The Shifter's Catch

by T. S. Ryder

  They were not going to be hurt.

  Chapter Four – Grayson

  Grayson finished picking up the toys scattered across the living room and glanced up to where Arabella was reading to the children. Both of them were wedged in firmly beside her, studying the pictures in the book. He couldn't stop himself from smiling as he took in the sight. She looked so natural, so at ease. He really had made the right choice. She was able to easily read the children and give them what they needed.

  He knew he probably should have hired a live-in nanny long before, but he had convinced himself that he could do it all – watch after his children and change the world. Life had other plans, though, and once it became clear that Henry's health was deteriorating . . .

  But now he had Arabella. She had handled Olivia's tantrum earlier that day with a lot of grace. Even though she had suffered some minor burns – nothing worse than a sunburn – she didn't run away screaming like he expected her to. He had wanted another Shifter for the children's nanny, but Arabella seemed to be the most qualified option. And with good reason, as it turned out.

  Grayson joined them, putting Hudson on his lap. His weight made the couch sag toward him, pulling Arabella closer to his side. She shifted slightly, adjusting herself but her warmth remained. Olivia crawled over her to wedge herself between Arabella and Grayson. He kissed the top of her downy head.

  Arabella finished the story and smiled at them. Grayson’s heart gave an unexpected flop and he looked away. Her light, floral scent made him want to bury his face into her hair and drink it in, but he couldn’t do that in front of the children.

  Still, these feelings that were developing in him when he was around her . . . it was a sign. Christine had been gone for a year. It was time for him to move on and find someone new. Goodness knew there was no lack of Dragon women who would love the chance to be romantically connected with him. He hadn't wanted any of them. It had always felt like a betrayal to Christine to even think about being with another woman. With Arabella, though, everything just fell together. Making love to her just felt right. As much as it still ached to think of Christine, thinking of another woman no longer felt like a betrayal.

  "Well, I think it's time to start supper," Arabella said, putting the books aside. "Do you want Daddy to read to you, or do you want to play with watercolors?"

  Olivia wiggled away from Grayson instantly. "Water! Water!"

  Hudson clapped his hands and pointed at Olivia. "Yup!"

  "Okay, then. Daddy, can you set them up to paint while I get the food going?"

  Grayson grinned and opened his mouth to comment on her calling him 'daddy,' but a quick glance at the twins told him that it was a bad idea. She must have known what he was thinking, though, because she gave him a quick slap and shook her head, a fetching blush rising up her cheeks.

  She hurried to the kitchen while he spread out some newspaper and got the children's watercolor books set out. When they were fully engaged in it, Grayson went to the kitchen. It was an open-concept area, separated by a large island, so they could still see the children.

  "Need help?"

  "Nope. I'm good." Arabella gave him a quick look. "You know, this is the first time I've seen you in anything other than a suit. It suits you."

  Grayson laughed at her pun and shrugged. "I wasn't always rich. I made my billions on the stock market. I've got a good head for numbers and such, but I was away from home a lot. When the mine opened . . . Well, our house was directly upstream from it. It's amazing that the children survived long enough to be born given what happened. Sometimes I think it was Christine's sheer determination to keep them safe that killed her. She suffered a lot more damage than she should have while they escaped without harm."

  "Dragons can do that?"

  "Our women can. We're not sure exactly how it works. But anyway, since I'm rich now, I might as well actually do something for others, right?"

  "Good," Arabella replied, pulling some chicken from the fridge. "You know, when I took this job I thought you were going to be one of those people with a house bigger than you needed with servants to cook and clean and do everything for you. I hate that sort of person. The one who can afford to have caviar every night and then whines about paying taxes."

  "I do, too." Grayson leaned against the counter. "That's why I decided I was never going to be like one of those people. That's not to say I don't have caviar every night, but I don't whine about paying taxes."

