Artemis shot her a toothy grin, his eyes turning silver. “You leave it to me. We need to do this, though, so don’t worry your pretty red head over it.”
Okay. Well. “So my job is to hide while you play?”
“Damn straight. You get hurt on my watch and Barney will rip my balls off, and your mom will rip out my whiskers.” He sighed sadly. “Also, she won’t make that meatloaf anymore, or comb my fur when I’m itchy.”
It sounded like her mother had pretty much adopted poor Artemis. She wondered what his mother would think of that.
“So relax, I’ve got you covered. Read or something.” He put his head back and promptly fell asleep for the rest of the flight.
Read or something, huh? She pulled out her tablet PC and began researching Sedona. It was a small city in the northeastern region of Arizona, known for its red rock hills and history of Hollywood movies.
It was a little over a seven-hour flight from Philadelphia to Flagstaff, and Artemis napped the entire way. The only time he woke was when they had to switch planes in Phoenix. Heather was far too nervous to sleep, so she read instead, trying to learn as much as she could about Sedona, the Leo and the Senate.
She tried emailing Barney back, but she’d received no reply by the time they landed. Artemis kept her behind him as they disembarked, making sure no one got too close to her. Since they’d only packed overnight bags they didn’t need to head to baggage claim, so Artemis led her toward the area where he could rent a car. They didn’t know where Barney’s hotel was, but since she planned on calling him again while Artemis took care of the car that shouldn’t be an issue.
“Ms. Allen?” A deep voice called her name. She turned to find a tall, dark-haired man with pale, jade-green eyes standing there. He wore a charcoal-gray business suit with a white button-down shirt and a green tie.
He smelled of Lion.
She exchanged a quick glance with Artemis, who shrugged. “I’m Heather Allen.”
The man smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m Ian Holmes, and I’ve come to pick you up.” He nodded to Artemis. “And Mr. Smith as well.”
“I see.” She tried to remain calm, but this was exactly what she’d been afraid of. “You don’t mind if we take our own car, do you?”
Mr. Holmes gestured, and two Lions, also in dark suits and green ties, stepped up from behind him. “I’m afraid that won’t be necessary, Ms. Allen. I assure you, however, that you’re perfectly safe with me.”
“Did Barney send you?” If he couldn’t come himself it would make sense he’d send someone, but there was something about Ian Holmes that had her stepping slightly closer to Artemis.
“I’m afraid not, Ms. Allen.” For just a moment, a flash of real concern showed on his face before it disappeared behind a façade of disinterest.
Artemis shrugged. “Good enough for me.” He sauntered up to the Lion and held out his hand. “Nice to meet you.”
Was he insane? He had to be. He was just accepting this.
But when he glanced back at her, Heather could see a flash of silver in his gaze. He winked and shook Mr. Holmes’s hand.
Mr. Holmes’s brows rose in surprise. “And you as well, Mr. Smith.” He shook Heather’s hand next. “If you and Ms. Allen will follow me.” He gestured toward the doors, where Heather saw a black SUV at the curb. “We have little time to talk before we reach our destination.”
“All right.” Heather kept Artemis between her and the men. She didn’t trust them, not even a little. But that glint of silver in Artemis’s eyes…
He must have something up his sleeve, so she’d follow and see where he led.
Artemis stopped her just as one of the men opened the back door. “You go first.”
She nodded and hopped into the car, Artemis following right behind her. This put her at the other door as one of the men settled next to Artemis. One of the men took their bags and put them in the back of the SUV. Holmes got into the front passenger seat while the other two men flanked him, one driving, the other staring out the window intently.
Once the car started moving, Artemis poked Holmes on the shoulder. “Can I ask a question?”
Holmes waved his hand. “Please do, Mr. Smith.”
Artemis blinked in that cat-like way of his, as if he was debating whether or not to be fascinated or bored by the whole situation. “Why is the Lion Senator picking us up at the airport?”
Heather blinked. This man was a Senator? Fuck. The pile of shit she’d landed in was higher than she’d thought.
“Hm. That would be because of Ms. Allen.” Holmes turned to stare at her. “I believe you, or one of your family members, may be the key to finding out what is happening to the white shifters.”
She took a deep breath, suddenly scared out of her wits. “Are you one of the Senators who’s hunting them?”
“Not at all, Ms. Allen.” He put his hand over his heart. “I’m one of the Senators trying to save them.”
“How do we know we can trust you?” Heather ignored his soft chuckle. “This is my family on the line, Mr. Holmes.”
“There is more than just your family at stake, Ms. Allen.” He waved toward Artemis. “Mr. Smith, for instance, is endangered as well.”
“How did you find out about them?” Heather watched where they were going. She might not know Sedona, but she wanted to be able to trace her route back to the airport if she had to run for it.
“I’d imagine the same way you did.” Holmes turned back toward the front. “Now, if you don’t mind, I need to text someone.”
That really didn’t work for her. “But—”
“I believe all of your questions will be answered shortly, Ms. Allen. For now, please enjoy the view. Sedona is quite lovely this time of year.”
