Josh

by Dana Archer

  He ran a hand over his head. Talk about pressure. The goddess had basically dropped the fate of the world in his lap.

  “You are not alone, Josh Conway. You have your mate, me, and your friends. It is enough.”

  He took a deep breath and allowed the goddess’ words to settle over him. She was right. He would find a way. “Okay, so Mira and I will birth this new race that bridges the heavens and those on earth.”

  “Yes, your children are the prophesized ones.”

  “And you and the other goddesses planned for me and Mira to get together.”

  The goddess nodded.

  “Then why did you send Kade the vision of me dying? It frightened Mira and made her question our connection.”

  “Did you not hear my words when I said I have been influencing my children? How exactly do you think I accomplished that?” She took a step closer. The fangs in her mouth lengthened. “Had I not influenced Kade to keep the two of you apart, my beloved daughter would have tried to mate you. She would have killed you.”

  “But—”

  “The events had to play out the way they did. I could not intervene in your life’s path until she verbally chose you to father the prophesized children.” She pressed her palms to her eyes and groaned. “But because of my connection to you I have lost my ability to foresee the future. My last glimpse was the one I shared with you because I could no longer reach Kade. Do you remember it?”

  He closed his eyes and pulled up the memory of when he’d last spoken with the goddess. The rapid succession of images she’d shoved into his head slowed into a slideshow that chilled his soul. The final one of Mira, beheaded, stopped his heart.

  “She’s going to die?”

  “Unless the events are altered, yes. You must save her or else my plan will fail.”

  “But how do I do that? I don’t know how to reach her.”

  “Love transcends death. Follow yours back to her and reestablish your bond.” The goddess took several steps but stopped and glanced over her shoulder. “And Josh, you do not need to sleep to enter this realm. Picture yourself here, and you will come. The same applies to Mira, but she must follow your tether here, as you are the one tied to it and she to you. Be warned, however, your bodies cannot follow. They will remain in the human realm.”

  With that, the goddess vanished, leaving him alone with only his fear as company. He needed to get back to his body so he could chase after Mira.

  He willed himself to go to Mira. Nothing happened.

  “Our love transcends death, huh? What, is that some kind of riddle?” He slowly turned and surveyed the vast sea of nothingness. “All right, then. I’ll find our love. Somehow, kitten, somehow.”

  Something wet and rough brushed against Mira’s cheek. She pried her eyelids apart. Abby stared down at her with a bloody piece of cloth in her hand.

  “Thank goodness.” Abby dabbed at Mira’s forehead with a clean edge of the material. “I thought they’d killed you too.”

  Mira tried to move but couldn’t. She was tied spread-eagle on a bed. Panic seized her. She jerked on her bindings. Biting pain raced up her legs, arms, and across her neck. Her pulse raced at the realization of what had been done to her.

  “Don’t move.” Abby pressed a trembling hand to Mira’s upper chest. “They wrapped chains with sharp spikes around you.”

  She turned her head, ignoring the pinching along her neck, and peered at the bindings she’d heard about but had never seen. Designed to restrain a shifter, the manacles had a tension-sensitive trigger. If she struggled excessively or shifted, the cuffs would snap together, severing whatever body part it encircled.

  “I’m so sorry, Mira. I should’ve listened to Zeb. He told me to forget about Josh.” Abby sucked in a rough breath. “It was just that…I’ve wanted him since fifth grade. He would always stand up for me whenever somebody made fun of the pig farmer’s daughter. I got it in my head that if he cared enough to do that, then I could make him love me.”

  Mira closed her eyes to block out the human’s face. Hatred and empathy rose for the female. Neither were emotions she could give in to. She took a steadying breath and scanned the area where they’d been left. A single mattress lay on the pine floor under her. A plastic bucket and a roll of toilet paper sat in one corner of what she guessed was a barn. In the other corner, a gallon jug of spring water had been left on top of a crate. On the far side of the otherwise empty room, a closed door served as the only way in or out. Next to it, butchering tools hung on the wall.