  "Ugh, did you really just do that?" Arabella shook her head. "When I was a kid, I lived in this dingy little place that ought to have been condemned. My parents both worked and they couldn’t afford to pay for somebody to watch after me, so I was on my own. Spent a lot of time playing video . . . " She trailed off and sucked her lips between her teeth. She bent her head and threw the chicken in a frying pan, avoiding eye contact.

  Her sudden silence surprised Grayson. He wanted to ask more about what her childhood was like, but it was clear she didn't want to talk about it. He wasn't going to press for her to share something she wasn't comfortable with. They were closer now, but it was a new closeness and he didn't want to jeopardize that.

  Olivia and Hudson both got up and wandered away from their paintings. Hudson pointed and grunted and Oliva nodded. They joined hands and tottered from the room, Olivia talking a mile a minute.

  "How is your friend Henry doing?" Arabella asked.

  "He's doing pretty good right now. Dragons can heal from a lot of things. He was badly poisoned where we used to live, but, with regular treatments and dialysis, things are getting better. His kidney function is improving, which is good."

  "Good. I'm glad. It's good that dragons can recover from these sorts of things."

  "Partially. I doubt he'll ever have his full strength back."

  Arabella glanced at up him. She opened her mouth, then shook her head and went back to her work. She dumped some leftover rice from the previous night in with the chicken and then added some sort of sauce. She then added some carrots and peas, mixing it all together.

  Grayson frowned. It smelled good, but visually it left much to be desired. "What are you making?"

  "It's a family recipe," she said. "Chicken rice wraps. The kids love it. Here, have a try."

  She scooped up a little on her spoon and blew on it before holding it over to him, keeping her free hand beneath it. Before Grayson could assure her that he was sure it was going to be lovely, she pressed it against his mouth. Her fingers brushed his lips and Grayson had the urge to taste them instead of the food. Sparks of electricity passed between them and both of them froze. The heat from the rice wafted over Grayson's face.

  He took the spoon and tasted the dish but his mouth was hardly working. His heart hammered as he stared into Arabella's eyes. Her pupils darkened and she moved a little closer.

  "Do you like it?"

  "Uh . . . Yeah." He put the spoon down and beat a hasty retreat. "Great. Good. But, uh, I don't think we should be doing this. I mean, considering our positions."

  "Doing what?"

  Grayson shifted on the spot, suddenly flustered. Of course she didn't know what he was talking about. It wasn't like he was a mind reader. He was probably reading too much into innocent actions. Yes, they had made love earlier that day, but it had been out of the blue. It didn't mean that they were going to be together for the rest of their lives. He reached to loosen his collar but remembered he wasn't in his suit and there was nothing to loosen. He shrugged.

  "Nothing. Forget about it."

  "No, tell me." She moved forward again, her voice lowering. "Were you thinking of kissing me again?"

  Grayson laughed, embarrassed. "Something like that."

  "Oh. Well, then. Yeah, we really shouldn't." Arabella’s eyes flickered to his mouth. Her tongue flicked over her lower lip.

  He couldn't stop himself. He seized her around the waist and pulled her tight against his body, bringing his lips to hers. They were soft, warm, and tasted like berries. Grayson g
roaned as his inner fire blazed wild. He spun her around, pinning her against the wall. She dug her hands into his hair and he grasped her wrists, pinning them above her head. She was just as eager as he was, proving it by thrusting her tongue into his mouth. Excited to have a repeat of that morning, perhaps?

  A deep groan emanated from his throat, but a sudden ringing interrupted them. Grayson pulled back as though he had been shocked. Arabella's cheeks were flushed and she ran a hand through her hair, panting slightly.

  "I . . . need to take this," Grayson grunted, frustration rising within him. What was wrong with him? Saying that it was inappropriate and then kissing her like that? Maybe he had taken too long to think about dating again. His hormones were taking over.

  "What?" he snapped as he opened the phone.

  "Mr. Alexander," a timid voice said. "This is the Redfern General Hospital. You are listed as Henry Landon's emergency contact."

  Ice flooded his veins.

