“I’m very sorry for that, Taylor. I promise we’ll leave in the morning.”
“No, you’ll leave now! I wash my hands of the both of you. And this man here is your problem, not mine. I have a family to protect. I brought them way out here so we wouldn’t have to face any problems of civilization and here you brought it to my door.”
Trina joined them and stared up at Angus with tears in her eyes. “You should have told us. I helped you and this is the way you repay me?”
Angus continued to look at Trina. “Is your son okay?”
“Yes, no thanks to you. I’ll have Angelina pack your things,” she said as she hurried back to the cave.
“Don’t even think about moving,” Angus warned Salem.
“Follow that trail,” Taylor told him. “It will lead you to a clearing where you can send up a flare. There’s a lookout station that will spot it and call for help.”
“I don’t have a flare,” Angus said.
“I have one left, but I’m only giving it to you so you get away from my family before something else happens.”
“I have one,” Salem offered.
“Do you have rope in your bag, too?” Angus asked. “Because there’s no way I’m allowing you to travel with us unless I have you restrained.”
Angelina put the strap of a bag over her shoulder and joined Angus. “So this is the man who was hired to kill me?”
“It appears so. Your partner is dead, so there’s no sense worrying about him,” Angus said to the man, letting that resonate before he asked, “Do you have a name?”
“Salem, and yes, I am a hyena shifter.”
Angus took the backpack that was near Salem and opened it, locating a flare gun and rope that he then used to tie the man’s hands behind his back.
“Is that necessary?” Angelina asked in a whisper.
“He was hired to kill you, remember?”
“I know that, but it seems so inhuman.”
“You wouldn’t think that if he choked the life out of you or used this knife of his on you,” Angus explained, holding Salem’s knife.
“How are we going to find our way in the dark?” she asked.
“The moon is full, plenty of light even in the darkness. Hopefully we don’t run into any full-blood werewolves on the way.”
“I thought werewolves could turn anytime they wanted now. It’s not the seventies, you know.”
“I thought you didn’t know that much about shifters.”
“Actually I did some research about werewolves when I auditioned for a part, but they told me I wasn’t a good screamer.”
Angus smirked. “You might be shocked to find the opposite is true in the right situation.”
Angelina felt warm between her legs at his suggestion although he wasn’t that specific.
“Are you planning to move or stay here all night flirting with each other? I’d have thought a bodyguard would know his place,” Salem said.
“Lead the way,” Angus commanded as he waved the knife.
Salem followed the trail, feeling guilty for allowing Caleb to go into the cave like that. His death was certainly a blow. Although he was a pain oftentimes, they had worked with one another for a long time. He was also the reason Salem hadn’t given up his profession. If he survived this venture, he’d pull up stakes and leave his life as a hired killer behind him.
He stared at Angelina, whose fragile beauty gave him pause. What was he thinking, taking on an assignment like this? Even in the moonlight he could tell she was an exceptional beauty. She was also sweet on Angus, although he doubted the llama noticed since every time she moved closer he moved away, keeping a comfortable distance between them.
“What did my partner do to that baby bear?” Salem asked.
“He did what snakes do best—constrict,” Angus said angrily. “If the other bear hadn’t woken up and called the alert, Taylor and Trina would have one less son.”
“I didn’t know he’d do something like that. Caleb was only supposed to take a peek, not enter the cave.”
“He could have attacked me instead,” Angelina said. “At least then Trina wouldn’t be so angry at me. But I suppose I could have told her the truth, too.”
“And we’d have been asked to leave instead of her tending to our wounds,” Angus insisted.
“Trina is a good person. She gave me medical supplies to hold us for a while.”
“We better hurry before one of you drops out,” Salem said.
“If I needed your advice I’d ask for it,” Angus vented. “If you think me being injured makes me weak, you can forget it. Have you ever been kicked by a llama?”
“No, and I can’t say I’d want to be,” Salem said, opting to close his mouth from that point on.
Howls were heard in the distance with other ones answering. If they ran into a full blood werewolf out there, he’d have no alternative than to shift. He’d be helpless in his human form.
The howl became louder and louder and Angus pulled Angelina closer. “If we get jumped I want you to hide. Promise me you will, Angelina.”
“I’m not leaving you, Angus.”
“Listen to him. Getting attacked by a full blood is no place for a woman,” Salem said. “There’s no telling what they’ll do to you.”
Suddenly, Angus handed Angelina the backpack and motioned her farther into the woods as an animal with glowing eyes stood on the edge of the trail, blocking them from the clearing. When he moved closer, the moon allowed them to see a wolf standing on two feet, snarling and snapping his jaws.
Chapter 8
Angelina did as she was told, as Angus and Salem shifted from human to llama and hyena form and charged the werewolf. Battle lines were formed and they went for an all-out attack. Salem jumped on the wolf’s back as Angus kicked him, only to be pushed back. More wolves joined the fray only to be kicked and stomped by Angus. Salem was quite adept at ripping wolves down and going for the throat.
She whimpered as more showed up, and she hurried through the tightly packed trees and into the clearing. She rustled through the backpack and pulled out the flare gun, firing it into the night sky.
