Claw

by Skye MacKinnon

  I search the room to distract me from the pain. "Sophie, you alright?"

  My little sister smiles and climbs on the chair next to me. "It was a little scary, but we showed those arseholes."

  "Language," Gryphon says automatically.

  "Nice kick you gave him," I praise her and wince again as more pain shoots through my abdomen. Did someone give my babies knives to poke me from the inside? Or are they trying out their claws? Either way, I need them to stop.

  "Where's the pain?" the siren asks gently and lifts my shirt. I let him. It's not like I can stop him in my current state.

  "Everywhere. Point at a place and it'll be one that hurts. I think they're throwing a party in there."

  "It was silly of you to fight. You should have let us handle it."

  I glare at him. "No way. You don't know me very well if you think I could stand back and let you have all the fun."

  He sighs. "I know. It's just wishful thinking. You need to take care of yourself. You're not as agile and invincible as you usually are. It's already risky to have you ride on a horse at this state of pregnancy."

  I gulp at the thought of sitting on a horse. No way.

  "I think I'll walk today," I mutter.

  The guys look at me with pity. I growl at them. I don't want their pity. It's not like that's going to make it any better.

  "Maybe we can find you a cart," Lennox suggests. "Those humans look like farmers. I'm sure one of them has a cart at home that we can borrow."

  "Steal," Sophie corrects. "Stealing isn't nice. It's against the rules."

  "So is trying to kill little girls," Ryker replies darkly. "We're only taking what we're owed for this inconvenience."

  Inconvenience. I wince again. Yes, those miniature shifters must have claws. Or something worse is going on.

  "Gryphon, what do contractions feel like?" I ask as innocently as I can.

  He sucks in a breath. "Do you think you're having contractions? It's too early. You're big but not big enough for four babies."

  "Just in theory."

  "Ehm, I have no idea. It's not like I've ever had any myself. At university, they said a dull ache in your lower back and abdomen. Does it feel like you need to push?"

  I shake my head. "No, thank goodness. And the pain is sharp, definitely not dull. I'd love to have dull pain instead."

  Gryphon runs upstairs and returns with his stethoscope. Not that he'll hear more with that than I can already. The four heartbeats haven't changed. I don't think any of my babies are in distress.

  He tells me exactly that. "They sound normal. Let's stay here for a bit longer until your pain subsides. Guys, let's make her some food."

  "I knew you shouldn't have knocked out the barmaid," Lennox complains and points at the unconscious woman on the floor. "I have no idea how to make waffles."

  I chuckle despite the pain. "I'm no longer craving them. Now I'm in the mood for raw, bloody meat. Might be a side effect of the fight though. I don't suppose I can persuade you to bottle some of the humans' blood for me?"

  Lennox looks at me with a quizzical expression as if he's trying to figure out if I'm joking or not. I'm not quite sure myself. I want more blood, but I also feel disgusted by that desire.

  "I'll find a cart," the wolf says. "Ryker can make breakfast."

  He's out of the inn before any of us can stop him. I sigh. I don't need a cart. As soon as the pain stops, I'll be able to get back on a horse. It won't be comfortable, but I'll suck it up and won't complain. I've been through worse. This isn't a permanent state. Soon, I'll push out those babies and everything will be back to normal, with the exception that we'll have to deal with four tiny shifters. I think we'll need a nanny. Maybe we can find a local shifter who's experienced with kittens and pups. And a calf, in the worst-case scenario.

  Ryker disappears into the kitchen while Gryphon stays with me, listening to my belly with his stethoscope as if that's going to make things better. Sophie shifts around on her chair, clearly bored.

  "Have you packed your things yet? And you could check on the horses."

  She jumps up, excited at the prospect of getting to spend time with her beloved Kidril. If we're going to keep that horse, we'll have to get a stable. There won't be space next to our house, so we'll have to find an alternative location. I'll let Benjamin deal with that; he's great at logistics.

