“Are you saying you’re going to force the female to stay with you?” Beck asked, and it was clearly a challenge. “I wasn’t happy about what you tried to pull with the lynx female, and I won’t sit idly by while you try to claim another female against her will.”
Rather than baring his teeth and threatening Beck, Cord winced at the reminder of one of his worst moments. A seer had told him that taking a shapeshifter who was half mage as his mate would protect his clan. The seer hadn’t actually told him to go after Quinn, but it had seemed pretty obvious that he was supposed to do that since the seer had told him about Quinn when he’d scoffed at the idea of ever finding a female like that. It had been so long since he’d last seen her, Winn had seemed unattainable. He’d even begun to wonder if it was best that he’d let her go—best for her and his clan. Beck had been against him trying to claim Quinn, even before Quinn had turned him down. Things had gotten much worse after Quinn had refused to accept him as her mate, and he’d tried to force his mark on her, assuming she’d be okay with it once she got to know him better. It had been an asshole move all around, especially now that he had his mate in his arms. It also explained why Beck would assume he’d force Winn to stay.
“I’m going to make sure she doesn’t want to leave,” Cord assured him, not certain what he’d do if she tried to leave.
Beck studied him for a moment before finally nodding, still looking reluctant. “I’m only agreeing for now because your female needs help and I think it’s too dangerous to stand here arguing. Make no mistake, I won’t allow you to hurt her.”
Cord met his friend’s eyes. “I won’t lose her again.”
Beck let out a humorless bark of laughter. “Then I guess you’d better convince her she can’t live without you.”
“The last time I saw Winn, I told her if I found her again, I’d mark her and claim her,” Cord told his friend. “She wouldn’t be here if she weren’t ready to accept me.”
Beck shook his head and began muttering about Cord being an arrogant asshole. He didn’t care what anyone thought. His only concern was the female in his arms—his female. Later, he’d hunt down the vampires who’d attacked her and make them pay.
“Don’t worry, Winn,” he murmured, leaning forward to breathe in her scent. “You’re safe now.”
Now that he had her with him again, he’d do whatever it took to keep his mate safe.
Chapter Seven
Connor was in the middle of a training class when his phone started buzzing. Since everyone knew to contact Shelby with any issues, he let it go to voicemail. His phone immediately started buzzing again. With a loud sigh, he looked at the young vampires he was teaching to use a crossbow. “Give me a minute to make sure that’s not urgent. Everyone put your crossbows down until I get back.” He waited until they’d all set them down to grab his phone from his pocket and head to the side of the field.
There were five calls from Eleanor, so Connor decided he’d better call her back immediately.
“Connor?” Eleanor asked, answering on the first ring.
“Sorry I missed your call, Eleanor,” he said. “I was in the middle of a training class.”
“I understand, and I wouldn’t have called you back so many times if it weren’t urgent.”
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“We’ve had a group of tourists disappear from Fangri La,” she began.
“If you send the descriptions, we can keep an eye out for them, but it seems unlikely they’d make it this far north.” Tourists slipping out of Fangri La unnoticed was surprising considering how tight security was. That sort of thing had happened before, but the council had taken extreme measures to avoid having it happen again. He was also more than a little curious about why Eleanor was so determined to warn him, and why she hadn’t simply left him a message to call her back.
“I’m certain they aren’t human.” Eleanor let out a frustrated breath. “They may already be in your area.”
“Why do you think that?” Connor asked. If anyone wanted to gain access to his territory, it would be much easier to do so through the local trade port. That was still unlikely considering how tight security was.
“They were asking questions about a woman who can control the forces of nature. I’m pretty sure they were looking for the woman who killed Roger with ball lightning,” she told him.
Connor hadn’t realized she’d heard that story. Roger had been a sadistic bastard who’d deserved to die, and Connor was grateful to the mage, Winter, for ending his life. It was a story he’d chosen not to share with the council in Fangri La, largely because he didn’t think anyone would believe him.
“Roger was struck by lightning,” Connor reminded her. It hadn’t been a lie when he’d given the council in Fangri La that account of Roger’s death. He’d simply chosen to leave out a few details—those regarding Winter’s involvement.
“Some of his followers told a different story,” Eleanor remarked. “I’m well aware of the fact that you didn’t tell me everything about Roger’s death. At first, the council assumed you’d killed Roger and made up an elaborate story. When we heard the tale of a woman who could create ball lightning, we were all curious, but I argued it proved your story was accurate and Roger’s followers were simply trying to find a way to blame you for an act of nature. The woman the tourists are looking for would probably be able to kill someone with ball lightning.”
“And that’s why you think the tourists are here?” he asked. “Did someone tell them about the stories involving Roger’s death?” He had a hard time believing the council would share those details.
“I believe Richard may have told them,” Eleanor admitted. “He left with most of his entourage, claiming to be on his way to Dalton’s territory, where he planned to stay for a couple of weeks. We followed his progress, and while it took him longer than expected, he arrived in Dalton’s territory and stayed there for several days. Dalton was suspicious of his activities, but his communications went down after the first day and remained down for nearly two weeks. That’s why we weren’t aware of Richard’s disappearance until two days ago.”
