He assured her he would come back alone with a car later and grab more if she wanted it and it was safe. That, or once the situation was dealt with, they'd clean it out for selling and he'd help her move it all to a new place once she'd settled on where she wanted to go. The only concern right now was anything she didn't want to go missing in the process of the estate probate shit.
Since she was technically considered a missing person at the moment, they couldn't do much with the property, but it wouldn't stop lawyers from trying. Proceeds from the sale had been listed to be donated to several charities in the Mayor's will if Adele didn't want the property and didn't claim it within thirty days of the will being read.
He couldn't guarantee this would be over in that time frame, so he didn't mind taking the extra few minutes for her to gather anything she didn't want to risk losing if they couldn't get back before the bloodthirsty lawyers got inside. He just hoped it all fit in the tote, as the Night Rod didn't have storage. It was faster and easier to escape on, but not exactly the most practical ride for what they'd come here to do.
Once she'd glanced around one last time to ensure she hadn't forgotten anything she wanted to keep, they stood at the door, Thian pausing a moment to take a breath, shoulders squaring. This was it. The bad feeling he'd had this entire time had intensified, the knot in the pit of his stomach tightening with every minute they were in the house. Somehow, he knew they were out there. Watching. Waiting.
Call it instinct, call it a second sense, call it the cat's intuition... Thian didn't know, and didn't care. All he knew was that twenty feet stood between the door and his bike. Then roughly fifty feet between the bike and the road. Unfortunately, on all sides, there was only about thirty to forty feet between both of those points and the treeline where the rogues were most certainly lying in wait. Either in human form with weapons, or in animal form ready to strike. Getting from one to another unscathed would be a goddamn miracle. Reaching out, he grabbed her hand, turning her to face him, forcing her to meet his eyes, so he knew she was fully listening and understanding the urgency.
“Adele. Listen... I got a bad feeling about this, alright? We're going to run for it. You stay behind me, let me provide cover. If anything happens, you turn around and get your pretty ass back in this house, is that clear? Don't come back out for me, Princess. No matter what you hear. No matter what you see. Promise me.”
If he was injured or needed to fight his way out, he might not be able to withstand the urge to shift. Especially knowing his mate would be in danger. He could already feel the cat clawing at him, desperate to protect its mate from the danger it could sense all around them. He needed her to understand if shit went south, she needed to keep hidden.
There was no time to call the club for backup. They were too far out in fucking no-man's-land for anyone to get here fast enough. Once the rogues realized they'd stay holed up until help came, they'd storm the place before backup arrived to take over. It was truly now or never. At least this way, they still had surprise on their side, as they'd been in there awhile so their exit would be unexpected.
Once the door opened, he took off, dragging Adele behind him. They didn't even make it halfway before he heard the growls and snarls of at least half a dozen cats. They'd never make it out on the bike. Turning, his wide eyes met Adele's, voice tense with fear, nearly shouting at her even though she was right on his heels.
“Get back in the house, now! Set the alarm. Don't open it for anyone but me. Go!”
Without a word, she took off, leaving Thian alone on the pavement. With a sinking heart, he turned, a muscle in his jaw twitching as the cat rose to the forefront. His mate was in danger, being threatened. They said a leopard couldn't change its spots, or its true nature. Today? They were going to see just how deadly a pissed off predator could be.
Chapter Thirteen
The change came quicker than it ever had before, the cat seeming as if it'd been just under the surface, waiting for permission. He knew Adele was likely watching from the window, but he couldn't worry about that now. He'd deal with it later... if there was a later. His sole goal right now was to take out as many of these fuckers as he could before he went down and prevent them from reaching Adele.
His own snarl joined the others as they rushed him en masse, fucking cowards, seeming to come from every direction. As soon as he forced one to back off, another was already nipping at his heels, or right at his shoulder. Ears flat against his head, he turned in a circle, amber eyes narrowed as he tried to keep an eye on all of them at once, as well as continue to present a moving target.
Searing pain made him roar, snapping back at the shifter who'd sank its teeth into his flank. Knocking him loose, Thian swiped out with a clawed paw at another, leaving bloody ribbons slashed into its side. This was no good. He had to start bringing down their numbers, or they were going to continue to wear him out until he couldn't fight any longer.
Going low to the ground, he pounced on the nearest one, rolling with it when it tried to dislodge the angry leopard on its back. That was what Thian wanted. As the shifter rolled, it exposed his throat, allowing Thian to bite down, breaking its neck in one swift bite. Blood splattered his muzzle and the concrete beneath them as he continued the roll, coming back up on his feet, belly low as he gave another warning growl.
One down. At least four left to go at the moment, unless more were waiting in the trees. He made short work of another as it tried to barrel into him head-on, all brawn and no fucking brains, apparently. The others, watching two of their fellow shifters fall, were being more cautious, staying out of range of claws and teeth as they circled him, seeming to be trying to find a weak point to attack. He had no doubt that when they did, it'd be all at once, attempting to overwhelm him. Unlike them, he had something far more important than illegal gains to fight for. He hoped that made a difference.
