by Dianna Love
He stared at her too long and Tripoli must have sensed something. The bounty hunter turned and asked, “Do you know this one?”
Siofra heard the whip of suspicion in his voice and froze.
Rory huffed. “No. Is she a shifter? There is no scent here.”
“Unfortunately no. She was caught much as crabs are trapped in nets intended for fish,” Tripoli replied. “I planned to unload her at a different time, but if you wish I will give you a price for this one now.”
Rory abruptly said, “Not interested.
She knew he was playing a role and told her heart not to listen, but the words cut.
What if he truly didn’t care anymore? Had he only come out of duty to his boss and his fury was about the trouble she’d caused him?
She sat back hard, feeling more alone than ever.
Not for long.
Her female ghost, who showed up occasionally and never spoke, appeared opposite her in the cage. She’d been young when she died if her thirtyish appearance was accurate. She had blond hair held back by a wide cloth band, pale eyes and a pretty mouth. She seemed comfortable sitting there in her usual jeans and T-shirt professing Live. Love. Laugh. worn loosely over them and no jewelry, plus always barefoot.
Siofra had given up asking what the ghost wanted after never receiving a reply in her head. Now, she stared at the woman, glad for even translucent company.
The woman had a nice smile. She’d probably been a mental case when she lived, unable to speak, but she always smiled at Siofra as if sincerely happy to see her.
Only a loon would be happy to see Siofra here.
The woman positioned her arms as if she held a make-believe baby, then moved her arms back and forth. She cooed to the nonexistent child while looking at Siofra expectantly.
Siofra sighed and kept her voice soft. “I don’t know what happened to your baby, if that’s what you’re asking.”
The woman grimaced and shook her head then pointed at Siofra.
A rogue wind blew Siofra’s hair back. “Hey, be careful with that finger if it’s loaded.”
Rolling her eyes, the woman slapped her forehead.
Siofra had never seen this one attempt to communicate even this much. The last time she’d seen her, the woman had held her feet to the ground while Dyson attacked Siofra, then stopped Siofra from running away when the little Toto dog approached on the side of the road.
Checking to each side that no one was near, Siofra said, “Maybe you should try writing in the sand. I’m not good at guessing games.”
At the sound of Rory, Scarlett and Tripoli approaching from the direction they’d walked, her ghost vanished. Tripoli sounded exuberant, as if he mentally counted his gold.
Loud talking from the path the Hummer used to travel through the woods drew Siofra’s attention to what she considered the entrance.
Four men emerged from the trees. The same ones that had captured her and Baatar. Probably all shifters.
One of them had been pumped up with so much steroid, or whatever shifters used, that his arms wouldn’t lie flat on the sides of his body. She could only imagine what kind of monster he hid inside of him.
Because of that creep and the way he’d leered at her, she’d been glad to be shoved in a cage.
Everything had been rocking along quietly until that bruiser walked up to Tripoli, Scarlett and Rory.
He inhaled, expanding his wide chest as if he planned to blow a house down on his exhale.
That would have been so much better than him pointing at Scarlett and shouting, “You’re the shifter that brought the caged woman to this guy.” He swung his dark gaze to Rory. “And you stink of that bitch’s scent.”
Steroid Guy pointed at Siofra.
Chapter 36
Rory’s skin turned cold as ice during the seconds that no one spoke after the wolf shifter’s accusation.
He and Scarlett were so fucking busted and he had no way to get to Siofra.
Ferrell banged and snarled to be released. He sent bloody images of body parts tossed everywhere and howled, Mate.
Tripoli rounded on Scarlett. “You have one chance to explain yourself.”
This was what Rory meant when he said they’d needed a contingency plan. He’d put a safety valve in place, but Justin and Cole weren’t expected to check in with headquarters until this evening and maybe not until morning. When he’d called in to inform the Guardian his trip with Siofra would take him to Maine, Vic had informed Rory that the Guardian, Cole and Justin were gone, saying only that they’d be checking in.
