“We have special paint you can use to personalize your padlock,” Tomasine said. “We don’t lend it to visitors. You’re special.”
“Thanks.” Marsh winked at her while he thought quickly. Although his first instinct was to make it a surprise, Caroline was the artist in the family. “That would be great.”
He accepted the box of paints and brushes and his cupcake and went back to the table. “I thought we’d put our own padlock on the fence to celebrate second chances.”
Caroline beamed at him. “That’s a wonderful idea.”
“Tomasine gave me some paints.” He handed her a paintbrush. “You’re the artist.”
“What should I paint?”
“How about our names and the date of our wedding?”
“Okay.” With delicate strokes of the brush, she wrote their names—Caroline and Marsh—plus the date of their wedding. Then, once the paint dried, she turned over the padlock and painted a tiny stick figure with red hair.
Marsh smiled at her, the concentration on her face and the tip of her tongue visible between her lips. By the time she finished, a tiny black cat sat on its haunches beside the figure.
“What do you think?”
“Perfect,” Marsh said with approval. “Let’s clip it to the fence.”
After returning the paints to Tomasine, they walked hand-in-hand to the SUV.
“Are you worried about Ricky?” Caroline asked. “Do you think he’ll shift back to human?”
“I think Ricky will be fine.” Marsh said. “Once he realizes, he can’t leave Glenshee Station as much, I think he’ll be more amenable to returning to his human form. Hamish told me they hold a mid-year Christmas. Ricky loves Christmas.”
Caroline nodded. “I didn’t think Gavin seemed worried, even though Ricky’s early change is unusual. That set my mind at rest. I liked him.”
“We’re lucky to have him. Most communities have to make do.”
“Are there other shifters living nearby?”
“No, but there are several communities in Australia.”
“What about werewolves and vampires? Dragons?”
“There are a few werewolves around, but no groups in New Zealand as far as I know. I haven’t heard of vampires, but we have native dragons. The taniwha.”
“I thought they were legend.”
Marsh pulled up near the fence, glad they were the sole visitors at present. “Think again.”
“Wow.” Her lashes blinked. Once. Twice. “That is amazing. Do the dragons fly?”
“Some of them.”
“Wow.”
“Come on, kitten. Let’s hang our padlock before another bus or carload of ladies come to leave their bras.”
Dozens of padlocks filled the five-wire fence, each one decorated in a different style and colors.
“Where should we put our padlock?”
“There,” Caroline said, her smile sweet. Sexy.
“I love you, kitten. Thank you for giving us a second chance.” He slipped the top of their padlock on the wire and clipped it shut.
“Marsh, I’m so happy. I love you too.”
He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her and not even the rude tooting of the horn from a newly arrived vehicle pulled them from the special moment.
This truly was love, and he was a lucky, lucky man.
Bonus Chapter
Mitchell Farm, Middlemarch, New Zealand
Feline Shapeshifter Council Meeting.
Present: Saber Mitchell, Sid Blackburn, Kenneth Nesbitt, Agnes Paisley, Valerie McClintock, Benjamin Urquart
“There is no point glaring at me.” Saber Mitchell glanced around the table at his fellow Feline council members, determined not to buckle under the silent condemnation. “You told me to speak with Marsh. I was following orders.”
Valerie sniffed. “You arranged a new job for Marsh Rutherford.”
Saber rolled his eyes, a habit he’d acquired from Emily, his mate. It made him want to smile, but he kept his expression under control. Not the right moment. If he let the oldies push him too far, he’d never regain the lost ground. At least he had a backup distraction in hand, although he wasn’t desperate yet. “Let’s speak plainly, shall we? Not one of you wanted to speak with Marsh or interfere in another man’s marriage, so you delegated the job to me. I spoke with Marsh, discerned the problem and gave him the means to take steps for change. He wanted that change or he wouldn’t have followed my suggestion.”
“Dawn and Charles Rutherford aren’t happy,” Agnes said.
“When are they happy? They’re miserable people, and they wanted to control their son. From the little I’ve pieced together, Charles used him as slave labor and refused to pay him a decent wage. They made their disapproval of Caroline clear.”
