Austin turned to greet the man who approached. He wore jeans and a black suit jacket, designer by the looks of it. He slipped his dark shades off once he entered the darkness of the bar.
Chase stood and extended his hand. “Logan,” he said.
“Good to see you again, Chase.” The man spoke in a cool, clipped voice. Yeah, he’s definitely from the city, Austin mused. Chase glanced his way, silencing the thought with an arch of his eyebrow. Logan took a seat at the table gesturing for the server.
“So what have we got going on here?” Logan asked. “How are things in Burning Falls?”
Chase glances towards Austin before he begins, as if confirming what he was about to say. “There’s been several challenges on the territory in Burning Falls,” Chase began.
Logan leaned forward. “Challenging the Kon-Mar on your own territory?”
“Yes.”
“Wow. Okay you were right to call me. There’s been similar things happening all over the East Coast. Someone is looking for something, and it definitely has to do with the Kon-Mar.”
“Austin, why don’t you tell him what you told me about the Talismans. You can speak freely with Logan. Everything you say is protected under the laws of the SCI.”
“Yeah. Of course,” Austin replied. “I guess it started when there was a break in at the library.”
“The library?” Logan asked.
“Our librarian is a bit of a historian, you could say. She knows a great deal about our town and the land here. The part of the library that got broken into had a number of ancient texts. That’s what they were after. One specific text.”
“What was documented on this text?”
“It’s taken me some research to figure it out, but once I cross referenced the contents of the ancient text with some more modern sources, I’m led to believe they were seeking more information about these talismans.”
“Talisman?” Logan leaned back, tapping his fingers against his chin.
Austin continued. “Apparently, there are seven of them each specific to the types of shifters which exist in the world. According to one of the sources, whoever possesses all of the amulets gains the ability to rule all shifters.”
“Okay. Yeah. That’s reason for concern. One thing we need to consider is whether or not this ‘Lisa’ can be trusted. I’m assuming she is not a shifter, based on what you’ve told me.”
“That’s correct,” Chase replied. “She comes from another branch of magic.”
“How does she know of our kind if she herself is not a shifter?” Logan said as his eyebrows knitted together. “One of the main tenets of the Kon-Mar is to keep the identity of shifters secret.”
Chase and Austin exchanged a glance. Immediately, Austin thought about all the citizens of Burning Falls. The majority of them were ordinary people, going about their days, working at their jobs, coming home to their families. But a very few of them were part of the inner circle.
He thought about Lisa and Eloise, and the other members of the Sisterhood. Perhaps more importantly, his mind raced towards thoughts of Janet, an ordinary human. Logan was right about the tenets of the Kon-Mar. None outside of shifter kind was supposed to know about them. Austin had always thought that rule was an archaic throw back. Everyone in their circle, at least, could be trusted implicitly.
“You can rest assured,” Chase said. “Lisa Sanchez is trustworthy. She does not speak of these things to anyone other than myself and the pack members.”
“I do not doubt her intentions,” Logan said. “And I trust you as the alpha to keep the situation in hand. However, the very knowledge of shifters is not for ordinary humans to comprehend.”
Chase took another swig of his beer, eyeing Logan with some amount of skepticism. Austin figured his thoughts were on Cindy. Of course, the jury was still out on her status after what happened at Max’s last summer. The very presence of Cindy certainly muddied the waters as far as the Kon Mar was concerned.
They spent the remainder of the evening going over the details of the recent events. Chase filled him in on what had happened in the last few years, the real estate land grab, the film students. All of it. Logan took it all in, occasionally asking questions for clarification. The only thing Austin could think about was what would happen to Janet if Logan found out about her.
They left about an hour later. Logan and Chase heading back to the apartment. Austin made his way back to his house, fully expecting to find Janet puttering around the kitchen, perhaps preparing the meals for the following week. He noticed she had never once settled on the couch again, since… Well.
She turned and smiled when he walked in, greeting him from the kitchen. “Hello,” she chirped, immediately picking up her purse to leave. “The kids had a great day today. I took them to the pool.”
“Janet,” he said as he entered the kitchen. He stayed close to the door leading to the hallway, not wanting her to feel as if he were crowding her.
“I’ll be back in tomorrow to get them off to school.”
“Janet, wait,” he said.
She paused at the back door, turning back to him. “Please don’t,” she said with wide, pleading eyes.
“Can we just talk?” he asked. “We need to talk about it.”
She sighed and put her purse down. “Yes, alright.”
“Look,” Austin said. “It may not be safe for you here anymore. You might need to call the agency and have them relocate you.”
“You don’t want me to be here anymore?” Janet said with a near panic in her voice. “Have I done something wrong?”
“No, no, not at all,” he murmured. “Don’t think that for a second.”
“Then what is it?” She crossed her arms in front of her. Austin could only look at her, her pale cheeks flushed pink, obviously angry and confused. The children had bonded with her and she with them. That much was clear. Besides, her being a human working in a shifter specific industry already put her in a precarious situation. He decided in that moment, it was up to him to protect her. From Logan, from the agency, from anything that might cause her harm in any way.
