by T. S. Ryder
And now the knocking wouldn't stop and was ruining the moment.
Shifting Rose from his grasp, Devon went to the door. When he opened it, he stiffened. It wasn't Percy on the other side, but rather four cops. His gaze traveled over the blue uniforms and his Panther hissed.
What they were here for was immediately apparent. Apparently, Percy had gotten what he wanted in the parking lot after all. A reason to turn the law against him. It couldn't be more obvious that this was about the punch he'd laid into the human. Devon repressed growl.
"Devon McGullicuddy?"
"Yes."
"We'd like to have a few words with you down at the station."
Rose edged closer, twisting her hands. "Are you arresting him?"
The cop that had been speaking to Devon looked at Rose severely. "Should I be?"
"No!"
Devon turned to her. "Rose, you need to stay with Jamie. Or better yet, take her to a mall or library or something. Maybe get a hotel room. I'll do my best to straighten this out. In the meantime—"
"You want Jamie and me to be safe."
The cops scoffed at that. Devon refused to react. Clearly, Percy had been working his verbal Olympics with these guys and had them convinced that he and Rose were playing a game. If he hadn't warned them that his 'assailant' was going to pull the 'they'll pretend she's in danger' card, they'd be asking Rose what she meant by that, and offering her protection. Something none of them seemed interested in doing.
"Can we stay here until she's ready to go?" he asked, trying to sound civil.
"No."
His Panther reared, yowling, but Devon forced it down. Living in human cities, he had to obey human laws. And as much as he would have liked to just take down all these cops, grab Rose and Jamie and run, he knew in the end that would only be putting them in more danger. The best course of action would be to cooperate and explain what happened. There had to be at least one person who heard his story that was going to be sympathetic to their situation, right?
***
The holding cell was cramped. They always seemed so much bigger in TV shows, but Devon felt like he might as well be in a garbage compacter. If the walls closed in anymore, he might not be able to breathe. He'd never considered himself claustrophobic before, but this place was so small he might as well be trapped in a shower stall.
His Panther growled and snarled in his chest, filling him with so much nervous energy that he couldn't sit still. So he was left pacing the two stride from the door to the bed over and over again.
He was the only one in the cells, so he didn't even have anybody to talk to in order to distract himself from what was happening. The cops had made up their minds about him before he'd even opened his mouth. They had arrested him on assault and were keeping him because they thought he posed a serious threat to Percy.
They showed no concern for Rose or Jamie. They hardly listened to his side of the story. Any of them believing him was out of the question now.
They aren't even going to ask Rose for confirmation. What sort of half-assed justice is this? He couldn’t help but think that this would be much different if he wasn't a shifter. But then maybe it would be the same. Percy was a smooth-tongued snake…
Footsteps came down the tiled floor and Devon returned to the door, peering out. He gripped the bars tightly as Rose came into view. The first thing he noticed was that Jamie wasn't with her, and his heart dropped into his stomach. A cop walked in behind her, though he stopped several feet away and grunted.
"You have five minutes," he said.
Rose rushed to the cell door and reached through the bars to cup Devon's face.
"Where is Jamie?"
"I left her with the receptionist at the clinic. She knows not to leave her alone and I gave her a picture of Percy so she knows not to let him near her."
Devon sighed in relief, reaching through the bars to hold Rose the best he could. She trembled violently, her eyes filling with tears. He wished he could rip apart these bars and take her into his arms. And then maybe go find Percy and rip him apart.
"It's going to be okay," he said with more confidence than he felt. "I'm getting a lawyer, and they're going to have to see the truth. I promise you, everything is going to be okay."
"No. It's not." She shook her head, her words choked off.
His Panther mewed, distressed at seeing his mate in distress. But Devon tried his best to smile for her sake, to exude a confidence that he didn't feel. As long as she was in a hotel, she would be safe, wouldn't she? Percy couldn't possibly find her every place she went to.
"Hey, look at me." Devon tilted her chin up. "I promise. It's going to be okay. Things are a little messy right now, but I'll be out before you know it. And then you and I and Jamie will find a new place to live. We can find a shifter pack to join. We shifters always take care of our own. We'll be safe from that madman."
"Devon… Percy phoned me. He told me that he's going to pursue every charge he can, up to attempted murder."
Devon shook his head. That was ridiculous. But just like him.
"He said that he'll only drop the charges if I go back to him."
"No."
Rose inhaled sharply, clearly fighting the urge to sob. "I looked up other precedents to situations like ours, Devon. The shifter is always convicted. Always."
"Not always."
"The courts are hard on shifters. I don't see another way to get you out of here except to do as he says. And Jamie… what if they take her away from me while you're in here and put her in the foster system?"
"That is not going to happen," Devon said firmly. His arms tightened around Rose, the cell bars cutting into his body as he pressed against them. "Listen to me. I might not be super wealthy, but I can afford a good lawyer. I've already talked to a really good one that specializes in shifter cases, and she's on her way here as we speak."
"But if you're convicted—"
Devon cut her off with a quick kiss. "I won't be. Please, please trust me, Rose. I am not going to go to jail, and I am not going to let anything happen to you or Jamie. I don't care what the precedents are, we're going to create our own precedent."
