“I like your dad, Allison. And I like you,” Lindsay said simply. “I can see that you're a lot like your father. Smart, responsible, protective. I would like to ask your dad out, Allison. He might reject me outright and just say no to my face, but at least I tried. And no. I'm not asking him out because of his position, his power, his money or anything. I'd just like to spend more time with him and well, even if it doesn't work out the way I dreamed it would, at the very least I'd have made a good friend. I just have a feeling that your dad and I can be great friends.”
“Friends?” Allison smirked. “That's all you want? To be friends with my dad?”
“No. I want more than that,” Lindsay admitted. “Whatever happens, even if...we do become more than friends, his friendship will always be the most important thing to me. At my age, I know that without a great friendship, there can be no relationship. It won't last, no matter how hot and mind-blowing the sex.”
She caught Allison's shudder and almost laughed out loud. The thought of old people having sex was making the brusque lioness squeamish.
Allison turned away and sheathed her claws. “Get out.” She refused to look at Lindsay.
Lindsay opened her mouth, then clamped it shut. Now was clearly not the best time to talk to Allison. Nothing would get in.
“Get out of my hotel,” Allison repeated in a louder, harsher tone to mask the wobble in her voice.
Lindsay had to ball her fist to stop herself from putting her hand on Allison's shoulder. She had a strong urge to pull the confused, angry young lioness into her arms and give her a big hug. She just wanted to comfort and assure Allison, and make her feel safe.
Funny that she should feel so maternal and protective towards Allison. Allison was a werelion, for God's sake, and she had just ripped into her, accused her of being a liar, a gold digger and God knows what else.
Lindsay exhaled a heavy sigh and went to the door.
With a final glance at Allison's rigid back, she stepped out of Hunter's Lodge.
C HAPTER SEVEN
Lindsay stood just outside Hunter's Lodge and blinked in the bright sunlight. Compared to the cool air-conditioned lobby of the hotel, the air outside was blisteringly hot. The temperature had climbed significantly and the heat felt harsh and oppressive.
The sun was directly overhead, beating down mercilessly on the street and making her soles sizzle on the pavement. Was it noon already?
Lindsay scowled down the empty street. There was hardly anyone out and about. Everyone had ducked indoors to cool down. The ice-cream parlors were doing a roaring trade.
Lindsay recalled Peyton Wilette's wail of distress and disappointment as she watched her precious ice-cream fly towards Lindsay's windscreen. She could now fully understand how Peyton felt.
The sadness, the immense disappointment...
To say that she was a little sad and disappointed that Allison thought that way about her was an understatement. She liked the young werelioness. The girl was a lot like Mina. Strong, hot-headed, loving and loyal. Mina had told her that Allison was one of the first friends she'd made when she came to Misty Valley. And Lindsay had become fast friends with Allison as well. She had taken an instant liking to the chatty, friendly, hardworking young receptionist. She had left Misty Valley with an excellent impression of the hotel and the town.
Lindsay allowed herself one last sigh.
She didn't blame Allison. Allison was just looking out for her dad. Even at this young age, she had the protective instincts of an Alpha, and looked out for her own.
Lindsay had no doubt that a hot, desirable, wealthy male like Sean would have a whole pack of females prowling around and circling him like vultures, just waiting for the chance to pounce. Sleazy, greedy, gold diggers, according to Allison. But Lindsay wasn't one of those gold diggers. She just really liked Sean Hunter, without the gold.
Lindsay tossed her tangled curls back and huffed.
Enough with the sighing already. It was seriously getting her down. And Lindsay Stone didn't stay down for long. She couldn't afford to.
She had things to do, places to go, people to meet. She was always rushing about, from her job to Mina's school events, and back home to clean and cook. She always made sure that Mina had everything and wanted for nothing. They might not have much, but they never had to go without. She was a provider, a protector, not a goddamn gold digger!
