Shadowed Lover

by Lauren Dawes

  “True enough,” she conceded. And as if she’d been summoned, the same server returned to the table with two small ceramic cups and a ceramic jug painted with cherry blossoms and finished with a shiny pearlescent glaze.

  “Are you ready to order?” she asked.

  Tilly took over at that point, ordering way more than the pair of them could possibly eat.

  “You know they’ll be rolling us out of here after lunch, right?” she asked her friend. Tilly only shrugged and smiled.

  “So, tell me about the interview. What kind of questions did she ask?”

  After Avah relayed all that information, Tilly added, “And what did she say about you applying for this position, despite not having the qualifications?”

  Avah took a sip of her sake, and she was instantly transported back to the time where she and Tilly got absolutely drunk on the Japanese wine the day before their finals. To say it wasn’t their finest hour would be an understatement.

  “She said she was interviewing a whole lot of other people who were more qualified and had more experience than I did, but she appreciated my willingness to travel this far just so I could be told in person.”

  “Ouch.”

  Avah nodded. “I like her, though—Erin. She’s got bigger brass balls than any other editor I’ve ever met, but I guess she has to, given she’s also fighting against her gender, too.”

  “Yeah, she’s an absolute bitch, but I’ll tell you this—she is by far the best person for the job.”

  She sighed. “I hope I get this position. I need a change of scenery.”

  Tilly’s brows popped. “I thought you liked Portland.”

  “I do. I’ve made some friends.” One friend. Two if you counted Detective Chris Smith, but he was more of an acquaintance. “I have a nice house in the good part of town.” Never mind it was just her rattling around in there every evening after she returned home from a job that was less fulfilling than finding spare change under a couch cushion.

  “Yeah,” Tilly deadpanned. “It sounds like you have a lot going on there.”

  Avah couldn’t help but laugh. “A change would be nice.”

  “Amen to that.” Raising their sake cups, they toasted.

  A few minutes later, their food arrived, each plate carefully arranged and served to them. Avah was stunned when between them, they’d finished everything that had been ordered. Granted she felt a little sick after it, she was glad the sake was being absorbed.

  They split the check and left, wandering back toward the newspaper.

  Avah groaned. “Why did I eat so much?”

  Tilly only laughed, looking much better than Avah felt. “I knew you couldn’t resist. So, when are you flying back?”

  “Tonight. I have a flight at eight.”

  Tilly linked their arms, just like they used to do when they’d both had too much to drink and they needed the support on the walk back to their room. “Well, I hope you get some good news soon about the position.”

  “Me too. But what happened to the person who had the job before?”

  “The copy editor?” Avah nodded. “Yeah, it was really weird. She just didn’t show up to work one day. I thought she may have just been sick and forgot to call it in, except as the days rolled by and Erin still hadn’t heard from her, we figured she must’ve had a family emergency or something. She has a disabled brother, so she was often on the phone to the facility he lived at.”

  “Did anyone go to her place to find out what had happened?”

  “Yeah. Erin called the cops, who went around to her apartment. They said it was as neat as a pin. No sign of forced entry or a struggle. They told her she’d probably just gone on vacation and forgot to tell us.”

  “That doesn’t seem right.”

  “It’s not. Not at all,” Tilly replied. “I hope she’s okay, but she’s not answering her phone, so I think all we can do is wait and see, you know?”

  “Yeah,” Avah replied absently, but the revelation was making her head spin. The woman had gone missing. Nobody knew where she was. She was unreachable. The Japanese she’d eaten threatened to make a run for the escape, but she shoved her gag reflex down.

  As they reached the newspaper, Tilly pulled her into a hug and said, “I hope you get it. I’ll speak to you soon, okay?”

  Avah was left standing outside in the cold air, her mind whirring. Whatever was happening here, whoever was snatching these girls, she was going to find out.

