Shifters Forsaken: Shifter Romance Collection Bks 1-5

by Mia Taylor

  “I’m sorry,” she mumbled. “I-I thought I knew you from somewhere.”

  She totalled their purchases without another word until it came time to read the total.

  “Three hundred and seven oh six,” she managed to say but she kept her gaze firmly on the female. She pretended not to notice as the couple exchanged a worried look and alarm spiked through Fallon’s chest.

  Are they in some kind of trouble? Is there something I can do to help?

  Every maternal instinct sprung forth and it took every modicum of willpower that Fallon had to keep herself from offering.

  They already think I’m crazy enough. No need to push it.

  The woman gave her a small, polite smile as “Joe” called out to her.

  “Ready, babe?”

  With her heart heavier than it had been in years, Fallon watched them walk away, pushing their overfull buggy. How badly she longed to yell out for them, to make them see her.

  But what could she say? Kevin’s words echoed in her head hauntingly almost every night.

  “I expect you to think about how much worse it will be on you if you appear. You left your children thirteen years ago, Fallon. Nothing you can do or say now will make it better for them. Assuming they remember you at all.”

  After the boys had come of age, he had urged her to find them, but suddenly, Fallon couldn’t bring herself to do it.

  I wasn’t there when they needed their mother. I wasn’t there when they yelled for me to come back. Why would they need me now?

  “Fallon? Is everything okay?”

  The manager appeared at her side and Fallon realized that tears were spilling down her cheeks as she watched her son and his girlfriend wander away.

  I don’t even know if his real name is Joe now.

  “Fallon? Did something happen with those customers?”

  She shook her head and wiped her face with the back of her hands apologetically.

  “No,” she whispered. “I’m sorry. He just reminded me so much of the son I lost.”

  “Oh, hon, I’m sorry. I came to relieve you for your break. Why don’t you go get some air,” Margie suggested and Fallon nodded gratefully.

  She ran out into the parking lot, hoping to catch one last glimpse of Ryker before he vanished again from her life for good but she was too late.

  I’m always too late, she thought furiously. But I won’t be this time. Daniel Wexley needs to be stopped before another woman ends up chasing a ghost in a Walmart parking lot.

  Chapter Eleven

  Present Day: Vivian

  She paced around the hotel room angrily, her phone firmly in her hand.

  Why is he so mad at me? I’m only trying to reunite everyone.

  But she felt a frisson of guilt as she realized that she really shouldn’t have let Berlin confront Daniel Wexley alone. She shuddered slightly as she remembered her own encounter with the man and it wasn’t one she wanted to relive.

  She reasoned that she did not have the same powers as the brothers or Berlin but still, if Daniel wanted them so badly, he must have had a way to disarm them.

  She’s fine. I’m sure she’s fine. Vaughan will find her.

  She glanced back down at her phone, willing him to call, but it remained eerily silent. She was getting cabin fever sitting in the room.

  I came here for a reason. I’m going to find Ryker aka Andrew Parsons and we can all confront Daniel Wexley together.

  It was a sound plan, she reasoned. Maybe Wexley could overtake one bear, but three or four? Highly doubtful. She hoped.

  Vivian grabbed her purse and made her way out of the room, slipping the key into her pocket. In the lobby, she had the concierge hail her a cab.

  According to my GPS, his house is ten minutes from here. I’ll be back at the hotel before Vaughan even knows I’m gone.

  She secretly hoped that he didn’t call when she was en route.

  Blissfully, she made it to a small house in the suburbs.

  “Need me to wait, miss?” the cabbie asked and Vivian shook her head before she could stop herself.

  “No, I’m good,” she replied. “Thanks.”

  She jumped out of the car before she could change her mind and hurried up to the front door, her pulse racing.

  You’re doing the right thing. Don’t worry.

  A dog yapped when she knocked and ridiculously, Vivian thought about getting a cat.

  Everyone else is having babies. I should get a cat to placate me.

  “Joey, shut up!” a woman cried and the door opened abruptly, startling Vivian as she stared at the exotic-looking woman before her.