  "Mr. Landon was brought in with severe kidney and liver failure," the voice continued. "We've stabilized him but—"

  "I'm on my way," Grayson said. He hung up the phone and turned to Arabella. "Henry's in the hospital. Tell the kids I'm sorry I'm missing dinner. I don't know when I'll be back."

  Arabella nodded, her eyes wide. A rush of gratitude filled him. He almost kissed her again. But that wasn't going to happen. Instead, he grabbed his keys and dashed to the flight platform, praying Henry was going to be alright.

  Chapter Five – Arabella

  Henry was in the hospital for almost a week, during which time Grayson increased his political activity. It was unfortunate for him, but Arabella could see up close how passionate he was about this cause. Almost nothing could break his concentration.

  Olivia and Hudson both asked to see Henry, so, with Grayson's permission, Arabella bundled them in coats and hats and drove them down to the hospital later that week. It was a good step forward for the mission, him trusting her to take the children out by herself. He didn't even send bodyguards with her.

  It would be very easy to just take them and disappear, but that wasn't the plan. She still had a week left before the kidnapping and to accelerate the plan would be dangerous.

  It certainly didn't help that she still tasted Grayson's lips on hers whenever she went to bed at night. Or that she dreamed of his smile, of him kissing her knuckles and telling her what a wonderful person she was. Even worse were the daydreams – telling her that there was real passion, real care, present when they had had sex, and that it was different from every time she'd been with a man before. The daydreams that told her she had a future here.

  The ridiculous emotions wouldn't leave her alone. It was making it hard to focus on the mission. And when Olivia or Hudson cuddled in next to her while she read, or crawled into her lap when they were crying . . . it was getting to be too much.

  But she had to complete the mission as it was given to her. Nobody else was going to look out for her.

  When she got to the hospital, Grayson took the twins in to see Henry. Arabella stayed outside the room, saying she wanted to give them privacy. She sank into a chair, resting her face in her hands.

  What was happening to her? She played nanny for a few weeks and suddenly she was Mary Poppins? This wasn't happening. She wasn't going to give up her life and future for these people. It wasn't like there would be any permanent effects from the kidnapping. Grayson would be scared and more careful in the future, but the children would be fine.

  A high, childlike voice broke through her thoughts. "Can I help you, Miss?"

  Arabella's head snapped up. Kennedy stood in front of her wearing crisp blue scrubs, her brown hair wound into a bun at the back of her head. She wore a pair of glasses with small diamonds in them. Arabella jumped to her feet, her hands clenched. She opened her mouth to demand to know what her colleague was doing there but stopped herself just in time.

  "Actually, I was just wondering where the bathrooms were," she said, fighting to keep her voice level.

  "I'll show you to them. They can be tricky to find." Kennedy walked away and Arabella followed.

  "You better have a good reason for this," Arabella warned her in a hiss.

  Kennedy checked the stalls when they entered the bathroom, then turned to Arabella. "Finally we can talk."

  "What are you doing here?" Arabella resisted the urge to strangle her. "You were given strict instructions—"

  "You have the targets with you. Now is the perfect time to put the plan in motion," Kennedy interrupted. "We take the kids to the drop point and then we're home free. Or do you not want this mission to succeed, sister?"

  Arabella laughed, though her heart was pounding. "Of course I want this to succeed. Which is why we stick to the plan and you stop your cowboying around. I am in charge – you do what I say. We stick to the plan."

  Kennedy's eyes narrowed. "Stick to the plan. The plan that you refuse to share? You know what I think, Arabella? I think that you're getting awfully close to the targets. Too close, maybe. You're letting emotion cloud your vision."

  "I am in perfect control," she spat back. "You're the one who lacks discipline. How well do you think you will be received if your impatience ruins yet another mission? Maybe the organization will want me to kill you once we're done so they don't have to deal with you anymore."

  "As if you could."

  "Please," Arabella smirked at her. "It would be like stepping on a squirming little mouse."

  Kennedy's eyes flashed. With a growl, she launched herself across the narrow space between them. Her fist swung at Arabella's face, but she was too quick. Arabella dodged the blow and followed it up with a strike to the ribs that left Kennedy gasping for breath.

