my God, you scared the hell out of me.” Taking the spoon in hand, Catherine managed a shaky laugh. “Stirring I can do.”
“Good. I’ll be back soon.” Maisie cackled as she climbed the stairs back to the shop.
* * *
Daniel was relieved to see Catherine’s car pull back into the lot. Nearly thirty minutes of painful small talk, and his tiger was ready to climb the walls. “That’s her,” he said.
John stood as the car parked, a friendly smile on his face. “Good. This makes it so easy.”
Daniel swallowed a growl, very much disliking those words.
Angela waited at Catherine’s car door, giving her a bright smile as she got out of the vehicle.
Catherine glared at the blonde woman. “Who are you?”
“I’m Daniel’s friend,” Angela said in a chipper voice. “I understand you’re coming with us?”
In Catherine’s hand was a paper shopping bag, stamped with the words Heartspace Minerals. She gave Daniel a look, then nodded at Angela. “Is Meredith okay?”
“Oh, she’s peachy,” Angela said in a light voice. “She’s being a very good girl, and as long as everything goes the way we want it to, she’ll be just fine.”
The tips of Daniel’s claws scratched his palms.
“So! Shall we go?” Angela grabbed Catherine’s arm. “We have a bit of a drive.”
John strode to the Jeep, and opened the passenger door. “Daniel, you’re in the front with me.”
Goddamn, it was difficult not to kill him right then and there. His feline snarled with displeasure, but Daniel forced himself to walk to the Jeep and climb in.
“Hands,” John said, holding up a pair of cuffs.
Teeth gritted, Daniel held out his wrists and allowed himself to be cuffed. “You think I’m going to attack you while we drive? I actually do want to get to Meredith.”
“Precautions, that’s all.” John gave him a stoic wink, then buckled Daniel in and shut the door.
Angela had likewise herded Catherine into the backseat, and restrained her hands similarly. Daniel listened to the snap of the handcuffs, his rage climbing higher. The cuffs were all but useless—it was likely he could break them without trying very hard, and Catherine probably could, too. But for now, they’d play along.
“So what’s in the bag, Red?” Angela asked.
“Something I’ve heard can help the change.”
“What is it?” John started the vehicle, his eyes lifting to the rearview mirror.
“Water, some herbs, and a tiger’s eye stone.” Catherine reached for the bag, but Angela snatched it from her and reached in. She pulled out three clear vials, and held them up for John to see.
“Pass it over,” John instructed, taking one to examine as he drove. “Huh. Tiger’s eye?”
“It’s a stone of power for tigers,” Catherine said. “That’s what I was told.”
John eyed the vial. The gleaming stone sat at the bottom of it, its distinctive bands catching the light. He passed it back to Angela. “Tell me more about the change, Catherine. How does it work?”
“Daniel will bite you, and that’s all it takes. Honestly, the more he bites you, the quicker it’ll happen…more exposure.”
John nodded. “Does he have venom or something? Like a vampire?”
“Or something,” Catherine agreed. “He isn’t poisonous. But there’s something in the saliva, I guess? I haven’t studied it; a chemist might be able to tell you more.”
“So it’s not in his blood,” John mused. “That explains why the blood didn’t work.”
I told you that, you prick. Daniel physically bit his tongue to keep from speaking aloud. Catherine was doing fine without angry outbursts from him.
Angela piped up. “Are vampires real, too?”
“I honestly don’t know. I’ve never met one,” Catherine said.
“What are we supposed to do with this magic potion? Drink it?”
“Yes. It guarantees a successful transformation,” Catherine said. “Only the strongest survive this without help. Most die in the process. It winnows out those who won’t survive this sort of lifestyle.”
“You don’t strike me as the strong type.” Angela’s cool voice jabbed at Catherine.
“I was born a lion,” Catherine said after a moment. “I never had to go through the change.”
John grinned at Daniel. “Soon we’ll be a
ble to breed our own guys. But I guess you already knew that was possible. Your daughter's a valuable commodity, Dan.”
That was it. With an enraged snarl, Daniel lunged for John, unable to stop himself any longer. Handcuffs or no, his hands found John’s throat, his claws springing from his fingers. John shouted, his voice cutting off as Daniel squeezed his windpipe, the car swerving as he fought to push Daniel off him.
“Daniel!” Catherine yelled his name, her hand finding his shoulder. “Stop! You’ll kill us all!”
