by Dianna Love
He only screamed for a while.
Lincoln nodded. “Yes, she’s peculiar, but the shifter we sent last time was not my second-in-command.”
Percy winced.
“Be sure to announce yourself and that I have something special for her. Tell her I will gift her a shifter as payment. She has always wanted one.”
Once she satisfied Lincoln’s need to teach the Power Baron a lesson, he would give her the red wolf male shifter his men caught in the battle. She would have a fine specimen to use for her spells.
He still had the female wolf shifter they’d caught with the red wolf to give the witch if the male didn’t suit her.
The one she didn’t choose would be handed over to the Pagan Nomads as payment.
Chapter 25
At the library, Scarlett tapped computer keys with preternatural speed. No human stood close enough to notice her fingers moving so quickly.
Humans had only learned eight years ago that shifters lived among them. Amidst the riots and chaos that erupted, the Power Barons made a move to form an alliance with human governments as the top of the preternatural food chain.
Scarlett put them at the bottom of the moral meter.
Humans feared all of them.
She’d just as soon slip in and out of this library without the elderly female librarian any the wiser. When she finished reading a reply to one email she’d sent, she glanced over to check on Gan. He sat in the children’s area with little Lily, showing her a stuffed bear.
There sat a deadly apex predator caring for a baby as if he were the favored uncle.
He would make a great father.
Would he ever see that day? She wouldn’t.
Sighing, she returned to her work.
She’d sent only three messages to the best of her network in this area, the ones she’d willingly pay their exorbitant fee if they could deliver on her time frame.
She made it clear to each one about competing with two more. Competition would drive the speed factor. Now, she had to wait. They had the number of her burner phone.
Lincoln wanted female cat shifters.
Fayth and Jazlyn were wolves.
If Scarlett could first establish a price for those two and make the trade, she could then find out where Lincoln kept Adrian.
If the wolf still lived.
She had yet to tell Gan they were less than a half hour from Lincoln’s territory. He ran his businesses out of Roanoke, Virginia with his clowder living close to the national forest.
Rumors trickled out about haunted areas in the George Washington and Jefferson Forest not far from where his group resided. He had twenty-thousand-plus acres between what he owned in Roanoke and the national forest bordering his land on one side.
She’d always thought the rumors were to explain anything strange a human reported.
But whispers that he had a witch on his payroll who lived in those woods had been substantiated, according to a source called Zink. That weasel shifter had grown up here and had his finger on the preternatural pulse in this region. He’d been disappointed she offered the same deal to two others as she had to him, but she couldn’t play favorites.
“Is all good?” Gan asked right next to her.
Scarlett jumped only because an hour of sleep was not enough to fully recover.
He put his hand on her shoulder, rubbing the muscles. “Too tired for this.”
Lily made happy gurgles, drawing Scarlett’s gaze around to the giant man and the tiny baby. “I’ll sleep when we have her mama back.”
“Spud is fine.”
“Spud?”
“Yes.” He looked at the little girl all wrapped up in the brown blanket again. “Like potato.”
Not a nickname Fayth would support, but if it made Gan happy it was fine.
“What now?” He jiggled the baby, making her smile.
“Now we find a safe place for Lily while my contacts get me information on our missing people and hopefully set up a meeting.”
Gan frowned. “I keep Spud safe.”
“You’ve done a great job, but we need to have her out of harm’s way the minute I find out if we can buy the freedom of our wolves. If not, things could get dangerous and we both need to be able to shift.”
Turning the baby to his shoulder and patting her back, he said, “I understand. Where is safe place?”
Scarlett’s phone buzzed. She held up a finger and answered. “Naomi?”
“Why do you sound surprised? You called me,” the cranky old woman said.
“I need a favor.”
“I need a new pool boy.”
Scratching her head, Scarlett said, “I wish I could help you with that, but I’m a little short on pool boys.”
“Then why should I do you a favor?”
“Because Lincoln has my little sister, who I plan to take back from him. In the meantime, I need to leave her baby somewhere he can’t get to this child.”
“Bastard.”
“That’s putting it mildly,” Scarlett agreed.
“Bring the child. We’ll work out terms later.”
“Thank you.” After removing the history of everything she’d searched on the computer, Scarlett shut it down and stood. An electronic forensic expert could pull up that history, but the chances of that happening were slim with no reason to even be here.
If she freed the wolves and they all survived this, she’d return and perform better electronic cleansing.
Gan picked up the diaper bag on the floor at her feet and hooked the strap over his shoulder.
She couldn’t get over how natural he acted with a baby in his arms.
Chica piped up, Baby is fun.
Scarlett silently shushed her cougar.
She could do with fewer voices in her head today.
Once everyone was loaded into Vic’s ride, Scarlett backed away and drove north.
“Where is this woman?” Gan asked.
“In Roanoke.”
“No! You said Lincoln live there,” he growled.
The baby cried. He glared at Scarlett then smiled at Lily, cooing in that deep voice that soothed the child better than Scarlett had been able to do.
Being a future shifter, Lily picked up on things like tension probably streaming off Scarlett.
