“Gage’s actions weren’t sanctioned by Nehema,” Ian said. “In fact, she was furious when she learned what he’d done.”
“Who the hell is Nehema?” Kyle looked at Quinn then back at Ian. “For that matter, who is Gage?” Apparently there had been some interesting developments while he was incommunicado.
“Gage is the Abolitionist who ‘rescued’ Willona and set her up with a new life,” Ian explained. “He took a shot at either me or Quinn and hit Carissa by mistake. We captured him as he was setting up for a second try.”
“Did you take him alive?”
“Of course.” Ian’s smile was chilling. “He did his best to resist my scans, but in the end I learned everything he knew. Which wasn’t nearly as helpful as I’d hoped. A woman named Nehema calls the shots, but Gage had only spoken with her on the phone. His direct contact was a man he referred to as Team Leader. I have his image, but little else.”
“The kidnapping could be retaliation,” Kyle suggested.
“I’d agree if they’d taken someone from your clan. Jake had nothing to do with Gage’s capture.”
Ian had a point. Kyle sighed and reviewed the events, searching for patterns or subtle clues. “We’re back where we started. If this wasn’t Abolitionists, who had a grudge against Jake or benefited from the crime?”
“Has there been a ransom demand?” Quinn motioned toward the mansion beside them. “Everyone knows the tigers are loaded.”
“I still think Abolitionists are our best bet,” Erin said. “Three females, one nearing definition. It’s not really a departure from their MO.”
Ian didn’t look nearly as convinced. “Liz’s girls are, what, eight and ten? They’re years away from definition.”
“But Cheyenne isn’t,” Kyle reminded.
“Cheyenne lives alone.” Erin’s brow remained knitted, her lips compressed. “They probably came for her and had no choice but to take the girls.”
“No choice?” Ian sneered. “Are you crazy? There are always choices.”
“I’m not defending them.” She sounded shocked by Ian’s conclusion. “Why are you so testy?”
“Sorry.” He raked his hair with his hand as he took a deep, calming breath. “There have been too many attacks. Too many unanswered questions. I need an objective or better yet a good fight. Just ignore me.”
“You’re tired and frustrated.” Erin wrapped her arm around his waist and gave him a maternal squeeze.
“At least we know Devon’s safe,” Quinn offered. “That’s one less unanswered question.”
Ian didn’t argue, but Kyle spotted suspicion in his gaze as he glanced away. “What are you talking about? Did Devon come home?”
“She sent me a video message this morning,” Erin explained. “She said she’d come back as soon as the Charter was changed and forced definitions were abolished. I want to believe it, but something about it still feels wrong.”
“Prisoners of war are forced to create video messages all the time.” Ian looked at Kyle as he went on. “I’ve had a bad feeling about this from the beginning. This might have started out as a protest for Devon, but she would never be this cruel.”
“How did she look in the video?” Each time Kyle tried to sense his sister he crashed into her mental shields. His mother had reported the same problem. Wherever Devon was, it certainly seemed like she didn’t want to be found.
“The video was damn convincing,” Ian admitted, “but it’s all a bit too convenient. As Erin said, it just doesn’t feel right.”
“I haven’t called off the search and I won’t until she’s found,” Kyle assured them. “It doesn’t matter if she’s protesting or if this is beyond her control. We will find her.”
Ian’s stiff nod was mirrored by Erin.
“What’s being done to find Cheyenne and the girls?” Quinn asked after a tense pause.
“Jake knows we’ll help in any way we can, but we have a different mystery to investigate right now.”
“What mystery?” Quinn prompted.
Kyle motioned toward the patio furniture grouped at one end of the spacious deck. He sat across from his mother, flanked by Quinn and Ian. “Ava had a vision about Carissa. She saw the ritual.”
“Did she think we were hurting Carissa?” Quinn was clearly upset by the idea.
“The vision was detailed enough that Ava realized Carissa participated willingly. However, she was still left with a sense of dread, as if something horrible was happening or was about to happen.”
“Go on,” his mother urged.