  “Oh…” she muttered, looking down at her GPS. “I… I think I have the wrong house.”

  “Maybe,” the woman agreed pleasantly but there was an unmistakable stress on her face. “Who are you looking for?”

  “Ry-Andrew Parsons,” Vivian stuttered, her face going as pale as the woman.

  “Who are you?” she hissed, backing away, and Vivian realized she was about to have the door slammed in her face.

  “Wait! I’m a friend! I swear!” Vivian choked. “I’m his sister-in-law.”

  More dubiousness crossed over her face and Vivian jammed her foot in the door before it could close fully.

  “Please,” she begged. “I only need to speak with him. I have nothing to do with what he left behind in Miami.”

  The woman’s tanned face was nearly translucent and for a moment, Vivian thought she might pass out.

  “Who. Are. You!”

  “I swear to God, I’m his sister-in-law. My name is Vivian Bentley. You need to hear me out, Miss…?”

  “Get out of here! Bryn is not a lesbian and my husband has no brothers so you can’t be who you say.”

  “Your husband.” Vivian exhaled and smiled. “Okay. Listen…”

  She seemed to have the woman’s attention for the moment.

  “Is Ryker aware he’s adopted? Are you?”

  “If this is some kind of scam—”

  “It’s not!” Vivian insisted. “Please, can I just come in for a minute and talk to you?”

  The dark-haired beauty made no move to permit entry and Vivian tried again.

  “What’s your name? You know mine. You can Google me if you want while I wait out here. You’ll see I am who I say. I mean you no harm but I need to speak to Ryker—”

  “Stop calling him that!” she snarled furiously. “Wait here.”

  The door almost broke Vivian’s foot and she was forced to move it as she waited.

  She wouldn’t call the cops because she doesn’t want to blow her witness protection cover. I guess she would be Mrs. Parsons.

  On a whim, Vivian pulled open Google and tried to find Ryker’s wife. It took less time than she thought.

  Very impressive, Alison. A genetic scientist. Nice papers.

  The door flung open again and Alison nodded for Vivian to enter.

  “How the hell did you find us?” Alison wanted to know. “We’re in witness protection.”

  “It wasn’t easy,” Vivian told her pleasantly, perching gingerly on the edge of a suede sofa. “But you married into a very intelligent family. Our sister-in-law Chloe is an IT genius as is Ryker’s brother, Briar. I’m a journalist—”

  “Yeah I saw that,” she interjected crisply. “And if you’re looking for a story, you’re not going to find one here.”

  “I’m looking for Ryker. He…” she cleared her throat and looked away. “The brothers are very special, Alison.”

  “Rui.”

  “What?”

  “My name is Rui. If you’re going to keep calling him Ryker, you may as well call me by my real name.”

  Relief flooded through her and Vivian sank back against the couch.

  “Rui.”

  The young doctor stared at Vivian for a long moment. “What do you mean that the brothers are special?”

  I’ve already blown enough secrets for one day. I really have no right to tell her this if
she doesn’t already know about Ryker… assuming he’s just like the others.

  “Well, I can’t speak for your husband,” Vivian said quickly. “But, uh, my husband has an ability which he shares with his brothers. We thought that Ryker might know more about it.”

  “Holy shit,” Rui muttered, jumping to her feet to pace around the room. “There’s more of them.”

  Ah, so she knows. That’s good—nothing like open communication in a marriage although hiding their shifting is no easy feat.

  “We are hoping to connect everyone, maybe learn about their birth mother, Fallon Wexley. She’s been missing since she gave the boys up.”

  Rui spun her head and eyed her warily. “Fallon? F-A-L-L-O-N?”

  “Um… yes, I think that’s the way it’s spelled. Why?”

  Rui sank into a chair, a dazed expression on her face. Suddenly, her eyes grew huge. “Did you say Wexley?”

  Vivian was starting to wonder if the good doctor was slightly unbalanced mentally.

  “Um, yes.”

  “As in Daniel Wexley?”