When the others made their move, they went down in a tangle of snapping teeth and claws, lean bodies fighting for dominance as they each attempted to bite and dig in wherever they could. Thian was at a disadvantage, being the only black leopard. It meant they wouldn't accidentally attack each other, as he made quite a striking target that couldn't be missed.
The carnage was absolute. In the end, he stood alone, limping on one paw. Minor gashes and claw marks were everywhere, his side torn open with deeper marks from the first who'd tried him. He hadn't emerged unharmed, but he'd emerged victorious. The ground was stained crimson in an arc around him, the lifeless bodies of the shifters laying discarded where he'd thrown them.
Moving over to sniff one, he paused, gaze zeroing in on its massive paws. What the hell was that? The cat's eyesight may be better for nocturnal excursions and detail, but for colors, it generally sucked. Forcing the cat to retreat, he groaned in pain as the shift was slower this time, muscles already shredded screaming in agony as they were forced to contort once more. One hand curled around his side protectively to attempt to staunch the bleeding as he knelt next to the rogue he'd been eyeing. Sand. There was sand packed in between the rogue's toe pads. As if he'd walked on it often.
Wincing as he stood, his mind raced. There were no sandy beaches in Kalmazoo. It was a bustling city, a college town. To get to the water, you had to leave the 'Zoo and go to the outskirts, the smaller, more rural cities along the lakes. It would make sense. They'd want quiet for what they were up to, a lot of land. If they were taking the women on the water through an access point, they could be taking them anywhere the lake connected to. Shit.
He had to get Adele, take her to a safe place. Then head back to the clubhouse, get the Prez to call a meeting. That should help them narrow their search areas, at the very least. Perhaps there was something in the files as well, deposits made at certain ATM's or banks, something they could put tech on to sort. Either way, it felt like he'd discovered something important, something that would eventually lead them where they needed to be to put an end to this shit.
Making his way to the door, he le
aned against it, giving it a sharp rap with his knuckles. He still didn't know if there were any more lurking about, but they hadn't shown themselves when their pack members had died, so he figured he didn't need to worry about them too much yet, if at all. He needed to patch himself up, to heal. Then figure out how to get them both out of there safely.
It took a long time for the door to ease open, at least it seemed that way to him. When it swung outward, it revealed Adele, her face pale and worried as she stared at him. He knew part of it was likely all the blood coating him, but he had no doubts that she'd been watching, that part of the expression on her face was fear... of him. Of what he was.
“I'll explain later, Adele. I promise. I won't hurt you. I just need...” His voice stuttered to a stop as the world swam in front of his eyes. He had a moment to try to brace himself before he felt himself losing his balance, the impact with the floor jarring. Vaguely, he heard Adele shouting at him, her hands shaking him, but he didn't have the energy to respond and tell her he was alright. His last thought before he lost consciousness was that he must have lost more blood than he thought, if this was the result.
He didn't know how long he'd been there when he blinked, eyes cracking open. He was still on the floor just inside the door, but thankfully it had been closed and the alarm was glowing softly, so Adele had reset it once he'd passed out. Going to sit up, he frowned, glancing down at himself. He was... naked. He usually used his electrokinesis to fashion clothes from the energy surrounding him after he shifted. Did he not do that this time?
He supposed with the pain, he may have forgotten. He didn't think Adele would have had the strength to lift him and undress him, likely why he was still on the floor as well. In addition to being naked, his wounds had been cleaned and bandaged, only a pinkish haze remaining on his skin where she couldn't wipe him down well enough with the washcloths she must have brought over from the kitchen.
He appreciated the effort. Stopping the blood flow temporarily would allow him to heal faster, leaving them in less danger of another attack going badly with him not at full strength. Managing to sit up and lean against the wall, he froze there as he spotted Adele. She sat a couple of feet away from him, surrounded by bloodied clothes, a bottle of antiseptic, and a first aid box sitting opened next to her.
Her face was still pale, features drawn. When he met her gaze, she inched backward a few inches, putting more space between them. She was terrified. He supposed he couldn't blame her. After everything that had happened to her, this was likely the final straw to it all, the one thing she couldn't handle with grace and understanding. She'd just seen her new lover shift into a leopard and fight a group of animals on her property, leaving their dead bodies on the lawn. Anyone would be a bit shell-shocked.
He sighed before speaking, not knowing how else to soothe her. “What do you want to know? I'll tell you what I can, as far as I understand it, if it will help.”
Adele shook her head, opening her mouth and closing it several times, like she couldn't figure out what to ask first, or how to phrase what she wanted to say. Finally, she whispered the one question he didn't have a great answer for. “How...? I saw you. You were a man. And then you weren't. How is that possible? I know I wasn't seeing things, but this can't be right.”
“You weren't seeing things. I can change into the form of a leopard at will. I don't know how it's possible, genetically or physically. I'm sure people smarter than me have answered the question, but I don't know much about it. Just that when I was protecting the woman I told you about when I was younger and got shot, I shifted for the first time. It was fucking terrifying, I had no idea what had happened, what to do.”
