Shifters Forever Worlds Epic Collection Volume 3

by Elle Thorne

  “Really, Dominic.” Bain picked him up, tousled his hair. Then passed him off to Braden.

  Braden hesitated, just a moment, he’d never been around kids, then he opened his arms, while at the same time his heartstrings were plucked. This little boy was his family. Bain and Dominic were the closest thing he had to blood.

  “Hey, let’s play!” Another little boy came running forward from the front door. “Let’s play shifter football! Come on, Dominic!”

  A man and a woman followed the little boy out the front door.

  “And this is Joe and Sara.” Mae pointed to the adults. “And that’s Ivan.” She indicated the little boy.

  Ivan was jumping up and down. “Let’s play shifter football! Come on, everybody!”

  Sara shook her head at her son. “It’s nice to meet you,” she said to Braden.

  “Yeah,” Ivan said. “Do you want to play with us, Braden? It’s guys only, except for my mom!” He pointed to Sara. “She’s a shifter. And she kicks a—”

  “Apples.” Joe stepped forward with a laugh. “Your mom kicks apples, son.”

  “Nice save, Joe.” Doc laughed.” I better get around the back. No telling if something on the grill is burning.”

  “Ivan’s doing well, isn’t he?” Kelsey noted. “All things considered.”

  Braden didn’t have to wonder what those things were, because Joe went straight into an explanation.

  “Considering he lived as a bear for the first few years of his life, without talking or shifting into his human, I’d say he’s doing really well,” Joe beamed.

  “And he calls Joe Daddy, now.” Sara’s eyes welled with tears.

  Joe put his arm around her. “You’re both in a better place.” His eyes met with Doc’s. “But it’s not over yet.”

  Braden was starting to think this friendly little valley wasn’t as simplistic as it seemed at first glance. He looked at Bain for an explanation.

  Joe stepped in quickly. “Sara was held in an institution. We’re looking into it.”

  Braden nodded, and studied the female grizzly shifter in Joe’s arms. Braden knew all about being held against one’s will. It sucked.

  “Here comes Griz.” Joe tipped his head toward the driveway.

  An old truck pulled up, more rust bucket colored than red, and out stepped one of the largest men Braden had ever seen. And he was no small man himself. Not by a long shot. A scar crossed his face, starting above his eyebrow, extending down over his cheekbone, almost to his jawline.

  Braden had seen his share of scars. He be willing to put money this came from something not unlike a bear claw. Could’ve been a blade, but he would’ve bet it had been on the end of a paw.

  “Sorry I’m late, had to stop in town.” Griz put his fingertips to his brow as though making a salute, and held up his other arm, a large cake in hand. “By the way, Ciara called; changed her mind, said she was coming after all. I was going to wait for her until she called to say she was running a little behind.”

  A look of concern crossed Mae’s face. “Is she okay?”

  Griz frowned. “She didn’t say she wasn’t. I asked, but she said everything was fine.” He tipped his head back, nose to the air, nostrils flaring. “Something burning?”

  “Crap!” Doc pulled a one-eighty and took long strides toward the back.

  Braden couldn’t take another bite, he was stuffed. These Bear Canyon Valley people knew how to barbeque. It had been quite a spread. He leaned back in the Adirondack chair and watched Dominic and Ivan carouse in the grass. Joe joined them, taking turns hoisting one boy in the air, then the other.

  “So Braden, what do you do?”

  Here we go, here comes the real grilling.

  “I freelance.” He wasn’t ready to discuss his career choices after his time in the Middle East.

  “Braden was in the military,” Bain volunteered.

  A look passed between Doc and Mae, one Braden didn’t understand since he didn’t know them.

  “Thank you for your service.” Mae finally filled the silence. “Joe was in the military, for a while.” Her gaze was focused on the man sitting in the grass playing with the two young shifters. “He doesn’t talk about it much. We respect his right to privacy.”

