by R. E. Butler
“Where are the bodies?” Quill asked.
“This place was a meat packer’s at one time. There are several walk-in freezers down in the lower level. I put the bodies in one and locked it. Everyone is dead.”
“He’s wicked good with a sword,” Brierley said. “If you want to see the bodies, help yourself. I’m not going down in the sub-basement. It’s hella creepy.” She shivered, and Axtyn drew her close.
Ian looked around the warehouse. “I planned to kill Wallace if he wouldn’t let Brierley go and release me from fighting for him. I’m sorry you were taken, Brierley.”
She shrugged. “I let myself be taken.”
“What?” Ian demanded.
“When Wallace broke into the cabin, I had a chance to flee. I could have opened my window, shifted, and flown to safety. But something kept me in place, and when I scented Axtyn on Wallace’s clothing, I knew that he’d lead me to my mate. I would gladly be kidnapped a hundred times if it brought us together.”
Axtyn snarled. “You’re not putting yourself in danger anymore.”
She rolled her eyes. “I know, I know. Promise.”
“I can’t believe this,” Ian said.
Brierley said, “Fate’s got an interesting sense of humor.”
Snorting, Ian agreed. Brierley wouldn’t go down to the freezer, and Axtyn wouldn’t leave her side, so Ian, Quill, Richard, and Troy went down, leaving the others in the main area. Although the freezer was working, Ian could still smell the death, and a hint of rot. Pulling open the door, he let his gaze roam over the bodies until he found Wallace. His head was partially smashed in, his mouth open in a permanent, silent scream.
Ian closed the door.
Quill asked, “What should we do with the bodies?”
Richard looked at his brother and then said, “Let’s call in an anonymous tip.”
“Anonymous?” Ian asked.
Richard nodded. “I don’t know what the hell happened here, but Axtyn clearly went on some kind of rampage. I don’t see how he could get out of this without being in some kind of trouble. Not only did he kill everyone, but he hid the bodies for a day.”
“What is he, anyway?” Troy asked. “He smells odd. Like sand and leather.”
“I don’t know what he is. I know he killed a few fighters, and after that Wallace wouldn’t allow him to fight again. Brierley’s not afraid of him, though. And he did help me out with a warning when I fought on Friday night.”
“We need to discuss things, but I’m prepared to bring him home with us, at least until we figure it all out,” Richard said.
They headed upstairs and Richard explained that Axtyn could stay in the cabin with Brierley until things were sorted out.
Brierley grinned and looked up at her mate. “I told you they were good guys.”
“First, though,” Troy said, “we’d like to know what you are.”
Axtyn’s whole body tensed, his tendons standing out on his arms. Brierley made a hooting sound that was soft and sad. “They’re my friends, it’s okay,” she murmured.
He inhaled and relaxed a fraction. Then he shifted, but only partially. His body lengthened until he towered over them. Dark fur covered him, thick horns curved from the sides of his head, and his face transformed into an odd combination of man and bull. He’d been barefoot, and Ian could see that he had hooves now.
“He’s a minotaur shifter,” Brierley said, never losing her hold on his waist even though he was two feet taller than her. “He can shift entirely into a bull, too.”
“Fuck me,” Richard said under his breath.
“He’s only dangerous if someone threatens me, which you may have gathered from all the bodies in the fridge.”
Ian glanced at the others and said, “If Brierley says he’s not dangerous, then he’s not. Angel trusts her implicitly, and so do I.”
“Agreed. Can you shift back, or are you tied into the shift for a while?” Troy asked.
Axtyn transitioned back into his human form swiftly, looking entirely normal. Ian had a million questions for the unique shifter, but instead he focused on the one main issue. “We need to get on the road so I can call Angel and let her know you’re okay.”
“He’s already packed,” Brierley said.
“Do you have a vehicle?” Richard asked.
He shook his head.
Quill said, “You can ride in the truck with me.”
“Thank you,” Axtyn said.
When Axtyn and Brierley returned from his room, he was carrying two duffel bags over one shoulder and holding her hand. They left; Brierley and Axtyn in the truck with Quill, and everyone else in the SUV with Ian. They stopped at an all-night diner, Richard asked to borrow the phone while they got coffee to go, and he called in the tip to the police. Axtyn said there was no reason to worry about the physical evidence linking him to the bodies. Because the fights were illegal in the first place, it would be unlikely that anyone would volunteer that they were taking part in them and knew who his people were. Ian called Angel on his cell and explained that Brierley was okay. Within minutes, they were on their way to the campground. After dropping off the new couple at Brierley’s cabin, Ian thanked the hyenas for coming with him and Quill.
“I’m glad we didn’t need to fight. The situation resolved itself really unexpectedly,” Richard said.
“I appreciate your support,” Ian said.
Angel rushed from the cabin with Brin on her heels, and grabbed hold of Ian, hugging and kissing him. “Are you okay? What happened?” She reached for Quill, and drew him close.
Troy chuckled. “See you guys tomorrow. Sounds like your mate is anxious to hear everything.”
They waited until they were in the cabin to explain the events of the night to Brin and Angel.
Ian said, “This night could’ve ended so differently.”
