Heart of a Fighter

by Grace Brennan

  “There’s probably a first aid kit on the plane,” Jax replied.

  “Plane? Where the hell are we that a plane was needed?”

  “Canada.”

  Feeling a little faint, Cammie didn’t reply as she took the clothes Seth held out for her, and dressed without replying. She thought she was holding up well after everything that happened, at least she had been until she learned she was taken to a whole different country. Shit. Feeling a little like Scarlett O’Hara, she decided she’d think about it, all of it, tomorrow.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Alex clenched his hands into fists as he walked with Ian to the door of the hotel room. Cammie told them on the way home last night that Ivan found her through two tiger shifters. There were only two unknown shifters in the area, so they knew they were looking for Kian and Zane. Cammie was right about the shifters when she thought they were bad news for her, since they led Ivan to her. But it didn’t explain them being in the area to begin with, and the fact that they were tigers had Ian worried. So here they were, at the tigers’ hotel room, hoping to get some answers.

  Ian might not get his answers, if the way Alex felt was any indication. He wanted to eat the stupid pricks for giving Cammie up. He reluctantly halted as Ian put a hand on his arm.

  “No killing them,” he cautioned. “At least not until we get answers. Keep yourself, and your dragon, in check. That’s an order, Kincaid.”

  Blowing out a breath, he nodded. He wanted to jump in and start the meeting off by using his fists, but logically, he knew Ian was right. They needed answers, Ian especially, since he had Shelby to worry about.

  Glancing back, he saw Jax in position across the street, and he knew Seth was around back. They wanted all angles covered in case the tigers tried to flee. He walked with Ian to the door, and he lifted his fist, banging on the door.

  A few moments later, the door opened, and a behemoth of a man was standing in the doorway, eyes wide with surprise. Exhaling, he said, “So you figured out what we are.”

  “We need to talk,” Ian replied, voice gravelly.

  The tiger surprised them both when he nodded and stepped back, gesturing them inside. Alex exchanged a wary glance with Ian before they went in. They’d been expecting hostility and resistance, not willingness to talk to them. Alex looked around, expecting a trap, but everything seemed ordinary. The other tiger had been sitting on the bed, but he stood when they entered, crossing his arms with a scowl as he glared at them.

  “Why the fuck did you let them in here? Fucking traitor tiger and weak, puny human.”

  With a hiss in his throat, Alex took a few steps toward him, letting his dragon show in his eyes. Ian put a hand on his arm, but Alex hadn’t been planning on more than showing this tiger who the weak and puny one in this room was.

  “Fuck,” the tiger exclaimed, stumbling back a few steps. “You’re a fucking dragon?”

  He looked over in surprise when the other tiger chuckled. “I’ve told Zane before not to make assumptions. I’m Kian, by the way. And we don’t mean you guys any harm. Any of you, Shelby included.”

  Ian growled deep at the mention of his daughter. “Then why the fuck did you come here and hide what you are?”

  Kian exhaled, running a hand through his hair as he sank down into a chair. “Look, I’m going to be honest here. I’m part of Farrah’s tribe.”

  “Wait, you’re that Kian? Like, the prince of the tribe?” Ian glanced over at Alex. “Farrah is Shelby’s mother.”

  Ducking his head, Kian shook it quickly before looking back up. “I hate when people call me a prince. I’m just a tiger shifter, like the rest of the tribe.”

  “You’re more than that,” Ian muttered. “I didn’t spend much time with the War Cats, and you were away while I was there, but your dad is alpha. You’re next in line, and your bloodline is one of the purest. Prince is suitable.”

  “We’ll just have to agree to disagree. My bloodline doesn’t make me any better than the other tigers. When I arrived home, and saw how Shelby was being treated—”

  “Kian. Don’t give them information they don’t need,” Zane gritted out.

  “I will tell them what I want, so be quiet and don’t interrupt again,” Kian said sharply.

  “You sure sound like a prince to me,” Ian said with an arched eyebrow.

