Donahue: Foster’s Pride – Lion Shapeshifter Romance (Foster's Pride Book 2)

by Kathi S. Barton

  What happened? She looked at Don, his lion as close to her as her own breath was. What’s happened? What do you need for me to do for you? Honey, you’re scaring us both.

  “My father. He spoke to me.” He didn’t comment. What the hell could he say, really? “My father, I think, is within my mother.”

  Chapter 4

  Meggie didn’t move from the bench when someone sat beside her. Looking around wasn’t an option either. Sitting very still was the only way she could assure herself of getting some quiet time. Park was silent right now, and she didn’t want anything to wake him. Even if she had to sit there in the boiling sun, she’d do it.

  He was going to kill her. There wasn’t anything she could do about it either. But when she got a few minutes without him screaming at her to do things, things she’d never done before, Meggie would enjoy it for as long as she could.

  Before long, he’d take over her body. He’d already taken over most of her day to day life. She could barely sleep, and eating was impossible unless he was sleeping or whatever he did when he wasn’t yelling at her. As soon as he woke, it was go-go-go until she literally dropped.

  “Mrs. Carter?”

  She glanced at the man. Meggie didn’t know him. Using the obvious sign one used to shut someone up, she put her finger to her lips and shushed him. When he entered her head, giving her a little nudge to tell her he was there, sort of like knocking on her door, she turned to look at him and, using sign language, told him once again to be quiet.

  When he signed back at her, he told her he was the mate to her daughter. Meggie nearly screamed at him to tell her to stay away. She needed to keep away from her for as long as she could. Forever sounded good.

  “She feels your pain now. And your husband spoke to her.” Meggie asked him when this had happened and what he’d said. After he told her, she looked around to see if her daughter was nearby. “Parker isn’t close. She can see you, but she’s not going to show herself to you.”

  “Good. As much as I’d like to see her, there is no telling what he’ll do to me to get at her. So if he wakes, I shall have to ignore you both. This man is killing me.” He said he could see that she was ill. “Not ill. He’s draining me. He wants me to find my Pa—your mate. Don’t say her name. It wakes him from whatever he’s doing in my body when he gives me peace. The man I married was never a good person. But now that he’s gone forever, or so I thought, he’s ten times the monster he was. He wants her to come to him willingly so that he can take her body as his own.”

  “Her magic as well, I’m betting.” She smiled at the young man. So he was smart. He might just be able to save her. “How did he get to be with you? I mean, even the few people I’ve spoken to about this are unsure how it happened. There is nothing in the books that we’ve looked at either. We wish to help you if you want him gone.”

  She didn’t know either. What had happened the day he was killed was all she knew, and even that really didn’t explain much. Like not only how he got to be a part of her, but how he had been killed.

  “I was home resting. My husband was in the yard, testing my child on what she could do. Any fool could see she was stronger than him, but he insisted on training her. But it got out of hand that day. More than that day, I’ve come to realize. He was strangling her when he was killed.” Don told her he’d heard that from her daughter. “She always let him train her like she was going to learn something new from him. But all it did was frustrate her when she wanted to just be normal. Which, I’m sure you’ve noticed, she wouldn’t have been. I’m betting now she’s more powerful than she was that day.”

  “I know who killed him. And the why of it. But even he hasn’t any idea how your husband is here now with you.” Meggie told him there were books in her home he could have if he wished. They had been her husband’s. “I would love to have them. I’ll send someone to get them when I leave here. Thank you for that.”

  “You’ll have to send your wife, I’m afraid. She’ll know where to find them.” He nodded. “Tell her they’re in the lockbox. That’s where I hid them.”

  “His head was removed. I’m thinking at some point prior to when he was killed, he gave all he was to you. I have no idea why he’d do something like that. As far as I know, he’s not going to be able to survive in his current situation for much longer.” Meggie told him she wasn’t going to either. “I’m sorry about that as well. We’re looking to see what we can find to save you. Most people say you’re insane. I’m sorry. I think we both thought that as well.”