  25

  Katie ran her hands through Luce’s dark hair, pushing it back behind the little girl’s ear. She was asleep in Katie’s lap, her body curled toward her torso, her legs tucked up to her chest. Every now and then, a shiver wracked her body, and Katie did her best to keep the girl warm.

  Luce had fallen asleep hours ago—at least Katie thought it was hours ago. For all she knew, only a few minutes had passed, but time was so strange down here.

  Another pass of her fingers through her hair.

  Another pass that brought her a sense of calm, even though she felt like she was jumping out of her skin. How was this all supposed to end? Were they going to die down here? Were their bodies going to be buried, or would they burn them?

  Burning them made more sense—less chance of discovery by the authorities.

  The other question that plagued her was about their captors. They all smelled like they were human, but they didn’t seem at all surprised when they found a giant black jaguar prowling around behind the bars instead of a woman. It was almost as if it had been…expected?

  Her head tipped back on her neck as the floorboards above their heads creaked. A wave of whispers broke out among the females, followed closely by the sound of clothes whispering against cement as they shuffled into a less visible position. The footfalls moved to the right, farther, farther, farther, until the door to the basement opened.

  Katie was unable to look away from the stairs as a pair of boots gave way to jean-clad legs, a Metallica T-shirt covering a broad chest, and a face that didn’t just look cruel—it emanated cruelty.

  Katie shrank back, even though there was nowhere to go. That hard cinder block wall at her back wasn’t going to suddenly envelop her in a warm hug.

  The man got to the bottom of the stairs, surveying them like a king would survey his lands. This wasn’t the guy in charge, though. He didn’t smell like alpha material, but when he was the only one there, he liked to play the part.

  “Listen up, ladies. Pack your things.” He smirked. “We’re going to be moving you very soon.”

  “Where are we going?” one of the females in another cage asked, her voice hoarse from disuse.

  The guy tipped his head back and laughed. “You’ll find out soon.” He pulled a bunch of cable ties from his back pocket and waved them in front of their faces. “Now, I need everyone to behave themselves. If you do, I won’t need to tranquilize you. Again,” he added smugly. “This is what’s going to happen. My associate is going to be down here in a few minutes, and we’re going to escort you one by one up to the van. You’ll be blindfolded and bound. You will not do anything stupid, like make a run for it, or shift, or fight back, because you will lose.”

  And with that declaration, he moved toward Elsie’s cell. Katie watched as he opened things up and stepped inside. Under normal circumstances, she would’ve called him a fool, but that was when she noticed a gun tucked into the waistband of his jeans. Shifters were strong. They were fast, but they weren’t faster than a bullet.

  “Stand up,” he told her.

  Elsie dragged herself upright, leaning heavily against the wall at her back. She’d given up, Katie realized. Just checked out of her body. The abuse was the catalyst, but the starvation was a driving force she couldn’t escape. The guy snapped the cable ties on and tightened them before leaving her cell and closing the door. As he moved to the next cage, another set of boots landed at the bottom of the stairs.

  Cowboy was here, and he looked like he was in a foul mood. His top lip w
as curled into a snarl, his eyes narrowing as he looked at all the females. In Katie’s arms, Luce began to stir.

  “Shh,” she whispered quietly, praying that their captors would remain focused on their tasks. “You need to be quiet, Luce.”

  “What’s going on?” she asked, her voice low like she’d sensed Katie’s desperation. She probably stank of it, though, so there was no risk of missing it.

  “They’re moving us.”

  “Moving?” the girl asked. “Where?”

  Katie shook her head. “I don’t know. All they said was we were going somewhere else.”

  She looked up to find Cowboy going into Elsie’s cell. Katie’s hands flexed and released. Flexed and released. The other female sat there, her eyes glued to the floor. She didn’t even make a sound when Cowboy wrenched on her bound wrists behind her back and pulled her to her feet.

  He laughed. “Let’s see how catatonic you really are,” he sneered, grabbing her roughly.

  Nothing.

  Not even a flicker of recognition. He stepped into the line of her body, nuzzling her neck as his hands disappeared. Katie could only guess where they were.