“Disappearance?” Connor asked.
“According to Dalton, as soon as the communications went down, Richard assured him he’d return to Fangri La to report the problem,” Eleanor explained.
“Why didn’t Dalton send someone to Fangri La when the problems continued?” Connor asked.
“There was a sizable Moon virus outbreak at a human settlement in his territory, and Dalton’s people were spread thin,” she explained. “As for us, we were busy trying to locate the missing tourists. We sent emails to the settlements rather than calling. I assume Richard was intercepting Dalton’s emails since we received a response telling us they hadn’t seen the tourists.”
“That seems pretty elaborate,” Connor mused. “Do you think he was working with the missing tourists before they arrived in Fangri La?”
“It’s possible,” Eleanor admitted. “Things haven’t been easy for Richard since the failed rebellion. Even the council members who argued on his behalf don’t trust him. It’s possible the two events are unrelated, but I think that’s unlikely.”
“Why wasn’t I notified when the tourists disappeared from Fangri La?” Connor asked.
Eleanor sighed. “You’re not under our protection anymore, and many members of the council didn’t think you needed to be involved. I had hoped we’d find the tourists without needing to contact you. Before Richard went missing, I had no reason to think the missing tourists would travel that far north since only high-ranking council members had heard the story of the woman who could kill with ball lightning. With Richard missing, I have to assume he’s already in your territory with the missing tourists.”
Connor knew what Eleanor was getting at. Since his territory was one of the few that could still receive imported goods without the consent of the council, they were able to exist independently of the council. There were a few territories
with trade ports, but the council had gone to great lengths to take over their trade agreements after Connor’s territory declared their independence. They wanted to make sure no one else decided to strike out on their own. Unless Richard wanted to live with fewer amenities than he was used to, he’d have to either work with the council, or take over Connor’s territory. Taking over Connor’s territory could give him the power base he needed to build his own empire.
“Thanks for the heads up, Eleanor,” Connor said. “Can you send us details on what the tourists look like as well as details on Richard’s people?”
“I’ve already sent them to you,” Eleanor assured him.
“You said the tourists aren’t human,” he began. “Do you have any idea what they are?”
“They moved like shapeshifters,” she replied. “That may not be what they are, but it would certainly explain how they were able to slip away so easily.”
“Thanks,” Connor told her before ending the call. They’d had a few months of relative peace, so he should be grateful for that. Turning back to the field, Connor prepared for a busy day. First, he’d end the crossbow class early. After that, he needed to meet with his leadership team to work out a plan for locating Richard and the shapeshifters. He’d also need to send Danny and Quinn out to warn Max, the leader of the lynx shapeshifters, about the potential danger. Max could warn Cord since Connor didn’t have any direct connections with the cougars. He’d also need to warn the wood nymphs. He was on the fence regarding warning Abram, a vampire who was technically his enemy but had recently sided with him when enemies had invaded their territory. Abram was only loyal to himself, and apparently those living on Treasure Island, so it was possible Abram would side with Richard. With a weary sigh, Connor hoped this mess was cleared up fast.
Chapter Eight
Opening her eyes just a crack, she was surprised by how much the sunlight hurt, but she forced them open, anyway. The sun was healing, one of the few things she knew. Even her name was a mystery. Looking around, she didn’t recognize anything in the small room. Lying on a mattress on the dirt floor, she was able to reach one hand out and stroke the precious soil. The contact made her sigh with relief and the pain in her head eased some. It felt right, and she loved that she was so close to the life giving earth. Rolling to her other side, she winced from the pain in her head and came face to face with a naked male. Lying beside her, he was watching her with hooded eyes.
“Where am I?” she asked. There was a vague memory of being told she needed to wear clothing in public, but they weren’t in public, so it seemed okay. Even without remembering who she was, she knew nudity didn’t bother her.
“You’re in my home,” he replied with a sleepy grin. “You have no idea how relieved I am that you’re finally awake. I was beginning to worry you’d been more seriously injured than I guessed.”
“I have a head injury,” she said mostly to herself. Her headache and sensitivity to light could definitely be explained by a head injury, not that she could recall how she knew that, or even how she’d been hurt.
“I managed to get you away from the assholes who attacked you just in time. Unfortunately, they’re resilient bastards and they got away. I’m not sure if they were trying to kill you, or if they were trying to abduct you. Wanna tell me why you had vampires after you so I know how much danger you’re in?”
Her brow furrowed as she tried to remember an attack, but nothing came to mind. “I’m not sure what happened, but thank you for rescuing me. I owe you.”
A moment of irritation flashed in his eyes, but he quickly masked it. “You don’t need to thank me, Winn. Hopefully, you’ll remember who was after you soon. I suppose it’s possible the attack was random, and you were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, but I’m still going to find those assholes.” He studied her, reaching out to touch her before allowing his hand to fall onto the mattress. “Fuck, Winn,” he breathed out. “I can’t believe you’re here with me. I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”
“Winn?” she asked, brow scrunched in confusion. “Is that my name?” The name sounded somewhat familiar, yet part of her wanted to deny it was her name.
