by Meg Ripley
“Oh, I see. You don’t believe she’s out there, do you?”
“To be honest, no, sir.”
Maren pulled in a breath and held it. She knew exactly who they were talking about, although she hadn’t realized the myths about her existence had reached this point.
“That’s all right.” Vince clapped George on the shoulder, making the other man jump. “You don’t have to believe, my boy. I’m sure all these tourists buying those snow globes and magnets don’t completely believe, either. But everyone is going to believe when they see that big monster in these tanks. Just give me some time and you’ll see. Everyone is going to see.” He smacked the other man once more before turning on his heel and heading off toward the hotel. George scurried after him.
Suddenly intensely aware of her dragon form, Maren shifted. She shivered as her scales sank back inside her body, leaving only smooth skin. Her wings folded and retreated into her back as she stood upright once again, and her sharp claws became harmless fingernails. She leaned against a nearby tree, thinking about how different it felt when she was in this human form. Slowly, Maren turned and headed for home, thinking. This man wanted to capture and exploit her? She’d be damned if she’d let that happen.
3
Garrison felt a deep itch in his back as he watched the ground float by beneath him. How long had it been since he’d been able not only to shift, but to actually fly on his own? It felt like a complete betrayal of his true form to use the metal wings of an airplane to get to his destination, and he’d certainly get a better view if he could determine his own flight path. And then, of course, he wouldn’t have been stuck next to a man with a cold who didn’t seem to understand what personal space was.
The plane hit the ground with a thump, and Garrison felt his determination building inside him. The flight had been long and uneventful, and he was ready to get started on his mission. He strode through the airport, grabbed his luggage from the carousel, and headed outside.
A man with dark hair was waiting for him just outside the airport, holding a piece of paper with his name on it.
“I’m Garrison. Nice to meet you.” He held out his hand, somewhat amused at the effort they’d gone to. He’d have known this man was a shifter even if he hadn’t been holding up the sign. Garrison could sense the animal in him, though he couldn’t determine exactly what animal he was. Hudson had told him the clans that had called the Force were black bears, coyotes, and mountain lions.
“Shane,” he said with a firm handshake. “I’m glad you’ve arrived safely. A meeting has been arranged for you. The Alphas are waiting.” Without asking, he took Garrison’s suitcase and turned toward the parking lot.
Garrison had dealt with plenty of interesting people during his time in the Army and in construction, but this Shane guy was a character all on his own. “I can get that,” he said, reaching to take his suitcase back.
But Shane tightened his grip. “You’re our guest, and I’ve been instructed by my Alpha to treat you like one.”
“Fair enough.” Garrison didn’t push the issue any further. He knew how important it was for those living in clans to follow their Alphas’ instructions. It worked differently in the Force, which was the closest he would ever get to being part of a flight, but he’d seen enough of that dynamic to know how it worked.
When his baggage had been loaded into the back of a black Mercedes and they’d pulled out onto the highway, Garrison carefully watched the scenery as he did his best to engage Shane. “This is a beautiful area. It’s hard to imagine there would be any problems if everyone is always so busy enjoying the lake.”
His driver only grunted in response.
Garrison tried again. “What can you tell me about these disappearances?”
“As I said, a meeting with the Alphas has been arranged for you. I’m taking you there right now.” Shane kept his gaze on the road and his grip tight on the steering wheel.
“Right.” Clearly, he wasn’t going to get anything out of Shane. He made a mental note to tell the other guys what an interesting trip he was being sent on when he got the chance.
Half an hour later, Shane pulled up in front of a metal gate. It was supported on either side by large stone pillars with a wooden entryway squared off above it. Shane touched a button on a remote clipped to the sun visor, and the gate slid open silently. The car followed a slightly curving driveway and they pulled up in front of a large home. The trees hid much of the outside, but Garrison could see the cedar siding and deep green trim.
His driver escorted him through the front door and to the living room, where a fire crackled in a massive fireplace made of the same stone he’d seen out by the gate. Three shifters were seated on the leather furniture, but they stood at his arrival.
“You must be Garrison,” enthused a burly man whose beard seemed to extend down to his chest. “Welcome to my home. I’m Brad, the Alpha of the local black bear clan. You’ve already met Shane, one of my seconds.”
“Nice to meet you.”
“This is Tracy, Alpha of the coyotes.” He indicated a slim woman with chestnut hair in a bun and the graceful body of a dancer. “And this is Ethan, who heads up our mountain lions.” Brad gestured to a blonde man with blue eyes and ripped jeans. “Shane will take you to your hotel once we’re done here.” The Alpha nodded at Shane, who nodded back and slipped from the room.
“He doesn’t talk much, does he?” Garrison remarked as he took a seat in an overstuffed armchair that his host indicated to him.
Brad shook his head as he stepped toward a small bar in the corner. “Can I get you something to drink? Beer? Whiskey?”
“Just water is fine for now.” Traveling always made him feel the need to rehydrate.
The bear retrieved a bottle from a small fridge. “I hope you’ll forgive Shane if he seemed rude. He was never much of a talker, anyway, but it’s even worse now. You see, his brother is one of those who have disappeared.”
