Until she could figure out how to get out of her predicament, she’d get rid of the animals that were caught. AllOil had no idea she was getting paid to harvest shifters. It wasn’t as if the creatures were going to walk up to the campfire and introduce themselves.
“Cara, dinner’s ready.” Slade’s voice trilled through the camp.
“On my way.” She closed her duffel bag and zipped it. The fresh T-shirt cooled her and now that she thought about it, she was hungry. The food, even though it was camp food, was the highlight of being out in the wilderness. That wasn’t saying much.
“You’ve got kitchen duty tonight, Slade.” Another voice, probably Zac, called out, then laughed. The men hated camping as much as she did.
“Great! I hope we’re eating light.”
With a quick glance behind her, she clicked off the lantern and pushed through the tent flap. The late afternoon sun glinted through the trees, and concentric circles pointed out fish in the lake. Even Cara had to admit that the area was beautiful. Full of everything she wasn’t looking for and none of what she needed to find.
And bugs.
She shooed them away, but not before one slipped into her mouth. She spit it out, trying not to gag. She did not belong outside with animals, but if she was going to figure out how to help them, she had to be with the company while they canvassed the area.
She longed for her desk. And air-conditioning. And real food. Hell, and heels. She headed toward the mess tent, over the slope of a gentle trail they’d already managed to wear into the ground in the days they’d been there.
The mess tent was screened in and it appeared that everyone had gotten there before she did. The odor of something she couldn’t recognize wafted from the tent.
Whatever was being served, it wouldn’t be as good as real food. “If we have hot dogs one more time...”
“Let’s eat.” Dan motioned to everyone to sit, then he rearranged his ball cap.
The group leader, Dan, made up for lack of intelligence with brutishness. He looked like he’d played football all his life but swore he only watched it on TV. Despite his general insensitivity to the animals, he’d become almost a friend. Not that she couldn’t take care of herself, but if she couldn’t, Dan would be the one she’d want at her side. He always carried a gun, and usually a knife, too.
He didn’t know what was really happening, and she couldn’t risk telling him.
“When do we get to leave?” Cara picked up a paper plate and wrapped sandwich. At least it wasn’t greasy or burned.
“Soon. About done collecting the data we need.” Dan shoved half a sandwich in his mouth. “Then the real fun begins.”
The men groaned.
Cara smiled. The only female on the advance team, she hadn’t paid much attention to the gender difference, content to do her job, but she had to admit, she looked forward to hanging out with her girlfriends when she got back. Camping memories could be wiped out with a pedicure and massage.
“Eat up. I want to go over the plans one more time tonight.” Dan chugged his water. “I want out of this jungle as badly as you all do.”
“I doubt that.” Cara stuffed a bite of sandwich in her mouth. “I really doubt it.”
* * *
Lara leaned against an ancient oak tree, its bark rough against her back. The trek down into the valley hadn’t been that long, but she was tired from the day of activity. She closed her eyes and rested her head against the tree trunk.
The day couldn’t be over fast enough.
And yet with a new threat to Deep Creek, she needed to stay alert. Her fighting skills might be needed at any moment. She stretched, her muscles straining with new energy.
She licked her lips.
“Wish I’d brought a water bottle.” She raised her head and tightened the clasp on her hair. If she’d been in lion form, she could run till she got to water. Moving as a human was like moving through gelatin.
Slow.
“We can stop at the creek on our way home. Can you wait? I’d rather go see if the humans are still at the lake.”
“Yes. I’ll be fine.” Annoyed with herself that she’d shown a weakness, she stuck her hands in her pockets and began walking, Mason at her heels.
He sniffed the air. “We’re close. I smell fire, so they’re still there.”
Nodding, she pointed. “Not much farther, over there. I see the smoke gathering in the tree line. They’re likely at the waterfront.”
Mason held his finger to his lips in a hushing motion and they crept together, moving slowly off the small path and into the brush. Whatever the humans were up to, the lions needed to find out without being seen. A twinge of fear crept up her throat. Would the fighting ever end? War and death had been hallmarks of her life thus far and she was tired of it. Deep Creek was always at war, it seemed, and even with the recent calm there was an undercurrent of tension.
She stepped on a branch and it snapped underfoot. Mason, now leading, turned and scowled. She shrugged. Anticipating every noise was impossible. Besides, the humans wouldn’t hear it—only shifter ears were so keen from this distance. She followed close, happy to let him be in front.
Dusk had settled over the valley in a wash of deep purples and swirling blues. The slivered moon peered over the mountains like a bright slice of light in the sky. Soon, it’d be dark enough for the stars to be visible. Dark enough that the humans wouldn’t easily see them.
The birds and night animals were active all around them. Though her hearing wasn’t as sensitive as when she moved as a shifter, she still heard them. Scampers and calls to evening plans—all clear to her lioness, who paced inside, longing to get out and run. Lara shushed her, placating her with a promised run later. With summer starting, there’d be plenty of late night runs in the moonlight to the cadence of all the insects and heartbeats in the forest.
A nice fat rabbit sounded perfect for dinner.