  “I’m not. I never liked him, not in all the years we were together. When I was pregnant with my daughter, he made me practice every day on things that were well over what I should have ever been able to do. He thinks that’s why she’s so good at magic, that he trained her.” Don asked if that was the reason her husband thought he should have her magic. “Yes. He feels she slighted him in some way, and he wants her to give herself over to him. Freely.”

  When he looked up, Meggie turned in the direction he was looking as well. Not having any idea who the young woman across the street from them was, Meggie turned back to the man. The look on his face, the face of someone in love, said he was willing to sacrifice all he was for this other person. Turning back, Meggie realized it was her daughter.

  “Good lord, she’s beautiful.” Don nodded and said she was. “She looks so much like her grandfather. It hurts me.”

  “Is he still around? I mean, magic is in your bloodline, correct? Perhaps he knows of something we can use to separate the two of you. If he knew how you were suffering with his son inside of you, then he’d willingly help. Don’t you think?” Meggie realized something in that moment. He didn’t know. Neither of them knew. “Can I get his name so we can see what he might know?”

  “The man inside of me, he isn’t my daughter’s biological father. I thought she knew that.” Don must have spoken to her daughter because she watched her shake her head. “I was going to have a child before we were wed. I think it was the only reason he married me. He thought, because of my bloodline, I was going to be giving him more than he already had in the way of magic. Instead, he gave me more than I had. I wasn’t magical at all before that. Oh, I could light a candle. Bring a book to me. Small things. Park could do extraordinarily little more than I could at the time. But the man who is her father, he’s—he was magical. Very much so. As for her grandfather? I’m not sure. I saw him a few times when I was still living at home, but after I married this man, I was sort of cut off from everything.”

  “What happened to her father? You said was—is he dead?” Meggie told him what had happened. “So this man inside you, he’s not above killing anyone for what he wants? He killed your mate so he could marry you. Did he know about your daughter? Or I guess the other man’s daughter?”

  “No. Neither of them did. I knew, of course, but I never got around to telling Peter. Peter Windchaser, the Third.” She felt the stirring of Park and looked at her daughter again while speaking to Don. “He’s awake. Go. Save her from us. Please?”

  The man didn’t move as Park began screaming at her for not waking him like she was supposed to shake him awake when all she wanted to do was rest—or get rid of him. Glancing at the man, she watched as he signed to her again. This time, she could only nod at what he was asking her.

  “I can find him with the name you gave me. Whoever he is or how strong he is, he might explain how this man is inside of you, killing you. Also, why Parker is so strong. She is, you know. Stronger than any witch she knows.”

  Meggie looked away when he asked her if she needed anything. All she wanted was to be alone from now on. Meggie thought the only way she was going to be able to be alone, for things to be back to normal, was to kill herself. The idea of it had been on her mind for the last several days since she’d left her hometown to come here. Park was going to hurt her more and more daily until she was just too weak t
o fight him anymore. She knew it as surely as she knew he was going to hurt Parker.

  “What the fuck are you doing?” She didn’t answer him. It was better if she didn’t try and explain herself to him. “Do you know where she is? Have you done a damned thing I’ve asked you to do? I doubt it. All you’ve done is whine whine whine. Well, when Parker turns her magic over to me, I’m going to murder you first thing. I’m sick of you, and your not liking the way things are going. Get up and find her.”

  Meggie was so sore. Her body ached in several places, worse than when she’d given birth to Parker. Her feet were blistered because she was forever walking to one place or another. Not to mention, her intake of both food and water were way down. It was her way, she supposed, to get back at Park for what he was doing to her. The less she took care of herself, the weaker he became. It was all she knew how to do to save her child.