  Braden nodded, appreciating that she was letting him know they would not pry. He got lucky anyway, because a woman came around the corner of the house, long white hair flowing, eyes that were lighter colored than Bain’s, with grungy marks on her dress, as if she’d been in a scuffle.

  “Sorry I’m late.” She was out of breath.

  Griz rose from his spot, his gaze traveling up and down her. “What happened to you?”

  “I fell. I’m fine.”

  “That’s it?” Griz frowned, the scar making his face look formidable in a fearsome way.

  She wasn’t telling the truth, that was easy enough for Braden to see. He studied her, finding something different about this woman, something ethereal, and at the same time something eerie. When she glanced his way, he felt a flashback, and the scars on his body began to burn.

  Those eyes.

  He closed his own to block out something—though he couldn’t have said what. He racked his brain to remember, but at the same time, he wanted to push back the unpleasantness.

  Griz cleared his throat, jarring Braden from his contemplations. “So what made you late?” he asked Ciara.

  She paused. A gamut of emotions traveled over her face.

  Braden wondered if she was going to tell the truth about this.

  “I had a stowaway.” She glanced away, her eyelids lowered, as if sealing herself away.

  Griz crossed his arms over his chest. “Details, please.”

  “I don’t know when she got in the car, but I felt a presence, so I got out to check. I opened the door, she knocked me down, then ran off. It wasn’t too far from here, and I was worried about her, so I tried to look for her. No luck.”

  “That’s it? You’re very late for something that is spoken of so briefly.”

  “I knew she was there. I was almost home, that’s when I turned around and started here. I’ve been driving for hours, waiting to see if she’d speak to me. I thought I’d be able to reach out to her, use my skills to get her to open up.” She wheezed out a breath. “I’m not making sense.”

  Griz looked at Doc. “I wonder if that was the woman Lance saw. She was a prisoner at the compound. Banged up. Scratched up.”

  “This woman definitely looked like she’d been through something,” Ciara said.

  “We’ll check into it.” Griz frowned. “Hopefully, she’s not going to pose any dangers to the community.”

  “She didn’t look like she could harm a fly,” Ciara said.

  “If so, then you wouldn’t look like you’d been knocked to the ground,” Griz countered.

  Ciara shook her head. “I still think she’s going to need help.”

  “That’s your Intuitive skills talking?” Griz handed her a plate. “There’s plenty of food.”

  “I need to use the facilities first.” Ciara strode toward the back door.

  Joe approached Braden. “Where are you staying tonight?”

  “Hadn’t really thought of that. Figured I’d stay at the local hotel.”

  Bain clicked his tongue in disappointment. “No way, man. You’re staying with us.”

  “Yes, you must,” Carina agreed.

  “Well,” Joe said, “I was thinking he could have my cabin while he’s in town. It’s nice and isolated, private, quiet. Plus, you’ll get to experience mountain living. Bain and Carina and Bree are staying at Mae’s Bed & Breakfast.”

  “He can borrow one of my trucks.” This came from Teague. “I’ve got a new company truck; business is pretty good.”

  “Must be,” Doc laughed. “Construction’s booming in the valley?”

  Teague laughed. “It’s keeping me busy. New homes, adding nurseries, ramping up security measures.” He gave Braden a look-over with an appraising
eye. “In fact, if you find yourself looking for work, I’m hiring.”

  “He pays well, too,” Tanner said, with a laugh. “I ought to know.”

  “You guys are too kind.” Braden was getting a feeling for why Bain wanted to live here.

  Chapter Three

  On and on, the car traveled, and with every minute, every mile, Dakotah said a little prayer of thanks. The farther the car traveled, the farther away from her abductors she would be. She thought of her roommate and wondered if she was worried about her. She’d been gone so long now, she probably thought she was dead. She wondered if she ever filed a missing person report when she didn’t return.

  When they took Dakotah, her captors thought she was homeless, because she was coming out of the homeless center where she volunteered. After she was blindfolded, and placed in the back of their van, she heard them talking about how no one would be looking for her if she was homeless.

