by Lacey Thorn
Laura looked at Abby, trying to decide what she meant. “Yes, I know he’s Tah.”
Abby laughed. “No, he’s the tau, t-a-u, the reincarnation of the leader of the Paka Watu.”
“The Paka what?” Laura asked, and they all laughed.
“A legend Abby followed that led her straight to me,” Tah answered. “Since then, we’ve found out there are many legends about our people, but this one holds the most meaning to us. It’s the one that awoke Abby’s curiosity and sent her on a search for me. I had no idea who I was then. No idea what I held inside me.”
“Or what you’re capable of,” Abby added. “He’s always been a leader, a man people gravitated to. I told him from the beginning he’s the key to bringing all the ailuranthropes together.”
“I’m guessing that means us,” Laura said.
“Were-cats,” Abby acknowledged.
“What’s your idea, baby?” Finn asked, bringing them back to Laura’s comment.
“I was thinking of what happened to me when I was younger and to Ariel. Hunters have people who go out and actively look for young shifters on their own, searching for answers. They know enough about us to seduce those shifters into following them. We try to rescue when we find out, if we find out, but how many do we miss? And why can’t we do the same?”
“Send out someone to search for them and bring them back here?” Reno asked.
“Yes,” Laura said. “Why keep reacting and hoping we make it in time? Why not find them first? There’s so much we could teach them, about themselves, what it means to be a shifter and what it means to be part of a pride.”
“I like the idea,” Amia said.
“Me, too,” Vic agreed.
“It’s definitely something to discuss,” Tah said. “But not something to walk into half-cocked. I’d like to hear more about how you were approached, what was said, any clues you might have displayed to send him in your direction. I’m not disagreeing with your idea of sending out our own searchers. I think it’s exactly what we should be looking at. We need to have a solid plan in place first and figure out a rotation schedule.”
“You mean volunteers?” Laura said and glanced at Finn. “We’ll go.”
Finn nodded, letting her know he supported her.
“I can’t imagine there’s a person here who wouldn’t volunteer,” Tah stated. “We have other priorities, as well. One thing we can’t do is spread ourselves too thin. It leaves us open for attack. We’re not exactly hidden here. We’ll wait until Gabriel, Kenzie, Daniel and Murphy get back. We see if this,” he nodded toward the room where Logan and Clara were, “helps. We’ll stay close while Diane approaches the end of her pregnancy. We’ll protect this pride. When the time is right, we’ll implement ways to grow it.”
There must have been something on Laura’s face, maybe a smidge of disappointment in the delay that she didn’t hide completely. She understood what he was saying. It even made sense, but the adrenaline rush that had filled her at the idea was making for a huge letdown.
Tah reached out to her, touching her cheek with his palm. “Thank you, little sister. You’re an asset to this pride. We’re lucky to have you.”
“I’m going to take Laura over to the main house,” Finn said. “She needs to eat. Healing burns a lot of calories.”
“I’ll go with you,” Abby said. “I left Regan sleeping with the Professor watching over her. She’ll be waking up soon and want to eat.” She turned to Tah. “I’ll bring her back with me. You know she’ll be looking for her daddy.”
Tah purred, and Laura’s heart melted at the love he openly displayed for his wife and child. Regan was a very lucky girl.
“I’ll go, too,” Amia said, turning and giving Reno a kiss. “Diane?”
“I should stay here,” she said.
“I can monitor Logan,” Gideon said. “You should rest while you can. You’ll be hopping once you give birth.”
They shared a look, and Diane grinned. “I will.” She rubbed her belly. “Soon.”
“Go,” Tah told her. “That’s an order.”
“I am hungry,” Diane told them. “We’re in luck. My mate cooked last night. He’s amazing in the kitchen. Actually, he’s just amazing period.”
“Zane is fantastic in the kitchen,” Abby agreed. “Though I admit I conned Logan into cooking for me while I was pregnant. Your brother is a master when it comes to cooking. I have no idea how he ended up with these two.” She nodded toward Tah and Reno.
