Authors: Cyndi Friberg
She didn’t want to “mate” with anyone. A hot pressure
dropped into the pit of her stomach as she remembered how close she’d come to
mating with Quinn and how wonderful what they’d done felt. No, they hadn’t been
trying to mate. They’d just had sex, just succumbed to the magnetism drawing
them together. Any permanent decision was a long ways off.
But the magnetism was undeniable. She’d never felt so
captivated by a man, never imagined wanting someone as badly as she wanted
Quinn. She didn’t understand the attraction, but she could no longer deny it
was real.
Shaking away her sensual musings, she focused on their
surroundings. He’d turned onto I-25 and they were headed north, away from
Denver. Wouldn’t it be easier to hide within the bustle of a crowded city?
Perhaps the risk of exposure was too great.
“Where is this sanctuary located?”
He shot her a sidelong glance, his lips subtly bowed.
“You’ll see.”
It took just over an hour to reach the compound. Carissa
opened the door and climbed down from the truck, anxious to stretch her legs. A
variety of vehicles were scattered about the gravel lot and floodlights
illuminated the main building.
They’d gotten off the highway and headed east for at least
twenty miles, leaving the suburbs far behind. Surrounded by farmland and barren
fields, the sanctuary was a cluster of buildings and wedge-shaped fenced lots.
She turned in a slow circle, assessing the location from a
defense standpoint. The Therians could see an enemy approach from any
direction. If the fences were electrified, it would seriously hamper any advance.
Unless the enemy could jump as high as Quinn, then the fences would be
pointless.
With a weary sigh, Carissa squinted into the darkness,
trying to understand the purpose for the fenced-off lots. As if to answer her
unspoken question, a feline roar echoed in the distance. “Was that a…”
Quinn chuckled, his smile bright even in the shadows. “Not
often you hear a lion in Colorado?”
“Was that a Therian or a real lion?”
“Therian lions aren’t real?” He swept his arm toward the
lighted walkway and the building beyond.
“That’s not what I meant.”
“I’m just giving you a hard time. Come on.”
She started for the front door, listening for more
incongruous sounds. Within seconds, she heard several low growls and another
muffled roar. “What is this place?”
“A big cat sanctuary of course.” He pulled the door open for
her and they entered a gift shop well stocked with stuffed animals and
educational souvenirs. “They rehabilitate neglected and abused cats from all
over the world.”
“Feline shapeshifters run a big cat sanctuary?” She shook
her head, barely able to suppress her laughter. “This is too funny.”
“The sanctuary is more than just a cover. Erin has committed
years of her life and a good deal of her fortune to this cause. But as you
guessed, there’s more to the sanctuary than abused circus cats.”
He led her through the gift shop and along a raised walkway
that led to the round building situated in the middle of the wedge-shaped pens.
Tigers, cougars and a painfully thin male lion each had their own enclosure.
One of the tigers lifted its head as she approached. Its
large gold-green eyes were curious yet sad. Carissa stopped in front of the
gate and went down on one knee, instinctively inhaling the tiger’s scent.
Female, hopelessness and fear. This poor girl had been horribly abused. The
tiger inched closer to the front of the pen, her curiosity obviously warring
with her fear.
“Be careful. Sometimes they’re not as harmless as they
look.”
She glanced up at Quinn and smiled. “Isn’t that true of all
big cats.”
The tiger halted its tentative approach well back from the
gate. “She looks so sad.”
“She’s new. I don’t know her story.”
Carissa was so fascinated by the animals that Quinn had to
gently pull her into the center building. “I’ll find someone to give us a tour
in the morning. I need to let Erin know Nate’s on the move.”
She followed him through the unusual building, peering into
each room they passed. There were treatment areas, stockrooms, even indoor
pens. “This place is incredible.”
“And you haven’t even seen the best part yet.” He pulled
open a door indistinguishable from the others and revealed a staircase.
Unsure what to expect, she warily descended the stairs. Her
heart beat faster with each step she took and an odd tension gripped her
stomach. A short, tiled corridor led to a control room. Security cameras and
computers were arranged in six neat stations. Only one of the stations was
manned at the moment and Carissa wondered what sort of event would require five
additional operators.
The guard-technician swiveled his chair around as they
entered the room. “Jenaro.” His tone was terse, his hazel eyes hostile.
“Erin’s expecting us.”
He ignored the response and pushed to his feet. “I’m Eli.
Welcome to sanctuary.” He stuck out his hand and smiled, drawing her attention
to his gold-green eyes. Awareness replaced the mistrust and the smile softened
his features. With shaggy blond hair and a rich golden tan, he looked like the
ski bums who put their lives on hold as soon as the first snowflake hit the
Rockies.
“Carissa.” She shook his hand, annoyed by the sudden
difference in his attitude.
“They’re all out at Erin’s house. I’ll let her know you’ve
arrived.”
Eli seemed friendly enough until he looked at Quinn, and
then resentment radiated off him in tangible waves. Would all the Therians be
like this? No wonder Quinn lived alone. “Nice to meet you,” she said as Quinn
led her from the room.
They hurried along a tunnel and Carissa shivered. The
hard-packed earth and thick timber supports reminded her of a mine shaft. At
least there were electric lights. Tromping through this underground passage
with nothing but a flashlight would have been creepy and claustrophobic.