  She focused on the knives. They appeared thin enough to jam the spring on her manacles. Hopefully. “Abby, we don’t have time for regrets. Go grab those—”

  “I can’t.” Abby raised her cuffed hand. “They chained me to you.”

  And took all Mira’s options away except one—die.

  Chapter 35

  Josh sat in the middle of nowhere and tried to connect with Mira. Deep, controlled breaths slowed his heart. He conjured her face and let his love for her consume him. Minutes passed before the first whiff of spring rain drifted on the unnatural breeze that whipped strands of black mist around him. He stretched his psyche out, latched on to her scent, and followed it back to the woman he loved.

  Her sadness washed over him first, followed by defeat. She was giving up. No. She couldn’t stop fighting. They’d finally made their own rules.

  “Mira!” He let his mind sink deeper into hers. “Kitten, it’s me. Open up and reach for me.”

  Instead of her rich voice, the sound of chirping birds echoed in his head. The world brightened. Hundreds of shades of red and purple streaked across the midnight sky. Grass spread out from where he sat in a roaring rush of growth that shook the ground. Trees rose out of the quickly developing landscape. The sounds of a gurgling stream and the singing of cicadas offered a natural symphony to the quiet world.

  He swept his gaze over the area and focused on the swing that hung from a thick branch near the soothing water. Mira sat there. Dressed in black track pants and a gray T-shirt three sizes too big—the same outfit she’d worn the day she’d licked his wounds—she was a sight to behold, the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on.

  “Mira.”

  She swung her head in his direction. Her eyes widened. “Josh?”

  She jumped from the seat and ran toward him. He met her halfway and wrapped his arms around her solid, warm, and familiar body. “Kitten.”

  “This isn’t just a dream.” She skimmed her fingertips up his spine. “You’re really here. How is this possible? You died.”

  “I came here to heal. I’m your mate, the one the goddesses allowed you to choose, and this realm belongs to us and our children. It’s our sanctuary.”

  She sucked in a rough breath and leaned back. “Our children?”

  He reached between them and placed his palm over her lower belly. “Hybrids. They’ll be immortal and tied to this realm the same as I am.”

  “I’m pregnant?”

  “Yeah, with triplets. Two boys and a girl.”

  A small smile graced her mouth. She covered his hand with trembling fingers. After a moment, she lifted her gaze to his. Stark terror flared in her wide eyes. “Please, Josh, you need to save us. The lion single shifter on the Council, Rosco, will be arriving soon to mate me.” Tears welled in her eyes. “They used jagged bindings so I can’t fight him. If I do, I’ll die.”

  His heart raced. “Where are you?”

  “I don’t know exactly. I was unconscious, but Abby said from the glimpses she got, she thinks they drove toward the Snyders’ farm.”

  The neglected farmland bordered Zeb’s property. Josh ran his hands over her arms, hoping to soothe her. “Okay. I’m coming.”

  “Josh?” She waited until he met her gaze. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to stop my cats from emerging. They understand the threat but sometimes instincts overrule intellect. They’ll want to protect me from being raped.”

  “Don’t let them.” He held h
er face between his hands. “You need to fight for us and our babies.”

  “But—”

  “No buts. I will come for you. I promise you, kitten. Remember, he can’t mate you, and if he…” Josh swallowed hard. The colors in the world around them dimmed. He ignored the washed-out haze and focused on Mira’s agonized expression. “If he rapes you, come here. I’m your path to this realm. Reach for your link to me and will yourself to fade here. Do you understand? Leave your physical body there and take refuge here.”

  Tears shimmered in her eyes but didn’t fall. She nodded, but he felt her doubt resonate along their bond.

  “Don’t.” He gave her a little shake. “Live for me, Mira. No matter what. You live for me.”

  The world faded around them, but they held each other’s gaze until the last possible moment. “I’ll try, Josh. I’ll try.”

  He slammed back into his physical body and woke choking on chocolate-flavored blood. He yanked the Royal’s wrist out of his mouth and blinked Devin’s concerned eyes into focus.

