by Scarlet Day
Abby hurled the power away from her with all her might while at the same time spinning and launching herself over the side of the boat. Fiery heat bloomed behind her as flames engulfed the boat and everyone on it in one giant fireball.
Agonizing shrieks rent the air, the fire reducing the occupants of the boat to ashes. Abby hit the water in her human form, shifting just as she launched herself from the boat. She dove down and away from the boat until she could no longer feel the heat from the inferno. Her lungs burned, and she finally came up for air, gasping as she took in frantic breaths. She couldn’t see the Panther’s Pride. It was on the other side of the flaming speedboat.
She tried to swim, but the power she had used to ignite the boat seemed to have left her drained of all energy. Her arms and legs felt like they weighed a thousand pounds each. Darkness hovered around the edges of her vision and threatened to consume her. She struggled to keep her head above water. The waves slapped at her face and made it hard to get any air. If she could just make it around to the end of the boat, maybe Brad and Bryce would see her.
She fought the waves and her own failing strength, refusing to give up. With every ounce of determination she possessed, she dragged herself through the water to the end of the boat. With nothing left but sheer will, she managed to bring her arm out of the water. She waved once in the direction of the Panther’s Pride then finally succumbed to the darkness.
Chapter Nineteen
Brad cradled Abby’s head in his lap as he reclined against the headboard on his bed at their home on Panther Key. He was unable to take his eyes off her beautiful face. He ran his fingers through her hair, detangling the long strands that were still slightly damp from the saltwater. He had thought his heart was going to stop when the speedboat burst into flames. He hadn’t seen Abby jump. A lump formed in his throat, and his eyes stung as tears blurred his vision. He had thought he’d lost her. In that moment, when the flames had engulfed the speedboat in a hellish inferno, he’d felt like fiery fingers had reached into his chest and turned his heart to charcoal.
“Me, too, brother.” Bryce’s voice was dry and hoarse. Brad looked into the eyes of his twin, who sat opposite Brad on the bed, on the other side of Abby. His large hands wrapped protectively around her small ones. Bryce’s face reflected Brad’s own horror at the memory. They both shuddered simultaneously, the shared memory washing through them again.
Abby lay motionless, still unconscious. It had been two hours, and she hadn’t woken up yet. Bryce placed his hand on Abby’s chest and closed his eyes for a few moments, just as he had done every few minutes since they pulled Abby from the water, limp and pale. Brad waited, not exactly patiently, but with the knowledge that Bryce was their best method for determining Abby’s condition.
Bryce removed his hand from Abby’s chest and rested it on her forehead. “She’s better. It shouldn’t be long.”
Brad sighed heavily. He had never been more thankful for Bryce’s gift to read someone’s physical state than he was right at that minute.
Brad nodded and focused on Abby’s face, willing her to open her eyes and look at him. Bryce’s anxiousness surged through their twin bond, and it only served to heighten his own. It was a vicious cycle.
More agonizing minutes passed, though they felt like hours. Finally, Abby groaned and moved her head to the side. Brad leaned down over her, bringing his face to within inches of hers. “Abby, can you hear me? Come back to us, love.”
He held his breath as her eyelids fluttered. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him then turned her head to look at Bryce.
“I’m alive?” Her voice was rough and raspy, but it was the most beautiful sound Brad had ever heard. Brad couldn’t speak. His heart felt as though it had swelled so much it was going to burst in his chest. So much emotion flooded through him that his voice refused to work.
Bryce leaned in close to Abby, and Brad glanced at him. Bryce’s smile could have lit a thousand suns, and tears rimmed his eyes. “Yes, baby, you’re very much alive. You just about gave me and Brad heart attacks though.”
Abby offered a weak but sheepish smile. “Sorry. It was the cat’s idea.”
Brad huffed and then kissed her lightly on the forehead, finding his voice again. “Then we need to have a talk with her about her daredevil antics unless she wants to send her mates to an early grave.” His voice was still thick with emotion.