“She grabbed her stuff and headed for the motorcycle stashed behind the cabin. I grabbed her as she came around the corner. I didn’t want her to scream or run. The next thing I knew we teleported halfway across the State.”
“Ava can teleport?” Erin sounded intrigued, not surprised while the two men stared at him with obvious skepticism.
“It was a spontaneous reaction to my touch.”
Quinn laughed. “And I thought I repelled females.”
“She thought she was in danger and her instincts spiked?” Ian ignored Quinn’s attempt at humor. “Was the location random?”
“I thought so at first, but we encountered armed guards in the middle of the forest.”
“They weren’t forest rangers?” Quinn asked.
“With M16s?” Kyle shook his head. “We borrowed their Jeep and drove until we found a road. Jake gave us directions then brought us here and ditched the Jeep.”
“I’ll scan Ava’s memory then search from the air and see if I can find whatever they were guarding.” Ian started to push back his chair but Kyle stopped him.
“You can’t touch her. She hurt herself when she landed and I had to heal her. It left me incredibly weak.”
Ian’s gaze narrowed, his tall body tense and agitated. “What does that have to do with my scanning her mind?”
“We exchanged energy a couple of times and it triggered synchronization.”
Ian folded his arms over his chest and glared from Quinn to Kyle. “It’s mighty convenient that both of Maggie’s granddaughters ended up bound to cats.”
“We’re not bound,” Kyle stressed.
“Yet.” Ian shoved back his chair and moved to the deck’s railing, turning away from the table. “This gives you three months to convince her to mate with you. Just like Quinn you’ve shut out the competition.”
Kyle knew it hadn’t happened like that, but he also knew how it looked. “I was dying, Ian. I didn’t have a choice.”
“There are always choices,” Ian muttered then turned around and retreated behind an expressionless mask. “An aerial search is our best bet of figuring out what the guards are protecting.”
“I agree.” Kyle understood Ian’s strategy. Even if he’d intended to court Ava, there was nothing he could do about it until her physiology reset. Fixating on a situation beyond one’s control was an utter waste of energy. Besides, the safety of the tiger females had to come before personal agendas. “Jake figured out a rough perimeter and the most likely areas within the search area.”
“Show me.”
Rather than retrieve the map from Jake’s office, Kyle sent the image to Ian telepathically. He also transmitted his memory of their conversation and as much as he remembered about the actual escape.
“You saved her life.” Ian’s expression didn’t change, but his tone softened a bit.
Kyle hadn’t purposely shared the intimate details of his interaction with Ava, but Ian was the strongest telepath he knew so it wasn’t surprising that he’d absorbed more than Kyle had intended. “And she saved mine in return. The rest just happened.”
“Or the rest was meant to happen,” Erin added with a cheeky smile.
Ian glared at her while Quinn and Kyle rolled their eyes. Erin might be the network Historian, but she’d always been a hopeless matchmaker.
“I’ll see what I can find.” Ian tugged off his boots and stuffed his socks down inside them. Erin rose to collect his
garments as he continued to undress. He pulled off his shirt and she folded it neatly and set it on the table. “I should return by nightfall. If not…” He shrugged. “I’m probably screwed.”
“That’s not funny.” Erin gave him a quick hug and Ian moved to the middle of the deck. He spread his arms and raised his face to the sky. The golden streaks in his hair glistened and his skin began to glow. He leapt into the air and his shape blurred, transitioning from human to bird in a smooth, flowing motion. Wide, majestic wings spread, propelling him higher with each strong rhythmic flap. He soared then swooped then glided, sailing gracefully upon the cool mountain wind.
* * * * *
Ava sank back into the corner of the couch, stunned and nearly numb from all the things her sister had told her. “It all sounded ridiculous when Jake told me about it, but you’ve confirmed everything he said.”
“Do you understand why Mother ran? What Osric and Sam Collins did to her?”
Drawing her legs up before her, Ava wrapped her arms around her knees. “She was terrified and resentful and they still forced her to endure the blood ritual.”
“Osric only knows enough about the Omni Prime to be really dangerous. What happened to Mom was nothing like what happened to me.”
“I know.” Ava smiled. “I saw enough in my vision to understand the difference.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were having visions?” Carissa sounded hurt.