“Oh, I almost forgot! Geez!” Lindsay grumbled and mumbled as she began to rummage through her bag. She suddenly remembered that she had torn out an advertisement from yesterday's morning paper and stuffed it in her bag. A physician was looking for a nurse or an assistant to help him and his daughter in their Chinese Traditional Medicine clinic. It sounded like something right up her alley, and she'd made a mental note to go enquire about the position.
Well, no time like the present.
She would hunt Sean down another day. She had upset his daughter today, almost made the young woman go all lion on her, so perhaps it would be wise to steer clear of the Hunters for a while.
Lindsay got into her car and started the engine. She was just adjusting her rear-view mirror when she caught sight of Allison. Lindsay frowned and squinted into the mirror.
A gangly man in dark sunglasses had his hand on Allison's arm and was steering her out of the entrance of Hunter's Lodge and into a small side alley. Allison's face twisted but she didn't seem to be putting up too much of a struggle. Two men wearing shades and too much grease in their hair brought up the rear of this strange, suspicious procession and positioned themselves at the mouth of the alleyway.
What was Allison doing in the middle of that rough-looking gang? Just what did those thugs want with Allison?
Lindsay killed her engine and got out of her car silently. Keeping her face straight, she strolled nonchalantly towards the alleyway and passed the two greasy-haired hooligans.
They stood shoulder to shoulder, forming an impenetrable wall, and there was no way she could see what was going on in the alley.
She slowed her pace and was pretending to fumble with her purse when she heard a shout. It was Allison.
Lindsay ran at the two lanky men and yelled, “Hey! What's happening back there? What do you think you're doing? Allison! Allison, can you hear me? Are you okay?”
The two men pushed Lindsay away roughly.
“Go back to your car, lady. This doesn't concern you,” one of them warned.
“What are you doing with the girl? I saw you drag her into the alley! Let her out, now!” Lindsay raised her fists, hoping to make herself look more threatening.
They laughed and said, “Just mind your own business. Turn around and walk away. You didn't see anything.”
“Didn't see anything?” Lindsay repeated angrily.
One of the men removed his sunglasses and glared at her. Lindsay gasped and took a small step back. His eyes were completely black. There was no white in them at all.
“This is shifter business, human,” he bared his serrated teeth at her in an ugly smile. “Get out before we decide to make a messy meal out of you.”
Lindsay put her hand slowly into her bag, staring fixedly into his pitch-black eyes.
She heard Allison's screech and the man's smile widened. “You didn't hear anything, and you didn't see anything. Understand?” he told Lindsay.
“Right.” Lindsay yanked her can of pepper spray from her bag and squeezed the nozzle with all her might. “That's right! You won't be seeing anything for a while!” she bellowed, emptying the contents of the small can into the man's eyes. The man lurched to the side, cursing viciously while his partner grabbed Lindsay and slammed her against the wall.
A hand covered her mouth, and she tried to sink her teeth into that bony hand but a blow at the back of her head made her see not just stars, but whole constellations and galaxies.
It took a while for her universe to right itself.
The first thing she heard above the bu
zzing in her ears was Allison's strident voice. “She's got nothing to do with this!”
“Oh really?”
Someone gripped her roughly around the neck. “Then what's this?” Lindsay jerked in pain when she felt sharp claws digging into her neck. She stared into a pair of glittering black eyes and winced. All the men had the same beastly black eyes, eyes with no whites at all. She knew that they were shifters, but—what kind?
Lindsay forced herself to stare unflinchingly into the cruel, salivating face just inches from her nose. She stared down at the man's hairy arms and saw that they were covered with spots.
She had initially thought that they were tattoos but these spots seemed to be part of their skin.
“L-leopards?” she managed to choke out in a daze. Were they leopard shifters?
“Let her go, Max,” Allison snarled.
Max, the one with his claws in Lindsay's neck, let out a derisive laugh. “I don't think so. Look at this, boys.” He beckoned his two henchmen forward. “Unless I'm mistaken, this is Sean Hunter's mark. This human is his old lady.”
“No she's not!” Allison growled and lunged at Max.