Abby chuckled softly. “Okay, but I’m warning you. I think she kind of likes the adrenaline rush.”
Brad and Bryce both groaned, and Abby laughed, but her laugh turned into a choked cough.
“Easy, love, you swallowed a lot of saltwater.” Brad and Bryce helped her sit up.
“How do you feel?” The concern in Bryce’s voice echoed Brad’s own worry.
Abby’s expression turned thoughtful. “I feel okay. Pretty good, actually. Like I’ve had a really long sleep.”
Bryce’s relief flooded through the twin bond and matched Brad’s own relief. “That’s good, baby, really good. You’ve been in a healing sleep for a couple of hours. It’s something we do when we’ve suffered a major trauma.”
Abby looked down and studied her arms and hands. “There’s a lot I’m gonna need to get used to, isn’t there?”
Apprehension gripped Brad. “Abby, love, I know this has to be hard. If there’s anything we can do to make it easier…”
Abby shook her head. “No. I mean, yeah, it’s a lot to wrap my head around.” She turned her gaze to him, and Brad saw wonder shining in her eyes. “But when I turned into my cat, that was…wow. It felt…” She shook her head, and Brad could feel her struggling for the right words. “Amazing doesn’t do it justice. It was incredible! When can I do it again? And what else can I do?”
Brad’s heart swelled at the pure excitement and awe emanating from Abby through their new bond. “As to when, you can shift whenever you want. We’re not completely sure about everything you can do yet. You obviously have special powers, but we don’t think they’ve fully developed.” He looked up at Brad and saw his own concern reflected back at him. They had no idea how Abby would react to the news that she was likely not a twin, but a triplet.
“Anything else?” Abby’s eyebrows rose expectantly. He reminded himself that she could now feel their emotions.
“Well, there is the minor detail about your life expectancy.” Brad was taken off guard by the shock and fear that ripped through Abby.
“Oh my god! Am I dying?” She looked frantically back and forth between himself and Bryce.
“No, love, you’re not dying. I didn’t mean to scare you.” Brad stroked her cheek with his fingers and felt calm return to her, though she was still looking at him skeptically. “What I meant was you’re a shifter, so you’re going to live a bit longer than a normal human.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “How much longer?”
“Maybe a thousand years. Maybe longer.” Brad watched the reaction play across her lovely face, just as he felt them through their bond. Shock, disbelief, amazement and then…mischievousness? He narrowed his eyes at her. “What, exactly, are you thinking?”
She shot him a wicked grin and then turned it on Bryce. “Just, you know, how much…um, fun we can have with that much time on our hands.”
Brad watched as an enticing shade of red highlighted Abby’s cheeks. A wave of desire rushed from her, and it almost caused him to throw her back on the bed and ravish her, regardless of who was waiting in the next room.
“As much as I’d like to play, love, there is someone who is likely to claw through the door if we don’t let her in to see you. We promised she could come in as soon as you woke up.” Brad started to get up off the bed, but Abby grabbed his arm.
“Wait!” Abby looked up at him, and he felt an undercurrent of fear rise up in her. “Are they gone? The ones who took me?”
Brad’s heart clenched. Oh, how badly he wanted to be able to say yes! “The ones on the boat are all dead. But their leader is sti
ll out there. Whoever he is, he has a lot of underlings doing his dirty work for him.”
Abby’s shoulders slumped, and she gazed at her lap. Brad felt her disappointment and anxiety. He put his fingers under her chin and lifted her face up so he could see into her eyes. “I swear to you, Abby, we will find out who this Tiberius is, and we will deal with him. For now, you’re safe here.”
He sent as much reassurance into their bond as he could muster as he gazed into Abby’s eyes. Finally, she nodded and gave him a weak smile.
Brad walked to the door and turned the knob, barely getting it cracked open before a feminine blur slammed into the door and threw it open.
“About damn time!” Kate practically flew through the doorway and launched herself onto the bed, wrapping Abby in a tight hug. “Oh my god, Abby, I’m so glad you’re okay!”
