by Chant,Zoe
Heath swallowed. “Would you like me to show you?”
Daphne’s eyes darted to his. “Show me how you… shift?”
“Yes. I warn you – it can be a little scary. But you know I’d never hurt you. Do you still trust me?”
Daphne hesitated, then nodded. “Yes.”
Heath stood up from the bed, walking to the middle of the room. His lion form was huge, and he needed to give himself some space. Then he closed his eyes, reaching down into his chest and finding his lion.
The lion came forward easily, eager to be let free. Heath felt fur sprouting over his skin, his body stretching to take on its new form. Claws erupted where nails had once been, his hair becoming the lion’s dark, heavy mane. Blinking as his vision shallowed and colors became duller, he looked around to where Daphne was sitting, open-mouthed, on the bed.
Heath licked his lips, letting out a soft noise that he hoped she’d recognize as friendly. With his lion at the forefront of his mind, it became harder to think about what might be the most comforting thing for him to do.
Then it came to him – the universal sign of affection from cats to humans.
Lowering his head, he rubbed his cheek over her leg where it dangled over the side of the bed, a deep purr rumbling in his chest.
At first, Heath was concerned when Daphne didn’t seem to be reacting. But a moment later, he felt her hand on the top of his head, gently stroking over the thick fur of his mane.
“H-Heath?” she asked, her voice a little uncertain.
In response, Heath purred louder, rubbing his head over her knee, before raising it to place his chin in her lap, gazing up at her with adoration.
Daphne’s fingers grew a little more confident in their movements, skritching behind his ear.
It felt good.
Heath half-closed his eyes, allowing himself to enjoy it, before her other hand came down to stroke his nose.
“It is you,” she said after a moment. “I can see it in your eyes. I… I don’t know what to say.”
You don’t have to say anything, Heath’s human side thought. As long as you know I love you, and always will. As long as you can accept what I am, and accept our bond.
Daphne’s fingers scratching behind his ear felt so good that Heath was a little reluctant to shift back to his human form. He allowed himself just a few more moments before he changed, golden fur once again becoming normal human skin. At the end of his transformation he was kneeling on the floor in front of Daphne, looking up at her as she sat on the bed.
“Does it still seem like a fairytale?” he asked her.
Daphne laughed. “To be honest, yes. But I guess sometimes fairytales can come true.”
“I should have told you earlier,” Heath said. “I just wasn’t sure how. I mean, you’re right – it doesn’t sound like it could be real.”
“Have you… I mean, I’m sorry if this is a rude question, but have you always been a shifter? Or is it like werewolves, and you have to be bitten?”
Heath shook his head. “No, I’ve always been a shifter. It runs in the family – my sisters and cousins are all shifters. Parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents… every single one. I don’t know how it started, but it’s just the way we are.”
Daphne nodded. “I guess that makes sense. Though honestly, I was kind of hoping it might be transferrable. I can see quite a few advantages to being able to turn into a fearsome creature at will!”
“I’m not gonna lie, it’s come in handy at times,” Heath said, grinning. “And it means I can protect you better than any human can. But it also means you’re in more danger than I thought.”
Daphne frowned for a moment, before Heath saw understanding dawn on her face. “The eagle this morning. It was a shifter.”
It wasn’t a question. Despite the shock of everything that had happened so far today, Daphne hadn’t lost her quick wits, it seemed.
“Yeah,” Heath said. “I might be mistaken, but I’m ninety-nine percent sure that was a shifter, come to scope out your place. My boss at the agency says she hasn’t heard of any shifter gangs in the area, but that doesn’t mean some haven’t moved in over the last couple of weeks. That’s why I want to get you out of here. I can’t be sure you’re safe as long as you’re in this apartment.”
Daphne looked a little alarmed. “Can they get in?”
“Maybe. I turn into a lion, but there’s plenty of other shifters out there. Small things like lizards, mice, rats. A bunch of them could climb up here, shift, and I couldn’t fight them all off, not even as a lion.”