One of the men grabbed Allison by the hair and flung her to the ground. Instinctively, Lindsay struggled free of Max's hold and ran to Allison.
“You okay?” she whispered.
Allison nodded shakily.
“Who are they, Allison? What are they?” Lindsay asked quickly. “Are they leopards?”
“No, Lindsay. They're spotted hyenas. A pack of dirty dogs,” Allison spat.
“Hyenas. Ah.” Lindsay stood and rubbed the huge bump at the back of her head. These bad dogs must have hit her real hard. Her head was spinning and she sorely felt like throwing up.
Allison caught her by the elbow as she swayed from side to side like a reed in the wind. Lindsay squinted towards the mouth of the alley. She could hardly see the street from here.
Would anyone hear them if they screamed? It was worth a try.
Lindsay sucked in a breath and prepared to unleash the mother of all screams.
“Don't even think about it.” A blade pressed against her throat.
Allison's claws were out, but she backed off when a line of blood appeared on Lindsay's neck.
“Unless you want to see her die a quick but gruesome death, I suggest you put away those pretty little claws. We will slit her fragile human throat and eat her heart. And her lungs, and her liver. I'm not joking, Allison.” Max pressed his blade deeper into Lindsay's neck.
Allison retracted her claws slowly. “Let her go. She's not involved in this.”
“But she is. She is very involved. She is involved with Sean Hunter. She will get us what we want.”
Lindsay struggled feebly in Max's grip. “What do they want, Allison?” she wheezed.
“They want a large piece of the Hunter hotel pie,” Allison answered, glaring at the three werehyenas. “They all do. It's lucrative business, big money, and they all think it's easy money. They sent one of their female hyenas to seduce my dad, hoping to trick him into signing away the majority stake in the hotels. But he kicked her out of his bed.”
“That wasn't all he did to our sister!” Max snarled viciously. “He humiliated her and disfigured her! Candy has no face now!”
Allison laughed shrilly. “My dad didn't do that. He's too much of a gentleman. He threw Candy out of his bed, and I made sure she stayed out.”
Max spun and grabbed Allison by the throat. Pushing her up against the wall with one hand, he said in a low, dangerous voice, “What did you say?”
“I said...I clawed out her face!” Blood seeped from the corners of Allison's mouth but still she smiled.
Max threw Allison to the ground and raised his knife. He bared a mouthful of serrated teeth and growled. “You will pay, lioness. I will carve up your face, your body, and chop off your hands and feet.” He smiled as he advanced towards her. “You will be a lion with no teeth and claws. I won't kill you, but you won't survive either. The fierce alpha lioness will become a prey, a victim, all roar but no bite. And you will die very, very slowly.”
Allison pushed herself up, but her eyes were unfocused and blood was pouring from a gash on her forehead. Golden fur raced up her arms, and Lindsay saw her shift into lion form in two blinks.
Max and his men dropped to their hands and Lindsay heard bones grind and crack noisily as their bodies contorted and reshaped themselves. Lindsay backed away as three large spotted hyenas prowled towards Allison and her.
The young lioness crouched, preparing to pounce at Max and take him down.
Lindsay tripped over an empty bottle lying on the ground and her sudden, jerky movement made one of the hyenas turn and lurch towards her. Lindsay raised her arms to shield her face, and felt sharp teeth sink into her forearm. “Ouch! Ow, that frickin' hurt!” she shrieked and lashed out wildly with her fists. “Get off me!”
Her swinging fists connected with the side of the hyena's face and the beast gave a yelp. Her knuckles were bruised and bleeding but Lindsay didn't stop. She kept punching and kicking crazily, trying to fight the beast off.
The other two hyenas were attacking Allison together. Lindsay saw Max's black eyes gleaming wickedly as he charged at Allison. The lioness roared in pain as the other hyena sprang from the side and latched onto Allison's back with his claws.
The fear and pain in Allison's growls brought Lindsay's fierce, maternal instincts to the fore.
“No!” Lindsay screamed, scrambling madly to block Allison from Max. “You leave her alone!”