  Still nothing.

  Elsie was completely and utterly gone from this basement, her mind setting up the protective barriers that would get her through the ordeal. Only time would tell if she recovered that part of herself again once this was all over.

  As Cowboy stepped back, Katie saw that he was turned on, like a woman’s denial of him was enough of a catalyst, even though she’d clearly checked out of her own head.

  “Come on,” he told her, pulling the gun out from the small of his back and holding it against the back of Elsie’s skull. They left the cell, and as Cowboy walked past, he leered at Katie. Instinctively, she hugged Luce closer.

  On and on it went. The non-alpha made his way around the cells, forcing the women apart before securing them one by one with cable ties around their wrists.

  “Where are you taking us?” one of the females asked.

  The guy cuffed her across the mouth, the smell of blood tainting the air. “You don’t get to ask questions,” he growled, jabbing his finger into her face. If she’d been human, the blow would’ve knocked her down, but because of her preternatural strength, despite the mistreatment, she stood tall, and it looked like that pissed the guy off even more.

  “When I get out of here,” she started in a slow drawl.

  “You’re not getting out of here, bitch,” he spat back. “Not unless you’re leaving in a pine box.” Without turning his back on her, he left the cell and closed the door after him.

  “Don’t tell me the little ladies are giving you trouble, Tom.”

  Katie turned to find Cowboy standing there with a smug smile on his face. She straightened when she caught his scent, though. Sex was all over him, Elsie’s scent was, too. Pressing her lips together tightly, she contained her growl and looked away, hoping to avoid his attention.

  “You’re a cocksucker, Leroy.” Tom seemed to look at him then, taking in the shirt tails that were untucked from the waistband of his jeans. The color rose in his cheeks. “You fucked her, didn’t you? You know what the boss said.”

  Leroy only shrugged casually and tipped his hat back. “Don’t worry. I left her breathing in the back of the van.”

  Tom shook his head grimly then turned to unlock Katie and Luce’s cage. Luce sat up, her whole body shaking as she looked at the man stalking toward them.

  “Be careful with the little one. She’s fresh, so she’s still got some strength left,” Leroy warned.

  “I’ve got it,” Tom replied, his hungry gaze on Luce. Katie stood up slowly, her legs shaking so badly, she thought they’d give way beneath her if she took a step. She moved, though, and they stayed. She put herself between Tom and Luce, holding the guy’s eyes.

  “Don’t you dare think about it,” she hissed, her voice becoming a low rumble. Her cat stalked forward in her mind, showing Tom what was lurking beneath the surface. The scent of fear wafted from his body a moment before his expression hardened and he drew out a gun from the small of his back.

  He shoved it in her face. “Stand over there,” he ordered.

  She stared down the barrel and felt her resolve harden. “No.”

  He took her by the upper arm, his short, stubby fingers digging into her flesh. He marched to the corner, and she didn’t make it easy. “Stay there,” he hissed.

  Katie stayed, sure that Tom wouldn’t actually do something against his orders. He crouched down in front of Luce, yanking her arms out in front of her and securing the cable ties. When she winced, a growl of warning came from Katie’s throat. Tom glanced over his shoulder at her then stood up, swaggering in her direction.

  “Play nicely, or I’ll be forced to take your punishment out on her hide.”

  Katie felt like she’d been doused in cold water. She darted a look to Luce, and she knew in her blood that she would defend that little female until her death. The revelation should’ve frightened her, but she found it only strengthened her. She would die for Luce. Gladly. But she had to play their games, at least for now.

  Like the good little female they wanted, she nodded and kept her eyes down. Tom zip-tied her wrists roughly behind her back, then left their cell, locking the door behind him. He and Leroy shuttled the females upstairs until it was only Luce and Katie left. Leroy’s eyes danced with amusement when he re-entered her cell. They’d found the bargaining chip they needed to keep Katie in line, not that she’d been anything but a model inmate since she’d arrived.