“Okay, I’ve heard enough,” Daphne said, looking alarmed. “I know I said I wanted to stay in my apartment, but… well, let’s just say, I’ve never liked rats.”
Heath grinned. “Sure. Let’s get you into the shower, packed, and we’ll be on our way.”
Daphne stood, making her way across the room. Heath had to suppress a groan as he watched her go – she was undoubtedly the sexiest thing he’d ever seen.
“Care to join me?” Daphne asked teasingly from the doorway of the en suite, one hand on her gorgeously rounded hip.
Heath could feel his cock beginning to harden at the thought, and he forced himself to think of other things.
“I’d love nothing better, but for now, let’s get you to safety.” He rose and walked to her, kissing her. She tasted like honey and fresh water – clean and sweet. He wanted to keep on kissing her forever.
“All right,” she said, a little breathlessly when they finally broke apart. “But I expect you to make it up to me later.”
Heath smiled, patting her on her perfect ass. “Oh, I will. You can be sure of that.”
Chapter Nine
Daphne
Daphne wasn’t sure why she would have expected anything different, but still, the offices of Assured Security were impressive.
Everything was sleek glass and steel, from the imposing front desk where Heath signed her in, to the individual offices beyond. Men and women with shoulder holsters passed them as Heath led her along the corridor. All of them were just as huge and muscled as Heath himself was; either Assured Security recruited exclusively from former Olympic athletes, Daphne thought, or there was something in the water here.
“I’m taking you to meet Sandra – she and her husband own and run the business. She’s the one who suggested I bring you here. There’s no way anyone, shifter or not, could sneak into this building – it was built to deal with shifter abilities,” Heath told her as they walked.
Daphne nodded, not sure what to say. To tell the truth, she still felt a little overwhelmed by the revelation. Naturally, she’d heard the stories, but she’d never imagined that they might be true, let alone ever considered that she’d end up falling for a man who could turn into a lion.
She shivered a little. But wasn’t that kind of amazing? a voice in her mind asked her. Heath is already strong and brave and gorgeous… and he can turn into a lion. The king of the beasts.
Daphne had to admit, there was something deeply appealing about the thought of all of Heath’s strength, all his protective nature, being focused on her. A lion was a fiercely territorial animal, after all, and would fight to protect what it considered its own.
As shocking as the revelation had been, Daphne was surprised by how little it had shaken her trust in Heath, and her faith that he would protect her. She still trusted him with her life. Nothing could change that.
The reached the end of the hall, coming to a black door with the name ‘S JAMES’ marked out in silver lettering. Heath knocked.
“Come in.” The voice from inside was firm, almost a bark of command.
Daphne swallowed. As if sensing her mild unease, Heath looked down at her and nodded, brushing his hand over her arm.
The contact sent a rush of warmth through her, and Daphne smiled up at him, reassured.
“There’s nothing to worry about,” Heath said softly before he opened the door. “These people are here to protect you. We all are.”
Daphne nodded, smiling up at him. “As long as you’re here, I know I’m safe.”
Sandra was sitting behind a desk when they entered – an elegant, slim woman with her hair pulled back into a simple up-do. She didn’t smile as Daphne and Heath came into the room, simply gesturing for them to take a seat.
“Daphne Pearce, isn’t it?” Sandra asked, looking across the desk with a piercing gaze.
Daphne met her eyes without fear. “That’s right. Though my real name is Daphne Davenport.”
Sandra nodded. “Heath briefed me about the situation, and why he felt it was important you receive personal protection.” She narrowed her eyes suddenly, looking back and forth between Daphne and Heath. “But… now that you’re here, I’m guessing there’s another reason –”
“That’s a discussion between myself and Daphne,” Heath said quickly. “For another time.”
Daphne looked at him quizzically. Was there something more to what Heath had already told her? Something she had yet to learn about him?
