by Dianna Love
“Who are you to say how long for piss?” Gan asked as he walked up from the back of the building. She hadn’t heard him open the door. He kept coming until he stood beside Scarlett in a clear show of support.
Then he pointed to his jeans. “I had to get clothes. Not good to walk around naked when women already afraid of us.”
Everything he said rang with truth.
She hadn’t minded seeing him naked one bit, not until he’d caught her ogling him then she’d caught the captives taking in every inch of him. Had she been jealous?
Regardless of what Gan told Adrian to cover how long he was gone, she did appreciate him coming back in dressed for the women.
She hoped his return meant Jaz had made it to safety.
Adrian cut a questioning look at Gan. “Just making sure you didn’t get any ideas about straying, Psycho Cat.”
Had Adrian thought Gan would run?
So had Chica. Why?
Scarlett could answer that. She and those two Gallize had treated Gan poorly even if they all had the right reasons for keeping him out of harm’s way.
Gan was like any other proud man. His gaze stayed firmly on Adrian when he spoke. “Lucky for you I did not stray, or only observe.”
That shut up the wolf.
Vic walked up, hissing with each move. “What’s going on?”
Gan shrugged. “Nothing. You should tell Guardian how I have control.”
Adrian made a sound of disbelief.
“No?” Gan challenged. “My tiger kill bad shifters and I am now human. You live because of tiger. How do you argue my words?”
Scarlett could argue that his tiger had started to attack her cougar. If she hadn’t shifted to human, he might have, but the tiger had not fought back when Chica hit him hard on the nose.
Gan had managed to gain control after all that and return to his human form.
It didn’t matter now.
She wasn’t about to throw him under the bus when he needed support.
Vic ran his hand over his bark-brown hair now loose from the ponytail. “One time isn’t going to convince the Guardian you’re ready to be on your own.”
“I know.” Gan scratched the side of his neck. “But Scarlett need backup on something important. I owe her debt and want to pay back. Guardian said I would have chance to do that. Call Guardian. He will approve.”
Scarlett did an outstanding job of not losing her shit at that announcement. He should talk to her before putting her on the spot. First of all, she could not take him with her. The Guardian might overlook Gan’s help freeing Jaz, if that got out, but he would not be so understanding if Gan voluntarily went with Scarlett now to clearly aid and abet a wanted criminal.
What was he thinking?
Why would he want to do go with her anyhow?
She suffered a weak moment of wanting to accept his offer and take him with her, but guilt stomped all over that bad idea. Gan needed someone to protect him because he didn’t realize what he was offering to do.
Wait a minute? She wanted to slap herself. What was she worried about?
The Guardian would not allow Gan to go with her. Gan had not spent enough time as a shifter to be allowed out on his own around humans.
Panic moment over, she sighed with relief.
“You think he’s going to let you go off like that?” Vic asked Gan, sounding shocked at the tiger shifter’s audacity.
“Yes. You should call him. She must go now.”
Vic’s jaw muscles pulsed like his head might explode. He ground out his next words. “Adrian, go with the medics on the bus with the women. You need to get back to headquarters and have that wound flushed out ASAP.”
Gan said, “You can control wolf around women?”
“Yes,” Adrian snapped. “I can do a lot of things you can’t, tiger.”
Stabbing a scathing look at Gan, Vic said, “You stay right here while I find a phone.” Then he stomped off, pausing to groan and slow down.
Adrian called out, “You need help?”
Vic swung around and snarled, “No.”
Shifters weren’t keen on looking vulnerable, even if a teammate had good intentions.
“Fuck all of you.” Adrian stormed past Vic, who followed him out at a slow gait.
Scarlett waited as the men left, glad Vic had been so riled up he hadn’t asked for her phone. She needed a minute to explain to Gan that going with her would end up with him being hunted along with Scarlett and Jaz.
Additionally, she needed him to think before he opened his mouth and started making declarations and demands.
With all the shifters out of hearing range for whispers, Scarlett turned to Gan. “What the hell are you thinking? You don’t owe me anything after helping my friend escape.”
“This is true. You owe me favor.”
Was he serious? She didn’t have time to argue. “Okay, fine. I’m sorry, but you’ll have to wait for me to pay you back.”
“No. You pay now.”
Everything inside her said not to ask, but she didn’t have the luxury of a rational conversation right now. “How can I pay you now?”
“Take me with you.”
She looked into his sharp blue eyes, wishing she could take him with her for so many reasons, but too many of those reasons were not in his best interest. “Why the hell would you ... what am I saying ... I shouldn’t even ...”
How did one tiger shifter with so few words manage to fluster her?
None of those disjointed thoughts mattered. She said, “The Guardian is not going to let you go with me.”
His eyes filled with pleading. “He will send me back to Wyoming land where I am locked inside invisible walls. Adrian will stay with team. No me. I will be alone again. I have been captive my whole life. Everyone control me. I am tired of no choice. Just one time, I want to feel ... free to make choice.”
He said the one thing that cracked her heart wide open and made her want to grant this simple wish.
