The Baby Shift: Tennessee
Shifter Babies Of America 30
Becca Fanning
Copyright © 2019 by Becca Fanning
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
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Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Also by Becca Fanning
Chapter 1
This was what drug money could do to a man.
Lea believed she could never get over her father's paranoia and over-protectiveness. Lea sighed as, once again, her father's guards closed in around her. Two walked in front of her and another two behind her as she strolled out of the hall as she left behind the loud music emanating from the party inside, and she could not wait to leave.
The deputy mayor of the city held a birthday celebration for her daughter, and to Lea, the entire event was nothing more than a charade. Per her father’s orders, Lea had met with some of his acquaintances, smiled to everyone that mattered, took photos with the high and mighty of Blue Lake City, and restrained herself from drinking away her sorrows.
She left the building and trudged her way to the car with her escorts, and the only thing she could think of was pizza. She didn't know if this was a craving brought about by her month-old pregnancy or if it was just her subconscious desperately trying to delay the inevitable return to her father.
Having worked his way up from the slums of Tennessee, Michael Hendricks had grown to become arguably the most notorious and powerful narcotics dealer in all of Blue Lake City. In a very short time, Lea’s father became what most would call a tyrant.
"Take me to the Pier Store. I'm having pizza for dinner," she said. There was a flash of light as one of the dozen reporters outside took a photo of her.
“No can’t do that, ma’am,” said Rick, the head guard and top hitman of the Hendricks cartel.
Lea frowned. “Why not?”
“Michael was very clear with his instructions. We have to take you home immediately after the party.”
“That’s bullshit. I’m 22. I can go where the fuck I want.”
“Come on Lea. Don’t act like you don’t know how he gets. Let’s just go back into the car without causing a scene, shall we?” He placed a hand on her upper arm, guiding her towards the Bentley parked in front of the mansion.
“Get your fucking hands off me!” Lea screamed and swung her arm hard enough to break it away from his firm grip.
“Now Lea, I know you are pregnant, so I will refrain from dragging you all the way to the car. But, please, you really need to calm down now.”
Lea opened her mouth to yell at him once more when something happened. There was a sudden uproar from the reporters clustered in one part of the compound. The sound of a car pulling up followed. Lea looked on with fascination. Her escorts stepped around to shield her from this new potential threat.
"Gale Santino! Gale Santino!" someone shouted in the crowd. Lea recognized the name. Gale was the second biggest male actor in Tennessee, and with a soon-to-be-released blockbuster just around the corner, it was little wonder that the paparazzi couldn’t wait to gobble him up.
Men and women gathered around the car shouting the celebrity’s name over and over while competing to get the best picture. They brushed past her guards who stood firm enough to shield her. An idea began to form at the back of Lea’s mind.
“That man over there,” she said, pointing at no-one in particular. “I think I just saw a gun on him.”
“Check him out while I take her to the car,” Rick said.
Two of the four escorts pushed a path towards a man in a blue suit. Apparently, they believed he was the one she was referring to. It did not matter to Lea; however, as long as they left. Rick and the remaining escort led her to the car.
“I’m sitting at the front for the trip back,“ she said.
“Why?” Rick asked.
“Because I can’t stand sitting at the back with you right now.”
He opened his mouth to protest but said instead, “okay. We’ll leave as soon as the others return.”
Lea noticed her other escorts were still in the middle of frisking the bewildered gentleman in the blue suit. Rick and the other escort stood beside the car, looking alert. Earlier, she had slipped a key out of the pocket of one of her escorts when he wasn't looking and hid it in her handbag. Taking a deep breath, Lea removed the key. She slid over to the driver seat, stuck the key in the ignition and brought the car to life.
“What the fuck, Lea!” Rick yelled as the vehicle began to move.
Lea did not reply. All she did was glance at him, stick her tongue out, and drive off without looking back.
The Pier Store was still open when she pulled into the parking lot. She brought the Bentley to a halt and alighted quickly. No doubt Rick would know her destination having already heard her talk about eating pizza at the Pier Store. Hopefully, her little trick had bought her enough time for one undisturbed meal.
She was had taken only three steps from the car when she heard heavy footsteps coming from behind. Her first thought was that Rick and the others had somehow gotten here the same time as she did, but when she turned around what she saw startled her.
Three men approached, each wearing black sweaters and pants. Three frightening black masks covered their faces making it impossible to tell whether she had ever seen their faces before. They emerged from the shadows of a blue van, and in the space of seconds, they circled around, effectively trapping her in their midst.
“What do you want?” Lea’s hand instinctively covered her stomach. Her heart was racing as she tried to back away only to realize there was no escaping the circle of masked men. The only way was to make a run for it; consequences be damned. She was about to bolt when something reflected a ray of moonlight in her eyes. It was a knife. She spun around and saw they all held long deadly knives.