The growls and snapping jaw were silenced and Angus and Caleb limped forward, collapsing to the ground in exhaustion. They didn’t shift into human form, instead glancing to the north where a flare answered theirs.
“They saw the flare,” Angelina exclaimed as she jumped with joy.
The wolves didn’t enter the clearing and Angus and Salem shifted back to human form, Angelina hurrying to hand them their clothing.
“The flare must have scared them off,” she said.
“It’s approaching daylight. See the sun rising?” Angus pointed out.
“Shooting off the flare was a good idea,” Salem told her.
Angelina settled on the ground, able to relax finally. “What are our plans now?”
“We sit and wait,” Angus replied.
“Hope they send help, and soon,” Salem added.
“Get out the rope, Angelina. We have to tie up our friend here.”
“Oh no, I won’t. We’re doing no such a thing. If it weren’t for him we’d have been killed.”
“He did that to save his own skin.”
“I’ll admit that was part of it, but you’d never have been able to fight them off by yourself.”
Angus gave Salem a hard stare. “You might be right, but that doesn’t mean I trust you.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to, but I hope you don’t plan on leaving me behind. I mean, I’m a desperate killer, remember? It would be safer to bring me along.”
“And why would I do that?”
“So we can figure out who really hired us to kill Angelina.”
“You should know who hired you,” Angus said.
“We were hired by a woman,” Salem explained. “I believe whoever wants Angelina dead used that woman as a front. She kept referencing an ‘us.’”
“So nobody would be able to find out who really
wants her dead,” Angus said. “Are you certain you don’t know who it could be, Angelina?”
“I really don’t. A stalker was arrested like I told you, but I know he can’t be behind it.”
“Stalkers prefer to do the killing themselves if they’re so inclined,” Salem said. “Have you had any disagreement with anyone?”
“Not to any extent. Maybe I shouldn’t have left Hollywood, just flushed them out there.”
The helicopter hovered over them hours later, Angus, Angelina, and Salem waving their arms frantically until the bird landed. A man opened the door and they hustled over, climbing inside.
“I’m so glad to see you,” Angelina gushed. “I still can’t believe we survived the plane crash.”
“We’ve been searching for the downed plane, but bad weather set us back,” the pilot said. “Your father has been so worried about you.”
Angelina eased back in her seat, actually ready to return to civilization. She closed her eyes, relieved that it would involve Angus continuing to watch over her, something she welcomed as she was growing rather fond of him. If it hadn’t been for him, she’d have perished in the crash.
She knew one thing—she wasn’t about to let Angus get away.
The helicopter landed in Casper, Wyoming, and Angelina bent her head to avoid the photographers. “Well, someone must have leaked that I survived,” Angelina whispered to Angus.
They entered the building of the small airport and scanned the crowd. She didn’t spot her father anywhere.
“Hello there,” Willis greeted.
“This is my father’s assistant,” Angelina introduced. “This is Angus and Salem.”
“We’re her bodyguards,” Angus said with a nod.
“It seems that you must have picked up another bodyguard in the wilderness.” Willis laughed.
“I hardly find that funny when Angelina nearly lost her life in a plane crash,” Angus said.
“Don’t let Willis bother you. He’s been honed by my father. Where is he?” Angelina asked.
Willis frowned. “He’s waiting for you back in Los Angeles, dealing with a business matter.”
She shook her head, excusing herself to use the bathroom. She stared at her reflection. Her blonde hair was in knots and she began to work them loose. Her freckles were visible with dark circles beneath her eyes. She’d make the cover of a scandal magazine for sure.
She left the bathroom and Angus approached. “I almost went in there to check on you. So, what’s the story with your dad?”
“Tell me about yours first,” Angelina coaxed.
His face darkened. “My father has never been in my life. I don’t even know who he is. I had to learn how to fend for myself after my mother died when I was quite young. I lived my life as a llama until I was older.”
Angelina laid a hand on his arm. He lived his life as a llama? “I’m so sorry. I lost my mother when I was eighteen. She had a massive heart attack. My father had never been in my life growing up, but he did show up and brought me to California to live with him after she died.”
“At least he showed up.”
“If you say so. But it’s hard to believe that my father would be worried about me since he never even bothered to show up here.”
“We better get moving. I think that odd little man is waiting on us.”
“Now it’s not Willis’s fault that he’s ninety pounds wet, although he has quite the biceps. If you ask him, he’ll show you.”
“I think I’ll pass. I’d rather you show me something.” He winked.
“You show me yours and I’ll show you mine.” She nervously looked up at him. “Are we having a moment?”
“A moment?”
Her smile disappeared. “Never mind, I must have been mistaken.”
Angus moved back and suddenly took her arm, dragging her back into the bathroom before pressing her against the cool brick wall with his hard body. He captured her lips with his in a searing kiss that made Angelina melt into him.
“I’m sorry,” an old woman said as she entered the bathroom, hurrying past.
They laughed and walked out, meeting the anxious gaze of Willis and an amused Salem. “I went to check on her,” Angus said quickly.