His eyes narrowed. “You don’t remember your name?”
“No,” she replied, frightened by her situation.
“Do you remember who I am?” he asked.
She opened her mouth to tell him she had no idea who he was, but her answer felt wrong. While she might not remember his name, she knew him—knew without a doubt who this man was to her. It was a relief to be able to say she remembered one thing with certainty. “You’re my mate.”
He grinned at her, looking happy and relieved by her answer. “So, you do remember me!”
“Some part of my mind insisted you’re my mate, but I don’t remember anything else about you,” she explained. “I’m right, aren’t I?”
“You are,” he agreed hesitantly. “You’re my mate. My name is Cord. I suppose I should tell you that since you don’t remember.”
“Cord,” she tested the name, but it didn’t sound familiar. She also felt no connection to her own name. Winn sounded like the name of someone she’d once known, but she was having trouble connecting it to herself. “I don’t remember who I am, and I don’t feel like I belong here.” Except that was a lie. Every pore of her body felt like she belonged there, yet there was part of her that felt like she shouldn’t belong there.
Chapter Nine
Cord wasn’t sure what to say or do to help Winn feel better about what was going on. He wasn’t even sure if he’d fucked up when he’d confirmed Winn was his mate. It was true, but not telling her the rest of the truth made him feel like an asshole. He could easily argue that he wasn’t telling her more because she needed time to recover. When cougars in his clan had suffered from memory loss, letting their memories return naturally seemed to work best. Having someone reveal too much of their identity could be upsetting and add to their confusion. All good reasons for keeping the truth from Winn, but they weren’t why he wasn’t revealing that she’d left him. After more than a century, his mate had practically fallen into his lap, and he wasn’t about to let her go.
“You’re quiet,” Winn uttered, and he sensed the unease in her voice. “Is there something else wrong?”
“I’d like to kiss you, Winn,” he told her.
She looked unsure. “I suppose if we’re mates, that’s only natural.”
“But it doesn’t seem natural to you,” he finished for her, suspecting he wasn’t going to like her answer.
“I’m just frightened and confused,” she admitted. “I don’t like feeling this way.”
Cord gave in to the temptation to wrap her in his arms, and he was relieved when she relaxed into him. Winn had surprised him by reacting like a shifter when he’d first met her. What surprised him now was the faint scent of jaguar he caught. She’d told him she was a mage, but she’d said nothing about being part shifter. He suddenly wondered if Winn was the half-mage destined to bring safety to his people if he took her as his mate.
“Cord!” Beck shouted from the front room of his cabin, and Cord was annoyed that this distraction caused Winn to pull away from him.
“What is it?” he called out.
“The lynx are here,” Beck told him. “Should I send them in?”
Cord cursed. He’d completely forgotten about his meeting with Max. They’d been enemies for years but had recently formed an alliance—one that included the local vampires, much to Cord’s surprise. “Tell them I’ll meet them at your cabin.”
“Is everything okay?” Winn asked.
“Yeah,” he replied in a soothing voice. “I just need to go to a meeting. I’ll send my daughter, Vexx, to sit with you.”
“Is she our daughter?” Winn asked.
“No,” Cord replied. “You’ve only recently come to me. We met years ago, but we were separated.”
“Now, we’re together,” she finished for him, seeming to test the words.
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“And nothing is going to keep us apart,” he told her. “I really wish I didn’t have to leave you for this meeting.”
“Don’t worry about leaving me. I’ll be fine,” she assured him. “I’m already starting to feel better.”
Cord nodded and slipped on a pair of shorts before heading to his bedroom door. “There are some clothes for you, in case you’d rather be dressed,” he told her, gesturing to the small stack of clothing on top of his dresser. He really needed to go, but he hesitated, not wanting to leave his mate when she was confused and injured. Every instinct he possessed told him to remain by her side, but he wasn’t ready to tell the lynx about Winn’s presence.
Winn got to her feet and stretched, giving him a great view of her incredible body. The smile she flashed him was probably meant to reassure him. “I’ll be fine, Cord,” she said softly. “Just go to your meeting.”
Cord nodded and hurried out of the room before he gave in to the temptation to have Beck handle the meeting—something Max would consider an insult. Still, he was tempted to insult Max to stay with his mate. It was surprising how one female could make him almost wish he weren’t the leader of his clan.
Chapter Ten
Whenever Jase attended a meeting in the cougar territory, he felt out of sorts, largely because that’s where his mate was. His father had been the first to recognize Jase’s reaction to the young female, even though Jase had pretended not to notice her at first. She was too young. While he hadn’t spoken to her yet, he’d guess she was only about fifteen years old. She was a child, and it would be years until he could claim her, something he’d need to do as soon as she reached her maturity. His father had protected him and his brothers from having offspring with random females, but he’d been getting pressure from their clan for his sons to find suitable mates.
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