“Oh. That’s a shame.” Garrison wasn’t sure what to think of these people. In any of his other experiences with the SOS Force, he found Alphas who were unsure of outsiders and pack members who were determined to fight with each other. Here were the leaders of three completely different groups, who in any other situation might be fighting over territory, yet they were sitting casually in Brad’s living room like a trio of old friends.
“It’s just the way things seem to be, lately,” Tracy said as she lounged across a dark brown chair, her legs draped across one arm as she leaned back against the other. “This has been a peaceful area for as long as we can remember. There’s plenty of land to share, and we have no reason to fight with each other. I think, if we did, then we might be turning on each other right now instead of banding together.”
“I have to admit, it’s a welcome relief. What we find all over the country are clans fighting, and it’s a pleasant surprise to see it turn out a different way. But I have to admit it also leaves me a little bit lost. I’m not sure where to start, other than by the three of you giving me all the information you’ve got.”
“We’re happy to do that,” Ethan replied amiably as he spread his arms across the back of the sofa. “I’m not sure you’ll believe it, though.”
“Stop it, Ethan,” Brad growled.
Garrison raised an eyebrow, intrigued by this. “I’m the last dragon that I know of in the world. You’d be surprised at what I’d believe.”
“Oh,” Tracy breathed, her eyes widening at this news.
Brad seated himself across from Garrison. “Don’t mind him. He’s got some strange theories about what’s happening around here. But first,” he said with a pointed look at the mountain lion, “we’re going to cover the facts.”
“All right. I’m listening.” Garrison made himself comfortable. He didn’t mind the cool weather outside nor the warmth from the fireplace inside, and Brad’s home was reminiscent of the lodge he envisioned at the ski resort he’d booked for himself during his time there. It was also
nice to have work to concentrate on instead of focusing on everyone else spending the holidays with their mates.
“As I mentioned, there have been a lot of disappearances. It might be a mountain lion, it might be a bear, it might be a coyote. The fact that it’s affecting all of us helps in letting us know that we’re on the same side. Granted, we get along anyway, but it would be easy to point fingers if it was only one or the other type of shifter suddenly not coming home at night,” Brad explained.
“What can you tell me about these disappearances?” Garrison asked. “Is there anything that they have in common?” Very little information had been provided over the phone, but that wasn’t a surprise. Even with Hudson’s special communication network, clans weren’t always eager to share too much detail.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have a lot to say on that,” Tracy said, smoothing her hair even though there wasn’t a strand out of place. “It only seems to happen when someone is alone, so there are never any witnesses. Let’s say a member goes for a hike or heads out for a run. Whoever is doing this, they’re waiting until a shifter is completely alone.”
“Or whatever is doing this,” Ethan growled.
“I told you, we’re going to stick to the facts,” Brad reminded him.
“You might be Alpha of your bears, but that doesn’t make you Alpha over the rest of us.” Ethan sat forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. “You’ll have to forgive Brad. He doesn’t want to talk about the truth because he doesn’t like it. I know, however, that’s not going to help us solve this problem.”
Garrison had been watching them all with a cool distance, wondering if he was ever going to get anywhere on this mission or if it would consist of sitting around and listening to the Alphas pretending not to argue. At least they showed no signs of getting violent yet.
“We’re not going to solve anything if we waste this man’s time by spouting old myths,” Brad returned.
But Garrison waved off his concerns. “It’s okay. There’s nothing wrong with any theories, no matter how crazy they might be. I’ve seen some shit in my time. I’m sure I can handle it.”
Brad sighed, giving up, and Tracy watched Ethan expectantly with a small smile playing on her lips.
“Okay, I’m going to start of by saying this does sound a little crazy, and I’m fully aware of that,” Ethan began. “But I don’t think we can just ignore it, either. There have been legends of a lake monster in this area for a long time, and the sightings have only increased. If humans were murdering members of my pride, then we would be finding bodies or some other evidence. But no, they just disappear like that.” He snapped his fingers in the air to emphasize the point.
“A lake monster,” Garrison said slowly, suddenly wondering if the Force had sent him there as a joke. “You mean like the Loch Ness Monster?”
“The legends are very similar,” Tracy said. “Some say it’s a marine dinosaur that didn’t get the note about extinction. There are other theories, too, like alligator gar or some other giant fish. Humans see something unexpectedly large, and their brains change the image so that they see what they want to see. Interestingly enough, there’s never any proof.”
“You want proof?” Ethan challenged. “How much proof do you expect to get from an elusive creature that’s likely the last of its kind? I mean, nobody out there has proof of us, but we know we exist.”
“It’s a fair enough point,” Brad acknowledged begrudgingly, “but we’re not out there abducting people. And you’re talking about some prehistoric monster, not a person who happens to have an alternative form.”
“I’m talking about something Jacques Cousteau saw on the bottom of that lake and wouldn’t tell anybody about,” Ethan returned.
Tracy twisted in the chair so that she sat cross-legged. “You’ve been spending way too much time on the internet.”