  Suddenly, something wet touches my thighs. I shriek and look between my legs, expecting blood. It would match the pain. But no, it looks like I've peed myself.

  "Gryphon..."

  He follows my gaze and gasps.

  "No, not yet. Not here. Not now. No, please not."

  He's talking nonsense, stammering like an idiot.

  "What's happening," Sophie asks with innocent curiosity. "Did the babies make you pee?"

  "Her waters have broken," Gryphon replies tonelessly. He runs his hands through his long hair, looking helpless and confused. That's not exactly confidence-inspiring. He's supposed to be the one who knows what's happening. He's the doctor. Almost.

  It takes a moment for his words to register. My waters have broken. Oh my goodness.

  "Does that mean I'm having the babies?!"

  I scream rather than ask. I think I'm becoming hysterical. The pain plus my soaked trousers plus the taste of human blood still in my mouth is messing with my brain.

  "Yes, you'll be going into labour," he says. He sounds like he's run several miles. "We need to get ready. Even if your labour takes long, and it often does when it's your first time, we'll never make it to Attenburgh. But it's too soon, we don't know how developed the babies are, if they can breathe on their own. We need medical supplies, I can't do this on my own, and you're in pain, this isn't how it's supposed to be, and..."

  He trails off, his eyes wide with panic. While my own emotions are quickly turning mute, he's about to go crazy.

  "I'll get Lennox," Sophie volunteers. She's amazingly calm as she walks rather than runs out of the pub.

  Ryker isn't. He's in the doorway leading to the kitchen, staring at me open-mouthed, clinging to the door handle for dear life.

  "Kittens?" he asks.

  I shrug. "Looks like it."

  All my hysteria has gone. I'm dead calm. Dead inside. I think this is the only way I'm able to function. This is where all my assassin training comes in. Stand back, look at the situation, avoid any emotional attachment. Use your brain rather than your heart. Don't judge, analyse. What's the next step? What do we need to do to survive?

  "Towels," Gryphon mutters. "A pub like this should have lots of towels. And warm water. Bandages if there's bleeding. Blankets to wrap the babies in once they're born. A knife for the umbilical cords. What else? What am I forgetting?"

  I leave him to it. The pain is finally getting less and I really want to get out of my soiled clothes.

  "Ryker, can you get me another pair of trousers? And panties?"

  My wolf stares at me for a moment, dazed and confused, then nods and disappears up the stairs.

  "Towels, towels, towels."

  Gryphon recites it like a mantra and begins to rummage through the cupboards behind the bar. I let him do whatever he needs to cope. I've never seen him this flustered before. It feels strange and I kind of want to hug him and tell him everything is going to be okay. But I'm not sure he'd want that. And it would be a lie. I don't have any idea if things will turn out alright. Everything seems to be stacked against us.

  "Help!" Sophie suddenly shouts from outside, echoing her earlier cry for help.

  Please, not again. What is destiny throwing at us now?

  "Kat, stay here," Gryphon orders just as Ryker comes running.

  "What's happening?"

  I push myself to my feet and take a few experimental steps. The pain is still there but it's turning from stabbing to something deeper, not quite as intense.

  I turn to them both. "Let's find out. Got any weapons?"

  "You're staying here," Ryker commands.

 
"Help!"

  There's no way I'm not running to my sister's aid. I ignore the guys and run - it's more like a fast waddle - outside the pub. Bright sunlight hits my eyes and I blink, momentarily blinded. Several figures surround the building; at least fifteen of them.

  Their scent hits me. Mutants. They've found us. And among their stink is the smell of Lennox's blood. I search for him, but neither Sophie nor Lennox are anywhere to be seen.

  Ryker and Gryphon join me, pressing close against my sides. The siren slips two knives into my hands. I grip them tight, immediately feeling stronger. This is going to be a fight just like any other.

  One man steps forward, taller than most of the grunts. I recognise him immediately despite the sunlight making it hard to see his features properly. Lord Delaney. He's here.

