Growls.
Footsteps.
More branches crunching behind me.
More bullets flew by me as I weaved from side to side, making it harder for them to nail me.
The zoo gates were so close yet so far. The parking lot was empty besides a few cars. It was after hours, but I didn't care. I was finding a way in. My life depended on it.
I heard a distinctive howl behind me, but I wasn't wasting a second to turn around to investigate the source of the noise.
Reaching the gate, I grappled onto the bars, pulling myself up. The memories of me and my grandfather rock climbing played over in my mind. With all the strength I had left, I talked myself through it. I was at the top when a force knocked me forward. It felt like my leg was being ripped in half. I bit back a scream, losing my balance and tumbling over the gate. The impact rattled my skull, black spots flooding my vision. It felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest, and I was unable to reel in air. Seconds later, big bright eyes with a golden swirl in them eased into my line of vision. White and orange fur painted with black stripes.
A grumble.
Fangs.
A sniff.
My world faded to black.
Chapter Two
Rayah
A beam of light swirled into my vision, waking me from my slumber. Sitting up, I blinked a few times as I tried to remember what happened last night, but the pounding inside my skull interfered, the sunshine only adding to my confusion. Where was my grandfather? Was he still alive? If so, was he hurt?
A small room with white walls and a wooden desk in the corner came into view. What looked like my stuff, including my grandfather shotgun, was neatly placed by the desk. Where was I? And how did I get here? A brief glimpse of a tiger's face so close to mine invaded my brain. I clenched my head in agony as the throbbing headache became unbearable. My fingers grazed over a walnut-sized lump on my head.
How am I not dead? If I wasn’t hallucinating seeing that tiger, it could’ve easily made a meal out of me. But it didn’t, because I was here in a small room. I had fallen asleep on a futon. I looked down, my eyes widening to find my injured leg had been professionally wrapped. Flashbacks filled my vision.
Blood.
A howl.
The Shifter Elite.
My leg began to throb; the pain ricocheting upward. Never mind the headache, my leg felt as if it were being cut open from the inside. Shifting my hands from my head to my leg, tears threatened my eyes, and I let out a whimper.
Then suddenly, the doorknob turned, and the door creaked open.
My heart rate sped up as a tall man in a white coat with the most spellbinding shade of green eyes filled the small space between the door and the frame. He slowly walked in, closing the door behind him. “You’re awake,” he whispered.
It was thoughtful of him because I didn’t think my head could handle someone talking at a normal volume. I wondered if he was the one who had patched me up. My eyes narrowed in search of his name tag. Dr. Thane Parker, DVM.
Dr. Parker removed two white pills from an orange vial in his coat pocket and grabbed a glass of water and crackers from a nearby end table. He offered all of them to me.
It took a minute to grab hold of them; my reflexes were slower than usual. “Um, thank you.” My voice came out hoarse, barely audible, but he responded with a nod.
My stomach rumbled holding the crackers in my hand, unsure of when I had eaten last. I scarfed them down, the pills and water soon followed.
“Of course. I found you in pretty bad shape.” His green eyes widened with concern. “May I?” He gestured to the lump on the side of my head.
I nodded slightly, and he leaned closer. That’s when I noticed a gold hue to them. My mouth fell open as I continued to stare at him like a star-struck idiot. Where had I seen eyes like that before? Jesus, say something, Rayah!
I shook my head. “The—a tiger.”
“What?”
“I um…I remember seeing a tiger above me before everything went dark.”
He rubbed the length of his chiseled face with his left hand.
No ring. I smirked slightly, knowing this attractive man standing before me was still on the market. He had to have been in his late twenties, early thirties. Prime marriage material if you asked me.
