She radiated with a new confidence they hadn't seen when they'd first taken her.
Although a week had passed, the barbecue was to celebrate their mating and have her meet all the other folks in town.
When they'd found out she'd studied office management in college, they started planning to put her to work in the Black Earth Moving's office, once they started back.
That way she'd never be out of sight and her skills would be put to good use, as none of the men had ever liked doing all the filing and paper work that came with running a business.
"You starting a new trend?" Ted, the part owner of Black Bar leaned against the barbecue's waist high brick wall.
"For what?" Hamish frowned at their friend.
"Kidnapping mates." Ted smirked.
"Rescued, not kidnapped," Andy pointed out.
Ted snorted. "Call it that if you want. First Regan, then River, then Hawk, now you two. Buddy, lions don't need to kidnap women to get them into their beds."
"Mates are different. Women are, well, women are easy to seduce, but just wait till you find yours. It's a whole new ball game."
Ted shook his orange mane of human hair. "Ain't fucking going to happen to this wild cat. Lions get prides; several lionesses at their beck and call."
"Speaking of all those lionesses lining up." Andy made a show of glancing around. "I haven't seen any since you arrived in town."
A clear bitterness flashed in the lion shifter's golden brown eyes. His past had always been a bit of a mystery, but everyone let it slide as he was a true and loyal friend.
He put a grin back on his face. "Like I said, I'm a wild cat, prefer to be free. Now all the Black and Brown boys have their mates, leaves me with more choice to play."
"Buddy." Hamish moved around, slapping Ted on the shoulders. "No doubt some feisty female is going to knock you for six one day."
Ted opened his mouth to counter Hamish's claim when his phone buzzed. His mouth snapped shut. Ted pulled out his phone. Hamish's phone buzzed in his back pocket. Still chuckling over Ted's skeptical face, he pulled it out and flipped it open. From the corner of his eye, he saw River, Hawk and Andy pull out their phones.
He read the text. 'Strange car in town, lone older male. Looks suspicious.'
His shoulders automatically tensed, he glanced at Andy, who held the same concern in his eyes.
River walked towards them. "Do you think?"
A gasp from the women made the men turn their heads. "Oh my God! River!" Storm's sudden frightened squeal had everyone suddenly worried.
River rushed to his mate's side, as the women hovered around her. She was wide eyed, pale and panting. They could scent something odd, out of place around the woman.
"I…I think my water broke!"
That explained the wet feminine smell coming from Storm.
Hamish held in his chuckle as the big Alpha paled and the panic on his face was comical. "Oh shit, ah…hospital, need to get you there now." He was already lifting her into his arms.
"River, calm down, go and get her bag. Hawk and I will get her into the car." Maria Black, took charge, directing her son.
He nodded, his hair now a wild mess as he'd run his hands through it several times in the last thirty seconds.
"Honey, go get my bag, please!" Storm, looking calmer, patted her mate's arm. River set Storm down.
"Bag, right, yes!" River dashed off. Hawk and Maria stood on either side of Storm, as they walked her out of the backyard patio.
"Andy, Hamish, take care of the other problem," Hawked called, before disappearing with Storm, followed by Tinder.
Juniper moved to Hamish's side, and he wrapped his arm around her waist. He kissed her cheek, wanting to sooth the worried look on her face.
"They'll be fine and will soon have little cubs to fuss over."
"Bro." Andy waved his phone. Right, they had to check out this car and its occupant.
"Ted? Watch our woman for us."
More of the men gathered around, as Hamish took charge, considering River and Hawk were out of commission at the moment.
"What's going on?" Juniper quickly clued in that there was something else happening besides Storm going into labor.
"We just need to check something out. Stay here with Ted; he'll protect you."
"Last time I did that, I got shot," he grumped, but held out his hand to Juniper. "C'mon, Juniper, you can tell me all about these two's bad habits, so I have more material to tease them with later on."