  Waving a hand dismissively, Kian replied, “Believe me, I don’t always sound like that. But Zane gets overzealous sometimes. As I was saying, when I saw how Shelby was being treated, and found out you’d been fighting for custody of her, I lobbied hard with my father to let you take her. I was pleased when he finally allowed it, but you must understand that I became attached to your daughter in that time. I had to know if you were a good man, with the ability to defend her, should the need arise. I wanted to do it in secret, so Zane and I used a masking agent to cover our tigers’ scents.”

  Ian was quiet for a moment as he studied the man, but Alex knew he heard the truth in that statement as well. They weren’t here for nefarious reasons. At least, Kian wasn’t. Alex shot a look at Zane, who had fury burning in his eyes. Zane might be a whole different story.

  “I guess I can understand that, but I still don’t like you hiding what you are. I don’t like deception, and regardless of your reasons, that’s what it was.”

  “Understood,” Kian replied, inclining his head. “But tell me, what tipped us off? How did you figure out we were tiger shifters?”

  “From Ivan,” Alex spat out, rage overtaking him. “He told Cammie tiger shifters sold her info to him, and you two are the only unknown shifters around.”

  “Ivan? Cammie? I don’t know who you’re talking about,” Kian said with a furrowed brow.

  “Bullshit,” Alex gritted. He heard the truth in Kian’s voice, but it had to be them. He glanced at Zane, taking note of the satisfaction in the tiger’s eyes. Kian might not have known anything, but Zane did. “You bastard,” he hissed, lunging for the tiger.

  “Whoa,” Ian said, stepping in front of Alex and stopping him with a hand on his chest. “I know you want to kill him, but not until we get answers.”

  “What’s going on here? I don’t understand,” Kian demanded.

  Not taking his eyes from the smirk he was going to wipe off the bastard tiger’s face, Alex replied. “One of our fighters—no, she’s more than that. She’s my mate. She’s also a dragon, and she’s been hiding from males who would kidnap her and force her to mate them. And your bastard tiger sold her information to one of them. To the same fucking dragon who killed my sister, and her parents in front of her when he tried to take her the first time.”

  He watched from the corner of his eye as Kian stood ramrod straight, expression hard and voice like ice as he asked Zane, “Is this true? You sold a female’s information to someone who wished to harm her?”

  Zane swallowed nervously. “I didn’t know what they wanted her for,” he said mumbled. But then the cockiness returned, and he shrugged. “And what do we care for shifters who are not of our tribe? Besides, everything looks to have worked out for these people, and I was paid a handsome sum for the information.” His hesitated again when he caught sight of the anger on Kian’s face. “I just wanted to make enough money to get us out of this hellhole hotel, and into something nice. It’s not fit for you, Prince.”

  “I have the money to do so, if I wished, and you know that,” Kian hissed. “I don’t need to stay anywhere else. You could have gotten her killed, you fool. At the very least, she would have been miserable, having to mate the man who kidnapped her. I ought to let these fighters have you for that offense.”

  “No,” Ian said as Alex’s head whipped around to glare at him. He wanted to beat the tiger’s ass in the worst way. “I know Alex is chomping at the bit to take a few bites out of his hide, but I think Cammie deserves that right. Let them have a few rounds in the ring, and we’ll call it even.”

  “Oh, I definitely agree to that,” Zane said, a smirk on his face.

&
nbsp; “I wouldn’t be so quick to look so confident,” Alex said with a satisfied smile. “She’ll wipe the floor with you.”

  “I agree to these terms,” Kian said with a nod. “Just ask her to try not to eat him. I don’t want to lose one of my tigers. Zane, give them the money you were paid for the information. It’s only fitting Cammie gets to keep it.”

  “You have to be kidding me,” he said in disbelief. Seeing that Kian was serious, he reached into a bag by the bed and pulled out a wad of cash, flinging it on the bed, eyes filled with hate as he glared at Alex and Ian.

  “Thank you,” Ian told Kian quietly as he scooped up the cash. “And thanks for looking after Shelby. I assure you, she’s perfectly safe and happy here with me.”