Mason motioned her to crouch and she did, crawling up close to him in the brush. She could smell him. Warm, with a streak of fierceness, like a juicy steak with a hint of tangy sauce. A spice she couldn’t name and a scent so intoxicating, she had to move back a bit. She’d been near him too much today. She sniffed again, and he turned and shot her a smile.
She looked away.
What the hell was wrong with her? She wasn’t one to go around sniffing men. She shook her head. I’m just hungry, that’s all.
Mason grabbed her arm. She looked where he was pointing and inhaled sharply. Through the bushes, a short distance away, a smattering of tiny campfires blazed. And tents cast hulking shadows across the lakeshore.
Where were the humans?
The low sound of muffled voices grew louder and Lara strained to hear what was going on. A group of humans—male and at least one female—made their way to the edge of a fire, their faces alight with the bright glow.
They looked happy. None appeared to be armed, but why were there so many of them? The lake was remote—how could they have gotten all the equipment so deep into the woods—unless they’d had pack mules?
And why were they at the lake?
Mason’s face mirrored her concerns, his brows slanted and his skin drawn tight. His mouth a firm line. Lara watched him a minute, noting his slightly curved nose—the bump was the only way she could easily tell Marco and Mason apart unless they were talking. Somehow, the imperfection made him even more handsome than his brother.
She looked back at the humans standing around the fire like an army at ease, but aware battle was coming. Most looked out of place—not like seasoned hikers or hunters. More like businessmen without their suits, forced into jeans and T-shirts and shoes they only wore once or twice a year or maybe bought for the outing.
Stranger and stranger.
A large man glanced their way, spotted them, then rushed toward where they crouched. Bile
filled Lara’s mouth and her lioness screamed run, but she froze in place. Several other men followed the leader, and within seconds, she and Mason were surrounded by humans.
“Get up.” One of the men spoke with authority. “Now.”
Lara and Mason stood, hands in the air. The odor of the humans, strong with adrenaline, burned her nose.
“What the hell are you doing out here?” one of the humans asked. He adjusted his ball cap and put his hands on his hips.
He must be the leader.
“Spying on us, looks like,” another said.
“No, we’re hikers...heading back to our car.” Mason’s voice was smooth, silky and nonaggressive, and he kept his hands up. “We got lost and saw the campfires so we paused to check out the situation.”
Mason was good. Was it enough?
Lara bit her lip, her mind racing with possible escape plans. They couldn’t take on the whole group, but if she could create a diversion, they might be able to run and outpace the men. She and Mason knew Deep Creek better than any human, and if they had time to shift there would be no way the men could ever catch them.
The only risk would be if they had guns. She couldn’t outrun a bullet.
“Bullshit. You’re with TempCo, aren’t you?” The man pointed a finger in Mason’s face. “’Fess up. We’re deep enough in the woods that if you go missing, no one will ask...at least not for a long time.”
“That sounds like a threat.” Mason never broke eye contact with the man.
What if his arrogance got them killed? And what the heck was TempCo?
Lara took a shuddering breath, trying to still her fear. Never let them see how you really feel. The adage had served her well. “No, sir. I don’t know what TempCo even is. We’re lost, like he said. You don’t need to threaten us.”
“It’s not a threat. Just a figure of speech. I don’t like being snuck up on. Or spied on.” The large man, both tall and broad, with a head full of gold-red hair, pushed his way close to Lara. “Put your hands down but don’t move.” He looked around to the other humans. “Everyone stay calm. They don’t look like TempCo people, now, do they?”
The group muttered but no one challenged him. Lara eased the tension out of her shoulders and lowered her hands. She and Mason had to find out what TempCo was and why these humans were wary of it. Exactly what was going on?
“Thank you.” She ducked her head.
“Don’t thank me yet. Why were you hiding in the bushes?”
“We’re lost. We saw the fires, like I said, and decided to be wary. Like you said, we’re deep in the woods and things happen out here. We were being cautious, that’s all.” Mason shrugged. “No harm, no foul.”
She shot Mason a scowl. He was antagonizing the humans. She turned to the large man and softened her voice. “Can you help point us in the direction of State Road 439? That’s where we parked, just off the curve and on the downslope where the woods meet the road. We’d thought that would be an easy place to get back to, but somehow we got turned around. Now it’s nearly dark and we need to get out of the forest before we get even more lost. Will you help us?”
The large man narrowed his eyes as if he was weighing every word she said. Lara held her stance, meeting his glare and blinking in a sign of forced submission. Not that she was submissive. Ready to pounce, she would have a good chance at taking him down if he moved toward her. Still, there were too many humans for her to fight.
“Slade, grab the map and see how far away State Road 439 is. That may be near where we came in. Probably is. This part of the woods is so thick, I doubt there are many trails.”
“Thank you.” Mason stuck his hands in his pockets and kicked at the ground.
At his sudden move, two of the men drew guns from hidden locations. The shiny metal glinted off the last strands of daylight, and a hitch blocked Lara’s breath for a moment.