  She wasn’t an aggressive cat by nature. In fact, Neve had often told her she was too soft for her own good, that people would take advantage of her generous nature and her fragile heart. Katie had never seen anything wrong with that before…

  Until now.

  Luce was moved first, the small girl’s wide blue eyes staring at Katie like she was the only thing that could keep her safe. As she was removed from the cell, she began to struggle, which caused Tom to grab her by the hair and wrench her head back painfully. Katie threw herself at the bars, as pointless as it was, and hissed, “Touch her again, and you’ll deal with me.”

  Tom smiled. “With pleasure, pussy cat.”

  Knowing he had her attention, he skimmed his hand down the front of Luce’s shirt, causing the girl to squirm and whimper. Katie snapped. She slammed herself against the bars, leading with her shoulder. It was stupid, because there was no way the steel bars were suddenly going to give way for her, but the strength of her rage bolstered her.

  She could tell her eyes were glowing by the faint pool of light they were throwing off in the gloomy room. Her cat had edged perilously close to the surface, but it wasn’t safe to let her out. She probably couldn’t shift even if she wanted to. She was too weak now.

  Leroy interrupted their stare-off by saying, “All right, Tom. Stop baiting her. Get the kid upstairs already.” Leroy unlocked her cell and stepped inside. Elsie’s scent still lingered on him, turning her stomach. But this close, she smelled it—shifter. She hadn’t recognized it on him previously. Firstly, the scent of food had fogged her mind, then the scent of blood had overtaken her senses. She smelled him now though. For a moment, she was too stunned to do anything other than stare. He was a black jaguar, and he was taking their females and humans alike. He was betraying their species, but for what?

  “Why?” she asked, her voice hoarse.

  Leroy narrowed his eyes on her face. Like he didn’t understand the question. Like she was a fool for even asking.

  Her tongue leaded, she demanded softly, “Why?”

  “You’ll find out soon enough,” he replied in a sneer, then took her by the elbow, led her from the cell and up the stairs. She blinked when they came to the top. They were in a well-appointed kitchen with stainless steel appliances and a six-burner stove. The squalor they’d been forced to live in in the basement just didn’t make sense here.

  “Get moving,” Leroy said, walking
her through the kitchen and out the back door. She shivered as soon as they got out, the temperature dipping drastically. Or maybe that was just shock. She didn’t know. Leroy was leading her to a black van that had been parked at an angle so she couldn’t see the plates.

  She was taken around the back where the door was open and the chattering of teeth could be heard. She peered inside to find all the women had blindfolds over their eyes. She scanned the interior, looking for Luce. She found her huddled against the wheel arch, her own blindfold stretched tight against her eyes.

  There was a noise, and Katie glanced over her shoulder to find Leroy holding her own blindfold.

  “No,” she whispered.

  But it was too late. Her world went black, and then she was shoved into the van, sitting on someone’s legs, elbowing someone else in an attempt to get her other senses online. The rear door slammed, the van rocking ever so slightly from the force, then the front doors shut.

  The engine roared to life, drowning out the sound of softly shed tears and sniffling. Katie just sat there, waiting for the nightmare to be over.

  26

  Neve pressed the phone closer to her ear, unable to process what she’d just been told.

  “I thought you were in New York.”

  “We were supposed to be,” her father replied wearily. “Until I got a call from one of the other Leos, who said they were convening another meeting. This time in California. Your mom and I had to cash in our tickets and get new ones.”

  “What about your business meeting?” She didn’t know why, but a feeling of dread was uncurling in the pit of her stomach.

  “I had to reschedule. Larry was fine with doing that. He said he needed more time to prepare anyway.”

  “When will you be coming home?” she asked in a whisper. “Do you know?”

  There was a small thud like he had just fallen rather than sat in a chair. Blowing out a breath, he said, “Honestly, I don’t know, kitten.”

  She shifted so her legs were hanging off the side of the bed. “Where are you staying?”