  Vivian sat up straight. “What do you know about Daniel Wexley?” she demanded. “You need to stay far away from that man.”

  “Is that Ryker’s real father?”

  “Yes…” Vivian answered slowly. “But there is nothing paternal about him, Rui. He is a very dangerous man. He was testing illegal drugs on his children and God only knows what else.”

  She shook her head in disbelief. “No,” she choked. “It was a coincidence. He didn’t seek us out…”

  Fear gripped Vivian’s heart.

  “Rui, focus. What happened? How do you know Daniel Wexley or Fallon?”

  “Fallon… from Walmart. She was looking at him so strangely and Ryker was looking at her too. I didn’t make anything of it at the time…”

  “Walmart?”

  I don’t think she’s playing with a full deck here.

  “We have to get to the labs,” Rui gasped suddenly, rushing toward the front door. “Now!”

  “W-what labs?” Vivian demanded but she didn’t hesitate, rushing after her newfound sister-in-law.

  “Our labs!” Rui choked. “My labs! The ones that Daniel Wexley set me up with!”

  Vivian froze in her tracks.

  “What are you saying?” she demanded. “What did you accept from that man?”

  “There is no time for this!” Rui yelled. “Ryker is at the labs right now and it’s all my fault. I forced him to let Wexley use his blood.”

  What is happening?

  “Rui,” Vivian said urgently when she slid into the passenger side. “You need to tell me everything you know about this man. I have to inform the others.”

  “I don’t care about the others!” Rui snapped. “I only care about my husband.”

  Vivian bit back a venomous reply and instead reached for her cell to call her husband. The call went straight to voicemail.

  “Vaughan, it’s me. Don’t be furious but I went to find Ryker and I found his wife instead. I think we have a real problem here. Please call me back.”

  She hung up and tried Berlin next but it, too, went to voicemail. She didn’t bother leaving a message as Rui drove at breakneck speed toward the labs she spoke of.

  “Tell me about Fallon at Walmart,” Vivian tried in order to distract her, but Rui was far too focused on her own worry to participate in any more questions.

  “Rui,” she said softly, reaching out to touch her arm. “It’s going to be okay. You’re not alone anymore. You’ve got your entire family behind you.”

  “I have no family without Ryker,” she retorted and threw Vivian’s hand off her arm.

  Chapter Twelve

  Present Day: Ryker

  “How does that feel?” Daniel asked, slapping his arm gently as he pulled the needle from Ryker’s arm.

  “Do I get a lollipop at least?” he joked and Daniel laughed. “If you’re a good boy, maybe that beautiful wife of yours will buy you an ice cream cone.”

  Ryker smiled but there was something about Daniel Wexley that rubbed him the wrong way. He couldn’t say what it was exactly, whether the man was just an opposing personality type or whether there was something else, but Ryker knew he was Rui’s boss and allowing her to do the work she wanted to do in genetics.

  Considering what’s going on with our situation, I’m grateful she has the opportunity to pursue this.

  Still, he wasn’t sure how he felt about being poked and prodded by anyone other than his wife. He wasn’t overly concerned that Daniel Wexley would learn about his secret but he still couldn’t help but feel cautious.

  Where is Rui anyway?

  They had been in hiding for over a year and while he was beginning to lose some of his reservations, there was constantly a nagging in the back on his neck that something was wrong, that they were being watched. Having Rui out of his sight only fuelled his concern.

  “Speaking of said wife,” Ryker said pleasantly, “I should call and see what’s taking her so long to get here. I knew she went home to check on the dog but I bet you anything they’re hunkered down watching a chick flick right now.”

  Daniel chuckled. “I won’t keep you.”

  He moved from the chair and as he did, he suddenly felt woozy.

  “Whoa,” he muttered. “How much blood did you take?”

  “Not that much,” Daniel said in a conversational tone but when Ryker fell to his knees, the man stood above him, staring down at his face with a dispassionate interest.

  “W-what did you give me?” he slurred almost drunkenly. “W-why are you doing this?”

  “You’ll be fine, Ryker,” Daniel assured him and Ryker’s blood ran cold with terror.