She pushed the thought from her mind, trying to focus, as Sandra spoke again.
“Understood,” she said, in a clipped tone. “We need to focus on the problem at hand for the moment, anyhow. Which is how a group of shifters could have begun operating in this city without us knowing about it.”
“I did say I wasn’t completely sure about the eagle being a shifter,” Heath said. “I might have been mistaken.”
“If you had to bet on it?” Sandra asked.
Heath hesitated, but only for a moment. “Then I’d take that bet.”
Sandra nodded. “Then that’s enough for me. We trust our instincts here. I know firsthand what can happen when you ignore them.” She pushed herself back from her desk, standing. “Hector’s waiting for a report from some members of our team. Once they’re back, we’re hoping we’ll have some more information, but we may need to wait overnight. Have you eaten yet today, Ms. Pearce?”
Daphne shook her head. “Only a little toast. Now that you mention it, I could definitely use some food.”
“Then I’d advise you do that. Keeping yourself fed is important during times of stress. The last thing you need is to be feeling less than your best.”
It might have been just Daphne’s imagination, but had Sandra’s tone become a little… maternal? She sounded like a cranky mother hen, fussing over a wayward chick.
“I’ll show Daphne to the break room and fix her something there,” Heath said. “I’ll make sure she’s well taken care of.”
“No doubt,” Sandra said drily, and again, Daphne was left with the impression there was something going unsaid.
Daphne wanted to ask Heath about it as they left Sandra’s office, but she held herself back. She trusted that Heath would bring it up when the time was right – and besides, she thought as her stomach grumbled angrily, the only thing she really needed right now was something to eat.
Heath had called it ‘the break room’, but the place he led her to was in actuality a state-of-the-art kitchen, just as sleek and elegant as the rest of the building.
“Sometimes it’s necessary for us to stay long hours here, or else bring clients to the building for a few days,” Heath said by way of explanation. “Sandra and Hector don’t like the idea of them having to go without.”
“I can tell,” Daphne said, impressed. It reminded her of the kitchen at her parents’ home in the Hamptons – everything was modern and beautiful, roomy and cleaned to perfection.
“I can fix you something,” Heath said, going to the fridge. “Like I said, I might not be a gourmet chef, but I can scramble a mean egg, and fry up some bacon.”
Daphne’s stomach growled again. “Either sounds fine. Both, even. And some coffee.”
Heath flashed a grin at her. “You got it.”
As Heath went to work cracking eggs and boiling water, Daphne allowed herself to sit back in one of the padded dining chairs that surrounded the expansive wooden table in the center of the room. She truly hadn’t realized how tired and hungry she was until this moment. The scent of frying bacon and brewing coffee was somehow comforting, as was the sound of Heath’s heavy steps as he moved around the kitchen.
Taking a deep breath, Daphne let her eyes fall closed, feeling content. She was safe here. Safer than in her apartment, that was for sure. Okay, and maybe it was a bit of a shock to discover that shifters existed and might be out to get her… but these ones were here to protect her. Heath wouldn’t let anything happen to her.
“Your breakfast, Madame,” Heath said in a ridiculously over-exaggerated French accent.
Daphne opened her eyes to find a plate heaped with scrambled eggs and bacon sitting in front of her. The eggs looked light and fluffy and the bacon nice and crispy – just the way she liked it. A moment later, Heath placed a cup of steaming hot coffee down next to it. Daphne grabbed at it eagerly, blowing before taking a sip.
She sighed happily as the warm liquid slid down her throat. She felt better already.
Heath sat down across from her, his own plate loaded down with food. “Tuck in! And there’s plenty more where that came from.”
Daphne laughed. “I really think this will be fine. For the moment, at least.”
They ate in silence for a while, happily munching away at their food. Despite what Heath had said about not being a gourmet chef, it was clear that what he could cook he could cook well – Daphne would have to find out if his repertoire included more than just eggs and bacon.