He felt her relaxing, which helped his own coiled muscles ease as well. He wiped a few tears from her face and kissed her the best he could.
"I do trust you," Rose whispered. "I don't trust the justice system, but I trust you. And I love you, Devon. I know if there is anybody who can do this, it's you."
Devon breathed a sigh of relief. He had convinced her. If she hadn't added the last part, he'd be afraid that she would still go and do something that couldn’t be taken back, but he had won her over. Now, even though he wasn't certain that he could beat this charge, at least he knew she would be safe.
"Did you get a hotel room?"
She nodded. "I did. And I rented a new car so he can't follow me. I'm having it driven to the clinic, and I've stashed some clothes there to change into so that if he is watching me I can throw him off the trail."
"Good."
The cop stepped towards them. "Five minutes are up."
Devon glared at him but focused on Rose again. "I love you."
"I love you, too." She kissed him once more before she left, shoulders shaking. She stopped once to turn back and smile at him. When she did, he saw tears cascading down her face again.
Two hours later, the cops came back to Devon and opened the cell door.
He frowned as they told him he was free to leave. "What do you mean? I thought I was a 'risk' to the safety of the human that's been stalking and harassing my mate."
"Percy Jenkins dropped the charges against you. Apparently, he had a nice chat with that woman and they've got it all sorted out. But you'd better get out of here before I find something else to book you with. Violent shifters like you—"
Devon didn't wait to hear the rest of the cop's tirade. He hurriedly gathered his things and ran from the station. He quickly called Rose. No answer. Terror pounded through his he
art. What had she done? What had Percy driven her to?
His stomach churned and his head spun. He called again and again as he raced towards the clinic. His car had been impounded. He didn't have his wallet–no money for a taxi or a bus.
"Pick up," he begged.
A ding told him he'd received a text. Panting, he stopped running to look at it. It was from Rose.
This is the way it has to be. I'm sorry. I left Jamie at the clinic. I love you.
"No." Devon dug his hands into his hair, looking around wildly as though there would be something in the busy streets that would tell him which way she had gone, where that beast had taken her.
The hotel room.
If she had used his credit card, then maybe he'd be able to find it. He phoned her again, hoping against hope that she would answer and tell him it was all a mistake, that she was coming home and Percy would leave them alone.
It went straight to voicemail.
Chapter Nine – Rose
What made her the sickest was that Percy had decided that their 'reunion' would take place at the hotel she booked to get away from him. He was even going to charge their meal at the restaurant attached to the hotel to their room. Devon was going to have to pay for it all.
She emptied her glass of wine, hand trembling. "Why are you doing this?"
"Doing what?" Percy asked–or more rightly, snarled. "Taking you out to dinner? Accepting you back after the way you treated me?"
"Blackmailing me into coming back to you," she replied, her own voice terse. "Stalking me. You never cared about me before, so why did you all of a sudden decide that you just couldn't live without me? Why go through all this effort to make me be with you?"
"Blackmail. That's such a nasty word. And how dare you say I never cared about you? Would I have followed you across the country if I didn't care?"
Rose stared back at him stonily.
"Fine. If that's how you want to do this. I have cancer. A brain tumor, to be precise. All I want from my last few years on this Earth is to be with you. And I am not going to die by myself."
A shiver ran down Rose's spine. She didn't even want to know what he meant by that. But cancer? It had to be just another one of his lies.
Percy held his hand to her. When she didn't move, he narrowed his eyes. "Rose, you're mine. You promised me you'd always be mine and never have anybody else. If I'm 'forcing' you to do anything, it's forcing you to keep your promise."
"And what about your promises? You've broken plenty of those."
"Just order, I'm hungry."
Rose glanced at the menu. Was she even going to be able to keep anything down? But she knew what was waiting for her once they got back to the hotel room, and that made her feel even sicker. So what on this menu would take the longest to cook?
The server came over to them. "Ready to order?"
"No," Rose said, but Percy nodded.
"We'll have a garden salad and salmon for her, and one of these delicious-looking cheesy-bacon hamburgers for me. Oh, and can you top up our wine?"
Rose clenched her hands as she glared at Percy. She waited for the server to leave before she spoke, her voice a hiss. "Salad and salmon? You know I hate fish."
"Do you?" Percy shrugged. "Well, you'll get used to it. I love you, but you need to lose weight. You must have gained fifty pounds since I last saw you."
"Twenty-five," Rose automatically replied.
"Still too much. Gonna have to slim you down."
Percy picked up the little menu that held desserts and started browsing through them. Rose sat rigidly as she watched him, her hands balls on her lap. It was starting again. Already he was starting to control her, what she did, what she ate, and she was already trying to mitigate it rather than stand up for herself.
Not that she could actually stand up for herself. If she didn't do as he wanted, what would he do against Devon and Jamie? If she had her cell phone, she could try to catch him saying something damning on it, but that was the first thing he had taken from her.