  She could understand how they thought that, considering the fact she dressed in faded jeans with holes and a ratty T-shirt. She’d been out the night before, was pretty sure her mascara was streaked and her hair was definitely in a messy bun that day.

  Though she wasn’t homeless, she knew they were right about one thing: she doubted anyone would look for her.

  The SUV was slowing. This caught Dakotah’s attention. She stiffened, wondering where they were, but she didn’t want to risk it by poking her head up.

  There was only one person in the car, the driver. That much Dakotah knew. Only one car door had slammed earlier. There’d not been any conversation, except for a couple on a cell phone, though Dakotah couldn’t hear what was said. All she could determine was that it was female.

  The SUV came to a stop. The engine turned off, the door opened, and then closed.

  Maybe the driver is home. Or going to get some food. Perhaps the driver is getting gas.

  Dakotah braced herself, not sure if the person would look in the back. She was relieved it wasn’t one of those big shape shifting guys. She’d noticed two women with them and wondered if she could possibly get lucky enough that one of them would be driving the car.

  She listened but heard no footsteps. Heard nothing.

  The sound of fumbling with the door’s latch made her blood run cold.

  Dakotah flinched.

  The hatch made a slow arduous journey rising. Every second it took, made the fear ratchet up in Dakotah’s heart. She held her breath, poised to do something.

  Anything.

  When the hatch was fully up, a woman stood before her, one of the women who had been at the compound with the men who fought her captors.

  The woman looked at her. She had the palest eyes, and hair so light, it was almost white. She was in a long dress.

  “Who—”

  “Get away from me!” Dakotah screamed.

  “But—”

  With as much grace as she could manage, Dakotah jerked herself out of the car and shoved at the woman.

  The woman fell back, her long dress tangling in her feet. She landed hard against a tree. “Let me help you.” She rose to her feet. “I can.”

  “No.” And with that, Dakotah fled from the woman as fast as she could.

  When she glanced back, she noticed the woman was not following her, but stood outside the vehicle, holding a cell phone.

  Dakotah cursed herself for not tying up the woman or taking her phone away. Now she would send those men out to retrieve her. Fueled by that thought, she picked up speed.

  Either way you look at it, I’m screwed. So very screwed.

  Dakotah ran until she couldn’t run anymore, holding on to the swell of her belly, feeling the little one inside kicking and fussing, probably about being jostled.

  And still, the woman never followed.

  For sure, sending those guys after me.

  Dakotah cursed her luck as she ran between the thick bushes, pausing to lean against a pine tree, the bark cutting into her flesh. Her chest heaved with the effort; her lungs were on fire.

  Not sure she could afford to pause for long, she began to walk again until she ran into a path that didn’t seem to be used much.

  It’s better than trying to make my way through all that undergrowth.

  She looked at the scratches on her arms.

  Judging from the those, it was much better than trying to go through the undergrowth.

  The path led her down into a gully, and then up the side of the mountain, winding its way so the walk was not too steep.

  She almost cried out with joy, and then fear, when she saw a cabin. Dakotah slipped behind a tree and studied the cabin. The driveway, made of pebbled stones, was empty. Not a large cabin, it seemed well-maintained, if not exactly in use. The areas that had paint were not too chipped or peeling, and the roof was intact.

  She surveilled the cabin, watching the door diligently, waiting for someone to come out. After what seemed like an eternity, no one had.

  Thirst burned her throat.

  She had to make a choice not hard to make when hungry, thirsty, exhausted, pregnant, and scared.

  She tiptoed toward the cabin, approaching from a windowless corner where she would hopefully not be seen. As soon as she reached the cabin’s outer walls, she sidled her way toward the front door, crouching as she passed windows.

  Before she touched the handle, she listened intently, but found no sounds coming from inside.

  Might as well.

  Turning the handle very slowly, she froze when the door squeaked.