“Mr. Holmes—”
The man beside Artemis held up his hand. “I’m sorry, Ms. Allen. Senator Holmes is busy. Please hold all questions until we arrive at our destination.”
Heather began to softly sing the most annoying song she could think of.
Artemis winced. One of the bodyguards groaned, and the Lion Senator’s left eye began to twitch.
The bodyguard who’d asked her to be quiet was the only one who laughed. “What does the Fox say, indeed.”
“Hatee-hatee-hatee-ho!”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Jesus God, his head was killing him. Barney slowly opened his eyes, squinting into the darkness. Where the fuck was he? What had he done, or hadn’t done? He tried to sit up, but the sound of rattling chains stopped him cold.
He stared at his wrist, feeling the weight of the cold metal surrounding it. It was thick, the chains equally so. Both wrists and ankles were bound by the metal.
Looking around, he wasn’t all that surprised to find himself lying on a hard cot placed against a cold, concrete wall. Ahead of him was a metal door with a square window covered in thick glass. A toilet and a sink were against another wall.
He sat up, gingerly holding his head. There was a lump back there, and the scent of dried blood. Someone had hit him hard enough to knock him out.
How long had he been here? Looking down, his clothing had been removed, leaving him naked other than the thick steel cuffs. He took a deep breath, trying to sort out the scents around him.
Lion. Definitely Lion, and in the room recently. He sniffed his arm, wondering if it was the Lion who’d removed his clothing, but instead of feline he got the distinct odor of Hyena. It was a Hyena who’d set his chains.
He sniffed again, catching a faint whiff of Ocelot. There was also something else, another shifter, but he couldn’t quite identify who or what it might be. Worse, all he was getting was the shifter type, not the individual shifters. He had no idea who the Hyena or Lion might be, only that they’d been in the room. Had they figured out a way to scrub their scents, or were they messing with him b
y piping scents into the room? Was the Hyena the only one he could be certain of?
Fuck this shit. Barney focused, sending healing energy to the lump on the back of his head. His headache eased as he dealt with the inflammation and tissue damage. Before long all he had to worry about was the dried blood.
He stood and stretched, finding yet another bit of damage. A small pinprick on his arm told him that the blow might have knocked him out, but a drug had kept him out. He could be anywhere now. And if the person who had created the bathroom office knew Barney had intel on them, then Heather was in danger.
Just that thought made his Grizzly insane. He roared, breaking the chains as he shifted, his Grizzly ready to tear apart anything that got between Barney and his mate. The steel bands broke at the latch, freeing him from the shackles.
He lumbered to the door and wrenched it open, the screech of tortured metal filling the hallway beyond.
Pfft.
He felt a pricking sensation in his neck. There must have been an automatic sedative, similar to the one in the shifter jail, for those who attempted to break free.
But Barney was a Hunter, and he was in his Grizzly form. The Bear easily shook off what the unconscious man had not been able to. He roared his challenge, ready to fight his way out of wherever he was. He knew now that this wasn’t the Senate’s jail, where they housed rogues. No. This was someplace else, a private jail. The question was, whom did it belong to?
Now that he was free of his cell he could scent things more easily. There were all types of shifters here, some in cells, their scents muted. The guards were easier to scent, most of them being Lions, a few being Hyenas. He thought he caught the scent of Fox and possibly Wolf as well.
Barney lumbered out, shoving past the guard racing toward him. He bared his teeth and let loose a primal scream, determined to get free.
The guards attacked, and Barney held his ground, using his weight and size to his advantage. He swiped at them, his claws digging deep into their flesh, taking two of them out of the fight.
He couldn’t let them get control over him. If the Lions began to try and order him around, there was a chance, thanks to their unique abilities, that he’d be forced to obey. Lions could, as kings of the jungle, order others to do their bidding. Only their Alphas were stronger, able to control crowds of shifters, but together there might be enough Lions here to command one pissed-off Grizzly.
The corridor was far too narrow for him to fight as he’d like, but returning to his human form would mean losing the thick pelt of fur and skin that kept him safe from their claws and teeth, both bared in the cat shifters. One of them pulled a gun, trying to shoot him down. If they shot into his body, his largest target, the bullet would penetrate and do damage, but the odds of it killing him were negligible unless they got a lucky shot. There was a slim possibility that a bullet fired at his head would glance off his thick Grizzly skull, but at such close range he wasn’t willing to take that chance. Barney managed to get one of the other guards between him and the gunman before the shot went off.
The Lion went down, a dart sticking out of his neck.
So. The orders were to recapture, not to kill. Good to know. It meant he could act without fear of death. He’d try not to kill too many of them. They’d need to be questioned once he was out of here.
Damn. He was not looking forward to giving this report to the Leo.
He roared again as another guard went down under his claws. He could hear other shifters, those behind the metal doors, begging to be released, but he had no time to worry about them. He’d come back for them once he determined whether or not they deserved to be there. He reared, forcing the guard in front of him to back up before the full weight of a Grizzly landed on his shoulders. Barney lumbered after him, forcing him back even farther. He could see the doorway beyond the guards, one that hopefully led to the way out of here. Even if the corridor were wider, that would be good for him, giving him more maneuverability. That door became his target, getting there his only goal.