“Would you have believed me?”
“Probably not. My concept of reality has been significantly changed since I met Quinn.” A dreamy smile bowed her lips for a moment then she refocused and said, “You’ve seen Kyle shift and you’ve experienced power exchanges. Do you still have questions about any of this?”
Ava laughed and tucked her hair behind her ear. “I still have questions about all of this, but I know I’m not human. I started feeling different as soon as Kyle touched me.”
“Are you two lovers?”
“I don’t know what we are. Lovers seems too simplistic, too casual for how I feel when I’m with him. He says we’re ‘in sync’. Do you know what that means?”
Carissa nodded, a contented smile lingering on her lips. “Quinn and I synchronized almost from the beginning. It’s a little frightening at first, but it’s wonderful too.”
A musical chime echoed through the house, drawing their gazes to the front door. “Jake wouldn’t ring the bell. It might be Enya.”
“I thought she went to comfort her sister.”
They both stood but neither approached the door. Someone tried the knob then Ava heard the scrape of a key slipping into the lock. The visitor had a key, so why was her heart still pounding? She glanced toward the kitchen and the deck beyond. Should she call for Kyle? Wouldn’t it be better to— The door pushed inward and a young brown-haired woman paused in the threshold.
“Hi.” She looked at Carissa and Ava with obvious reluctance. “This is my day to clean. Should I come back?”
Before Ava or Carissa could respond, the maid was shoved inward and a burly man kicked the door shut. Brown, copper and gold combined in his longish hair and his jaw was shadowed as if he hadn’t shaved for a couple of days.
“Have a seat.” He motioned the maid toward a chair with the pistol in his right hand then his cold hazel eyes shifted back to the sisters. “Which one of you is Ava?”
“I am.” Carissa stepped forward before Ava could speak.
Kyle, we have an armed visitor. Can you hear me? She couldn’t drag her gaze away from the gun in his hand.
We’re already in position, love. Just play along.
She wasn’t alone. No, they weren’t alone. Carissa was no longer her only companion. “She’s trying to protect me. I’m Ava.”
The intruder glared at the maid. “Which one is which?”
“Don’t know either of them.” She seemed remarkably composed being that she was an armed man’s hostage. Unless she wasn’t human. Was she waiting for the right moment to shift into something more dangerous? Like a tiger?
“Who are you?” Carissa asked the intruder.
“I’m Ava’s mate.” He smirked. “She just doesn’t know it yet.” Without shifting the gun from Carissa, he looked at Ava. “Get over here or your sister dies.”
“You’re too late,” Ava insisted. “Kyle claimed me last night.”
His nose twitched and his eyes narrowed. “His scent isn’t strong enough. He might have fucked you, but you’re still unclaimed.”
“If you say so.” What were the men waiting for? Her stomach was knotted and sweat beaded her upper lip.
“To me. Now.” His eyes gleamed as he parted his lips, displaying his elongated fangs.
Kyle had said to play along, but the stranger’s weapon was pointed at Carissa. Ava took a slow step forward then stopped. “Let them go and I won’t fight you.”
He laughed. “Get your ass over here or I’ll shoot them both and teach you to obey. You’re still latent, which means you’re no match for me.”
“But I am.” Carissa dove for the floor, shredding her clothes as she released her human form.
The stranger fired, but the bullet flew high, missing Carissa by at least a foot. Carissa’s feline body was sleek and black with vivid white stripes.
An enraged growl erupted from the stranger as Carissa’s head connected with his groin. He sank to his knees, the pistol dropping to the carpet as he crossed his arms over the injured area. The maid darted forward and grabbed the weapon. She stepped back and covered the intruder as Carissa slowly circled him. Their movements were confident and smooth, as if the attack had been orchestrated. And Ava had never felt so useless in her life.
For just a moment she thought the fight was over then the stranger lunged to the side and shifted with a furious snarl. His body shrank and compacted, bones snapped and fur sprouted through his skin. The change was grotesque yet fascinating, far less…graceful than Carissa’s shift had been. With a long snout and sharp-looking teeth, he was much larger than any wolf Ava had ever seen.