“Tiger, huh?” He shifted his weight from one side to another. “That’s impossible, because that would mean Zorro had escaped from the enclosure, and he was there when I went to bed last night and this morning. Hmmm.” He tapped his chin, narrowing his eyes. Then, he grabbed a pen-looking thing from his other coat pocket. “You must have hit your head harder than I thought. What were you doing trying to climb over the zoo gates anyway?” He kneeled in front of me, and the smell of his cologne wafted its way into my nostrils. Masculine, earthy tones with a note of fruit. It was solacing, triggering a memory. Maybe I did hit my head hard and saw things; I remembered the smell of him last night. I closed my eyes briefly, reveling in his scent, after that, opening them to the brightness of his pen.
“I was…” I swallowed the lump in my throat. I was unsure of how much information to divulge to this beautiful stranger, but at the same time, he could have left me for dead.
But he didn’t. “I thought someone was following me. I must have cut my leg on the gate or something when I fell.”
He raked his hands through his hair and let out a deep sigh. “You were shot in the leg. Are you in some kind of trouble?” His hand gently caressed my arm, and a jolt went through me, his comfort making a home inside my heart. Guilt soon replaced it, though. I didn’t want to drag this nice man into my bullshit. The commander's control was spreading like a rampant virus. I just needed some time to heal before I got back to find my grandfather.
Wait. Did he just say…bullet? Oh my God! Then it hit me, the Shifter Elite must know I’m holed up here. They could be watching my every move as we speak. Goosebumps pricked my skin; however, I didn’t want to unveil to this stranger the fear I harbored inside. “I think you’re right. I did hit my head hard. I don’t remember anything. Just my name. It’s Rayah, by the way. Thanks for taking such good care of me.”
He grinned, and my heart did a flip. “Pretty name. It’s nice to meet you, Rayah.” He held out his hand for me to shake. I took it without hesitation. “I’m Dr. Parker, but you can call me Thane. And it’s no problem. Just promise me you won’t be breaking into any more zoos, okay?” His chuckle was soft and warm.
I chimed in. “Oh, I think my zoo-breaking-in days are over, trust me.”
Our laughs faded into silence, and we remained there awkwardly for a moment. I could tell by his penetrating gaze he wanted to ask more questions but chose not to. He cleared his throat. “Um, the cafeteria should be opening up for staff soon. I recommend you rest as much as possible, but feel free to go down and get some breakfast if you’re up to it. Or you can page me, and I can bring you some.” He gave me a high-tech-looking radio. “The meal’s on me.” Then, he handed me an employee meal card with a variety of zoo animals outlining the border.
“That’s very generous of you, thank you.”
“Not a problem.” He smiled. “Are you familiar with the grounds, or do you need a map?”
“No map. I came here often as a kid; I know this place like the back of my hand.” My grandfather and I had spent many days here during the summers when I was a kid. That and the lake. Man, the guy loved to fish.
“As a kid, huh?” He raked his hand through his shiny chocolate-brown hair, laughing again. “Me too. Thus, the reason I became a zoo vet. It’s hard to describe, but being around wild animals just gives me this sense of calm.” Dr. Parker talked with his hands, his passion for zoo medicine oozing through him. I’d just met him, yet he felt familiar to me, almost as if I'd known him for years. It’s crazy to think maybe as kids, we had passed by each other and had never known.
“I get that. I always wanted to be a vet; it just never panned out for me.”
I left college to help Pop take care of my Nan. She had been diagnosed with dementia a few years before, and it seemed I was the only one that was able to get through to her. She was an easy target for the Shifter Elite when they came barreling through town. I frowned at the memory, her blood all over my hands when I had found her limp, lifeless body in the middle of the street. I felt I had lost both of my grandparents that day. My grandfather hadn’t been the same since. How could I blame him? My grandfather had lost the love of his life.
His lips tugged downward, mirroring me, and it made me want to take it all back. I never wanted to see him frown again. “I’m sorry to hear that. Well, if you ever need any help getting back on track. I’m here.”
“Thanks, I appreciate that.”
He glanced down at his watch. “Well, duty calls. I better get to work. Take as much time as you need.”
I smiled, and he was out the door before I could speak.