“Jesus Christ, Dan!” Angela wrapped both hands around Daniel’s neck and tugged at him. She didn’t succeed in getting him off John, but Daniel let go, his anger dampened by the quick venting of pressure.
“Fuck you,” Daniel rasped as he fell back into his seat. “Here’s what’s happening. I change you. Meredith goes free. If you or anyone else from the organization walks back into her life, I’ll kill your entire family.” Two could play at this game. John’s children weren’t safe if his daughter wasn’t.
John gave Daniel a look that could melt stone. “If you come near my family, I’ll—”
“That’s fucking rich,” Daniel snapped. “You wanna finish that sentence a little more carefully?”
John’s jaw clenched, his knuckles white on the steering wheel. He faced the road, and there was no more talk.
They drove another hour, then pulled into the parking lot of a shabby roadside motel. Only a few other cars sat in the lot. Probably all John’s people, Daniel realized. There was nothing for miles.
John got out and slammed his door, then walked around to Daniel’s side. “Out,” he said, his tone harsh.
Daniel complied, mostly because he had little choice. Catherine stumbled from the car, pushed by Angela, who clearly didn’t like her all that much. “Move it, Red,” she said.
John led them up to one of the rooms and took a metal key from his pocket. Not even a keycard…this place was off the grid.
The door swung open, and Daniel quickly reanalyzed that thought.
Several men looked up, their bodies lost in the masses of equipment that cluttered the room. Computer screens, tangles of wire, printers, blinking lights, speakers… Daniel stared, amazed by the amount of technology packed into the cramped space. Littered amidst all of it were coffee cups and an open donut box holding a few crullers. Despite himself, his stomach growled.
“Get everyone together,” John said. “We’re doing this now.”
“Where’s Meredith?” Daniel pushed past John into the room. “Where the fuck is my daughter?”
“Safe,” John said. “Come on.” He yanked Daniel outside again, dragging him to the center of the parking lot.
The men followed. One of them traveled down the line of motel doors, knocking on each and calling for the occupants to come out. Daniel watched, nonplussed, as twenty-two men walked outside, squinting at the bright morning sun.
A rough circle formed around Daniel and John. Catherine and Angela stayed with the crowd, with Catherine still in cuffs and Angela holding on to the chain that linked her hands together.
“Angela.” John gave the blonde a nod. She grinned at him and sashayed forward.
“Should I undress, big boy?” She blew a kiss to Daniel. Hoots and hollers met her ribald suggestion. Daniel glanced at Catherine, who watched Angela with disdainful eyes.
“You and I aren’t doing anything until I see my daughter,” Daniel said, working to keep his voice even. “Get her. Now.”
Angela glanced at John, who sighed, then said, “Do it.”
With a pout, Angela sauntered back through the crowd and headed for one of the rooms. She knocked, and when it opened, she reached in and drew out…
Meredith.
Daniel’s heart gave a leap. She looked fine, though scared. Unharmed, just as they’d promised.
“You sure you want your girlie to see this, Danny boy?” Angela hooked her arm through Meredith’s as they meandered back through the crowd. Clearly, she was milking the attention for all it was worth. “She’s such a sweet young thing.”
Meredith’s eyes darted, then she hissed and swiped at Angela, her claws raking the woman’s arm. Angela shrieked and let go, and Meredith took off running.
Amazed, Daniel watched as his daughter shifted. She made it look effortless, her human half melting away, her outfit shredding, her hands sprouting into paws just before they hit the ground. Like a shot, she was off, a white blur that zagged through the trees and vanished from sight, ragged cloth flapping.
“Little bitch!” Angela howled, her arm dripping red. “Don’t just stand there! Go after her!”
The men began to move, but Daniel shouted “Wait!”
“Don’t bother,” John said. “We won’t catch her now. But she won’t get far. If daddy doesn’t keep his word, we can have a hunt later.”
Jeers and whoops rose from the crowd. Daniel spoke, pitching his voice so it reached everyone. “One more thing, before we do this.”
“Jesus. You don’t get unlimited demands, Daniel.”
“It’s a small one, and I think it’s fair. No more waiting. If we do this, I bite you.”
“Me,” Angela chirped. “You bite me.”
“Whatever,” Daniel said, irritated. “Get the tracking chip out of me.”
The crowd silenced its murmurs.