Lindsay could feel claws raking down her shoulder and razor sharp teeth biting at her ankles. She kicked out blindly but forcefully and heard a satisfying crack. Had she broken a neck? She hoped so. She might not be a shifter, but she was just as blood-thirsty and murderous when it came to that.
She would fight these brutes, not with fangs and claws, but with everything else.
Sticks, stones, tin cans, glass bottles, half eaten burgers, sweet wrappers, anything she could get her hands on. An overturned dumpster provided her with a whole arsenal of weapons. With garbage in her hands and murder on her mind, she threw everything indiscriminately at her attackers.
“Take that, and that!” A paper cup bounced off Max's head, sloshing stale coffee all over his fur.
She glanced back at Allison and gasped. The lioness had a deep gash in the middle of her belly. Skin and flesh were hanging from her hind legs in shreds. She saw the two hyenas attack Allison relentlessly, mercilessly. They attacked from all angles and took turns to taunt and bite Allison. The lioness tried to swipe at them with her claws, but her aim was clearly deteriorating. Her claws whistled harmlessly through the air, missing her target.
Lindsay scrabbled to Allison's side. She hunched over Allison, shielding the injured lioness with her body.
The three hyenas stalked silently forward, effectively caging them in.
“Help!” Lindsay called hoarsely, desperately. “Help us! Somebody...please!”
Nobody came to help them. She glanced at Allison. The lioness was bleeding and stumbling, barely able to remain on her feet.
Lindsay saw that the hyenas were circling Allison like vultures. They were going to take the lioness down. Compared to Lindsay, Allison was the bigger threat. They would finish Allison off, then come for Lindsay.
They were going to attack as a pack, and bring the lioness down. They would force the lioness to her knees and rip out her throat and guts.
The hyenas began to close in on them. Panicking, Lindsay snatched up a roll of cardboard at her feet and tried to beat Max back.
The large hyena bared its teeth at her and feinted to the side. But Lindsay wasn't fooled. She stood her ground. Max was trying to get past her so he could take Allison down.
Blinking the sweat out of her eyes, Lindsay wielded her cardboard roll like a sword. She lunged at Max, aiming the torn end of the roll at his eye.
&
nbsp; She was about to charge again when she heard Allison give a roar of distress behind her. She spun round, and saw the two hyenas pulling Allison's head back, baring her vulnerable throat.
At that instant, Max flew straight at Allison, his jaws gunning for her jugular.
“No!” Lindsay screamed. “No!”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Sean Hunter jumped to his feet, pushing back from the head of the conference table with such force the high-backed leather chair crashed to the carpet behind him.
The fervent discussion in the meeting room ground to a screeching halt and his Beta and commanders all looked up in surprise. Seeing the expression on his face, they all stood up at once and faced their Alpha. “What is it, Sean?” Jake asked tersely.
Sean met his Beta's astute gaze and glanced down the long table at his lions. They were all looking at him grimly, expectantly. Something was up. They trusted their Alpha's instincts. His lion always rose to the fore when it sensed danger to the pride. One of their lions must be in trouble.
“Who is it?” Jake said quietly.
“My girls,” Sean answered in a low growl.
Jake's eyes widened and flashed golden. “Allison?”
Sean could feel his lion ramming against his human shields. His beast wanted out. Now. “Allison...and Lindsay.”
Jake's eyebrows shot up and he opened his mouth but wisely decided to snap it shut again.
“Jake, Cathy.” Sean pointed at his Beta and one of his commanders. Cathy and Jake were two of his best fighters. They were fast, sharp and discreet.
Without a word, Jake and Cathy made their way round the long table and stood at the conference room door, hands clasped behind their backs.
“Georgia.” Sean instructed one of his senior commanders to chair the meeting. “You're in charge here.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
Sean could feel ten pairs of eyes on his back as he exited the conference room with Jake and Cathy. They were all curious and concerned. He knew that all his lions were ready to fight for him, but this was personal.
Purrfect For Me: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (Misty Valley Shifters Book 3) Page 5