  Dammit.

  She paused. Again she waited, but no one came out.

  With the door fully open, Dakotah studied the interior.

  Definitely did not have a woman’s touch.

  Maybe a hunter’s cabin?

  That would be perfect, as hunting season wouldn’t be back around for another few months.

  Dakotah’s stomach grumbled.

  I know, I know.

  She spotted the pantry in the corner of the kitchen of the one room cabin. Rummaging through it, she found spaghetti and a jar of sauce.

  This will do.

  Tummy full, Dakotah looked around the cabin, feeling like an interloper not wanting to touch anything or infringe on anyone’s privacy. A hunting rifle, one she was familiar with, lay on a gun rack.

  It had been a long time, and it brought back painful memories, but she had shot one before. Her father taught her, before he, her mother and brother, had all been killed in a tragic plane crash.

  Dakotah had been a junior in high school. She stayed home as she had a debate competition that weekend. For Dakotah, that event was the incident that downhill spiraled the rest of her life.

  She took the rifle off the rack and made herself comfortable on the sofa, she lay the weapon next to her, finger at the ready.

  Chapter Four

  Braden pulled the truck into the parking spot in front of the cabin. He set aside the directions Joe had given him and surveyed the little place. It looked in good shape, even though Joe said he and Sara no longer lived there.

  It was dark outside, and the porch light wasn’t on. Not that it mattered to a shifter. Shifter sight allowed him to see clearly, no matter how much light. He stifled a yawn, he hadn’t planned on staying that late.

  After grabbing his bag from the passenger seat, he made his way to the front door and tried the handle.

  Odd, Joe said it wasn’t locked. Maybe he forgot he locked it. Braden fished out of his pocket the “just in case” key Joe had given him, and slipped it in, turning it. He glanced to the left and felt along the wall, looking for the light switch, even though he didn’t need it. It just seemed weird to be walking around the dark.

  A sound made him freeze.

  It sounded like a moan.

  Standing still as a statue, Braden used his shifter hearing to listen for anything that seemed out of place.

  Breathing. Heartbeats. A soft sigh.

  Yes, these were sounds that definitely did not belong here
. The sofa was turned away, so he couldn’t see if anyone was on it. Angles of the cabin kept some of the corners from his line of sight. He scanned the wall for the light switch and flicked it on, then took a step to the left.

  Here was certainly something he did not expect. A woman, lying on the couch, fast asleep. He studied her, taking in the curve of her cheek, the dark hair that flowed and haloed around her. Yes, she was attractive, that was undeniable.

  But who the hell is she?

  He took a step toward the couch, his hand outstretched thinking he would wake her, and perhaps ask her what she was doing here. He was confident he had followed the directions correctly and the key worked, so he knew he was in the right place.

  Maybe Sara had told one of her friends she could stay here?

  That was when he noticed the rifle, but that didn’t alarm him, as he meant her no harm. He took a step closer.

  “Don’t move.” Her voice was resolute.

  Her eyes were wide open, they definitely held a warning. Her finger on the trigger quivered. She’d raised the weapon, and it was leveled right at his chest.

  “I think—” He took another step closer, hoping she would see that he was not a threat. “Could you—”

  “I said don’t move.” Light brown eyes in a mocha face glared at him.

  One more step. “But look, I d—”

  The shot interrupted him.

  Chapter Five

  Dakotah jumped up, staring at the cabin’s owner.

  The man was lying on the floor, unmoving.

  She didn’t mean it. Damn him. She hadn’t wanted to shoot him. She jerked and that little bit of pressure…

  She wanted to be mad at him. She wanted it to be his fault.

  She told him not to move. She told him not to. Look at him, now. Oh god. Blood blossomed on his chest creating a horrifying pattern. She was torn between running, getting a towel, or calling 9-1-1. Did she hit his shoulder? Or something vital? She approached him, hoping he wasn’t armed, hoping he didn’t shoot her.