Abby laughed and hugged Kate back just as tightly. “It’s good to see you, too.”
Seeing the two women together, Brad was dumbfounded as to how anyone could have ever believed they were cousins. They were practically identical. Same hair, same eyes, same facial features. Abby’s mother would have a lot of explaining to do when she arrived with Abby’s “twin.”
He and Bryce stepped out of the bedroom into the living area, leaving the door open. Neither of them was ready to let Abby out of their sight yet, but they thought it would be best for what Kate had to tell Abby.
Cash and Chase lounged on the sofa while watching a fishing show on the television and looking like they were struggling to stay awake. Blake, Drake, and Jake perched on the barstools around the kitchen island, sharing a pot of coffee between them.
Brad looked over to Blake. “When will they arrive?”
Blake downed the contents of his cup. “Day after tomorrow. They’re flying into Miami International.”
Brad nodded. He wished they could get here sooner, but it would have to do. “Cash, you and Chase will need to pick them up.”
Cash sighed and rubbed his hand over his eyes. “You know, all this rescuing has really been cutting into our summer charter season.”
Bryce, who had gone to stand behind the sofa, scoffed and whacked Cash on the back of the head. “More like your summer partying season. You’re just thinking about all the bikinis you’re missing out on at the beach.”
Cash rubbed the back of his head. “Hey, it’s volleyball season! Nothing wrong with taking in the local sports action.”
Brad sighed and wondered if his younger brothers would ever grow up. “Well, the only action you two are going to get for a while is investigative action. We need you to do some snooping to find out anything you can about this Tiberius.”
Cash and Chase both groaned. “Why us?”
Brad stared at Chase. “Because none of us are going to run off and leave our mates alone right now.”
“We’re what?” Abby’s raised voice brought everyone’s attention to the bedroom doorway, and Brad rushed into the room, followed closely by Bryce.
“I know. I don’t understand any of it either, but your mom’s flying in with Emma, and I’m guessing she’ll be able to explain it all.” Kate hugged Abby. “We’ve kind of always known we were closer than normal cousins, Abby. Maybe this is why.”
Abby wore a dazed expression as she looked from Kate to Brad and Bryce. She narrowed her eyes. “And you two knew about this?”
“We thought it would be better if you heard it from Kate.” It was the truth, but Brad couldn’t help but feel a little guilty under her accusatory glare.
“Humph. No more secrets.” She glared at them for another moment, but the corner of her mouth turned up into a smirk, so Brad knew they weren’t in too much trouble.
“Listen, I’m gonna let you get cleaned up, and we can catch up later. I just wanted to make sure you’re really okay.” Kate hugged Abby again and stood up.
“Kate?” Abby grabbed Kate’s hand and looked up at her. “If it turns out we are sisters, well…I’m glad.” Brad felt the sincerity of her words. Abby grinned, and Brad sensed a little embarrassment surface. “And I like your mates. Good choices.”
Kate laughed. “Yeah, yours are pretty okay, too. Good thing our cats knew what they were doing.” She leaned down and placed a quick peck on the top of Abby’s head. “See ya later, my new maybe-sister.”
Abby laughed and watched Kate leave the room, closing the door behind her. No one moved as they heard their kin leave the house. As soon as they heard the front door close, Brad strode across the room and scooped Abby up in his arms, unable to be apart from her for one more second.
Chapter Twenty
“So, run or shower?” Brad beamed down at Abby.
“Run? You mean…as my cat?” Brad nodded at her. A shower did sound good since the saltwater had dried on her skin and left it feeling gritty, but her cat raised its head and then stood up and stretched.
“Run!” Abby jumped out of Brad’s arms and opened the bedroom door then bounded out into the living room. She threw open the front door and leapt, landing on the front porch in panther form.
“That is too cool!” She heard laughter behind her, and she turned her head to see Brad and Bryce standing in the living room watching her, amusement clearly evident on their faces.
They stripped out of their clothes quickly, leaving a trail of jeans and shirts through the living room and out onto the porch. Abby watched in amazement as their bodies shimmered and blurred until they stood on all fours as their golden panthers.
