by Bianca D’Arc
She had taken her turn cooking for those same tables too. Everyone in the Pack chipped in on the labor to keep the Pack house up and running. It was a vital resource for their little community and they’d been amazing to her since allowing her to stay there.
The cougar twitched his tail and jerked his head in invitation to walk with him. She was confident in her own speed and knew she could always outrun him if he turned out to be just another male on the make, so she followed along. They walked through the woods behind the old cabin at a leisurely pace. He stopped once in a while to stretch, rub his fur along the bark of trees and scratch his long claws into them, making deep gouges.
He was marking his new territory, she realized belatedly. He had to be a high-level visitor if they gave him the best guest cabin to stay in. When Serena had arrived, there had been a visiting Alpha from one of the big wolf Packs in the northeastern part of the country staying there. He had left, and then a few days ago her new friend Maggie, Rocky’s human mate, had cleaned the place and prepared it for its next occupant.
Serena hadn’t realized the shifter from Nevada would be staying there, but it seemed logical based on the cougar’s actions. They walked companionably up and down the little hills and valleys created by the stream. He rubbed against her once or twice and she allowed it after an initial moment of unease. She batted at him when he tried to get closer and he seemed to take the rebuke with easy amusement.
And then they came up on one of the deeper holes fed by the stream. The cougar seemed to perk up as he examined the water from the very edge of the pond. There were plenty of fish in there and they seemed to have caught his attention.
When he pounced, landing in the water with a joyful, deadly splash, she could tell he was enjoying himself. His head dipped below the water line for a moment and then came up with a big fish in his mouth. He paddled for a while, then reached an area near the bank where he could stand on his hind legs, the rest of him buoyant in the murky water. His front paws lifted out of the water and he had another, slightly smaller fish in them. He lobbed it toward the bank and it landed at her feet, wriggling. She put one paw on it to prevent it from sliding back down the bank as he trotted out of the pond, tail swishing.
He dropped the fish in his mouth alongside the other one and then walked a few feet away to shake out his coat. Considerate of him, though she still felt a tiny bit of the water spray as he shook himself. She watched the fish, wondering if he was going to chomp on them raw.
Her bobcat didn’t turn its nose up at raw food. In fact, there were times when she preferred to hunt her meals in the forest, but lately she’d been trying to overcome her more primitive desires. She’d been trying very hard to reconnect with her human half. Eating cooked food was one step on that path. She’d been careful not to eat raw meat since coming here and she thought it was helping her on her road to recovery.
But the fish looked good. Really good. Still, she didn’t know if this big male would share his catch with her. His actions seemed to indicate he was offering the smaller fish to her, but she didn’t want to presume.
She was looking at the fish when she felt the unmistakable tingle of shifter magic. The cougar had transformed.
Serena raised her chin and got her first good look at the man who had worn the cougar’s fur. He was a knockout. Hands down. Hot, hot, hot. Even her cat could appreciate his male perfection.
Blond hair on his head and around the part that seemed to perk up under her scrutiny. Oh yeah, he was definitely male. In a very emphatic way.
His body was beautifully honed. Like a sculptor had gone nuts creating the perfect male specimen—a specimen that had muscles in all the right places, including the most impressive six-pack she’d ever seen.
As a shifter, Serena was used to seeing nicely shaped, muscular bodies. Most shifters benefitted from the active lifestyles of their animal halves. Most were in good shape and good looking due to a blessing of genetics. This man, though… He was way beyond her experience.
“Hey there.” His voice was gentle, as if he was aware of her skittishness now that he’d shifted shape. “Do you want to eat this raw or shall I cook it up for us back at the cabin?”
Neither option appealed to her sense of self-preservation. There was a third option though he hadn’t mentioned it. She stared at him, blinking slowly. He’d get the message that she didn’t want to talk when she stayed in her fur.
“I’m Robert Redstone, by the way. You can call me Bob.” He sighed. “I guess you don’t want to talk, eh? That’s all right. I just wanted you to know I enjoyed prowling with you. I’ve never actually met a bobcat before, though people have called me that for years. It started as a joke because my name is Bob and well…I’m a cat.” He shrugged and she couldn’t help but be a little affected by his natural charm. She was getting the idea that this powerful shifter was about as far from the strong, silent type as you could get. That was fine with her. It made him somehow less of a threat, even though he was still way bigger than her. “If you want to stick around and maybe take your human form later,” he went on with a gentle tone of hope in his voice, “I’ll cook up these fish for us.”
She was tempted, but she really couldn’t take the chance. This man was very appealing but it was too soon. She’d only just started to be able to stay in her human form for more than a few days at a time. She’d come here to heal. She hadn’t come here to get involved with the first pretty cat-man that strolled across her path. That could only lead to trouble. And she’d had enough of that for a lifetime.
Serena bent down and took the slightly smaller fish in her teeth, then stood on all four feet. It was a clear sign of refusal he should understand. She looked at him once more.