“At least, Tah is passable in the kitchen,” Amia said. “Reno burns everything.”
Reno laughed. “What can I say? I’m hot.”
Amia giggled and snuggled up to him. “Yes, you are.”
“That was lame,” Tah said with a shake of his head. “I expected better from you.”
“Don’t worry,” Abby said. “You’re still the alpha puss—” She broke off with a laugh as Tah lifted her off her feet and kissed her quiet.
It was interesting to see this side of them, playful, loving and attentive. So different from what she and Logan had grown up seeing with their parents. The opposite of what she’d seen with Isaac and his sons. Affection had been frowned upon, and though she’d cared for Gabriel and Daniel, neither of them had been real demonstrative. Here, with this group, it was a natural extension of who they were. Not just with their mates, either. The guys touched just as often. A hug or shoulder bump or clap on the back. They didn’t shy away from emotion either. I love you was something heard often. She understood why her brother had chosen to stay with them over coming back home. She didn’t blame him. Seeing this, being a part of it, she didn’t want to leave, either.
You’re home. Finn’s voice filled her head as his arm came around her, pulling her back against his chest.
After years of searching for her place, questioning…everything, she’d finally found her mate, her family and the place where she belonged.
Chapter Fourteen
Laura sat alone at the table reading the letters a younger Logan had written to her. Each one was stamped “return to sender”, a rejection she knew her brother had felt but ignored as the pile before her clearly showed. The first few letters were filled with his boyish charm, painting a picture of adventure that dwindled as they continued, as they went unopened. The bottom few hadn’t even been mailed. Logan had written her a letter every year and added it to the pile, and through them, she saw her brother grow from the boy she’d adored to a man she could respect.
There was so much love in his letters, all for her. She’d been so wrapped up in her hurt and anger that she’d failed to think of what Logan had gone through. He’d found solace in his friends, and through his eyes, she met them each again. Tah, Reno, Zane, Vic, Kenzie, Murphy and her mate, Finn. There was even a letter from when he’d met Clara and how fast and hard he’d fallen for his mate. All this time, Laura had felt abandoned and unloved. The truth was Logan had always loved her, and it was there in black and white.
“Where’s Finn?” Abby asked as she came in with Regan on her shoulder.
“He went to help Zane with something,” Laura said, her hands cupped over the pile of letters.
“You okay?” Abby asked. Her baby girl gurgled, one fist at her mouth, the other wrapped in her mother’s hair. “She just ate, but apparently, she has her dad’s appetite.”
Laura laughed. “Finn said you named her after Logan and Reno.”
“I did. I knew when I mated Tah it wasn’t just him I’d accepted into my life. The three of them are a package deal. To love one of them is to love them all and that love spills out to encompass everyone here. We’re a family. We watch out for one another, and they all dote on my Regan. She’ll be the most protected shifter ever born. She won’t have to question who she is, what she is. Too many shifters have to do that.”
“She’s a lucky little girl,” Laura agreed.
“Tell me something, Laura. When you look at my mate, what do you see?”
Laura was surprised by
the question. “Tah’s respected. Everyone listens to what he says, even Gabriel.”
“Yes,” Abby said, patting the baby. “What else?”
“He always seems to know everything that’s going on.”
“He does because everyone here is important to him. Reno and Logan were his rocks when he first started changing, when we had no idea what to expect. His world was turned upside down. There was this crazy woman who’d been watching him across a bar for months and suddenly, he was waking up in a cell with her. In that moment, his entire life changed.”
“You were the woman,” Laura said and Abby nodded.
“I was. We ran for our lives that day, and his first call was to Reno and Logan. They showed up and didn’t bat an eye when he told them what was happening to him, the changes taking place in his body.”
“They respect him,” Laura said again.
“More than that, they trust him, love him like a brother. When it came down to it they both saved my life. There was a man who was a bit obsessed with me. He’s the one who took Tah and I captive. He followed us to Colorado. Logan took a bullet in that attack. Tah did, too.”