  Avoiding the building where her daughter had been, she walked around the little square in the town. The entire trip was spoiled for her, as Park never shut up about what she wasn’t doing for him. As she was making the second turn in the little park, Meggie nearly ran, but she wasn’t sure which way to go. Her daughter stood in front of her. Then she did something that Meggie hadn’t had done to her in years—she hugged her.

  “Father, come forth.” Meggie cried out in pain. Only for a second, however. Parker touched her, and just like that, the pain disappeared. She also noticed that Park was suddenly silent again as if he were hiding behind her. “Park Carter, I, Parker Megan Carter, high witch, demand that you come forth and speak to me.”

  She could feel Park’s pain then. His screams as he struggled to ignore Parker told her he was losing the battle. When he screamed again, she felt him pull from her body, just enough that she could see him as he did what Parker demanded of him.

  It was surreal for her to see this thing coming from her body. It was Park, she could see that. However, it wasn’t. Meggie could see where his head had been reattached to his shoulders. The blood was thick and sticky, like a necklace of it. When he growled, at who Meggie didn’t know, she felt somewhat better than she had since he’d been killed all those years ago.

  “You will leave this body you’ve taken for your own.” Park told Parker he wasn’t going anywhere. “You will. Willingly or not, you will leave her, and you will move on to wherever you were to go when your life was taken from you.”

  “You are mine. I have always known you’d be the one that would make me important to the magical world.” Arms wrapped around Meggie from behind. It was Don, feeding her energy to keep her upright and stronger. “You would have been nothing without me there for you all the time. I will say when I will leave. You will, Parker, give yourself over to me so I can become the greatest warlock ever created.”

  “Not going to happen, moron.” Parker lifted her hands into the sky. It was a sight Meggie knew she’d never forget. Magic, strong white magic surrounded Parker like a blanket. When she shoved it forward, she knew that Park was going to be hurt. And badly. “Sleep.”

  If not for Don holding her, Meggie was sure she would have been falling backward. As soon as Don stepped away, leaving her to stand on her own, Meggie waited for Park to retaliate. When there was nothing from him, not even his painful reminder that he was inside of her, Meggie looked at her daughter.

  “He won’t bother you for a couple of days. It might be longer. I don’t know how strong he is now, but at least we can plot his demise and get his ass out of you.” Meggie couldn’t help it. Bursting into tears, she wrapped her arms around Parker and was ever so happy when she hugged her back. “Mom, I had no idea. I didn’t know anything until he spoke to me last night. I would have come to you first thing.”

  Meggie was babbling as she told Parker what he’d been doing to her. His plans for Parker. The words just spilled out of her like a fountain, but she was glad Parker didn’t tell her to shut up and start over. Pulling back, she looked at her daughter. Really looked at her.

  “I never thought to see you again. I didn’t think you’d want anything to do with me after Park tried to kill you.” Parker told her it was done and to move on. “I can’t. I have this monster inside of me. For now, he’s quiet, but he won’t be forever. You have to kill me, Parker. Kill me so the world will be rid of the monster he’s become.”

  “I’m not going to kill you, Mom. I might have to hurt you a little to get him free of you, but I won’t kill you. But I’m going to see my grandda in a couple of days. I’ll also pick up the books. I want you to stay with us.” Meggie told her she couldn’t do that. What if Park woke again? “I’ll deal with him again. He has to know by now that he’s bitten off more than he could ever hope to chew. He’s going to regret everything he’s done to both of us.”

