by Bianca D’Arc
She paused, swallowing reflexively, as if talking about the past was hard for her. “My adoptive father was one of them. Steel helped me get away from him and dropped me off here. Well…he dropped me at the base of the mountain. He never came into the Lord’s actual territory. It was sort of a scoop and drop.”
“Am I right in thinking that Steel found you through Jezza?” Rocky asked.
“The jaguar?” Serena nodded. “Yes, he mentioned Jezza, but I wasn’t sure what their connection was. Jezza is kind of a ghost to my people, though he was nice to me the few times we crossed paths. He never came around when my adoptive parents were at the homestead. I got the feeling that was on purpose.”
“Serena honey, I wouldn’t betray your confidences for the world, but there are some things Bob here needs to know about the Cascade Clan—particularly the group up near Mount Baker.”
“The drugs, you mean?” Serena went from timid to disgusted in the blink of an eye. “The Cascade Mountains run from Canada down to California and include several active volcanoes and other geological features,” she told Bob. “Lots of rugged country with different groups of shifters that run certain territories. My adoptive parents—Lizzy and Jack—moved into the region near Mount Baker a year or two after adopting me. For all his faults, Jack is a strong son of a bitch. After a pretty spectacular dominance fight with one of the locals, the Alpha made him a lieutenant. That’s about the same time they started running drugs across the border for a big cartel. The Clan makes money doing it, but the real profit goes to the humans who forced them into it. Though I don’t know how hard they really had to be forced. Some of those bastards are the type to do anything for a quick buck.”
Her bitterness came through in her tone, and Bob didn’t blame her one bit. Drugs were bad news. And the thugs who ran them were known to be brutal.
“My adoptive parents joined right in when they saw there was money to be made. They even wanted me to do runs across the border with sacks of heroin and cocaine when I was old enough. I refused. They beat the crap out of me. I healed and it started all over in a vicious cycle. It got worse when some of the couriers started to disappear. Others were caught by the DEA after having been maneuvered into position by a cunning predator. Nobody was really sure what was going on, but the whole Clan got spooked. Not enough to stop breaking the law, but enough to start sending out armed parties hunting whoever it was that was making their drug running business so difficult.”
“You have your suspicions about who was doing it, right?” Rocky asked with a gentle, knowing lift of his lips.
“It had to be Jezza,” she admitted quietly. “Nobody else really knew he was around—especially not anyone involved in the drug trade—but he showed himself to a few people, including me. He helped us where he could. And in my case, he arranged for Ben Steel to get me out of the region. We all knew I wouldn’t be safe anywhere within the Cascades. The Clan is relatively small, but spread out over three states and two countries. There’s a lot of money flowing through the Clan now too, with all the drugs. So they have a very long reach. My adoptive parents are stubborn people and Jack has risen in the ranks to one of the top positions of power. He’s probably the heir apparent by now,” she frowned at the thought. “My continued disobedience became an obsession with him. He tried to break me more than once. He’s just sadistic enough to drag me back and keep trying. Which is why I sought sanctuary with the Lords. Now that I have their protection, Jack can’t touch me without bringing down their wrath on his dishonest head.”
Bob detected more than a hint of satisfaction in her voice. He was proud of the way she had bounced back from what had to have been a horrible ordeal. No wonder Rocky had been so protective of her. And no wonder she’d been so shy at first. She’d been through a hell of a lot in her time.
Chapter Five
“Thank you, Serena,” Rocky said in a respectful tone. “You know I wouldn’t have asked you to talk about this if it wasn’t important.”
“Are you going to try to stop them?” She looked stronger than Bob had expected. Serena was finding her backbone and he felt inexplicably proud of her.
Rocky looked from her to Bob and back again, his expression tight. Bob knew he couldn’t tell her too much about what they’d been discussing before she had come in. As a general rule of thumb, the fewer who knew about a plan, the better. But it was a tough call in her case. Her life had been turned upside down by the people in her past and she was still healing. Perhaps knowing that the Lords and their lieutenants were not ignoring the situation would help her heal faster. Bob was hoping Rocky would give her at least that reassurance.
“We haven’t decided what we’re going to do yet,” Rocky said finally. “We think Jezza might be in trouble and we’ll do our best to warn him—though as you say, he’s a hard man to track down.”
“Have you tried the caves up on the eastern ridge near Mt. Baker? Or the old mine on the southern slope of Eagle Peak? Or the old ghost town in the valley?” Serena seemed eager to help them track the elusive soldier-shaman.
“Tell you what,” Rocky said, shuffling through the papers on his desk until he found a folded map. He handed it to her and she accepted it with a curious expression on her face as she turned it around and looked at it. “Mark up the areas you think we should search, and give them rankings. Number one is your most likely place for him to be, then work your way up from there. Take some time. Think about it overnight. Mark up the map and give it back to me tomorrow. Meanwhile, we’re prepping a team to go in and look for him. Any locations you can give us to search would be a great help.”
Serena looked determined and Bob was glad Rocky had given her a task. Having something to do that could actually help would make her feel useful and possibly help keep her mind off the bad times in her past.
“I think he has a sat phone,” Serena volunteered.