“How did Reno save your life?” Laura asked though her mind was reeling. Logan had taken a bullet. He’d mentioned being shot, but it hadn’t really clicked at the time. He could have died before she had the chance to see him again. Her heart ached at the thought of that.
“Tah had a high fever. He went into a deep sleep and I was afraid he might not wake up. Reno…he helped bring Tah back to me, putting himself at risk in the process. He put my mate before himself, and I’ll always love him for that.” Abby’s eyes filled with tears which she blinked away. “That’s what we do here. We take care of one another. When one of us is hurting, we all feel it. This is a good group, a strong group, and we’re only growing stronger.”
“Strong enough to start making changes for the better?” Laura asked.
Abby gave her shoulder a squeeze. “Tah won’t stop thinking about your idea until he finds a way to implement it. Just give him time. He’s not one to jump in without understanding exactly what we’re up against.”
Laura nodded. “Gabriel’s always yelling at me about charging in to fight before I know what I’m facing. It got worse after I thought I’d lost my mate. It’s part of the reason it was so easy for them to capture me the last time.” She shook her head as the image of Finn tried to fill her mind again; bloodied, battered and dying.
“I’ve watched them carry Tah into a room more than once when I wasn’t sure if he’d make it. I know the fear and devastation that courses through you. Our mates…they’re our world, as are the children we create.” Abby’s gaze was tender as she gazed at her daughter, and Laura felt the warmth of it. “Part of me knows Regan will be protected. I know that, but I still have nightmares. The things I’ve heard…from Amia, Clara, Gideon,” she met Laura’s gaze, “you… How could I not? I look at my daughter and see this perfect feminine, miniature of my mate. I can’t fathom anyone doing to her what happened to you in that lab. We’ll get answers,” Abby vowed. “Tah… This pride… We won’t stop until we know why they took your ovary.”
“Thank you,” Laura said. Abby’s voice rang with conviction. “Gideon said I was in a fertility lab.”
“He told us. He also thinks that might be the last few letters of the codes Gabriel found, a lab distinction. They’re going to check on it when they get to Montana. Ariel’s back over at Isaac’s today, searching through the rest of his stuff to see what she can find.”
“By herself?” Laura asked. She was really worried about the other woman.
“She needed the space,” Abby said softly, making Laura realize that she also knew Ariel’s story. “We need to give her time, Laura. None of us have walked in her shoes. Not to diminish what you went through, but not even you know the extent of what Ariel lived. She has so much anger and rage and pain locked inside her. We all saw it but didn’t really understand the cause of it. I noticed something between her and Daniel when we first arrived, but I never suspected. I know you’re worried for him.”
“Daniel’s been like a brother,” Laura replied. At one time he’d hoped they could be more, but they both knew they weren’t. While others might have indulged in each other while they were both unmated, Laura wanted to save herself for her mate. She was glad she had.
“We have to believe she and Daniel will eventually find their way to each other, just like we all do.”
“I hope so,” Laura agreed.
“Those are the letters Logan wrote to you?” Abby asked after a moment, nodding at the pile of letters.
“Yes.”
“I hope you found what you needed in them. Logan’s a good man, one of the best I’ve ever known.”
Laura nodded, too overwhelmed with everything she’d read and discussed with Abby to know what to say. Abby seemed to understand.
“Feel like heading back over with me? This one wants her daddy, and I’m sure you want to check on Logan as much as I do.”
“How long do Diane and Gideon think it will take?”
“It’s a wait-and-see game. We’re playing everything by ear, at the moment. The Professor’s still looking into other options. He’s been running various tests on your blood, Finn’s, Clara’s and Logan’s. He’s been working on it since you gave the first sample.”
“I thought you’d discovered the key was a mate’s blood,” Laura argued. “Isn’t that what Finn and I showed?”