He shook his head slowly, just once, his expression a bit deflated, but not quite defeated. “Okay then. But the offer stands as long as I’m here. I’d like to see you again, kitten.” His final words were said in a low voice that sent tingles down her spine, but she refused to allow this smooth-tongued devil to make her stray from her chosen course.
With a surge of his magic and a blur of energy, he resumed his cougar shape, taking the larger fish between his teeth once again. Together, they walked back toward the cabin at a leisurely pace. It was as if he didn’t really want their encounter to end, and she had to admit—if only in the privacy of her own mind—neither did she. Not really.
He was the most handsome man she’d ever seen up close and his feline form was impressive, to say the least. His presence impacted her on many levels and made her feel the cold shiver of excitement along with the warm impractical belief that somehow, even though she didn’t really know him at all, she was safe with this man. He exuded confidence and a calming power that made her feel comfortable with him in a way she hadn’t felt comfortable with any male in a very long time. It was something to ponder.
When they reached the short path that led to the front door of his cabin, Bob tossed his fish onto the slightly raised front porch with a quick jerk of his head. His jaws were larger than hers and rather impressive, and he’d already proven he was a good hunter—at least in the water.
Bob paused for a moment to rub his head against hers in a sort of feline farewell that she allowed. She even returned the gesture with somewhat shyer motions. She didn’t want to give him the wrong idea, but she also didn’t want him to think she was either stuck up or angry with him. So she stood and allowed the touch for a moment or two, trying not to skitter away or respond too enthusiastically. Either was a possibility with her unstable emotions in play.
She was rather proud of herself for standing her ground, and when he finally stepped away from her, she was able to leave him with her head held high. Serena scampered away from the cabin and headed toward the building that had become her refuge and salvation, the fish still held in her mouth. She would drop it in the kitchen, then go to her room to dress and then go back down to the kitchen, to fry up the fresh fish that had been the first gift a man had given her in too m
any years to count.
A spontaneous gift that expected nothing in return. It was a beautiful concept. And though a fish wasn’t exactly chocolate or roses, it appealed to the predator in her soul. The strong male had gifted her with the means to survive. Sustenance. It was a basic survival instinct that impressed her inner bobcat with the skill of the male who had been able to provide for her.
Her bobcat liked the cougar, even if he was a different species. Goddess knew, she’d had enough grief and terror from bobcat males to turn her off them permanently. Serena had thought any feline male would be a problem for her going forward, but apparently cougars were just different enough. And this particular cougar male had impressed her both in his fur and with his friendly words and accepting nature when he’d shifted and spoken to her.
Serena padded into the kitchen of the Pack house and dropped her fish on a low platter left out for just such instances. Many within the wolf Pack hunted and delivered their excess to the Pack house, to provide for those that needed the help of their community. The concept of the Pack house was something unique to wolves, but the Lords had welcomed Serena to stay there while she recovered, extending the hospitality of their Pack as well as the wider community of shifters that surrounded them. It was an honor she didn’t take lightly.
Going up the stairs on paws she’d been careful to wipe off on the doormat, Serena stayed in her fur until she entered the room she’d been assigned. It was a suite, really. There was an attached bathroom that was fully stocked with necessities, and even a few frivolous things like bubble bath. Serena had discovered she really loved bubble baths. She took one almost every night, finding they helped her relax enough to sleep in her human form.
With a quick burst of her magic, she shifted to her two-legged version and went into the bathroom. A quick shower was in order. She’d been prowling around in the woods all day and would present herself clean and tidy in the kitchen. It was her turn to help cook anyway. She would be able to prepare her fish just the way she liked it, as well as pitch in with the communal meal. Win-win.
Serena smiled as she dressed a few minutes later, having finished her quick dousing. She paused a moment to savor the feeling. She hadn’t had much to smile about in recent years. It was definitely a nice sensation. She had to believe that the encounter with Bob the cougar had a lot to do with her suddenly positive mood.
It was sort of shocking. A male feline was responsible for her smile. It was something she wouldn’t have believed before meeting the cougar.
A cougar who had admitted, somewhat sheepishly, that his nickname was Bobcat.
Chapter Two
Bob really tried to keep his curiosity to himself the next day when he interacted with one of the Lords’ top lieutenants, but he couldn’t help himself. He was working with the grizzly bear shifter, Rocco Garibaldi. Everyone called him Rocky, he’d said, as Bob started to work on filling in some of the tiny details left out of written reports. All of the recent encounters with Venifucus agents in Las Vegas had been reported up the chain of command to the Lords.
Basically, Bob was here to fill in the blanks that were inevitable in a written account. He was allowing himself to be questioned in minute detail about recent events, starting with his mother’s murder and leading up to the time he’d been dispatched to meet with the Lords.
Bob knew what he’d been in for. His brothers had warned him. He had expected to be grilled, and knew it was for the good of everyone. The Lords and their people needed every little detail—no matter how inconsequential it might seem—to be fully understood and recorded by one of their people. Rocky and several other trusted lieutenants, along with the Lords themselves, were analyzing every shred of data from around the world, piecing together every small clue. They were trying to figure out where the Venifucus might strike next. They were also trying to stop any attacks before more shifters were hurt or killed.
