“These people have a whole set up out there,” Derek said. “They have surveyors equipment and ultrasounds and who knows what else. As far as we know, they haven’t found anything yet. How are we going to go about it? We don’t have anything.”
“That’s not quite true,” Max said. “We have the knowledge of the Kon-Mar. That already gives us an advantage.”
“How so?” Derek replied. “How is glorified yoga going to help us find those amulets?”
“Glorified yoga?” Max exclaimed. “Easy there. I know you’re upset, so I’ll let it slide.”
“Sorry. Yeah,” Derek replied.
Max continued. “The truth is, even just our ability to mentally communicate gives us an edge.”
“Yeah, I can see that,” Austin said.
“Each of you are on a journey,” Max continued. “We all are. The further we travel on this journey, the more aware we become of our self, our inner worth, the strength of the energy and light which connects all beings.”
“I’m listening,” Derek said with some resignation.
“Once we get these talismans, the journey will be fast forwarded. Having them, all of them together, will give us the full advantage over these interlopers, so to speak.”
Austin thought about the photographs of the texts which he had been working on. If he could just make a breakthrough on translating it.
“I believe,” he said. “There may be information in the text I’m working on. I believe it may contain more consistent coordinates to their location.”
“That’s good. Let us know as soon as you can?” Max said.
“Yes, of course.”
Max rose and crossed to the front door. When he opened it, Chase made his way up the walkway. “Just in time,” he said as he entered with Jackson following behind. A few seconds of mental sharing and he was caught up to the knowledge that Derek and Austin had gained.
“One of the challenging shifters was the sniper in Afghanistan?” Chase asked.
“Yeah,” Derek said. “And I almost blew the whole thing.”
“I can see what happened,” Chase said. “It’s good you and yours were there, Max. Thank you.”
Max nodded.
“So what do we do?” Austin said.
Chase took a seat on the edge of the couch. “I think we need to retreat and reconsider.”
“I think you’re right,” Max replied. “We have a number of resources and we need to coordinate better than we have. We need to all get together. All of us.”
Chase nodded. “I think that’s what Eloise tried to tell us. Logan’s already headed back to New York, but those of us here need to compare notes. I’ll call Eloise first thing tomorrow.”
Austin’s mind drifted to Janet. As much as he missed her presence, he felt incredibly grateful she was out of town, and out of harm’s way.
Chapter Seventeen
When Janet arrived back in Burning Falls, she drove directly to Bells and Whistles. She only hoped she would not run into anyone else. When she arrived, the lights were dark and the sign indicated ‘closed’. Janet tapped on the door, covering her eyes to peer through the glass. Within a few seconds she spotted movement in the back hallway and Eloise appeared, pushing aside the beaded curtain and drifting towards the door.
“Come in, quickly.” Eloise appeared pale wearing a long red tunic with ornate gold pattern. Janet ducked into the shop. Eloise immediately locked the door behind them, glancing through the glass up and down the street. “No one followed you?”
“I don’t think so,” Janet said. “What is this about?”
Eloise took her by the hand, leading her away from the window and into the kitchenette. “Everything is in turmoil. Burning Falls is in danger!”
“What do you mean?” Janet asked. She knew there had to be shifter business around the town, but outside of taking care of Bonnie and Dillon, she had not paid any of it much mind. She felt quite puzzled by Eloise’s behavior.
“The flame is going to be extinguished,” Eloise said her voice dropping into a lower register. “The time comes in which the flame will be extinguished!”
Janet became concerned at her behavior. Clearly, Eloise was in a state of agitation. Janet glanced around the small apartment, her gaze landing on a small, black rotary phone sitting on the table next to the couch. Alongside the phone, Janet spotted a small notebook with a list of names and numbers.
“Eloise,” Janet said. “I’m going to call someone to help us. Okay?”
“Yes, yes. That’s good.” Eloise allowed Janet to guide her to the oversized chair. Janet immediately returned to the phone. The first name on the list said ‘Alex’. Janet picked up the receiver and dialed. Waiting for each number to roll back into place felt like an eternity. Finally, the line began to ring.
“Hello?” Alex answered.
“Alex, this is Janet.”
“Janet, how are you? I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon.”
“There’s a bit of an emergency. I’m down at Bells and Whistles. Are you able to come down here? Something is wrong. Eloise is having some kind of episode.”
“Oh, of course! Yes, this does happen on occasion. I’ll be right there.”
Janet returned her attention back to Eloise. She sat in the chair breathing in and out slowly with her eyes closed. “It’s alright, Eloise,” she said in a quiet voice.
“The flame. The flame will go out,” Eloise murmured. Janet did not know what flame or how it was significant. She only hoped Alex would arrive soon. She kept an eye on the door waiting for her.
Once Alex did show up, Janet was surprised to find she had the children with her, Bonnie, Dillon, and her own child, Gabe. “I had to bring them,” Alex said. “They’re spending the night with me, and I didn’t want to leave them alone.”
“No of course. It makes sense,” Janet replied. “Come this way.”