  “Mira.” Josh coughed. “Need to save her.”

  “Josh!” Jazz’s tearstained face replaced Devin’s. “We thought you died. Your heart stopped and—”

  “I’m fine. I’ll explain later.” He hopped to his feet and ran for the nearest car.

  Devin jumped in his path. “No, explain now.”

  “You were right. I am blessed, but it won’t do me much good if I lose the woman I love. Let’s go save her. I’ll explain the rest on the way.”

  Josh didn’t want to waste any more time. Mira had said she’d try to live, but it sure sounded like goodbye to him.

  Josh sat in the passenger seat of Devin’s car with his hands balled into fists to hide the tips of his sharpened nails. Devin had noticed them but hadn’t commented. Bree, who sat in the back, would’ve if she’d seen them.

  It would’ve been better if she’d ridden with the Shifter Affairs’ agents who were following them, but she’d insisted on going with him. At least she hadn’t fired a round of twenty questions. Josh didn’t want to deal with them at the moment. It was taking all his concentration to keep his inner animals under control. The predators he housed were afraid for Mira. Like the animals they were, they wanted to eliminate the threat to her. The only problem—their version of protection would kill him.

  He reminded them for the hundredth time they couldn’t emerge in the human world. Their rage drowned out his placating words.

  Great. The goddess had to give him stubborn cats, didn’t she?

  “Look,” Bree said.

  He glanced out the windshield. A dozen fully shifted lions waited in the overgrown grass outside the dilapidated home of the Snyders’ farm.

  “They’re from the Krisban pride,” Devin said.

  The name stirred the rage simmering in Josh’s gut. That was the lion shifter pride who’d arranged for Molly to be kidnapped, but they’d disappeared when Shifter Affairs started investigating Molly’s botched abduction and the murder of Lena’s parents.

  He let the fury consume him and poured it in to his inner spirits, along with the promise he’d stop the Krisbans from hurting Mira, but they had to trust him and follow his direction. Josh’s tiger was the first to concede. The other two followed suit.

  Their determination flowed along the tether linking them to him. The emotion resonated into an understanding. They’d help him too. They sent him flashes of images—him with claws and fangs, him running faster than a normal human ever could. Josh breathed a sigh. He’d won the battle with them. Now to secure the next.

  Josh peered over his shoulder at where Bree sat and captured his cousin’s gaze. “They die. Pride law rules here, not yours.”

  “Oh yeah, they’re going to die. I read the report on what they did to Molly’s adoptive family. No kid should see that.” Bree patted her holster. “I might not have fangs, but Shifter Affairs told me a bullet between the eyes or in their heart will work just as well on those single shifter cowards.”

  Josh nodded at the second small victory. One more and he’d have his kitten back.

  Devin slammed on the brakes, and Josh jumped from the car. He ran toward the house. A lion charged him. Josh let his claws extend and slashed the deadly nails across the animal’s neck.

  Blood arced, but the wound didn’t slow the shifter’s lion form down. It roared and lunged at him. Josh shoved the animal back. It stumbled under the force of his push, but the big predator rose on its hind legs and snapped its teeth. Josh ducked to avoid the bite and rolled. The lion followed. Josh waited until it reared over him, then reached up and fisted its throat. With his rough yank, its garbled growl ended in silence. He bent his legs, pulling his knees against his chest, and knocked away the lion’s lifeless body.

  The sounds of fighting and gunshots surrounded him. Worry rose for Bree and the Shifter Affairs’ members behind him, but he resisted the urge to turn around. Devin would protect Josh’s cousin, and the others were trained to deal with shifters. Josh had to find and rescue Mira before it was too late.

  He stopped with his foot on the porch of the old house. A scream rang out followed by a shrill shriek. He swung his head in the direction of the barn.

  Mira.

  He turned and ran.