Had his people gotten a lead like Scarlett had on the tiger? If so, his boss would be spending evenings in eagle form while Justin and Cole covered the ground.
It wasn’t even close to nine yet. Rory’s backup plan wouldn’t activate until much later tonight after he and Scarlett had left. He hadn’t expected to be unmasked during their initial meeting.
Now he had two issues. One was the netting overhead, which would make locating this spot difficult even during the day. The second problem involved time. There was no way he and Scarlett could hold this bunch off for long.
Scarlett, to her credit, kept her cool.
Rory couldn’t even hear her heart rate pick up when it normally would have for someone facing a riled Tripoli.
Growling with undisguised contempt, Scarlett sent a menacing glare to Rory. “Sorry, Adalbert. I didn’t make this mess, you did.” Turning back to Tripoli, Scarlett pointed to Siofra’s cage. “That bitch wormed her way into Adalbert’s mansion, working as part of the human domestic staff. She acted human, but she’s not. Adalbert didn’t realize until he’d banged her a few times.”
“Eight, to be specific and it was all in one night,” Rory interjected, sounding like what he’d think an egomaniac would say.
Pinching the bridge of her nose, Scarlett groused, “I can’t account for his lack of taste in bed partners, Tripoli, but I can attest to his swift action in calling me to remove her.”
Rory crossed his arms and stood calmly as fear for Siofra and Scarlett clogged his throat. He would not save his and Scarlett’s ass at the cost of Siofra’s. And maybe her brother’s, but that bastard was the reason they’d captured her.
Hand on hip, Scarlett continued explaining, “I told her if she went quietly, I’d give her enough money to never come back. That’s when she drops a new bomb on me. Says her brother was on the run from SCIS. Unbelievable.” Scarlett shot Rory another loaded glare, which he ignored. Undeterred, Scarlet said, “His play toy then begged me to take her to her brother. At this point, I wanted to strangle everyone involved, but the idea of putting a lot of distance between her and us was appealing.”
Giving her a dismissive roll of his eyes, Rory said, “These things happen.”
She shook her head and with a disgusted voice told Tripoli, “I took her way the fuck up the coast of Maine. Idiot that I am to do Adalbert’s bidding, I even drove her there in a piece-of-shit truck I borrowed from a friend to avoid being seen with her. I am not on the SCIS radar and I want to keep it that way.” She turned to Rory. “If you ever ask me to do anything like that again, I will not be your number anything rep. Told you it was stupid to screw domestic staff.”
He gave her an unconcerned look. “I was bored. She was entertaining.”
“Nothing is entertaining enough for this shit. You’re fucking with my business reputation. I do have other clients.”
“None who pay as much as I,” he quipped and the conversation ended.
Tripoli had followed the back and forth conversation, saying nothing.
Rory had a bad feeling about the bounty hunter’s silence. He turned to Tripoli and admitted, “When I saw her in the cage, I was shocked. I had no idea how Rose ended up here. If I had admitted knowing her when you asked, it would have complicated our business. Nothing interferes with my business. I thought she was gone and she never told me she was related to a shifter. Now that I think about it, I am incensed I did not find the
man she was caught with before you did, if he is the Siberian.” He looked at Tripoli with a raised eyebrow, as though association with Siofra had lowered Baatar’s value in his eyes.
Scarlett frowned. “Rose? Her name is Gilda. Where did you get Rose?”
Rory hoped the yellow glasses allowed him to appear embarrassed. “That was my pet name for her. She reminded me of a rose petal that opened into a flower.”
Scarlett made a repulsed sound.
Tripoli must have heard enough and he wasn’t looking like any of it had sold him. He glanced at the shifters standing around then back to Rory. “We have a problem. While I can accept your explanation, you have undermined my trust. I do not deal with those I do not trust.”
Shit. Rory had counted five shifters, including Tripoli, but excluding his caged exotics. Now four more had arrived, and he’d scented those at the woods near the fort where Siofra and Baatar were snatched.