  "Had enough?" Arabella mocked her.

  She kicked out Kennedy's knee, but her colleague used her momentum to swing around and wipe Arabella's feet out from under her. Arabella threw herself onto her back and kicked out, both feet colliding with Kennedy's face. The other woman cried out, rolling over twice and ending up underneath the sink.

  Arabella got to her feet and locked the bathroom door quickly. She rolled to the balls of her feet as Kennedy scrambled back up, rubbing her jaw. The familiar anger was in her eyes and Arabella could have grinned. All it took to beat Kennedy was to make her angry. She wasn't exactly the cleverest girl in the organization and when she was angry. Her focus narrowed too much, making her an easy target.

  Although, considering their location, continuing the fight wasn't in either of their best interests.

  "We're in a hospital and there are witnesses just outside this door," Arabella said, her voice lowered. "How long do you think it'll be before someone needs to use the toilet? Stand down, Kennedy. You are the one who will be arrested if this continues, not me. And where will that leave you?"

  Her colleague growled again but lowered her fists. Arabella nodded, satisfied, and unlocked the door again. She strolled to the mirrors and fixed her hair.

  "Here." She handed Kennedy a small container of foundation from her purse. "To hide the bruise that's going to form."

  Kennedy took the foundation with a scowl. "We're not the same tones."

  "It'll look better than a big black bruise." Arabella, satisfied with her appearance, headed for the door. "Get out of here, Kennedy. I don't want to see you again. If I do, I'll tell the higher-ups that you're putting the mission in jeopardy."

  When she returned Henry's room, Grayson was just stepping out. His skin looked gray, his eyes tired. Hudson was in his arms and when he saw Arabella, he leaned forward, reaching for her.

  "There you are." Grayson smiled at her. "I was wondering where you had gone."

  Arabella took the toddler, trying to ignore the pang in her stomach as Hudson curled into her arms, one of his arms wrapping around her neck. He clung to her like a little monkey and she was reminded once more about how she was going to put them in danger by taking them from their father.

  As long as everybody sticks to the pla
n, they won't be hurt.

  It wasn't comforting. Kennedy had already proven she wasn't going to stick to the plan. Why should Arabella expect it was going to go smoothly?

  "Arabella?"

  "I thought it should just be, you know, friends and family."

  Grayson put an arm around her and guided her into the room. "Nonsense. You're as much family to the twins as anybody now."

  He smiled down at her again. She remembered the kiss, the one she thought would help her weasel in deeper to his affections and make this job all the easier. It made her legs turn to jelly. Kissing him had been a bad idea. She needed to stop this, turn back from these affections. Maybe Kennedy was right. Maybe she should just take the children away now instead of waiting.

  Henry sat in the hospital bed, Olivia on his lap. The steady beep of the heart monitor and the bounteous tubes sticking out of him didn't seem to bother the little girl at all. The hospital was a regular part of their lives. She almost flinched. Her job here was paid for by the people who had put them in this position in the first place. If she was successful, the mining companies would continue putting people in these situations.

  But if she wasn't successful? What would the personal consequences be? It wasn't like she could just go to her superiors and say that they should drop the job because it was morally wrong.

  "Livvy told me that you like reading to her," Henry said, bringing Arabella's attention back to him. "They're very fond of you. I don't think I've ever seen Hudson cling to anybody but Grayson before."

  Arabella forced herself to laugh. "He's a little monkey. We're going to start working on getting him talking, aren't we? He needs to start letting us know what he wants, instead of relying on Olivia to translate everything."

  "Hud don't talk," Olivia said wisely. "Unca Henwy, you sing to me."

  Maybe she could take Henry instead of the twins. It was clear that there was a deep bond between him and Grayson. They were more like brothers than best friends. Arabella shifted Hudson in her arms. If they took Henry, then the children wouldn't be in danger. Although that would be changing the plan and how could she justify it when she had already proven that she could take the children away from Grayson's house?