She’d lived in a different kind of captivity where she couldn’t have a life. She had to hide and stay under the radar, avoid relationships. While she was free to walk around, she also suffered from lack of choice.
But if she gave in and took him with her, Gan would face punishment he didn’t deserve.
Vic came hobbling up, grumbling the whole time, with a mobile phone at his ear. “Yes, sir. I’m handing it to her now.”
Scarlett looked at the phone as if the plastic box had turned into a snake about to strike. If she said the wrong thing, she either crushed Gan or welcomed the wrath of his deadly Gallize Guardian.
A riled up snake would be easier to handle.
Chapter 14
“Hello, Scarlett.” The Guardian’s rich voice on the other end of the call sounded friendly, which he had the ability to be when not angry.
She tried to keep that in mind and not think about how a powerful being can smash everything in sight.
While she struggled to compose a sentence, because not even she knew what she was about to say, the Guardian prodded her with, “Vic tells me you want to discuss Gan.”
Gan stood quietly to the side.
Two Gallize shifters from the team began picking up bloody body parts decorated with hay and tossing them into a rubber tub. A third member of the team came in with some solution he sprayed over all areas affected.
Scarlett turned away and cleared her throat. “Yes, I, uh ...” She sensed Gan’s eyes boring invisible holes in her back. Screw it. “I’ve got a lead on another person in jeopardy, someone important to me actually. I’d really like some backup. Gan offered and ...” Her voice trailed off.
When a shifter lifted the giant tub and carried it deeper into the building, Gan stepped close to her.
His gaze hadn’t left the phone in her hand.
He didn’t have to crowd her, because he could hear both sides of this call just as any other shifter close by could.
Just having him that close pushed her.
<
br /> The Guardian said, “Scarlett?”
She never got flustered. His fault it had happened twice in a short period of time.
Feeling like a kid about to get caught trying to sneak out of school aggravated the hell out of her so she rattled it out all at once. “Gan shifted into his tiger to save everyone then shifted back. I’m under the impression this was some kind of test today and I, for one, think he passed with flying colors. I’m asking for him to go with me.”
Gan smiled so big she could see it in her peripheral vision.
Her heart wiggled with seeing him happy. She took a breath and added, “If you can spare him.”
“What?” Vic snapped. “He’s not ready.”
Gan took a step toward Vic.
Scarlett moved between them and held a hand up at Gan, plus she gave him a don’t-you-dare look.
The Guardian asked, “Why did Vic say he wasn’t ready?”
She shrugged even though the eagle shifter couldn’t see her. “You’ll have to ask him, but keep in mind that while both Vic and Adrian were incapacitated and the rest of us were surrounded by the kidnappers, Gan came in and took down almost all of them or you would be short two of your men.”
That knocked the gruff out of Vic. When he spoke this time, it was loud enough for everyone to hear. “She’s right, sir.” Then Vic glanced at Gan and said, “I should have told you thank you by now. Good job, man.”
Gan said, “I am glad you live. Now I want to repay debt to Scarlett.”
Scarlett almost forgot she had someone on the phone until the Guardian asked, “Are you sure you want Gan and not someone who has been in the field longer?”
“I am ready,” Gan countered, voice booming.
She looked at him and slashed her hand across her throat, telling him to cut it out.
Gan’s forehead crinkled. “What is wrong with neck?”
Growling at him, she told the Guardian, “I think Gan will be perfect for what I need.” She wasn’t lying either. Gan hadn’t hesitated to help her free Jaz. He had no loyalty to the Gallize yet. That would come in time, but for now he wouldn’t get mired down in details such as wanting to run anything questionable past the Guardian first.
All she had to do was return him safe and sound, and leave things with the Guardian in a way that showed Gan had helped without clearly understanding he had aided someone wanted by law enforcement. She would tell the Guardian any wrongdoing was all on her.
With Gan’s lack of experience in the field, she could make a convincing argument.
“I don’t need to tell you that Gan has not been a shifter long, Scarlett. You were there the day I called up his tiger.”
Why was the Guardian pointing that out? He couldn’t have read her thoughts, right? She said, “I do know that.”
“And you’re willing to take responsibility for having him around the public this soon? You’ll ensure his tiger is not a liability around humans?”
Now she got it.
The Guardian wanted everything on the table. He was putting her on notice that everyone, including her, knew how inexperienced Gan was as a shifter. If she took him with her and Gan failed to control his Siberian tiger, the Guardian would not hold Gan responsible.
He’d hold her responsible.
That actually took a weight off her shoulders.
Now she wouldn’t have to worry about Gan carrying any blame about helping Jaz. “I’m the one in charge,” she assured the Guardian. “Any problem that arises is on me, but I think he’ll be fine.”
She danced close to a lit fuse with that one. But after what Gan had done today, she did believe he could do this.
He’d said the tiger had calmed around her.
Why had that animal struck Chica?
The cleanup crew had made it to the back of the building and were walking in long strides toward the front. Vic stepped out of the way, nodding at the men.
The Guardian wrapped up the conversation. “Very well. You may take him with you, but I want him back at headquarters in three days.”