Two were definitely Black River pack shifters. One looked like he’d been juicing on the pack’s special brew. Rory didn’t like the way that bastard kept eyeing Siofra, either.
The Black River pack was either working with Tripoli or those wolves were here covertly.
Rory would bet on the latter and that the pack planned to raid the auction tomorrow. That would be the perfect opportunity for the Black River pack to capture all the exotics, plus every shifter who showed up or stood around as guards.
He’d give Tripoli the edge if not for the possibility that Cadells would be involved. It depended on whether Mother Cadellus had anything to do with this division of the deadly wolf pack.
Rory changed his earlier lighthearted tone to one that belonged to a man who possessed a dangerous animal. “I can appreciate your concern, Tripoli. Like Vivi, I also have a reputation to maintain and absolutely do not want her barred from any future auctions because I made a bad choice in bedmates. How do we make this right?”
Tripoli’s eyes twinkled with a thought that thrilled his black heart. “There is only one way to right this wrong. I will need a show of good faith to reinstate my trust.”
Now Rory had to be careful not to allow his heart rate to jump. That sounded like they had a potential out. “I am listening.”
“One of you will battle an exotic while the other one waits as my ... guest.”
Everyone standing in the area knew that this was not a suggestion, but the only way out of this place alive. Rory pinched the bridge of his nose as if considering the offer. While he did, he risked a quick look at Siofra, who looked terrified.
Scarlett’s heart rate jumped.
Shit. Before she could fall on any misplaced sword, Rory said, “I accept.”
Siofra gasped and it warmed his heart that she would still care what happened to him.
Scarlett cut her eyes at Rory, lips parted in surprise.
Rory gave a casual lift of his shoulder. “This is my fault, Vivi. I knew what I was doing when I got involved with Rose. You did as I asked and I regret having put you in this position. I will take care of this myself. It is not as though my animal has never battled.”
Scarlett looked worried and he didn’t think she was acting.
All the men laughed, which made sense after Rory had acted like some pampered pussy.
Ferrell continued to bang at Rory’s insides. Rory sent his jaguar a silent message. Wait until I tell you it’s time.
For that, he got more snarling and one word. Mate.
Yes, they had to save Siofra.
Mate. Mate. Mate. The word bounced against the inside of his brain.
Ferrell had never repeated words like that. Would Rory be able to manage his beast?
Tripoli lifted a hand and flicked it in a signal to get his men moving.
Two shifters came forward to stand next to Rory.
“Open the hole,” Tripoli ordered.
Shifters ran to pull trailers off the plywood and shove them into the edge of the woods.
While they did that, Rory met Siofra’s gaze and hoped she could see how much he cared for her in spite of the glasses. He gave her a tiny lift of his lips on one side.
Tears ran down her face.
In a matter of minutes, the shifter team had removed the wood, exposing a twenty-foot-deep hole crudely cut in the shape of a circle of about fifty feet in diameter. A ramp from ground level went down to a substantial gate, the only access point.
The entire area, top, bottom and sides, had been constructed of titanium.
Fuck me.
He now understood Tripoli demanding super security to keep this location hidden.
Rory told Ferrell telepathically, All we have to do is win this battle. We’ll probably face the Sumatran. Tigers are bastards to beat, but we can do it if we work together.
Ferrell didn’t show any sign of listening. He hadn’t ceased furiously pounding Rory’s insides.
His jaguar had better be the invincible animal he constantly claimed to be.
Tripoli said, “Escort our guest to the hole.” Before Rory took a step, Tripoli said, “Adalbert, if you do not survive, I will send both women in next.”
Rory jumped on the train to Crazyville with his jaguar at hearing that.
He would kill everything they threw at him to keep Siofra and Scarlett safe.
These beasts would not touch those two women.
Ferrell roared his agreement.
Before walking down the ramp, Rory paused to take off his clothes so he could shift immediately. If not, the predator Tripoli sent in to fight him might be shifted already, putting Rory at a huge disadvantage.