  "And so we meet again."

  His voice is just as cold and emotionless as I remember. Even his posture is the same as back in Attenburgh when I first saw him. Arrogance leaks from his pores. He thinks he has won and he's enjoying it.

  "I have come to collect my creations," he says and stares at my large belly. It's not just curiosity; there's something like desire in his icy eyes. He appraises me from top to bottom like an object he's about to buy. I'm sure that's all I am to his eyes. A commodity he can use in his experiments. He doesn't see me as a person and I bet he doesn't think that about Sophie either. Poor girl, growing up in this man's household. It's a miracle she's the child she is today.

  "If you go now, I might let you live," I reply just as calmly. "There is nothing for you here."

  He flashes his teeth in the most humourless grin I've ever seen. "You're mistaken, my dear. Once I've killed your companions, I'm going to watch you give birth to my creations. Then I'll kill you myself, for all the trouble you've given me. I'd planned to let you live so that you could bear me another set of test subjects in the future, but I think that would be too much effort. You've proven I can't trust you."

  I can't help but laugh. "Why on Earth would you trust me?"

  He seems confused by the question but doesn't reply. Instead, he turns to his goons. "Make sure she stays alive."

  They nod and salute as one. Creepy. They're like robots, unlike the two mutants who attacked us near the bridge. Those almost had a sense of humour, while these have lost all their humanity.

  I swirl the knives around, getting a feel for them. One of them is one of my own, while the other is heavier and might belong to Gryphon. I'm going to take great pleasure in slicing open Delaney's stomach. Then I'm going to feed him his innards. I smile in anticipation. A good fight is just what the doctor ordered.

  "Kat, can you hear me?"

  Lennox's whisper is almost inaudible. Thank the Catnip Gods, he's nearby. I watch the grunts closely, but they don't react. Hopefully, their hearing isn't as good as mine. Ryker places his hand on my lower back, signalling that he's listening too.

  "They knocked me out and have me tied up in the cottage with the red roof down the road. Sophie managed to get away from them, but I'm not sure where she is now. I'm about to shift, but I'm not sure that'll be enough to get free."

  Anger rises in me. They hurt my Lennox. Yet another reason to give them a whole world of pain.

  "Would you like to give yourself up freely?" Delaney asks with a cold smile. "Like last time? I have to say, I enjoyed that moment immensely. That look of absolute devastation. The way your confidence disappeared within a single moment. Beautiful."

  I want to puke. It sounds like he jerks off to the memory.

  "No, but feel free to lay down your weapons," I invite him. "I have no intentions of sparing you, but I might kill you quicker."

  He scoffs. "You're in no position to kill anyone, girl. Have you looked at yourself in the mirror? You're huge."

  Thanks to him. I finally want to get this battle started, but I also want to give Lennox more time to get free. Time to stall a little more.

  "Yes, I'm huge. What did you put inside me?"

  "This and that. It's just a test if it's possible. You're the oldest, so it made sense to start with you, but of course, the other clones will be next. My people are searching for them as we speak. K.C. is a little young but as soon as she's able to bear children, I have plans for her."

  "You want to get your own daughter pregnant?"

  He laughs with all the emotion of an iceberg. "She's not my daughter. She's an experiment, just like you and the creations growing inside of you. Having her grow up in the same house as I gave me the opportunity for more intense study. I read all the notes on your development, but I didn't appreciate the freedom you were given, so I had to repeat the experiment with a more controlled environment."

  I hope Sophie isn't listening to this. This might break her. She's not very attached to her adoptive parents, but hearing that the man she calls father considers her to be nothing more than a creature to study could destroy her. Gryphon growls. He's just as furious as I am. I won't be able to hold back for much longer.

  "Give yourself up," Delaney repeats. "You've never been weaker. You can't win."