“I’ve heard that before, but nobody seems to know his number,” Rocky said with a bit of his frustration showing. “I’ve called all around the country to people who might’ve had reason to have his digits, but no dice. And the numbers in my file on him are disconnected with no forwarding. He’s off the grid.”
“Then you really do have to find him the old fashioned way,” Bob surmised.
Rocky nodded, shuffling his papers together into a neat stack on his desk. “I think that’s all for today. I’ve got a meeting, so you’re on your own for dinner, Bob. They’ll welcome you at the Pack house as long as you’re here, or you can make your own meals down at the cabin. Your choice.”
Bob didn’t reply as he rose from his chair. Serena was getting up too and Bob planned to leave with her. Rocky didn’t need to know Bob’s plan to coax Serena into sharing the evening meal, though the grizzly shifter probably already guessed.
They said goodbye to Rocky and Bob ushered Serena out into the late afternoon sun. It was a little early for dinner, but the time would roll around soon enough. He might as well ask her…
“I don’t suppose you’d like to have dinner with me?” Bob asked as they walked slowly along the path that led from Rocky’s home down to the road. “Maybe at the Pack house?” A nice, neutral, public location ought to make her feel secure.
Serena seemed to think about it for a moment before replying. “We can start there, but if you’ll trust me a bit, I know a place that I think you might enjoy.”
“Like a picnic?” Bob liked the way her eyes sparkled, even though she seemed uncertain, and he was surprised that she’d venture out of the comfort zone of the Pack house. Maybe she was a little less fragile than he’d thought. He’d wait and see—and treat her as gently as possible. The very last thing he wanted to do was frighten her off.
“Yeah. I guess you could call it a picnic. Sort of.” She looked down at her feet, but she hadn’t rescinded the invitation and he wasn’t fool enough to say no.
“Then I put myself in your hands,” Bob said gallantly, playing along. “How about I meet you at the Pack house in
a half hour? Is that a good time?”
Bob would have liked to go with her immediately, but he had to secure his laptop back at the cabin and freshen up a bit. A male didn’t go courting a lady without taking care with his appearance. Bob might share his soul with an animal, but his animal was a cougar, and even big cats occasionally prided themselves on how well-groomed they were. A little spiffing up was in order after spending all day working in the bear’s den.
Serena practically skipped all the way back to the Pack house. She had a dinner date with the cougar. She wasn’t sure if she was ready for such a big step, but the more she was around him, the more comfortable she felt with him. That had to be a good sign.
And the talk she’d had with the High Priestess had gone a long way toward helping her realize that she was no longer the injured, abused bobcat she’d been when she had arrived here. No, she had come a long, long way since then. She was able to stay in her human form a lot longer than anyone realized. In fact, she really didn’t have a problem staying human anymore, though nobody but Bettina seemed to notice. Serena just enjoyed prowling in her fur. The freedom to be herself in a safe environment was pretty intoxicating.
“Someone looks happy.” Bettina’s musical voice broke through Serena’s jumbled thoughts as she climbed the stairs to the wide front porch of the Pack house.
Serena looked to her right and saw the ethereal High Priestess sitting in one of the rocking chairs in one corner, lighting the whole area with her presence. There was something incredibly magical about the older woman and Serena really liked being around her.
“Do I?” Serena smiled as she walked over to the High Priestess and perched on the porch rail facing her.
“You have the decided look of a cat who is about to be let loose in a cage full of canaries. Both excited and a little apprehensive. What’s going on?” Bettina’s kind voice invited confidences.
“I’m having dinner with Bob.” Serena couldn’t help the silly grin she just knew was spread all over her face.
Bettina smiled brightly and leaned forward, patting Serena’s hand. “Good for you.” Bettina’s approval meant a lot to Serena. “What are you going to wear?”
Serena felt her heart speed up. She hadn’t thought about it. She hadn’t gotten past the happy feeling that had filled her when Bob had asked her to have dinner with him.
Bettina stood up and took Serena’s hand as she turned them both toward the front door. “Come on. I’ll help you pick something out. I know how you cats like to look your best. Let’s find something that will knock his socks off without looking too eager. You have to make him work a little bit for your favor.”
Serena felt better having the High Priestess’s help. They went up to her room and proceeded to raid her closet. Once they’d settled on a nice outfit, Bettina left Serena alone to dress with a motherly hug and a whispered “Good luck. You’re a lot stronger than you think you are. It’s about time for you to roar.”
Bob arrived at the Pack house just as dinner began to be put on the big buffet tables in the dining room. Serena met him on the wide front porch with a shy smile. She had changed into a skirt and looked pretty and feminine. He felt like purring, knowing that her inner cat had dressed up for him, as he had for her. Bob took it as a good sign.
“You look nice,” he said softly, wanting to say more but afraid to scare her off. In fact, she looked gorgeous. Sexy, yet innocent at the same time. And absolutely delicious.
“Thanks,” she replied with another of those shy little smiles that so enchanted him. “So do you.” A slight blush touched her high cheekbones as she looked down at her hands.