“So, what was so funny?”
Bryce moved next to her and rubbed his face along her cheek. “You are. Your enthusiasm is contagious.”
Brad pressed his body against her other side. “You’re gorgeous, love. In human and panther form.”
“You guys are pretty amazing, too.” She looked around, getting her first look at Panther Key. “So now what?”
“Just run, baby. Wherever you want. It’s your lead.”
She glanced at Bryce and then bolted off the porch, down the steps and across the yard to the tree line. She didn’t even have to think about it. It seemed like the most natural thing in the world to run like this. Her legs and paws pumped under her, and her claws tore at the ground, propelling her faster and faster. She zipped around palmetto bushes and jumped over fallen trees. The wind whipped around her, ruffling her fur as she ran. Her ears pricked at every little sound, from the scurrying of small animals to the birdcalls overhead. It was exhilarating!
She passed another house, built up on stilts like Brad’s and Bryce’s house, but she didn’t slow down. She could hear Brad and Bryce behind her, their big paws barely making a sound as they pursued her. She didn’t know if they could run faster than she could, but she knew she wasn’t quite ready to be caught yet. Her legs pumped faster, her speed increasing with what felt like the barest of effort.
She had no idea how much time passed. She just ran. She sped by Brad’s and Bryce’s house again as she crisscrossed the island, so she at least knew she was running in circles. She didn’t care. Freedom blossomed inside her and propelled her on. Her cat was finally free.
She leapt over a fallen palm tree and raced out onto a sandy beach, the sun’s rays turning the stretch into an almost blinding white expanse. She ran across the beach, her paws digging deep into the powdery, soft sand. The clear turquoise water enticed her to the shoreline, and she ran into the waves, splashing and kicking the water. She leapt after the gulls that landed on the beach or flew low overhead. She stalked small fish in the shallow water, laughing to herself as they darted out of reach. She felt just like a little kid. With fur!
She got the distinct impression she was being watched, and she spun toward the beach. Brad and Bryce sat on the beach, not far from the water line, watching her. She could have sworn they were grinning, if cats could grin.
“You’re laughing at me again, aren’t you?”
“Not at you, love. With you. We’re having as much fun just watching you as you’re having.”
She looked back out over the water. The sun hung on the horizon and cast a golden glow over the waters. “How long have we been out here?”
Brad looked toward the sun. “Hours.”
Abby couldn’t believe she’d spent all day running around in furry form. “Why didn’t you stop me?”
Brad shook his head. “We’ve been cats all our lives, but this is new for you.”
Bryce stood up and turned to walk back toward the tree line then stopped and looked back at her. “Besides, you’re really cute when you’re pouncing on fish.”
If cats could blush, Abby was pretty sure she would have.
“Where’s Bryce going?”
Brad stalked toward her and rubbed his face against her neck. “We thought you might enjoy watching the sunset. He’s going to go grab dinner for us.”
Abby thought about that for a moment as she watched Bryce slink through the tree line at the edge of the beach. “I hope he’s gonna kill it first.”
Chapter Twenty-One
After a plate of chicken salad sandwiches, potato salad, and half a bottle of wine, contentment surrounded Abby. She lay on the blanket with her head on Bryce’s chest and her fingers entwined with Brad’s as they watched the moon rise over the ocean. Her cat lay curled in a happy ball in the corner of her mind, immensely satisfied after her long romp around the island. It hadn’t even bothered Abby that she, Brad, and Bryce had eaten dinner naked on the beach together. With no one else around, it was like their own little oasis. And even though a small part of her told her she should at least try to be modest around them, she just couldn’t bring herself to feel that way. Not with them. They had given each other everything, were willing to give their lives for each other. They deserved for her to feel comfortable with them.
Brad sat up and put the dishes back in the picnic basket. “There’s stuff for s’mores in here. We can build a fire if you want dessert.”
Abby stretched and stood up. “Actually, there’s something I want to try.”