“I’m not sure I believe you.” The man scowled. “I’m checking out your story. Pardon the guns but we have to protect ourselves out here in the wilderness. Wild animals are out here, you know?”
Lara nodded. “We aren’t armed.”
“They don’t look like hikers, Dan,” one of the gun-toting men said. He sounded tough, but his hand shook. He wasn’t used to holding a weapon, that was obvious. “Where are their packs?”
“We weren’t planning to go far. Just come a little ways into the woods.” Mason fumbled with words. “You know, get a little privacy as a couple.” He waggled his eyebrows.
Lara looked away, a smile forming on her lips. Mason was smart, she had to give him credit.
The comment had the intended effect and Dan waved for the men to put their guns away, his face alight with a grin. A few more men joined the crowd. Maybe ten, eleven total. Lara glanced from one to the next. A lone woman sidled up to Dan.
“What’s going on? Who are they?”
“I don’t think it’s anything to worry about, Cara. These hikers got lost in the woods after...taking a break. Slade’s bringing me the map so we can point them in the direction of the road.”
Cara stared at them. Though small, the woman oozed power. Something in the way she carried herself showed that she meant business. Her hair, pulled into a messy bun, was as pale as the underfur of a cub and just as fine. Full makeup adorned her face, and her nails glinted with polish. She shoved her glasses up and glared.
Lara nodded. These humans weren’t typical campers. Something else was going on, and they needed to find out exactly what it was.
Huffing and puffing, Slade rushed into the group, holding a perfectly folded map.
Dan snatched it out of Slade’s hands.
Lara stole a glance at Mason. Damn, his poker face was perfect. She’d never guess he was the leader of a tough pack of shifters. He played the dumb lover lost in the woods as if he’d perfected the part. She had to admit, his explanation, with a well-placed innuendo, had changed the temperature of the encounter from dangerous to civil in a matter of moments.
“Is this where you’re parked?” Dan held the map out to Mason.
The paper crinkled in the light breeze and Dan folded it in half, trying to still it. One of the men shone a flashlight on the spot where Dan pointed.
“I think so.” Mason continued the ruse. He leaned closer. “I’m not very familiar with this part of the forest though I’ve been several times to the area near the lake.”
“Bet you have.” Dan grinned.
A couple of the men laughed.
Lara stepped near to see the map and Dan pointed to an irregular oval shape that covered a chunk of the paper.
“That’s the lake.” He dragged his finger west. “And here’s the road. It’s still a good distance away, as you can see. You really shouldn’t have had to come so far into the forest to...do your thing.”
Mason cleared his throat. “I think we got turned around and went deeper into the forest instead of heading the correct direction back to the car.”
“I’ll say. New positions will do that.”
“Very funny.”
Lara ignored the men and studied the map. She recognized the park and all the landmarks drawn in. There was only one thing she wasn’t sure of. A large dark line bisected the northwestern edge of Deep Creek, and coordinates were handwritten beside it, along with some notes she couldn’t read.
What could it mean?
Dan realized her gaze lingered and he pulled the map away and began folding it. “You’d better get going before it gets too dark to see.” He looked around his group. “Anyone have a flashlight these kids can have?”
One of the men handed him a light and Dan flicked it on then passed it to Mason.
“Thank you.” Mason smiled. “This will help.”
“Better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. But not as good as a ride out. Can’t help you there, though. We hiked
in, too. No roads this far in.” Dan looked up at the sky.
Lara followed his gaze. The moon was high over the mountains, and the sky overhead was now nearly black. Only the fringes of the western horizon held any remainder of light, and that was limited to a streak of orange cracking just over the horizon.
“Thank you for the help.” Lara kept her voice low. Demure.
“Glad we could be of service.”
Lara tugged Mason’s arm. “Let’s get going...honey.” She chewed her lip. Her acting skills were nowhere near Mason’s, but her will to live was just as strong.
“Sorry for startling you.” Mason aimed the light at the ground. “We saw the fire and headed toward it, but then you spotted us before we could say hello.”
“You need to go now.” Cara stepped closer. “These woods are dangerous for...you.”
“Yep, take your pretty little girlfriend and get out of this godforsaken forest before you get hurt. I’ve heard there are mountain lions and bears and wolves roaming this land.” Dan rubbed his arms. “You don’t want to tangle with one of them. Especially the lions.”
“No, we don’t,” Lara said.
And neither do you.
Cara sneered and moved close to Lara, leaning in to whisper, “No place for your kind, here. Go while you can.”
Lara pulled back, her heart pounding.
Cara was a shifter!
Chapter Four
Tawodi ducked into the Cave of Whispers, past the Sentinels who motioned her through. Going from the filtered sunlight of the forest to the dark of the cave was a shock and she stopped to let her eyes adjust. Always on guard in the woods around the cave entrance, the Sentinels knew her well and never gave her a problem—as human or hawk—when she came through. Usually, she loved visiting Shoshannah, and the cave was a respite from the struggles of everyday living.
Today, however, serious things were on her mind.
Claiming His Lioness (Shifter Wars) Page 4