The broad-shouldered man in front dashed straight for her; his knife held high above his head. As the weapon arced downwards towards her head, she wrapped her arms around her still-flat stomach and closed her eyes shut, bracing for impact. But it never came.
She heard the thud of a body slamming against the concrete ground followed by a loud groan of pain. Opening her eyes, she beheld the crazy events unfolding before her. There was a fourth man now; different from the others because he wore no mask and less ominous clothes. The attacker who had tried to stab her was on the ground and appeared to be on the brink of unconsciousness while the new stranger stood over him. He looked up at Lea, and their eyes met. It was only for a second, but she gasped when she noticed its golden glow -- the eye color that was exclusive to shifters. He was tall and had long flowing dark hair, broad shoulders and a devastatingly handsome face.
A shadow hovered over her, and before she could turn around, the dark-haired stranger flung himself past her in a flash and rammed his fist into the stomach of the masked man. The armed attacker fell to the ground writhing in pain. Lea looked on in frightened fascination as her savior spun round to face the only masked man still standing. He moved fast - faster than any man she had ever seen, but not fast enough. A millisecond after the stranger turned, the last masked man struck. He drove his knife deep into the stranger's abdomen.
Time seemed to pause for Lea as she saw blood gush freely from the wound on his side. Despite his injury, he still tried to stand on his feet and back away. The remaining masked man tu
rned and sprinted away. She watched as the others scrambled to their feet and took to their heels. Lea decided they were aware they were up against a powerful shifter. Although her savior was wounded, he needed only to shift to whatever animal he was, and the fight would’ve become a slaughter
When she was certain the attackers were long gone, she turned to the dark-haired man. He was on one knee now, holding on to his side trying to reduce the bleeding.
“I’m so sorry,” Lea said even though she knew how stupid she sounded. He looked up at her; his golden eyes fixing on her.
With a voice muffled with pain, he said, “I think I need to go to the hospital if you don’t mind,”
“Yea, of course. I’ll call 911 now.” She rummaged through her bag for her phone.
The sound of a car driving into the parking lot made her raise her head. It was a taxi. When it stopped, four men jumped out of it and ran towards her. They were her escorts.
Rick, in particular, looked livid when he said, "what the fuck happened here."
She said, “no time to explain. Let’s get this man to a hospital now.”
When Lea walked into the emergency room, she expected to see a man battling for his life. Even though the doctors had informed her of his speedy recovery, she still did not believe anyone—shifter or not—would be conscious 24 hours after having the full length of a blade buried in his stomach.
His name was Angel, as she had come to find out when he mentioned it to the ER doctor. She saw him sitting upright on the bed. He was dressed in the hospital’s blue gown and had a book in his hand which he seemed engrossed in. He looked up at her, and a smile appeared across his lips.
“You did not come with your bodyguards?” Angel asked.
“I insisted they wait outside,” Lea said.
He laughed. “I’m surprised they let you out of their sight. Last night is still a bit of a haze, but I remember the big dude fuming at the mouth when he yelled about you running off on them.”
She chuckled. “Don’t worry about that. They called my father, and he gave his permission. He hasn’t set eyes on you, but he seems to like you already. I figured that makes sense. After all, you saved my life.”
He said, “I just wanted a pizza. I saw a woman in trouble and did what I could to help.”
“And you earned a knife in your gut for your troubles.”
He spread his arms apart. “As you can see, I’ll be just fine.”
“My father wants to meet you as soon as we get out of here. I’m sure he’ll find a suitable way to show his appreciation.”
“I don’t need anything, Miss.”
“Just meet with him, okay?”
He sighed. “Okay, I will.”
Lea did not know why, but his agreement to meet her father both thrilled and scared her. Somehow she was happy she would get to see him again, yet she was frightened on his behalf. Her father was not the best person to relate with.
“Alright,” she said. “I have to leave now before my father’s men come barging in through the door.”
He laughed. It was a warm and beautiful laugh. “Tell your dad I’ll look forward to meeting him.”
“Will do,” Lea said and turned the handle of the door. Lea took one last glance at him when she set foot outside the room. He nodded in her direction. Then she shut the door behind her.
As soon as the door closed behind her back, Angel let out the breath he had been holding ever since she walked into the room. When he was sure she was long gone, he reached for the tray beside his hospital bed. The nurses had brought in the belongings he had on his person the previous night. He rummaged through the pockets of his blue jeans and took out a cell phone. Lying back on the bed, he dialed a number.
“Damn it, Angel. I’ve been waiting on your call for hours,” said a harsh voice on the other end.
“Take a deep breath, Gale. I could not gain access to my phone last night.”
“Why? Did you screw up your task?”
“On the contrary, it worked out well - too well if you consider that I was stabbed by one of the men you sent to take Michael Hendricks’ daughter out.”