Sid ran his hand through his thin silver hair, his sigh heavy. “They blamed him for his older brother’s death. It was an accident, but Angus was the golden child. His passing was a bad day for Middlemarch.”
“Marsh shouldn’t keep paying for an accident,” Kenneth stated. “He wasn’t much more than a boy. Hadn’t been shifting for that long.”
“Is it true that one of Marsh’s sons shifted?” Ben demanded.
“Yes. He’s three.”
“That could be a problem,” Agnes said with a scowl. “No wonder Dawn and Charles want custody of their grandchildren.”
“That will happen over my dead body,” Saber stated. “But from what Marsh said, his parents are starting to come around and have backed off on their threats. They have no grounds. Marsh and Caroline are good parents, and the boys are doing well at Glenshee Station. It’s a secluded property, so his feline appearance won’t startle anyone.” He met each of their gazes. “Gavin isn’t concerned, says the boy is in excellent health and he’ll shift back to human when he’s ready. The only way Dawn and Charles will have contact with their grandchildren is with Marsh and Caroline’s permission. Are we clear?”
Silence bloomed before Kenneth beamed at Saber. “Sounded just like Herbert then. Lord, I miss that man. He was a force.”
Saber opened and closed his mouth. He missed his uncle too. “Are we agreed? There will be no more interference in Marsh and Caroline’s marriage. They are happy—ecstatically,” Saber said, recalling the noise from the spare bedroom before they returned to Glenshee. “They are also mates. True mates,” he added, recalling seeing the mark on Marsh’s neck. The same mark he sported after Emily had bitten him during lovemaking. He hadn’t known that would or could occur, but he wore the mark with pride.
“The lad is right,” Sid said. “He dealt with the problem as he saw fit. I, for one, will stand by his actions. I spotted Marsh and Caroline at the padlock fence as I drove past. They were lost in each other, and it made an old heart proud.” He grinned. “A carload of young girls came and were hooting and hollering, but Marsh and Caroline didn’t seem to notice.”
“Did they leave bras?” Valerie demanded.
“I can’t say,” Sid said. “I was in a hurry.” He turned his head and winked at Saber.
“What is next on the agenda?” Saber asked.
“Isabella, your sister-in-law, has put forward a proposal to run martial arts classes for children and teenagers plus keep-fit and self-defense classes for adults,” Agnes said. “She says she’s happy to donate the proceeds, after expenses, to the council. What angle is she playing? Why is she donating her profits?”
Saber knew but wasn’t about to tell the council they had a professional assassin—albeit retired—living in their midst. “She is independently wealthy,” Saber said. “Her parents left her a large amount of money, and she doesn’t need to work.” The truth as far as it went.
“Well,” Valerie said. “She doesn’t behave like a rich person.”
“I say we should approve her proposal,” Sid said. “The more we have to occupy our youngsters, the better it will be for everyone. If we’d had something like this ten years ago…” He trailed off, which Saber was grat
eful for. He did not want reminders of his rambunctious brothers.
“I think it would be a good thing,” Saber said. “Isabella is a good teacher. She’s been running through her program with me and Emily plus Tomasine and Felix. She is also teaching Sylvie.”
“I agree,” Kenneth said and wiped his sweaty brow.
The rest added their approval.
“One last thing. Leo, Felix and I have completed building the zombie run course. I suggest I take you for a tour of the course and show you the obstacles, the places the zombies will inhabit and the running tracks.”
“A tour,” Valerie said, doubt coloring her voice.
“You’re on the council,” Saber said. “You’ve all been closely involved with our other functions and gatherings. This one shouldn’t be any different.”
“I’m wearing my good clothes,” Agnes snapped.
“You can change. I suggest I take you all around the course in one hour. That will give everyone a chance to grab their old clothes and gumboots. That rain we had yesterday has made everything muddy.”
“At least the forecast is good for next weekend,” Ben said. “I checked.”
“Well?” Saber asked, allowing his grin free.