He would shift only if his opponent did. His jaguar was too ready to kill everyone here for Siofra, which would be nothing more than murder.
Naked, Rory marched down to the ramp and caught a last sight of Scarlett standing between two shifters. Her face had lost some of its flush of color, but she stood strong even after hearing Tripoli’s last words.
The titanium lock clanged as one of Tripoli’s guards opened it. He pulled the gate back for Rory to enter.
One step inside this pit and Rory’s skin crawled with the sense of being imprisoned, because this was nothing more than one giant cage. It would be small once another shifter entered and the battle started.
He crossed the space and put his back to the wall opposite the gate, preparing for whatever Tripoli threw at him. He hated to kill a shifter without reason, but he would not fail two women depending on him. He would also not hold his jaguar back to be trounced by that crazed Sumatran he’d seen.
In human form, that tiger shifter had ripped a chunk of hair from his own scalp and laughed while he held the bloody piece. Tripoli had lied about the Sumatran having no mental issues. Rory had no reason to believe Tripoli had told the truth about he and Scarlett leaving alive, even if he won this battle.
Tripoli stepped around to stand at the edge of the hole on Siofra’s side, blocking Rory’s view of her. Prick.
Siofra’s scream pierced Rory’s ears. He stretched his neck until he could see her.
She was on her knees pleading, “Nooooo. Please don’t do this.”
His heart pounded madly.
Chains clanged.
Four men escorted his opponent down the ramp. They unlocked the cuffs and unchained him, pulling the neck cuff off last once Tripoli’s captive was inside the hole.
The gate slammed shut and the lock clicked.
His opponent sniffed the air and roared, “You smell of my sister. I will rip you apart.”
Rory had to fight Baatar.
Chapter 37
Siofra gripped the bars of her cage, her entire body shaking.
Rory was a powerful shifter. He’d kill Baatar.
She’d seen his monstrous jaguar. Rory already believed Baatar was a tiger shifter, but her brother couldn’t make the impossible happen.
A low growl rumbled behind her. She flipped around to find the over-muscled shifter smiling at her. His eyes glowed more animal than human and saliva dripped
from his lips.
He lifted a ring with three keys to show her.
His leering smile got broader.
Siofra looked around. Tripoli and the other shifters were yelling for blood. Tripoli kept shouting, “Shift, you bastards!”
No help there.
But at least Rory was not shifting. He had too much honor to attack a man in human form with his jaguar.
Tripoli shouted, “Bring the Sumatran.”
No. That tiger would kill Rory and Baatar, unless Rory shifted. Even so, once the tiger ripped into Rory’s jaguar, the wounds would not heal.
Scarlett had been moving slowly to this side of the hole, which brought her closer to Siofra’s cage. Her guard appeared eager to close in on the action, and wasn’t paying attention.
The cage door key jingled behind Siofra.
From the left where Tripoli had been showing off more exotics, two shifters led a man with cocoa-bean dark skin and eyes that would be beautiful if not for the insanity shimmering in them. His face began distorting as he was led down the ramp. He let out a roar, letting everyone know what was about to be unleashed in the below-ground arena.
Scarlett’s gaze slashed to Siofra’s and widened.
Siofra shook her head. Her new friend could not do anything.
The door to Siofra’s cage creaked as it opened.
Chapter 38
Dodging Baatar, Rory moved around the titanium-barred enclosure, heaving deep breaths. Even in human form, Siofra’s adopted brother would have crushed a non-Gallize shifter by now.
If Baatar turned out to be a Gallize, it would explain the load of power Rory could tell the guy struggled to handle. It also explained the crazed look in Baatar’s eyes. That power and a tiger he couldn’t release were tearing him apart.
Rory struggled to keep Ferrell locked inside with his beast just as crazed over Siofra being caged.
Tripoli kept screaming for Rory to shift.
Ferrell roared for the same thing.
Baatar ignored it all, determined to destroy Rory.