“It’s weird that Brierley found her mate, and he ended up fixing everything. Do you think he’s trustworthy?” Angel asked.
“I think so, but I never heard anything about him aside from him being dangerous. We need to get to know him, especially if he’s going to be staying with Brierley.”
Quill yawned. “What an exciting way to end our mating time.”
“I’ll say. Now there’s no more threats against any of us, my pseudo-sister has a mate, and we’re officially mated.”
She wrapped her arms around Ian’s neck and whispered, “I’m so glad you’re safe.”
“I promised I’d come back to you.”
“I know. I’m just glad you were able to keep your promise.”
Chapter 11
Tuesday morning, Angel and her mates went to Brierley’s cabin so she could meet Axtyn. She’d no idea that minotaur shifters were even real, let alone that they were some kind of weird tri-shifter, able to take a partial shifted form as well as human and full bull form. It boggled her mind.
But even though he was quiet, she liked him. And clearly Brierley did, too. The two never stopped touching each other in one way or another, and the looks they shared were passionate and protective. Exactly how she felt about her mates.
In the kitchen, Brierley whispered, “Do you like him? I mean, I’m still mated to him so it doesn’t change anything if you do or not, but it also really does matter because I love you and I want you to like him.”
Angel smiled. “It’s okay, I like him. He’s so protective of you. I can’t imagine a better male for you.”
“He’s the last of his family. He keeps his shifted nature a secret because he knows his kind are rare.”
Angel watched Brierley as she pulled a box of donuts from the pantry. “What’s going to happen to you guys? Are you staying?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. We’re supposed to talk to Ally and the guys later today. If they offer him a job here, we’ll stay, but if not then we’ll leave and find a new place to call home. I’m sure you understand.”
Angel nodded. “I hope you get to stay.”
“Me too.”
She p
ut her hand on Brierley’s shoulder and squeezed gently. “I’m sorry you were kidnapped because of me and my mates.”
“I got Axtyn, though. Sometimes the hell of a situation is worth the heaven you get when it’s over.”
“That’s a sweet way to look at it.”
“If you really want to thank me for taking that bullet, you can name your first baby after me.”
“What if it’s a boy?” Angel asked with a chuckle.
Brierley hummed. “How about Bri?”
“Are you guys naming babies already?” Brin asked as he joined them.
Angel smiled as Brin put his arms around her. “I think Brierley is a really sweet name for a little girl.”
“Me too, love.”
Brierley smiled. “Axtyn said that the boys would be minotaurs, but any girls we have would be owls. It’s pretty cool to be thinking about starting a nest with my mate.”
Angel glanced at Brin. “Our kids might be able to shift, right?”
He smiled. “It depends on whether they take after their beautiful mommy or not.”
“Or their handsome dads,” she said.
“Even if they don’t all shift, it won’t matter, though. We’re a clan and a family, and there’s only going to be love and acceptance in our home,” Brin said, punctuating the state with a little growl.
“Agreed,” she said, hugging him a little tighter.
Quill called from the family room, “We need to get going.”
“Right. Work calls,” Angel said.
“I’ll see you later.” Brierley walked them out of the kitchen and met with Axtyn in the family room, where he immediately pulled her into his embrace, the tight features of his face relaxing as if he was stressed just not being in the same room with her.
As they left the cabin and got in the truck, Angel said, “What do you think of him?”
Ian said, “I’d say that Brierley has got a really great protector on her hands. He seems like a decent guy. But it kind of doesn’t matter what we think, since they’re already mated.”
Angel laughed. “Brierley said the same thing to me. She wants us to like him, but she also kind of doesn’t care if we do.”
Brin said, “She’s happy, and I think that Axtyn is glad to not be fighting anymore. He said he worked for Wallace for years fighting, until he wasn’t able to control his shift any longer.”
“Why couldn’t he control his shift?” she asked.
“Because he needed to find his mate. Minotaur shifters get more dangerous as they age if they don’t have a mate to balance their emotional state. He said he felt one hundred percent whole now that he had Brierley.”
“Good. As long as she’s happy, I’m happy for her. I feel better knowing she’s got a mate, too. Someone to look out for her,” Angel said.
Quill parked in front of the main office and turned off the engine. “That’s what family is for. Ready to get to work?”
“Not remotely,” Angel admitted. “I really liked our time off together. I didn’t want it to end.”
Ian growled softly, his eyes flashing with heat. “Say the word and we’re right back in the den.”
Her whole body lit up, and Brin and Quill growled too. It was oh-so-tempting to take them up on the offer. Going back into the intimacy of the den and doing nothing but making love for hours seemed like a great idea, except she was pretty sure if they did that, she’d definitely melt from the inside out. She grasped the door handle and opened the door, taking in a deep breath of fresh air.
“Duty calls,” she said, hopping out. “But later, definitely.”
Ian joined her, pushing her against the truck gently and caging her with his arms. His muscles bunched and flexed as he leaned in to kiss her. “I’ll be thinking of you. Will you think of me?”
She sighed against his lips as he brushed them lightly over hers. “I’m always thinking of you.”
“Sexy thoughts?” he murmured.
“Oh yeah.”