Alex instructed the children to stay in the front part of the store before she followed Janet back to Eloise’s apartment. Alex crouched down, taking Eloise’s hand and speaking softly. “Okay, Eloise. What’s going on?”
“The flame!” she said with whispered intensity. “The flame will be extinguished.”
“It’s okay,” Alex said. “I don’t know what that means. Are you talking about the eternal flame up at Burning Falls? Is that what you mean?”
Eloise shook her head, her eyes widening. Whatever she wanted to say, she could not seem to make them understand.
“I wonder if we should go there,” Janet suggested. “Take her up to the waterfalls.”
Alex met her gaze. “She won’t go. She doesn’t leave here.”
“Oh, right.” Janet crossed her arms, unsure what to do next.
“Here,” Alex reached into the drawer and pulled out a small white bottle of pills. She fetched a glass of water from the kitchen, pouring out two pills into her hand. “Eloise, here. Take these. I’ll help you to your bed.”
Janet helped Alex steady the woman as the two of them led her to the small bedroom. The window had thick, dark curtains blocking out the daylight. Eloise laid down willingly, and the two other women returned to the living room.
“She’ll be okay in a few hours,” Alex said. “How did you come to be here?”
“She called me,” Janet said. “I was already back in the city, but she called me on the phone. She sounded so worried, I thought if I came down here, it would help.”
“I’m glad you came,” Alex said. “The children have been asking for you.”
“Have they?”
“Yes. I think they want you to come back.”
“Oh, I can’t. I wish there was some way to make them understand. Things are so complicated.”
“Are they?” Alex asked with a slight smile giving her a side glance.
“Of course they are,” Janet replied. “I’m not a shifter. They need someone who understands the lifestyle in which they’ll be growing up.”
Alex crossed her arms, glancing towards th
e beaded curtain leading to the children in the front store. “Do you love them?” Alex asked. “Do you love the children?”
Janet exclaimed, “Of course I do! How could you even ask the question?”
“Do you love their father?”
Janet took a breath to respond, but fell silent. She turned away, raking her fingers through her hair. The thought of being away from Austin had been one of the hardest things she had to deal with. The way he looked at her when she arrived in the morning, the smile on his face when he came to the table. Her mind wandered to the brief tryst they shared, the way his hands felt against her skin.
“Janet?” Alex’s voice interrupted her thoughts. “Where’d you go there?”
“Um… nowhere. I mean…”
“You know, Jackson and I make it work.”
“Make what work?” Though Janet feared she knew exactly what her friend meant.
“I’m not a shifter,” Alex said. “I mean, as far as I know of course. But Jackson and I are pretty serious. His daughter, Amelia is a shifter child. Yet, she and Gabe get along great.”
“Don’t you think there might be… complications further on down the line?”
Alex shrugged. “Maybe, but that could be said of any relationship. Especially if it involves a blended family. Besides, as long as we love each other we’ll get through it.”
Janet placed her hands on her hips, giving Alex a deep scowl. She understood what her friend meant, but it was hard for her to admit.
“I think you should at least talk to him,” Alex said. “He’ll kill me for telling you this, but they’re about to go into a skirmish with rival shifters. He should know how you feel before he does so.”
“Is it that obvious?”
“Go on. I’ll keep an eye on the kids, and on Eloise.”
“Is she going to be okay?”
“Oh, yes. She’s clairvoyant, so whatever she says will probably make perfect sense in a week’s time. Now go before it’s too late!”
* * * *
Austin arrived back to his home, the information from their reconnaissance mission swirling through his mind. The sun hung low in the sky creating a golden haze around the shadows of the houses. He did not know what would happen in the days to come, but he was glad the kids were over at Alex’s for the night. No matter what, he wanted them out of danger.
He sensed something different as he approached the front door. Nothing looked amiss, but having just recently been in his animal form, his senses still felt heightened. He felt a familiar presence as he walked into his porch.
“Austin?”
He turned toward the voice speaking his name from behind him. There on the sidewalk, just a few steps away, stood Janet. Her hair glowed in the setting sun, catching the light in the ebony curls around her face.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
“I had to see you.”
He stepped back down the stairs and walked towards her. “I thought you had left us for good.”
“I did. Eloise called me and she sounded so upset.”
“Oh, is she having one of her episodes again?”
“So it would seem. Alex is with her. She’s resting now.”
“The kids?”
“They’re okay. They’re running all over the store. They’ve got plenty of things there to entertain themselves with.”
Austin felt awkward and unnerved, having her here in front of him. He did not know whether or not to invite her inside or if that would just complicate the matter.
“Would you like to walk a bit?” she said as if reading his mind. “It’s a beautiful evening.”
“Yes, of course.” They fell into step side by side making their way slowly down the sidewalk. The birds chirped in the evening air creating a magical ambiance.
“So, what did you want to see me about?” Austin asked.
Janet stared ahead. “Well, um… I wanted to tell you.”
“Tell me what?” He paused and gazed down at her.
“I didn’t want to leave. I just felt it would be better if I did. For the sake of the children.”
“Ah, yes. The children.”
“I know as they come of age, they’ll need someone who understands that. The world is a cruel place. They need a shifter to take care of them.”