"I've decided we're going to have a baby," Percy announced. "Since you seem to like babies so much. That will be exciting, won't it? To have our little boy running around. I guess I'll have to suffer through your pregnancy, but—"
"There is no way I would ever have your child," Rose said bluntly. "You are a disgusting, horrible person. I am not going to live in your cage, and I will certainly never let any of my children grow up with somebody like you as their father. I don't care who you think you are, Percy, but you do not control me. I'm going to get a lawyer, and you are going to go to jail."
She jumped to her feet, giving him one last glare as she turned to go. Percy hissed behind her, but she ignored him. She still had her car rental–she'd go to Devon, and they'd get out of the city. It didn't matter where they went, as long as they were together and away from this man.
As she walked into the lobby, she stopped dead. Devon was there, leaning on the front desk as he loomed over the desk clerk. Anger was written in all of his features, but her heart pounded with joy. With a cry, Rose ran forward towards him. Devon turned at the sound. He clasped her into his arms and swung her around.
"Are you okay?" he asked, cupping her face. He pressed kisses to her face so wildly she could hardly respond.
"Yes. Yes, I'm okay. Where's Jamie?"
"Cheri took her home while I looked for you."
Rose wanted to just keep holding him, but she knew they had to leave before Percy called the cops on them again or provoked Devon into attacking him. "Come on. Let's go."
Devon nodded. He clutched her hand and they headed for the main doors. But before they got there, Percy blocked their path. He glared at Rose, his handsome features twisted horribly. Rose shied back from him automatically. She had never seen him this angry before…
"You're not going anywhere," Percy snarled. "Certainly not with a beast. You are coming with me back upstairs, and we're going to have a baby."
"I'd rather die," she shot back. "Now get out of our way or—"
"Or what?" Percy reached underneath his suit jacket.
Rose gasped, drawing back as he pulled out a gun. He pointed it at the two of them. Someone shouted at the desk clerk to call the police, but Rose's gaze was locked on the gun. Percy held it in both hands, aiming directly for her. She couldn't even breathe, locked into place.
"You belong to me," he said, inching forward. "Now come along, Rose. You know that I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't love you. Leave the beast and come with me, and nobody has to get hurt."
She never thought he would go this far. Her veins were ice, adrenaline flooding her. How could something so small elicit so much fear?
"She's not going anywhere," Devon growled. He stepped forward.
Crack! Screams echoed around the lobby, louder than the aftereffects of the gunshot. There was a sharp thudding noise. Devon stumbled back, clutching his chest. He fell as a stream of red spurted from his body. Rose screamed. She dropped to her knees beside him and pushed both of her hands over the well of blood. The only thought in her head was that she couldn't let Devon bleed to death.
"Get out of here," Percy shouted, waving his gun at the other hotel patrons. "Get out!"
"Run," Devon whispered. "I'll heal. I'm a shifter. It takes more than a bullet to kill me. But he'll come after you next, you have to run."
Rose shook her head.
"For Jamie."
Her heart lurched. The thought of Jamie's sweet, smiling face being contorted with tears as she was held by a stranger who didn't know her tore at her. Even though tears filled her eyes, she pulled away from Devon and scrambled to her feet.
The movement brought Percy's attention back to her. He pointed the gun at her, teeth bared as he inched forward. Any trace of attractiveness his face once had was gone, his eyes lit with horrific fury. Rose held up her bloody hands, her mind dashing around wildly. What could she say to talk him down? Had he planned to kill her up in the hotel room?
; "This is all your fault!" Percy shouted. "If you had just done as I told you to do, none of this would have happened. Does it make you feel powerful, huh? To drive a man to his breaking point, until his only course of action is to kill people?"
"Percy—"
"No, you don't get to talk." His hands steadied as he leveled the gun with her head. "This is your fault and you'll have to live with it for the rest of your life."
He shifted the gun to her left and fired. She turned to see the desk clerk go down with a cry. Rose screamed as he started shooting at others in the room–and then the walls shook with a roar.
Devon lurched to his feet. His sleek black fur gleamed as he shifted, his form turning to a giant cat's. He dashed forward. Percy aimed his gun at the Panther, but with one swipe Devon threw him back against the wall.
Percy rose the gun again as Devon jumped down on him. Every crack of the gun reverberated in Rose's chest. Devon snarled as he attacked the human with claws and teeth. He picked up Percy and shook him roughly. Blood spurted, spraying against the walls and floors. Rose stepped forward, reaching out for Devon though she knew she could do nothing.
"This is your fault," Percy shouted for the last time.
As Devon pulled back and went after the arm that held the gun, Percy turned it. Instead of aiming towards Devon's huge, muscly body, he pressed it against his own chin. Rose screamed. Devon's paw swiped at the gun.
It was too late. One last shot and Percy was still.
Devon backed away from the body. He turned towards Rose, jaw hanging loose. Giant blobs of blood poured from his body, matting his black fur. Rose ran for him. He shifted and caught her as she got to him. Her hands danced over his torso, going from one wound to the next, desperately trying to stop all the bleeding.
"Police," he grunted. "Call the police."
"But—"
"I'll heal."
He managed a small smile at her, which she responded to with a small smile of her own. Stumbling, she ran over to the desk. The clerk huddled on the other side, phone clutched in her hand. She appeared to be uninjured.