Daphne didn’t look up until she’d scraped the last of the egg from her plate. Then, she sat back with a happy sigh, feeling content.
But the feeling only lasted a moment, before a long, crawling shiver ran down her spine.
Turning, Daphne glanced over her shoulder, wondering what had suddenly made her feel so uneasy. A tall man with shoulder-length dark hair stood in the doorway looking down at her, a small smile on his face. Daphne stared back at him, her feeling of unease steadily growing.
“Sorry, how rude of me,” the man said suddenly. “I’m Denny Grange – one of the security guards here. And you are – ?”
“Daphne Pearce,” she said, standing and holding out her hand. “I’m a client.”
His hand was warm as she shook it. Daphne blinked, trying to figure out what it was about him that was so off-putting. Maybe she was just on edge – even though she knew she was safe here, it was still filled with people she didn’t know.
Could all of them turn into animals, Daphne wondered suddenly. If so, what did Denny turn into? She studied him a moment, but the only thing that came to mind was a scaly black snake.
“She’s my client.” Heath’s gruff voice broke in suddenly. “I brought her here seeing as her apartment’s not safe right now. In fact, I was just about to go show her the sleeping quarters.”
Daphne looked up at Heath as he came to stand by her side, his hand resting lightly on the small of her back. He sounded so… possessive. It was a little startling, but at the same time it comforted her to know he was there.
“Well, don’t let me keep you,” Denny said, the same small smile still fixed in place on his lips. “I’m just back from scouting around for Sandra, looking for those criminal shifters she thinks may have infiltrated some of the local gangs.”
“Did you find anything?” Heath asked.
Denny shrugged. “Not really. It’s all a bit of a storm in a teacup, if you ask me. I’d be really surprised if there was anything to be concerned about.”
Heath’s eyes narrowed. “Well, maybe,” he said after a moment or two. “But for the moment, I’d rather be safe than sorry.”
“What was that about?” Daphne whispered to Heath as he guided her out of the room.
Heath shook his head, and waited until they were some way down the corridor before answering. “Nothing,” he said softly. “I just… you know how there’s some guys you just take an instant dislike to? Denny’s one of those guys. He just has that sleazy vibe – which is
great for the work he does, keeping an eye on what criminals are up to, but… maybe I’m just being unfair. He’s never done anything wrong, as far as I know.”
“You acted like he was hitting on me right in front of you,” Daphne said, trying to keep her tone light, even though she knew exactly what Heath meant when he talked about Denny’s sleazy vibe.
Heath glanced down at her, a little sheepish. “Sorry about that. That was my lion’s protective side coming out a little too strong.”
Shaking her head, Daphne reached for his hand, squeezing. “No, I like it. It feels good to know you’ve got my back. Even if you were over-reacting, just a little. I mean, I’ve handled sleazy guys before.”
The look in Heath’s eyes became heated. “And if you ever have to handle another one, he better pray I’m not there to see it.”
A surge of warmth spread through Daphne’s body at his words – even as she had to wonder at them. Ever? Heath was talking as though he already knew they were going to spend their lives together, despite the fact they’d only known each other a few days.
Daphne felt strangely confused by her reaction to the idea of being with Heath for the long term. Her heart thumped in her chest in confirmation of his words, even as her head told her to slow down right now.
Swallowing, Daphne licked her lips. “Ever again?” she asked slowly. “Are those words you really mean?”
She had been trying to keep her tone light and teasing, but when Heath looked down at her, she saw the seriousness in his eyes. She hoped she hadn’t just put her foot in her mouth.
“Daphne…” he said, sounding a little hesitant. “There’s something else about me – about us – that I need to tell you.”
Daphne felt her breath catch in her throat. Aside from him being a man who could turn into a lion, what more could there possibly be to tell?
“It’s a discussion we need to have in private,” Heath said. “I was going to take you down to see the sleeping quarters anyway, so we can talk there.”