  I consider that statement, then smile. He couldn't be more wrong. I'm stronger than ever. Yes, I may be hindered by my bump and my pain, but I have the best reason to fight. It's no longer just my life I have to protect. Four tiny beings are inside of me that can't defend themselves. Plus, my sister and my men. We're all in this together. And I'm going to keep us alive no matter what. This torturous leech of a man will not succeed.

  I raise my knives, ready to throw them at Delaney. "Come and get me."

  That's when the first contraction hits me. My knees give out and my spine catches fire, the pain even worse than before.

  One of the knives slips from my hand and lands on the ground with a sad plonk.

  We're so fucked.

  The End

  Meow! The story concludes in Roar, the seventh and final book in the series. To get updates about the Catnip Assassins and other books, subscribe to my newsletter.

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  If you want to know how the sirens came to be, take a look at Song of Souls, a standalone m/f romance set in the same world, but several centuries before Kat was even born.

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  Kat would also like to encourage you to leave a review. Don’t tempt her to sharpen her knives. She’s scary that way.

  Author’s Note

  Dear readers,

  This book took ages to write, much longer than any of the other Catnip books, mostly because the world suddenly changed. If you’re reading this in the far future, you may dimly remember the 2020 lockdown. I hope you future readers are all safe and sound and without this virus that stopped the planet in its tracks.

  I’d started Claw just before the lockdown and had planned to let Kat escape soon. Well, suddenly everything changed and now I too was trapped at home, alone, without toilet paper and no longer able to go to my writing café. It didn’t just have an impact on my writing, it also changed the story. Kat refused to be rescued. She also refused to escape. Pretty much every single thing you read in this book was unplanned, including the surprise pregnancy. No, I’m not pregnant so that was not related, but I did adopt a new cat during the lockdown.

  In May, my bunny Darwin who’d lived with me for six wonderful years died. No other bunny could ever have filled the massive hole he left, so I adopted a rescue cat whose owner had got Covid-19. Sootie spent the first few days hiding in my fireplace (hence the name) but has since turned into a great inspiration for Kat’s antics. Sootie has the same black fur as Kat and very sharp claws, but she’s absolutely tiny despite being fully grown. Still, her personality is huge and she immediately changed the dynamic of the MacKinnon household – and finally gave Kat the motivation to befriend Sophie and escape.

  At the time of writing, the lockdown here in Scotland is slowly easing, but it’ll still be months until the schools reopen and I’m not sure yet whether my writing café even survived. I promise you that I won’t get Kat anywhere near a kidnapp
ing opportunity, just in case there will be a second coronavirus wave.

  Just like all the Catnip books, Claw has been influenced by you, my readers, which involved everything from cat pictures to mouse drawings to discussing why a horse may be called Knickerbocker. Remember the moment Kat thinks about what her vagina will look like after giving birth? I had a very fun discussion about that in my Facebook group, where answers ranged from ‘roast beef’ to ‘loosey-goosey and kinda gooey’. Interacting with my readers is one of the things I love about being an author, so if you’re not yet in my Facebook group, search for ‘Skye’s Book Harem’.

  Thank you to everyone who’s read this series from beginning to (almost) end. Thank you to my former PA Renée and my new PA Tricia. Thank you to all my friends and family who made the lockdown a little easier with random gifts and dried mango.

  Take care and see you in Roar,

  Skye

  About the Author

  Skye MacKinnon is a USA Today & International Bestselling Author whose books are filled with strong heroines who don't have to choose.

  She embraces her Scottishness with fantastical Scottish settings and a dash of mythology, no matter if she's writing about Celtic gods, cat shifters, or the streets of Edinburgh.

  When she's not typing away at her favourite cafe, Skye loves dried mango, as much exotic tea as she can squeeze into her cupboards, and being covered in pet hair by her bunny diva and her cat princess.

  Subscribe to her newsletter:skyemackinnon.com/newsletter

  Also By

  Find all of Skye’s books on her website, skyemackinnon.com, where you can also order signed paperbacks. Many of her books are also available as audiobooks.

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