She glanced between Hamish and Andy who both nodded. "You're safe with him, sweetheart." Andy kissed her temple, urging her to go with Ted. She sighed and placed her hand in Ted's. He led her into the house.
Once out of earshot, Hamish spoke up. "Right, let's go deal with this fucker. If it's the hit-man we think it is, then he's armed and extremely dangerous. No foolish heroics. We need him subdued and the authorities to take him in. We don't need more questions raised and outsiders pouring through our town. If we kill him, the Federal Police will be all over our town."
"Let's do this quickly and quietly. Those with mates and families take them home, the rest meet back here as soon as possible. I want this piece of shit out of our hair, plus I'm fucking hungry and this fucker has ruined our barbecue," Andy added.
Another text buzzed on the phone from the sentry on duty watching the car and the man within.
He was approaching their house. Hamish glanced at his brother. He was on the same page, wondering just how he knew where Juniper was now living.
"Right, listen up, I've got an idea," Andy announced and proceeded to outline his plan.
~ * ~
Bloody Bill glanced around the quaint shadows of the buildings lining the darkened streets. What a shit little town. Who'd have thought his daughter could have, not only survived him, but been hiding out here all this time? Unlikely, his source had stated she'd only been here a short time, fucking a new boyfriend. Was he a cop too?
It didn't matter. He and his silver would have a little fun tonight. It had been too long since he'd derived the pleasure of seeing the life drain from someone's eyes.
Groups of people were leaving from the side, waving friendly goodbyes as they got into cars and headed out. He waited and watched till the last one had left.
Parking his car out of sight, he pulled on his gloves. This family reunion would be bitter and sweet. Sweet for him; no doubt bitter for his daughter. Bill checked his blades hidden under his coat before palming the small, sleek, black Glock. He wasn't getting any younger as he climbed out of his car. His breathing puffed as he hurried to the side of the house. He could smell meat cooking.
They had a little barbecue. How quaint. This will be easier than I thought. Confidence building, it was time to do a quick scope of the house and situation before he struck. Just like the others, they wouldn't know what had hit them until it was too late.
~ * ~
Ted Stone watched Juniper hand him a cup of milky sweetened tea. She was lovely. Much of the gunk she'd used to keep her hair black had washed out, leaving it a pretty shade of brown with coppery red highlights. The Brown boys were lucky to have found her. He mused over the last conversation about finding his mate.
It will never happen.
"So how does a lion end up in Australia?" Juniper cocked a curious eye brow at him.
Ted lifted his tea and took a sip, watching her fingers tremble and her side glances toward the window, no doubt worrying over her mates.
Ted knew talking would help keep her mind off them for a little while. "Immigrated like everyone else, my eldest brother took over the pride. As happens in the wild, there is often no room for a secondary male."
"So you came to Australia, why?"
"Too long a story, sweet, I caught a boat back in the nineteen thirties."
Her forehead scrunched in an adorable manner. "How old are you?"
"Hundred and thirty this year."
Her eyes widened. "This makes my head spin, that a shift
er's life is so long. What I don't understand is why there are real wild lions, tiger, Panthers, and then there are shifters who are part human and lion, tiger, and Panther, etc..." She waved her hand in the air in a circle, before sliding onto a stool and sipping her own tea.
"Our history is long and clouded. Thousands of years ago, it was said there was a powerful Goddess, who loved cats and a man so much she decided to combine the two. The effects of her powers gave all shifters longer lives and more power than any human or animal. Let's face it; animals have shorter life spans than humans."
"True, so you have all the perks, long life, strength, and good looks, while we poor humans have to muddle along on our own." Her pretty rounded face and sweet lips turned down in a frown. "Does this mean Andy and Hamish will outlive me?"
"I'm going to kick those two when I see them again. Not giving you all the information about what being mated to a shifter entails, sweet. Something in our genetics transfers to yours. You get to live as long as they do. Plus, it's not all perks, we have to stay hidden, dodge hunters and watch humans we love, live their lives and die."