“All right, lover boy,” Quill chided. “You’re going to horn her up and leave her needy all day? Uncool.”
“Just until lunch,” Ian said.
Angel kissed Ian, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him close. Everything inside her rioted at ending the kiss, but she pulled away and smiled. “This will be the best lunch ever.”
“As long as we get you for dessert,” he said.
They parted ways, Ian and Quill heading to the cabin that was being renovated. Brin took her hand and walked inside with her. Ally and Blake were behind the counter, stuffing envelopes.
“Welcome back from your mating,” Ally said.
“Thanks. I wish the time had never ended.”
Ally grinned. “I felt the same way.”
“Where would you like us to work today?” Brin asked.
Blake put a sealed envelope in a box on the counter and said, “We’re going to paint the office today, but first we need to remove the furniture. Everything’s being replaced, so we’ll haul everything to a local donation center.”
“I could use the desk,” Angel said. “As a workspace for my flower pressing.”
“Oh, good,” Blake said. “I hadn’t thought about you using it. It’s yours. We’ll drop it off before we take the other things to the center.”
“Thanks,” Angel said.
Blake said, “You can take my place stuffing envelopes. Come on, Brin. Let’s get to work.”
Brin kissed her cheek. “Have fun.”
“What are we stuffing?” Angel asked, joining Ally behind the counter.
“Flyers for the November gathering. We’re also doing email and newsletter campaigns. Mark is handling the social media stuff. We’re sending flyers to baros in other states, to encourage attendance. A lot of times, clans will keep coming to a gathering year after year, and never consider going to one in a different state, so we’re reaching out and seeing if we can draw in some new blood.”
“Have you ever thought of inviting other shifters to the gatherings?”
Ally shook her head. “It’s really supposed to be hyenas only. Your friend Whisper came with her wolf friend and brothers, but they didn’t really take part in any activities, not like the clans do.”
“I heard there aren’t a lot of hyena females.”
“That’s true. There are definitely more males than females.”
“Well, I’m glad that I met my mates, and they don’t have to go to gatherings anymore, trying to find their mate.”
“I’m sure they’re very thankful, too.”
The morning passed quickly. As promised, Ian, Quill, and Brin took her home for lunch, and they did everything but eat a meal. Her mates devoured her in the best way, which made her hate going back to work even more. That night, when they were all tangled up together, her mates bringing her down from the heavens, she rolled to her knees and sat on her heels, facing them.
“How would you guys feel if I went off birth control?”
She’d been on the pill for years. But even though they’d only been together for a little while, she loved them, and she was ready to start their family.
All three looked surprised, and then Quill let out a happy growl and pounced on her, knocking her gently back to the bed as she squeaked and then laughed.
“Yes, sweetheart, fucking yes we’re ready for you to be off the pill.”
Ian and Brin joined them, each taking one of her hands, and then all three taking turns kissing her.
She smiled at her mates. “A week ago, I wasn’t sure if I’d ever meet my mate. Now I have three, and I’m so ready for the next chapter of our lives to start.”
Brin smiled so sweetly at her that she thought she’d cry. “Love you, Angel. Love you so much.”
“I love you, too.”
* * *
After spending the night celebrating her decision to go off birth control, Angel woke up feeling even more content than she had after their mating. Her life was falling into place just like she’d always ho
ped it would. She had a job she loved, a beautiful cabin in the woods to call home, and three sexy hyenas who adored her. The only thing missing was a baby. She knew it could take a while for the birth control to leave her system and for her body to get back on track with ovulation, but she was happy to be able to toss the pills and not worry about taking them night after night.
Ian and Quill leaned over and kissed her good morning, and then got ready for work. She and Brin had gotten approval from Ally to go wildflower-picking that morning, so Angel could get them pressed and dried and ready to make into cards. After Brin and Blake had moved the old office desk into one of the spare bedrooms in the cabin, Angel finally had a work space for her crafts, and she was excited to get started.
She got up and showered while Brin fixed breakfast, then dressed in a pair of jean shorts and a fitted tank, pairing the outfit with hiking boots. The kitchen smelled of bacon and maple syrup, and when she walked in she found Brin staring intently at a waffle iron.
She slid her arms around him. “That smells great.”
He glanced down at her with a smile. “I found a recipe for waffles with bacon and maple syrup in the batter. Quill and Ian said they were great, but I added more bacon for you and me because I know you like it.”
She pressed her forehead against his shoulder and yawned. “I do. But I also like coffee, and on that thought, I better get some. We’ve got a hard morning of flower-finding ahead of us.”
He laughed as he lifted the lid of the iron and peeked inside. “If you’d told me a month ago that I’d be thoroughly happy to go flower-picking, I’d have said you were crazy. But this morning, I woke up thinking how much fun it would be to be with you, doing something that you enjoy.”
She waited for the coffee to finish and then tossed the empty pod into the trash. “I used to work as a receptionist at a veterinary clinic, and sometimes it would be crazy with people running in with sick pets and the phone ringing off the hook. Here, it’s busy but not crazy, and I love it. I wouldn’t have thought I could be happy cleaning cabins and making cards with flowers either, but I really am. And it’s even better because I can be with you.”