  Blood ran down Mira’s arms from where the chains holding her immobile cut into her skin, but the pinch of the metal points barely registered. Anger and frustration kept the pain at bay. She despised the helplessness settling over her. A female shifter’s protective instincts were as strong as any male’s. Maybe more so. The primitive drive to defend those individuals weaker than her was an integral part of her psyche, and resisting that primal response was growing harder by the second.

  Another cry reverberated in her ears. Abby curled into a ball on the floor, but it didn’t save her from Rosco’s next kick. The sound of bone breaking added to Abby’s screeching. Another whack to her side and she fell silent.

  “There. Now we won’t have any disruptions.” Brownish-yellow eyes focused on Mira’s exposed chest before he raised his gaze to her face. “We do want our first time to be special.”

  Rosco yanked his shirt off and reached for the button of his jeans. Her breaths quickened.

  “Do you like what you see?”

  She flicked her gaze to his face. Rosco’s short brown hair lengthened and darkened. The small smirk he wore turned in to a leering grin. His face thinned, Edmund’s image replacing Rosco’s.

  Her cats roared. They slammed into her sternum and clawed at her stomach. Her body jerked under the force of all three predators trying to tear her apart.

  No! She couldn’t let the memory surface. She squeezed her eyelids tight. A crack against her cheek forced her to open them. Rosco’s angry features filled her vision.

  “You shift, you die.”

  And kill her unborn babes. She snarled at her inner cats and showed them the same image they’d given her—Josh rubbing her extended belly with love in his eyes.

  Her tigress conceded first. It backed up, fangs bared and a growl trickling from its throat. The other two followed, but she got the impression none of them were happy about it. She only prayed they’d obey her when the worst part came.

  Rosco stroked the skin he’d hit. “Good, now let’s get your body ready for me.”

  He skimmed his fingers down her neck to her upper chest. She bit her lip. A whimper escaped. Tears rolled down her cheek. She didn’t have the strength to hide her weaknesses. She was afraid for herself, but what chilled her blood was the stark terror settling in her soul. If she couldn’t keep her cats contained, the three innocent lives she and Josh had created would never see the light of day.

  She curled around her inner spirits and allowed her mind to fade into the darkened realm she shared with Josh. Maybe it was the cowardly thing to do, but she’d promised Josh she’d live for him.

  For her mate and their babes, she’d try. She only hoped he’d be able to heal her broken mind when the violation of
her body was over.

  Josh slammed his shoulder into the door. The wood cracked, and he stumbled inside. He swept his gaze over the room. Mira was chained spread-eagle on a bare mattress with a faraway look on her face. A naked shifter stood next to her, fondling her breast.

  Josh leapt the distance between them. He knocked the shifter away from Mira and followed him to the floor. The guy’s claws raked Josh’s sides, but Josh snarled and returned the swipe. The man’s eyes widened, and his gaze locked on to Josh’s mouth. Josh used the man’s shock at seeing Josh’s fangs against him. Josh gripped the shifter’s head and twisted it, snapping his neck.

  “Josh,” Abby said in a slurred voice. Her bloody and bruised body lay on the floor. “Sorry. So sorry. I was…a fool. Micah promised me he could help me win your love. I didn’t believe him when he told me about…about the shifters, but he started giving me these drugs and I…and I couldn’t resist him.”

  “Don’t, Abby. I don’t want to hear any excuses from you.” He swept his gaze over her. None of her injuries looked life-threatening, but she’d suffered. He sighed. “Stay still. You’re going to be fine. Shifter Affairs will be here in a moment. Okay?”

  She nodded. He turned his back on her and jogged to the bed. Mira remained unresponsive, her blank gaze on some distant spot on the wall. Good. He wanted the bindings off her before she came around.

  He studied the cuff. It reminded him of a prong collar, only these tips were razor sharp. Blood oozed from each contact point on her delicate skin. He examined the bindings from every angle but couldn’t figure out how to get them off without hurting her. He needed a key.

  “Coward better have it.” He grabbed the shifter’s pants from the pile of clothes on the floor and dug through the pockets. His fingers met something smooth. He pulled out the small key. “Bingo.”