The fine hairs on the back of Ted's neck pricked up. His senses always attuned, he tensed knowing there was someone trying to sneak around, and it wasn't one of the town locals.
"I don't have any family left to—" He waved Juniper silent.
She swallowed. Her breathing increased as the fear made her eyes widen. He stood up and gripped her arm, tugging her off the stool and into his arms. She gasped in surprise but didn't fight him as he bent and placed his lips near her ear to explain.
"We're being watched, just play along, no doubt your boys have a trap planned for whoever's now out there."
"C'mon, baby, lets go watch some TV."
"Sure, Ted, I'd like that." She forced a smile and nodded.
He guided her into the Brown entertainment room and shut the door. Quickly he pushed her around a recliner chair.
"Stay." The order was harsh but he had to make sure she would obey. "He has to get past a heck of a lot of nasty cats before he can get in here, so don't worry your pretty head, I'm just doing this as a precaution."
She nodded. He didn't fail to note her trembling as she wrapped her arms around her waist and slid down the wall, out of sight.
Ted moved back to the door, half shifting to help enhance his hearing. His phone buzzed in his pocket. He yanked it open and frowned, staring at the number he didn't recognize. He hit the button.
"Yes?"
"Theodore, is that you?" The feminine voice from his past hit him like a stab in the gut, memories flooded his brain of his little sister, his family, the turmoil and pain they caused, so long ago.
"Chiku?"
"Thank the Goddess I found you, Theodore, we need help, something's happened to Terrell."
A growl worked its way up his throat as bitter anger swamped him. "Why should I give a fuck about Terrell?"
He could hear her starting to sob on the other end of the line. "A…a hunter shot him with something. He's turned feral, Theo. Please, we need your help, for all our sakes, you're still our brother, our family."
Turning feral was not good for any shifter. Reverting to and staying in your cat form all the time, letting your cat dominate over your human side, is what got you caught and often put down by other shifters.
If his brother was down, it made him responsible for his family. Something moved outside the door. He didn't have time for this.
"Chiku, I'll call you back in a moment, I'm right in the middle of something." Before she could reply, he flipped the phone shut.
The house suddenly plunged into darkness, a gruff deep male voice coming from the other room swore. Ted's eyes easily adjusted as he pushed thoughts of his sister and family out of his mind to focus on the task at hand.
A snarl sounded, followed by, "fucking holy shit!"
Ted slid open the door enough to see what was happening, Andy had leapt onto the man's back, pinning him to the floor. Hamish, still in human form kicked away the gun, before delivering a swift blow to the man's head, rendering him unconscious. Behind the twins stood five of the town's other male shifters; a Cheetah, a Snow Leopard, a Puma, and two Jaguars.
"We got the fucker, turn the lights back on and let's get him disarmed and tied up before the fucker wakes. I don't want him anywhere near our mate," Hamish called.
Ted heaved a sigh of relief, striding from the other room. Andy, still in Panther form, looked up at him, his claws embedded into the man's back.
"She's in there, safe, behind the recliner. As you've got this situation under control, I have to go deal with some personal matters which have come up."
"We're here if you need anything," Hamish told him as he strode by them and the unconscious hit-man.
He nodded his thanks before leaving. His mind turned back to the call, he pulled out his phone while walking back towards his house. He flipped it open, seeing incoming calls, and hit the call back button.
"Alright Chiku, where is he?"
~ * ~
Guilt consumed Juniper as she sat frozen in the corner. Fear made her breathing accelerate and her heart pound.
Past nightmares, from the night Bill had come with a knife and gun, swamped her. He had slaughtered the detectives in front of her, before aiming the gun at her, smiling as he pulled the trigger.
She slapped her hand over her mouth to stop the scream swelling and breaking free of her throat.
I am a coward! How can I let the men I love die for me?
Swallowing, she pushed aside her fear and moved onto her hands and knees to crawl forward.
Purring made her lift her head as a Panther appeared around the side of the recliner. Tears slid down her cheeks.