“Well, it’s a hell of a lot safer than spending time in the woods or out on the lake,” Ethan pointed out.
“Okay, I think we’re all getting a little off-topic here.” Garrison sat up a little straighter. “I didn’t come out here to chase down Bigfoot. If there is some sort of…creature living out here that’s knocking off shifters, then I think there’s more to it than a leftover dinosaur. Let’s go back to that whole idea of sticking to the facts. You can leave all the hypothesizing to me.”
“The fact is that it can’t strictly be a lake monster, because plenty—if not most—of these disappearances are happening while the victims are on land, or at least as far as we can tell. This thing isn’t going to be able to come up on shore, hike through the forest, and nap someone while they’re out for a picnic.” Brad took a swig of beer and glared at Ethan.
“Let’s get away from the creature theory, since it’s not likely. No offense.” Garrison directed this last part at Ethan, who gave an indifferent shrug. “Isn’t it possible that humans are at the root of this? I mean, you say there’s no evidence, but some people are very good at breaking the law. It’s the spur-of-the-moment stuff that makes people sloppy. If they’re doing this on purpose, it might be different.”
“But why would they go after us?” Tracy challenged. “We haven’t done anything to them. At least, not that I know of, since I don’t know who ‘they’ are.”
“Any mob ties in the region?” Garrison had taken advantage of his time on the plane to read up a little on the area, and he’d heard the rumors about all the bodies anchored to the frigid bottom of the lake.
“Just a few casino owners that I know of,” Brad said. The big bear seemed a little less irritated now that the conversation had been brought back around to a logical course. “Unfortunately, some of them are just as much into this nutty shit as Ethan here is. I’ve heard the guy who owns the Lakefront Hotel and Casino is actually planning on catching Tahoe Tessie and putting her in a giant tank. Even so, I don’t know what he’d have against any of us.”
Garrison bit his lower lip, wondering how so many people could buy into these made-up creatures and the myths that surrounded them, although he had no doubt that someone was making a quick buck here and there. He imagined a big aquarium with an animatronic creature swimming in the shadows. “Is there any chance that someone around here has found out about your existence? Could someone be kidnapping or murdering shifters out of fear or scientific interest?”
Brad shook his head. “We keep our ears to the ground for any rumors about shifters, just to be safe. I’ve actually got a guy in my clan who watches the internet specifically for those types of things. He’s a huge computer geek, and he knows where to find all that dark web shit. I don’t know much about it myself, but he hasn’t heard anything on that front.”
“Are there any other clans in the area?”
Another shake of the head from Brad.
Well, this was turning out to be a big waste of time. Still, Garrison knew he couldn’t just give up. “Is there anything else?” he asked desperately.
Ethan nodded. “The fires.”
Brad didn’t seem as upset with the mountain lion for bringing up this subject. “Any place gets a few forest fires every now and then, but they’ve been particularly prevalent lately. As far as we can tell, they don’t have anything to do with our members going missing, but it’s still odd.”
“Get me the information on the areas where this is happening most often, both the fires and the missing shifters. I’ll set up some surveillance equipment and see if I can find anything.”
“We’ve got trail cameras on our territory already,” Tracy said, her blue eyes watching him carefully. “We haven’t seen a thing.”
“With all due respect, the equipment I brought with me is a bit more advanced than trail cameras.” Hudson was constantly developing new gadgetry, and the rest of the SOS Force was usually benefiting from it. “I’ll spend some time seeing if I can gather any evidence that might be relevant. In the meantime, make sure nobody travels alone. I’ll check back with you in a few days.” He stood up to leave, shaking their
hands and assuring them all that he would get to the bottom of this, but part of him still wondered if Drake or Hudson were punking him.
A few days later, he was still wondering just how far his comrades would go to pull a prank on him. He’d put out the small cameras that Hudson had given him, casually securing them in trees, on the sides of buildings, and even on a few boat docks. The feeds uploaded remotely to Garrison’s computer, complete with audio. But every night when he reviewed them, he’d found nothing.
The weather was beautiful out there, and the ski slopes left absolutely nothing to be desired. The powder was perfect, the tourist traffic wasn’t too thick, and there was something magnificent about skidding down a mountainside with only just enough control not to kill himself. Garrison had spent all his free time exploring and playing, living up the vacation that he was determined this would be, but his mind refused to cooperate.
As he slalomed around a sapling, he thought about what Brad, Tracy, and Ethan had told him. These leaders were clearly worried about their members, and Garrison wanted them to be safe and secure as well, but he had so little to go on. His mind rifled through all the possibilities, but most of them seemed like something from a cheap cable television show. He had all the cameras out and ready to catch someone in the act, but of course, nothing had happened since he’d arrived. The Alphas hadn’t reported any new incidents, nor had he seen anything suspicious when he reviewed the footage.
Frustration ruined the exhilaration of his downhill progress, and by the time he reached the bottom, he was beginning to think he never should’ve accepted this mission after all. He headed for the rental car Brad had arranged for him—since Garrison wasn’t interested in being chauffeured around by the taciturn Shane—and dialed Drake on the way.