Chapter Three
Thane
What the fuck am I supposed to do now? It was only a matter of time before her memories of last night were restored. Only a matter of time before she discovered who I was.
My radio beeped, pulling me from my reverie. “Dr. Parker, do you have a moment to examine Luther? He had no interest in eating this morning.”
Shit! It looks like it will be one of those days…I pinched the bridge of my nose as I responded, feeling a migraine coming on. “Absolutely. Have the team sedate and prep him for radiographs and bloodwork,” I said. Although it wasn’t necessary, our kind still needed a way to keep a low profile.
“On it, boss,” Zach said. The radio went silent, leaving me alone with my thoughts—a twinge of pain in my heart.
Glancing back at the door, I was reluctant to step away, leaving the woman I now knew as Rayah behind in her condition, especially with the amount of pain she harbored in her eyes. I knew there was something she wasn’t telling me. I sensed it. Hopefully, I could get Luther back in the right mindset so I could come back and check on her, an excuse to sit down and have breakfast for once. I usually hit the ground running as soon as I woke up, forgetting to eat.
I’d prefer it if she didn’t use her injured leg at all today and rested as much as possible.
I made my way down the hill and entered the building appropriately named “Luther's Lair”. When we renovated the zoo a year ago, Simone, a veterinary nurse of ours, came up with the fantastic idea of giving each animal enclosure a personalized name, feeling the visitors would connect with the animals more. It was undoubtedly the case. Admission doubled; our social media blew up. Visitors always inquired about how the animals were doing by their names. It warmed my heart—zoo medicine, animals in general, was my reason for breathing. It still was even after we had permanently closed our gates to the public.
I swung open the glass door, rounding a corridor, and entered the back hallway to the lion enclosure. The team already had Luther strapped onto a motorized stretcher, wheeling him in the treatment suite’s direction to do all our examinations and diagnostics.
The backbone and heart of the zoo consisted of our zookeeper, Zach, and veterinary technicians Simone, Brock, and Lillian. They were my eyes when it came to which animal was sick, injured, or pregnant.
Before the collapse, I was promoted to head veterinarian, and didn’t get as much time with the animals anymore, which broke my heart daily. In a way, I felt like I had abandoned them with all my travels around the world, speaking at various conferences and appearing on wildlife TV shows. Suddenly, I had become a household name, and had even been offered a book deal to write about my life as a zoo vet. But the glitz and glam had taken me away from what truly mattered to me—the animals.
At the same time, I was doing it for the animals, the shifters, and employees that called this place home—we needed the funding which forced me out of my shell; I was not people-friendly and hated being in the spotlight. Meanwhile, Luther had been having “issues.” He was resistant to change and wasn’t a fan of the new staff veterinarian.
Once my team had transferred Luther over to the x-ray table, I waved my hand in the air, dismissing them. “Thanks for your help, guys, but Zach and I have got it from here. You have a booked surgery schedule today. I’d rather you spend the rest of your morning preparing those patients. Paris is going to need some dental extractions.”
Simone wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead. “You are welcome, Dr. Parker. We will get right on that.” Simone stroked Luther on his chest. “I know you'll take good care of our Luther.” Her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. Pivoting on her heel, she exited the radiology room, and the other nurses trailed behind her with a nod.
Once they shut the door, and I was confident they were no longer in the vicinity, Zach and I exhaled a heavy breath, putting on our protective gear, and snapped a quick x-ray of Luther's chest and abdomen. We had to keep up with this crusade no matter how tedious and time-consuming it was. I mean, with how concerned Simone looked when she left, I knew she was bound to question his condition later. And we needed the evidence to cover our asses.
Afterward, Luther's golden eyes immediately darted open, searching the dark for my face. He groaned as his bones crackled and popped, shifting back into his humanoid form. Naked, he sat straight up on the table, careful not to hit his head on the x-ray machine’s light. He was by far the most enormous lion shifter I’d ever seen.
Crossing my arms, I narrowed my gaze at him. “What seems to be the problem, Luther? For a lion with such an insatiable appetite, I was surprised to hear you weren’t eating this morning.”