“Janet,” he said, her name a balm upon his lips. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. Of course, I don’t want you to go.”
She exhaled, her arms loosening just a bit, but her lips pressed together as he continued to speak.
Austin continued. “I didn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable, and I should have stopped what happened that night--”
“I could have stopped you,” Janet snapped.
“What?”
“I could have stopped you if I really wanted to,” she said again. “I knew what I was doing. I knew full well I could lose my job if the agency ever found out. I knew that, but I still wanted you.” She lowered her arms, but her expression looked pained.
He understood her frustration then, crossing the room and taking her in his arms. She fell into him, tears streaming down her cheeks. He held her face, kissing her lips, kissing away her tears, brushing his fingertips across her cheeks. She clutched against him, leaning into his chest.
“I don’t want to stay away from you anymore,” he murmured into her hair.
“No, of course not,” she replied as she returned his kisses. “But we still can’t tell anyone. Especially not the kids.”
“I know,” he whispered. “I know that.” He clung to her, and she to him. Kisses led to desire, and desire led them down the hallway, up the stairs and into his bedroom, this time without a care in the world except for each other.
Chapter Nine
“So, what is this going to be like some kind of ‘council picnic’?” Max said. Chase had offered him a standing invitation to their poker games, and this was one of the rare times he was able to attend. He peered over his cards at the others, considering the information Chase had given him.
“Yes, a picnic,” Chase said. “With Logan staying in Burning Falls, I think it’s a good idea to get everyone together, sort of a welcome par
ty for Logan.”
“Why not,” Austin interjected. “I think it’s a good idea for all of us to get together either way, and it wouldn’t hurt to compare notes. We each have bits of information which could make sense if we put it all together.” Austin had not told the others about his exchange with Eloise. His feelings about Janet had also been revealed during that time, and he did not want them to read it beneath the surface. It was best for him to avoid talking about that conversation.
Max nodded, placing a card down to swap out. “So I suppose we should have it at my place, right? Since I’ve got the land and the space.”
“Would you mind?” Chase said with a grin. “You’ve got a great place. It would really win over Logan with his big city ideals. We could show him some real small town charm.”
“I suppose so,” Max nodded. “Okay, I’m down with that. Will the librarian be there?”
“You mean, Lisa?” Jackson asked with a half grin.
Max shrugged. “Why not?”
“I’m sure,” Chase replied. “She is an important part of our circle after all.”
In the following week, Austin and Janet kept their affair hidden as well as they could. He started joining the children for breakfast, seeing them out the door for school, before stealing kisses from Janet as soon as the door closed.
She had never smiled more than she did within that week. The six month review was approaching. As long as she could pass the review, she could accept the post for the following two years. She did not think much more about the book and photograph she had found in her apartment, nor did she mention them to Austin. As long as they were around the children, they stayed completely platonic and professional. As far as either of them could tell, Bonnie and Dillon were none the wiser. Janet could tell they were just happy to have him around more.
“I’d love to stay,” he said one morning after the school bus pulled away. “But I’ve got a lot of things to do today. I’ve got to head out.”
“Lots of ‘top secret shifter business’?” Janet replied playfully.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” he snapped.
She recoiled with some surprise at his response. “I’m just… I mean… Is something going on?”
“I’m sorry, Janet.” He sank down onto the couch. “I shouldn’t have snapped at you. Yes, there’s quite a bit going on actually.”
“You know, you can tell me about it. You can always talk to me.” She scooted down next to him, wiggling her way under his arm.
“That’s just it,” he said stroking her hair. “I can’t. There are certain rules.”
“Oh really?” She propped up, her elbow on the back of the couch. “And what are these rules, Mr. Bradford?”
His smile twitched at the formal endearment, glancing her way, momentarily lost in her beauty. “We’re not supposed to be doing this, for one. Not just because of your job, but also because of mine.”
“Oh?” This time her question was in earnest.
“There are rules for shifters. We’re not supposed to… ‘mingle’ with non-shifters. It’s an ancient rule. Most of us consider it out-dated, maybe more of a guideline than an actual rule. But apparently there are still some who hold to it.”
“What happens if they find out?”
“I’m not entirely sure. I don’t think anything would happen to you really. I’d be in trouble though, if they followed the ancient laws. Apparently, I’d be ‘banished from the tribe’. Like I said, these rules are quite antiquated.”
“Apparently so,” she giggled.
“These laws were written back when tribes were separated by physical proximity. Being banished meant one no longer had the protection of running with a pack. It’s not like that anymore. Now we have cars and cell phones and internet.”
“So,” Janet leaned back and crossed her arms. “Since these laws are so antiquated, why can’t you tell me about what’s going on?”
He brushed kissed her lightly and whispered, “Because I don’t want anything to happen to you. The less you know, the safer you are.”
Janet paused before she spoke again. “Is that what happened to your wife?” she asked softly.
He pulled away. “What do you know about my wife?”