“If we’ve learned anything so far, it’s that everyone and everything is different,” Abby informed her. “Logan wasn’t in the same shape when he met Clara that Finn was when he met you. Logan’s problems didn’t start until after he and Clara had mated.”
“When he was injected with the virus,” Laura said, remembering what she’d been told.
“Yes, and it still didn’t bring out his animal. Tah’s beast surfaced with me. Logan’s didn’t with Clara. Reno’s showed itself when he was shot. Logan’s didn’t. Everyone is different. Gideon’s able to see it’s there, just like Finn’s. But it’s not the same. I understand that we all needed to try this. My mate has barely slept since he found out what’s going on with Logan.”
“So you don’t think Clara’s the key,” Laura realized.
“No, not by herself. I think if she was, we would have already seen it. I’m with the Professor on this one. I think the truth is in the blood. We need to look at yours in comparison to Logan’s. Maybe even compare a sample of your blood mixed with your mate’s to a sample of Logan’s with Clara’s. Hell, the key may lie in seeing how your blood changed Finn’s. His animal is out now. Why did his respond to being mated while Logan hasn’t? They both were dealing with similar issues. Maybe finding this out will allow us to help Kenzie more. If we can figure out what stimulates the animal’s emergence, then we could potentially reverse the effects of whatever blocker they injected her with. The answer is there somewhere. We just need to find it.”
“I’ll give as much as you need,” Laura promised.
“I know you will,” Abby said, patting Regan on the back. “Did Logan tell you the nickname he gave the Professor?”
“No.”
Abby laughed. “The Vampire King, because he’s always wanting more blood from us.”
“Well, he can have all of mine he needs.”
“You say that now, but just wait. Soon, you’ll moan like the rest of us,” Abby teased. “You ready?”
“Good, you’re still here,” the Professor said as he bustled in, joining them. He was the same height as Abby, just slightly shorter than Laura’s five feet six inches. His silver hair was thick and sticking up in places as if he’d been running his fingers through it. He locked onto her. “You’re the key. I knew it but couldn’t figure out how. Logan’s cure is in the blood. Your blood to be precise.”
“Why mine?” Laura asked.
“We need to go,” the Professor urged, waving them toward the door. “If my calculations a
re correct, a transfusion of Clara’s blood will put Logan right back to where he was the night he was given the virus.” He held up a vial. “I’ll need to give him this.”
“What is it?”Abby asked as they headed out.
“I’ll tell you when we get there. Best to explain it all at once. But this…” His palm tightened around the vial in his hand. “This is the key to unleashing his animal.”
They walked into noise and chaos. The door to the room Logan was in had been flung open. Growls, snarls and roars met their ears. Laura ran the remaining distance and pulled up short in the doorway.
Logan was strapped to a table. His eyes, so much like hers, glowed neon. Reno and Tah both loomed over him, while Clara leaned down by his ear, whispering to him. Gideon drew blood while Diane was watching a monitor. Vic stood between Diane and the bed that held Logan.
“We don’t need that blood,” the Professor announced as he entered behind her. “Get me a fresh hypodermic, Diane. I’ve got exactly what Logan needs.”
“What is that?” Tah demanded then roared when Abby appeared in the door with Regan. “Get out of here!”
“She’ll be fine. Everything will be fine,” the Professor said calmly. He walked over and started opening drawers when Diane didn’t move. “An enzyme. That’s what it was all along. It’s not about Clara’s blood, but about Laura’s. She saved Finn, and today, she’s going to save her brother.”
“What enzyme?” Clara demanded.
The Professor found a needle and pulled it out, tipping the vial upside down and piercing the seal. “An enzyme unique to Laura and Logan. I didn’t realize it was there until I compared their blood. She has it—an abundance of it. He doesn’t. There’s only a minute amount displaying in his blood. I believe it’s the key to unlocking the animal inside of Finn.”
“Are you sure?” Tah demanded.
“Have I ever steered you wrong?” the Professor demanded. “I wouldn’t be here, about to inject him, if I had any doubts.”