“You are a scamp,” Valerie chided. “Fine, but you will open gates and help me over fences.”
Ben nodded. “I’m curious. Wouldn’t mind trying out the obstacles.”
“I’ll go,” Agnes said. “But I refuse to force this old body over obstacles. I shall observe.”
“We need to organize volunteers to check off competitors as they go over the obstacles,” Saber said.
“Where is that piece of paper you gave us with other jobs on the day?” Sid shuffled through a pile of papers in front of him. “Ah. I’d be happy to man an obstacle. Should be fun.”
“I’d like to see these zombies in action,” Valerie said.
“We need zombie observers too. If you come around the course now, you can have first choice of the volunteer jobs,” Saber said.
“One hour, you say?” Agnes stood. “Where do you want to meet?”
“At the gate on Mitchell Road,” Saber said.
The council members hurried off, apart from Sid who remained seated since he was already in farm clothes. Kenneth and Ben had attended an auction in a neighboring town and were wearing their good clothes.
“You did well with the Rutherford problem, lad,” Sid said. “I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks. I didn’t know Marsh well since he’s younger than me, but I like him. Caroline has become friends with Emily, Tomasine and Isabella. They’re a good match and deserve a chance.”
“Charles Rutherford is a bitter old man. Always been that way. Why were you grinning?”
“I’m trying to imagine Valerie and Agnes on the zombie course. It is muddy. It’s possible they’ll fall on their butts.”
“I see,” Sid said, and his green eyes glittered with shared laughter. “It’s just as well they’re feline women and not easily damaged then.”
Saber laughed out loud. “I should take my camera.”
“At your peril, lad. At your peril.”
And laughing, they walked from the house together to join the others at the zombie run course. It was a good day.
I hope you enjoyed Caroline and Marsh’s story. Please, consider leaving a review since word of mouth is crucial for an author’s success. Would you like to know when My Feline Protector, the next Middlemarch Shifters story is available? (And receive freebies, contest details and news too?) Sign up for my readers’ group to keep in touch. Please turn the page to read an excerpt from Seized & Seduced, book 4 in my House of the Cat series.
Happy reading,
Shelley
Excerpt – Seized & Seduced
A shrill cry echoed through the arid valley. Unexpected, it set a shudder rippling the length of her body. Jannike Hondros, second-in-command of the Indefatigable, came to an abrupt halt, her stomach twisting even as she grabbed her blaster from her hip holster and flicked off the safety.
“Tracker lizards.” At her side, Ry Coppersmith, captain of the space ship, confirmed her fears. He edged his petite mate behind him, but Camryn O’Sullivan wasn’t putting up with his overprotectiveness.
She neatly sidestepped him, wincing at a repeat head-splitting shriek, closer this time. “What are tracker lizards, and why are they making that infernal noise?”
“Trackers are the best available means of trailing an object or person. They never fail to capture their target. Never. The cries mean they’re on a scent,” Jannike said, her voice terse as she scanned the far end of the valley. Not a single tree softened the landscape, the sparse grasses, the same beige brown as the rocks and dust. The lizards’ screeches bounced off the rocky walls of the valley again, pulling a wince from Jannike. She’d experienced their tenacity and hadn’t emerged on the winning side.
“Us.” Ry glanced at Jannike and with the ease of long friendship, they came to a decision without words.
Jannike gave him an imperceptible nod.
“We need to split up,” he said, attention on the horizon.
In the distance, maybe four or five clicks, Jannike caught the swirl of approaching dust. “You need to shift, change your scents.”
“But Mogens said shifting might be dangerous.” Camryn cupped her slim belly in protest.
“We’re gonna have to risk it.” Ry didn’t hesitate. “It’s either that or capture.”
“Capture? What’s going on? This sort of thing doesn’t happen on Earth. Usually,” Camryn added, obviously thinking about her own kidnapping.
“I’ll keep going away from the ship.” A lump the size of a rock closing up Jannike’s throat, making her words gravel-rough. She swallowed, silently cursing both the situation and this god-awful heat from the planet’s sun. The dry temperatures sucked the juice from everything, animal and vegetable. “Go.” It was surprisingly difficult to force out the order.