Once Gan had the baby quiet again, Scarlett said, “This home in Roanoke is a secure compound. It is the one place Lincoln will not go to at gunpoint or face the one woman he would not dare cross.”
“Why? Who is she?” This time Gan’s voice lost the edge, sounding curious.
“His mother.”
Chapter 26
Gan had his doubts about taking Spud anywhere. He trusted Scarlett as much as his foster sister who had helped him survive so many times he had seizures at camp before they escaped.
But his sister had made bad decisions at times.
Everyone made mistakes.
Choosing a place for Spud had to be right.
Scarlett pulled into a drive between tall stone walls. Large black iron gates prevented going farther.
So did two men standing on the other side with weapons.
Scarlett lowered her window and gave her name to a man in a small building the size of a bathroom.
“Who’s the other shifter?” the man dressed in black pants, white shirt, and a black jacket asked.
“Please tell Naomi he’s my friend and the baby’s guard.” After saying that, Scarlett winked at Gan.
He would be whatever she asked of him if she winked again.
The guard waved at the two men with weapons. They backed to each side as the gates opened. Scarlett continued to the largest house Gan had ever seen. An entire camp could live there. So many people were busy outside.
Two tended flowers and mowed the grass.
Another cleaned windows.
The left side of the house had six large doors like the ones on the garage at the lake house. A man washed a shiny vehicle Gan had never seen before. “What is that?”
Scarlett glanced at the car. “It’s called a Lamborghini.”
“Too small.”
“I’ve never heard that complaint about one of those.”
“My head hit top. I have to bend over to ride. No room for Spud. This is better.”
She parked and stared at him in the strangest way. “Where have you been all my life?”
“In camps.”
“I know. I’m sorry about that.” Her eyes softened then she shook off whatever was on her mind. “Let’s get Spud in the house. Oh, hell. Now I’m calling her that. Fayth will strangle me if it sticks.”
He laughed. “Good name always stick.” Picking up Spud, he positioned the baby in one arm and carried the bag clutched in his other hand.
At the top of the wide stairway, one of two tall doors with the image of a tiger carved in mahogany wood opened. A young woman with dark red hair and a slim figure also dressed in black and white welcomed them in. He smelled wolf. She was a shifter. She led the way through the house then outside again where a large pool filled the first level of land that dropped down two steps and stretched out a long distance to more of the wall.
Gan took it all in, shaking his head. He’d never seen anything like this house that Scarlett had called a mansion when she explained how safe Spud would be. The polished floors appeared to be stone. A tall stairway curved up to another floor.
He liked the lake house better. It would fit in the big room they just walked through that had only paintings and narrow tables with flowers in vases.
And the stairway. Why have so much space just for that?
Outside the house, a far larger patio spread to the pool than what had been at the lake house.
He still liked the patio at the lake house better.
Beneath a white draped tent-like covering sat a very pretty woman in colorful underwear. Maybe that was a bathing suit. His sister had once shown him a picture of a woman dressed that way in a magazine. She sat at a tall table where she leaned an elbow. Her straight black hair slid over her shoulder when she turned toward another woman in matching black and white clothes who put a drink on the table.
“Naomi,” Scarlett said softly, which clued Gan in that Naomi must be a shifter.
In fact, he smelled shifters everywhere.
When Naomi lowered her sunglasses, bright blue eyes stared at him, taking a long look of Gan from head to toe.
Did she think he had spoken to her?
“Oh, my, Scarlett. You do pay up quickly. I accept.”
“What?” Scarlett looked between Gan and Naomi. “No, he is not your new pool boy.”
“Please, dear. Don’t play games with me. You knew I was serious.”
“Yes, I did, but he is not payment.”
Gan asked Scarlett, “Pay for what?”
Naomi gasped, clutching her throat. “That accent. He’s an Adonis and I love that voice. I will give you so much for ... him.”
“No, no, and hell no,” Scarlett said. “He’s working with me to save Fayth.”
“That dreadful Lincoln. He is why animals eat their young.”
Gan took a step back, clutching Spud closer. “We are not leave Spud here. Need to go.”
“No, Gan. You don’t understand,” Scarlett said with a hand on his arm.
“Tiger shifter eat baby,” he argued. “No.”
Scarlett cursed up a stream.
He covered Spud’s ear not tucked against his chest. “Bad words for Spud.”
Naomi made a spewing sound then burst into laughter.
Scarlett shot her a look of warning. “Give me a minute?” When Naomi quieted, Scarlett turned to Gan. “Naomi is always outrageous, but she would never hurt this child. We really need her help right now.”
Gan had Spud clutched deep in his arms. He cut his gaze at the crazy tiger shifter. He spoke to Naomi. “Lincoln take baby’s mama. How will you keep baby safe?”
“Don’t question her like that,” Scarlett hissed. “She’s doing me a favor. I already told you I trust her.”
“I must trust, too.”
Naomi observed them quietly, then lifted a slender hand to stall Scarlett’s next words. Lincoln’s mother stood on bare feet and walked up to Gan, at eye-to-eye height. Tall woman.
He could feel power touch him.