He matched my glare. “The girl. I sense she’s still here.”
Even though he would pull bullshit like this to get my attention, I appreciated that he got straight to the point.
“Yes, but she’s none of your concern.”
He stood, closing the distance. His unforgiving bright eyes peeking through his mane. It fucking annoyed me how much I envied his golden hair. “Cut the bullshit, Thane. You and I both know that’s not true. She’s different, isn’t she?”
I was reluctant to believe it at first when I’d seen her crawling over the gate only to be shot and tumble to the ground. But I sensed it. That deep-rooted pull on my soul. If Luther felt it too, then there was no refuting the feeling.
“She’s the one the—”
We snapped our gaze over to Zach. “Don’t you speak of them here. Ever, “I said.
His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. “Yes, sir.” Zach was the only one we trusted with our secret. Since my father opened this zoo to protect our kind from the outside world, he has been with us. But now, with the girl here, the Shifter Elite after her for reasons unknown, it was only a matter of time before they discovered we were shifters.
I just knew Rayah wasn’t like Luther and me.
A shifter.
She was something else entirely. I hoped I could earn her trust soon enough to find out the truth. “Yes, she’s different.”
Luther ran a hand through his hair. “What are we going to do about her? She can’t stay here. It’ll put everything your father built at risk.”
I nodded. “I know. But I can’t possibly toss her back out there to die either.” I barely knew Rayah; still, I struggled with the question: was I willing to risk exposing our kind to protect her from the deadliest organization known to man and shifter alike?
Chapter Four
Rayah
Two hours had passed, and I'd finally had enough. I was in desperate need of some fresh air even though I knew I should stay here and wait for Dr. Parker’s return. Being alone with my troubled thoughts and worrying about my grandfather’s whereabouts was driving me insane. Plus, it was too bare in here. No window. No TV or books, no way to entertain myself. This room was a prison cell, and I wanted out, sympathizing with how the zoo animals must feel. At least for me this was temporary, I hoped. But for them, this was their life twenty-four seven.
I stood up, gritting my teeth. The pain i
n my leg shot down to my foot when I clumsily planted it against the wood floor. I steadied myself before taking another step toward the door. So far, so good. Slowly, I hobbled using the furniture around me as a crutch.
Gripping the doorknob, I shifted my weight to my right leg so I could ease the door open without falling. Success. I peered into the hallway to get a good sense of my surroundings. A heavy breath left me when I noticed a staircase. Shit! Going to get some fresh air and a change in scenery would be more challenging than I thought. Come on. You can do this, Rayah! I inhaled a deep breath and took a step forward, trying not to put too much weight on my injured leg, which felt like it was on fire.
Hugging the wall, I made it to the staircase to hold onto the railing. I stepped down, feeling triumphant. I had come too far to turn back now. I was committed to seeing this journey through, no matter how long it took me. I descended, reaching a glass door that led to the outside. The weight on my shoulders seemed to lessen as I hobbled out into the morning sun’s warmth. The autumn leaves blew in the delicate breeze that caressed my skin.
Closing my eyes, I lived in the moment, listening to the sound of rushing water and the birds chirping in the distance; the scent of rosemary and various flowers planted along the wall floated in the air. I even welcomed the smell of urine from the animals marking their territory. I was just damn thankful to be alive. And I had prayed my grandfather was, too.
Up ahead, I caught a glimpse of an orange and black striped sign that read “Zorro’s Zen Den,” and it piqued my curiosity. A flash of a giant tiger’s face so close to mine took over my brain again. I had to see this elusive tiger for myself. Perhaps prove to myself I wasn’t going crazy or seeing things.
I continued down the dirt path with renewed determination as it narrowed under a canopy of tropical trees. The enclosure consisted of natural foliage and human-made dens surrounding a large pool of water. My eyes searched the enclosure for a weak spot and Zorro, but I couldn’t spot him anywhere. Damn you, camouflage!
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