He could see some of the guards taking off their clothes, preparing to fight him in their shifted form. Fuck. If that happened, if they dog-piled him, he’d have no chance of coming out of this intact. He needed to think fast. He didn’t have enough room to set up a charge, but—
A scream off to his left caught his attention. Yes. That could work.
He turned, ripping another door off its hinges and using it as a shield. The pfft of a sedative dart being deployed was barely audible against the pleas of the shifter inside the cell. Barney ignored him, kind of hoping he’d shift and get free of his bonds on his own. Maybe the shifter would even help him get the fuck out of there. While he didn’t want a rogue on the loose, this wasn’t the rogue jail, so Barney was willing to take that chance.
The Lions had completed their shift. Barney used the door to block their initial leap, but the weight of the door plus the Lions was too much for him. He was forced onto his back, his belly exposed to the claws and jaws of the Lions. Only the door that landed just above his pelvis prevented them from eviscerating him.
Still, having Lion claws trying to dig into his junk wasn’t making his life any easier. He roared and managed to get his feet up under the bottom of the door. Using all his strength he managed to thrust both the door and the Lions off of him. Twisting, he got up, facing the Lions who now snarled back at him.
They were at the same disadvantage he was, but their slightly smaller bodies and twisty spines gave them more maneuverability than his bulky frame did. And the manes on the males protected them the same way Barney’s fur did. He’d have to aim for their bodies and limbs if he hoped to stop them.
One of them leapt again, gaining his feet more quickly than Barney had thought possible. He instinctively swiped at the Lion, slamming him into the wall with a horrible crushing sound.
The Lion hit the ground, unmoving.
The guards stared at the fallen Lion in horror. Almost as one, they all turned on Barney and snarled.
So much for not killing.
The Lions attacked him with a ferocity that would have surprised him if he hadn’t fought Pride animals before. They were trying to avenge a fallen brother, and Barney, without the freedom to move as he wished, was going to go down under them unless something happened quickly. Even the shifters who weren’t Lions were quickly shifting, joining the other guards in their attack on him. The Hyenas danced in and out of the Lion Pride’s attacks, nipping at his joints. A Fox managed to get under him, nipping at his belly. A Wolf almost got his neck between its jaws as the Lions dog-piled on him, biting and clawing at his back.
He reared, managing to toss some of the Lions off of him, but with so many of the attacking he couldn’t keep track of them. The Fox got in a good bite, sinking its fangs into his thigh. The Wolf got his leg, knocking him off balance.
The Lions were on him as he went down, and for the first time Barney considered that he might not survive this.
A deep voice filled the room, one that Barney knew well. One that scared the shit out of him. “Stand down.”
The shifters surrounding Barney paused in their attack.
“Now.”
With low growls and yips, the shifters pulled back, leaving Barney to stare at a pair of dark boots coming his way. He lifted his head and stared up at the head of the Leo’s security team and Sebastian Lowe’s most trusted ally.
“You really know how to have fun, don’t you, Barnwell?” Kincade Lowe tilted his head, his brown eyes filled with anger. “You want to tell me why you’re fucking with my guards?”
Barney lowered his head with a groan.
“Shift.”
Barney obeyed. You didn’t flip Kincade Lowe the bird if you wanted to live to see another day.
“Follow me.” Kincade turned, muttering to his guards to shift and dress once more. Barney followed, limping and bleeding fro
m multiple wounds.
Kincade opened the door Barney had been focused on reaching. “Why the fuck were you in my jail?”
Barney glanced back, staring at the concrete hallway. “I have no idea.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
They’d driven about an hour outside of Sedona when the driver made a right turn. Another ten minutes, and they were pulling up in front of large metal gates flanked by adobe walls topped with sandstone. Carriage lights flanked the gates, and the drive had gone from tarmac to paving stones. In the distance she could see mountains, and on either side was sand, cacti and desert grasses. “Where are we?”
No one answered. The driver leaned out of the window and waved a card at an electronic reader. Within moments the gates swung open, allowing them entry.
As they pulled down the stone driveway, she began to get glimpses of the home they were approaching. With adobe walls and a clay tile roof, the building was truly a desert beauty. The greenery was sparse, but what there was of it blended beautifully with the desert backdrop. The home was a mish-mash of angles and wrought iron, with lighting everywhere she looked and a simple fountain by the front door.
The car stopped, and the Leo Senator got out. “Please, Mr. Smith, Ms. Allen. Follow me. There’s someone I’d like you both to meet.”
She exchanged a glance with Artemis, who shrugged. He looked as confused as she felt, but they followed anyway. Whatever was going on, whoever they’d been brought to see, had to be big in the shifter world to own such a home.
Lions braced either side of the large, ornately carved double doors that led to the interior of the home. The scents of the desert perfumed the air, making her nose twitch. Fox and coyote, unknown trees and bushes, owls and other creatures lived close to this mansion by the mountain.
Mr. Holmes rang the doorbell and waited, his hands clasped loosely behind his back.
Indirect Lines: Halle Shifters, Book 5 Page 15