Gan’s eyes lost their moment of thrill and his mouth flattened in a line, but he said nothing for once.
“Got it. Three days.” She reached deep to sound confident.
“You have a number for me, which is answered twenty-four-seven. I have your number and expect to reach you at any time as well.”
The Guardian just letting her know Gan’s leash had limits.
Scarlett intended to drop Gan back the minute she had Fayth and Jaz set. “About the women I’m sending with your men tonight. I’ve asked your team to deliver them to the Friends of Shifters, but I know they need to clear it through you first.”
“When I sent the team, I authorized them to follow your instructions. They will go to the shelter immediately and provide anything the women need in the meantime.”
“Thank you. I’ll alert the shelter so they’re ready for the women. Oh, one more thing. Someone has to deal with the humans killed in the house.” She did not want that sad job.
“I have a different Gallize team arriving to finish cleanup. I’ll inform them of that task and contacting human law enforcement who will inform the families.”
“That’s good.” Scarlett added, “Thank you also for sending three shifters with me today. As it was, we needed all of them.” She glanced at Gan and added, “Gan, in particular.”
His lips smiled a little at that.
Returning to his uber-polite voice, the Guardian said, “I appreciate the experience Gan is gaining, too, Scarlett. As long as he is not in danger and not a risk to others.”
“Would you like to talk to him before I hang up?”
Gan started waving her off and shaking his head.
The Guardian said, “Yes, I would.”
She handed Gan the phone.
He glared at her and held it near his ear. “Yes?”
“Sir!” Vic snarled. “Yes, sir.”
Gan gave Vic a blank look and spoke into the phone again. “Are you there?”
Vic grabbed his hair and walked off making odd noises.
Scarlett could swear she heard a chuckle come from the phone.
The Guardian said, “I’m glad you were there or we would have lost many today, Gan. You were impressive. I only hesitated to send you with Scarlett for fear that you’ll rush in when you shouldn’t, not because I lack faith in you as a shifter.”
“I am fine. I will make no mistake.”
“You’re allowed to make mistakes, but it’s my job to manage them and keep everyone safe.”
“I understand. I am good.”
Scarlett noticed Gan did not agree or disagree with his boss, just acknowledged the eagle shifter’s words.
What was Gan not saying?
A long sigh followed. The Guardian hadn’t gotten the confirmation he’d expected either, but evidently he was willing to give Gan some room to learn and grow into being a shifter.
She’d like to think of that as a vote of confidence in her ability to keep him and anyone around him safe, but she would be foolish to think for a minute that the Guardian wouldn’t keep tabs on both of them.
When the call ended, Gan handed her back the phone. “Ready?”
“I guess.” That was as honest an answer as she could muster, considering what she’d just obligated to a man whose power topped anything she brought to the table. She made a quick call to the shelter to clear the way for the team to drop off her ladies. Once she found Vic and told him what to do when the bus arrived at the Friends of Shifters, Vic offered her and Gan a ride to her truck.
She politely declined, claiming the walk would be good for Gan.
“In that case, I’m going with Adrian on the bus with the medic. Three of the women said they would be fine riding in the Hummer with our men. We’re ready to get your women to safety. I’ll return later for my truck.”
She found it interesting that Vic felt the need to keep an eye on Adrian. Could be because the wolf had been badly wounded.
She followed him out to thank the men and watched as they drove out of sight.
Now she could catch her breath and get Jaz out of here.
When she entered the building again, Gan waited halfway to the rear door.
As she reached him, she said, “They’re gone. We should be all set to grab Jaz and get to my truck without anyone seeing us. Do you have any injuries you’ve been hiding from me?”
“No. I am good.”
He seemed introspective, but not limping in spite of so much blood drying on him, so she accepted his claim and led the way to the back door.
Stepping out into the cool evening air, she said, “I need the truth, Gan. You can control that tiger, right?”
“Sometimes.”
She groaned, but put that on the back burner to deal with if she had to later on. “Where did you leave Jazlyn?”
Gan pointed. “I took her there.”
She stopped to scan the trees. “I don’t see her, but she could be sitting down to rest. Let’s get her and—”
“She is not there.”
Her head started pounding as if tiny construction workers ran jackhammers against her skull. She rounded on Gan. “What do you mean she’s not there? Where did she go?”
“She did not say where. She said for you to meet her. She gave me address.” He repeated the address Jazlyn had given him. “She said is over line in, uh ... Virginia. Yes, that place.”
Scarlett could find it, but why had Jaz taken off? “What exactly was said before she decided to go?”
His brow creased with confusion. “You want all words?”
“Yes, I want everything that happened and was said once you got outside.”
He looked past her as if digging into his memory to answer her. “We wait when we hear trucks. They park around building. We run to woods. When we get there, she said she must go to Fayth. I tell her you want her to wait for us. She think about it one minute, then give me address for you. Told me she would stay in trees until I walk back in building.”
“Us?” Scarlett asked, clenching her jaw hard enough to crack teeth. She knew what happened. Jaz trusted no one, especially not some shifter she didn’t know.
Giving Scarlett a nod, Gan said, “Yes. Us.”