  “H-how do y-you know my name?” he hissed, his eyes falling closed.

  The mob caught up with me. I was so stupid to believe we were safe. They got me.

  “Welcome home, son,” Daniel chirped as Ryker fell into unconsciousness.

  ~ ~ ~

  He woke in a grey-slated room. It took Ryker several seconds to realize that he was bound at the wrists and feet, in a medical-style bed.

  “Hello?” he called out groggily. It would be another full minute before the anger set in and he tried to shift.

  “Don’t bother shifting, son,” a metallic voice chimed in through an intercom. “You can’t, not with the serum I’ve injected in you.”

  “You bastard!” Ryker raged, yanking up on the straps, but of course, the effort was futile. “Hiding instead of coming out here to fight like a man?”

  “You don’t want to fight me, Ryker. I’m your father.”

  Ryker laughed coldly.

  “I don’t know who the hell you think you are, buddy, but you aren’t my father. My father wasn’t a pussy.”

  There was a long silence.

  “You should be a little more grateful,” Daniel spat through the intercom. “I gave you all you have and you are being a mouthy little shit.”

  “You gave me nothing but a curse. What did you do? Inject me with some poison? Wow, thanks Dad.”

  “You and your brothers would have gone on to be the revolutionaries of the world,” Daniel sighed. “If your idiot mother hadn’t ruined everything.”

  A stone formed in the pit of Ryker’s stomach.

  “Those rumors were true? You experimented on us? Your own sons?”

  “I made you strong. I paved the way for you to be the ancestors of the most indestructible machines known to mankind!”

  “You’re batshit crazy. Go away.”

  “Oh no,” Daniel laughed. “Not so fast. I finally have you. It’s not as good as having the four of you but it will do for now. Because my wife is pregnant with a girl, something your mother could never give me.”

  “I think you’re off your meds,” Ryker taunted. “And don’t you think my wife is going to want to know what you did with me, crazy?”

  “Your wife won’t be a problem.”

  Fury and fear jousted through Ry
ker and he struggled again to shift, to break away the binds on his wrists.

  “If you do anything to Alison—”

  “You mean Rui, don’t you? She’s a smart cookie, that one. She could have gone places with that brain of hers. Too bad she got tangled up in this mess, but I promise, her death will be painless and simple.”

  “I will fucking kill you!” Ryker swore. “If you touch one hair on her head.”

  “I believe you,” Daniel agreed. “Which is why you’ll have to be properly confined until my daughter is the proper age for procreation.”

  Ryker was sure the drugs were messing with his head.

  “What, now?”

  “Oh, it’s going to be amazing, Ryker,” Daniel cried gleefully. “You are a Lyca4 baby. My daughter will be a Lyca9. Can you imagine the little soldiers you’ll create together?”

  “Y-you expect me to have kids with my sister?”

  “Well, technically she’s your half-sister. If your mother had given me girls, they would have been your sisters.”

  Ryker was temporarily lost for words but he quickly regained his indignation.

  “You’re fucking insane. You won’t get away with this, Wexley!”

  “Why not? No one is going to miss you. That was why I spent most of my attention on you. Cypher is far too famous to fall off the planet. Briar, well, he’s tied to a bear now and the last thing I need is a sleuth on my ass. And Vaughan? Well, he’s next.”

  “A-are those my brothers?” Ryker asked. “Wait, Cypher Maison is my brother?”

  “Yes.”

  Ryker dropped his head back against the table and shook it from side to side.

  What is happening? Why is this happening?

  “Cheer up, kid. I’ll set you up somewhere nicer than this. I have a lot of money, Ryker, more than I even know what to do with. If you’d just accept what’s going to happen, I’d like to share my wealth with you.”

  I could play along and kill him, a reasonable voice in his head said. Yes. That’s what I’ll do.

  “How much money?” he asked.

  “Oh? I have your attention now?” Daniel intoned. “Let’s just say that Bill Gates calls and asks me for stock tips.”

  “I like money,” Ryker said from between clenched teeth. “A lot.”