Camryn still frowned, not understanding. She squinted at her husband, shifted her attention to Jannike. “But—”
“Change. Now,” Ry ordered. “Jannike, if you’re captured, we’ll come for you. We will not give up. That’s a pledge.”
“Same goes.” Secs later, she started running, veering around the pile of rocks and sprinting down the rolling sand hill, away from Ry and Camryn. It had to be the cargo ship they’d seen earlier, but why had they set tracker lizards on them?
A thought sprang into her mind, and she stumbled before regaining her balance. Holy frag. No, it couldn’t be her. No, that was impossible since Jannike was far from her home planet.
Behind her the baying shrieks of the lizards intensified. Sweat trickled down her forehead, stinging her eyes. She slipped in the shifting sand, arms flailing before she toppled, hitting the ground hard enough to punch the breath from her lungs.
No time to baby ouchies. Had to move. Had to give Ry and Camryn time to get to the ship. Faster. Faster. Her blue tunic clung like a second skin. A skin wet from sweat. The dry rocks in her throat closed her windpipe. She panted, a painful wheeze.
Goddess, she had to keep going.
She twisted, rolling and pushing to her feet. She lurched her first steps, only her fitness and determination propelling her forward.
Concentrate on running. Forget the trackers. Don’t think about the past.
The landscape stretched in front of her—one big, inhospitable sandpit. The planet’s sun beat overhead, frying everything in its path. And still she kept trying to run. One foot in front of the other, leading the trackers farther from the Indy. Faster. The Indy’s crew were her friends, her family. She’d do anything to keep them safe. Faster.
Determination gave her a burst of speed, but a glance over her shoulder told her the trackers had closed the distance margin. Their brown-blue bodies glinted in the bright light, strangely beautiful despite their ferocity. Their baying cries filled her head, lent panic to her adrenaline-fueled flight. She rounded a
corner and came to an abrupt halt. A box canyon. The wall of rock stretched into the distance as far as she could see.
Trapped.
Nowhere to go.
Slowly, chest rising and falling in uneven gasps, she turned to face the four snapping trackers. Their bulging eyes blinked, their wicked teeth white against the brown blue of their skin. Their stubby tails shifted lazily from side to side, strong muscles in their haunches poised to spring should she attempt evasion. She edged along the rock wall, and they advanced with her. She’d heard their bite was nasty and some people were allergic to their saliva.
But she refused to go without a fight. She reached for a handhold on the rock wall, dug in her fingertips, attempted to lever her body upward.
“Ho, my beauties. What have you caught me today?” The mountain of a man rode up on a cyberbeest—a combination of machine and cheetahbeest by the look of the tawny coat and spots. The cyberbeest snorted, pawing at the ground, restive under the firm restraint. The large rider wore a tight, light gray suit shaped to his body. The man was all muscle with no fat. With his left hand, he controlled the cyberbeest while his right rested on a coiled whip.
Jannike glanced left, speared a look right. A tracker bite or the nip of Mountain Man’s whip. Both would hurt.
“You won’t escape,” Mountain Man said with almost a kind smile. But the smile didn’t reach his wintry-blue eyes and she knew, deep in her gut, he wouldn’t hesitate to act in order to capture her.
Phrull, her past had come back to bite her in the bum. There was no other explanation. “Why are you chasing me?”
“Why did you run?” the man countered.
Purchase Seized & Seduced
About Shelley
Shelley lives in New Zealand with her husband and a cheeky Jack Russell/mystery breed puppy.
Typical New Zealanders, Shelley and her husband left home for their big OE soon after they married (translation of New Zealand speak – big overseas experience). A twelve month adventure lengthened to six years of roaming the world. Enduring memories include being almost sat on by a mountain gorilla in Rwanda, lazing on white sandy beaches in India, whale watching in Alaska, searching for leprechauns in Ireland, and dealing with ghosts in an English pub.
My Estranged Lover (Middlemarch Shifters Book 5) Page 17