“Angus is protective that way,” Angelina explained as she moved past Willis. “Are we leaving now or…?”
Willis led them into the parking lot where a limousine was waiting.
“Don’t you have something less conspicuous?” Angus asked.
“I think Angus is right,” Angelina greed. “The press will follow this vehicle faster than a rental car.”
Willis sighed. “Then go ahead and get a rental, but I’m going to Los Angeles in the limo. I rather like traveling in style.”
He waited until Angus rented an SUV and they climbed in, following Willis in the limo. Angus turned the radio to a country station. “I hope you don’t mind, but I’m a country man.”
“Where is the ranch you live at again?” Angelina asked.
“The Silver Creek Ranch is in southern Wyoming. I’m a ranch hand there.”
“Really? I would think you’d be running the ranch.” She smiled.
“I don’t need that kind of responsibility. I’m good at protecting the ranch, or I should say my llama half is.”
“And no mate to speak of?” she pressed.
“Nobody would want to be the mate of a llama shifter.”
“I don’t agree with that. I would. You’re a good man and they’re hard to find, whether they’re a shifter or human.” She turned to the other part of their trio. “So what’s your story, Salem?”
“I don’t have one.”
“Everyone has one,” she insisted.
“You know I’m a hired killer, and that’s all you need to know. Don’t worry, I’ll help flush out whoever wants you dead.”
Angus opened the backpack. “Whose counterfeit money is this?”
“What?” Salem roared as he snatched it away from Angus. “Dammit, I should have checked it. All I was concerned about was the map where the plane crashed.”
“So someone gave you money and you never even counted it or made certain it was real?” Angus asked suspiciously.
“I tossed the bag to Caleb and that’s the last I saw of it. I didn’t know he even packed the cash.” He slammed a fist against his palm. “When I find that woman I’m ripping her end to end.”
“What woman?” Angelina asked.
“The woman who hired me. We met her at a warehouse. It was our first contact, which was strange because we ordinarily don’t get the job that easily.”
“That should have told you something,” Angus said. “But I’m not a hired killer.”
“What did this woman look like?” Angelina asked.
“Great pair of legs and sexy lips.”
Angus’s brow shot up in laughter. “Sounds like you covered all the bases.”
“Men,” Angelina said, rolling her eyes before they suddenly widened. “The limo is swerving!”
The limo continued to move erratically as they crossed a bridge. It slammed into the guardrail, flipping over the edge where it stayed dangerously perched. Salem slammed on the brakes of the SUV and jumped out, he and Angus racing toward the limo.
Willis was waving frantically from the back door.
“Stay there,” Salem ordered.
Instead Willis moved back into the limo, exiting from the moon roof as the vehicle started rocking.
“Stay there!” Angus shouted as he climbed the guardrail. Willis stretched his arm out and Angus grabbed it, pulling him free just as the limo fell to the ravine below.
Salem helped Angus pull him up and over the guardrail to safety. “Thank you, thank you,” Willis exclaimed. “What the hell happened?”
“I don’t know, but hopefully the driver can tell us.” Angus pointed to where he had been thrown from the vehicle, the man lying facedown on the payment. Angus turned him and checked his pulse. “He’s dead,” he pronounced. “He
snapped his neck from the looks of it.”
“We should call the police,” Willis said.
“You can but we’re moving on. I have the feeling someone tampered with the limo, and I don’t think we should be here when they show up,” Angus said.
Willis stood up. “I’m with you.”
“How can we be sure Willis here isn’t involved in the plot to kill Angelina?” Salem asked.
“You think I’d be in the limo if I knew it would crash?” he asked with widened eyes.
Angelina pointed out Willis’s wet pants. “I believe him,” she whispered to Angus.
“Where did you get the limo?” Angus asked.
“I—”
“How did you get here so quickly when we were only rescued a short time ago?” Salem asked.
“You didn’t even give me the chance to tell you!” Willis exclaimed. “I arrived in Wyoming after the plane was confirmed to have gone down. Angelina’s father ordered me to come down here, or that’s what Julia told me.”
“Was Julia on hand when the limo left Los Angeles?” Angus asked.
“No, she arranged for my flight. I’ve been staying at a rundown motel until I received the call that you were heading to the airport here. She had the limo waiting for me when I came to pick you up,” Willis said.
“My assistant Julia, you mean?” Angelina asked with a frown.
“Yes. Why, is that a problem?”
“Well, no reason other than she brought me a suitcase before we took off in LA, before we crashed. It had a device that released gas. She obviously meant to kill me all along.”
“I don’t understand why Julia would want to kill you,” Willis said. “She’s your assistant. What could she possibly gain by it?”
“I have no idea. I didn’t want to believe she could be involved, but it’s obvious everything is pointing to her now,” Angelina admitted.
“What does this Julia look like?” Salem asked as he led the way to the SUV.
They climbed inside and Angelina asked, “Do you have your cell phone on you, Willis?”
He handed over his iPhone. Angelina then scrolled, searching through her pictures on a social media site as Angus ripped off a strip of her shirt.
Llama and the Lady Page 5