  Meggie thought Parker was right. Park would regret tangling with her little girl. As she got into the big car that pulled up beside them, Meggie thought of all the things she could now tell her daughter. Everything she knew, too, about how to find the books she’d hidden from Park. Hopefully, Parker could make some sense of the ramblings of Park. She certainly couldn’t.

  ~~~

  Don was in love. Smiling to himself, he thought of how stupid that sounded. Of course, he loved his mate. But it was like when he saw her in different circumstances he’d fall in love with her again. She was, he thought, the most brilliant person he’d ever met.

  When his cell phone rang, he went out on the back deck to answer it. Jasper was at their home with Meggie and Parker right now, and it was difficult for him to hear his own thoughts, much less that of the person calling him. Don was surprised to see the call was from the principle of the school where he taught.

  “Mr. Foster, I would like to speak to you. As soon as possible, if you have a few minutes.” Don told him he had a few minutes right now if he wanted to talk. “Good. I’d like for you to take over the football team for the high school. I know you already have a full load, what with teaching math and science to the students, but you could easily turn one of those over to another teacher when we hire someone.”

  Don didn’t know what to say. First of all, he thought the school had a good football coach, even though they’d not won a game in longer than he could remember right now. Also, he loved math and science and would hate to give up either one of the classes. As he was thinking, Mr. Martin began speaking again.

  “The new teachers we’ve hired won’t be as good as you have been at teaching. But the kids really like you, and I think that is most of why you’re such a good teacher.” That didn’t sound like he was complimenting him, so he waited again. “The sign-ups for football have started, and you’ll have to get with the other coaches as soon as possible to weed out the kids that won’t make us look good. Then there—”

  “Hang on a second. I didn’t say I’d take the job.” Mr. Martin assured him it would be easy for him to do. “Perhaps it might be, but I have to think on it. I’ve recently married, and I don’t want to be spending most of my time away from home right now.”

  “Well, I’m sorry to hear that. I’ve already told the other coaches you’re going to be in charge.” Don wasn’t sure if Martin was sorry he’d taken a wife or that he wasn’t willing to just take the job. He asked him why he’d tell the other coaches that without talking to him. “I just assumed you’d do it, I guess. You will. I don’t know why you think playing hardball about it is going to make any difference. You’re perfect for the job. And if you could, talk your sister-in-law into paying for the new uniforms I’ve ordered. Your family helping me out will go a long way in making sure the kids have something to wear on the field that isn’t twenty years old.”

  “It sounds to me like you only want me to take this job because I have a wealthy sister-in-law.” Mr. Martin said that helped. “I’m not going to talk to her about forking over money for the football team. Whether I decide to take the job or not.”

  “I’m sorry to
hear that. I told you we’re hiring new teachers, didn’t I? Well, it wouldn’t be any more effort for me to hire someone to take your job from you as well. I told you, I’ve ordered the uniforms and made it clear you’re to be in charge. I’m going to have to ask you to step down as teacher if you don’t help out the school district on this.” Don asked him if he was blackmailing him. “No. I’d not call it that. Blackmail sounds like such a horrendous thing. I’m only saying if you can’t do this thing, taking the team to state with nice new uniforms, you’re not someone I can trust to do a good job in teaching. I’m sure you can understand that.”

  “I think I do.” Parker joined him on the deck, and he looked at her as he asked Mr. Martin when he needed his answer. “I have to talk to my wife about this. Not to mention, I’m going to have to find a way to work this in with my already overloaded schedule.”

  “You need to let me know when you’re going to go to the football field by tomorrow. They’re all waiting on you today, but I can put them off one more day.” Don thought they’d be waiting an exceedingly long time if he had anything to do with it. “You just show up in the morning at eight and get them going in the right direction. I’ll set up a little to-do to thank your sister-in-law for helping us out. You too, but that doesn’t have to be common knowledge. I’ll be seeing you, Don. And thanks for doing this for us.”

  He didn’t bother pointing out again that he’d not said he’d take the job but closed the connection. Don looked at Parker when she smiled at him. He told her what had been said and what he thought of taking the job.

  “I’ve been trying to be the assistant football coach since I started teaching there. But there was always someone with more experience than me. I never gave it much credence before. We’d win or lose. It was just fun for me to be able to go to the games on Friday night with my brothers when they were home.” Parker asked him what he wanted to do. “I don’t know, to be honest. I feel as if I’m going to lose out either way I go. But I’m not going to tell Brook about this.”