“Not much at all. I’d like to know, though. She’s an important part of your life. I’d just like to--”
He stood up and paced the room, obviously agitated. “I’d rather not talk about her, if it’s all the same, Janet. I’m not quite ready to do that.”
“Of course. No, I didn’t mean--”
“I should go,” he said. “I’ve got a lot to do.” He disappeared out the door.
Janet sat there feeling quite ridiculous. She should not have mentioned his wife so soon in their relationship. Of course he was not ready. She did not like the idea that she had pressed him, and feared that this would drive a wedge between them. She pushed the idea out of her mind, focusing on her duties for the day and preparing for the children to return from school.
* * * *
Austin had considered inviting Janet to the picnic. He thought it might be nice to bring Bonnie and Dillon. Being able to spend more time with them had been nice. He also knew that Janet’s six month review was approaching. As much as he liked what was going on between them, he knew they had to keep it quiet, at least until she passed the review. He desperately wanted to tell Janet about Sarah, but he still felt responsible for her leaving. The truth was she had not been able to handle him being a shifter, especially when she realized she too had shifter abilities. The memories of his wife pained him, but perhaps what pained him more was the idea that the children blamed him. Dillon was an infant when Sarah left, but Bonnie still remembered their mother, if only distantly.
Before Janet came to take care of them, Bonnie had asked him about their mother. He had done his very best to answer her questions.
“Do you think she remembers us?” Bonnie asked as he tucked her into bed one night. The wide eyes of his daughter cut him straight to the core.
“I think so, Buttercup,” he answered.
“Why didn’t she come back then? Does she not love us anymore?”
“Bonnie,” he whispered. “There’s no one in the world who wouldn’t love you.”
Austin knew Bonnie had no closure on the absence of her mother. Perhaps his children would think he had betrayed their mother if they thought he was with someone else. And now he had to deal with Logan and his literal interpretation of the ancient laws. He would need to tread carefully moving forward.
He headed to the forest. He needed to blow off some steam. The problem with Janet was, she had awakened within him the desire to connect with a mate, a partner. The season had long since come and gone when he had married Sarah, but he had said goodbye to her. She was no longer part of their life.
Once he cleared the edge of town, he looked around to ensure his solitude, before he shifted. He had started taking low doses of elderberry to prevent the trauma of shifting to his body. It only took him a moment to explode into his bear form. Once he had done so, he relished in the feeling of freedom which came with the transition.
He ran through the forest, galloping on all fours the tree branches clawing at his fur as he ran. He decided to head up the mountainside and circle back to the falls, the long way. The pine scented air brought him away from his troubles in his human life. As a bear, all he felt compelled to think about was survival. Water, food, animal pleasure. That’s all, nothing more. He broke through the tree line, reveling in the field wide open before him. As he felt sure he was perfectly alone, he took advantage of the field, rolling over onto his back, scratching against the ground with an enthusiasm he only reserved for his animal self.
He sensed their presence through a combination of sound and scent. A human, or several, approached from a lower on the mountainside. If they saw him, they would see nothing more than an ordinary bear. Regardless, he retreated to the tree line to see what he could.
They emerged from the
far side of the meadow, first the girl. He recognized her as the film student who had tried to collect interviews for a documentary some time back. She wore cut off shorts, a tank top, and a small backpack. Behind her emerged a few others, a woman with similar clothing, obviously dressed for the outdoors. The two paused and spoke for a few seconds before they pulled off their backpacks and began to set up camp.
Austin was just about to retreat further into the trees to circle around and return to town, but before he could, more movement caught his attention from the far side of the field. To his surprise another person appeared, Mr. Briggs the owner of the grocery store in the center of town. Nearly everyone in Burning Falls knew Mr. Briggs as the friendly grocer, down to earth and personable, always with a friendly smile while bagging groceries. He had always admired the man for being humble enough to continue working even though he owned the business.
What’s he doing here? Austin wondered. The man huffed and puffed, clearly not used to a day hike up the mountainside.
The younger woman continued to pick through the tent poles, sticking ends together and unfolding the canvas. The older woman approached Mr. Briggs. They shook hands and greeted each other. She appeared calm and cool. He however, carried an obvious scowl on his face, continuing to look over his shoulder.
“No one followed you,” the woman said. “You can relax.”
“How do you know that?” Mr. Briggs snapped.
“I know,” she replied evenly.
Austin knew this as well. His heightened animal senses confirmed they were the only humans in a five mile radius. She must be a shifter then, he figured. He crouched lower into the flora of the landscape, ensuring that if anyone glanced his way they would see nothing more than a shadow.
“Well, do you have it?” she said.
“Yes, yes. Of course,” Mr. Briggs replied. He reached into his backpack and pulled out a fat yellow envelope which he handed to the woman.
“If there’s anything here, we’ll find it,” she said as she handed the envelope to the girl.
“You had better,” Mr. Briggs said, his scowl deepening. “We wouldn’t have to do all this cloak and dagger if this had been taken care of back in Afghanistan.”
Nanny to the Bear (Burning Falls Shifters Book 4) Page 6