  “I believe you. But I’d still like to hang around for a bit, maybe spend some time with her, if that’s all right. I’ve missed her since she’s been gone.”

  Ian studied Kian closely for a few moments before finally nodding. “I’m okay with that. You seem different from other tigers, but I’m going to warn you anyway. If you make her feel inferior in any way, make her feel like she’s anything less than beautiful, I will declaw you, one by one.”

  Zane started to protest, surging forward, but Alex was there in a heartbeat, hand around his throat, dragon close to the surface. “Go ahead. Give me another reason to kill you.”

  Ignoring what was going on between Alex and Zane, Kian inclined his head to Ian. “I accept those terms. It will never come to that. I love Shelby, too.”

  “Come on, Alex. Let’s get back to Rocky River,” Ian said, hearing the truth in Kian’s voice.

  Reluctantly letting Zane go, he smiled in satisfaction as he heard Zane gasping for breath. He followed Ian outside, brow furrowing. “Kian seems genuine, but Zane… I get the feeling he’s not here for good reasons, like Kian.”

  “I agree,” Ian said grimly. “We all need to be on our guard when it comes to him. I have a feeling he’s not done with us.”

  “You said part of your gift was sensing what shifters animals are. Why didn’t you sense they were tigers?”

  Shaking his head, Ian exhaled as he whistled for Seth, the preset signal for him to meet them at the truck. “I have to be around them for a bit before I know. I was only around the tigers in passing for a brief moment at the fight. It wasn’t long enough.”

  Pursing his lips in thought, Alex nodded. “Sucks there’s a time line on it.”

  “You’re telling me,” he replied wearily. They met Jax at the truck, Seth jogging toward them. “Come on. Let’s go home.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Heart heavy, Alex packed the little he owned in a duffle bag. He wanted to do it last night, after the uncomfortable plane ride to Cheyenne and the car ride to Rocky River, but he was exhausted when they finally got back. He had a quick shower, and then collapsed on the bed, pretty much asleep before his head hit the pillow. He spent the night dreaming about Cammie’s dragon. She was beautiful, with shiny dark blue scales glimmering with iridescent light orange, and gorgeously curved horns. Her spikes, starting at the base of her neck and ending at the tip of her tail, were sharp and evenly spaced out. He was so proud when he saw her dragon. That was his mate up there, lethally beautiful, a badass as she fought ferociously with Ivan.

  He hadn’t felt very rested when he woke up this morning, but there had been the little matter of tracking down the tiger shifters. Kian, much as he didn’t want to admit it, seemed like a genuinely good guy. Surprising, from what he’d heard tiger shifters were like. He’d thought Ian was the exception, but apparently Kian was, as well. Doubly surprising, since he was basically royalty in the shifter world.

  Now here he was, back at Rocky River, preparing to leave. He wasn’t going far, only into Eagle Creek. Even if Cammie never forgave him, he still wanted to stay close, watch over her. He had a feeling he would be her shadow for the rest of his life. She wouldn’t be safe unless she mated another shifter. Pain seared his insides at the thought, his dragon revolting. But though it would crush his soul if she mated someone else, he would find a way to deal if it meant she was safe.

  A soft knock sounded on the door, but before he could call out, it opened. Cammie took a few small steps inside, alarm crossing her beautiful features when she saw him packing his bag.

  “You’re leaving?” she asked, frowning.

  Taking heart from the frown and the alarm briefly on her face, he straightened up and turned to her. “I thought it was best. I know you don’t want me here, and I don’t want to make you uncomfortable in your own home.”

  “So you’ll leave, just like that. Without even trying to explain.”

  “I tried when you saw my eyes. You didn’t want to hear it then, and you avoided the hell out of me last night. Do you blame me for not immediately trying again?”

  “I can sure as hell blame you for just giving up. Am I not worth fighting for?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

  “Absolutely you are. I wasn’t done, or giving up, Cammie. I was leaving the house, not Eagle Creek. But I didn’t think you were ready to talk yet.”