It was a worthy goal and one Bob could really get behind. That’s why he’d agreed to be the one sent here when Grif had asked. His oldest brother and the Alpha of their Clan had given him the choice. Grif had asked Bob to go. He hadn’t ordered him to do it, which he easily could have.
But all three of his older brothers were newly mated and he hadn’t wanted any of them to have to travel, worrying about the safety of their women—all of whom had faced danger of one kind or another in recent months. Those newlyweds deserved a little peace, if at all possible.
Their youngest brother, Matt, could have gone, but he was in the midst of some tricky details on a project he had been supervising since its inception in California. At this particular time, it would have been especially tough to take Matt away from it. The company that was the lifeblood of their Clan needed Matt where he was for now. Others could have been sent, but Bob knew it was important to show proper respect to the Lords. Sending an actual Redstone—one of the brothers and not merely a cousin or something—was a show of good faith.
So Bob had agreed. He’d liked the idea of travel. Cats, in general, liked to roam and he was no exception. He had outfitted his favorite SUV with all sorts of gadgetry and driven the distance from Nevada to Montana, enjoying seeing the sights along the way.
Now that he was there, in Montana, he was glad he’d been the one available for Grif to appoint. The Lords’ domain was like nothing Bob had ever seen. They had an entire mountain to themselves and their people roamed at will through the forest. It was a place like no other, where shifters could just be. No worries about being seen by humans. No hassles of everyday life—at least not that he’d seen.
For Bob, the place was like a holiday camp. He was pretty sure it wasn’t that way for the folks who lived here full-time, but the snug little cabin and idyllic woodland setting sure made Bob feel like he was on vacation. Until the questioning started in earnest.
The first day, Bob worked exclusively with Rocky. They went through half of the older reports the Clan had sent from Las Vegas in the morning, then paused for lunch. Oddly, Rocky escorted Bob to the wolf Pack house, a short distance around the mountain from his home office, to have lunch in the communal dining hall. The gathering was made up mostly of wolves, as Bob had expected, but there were a few other kinds of shifters as well. Rocky introduced him to a couple of the men, but Bob and the bear shifter ate their meal at a small table in the back of the room, away from everyone else.
He realized then that the otherwise friendly grizzly was being cautious, and Bob didn’t blame him. Bob was an unknown—and a strong Alpha in his own right. Sure, he would probably have trouble besting a grizzly of Rocky’s size in a fight, but Bob was experienced enough to be able to do some damage if he had bad intent.
Nobody here really knew him. They didn’t know he was as affable as he seemed. It took a lot to anger Bob, and he didn’t fly off the handle easily. Still, he understood the bear’s caution. Rocky struck him as a very protective sort, which confused Bob for a moment. Why had the bear taken him into the heart of the wolf Pack—the Pack house where the weak and vulnerable were taken in and given places to live while they got back on their feet?
Why had the bear exposed the wolves to a potential threat? He could’ve sent Bob to his cabin to make his own meal. But then Bob would’ve been out of sight. So that meant the bear wanted to keep an eye on him. Why then had they come here to the Pack house, when they could’ve eaten lunch at Rocky’s place? Bob realized Rocky would only have done that if he had something even more precious to guard at home.
A child, most likely. They had been working in Rocky’s office, which was set apart from the rest of the house, but the place was plenty big, with a fenced-off backyard. A young child, then. Still able to be contained by a simple fence. The bear cub probably hadn’t learned to climb yet and wasn’t strong enough to push the fence over. If Bob guessed right and it was Rocky’s child though, it wouldn’t be long before it was a force to be reckoned with, even as a cub. The man was huge, and very, very powerful. His kid would probably be just as formidable.
The Clan had taken a stand, along with the local Vampire Master in Las Vegas, to declare themselves firmly on the side of Light in what they feared was an upcoming show-down with the evil Venifucus. It was important to show the seriousness of their vow to the Lords and let them know that the Redstone Clan and its allies could be counted on if the worst should come to pass.
Bob knew gaining the full trust of these people wouldn’t happen overnight. He’d have to build trust slowly. That’s why he was here for the duration. Grif had told him to stay as long as it took.
When Rocky asked why Grif had chosen to send Bob on this mission during their lunch conversation, it was easy to answer. He used the opportunity to tell the bear shifter a bit about his family.
“My three older brothers are newly mated. Not just Grif, but Steve and Mag too. And the priestess of our Clan mated with your friend Slade,” Bob said between bites of rare roast beef. “There’s a glut of marital bliss in our area right now,” Bob joked. “I’m single and was able to rearrange my work schedule, so it made sense for me to come. The other guys are very protective of their ladies. None of them had what you’d call an easy path to finding their mates.”
“Magnus is the one who mated the vampire, right?” Rocky seemed to be making conversation but Bob was experienced enough to realize the bear knew the answer to his question already. Mag’s unconventional mating was the subject of much conjecture, Bob was sure.