John frowned. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Cut the crap. You’ve been tracking me since I left that damn facility you had me in. You chipped me, I know it. Your guys have been following my every movement, and I’m not doing anything until you cut the fucking thing out of me.”
“Language, Daniel.” Angela smirked at him. “You kiss your daughter with that mouth?”
“Get me a scanner and a knife,” John snapped to one of his men. “I guess you’ll be asking for anesthetic next?”
“Just fucking get it out,” Daniel growled.
Someone brought John a straight razor and a small machine. John waved it over Daniel’s neck, pausing over an area that beeped. “Hold this,” he said, thrusting the machine back at the man who’d brought it to him. Without ceremony, he sliced into Daniel’s skin. “There. Take it out,” he said in a cold voice.
Gritting his teeth, Daniel dug his fingers into the slash in his neck. A small nodule met his questing touch, and he yanked it free, ignoring the agony that licked at his wound. Dropping it to the ground, he crushed it between a stone and his heel.
“Get over here, Blondie,” he gritted. “Let’s get this over with.”
Chapter Eleven
Catherine snuck a glance back through the crowd, hoping against hope she’d catch a glimpse of Meredith. It was impossible to imagine that she might. With luck, the girl was a mile away and still running.
“Jealous, Red?” Angela knocked against Catherine’s shoulder as she moved off toward Daniel.
She hadn’t been. But now, scenting the woman’s arousal, Catherine’s rage flared. A low rumble lifted from her throat as the pretty blonde presented herself to Daniel. “Wait,” Catherine called, recalling the vials at her feet. “The elixir. You want to make it through the change.”
Angela pursed her lips, then stalked back and snatched up the bag. “I don’t know, John,” she said, throwing Catherine a hateful glance. “Maybe we should try it without it.”
Catherine sucked in a breath. Their whole plan hinged on them drinking the damned elixir.
John frowned.
“It’s not like you’re weak,” Angela reasoned. “In fact, you’re one of the strongest men I’ve ever met…easily as strong as Daniel. You don’t need this potion to survive the change. Are you gonna let them tell you you’re not as strong as Daniel?”
“Only the strongest survive,” Daniel put in. “Do you want to take that chance, John?”
All around, the men shifted and murmured. Catherine’s body tensed, and she had to remind herself to breathe.
“Think of Julie. Think of your boys,” Daniel
cautioned. “Don’t let this woman play on your ego.”
John flicked a derisive glance at Angela, then held out his hand. “Give me one of those vials. You take one, too.”
Angela shrugged, then fished one from the bag and tossed it John’s way. He uncapped it and tossed it back, then spat the tiger’s eye stone into his palm. He tucked it into his pocket, then began unbuttoning his shirt. Angela finished the contents of her vial a few seconds later, shuddering as she sipped. “It tastes like ass,” she complained.
“I wouldn’t know,” Catherine said coolly. “I’ve never licked someone’s ass before.”
Snickers sounded around them. Angela glared, then dropped the vial and pulled her blouse over her head. “You and I are gonna have a talk in a few minutes, Red.”
“I look forward to it. Will I still be cuffed, or are you going to face me like a real tigress?”
Danger flashed in Angela’s eyes. “Uncuff her,” she ordered in a hard voice. One hand dove into her pocket to retrieve a set of keys, which she threw at one of the men standing near Catherine. He wasted no time in removing her cuffs, then hesitated before asking if Daniel should be uncuffed, as well.
“Do it,” John said shortly. He flexed his hands. “I think I feel stronger already. Whatever’s in that stuff, it’s good.”
“You’ll feel even better in a minute,” Daniel promised as John’s guy uncuffed him and backed away. “Ready?”
Angela strode forward. She’d used the last moment to undress the rest of the way, leaving her clothing in a heap and showing off a body that looked too perfect to be unaltered. Catherine stared, then looked away quickly when Angela flashed her a triumphant grin. The woman enjoyed making a spectacle of herself.
Like a heroine in a romance novel, she wound her arms around Daniel’s neck, laying her head against his shoulder and exposing her jugular. “Bite me,” she breathed.
Catherine rolled her eyes.
The corners of Daniel’s mouth rose, just slightly. He caught Catherine’s look, the amused sparkle in his eyes doing heaps to improve her mood. Relief spread through her like a drug…he remained immune to Angela’s supposed charms, though every other male seemed riveted.
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