A feline cry drew Ava’s attention to the kitchen as Kyle, in cougar form, came bounding into sight. Carissa moved closer to the maid, respectfully yielding the fight to Kyle.
The wolf seemed pleased by his new opponent. He charged Kyle only to connect with one of the cougar’s powerful claws. Bloody slashes parted the wolf’s fur from shoulder to chest. The wolf yelped, knocked sideways by the force of the blow.
Kyle was bigger and more controlled, but apparently the wolf wasn’t ready to accept defeat. The wolf charged again. Kyle caught him by the throat and flipped him over, pinning him to the floor. The wolf flailed, twisting and kicking as Kyle’s teeth sank deeper into his flesh.
“Kyle!” The maid’s voice snapped with sudden authority, her stance suspiciously militant. “Bruce spilled no blood. Nate deserves the opportunity to discipline his son.”
After a long, anxious moment, Kyle released his shift, smoothly transferring his hand to the wolf’s throat as his body changed. “Would Nate hesitate if one of his females were threatened?” Blood smeared his lower face and both hands. His eyes still glowed with amber light. Ava shivered. He looked every bit as savage as he had a few minutes before.
Carissa had released her shift as well and Quinn quickly wrapped her in a blanket. They stood near the archway leading to the kitchen. Erin on Carissa’s other side. They all stayed back and remained silent. This was Kyle’s choice to make. Kyle’s woman had been the focus of the attack. It was his right to seek retaliation. The realization sent another shiver down Ava’s spine. Kyle’s claim on her might be temporary, but for the next three months she was his to protect, his to pleasure and enjoy.
“It doesn’t matter what Nate would or would not do.” The woman remained poised and ready, pistol now aimed at Kyle. “If you’re a man of honor—as you claim—you’ll abide by the rules.”
After another long pause, Kyle stood, utterly unconcerned with his nudity. “Why did you let him use
you? You’re one of Jake’s sentinels. You could have overpowered him at any time.”
“Exactly.” She grinned and lowered the gun. “That idiot mistook me for a maid and I couldn’t resist. I knew he was up to no good. I just needed to find out exactly what he wanted.” She picked up Bruce’s jeans and moved closer to the panting wolf. “Shift back, asshole. Daddy is going to be very upset with you.”
Chapter Seven
Ian returned shortly after sundown. Ava’s mind was still reeling from the events of the day. It was wonderful to see Carissa, to know she was safe, happy and very much in love. But all of Ava’s choices still lay ahead, threatening to shape her life into something she no longer recognized. She stood by the sliding glass door in the spacious country kitchen, watching the sun sink behind the mountains. The others sat around the kitchen table, debating strategy. Light began to fade as shadows crept across the land and a sudden motion drew her gaze to the sky.
A massive bird sailed over the treetops then swooped toward the house. She shifted position, tilting her head as the bird flew nearer. Its long, powerful wings spread wide, slowing its descent as it landed on the deck’s wooden rail. The eagle hopped off the rail and the outline of its body shimmered as the shape stretched and expanded, growing longer and broader in a smooth, streaming motion. Light from the house spilled onto the deck, allowing her to witness the miraculous transformation. Legs and arms stretched outward then the torso and head took on detail and definition. Regal features and rippling muscles arranged with perfect symmetry.
Ava was mesmerized by the surreal display and the masculine beauty of both bird and man. A sensual smile curved his lips and he inclined his head, acknowledging her presence—and the fact that she was staring at him.
She turned from the window as a guilty flush crept up her neck. “Ian’s back.”
Erin shoved her chair back and hurried out onto the deck. Ava didn’t even turn around. Nudity might be an inevitable part of Therian life, but she’d been reared with human sensibilities.
Crossing to the table, she sat beside Kyle and tried to wrangle her chaotic thoughts. “Who’s watching the store?” It was an incidental detail, but the concrete connection to her old life allowed her to sidestep the looming conflict and calm down. Besides, they’d worked hard to build a successful business and she wasn’t willing to watch it slip away regardless of the new challenges they were facing.
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