Angel heard Gale sigh. Then he listened as the latter said, “I’m sorry it had to go down like that, but I could not afford to let the men in on our plans. They had to see you as the enemy.”
“I understand. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. I was taken to the hospital by Lea and her escorts. She even came over this morning.”
“What did she want?” Gale asked excitedly.
“Her father wants to meet with me,” Angel said.
“Perfect. As a pureborn werewolf like you, he’ll have no choice than to make you one of his guards. Then we can screw him up.”
“I can’t wait to see him burn,” Angel said, his face stiff with loathing.
“And I can’t wait to add his narcotics network to mine. Only a few more moves from us, and I’ll take over the mantle of the biggest drug dealer in the city.”
Angel sighed. In moments like this, he questioned the sacrifices he was making. He too wanted to take down Michael Hendricks but for reasons quite different from narcotics rivalry. No. His was a deeper, a much deeper motive, and he would do anything to see it through. Even if it meant taking a knife in the stomach.
“Hello? Are you there, Angel?”
“Yes,” Angel said. “What’s our next move?”
Chapter 2
The Hendricks' compound was not as large as Angel expected. He had observed the property from a distance several times in the past, and it always looked much bigger from afar. There was a wide green lawn on either side of the driveway with cars scattered all around the compound.
The inhabitants of the building seemed to be expecting him. Two guards were already waiting for him when he arrived at the agreed time that morning. They escorted him towards the mansion in the middle of the compound. There were almost at the large bronze front door when Angel heard something strange.
He was sure the other men couldn't pick up the sounds, but Angel's werewolf hearing let him pick them up even from outside the building. There was the faint sound of a man apparently yelling. Then came a crash as if someone had fallen and tipped over something heavy. Angel resisted the urge to ask the guards if they heard the sounds, too. He followed them into the building after the door was opened by two mean-looking men.
He was led into a living room that was as luxurious as the rest of the compound. A man was sitting on one of the four leather couches. The second Angel saw his face, he felt his mind get pulled back into a dark time and place he never wanted to visit again. Anger flowed like blood through his body, and he had to consciously stop his fists from clenching.
"Angel Edwards," said the man. He was a tall man who appeared to be in his mid-forties. There was something calm about his demeanor - something borderline cold. "You've made quite an impression in the last 48 hours."
“Mr. Hendricks. Good to finally meet you. I almost didn’t believe it when you asked to see me.”
“Of course, I would want to see you. Who wouldn’t want to see the man who saved his daughter from the hands of his enemies?” Michael said this without smiling. Angel wasn’t sure what to think of this statement. Although what he was sure of was he had to choose his words very carefully so as not to give him a reason to suspect.
“I did what any man would do if he had the abilities,” Angel said.
“Yes, of course, the abilities. I gathered you are a pureborn werewolf.” Michael scratched his chin. Angel could almost picture the man’s mouth-watering at the possibilities.
"Yes, sir."
“I guess my daughter was in luck, huh? That you just happened to be there,” Michael said, staring at him strangely.
Angel did his best to maintain a straight face as he said, “Indeed. I was on my way to get pizza when I noticed the attack.”
“Yes. She ditched her escorts. Almost gave a couple of lucky lowlife gang bangers a chance to deliver a blow to my reputation
.”
Angel stopped himself from mentioning how losing a daughter was a lot deeper than a dent in one's reputation. Instead, he asked, "where is Lea, by the way?"
Strangely enough, Michael’s seemingly permanent frown became more pronounced at the mention of his daughter. He said, “she hasn’t been feeling too well, so she’s upstairs resting.”
“Oh,” Angel said. “I hope she gets better soon.”
“When I heard about what happened, I had my men look into you. It seems you’ve been unemployed for quite some time now.”
Angel raised an eyebrow. He was secretly happy he and Gale had created a solid profile for him long before they made the first move of their plans. They could not afford to let Michael know who he really was. The whole plan depended on it
"That's correct. Ever since I lost my regular job at a coffee shop, I've been working odd jobs just to keep the lights on," Angel said.
"Well, in that case, I believe I have found a way for us to be of mutual benefit to each other."
“How?”
“I want you to come work for me. Lord knows, my daughter and my property could use a werewolf bodyguard right about now. That way you could make some more money. I promise to make it worth your while.”
Angel did his best to conceal his excitement; he had been waiting for this opening all along. Now that the offer was on the table, there was no way he’d let it slip.
He smiled. “When do I start?”
Angel stepped out of the mansion humming a tune to himself. He was still in a daze. Finalizing the contract with Michael turned out to be easier than expected. Now that he was in, he had to move on to the next phase of the plan.
As he walked over to the compound gates, Angel pondered about the best way to set up the next meeting with Gale without Michael's knowledge. There was every chance that his new employer would have men tail him for the next few days. The drug runner wasn't known for being the trusting type.
The Baby Shift- Tennessee Page 1