"Andy?" She squeaked out, blinking rapidly. She'd witnessed Hamish and Andy's transformation many times now. Enough times to be able to distinguish them apart in Panther form. She launched herself forward wrapping her arms around his neck. He purred soothingly, letting her hug him.
She pulled back. "What's happened? Is everyone alright? Don't keep me in the dark!"
He pulled from her arms, giving himself enough space to shift. She watched, always awe struck with how his paws morphed into hands and feet and the way the Panther fur receded into his body. Soon his black hair fell around his shoulder and the cat face was replaced with his handsome one, smiling at her with a crooked grin.
"Everything's fine, sweetheart. What did I say about shifters being faster, stronger and able to handle things the cops can't?"
Andy was naked, but she didn't care as he stood, pulling her with him and wrapping her tightly in his arms. "It didn't take us long to jump on the fucker and Hamish knocked him out. Forrester has already hauled his arse out of here and is taking him to a holding cell so the detectives can take him away. It's over Juniper; you don't need to be afraid anymore."
"Hey save some of that lovin' for me, baby girl." She glanced over Andy's arm to see a clothed Hamish, walking with a satisfied twist to his sexy lips.
A floodgate of emotions, fear, relief and love swamped her. She hadn't known how much she loved them, until faced with the reality of losing them. Juniper burst into tears, her chest wracked with sobs. Hamish and Andy surrounded her, stroking her, holding her tight, as she clung to both of them.
"It's over, love," Hamish said, pressing against her back.
"I...I just remembered when…he killed the others… I don't want to lose you, either of you…ever." She managed as her sobs slowly died.
"You'll never lose us, baby girl. We're here for you through thick and thin, for the rest of our lives," Hamish murmured and kissed the side of her neck.
"Take a heck of a lot to get through us. You need to let go and trust us to always protect you from everything. We love you, sweetheart, and like lug head said we're in it together, forever."
"I love you, Hamish, I love you, Andy."
"We won't let you forget it, sweetheart. Now as I'm already naked."
Ha
mish moved from her back as Andy moved to lift her up in his arms. "I suggest we all get the same way, I think our girl needs some serious reassurance of our love, Bro."
"I couldn't agree more. I'll get the locks and meet you there." Hamish hurried off.
"Good, I'll get to the serious stuff of making sure she's naked." He headed towards the stairs with her.
Juniper giggled, as her tears subsided. She loved how they always had the ability to turn her woes in to laughter.
Bill was behind bars. They were safe and sound, and eager to make love to her. What could be more purrfect?
Chapter Fourteen
Melbourne bustled with its usual ebb and flow of people. It had been a few years since she'd been back here when she'd had to leave, in a hurry, injured and in pain.
Now she walked in safe confidence between her two men as they strode down one of the main streets in the city Central Business District or the CBD. Her head held high and a smug smile on her face, she caught jealous glances from women they passed. Seeing one gorgeous man with his arm around her waist and the second one holding her hand.
That's right, they're both mine bitches.
Her hair hung just above her shoulders now. Being mated to two Panther shifters had its advantage, helping her hair to grow a little faster than a normal human's would.
It had taken six weeks for the officials to set the court date and prepare for it. Bloody Bill had been remanded to custody; no bail set while he awaited trial for first degree murder of three police officers, and attempted murder of her, and several other murder related charges.
The prosecutor for the case, Mr. Prescott visited her and her men several times to get official statements and records of her accounts of what happened on those fateful nights. To them it was a watertight case. She'd witnessed everything clearly, first hand, and couldn't be swayed from the facts, no matter how the defense may try to twist things.
River Black had his hands full with his adorable twin baby boys, Rio and Tor. Juniper questioned River and Storm on their choice of names. River explained because of their South American origins, it seemed fitting. Rio meaning River and Tor was short for Tormenta, meaning Storm. Although not identical, both babies easily captured the hearts of the whole town.
The Purrfect Predicament (Australian Shifters) Page 12