They walked into the house and down the hall toward the big dining room together. It was a buffet-style setup tonight, so they were able to pick a few things and pack them to go. Bob let Serena do all the choosing while he stood beside her and took the packages out of her hands as she filled them.
The Pack house seemed to have all sorts of supplies for those who wanted to take their meal to go. Bob snagged a paper shopping bag to place the smaller containers in and Serena carried the drinks as they left the dining room together, heading outdoors. She seemed in a playful mood as they walked along, moving into the twilight of the forest behind the building.
They’d gone uphill for a few minutes when she turned down a game path to the left, into an area of the mountain that Bob hadn’t yet seen. They had kept him pretty close to the immediate area around the bear shifter’s home since he’d arrived. Bob assumed he would be allowed to see more of the Lords’ territory once Rocky delivered his decision on Bob’s character. It made sense to be cautious. The Lords were the most important shifters in all of North America.
They were shifter royalty, though the were, as a group, didn’t go in for crowns and such. No, the were left that sort of stuff to the fancier animals. The more exotic big cats had all sorts of monarchs, from what Bob had heard, modeling their society after the politics of Renaissance Europe. Were were simpler folk. They let the Mother of All show them who was meant to lead and it didn’t matter what family or bloodline they came from. If the Goddess chose them, they were the leaders. End of story.
Serena led the way toward what Bob could now hear, sounded like rushing water. They rounded a thicket of bushes and there in front of them was a gorgeous little waterfall and pool surrounded by big, flat stones. One was large enough for them both to sit on and still have room for the food containers.
“This is nice,” Bob said, loving the fine mist of humidity in the air, even though the night was coming on and the mountain air was cooling. It was so different here from the desert. So lush and loamy.
“There are a few spots like this around the mountain, some bigger, some even smaller, but this one is my favorite. It’s also the most convenient to the Pack house. I come up here a lot.” She led the way to a big, flat rock at the water’s edge.
They sat in the last few rays of the setting sun and ate their picnic dinner enjoying the peace of the waterfall and stream. Bob felt comfortable with Serena. A little bit of the edginess that had never quite left him since the murder of his mother seemed to fall away with the rushing of the water—and Serena’s calm presence at his side. There was something about her that placated his pacing cougar. Something that made the cat want to purr.
The thought was startling. There were stories about cat shifters purring in their human form. It was said that the one who could make the cougar purr while it was trapped inside the human body was the shifter’s true mate. A rare and wondrous thing.
Three of Bob’s brothers had found such magic recently. They had mated with women who made his older brothers happier than Bob had ever seen them. It was nice to see his brothers paired off with women who made them truly happy. The Goddess knew, their family had had more than their share of heartache in the past few years.
“I come here when I need to think,” Serena offered, breaking into the peaceful sounds of the falling water. “Lately, I’ve been coming here a lot.”
“Heavy thoughts weighing you down?” Bob quipped, hoping to lighten the pensive mood.
She sighed. “Yeah. You could say that.” She nibbled at her food for a moment before continuing. “I’ve spent a lot of time in my fur in the past. It was easier letting the cat’s instincts rule over my confused human brain for a while.” She cast a few crumbs into the pond and some fish obligingly rose to the surface to eat them. Serena concentrated on the fish just below the surface of the water while she spoke. “Just recently though, I’ve been walking on two legs more than four. The cat has retreated a bit to give the human side of me time to come to grips with the change in my circumstances.”
“The cat protected you while you found your feet again. It’s not uncommon for our kind. My little sister spent a lot of time in her fur after our mother died. The cougar helped her cope. I’d guess your bobcat did the same for you,” he observed in a quiet tone. He wanted so much to pull her into his arms and offer comfort, but he didn’t want
to stop her from talking. It seemed like she needed to talk.
“After everything that happened, I guess I was just a bit overwhelmed. I’ve never known such kindness among shifters as I’ve found here. Not since my parents died. It was a little hard to deal with at first. I know that sounds strange...” She tore off a small piece of bread and threw it to a particularly large fish. The dusk settled around them but they could both see well in the dark. Still, an air of intimacy surrounded their little hideaway and the words that passed between them.
“I can understand it. And I can curse the people who abused your trust.” He let just a bit of his anger at her adoptive parents out in his words and her gaze shot up to meet his.
Silent communication passed between the predators that lived in their souls, the cats understanding each other on a more basic level than human comprehension. The smaller bobcat seemed to recognize the larger cougar and its protective instincts where she was concerned. It also recognized the Alpha who had enough strength to back up his words.
“That’s in the past,” she finally managed to say after a long, silent moment where many things were said without a single word being spoken. She looked away, focusing on the water once more. “I need to learn to leave it there.”
Bob finished the last of his meal and reclined on one elbow, adopting a casual pose. Inside, he felt anything but casual, but he was trying to calm any residual fear she might have.
“That’s probably a good attitude. Moving on is hard, but necessary. We all had to learn that after our mother’s killers were brought to justice.” Bob didn’t normally open up about such private matters, but Serena had shared her past with him. He felt it only fair to allow her to hear some of his tale of woe. Somehow, it might help her to know that everyone faced tragedy in life. It was how you dealt with it, and came out on the other side, that was important.