The woman smiled sweetly, but her words contradicted any pleasant impression. “I am the worst nightmare of any male shifter who dares to threaten me or anyone under my protection. Did you notice all the shifters on your way in?”
“Yes.” He didn’t know they were all shifters, but he hadn’t been around the people out front.
“They work for me because their families are also under my protection. If someone brought a shifter army and tried to fight their way through those gates, I have better weapons on hand than what protects government capitals. If my son dares to come near me, I would show him once again who is the most powerful. The last lesson I taught him required a month for him to heal only because I can’t bear to kill him ... unless he really pisses me off.”
Gan did his best not to step back from the power swirling around her.
Scarlett asked Gan, “Do you trust me?”
“Yes.” He didn’t hesitate.
“Please give Spud to her.”
Naomi looked appalled. “Not me.” She snapped her fingers and two women ran out from the house. Both dressed in black dresses with white aprons. “Yes, Tiger Mum.”
Naomi rattled off everything she wanted done in the next hour, which included baby furniture, food, clothes, and a healer on call.
When the orders ceased, one of the women turned to take the baby from Gan. He stood there, not making a move until he looked at Scarlett, who nodded.
He had to do this to save Spud’s mother. Kissing her on the soft head, he whispered, “Be good baby. I come back for you.”
Everyone seemed to expect Spud to cry, but she looked around more confused than anything. The woman must have her own children, because she started whispering to Spud as she walked off, holding the baby’s attention. Just before the woman went inside, Spud made a noise and turned her little head.
His arms felt empty. He didn’t want to leave her, but he smiled and she smiled back.
Naomi said, “It’s fine. Go inside.”
Scarlett waited until the servants ran to do Naomi’s bidding to say very quietly, “The baby is a cougar shifter, so she shouldn’t get sick.”
Naomi had been in full control the entire time until that moment. Her mouth opened slightly, then her lips closed. “Are you telling me—”
“Please don’t ask me, Naomi,” Scarlett whispered, looking around again. “I’d like to just leave it at that. I can count on one hand the number of people who know this. I need it kept quiet. I’m afraid someone will tell Lincoln then he won’t make a deal with me for Fayth. He sent a team after Fayth. The only reason they came for the baby was because the other female wolf shifter escaped with that child. His people were bringing in all female shifters and children. He wants cat shifters, but he can’t have this baby no matter what.”
“I will protect your secret.”
Gan tried to make sense of Scarlett’s comment. Her sister was a wolf, which had seemed odd, but maybe Fayth was a sister of her heart, like Siofra was to him, and not blood family. But had Fayth mated a cougar to birth a cougar shifter baby?
“Thank you. I will make good on this, but not with him.” Scarlett angled her head toward Gan.
“What is payment? I will do,” Gan offered.
“Be still my heart,” Naomi muttered.
“No, she’s fine.” Scarlett grabbed Gan’s hand and dragged him away. “Bye, Naomi.”
“Goodbye, dear, but do bring him back when you return. I might accept a day of eye candy for partial payment.”
“Not happening,” Scarlett murmured.
Gan liked having her hand in his. He gave her fingers a squeeze. “What is candy she wants?”
“You. You’re the e
ye candy.” A tiny muscle jumped in Scarlett’s jaw. She nodded politely at the workers as they exited the house.
Back in the truck, Scarlett cranked the engine and took off like she couldn’t wait to get out of there.
“I am eye candy?” Gan asked, only because it clearly annoyed her. He might be wrong, but he sensed she was irritated by the attention Naomi gave him. “Explain. Please.”
Scarlett growled and her eyes glowed for a few seconds. “Naomi likes to look at your body. She’d probably enjoy it even more if you were naked. That’s eye candy.”
“If that is payment, I can do,” he said in a voice worthy of a martyr while trying not to laugh.
“No. No one is looking at you naked but me.” Scarlett blurted that out as they passed back through the gate.
All three men laughed.
Shifter hearing.
“You like me naked?” he prodded, chuckling when pink painted her cheeks.
Her phone jingled before she answered his question.
She pulled off the road to the side and answered, “What?”
Gan had not appreciated his sensitive hearing as much until now.
A scratchy male voice said, “Zink here. Am I the first to get back to you?”
“Yes,” Scarlett snapped, sounding more impatient with each single word.
“In that case, here’s what I have. I confirmed that Lincoln has two female wolf shifters in his compound. I got word to him that someone was willing to buy the two female wolves. He sent back his terms. He wants some tiger shifter that killed his men or a baby. I sent back through my channels that I knew nothing about a tiger shifter or a baby. The last reply I received was ‘ask the cougar shifter you’re inquiring for’ and tell her he will only make the trade with her. If that’s you, Scarlett, I was not the one who told him your identity, but he also said if you try anything funny, the woman named Fayth would pay the price.”
The phone case creaked in Scarlett’s grip. She grimaced and her fingers relaxed. “What about the male wolf with them?”
“I did ask, but all I got back was that he would not be part of the trade.”
A tight muscle in Gan’s chest eased. That sounded as if Adrian was at least alive. He would find a way to rescue Adrian, too.