  “Oh,” she replied with a nod, looking down to stare at her bare feet before she glanced up and met his eyes again. “I’m ready to talk now. I think you owe me some sort of explanation.”

  “I definitely do. Have a seat,” he said with a wave toward the chair by his bed. He moved his duffel off the bed and sat down, looking at his clasped hands, trying to figure out where to start. He guessed at the very beginning.

  “So talk,” she said softly as she pulled her legs onto the chair and curled up.

  “Before I get into the story, let me start by saying, successfully telling lies isn’t my gift. I don’t want you to think everything I tell you is some elaborate story. My gift is actually having visions of the future.”

  “Really?” she asked, eyes wide. “Wait, is that what happened the other morning when I saw your dragon eyes?”

  “Yeah, it was. I don’t see my surroundings at all. I see the vision. My body shakes while I have them, and sometimes it’s hard to breathe.”

  “I bet Seth doesn’t know that. He never would have let you drive his precious car if he did,” she said with a little giggle that warmed his heart and gave him hope that not all was lost with her.

  “Yeah, I felt kind of bad about that. I rarely drive because of the possibility of having a vision, but I needed to go to Bear Claw.”

  “I thought you went to look at your car,” she replied with a frown.

  “I did. But I did that after. I had questions I needed answers to. I’m getting ahead of myself, though.”

  “Okay. Start where you need to, but we’re coming back to that.”

  Alex blew out a long breath. “My dad was a lion, and my mom was a dragon. I had a little sister as well. Both of us were dragons. It’s not something that happens often when there’s a parent with a different animal, but there we were. Our parents moved us often, hoping to minimize the chance of a male dragon finding us and taking my sister. Because we moved so often, we never really made friends, other than ourselves. Daria—”

  “Daria?” Cammie blurted, eyes wide.

  “Yeah, why?” he asked, studying her pale face. She just shook her head and waved at him to continue, so he did, vowing to come back to her reaction later. “Daria was my best friend. And when we were old enough, we shared an apartment. We were cautious, but we decided to stay in one spot, because we were both tired of moving. But staying in one place made Daria more vulnerable. I worked from home, partly to protect her, and partly because I couldn’t drive much with the risk of having a vision. But one day, I had to go in for a meeting I couldn’t get out of. During the meeting, Daria started calling. She was frantic when I answered, and she said a dragon found her and was coming for her. I raced home, but…” Squeezing his eyes shut for a moment, he sighed. “By the time I got there, it was too late. The apartment was trashed, and my sister… my sister was dead.”

  �
��Oh, God Alex. I’m so sorry,” she said softly. “I know how it feels to see a family member like that. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.”

  “It was awful. It took months before I didn’t see her like that in my mind. I fought against that image hard. When I remember her, I want it to be how she was alive. Bubbly, happy, in love with life. Her death destroyed my parents. They never recovered from it. I wanted to see them really live again, and I burned for vengeance. I thought if I could end the dragon who killed her, I would have what I wanted, and maybe my parents would stop being shells of people, knowing the man responsible was dead.

  “I was right that day when I guessed I worked with computers. I’m kind of a computer geek, and also an excellent hacker. I managed to find the man responsible, and it was Ivan.” He paused to watch her reaction, but she just nodded, looking unsurprised with the information. “I found this serum that suppresses a shifter’s animal. It left me feeling vulnerable, and obviously, I’m no fighter. So I took lessons in how to be a spy for a few months. I wanted to get into Ivan’s compound and find a weakness, something I could use to take him down.

  “Once lessons were over, I took the serum and applied for a job as a tech and hacker under a false identity. I was hired, and I flew to Canada, but I had to keep taking the suppressants. They thought I was a human and they wouldn’t hesitate to kill me if they knew I was a shifter, especially a dragon. I was given one job while I was there.” He paused, looking down at his hands, before glancing up and snaring her gaze with his. “To find you. I only pretended, though. I wasn’t handing another innocent woman over to Ivan. But one day, I had a vision. It was you and me, and from it, it was clear you were my mate.”

  “Your visions… how do they work? You seem confident it was true.”