Austin gently placed his hands around her shoulders, peering into her eyes. “They have a shifter to take care of them.”
“Oh, you have another nanny coming already?” she asked. “Of course. It only makes sense. That is as it should be.” She broke away and turned from him.
“Janet,” he replied. “Don’t be silly. I meant me. I’m a shifter. They have me to help them when the time comes. In the meantime, they also need to have someone they love. Someone I love.”
Janet turned back to him. “What? What did you say, Austin?”
“I didn’t realize it until you left. I thought I’d lost you, Janet. And if it’s not too forward, I never want you to leave again.”
She fell into his arms. He clutched her to his chest, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, inhaling the cinnamon scent of her hair. He kissed her forehead, her eyelids, her cheeks, finally finding his way to her eager mouth. She returned his kisses with as much fervor as he felt within his heart.
“I don’t want to lose you, Janet,” he murmured.
“You won’t,” she replied whispering against his neck. “I’m not going anywhere.”
They returned to the house, this time walking at a quicker pace, both of them eager for the secure privacy of closed doors. Once inside, he scooped her into his arms, not pausing once until they reached the bedroom. Austin struggled to keep his animal psyche from taking her the way he wanted to. He held back, moving gently, kissing the exposed flesh at her neck, her shoulders, slowly removing the blouse, one button at a time.
She clasped her body against him, arching into his touch. The goosebumps rising where his fingers grazed against her, betrayed her desire for him. Finally, their shared desire overtook them, and their bodies fell together, moving in splendid synchronicity, finding the rhythm of their hearts and bodies.
They rose together in rising ecstasy, finding pleasure and giving pleasure as they explored one another. Their union felt different this time, perhaps as they gave themselves permission to feel the shared love between them. Austin fell asleep at last, with the warmth of her body curled against his side, his arm tucked around her shoulders. He felt certain he never wanted her to be anywhere else.
Chapter Eighteen
The following morning, Janet opened her eyes finding herself wrapped in the cool sheets of an empty bed. He must be up already, she figured. Lured by the warm beckoning aroma of coffee, she made her way to the kitchen where she found him sitting at the table with his own mug.
“Good morning,” he said. The way his amber green eyes lit up made her knees weak.
“Good morning,” she replied.
“I’ve got to leave today,” he said. “There’s some shifter business to take care of, but will you be here later?”
Janet twisted up her nose, nibbling at her bottom lip. “Oh? What’s going on?”
“It’s nothing to worry about, really.”
Janet poured herself a cup of coffee before she responded. She did not care for the way he attempted to brush her off. “Okay, Austin,” she began taking a seat across from the bar. “Let me clarify one thing. What we have going here seems to be a good thing. However, I’m not going to just be your side girl while you’re running around doing big bad shifter stuff, just to come back and bed me. If this is going to be a thing, I’ll need you to talk to me about what’s going on.”
Austin nodded slowly as she spoke. “You know, I had no idea it came across that way. You’re right.”
“So what’s going on then? What have you got going on?”
He still appeared uncomfortable at the thought of telling her. Janet crossed her arms, glaring at him.
“Okay fine,” he said. “The
town of Burning Falls is under attack by rival shifters. We believe they may be looking for a collection of talismans located somewhere in our territory.”
“Oh, that can’t be good.”
“They’re amassing on the mountainside deep in the forest.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Well, we have two of the amulets already. I’ve been working on translating an ancient document which should clarify their location.”
“Why do they want these amulets?” Janet asked.
“The current theory is that they help strengthen our animal nature. It’s hard to explain. There is a practice unique to shifter kind, called the Kon-Mar. It’s a combination of martial arts, meditation, diet…”
“So it’s a lifestyle,” Janet said.
“Yes, exactly,” he nodded. “It’s made a difference for me at least. I know it helped the others after we came back from Afghanistan. Things were rough for a little while. Learning the Kon-Mar has made a huge difference.”
Janet tapped her fingers against the edge of her coffee mug. “See? This is the kind of stuff I’ve been fascinated with. I don’t have a clue about any of it. I feel kind of silly that I thought I could be a part of your world.”
Austin reached over stroked the back of his finger along her forearm. “You don’t have to worry about that, Janet,” he said. “You’ll always be part of my world.”
She grinned, realizing the truth of his statement. “So how can I help?” she asked.
“Oh, no. I don’t want you anywhere near it. You or the kids.”
“But what if I can help you?” Janet said. “I’ve been studying shifter culture since college. I might be able to bring a fresh perspective.”
“But you just said you felt clueless about this stuff. Now you want to help?”
“Yes. I want to learn it. I’ve always been fascinated. That much has not changed. Unfortunately, I don’t think it will.”
Austin paused, taking a sip of his coffee. “You up for a hike?” he asked. “I’d like to show you something.”
A few hours later, they both arrived at the base of the falls after the hike along the short cut trail. Seeing the falls again, Janet remembered the day she and the children had come up here for the attempt at a picnic, and the incident with the panther and the bear. She gazed at the water glistening from the flame flickering behind the cascading waterfall.
Nanny to the Bear (Burning Falls Shifters Book 4) Page 12