“The guys from the club took me in, taught me what I needed to know. They gave me a family and a home, a pack. What you saw tonight was a group of rogues. We believe they are the ones kidnapping shifter women for their pelts and were working with your father. My job was to find a possible location for their den so we can attempt a rescue and justice.”
She picked at the hem of her shirt for a bit, lost in thought, before she thought of another question to ask. “Are you still you? When you aren't? Would you hurt me? Someone else? I mean... you aren't human. Not really. And leopards are wild animals. Does that make you one when you're like that?”
He paused. He could reassure her definitively that he'd never hurt her, feral or not, but it would require a huge leap of faith on his part. If she freaked the fuck out, it would have to be dealt with, or cause him to turn traitor to the club, and not report it. He was in an impossible situation. Still, the tiniest sliver of hope still remained. If she was truly his mate, would fate bond him to someone who wouldn't understand? If she'd felt the claiming the way he did, had it already affected her in some way, enough for her to realize the truth of his words?
“I'm still mostly me. The cat can take over sometimes if it's close to the surface, but it's a compromise, we're paired. Some shifters can actually hold conversations with the animal inside of them, like a damn split personality. I haven't connected that well with mine yet. It's still a kind of new partnership we got going on. Trust me when I say... I would never hurt you, in either form. Even if the cat has gone wild or is under threat somehow, you would be the last person it would turn on. I know that without hesitation.”
“But how, Thian? How can you be so sure, especially if you say you're not as attuned to it as others are? You can't promise me I'm safe yet tell me that you don't have full control. Life doesn't work that way.”
His smile was wry, the knowledge that he could very well lose her anyway still hanging heavy on his mind. Still, he'd rather lose her on his own damn terms. “Shifters are a bit more unique from humans in more ways than one. Not only can we shift into animal form, but our love lives are different as well. Because of our unique genetics, every shifter has one person they're physically and genetically compatible with.”
“Call it science, call it Fate, whatever you like. They generally find them by scent. The cat smells its mate in a crowd and loses its fucking mind until their mate is claimed. The first night I was at the house, I had gone outside for a run as a cat, to check for the scent of the rogues in the woods. You were out late that night. When you walked past me in the hallway, it was like a punch to the gut. The goddamn earth felt like it moved. My cat instantly knew you were its other half, the one it would honor and protect above all others.”
She froze, staring at him for long moments before standing. “You have lost your furry mind.”
With that, she turned, picking up the mess of cloth at her feet and carting it back into the kitchen. He heard her dump them into the trash can and waited for her to come back out so they could finish the discussion, but the longer he sat there, the less certain he became that she was intending on continuing the talk at all.
Standing, he was pleased to note that when he concentrated on the electrical energy in the air with purpose, soft sweatpants formed low on his hips. He'd healed enough for that ability to come back online, at the very least. It was a start. The rest would catch up. The smaller scratches and bites wouldn't take long at all. The one under his ribs he was more concerned about, but it would heal faster than a normal human's injury would.
Moving into the large kitchen, he spotted her attempting to clean the refrigerator of expired containers and food, tossing items into the opened trash bag at her feet as she mumbled quietly to herself. He supposed it was a good idea, so nothing rotted that they'd have to deal with later. Why it had to be done right this second, he didn't know. When she heard him come into the room, she turned, face panicked as she gestured at him with a drooping piece of celery that had obviously seen far better days.
“I don't even like pets, Thian!”
The pure anguish in her voice was so odd for the words she spoke that he started laughing. After a moment of glaring at him, it seemed the laughter was contagious, causing her to burst into giggles as well. Once they'd settled, she wiped tears from her eyes, moving to perc
h on one of the bar stools at the island. Watching him, he was happy to note that some of the wariness was gone from her stance. Small favors.
“I promise to always clean the litter box and wipe my paws and muzzle before entering the room. Just because I'm a cat doesn't mean I can't have manners, Princess.”
She rolled her eyes at that, before sobering. “What do we do now, Thian? What does being a mate even mean? Is it permanent, like marriage? Does that make us dating? Something else? How important is a mate in your world? What happens if your mate is human? How does that even work? Do the mates literally have no say in this whatsoever? The cat just decides they like the smell of a single person and that's it?”
He hadn't thought of it that way before, but now that she mentioned it, it did seem pretty damn unfair. Especially for a human mate, like she was. They were just dragged into this.
“It's... kind of? There isn't really such a thing as marriage in our world, not for two shifters. They're mated, and that's pretty much for life. It's more sacred than marriage. Some of the shifters who have human mates have done a marriage ceremony, to keep their mate and their human families happy, but not all do it.”
“If our mates are human, we can turn them with a bite. It's strictly watched... we can't just go biting people, that's part of what rogues do that make them so dangerous. They can get us outed to the world, put us all in danger. It's why clubs like ours go after them. Not because we want to protect the public, not really. We're protecting ourselves and others like us. The few times shifters have tried to come into the light over the centuries, it hasn't gone well for them.”
Wayward Son (The Wayward Trilogy Book 1) Page 8