The tunnel branched off in several places, but Quinn seemed
to know where he was going. “Where do the other tunnels lead?”
“To other houses. The cat sanctuary sits on thirty acres,
but the network owns almost two hundred. The tunnels were dug over several
generations. Now they connect all the network properties, making it possible to
pass from one to another without exposure and little risk.”
“And the neighbors have no idea any of this is here?”
“Their closest neighbor is half a mile away.”
When they reached the end of the tunnel, Quinn knocked on
the stout wooden door. The peephole seemed to blink as someone moved in front
of the tiny lens. Then she heard the lock click and the door was opened.
“Jenaro.” Ian held the door open as they moved into a large
laundry room. He winked at Carissa then led them upstairs.
They emerged in a mudroom at the back of the house, which
opened onto a large country kitchen. With a cheerful décor that featured
roosters and well-organized counters, the overall impression was rustic yet
cozy.
The low rumble of numerous voices warned Carissa that Erin
wasn’t alone. Ian walked into the living room without interrupting the
conversation and sat beside Erin on the couch. Carissa and Quinn remained
standing as the others rearranged, allowing her to sit beside Quinn on the
matching loveseat. The room was warm and welcoming, much like its primary occupant.
“We all know damn good and well the only purpose for the
dictate is to provoke us.” Jake, the tiger-biker Carissa had met earlier,
tapped his booted foot, as if his anxious energy demanded release.
“Provoke us into what?” a massive bearded man on Jake’s
right asked. Gray strands threaded through his dark hair, but his bushy beard
was entirely gray. He glanced at Carissa, his eyes so dark, she couldn’t
distinguish between iris and pupil. “None of us is willing to wage war on our
own clan regardless of how misguided the alphas have become.”
“The alphas aren’t misguided, they’re allowing themselves to
be controlled by outside forces,” Jake argued. “It’s the outside forces we need
to confront.”
The burly man snorted. “Good luck with that.”
“What’s going on?” Quinn asked as the conversation lulled.
Erin scooted to the edge of the couch, her cheeks rosy,
green eyes bright. “The Alpha Council took advantage of Kyle’s distraction to
rule on several controversial requests, including Osric’s petition regarding Ava.”
That snapped Carissa to full alert. “What does that mean?
What did they say about Ava?”
Before Erin could respond, the burly man stood and crossed
the room. “Name’s Holt.” He stuck out his massive hand with obvious
expectation. She shook his hand, impressed by the controlled strength of his
firm grip. His fingers released and he went on. “You know Jake and that mean
son of a bitch is Dilbert Payne.” He leaned down and added in a stage whisper,
“But don’t call him Dilbert. Makes him cranky. He prefers Payne.”
“In more ways than one,” Jake added with a snicker.
Carissa looked at Payne and inclined her head. He’d been so
still and silent, she’d hardly noticed him sitting there. With thick tawny hair
and gleaming gold eyes, he reminded her of a lion. Not the sickly specimen
she’d seen at the sanctuary, but a lethal, wild lion crouched in wait for its
unsuspecting prey.
Payne returned her subtle nod then shifted his gaze back to
Erin. He still didn’t speak.
“How did the council respond to Osric?” Quinn prompted as
Holt ambled back to his chair.
“Ava has until Friday to name her mate and then Osric is
approved to choose her mate for her and see that she’s defined,” Erin explained
then her gaze darted toward Carissa. “Nate has been granted the same rights
regarding you.”
“This is ridiculous,” Carissa flared. “Can’t we appeal to
the next level? The Prime Council or whatever?”
“If Kyle submits an appeal, he can’t vote,” Ian reminded
her. “I’d vote in Ava’s favor, but that leaves the decision up to Nate and
Fredrick. Obviously, Nate would vote against you. Fredrick is Prime of the
Southern Feline network, but his decisions are unpredictable.” Ian shook his
head. “It’s not worth the risk. Disobeying an order from the Prime Council is
grounds for lifelong banishment or worse.”
“There has to be something we can do.” Anxiety zinged
through her system speeding her heart and making her fidgety. “Where the hell
is Ava? Are people still searching for her?”
“As you know, the wolves have shifted their focus to you,
but Kyle and our hunters are doing their best to find her.” Erin stood and
walked toward Carissa. Her regal bearing commanded attention while her voice
remained calm. “If Ava were on the run, Kyle would have found her by now. But
her car is still parked at home. She hasn’t used a credit card or touched her
phone. Willona taught you two how to disappear and that’s exactly what Ava has
done.”
“No one just disappears,” Quinn objected. “Someone must be
hiding her.”
“We agree.” Erin looked back at Carissa as she asked, “Can
you think of anyone who would shelter her or anywhere she would go? Somewhere
safe and secluded?”
Carissa searched her memory. They had so few friends.
Neither of their employees were in a position to help and… “There’s no one. Has
Kyle been back to our house or checked the store? Is it possible she sneaked
back in once everyone left?”
“That’s not a bad idea.” Erin nodded, speculation clouding
her gaze. “Kyle might have already thought of it, but I’ll text him with the
suggestion.”
Scooting closer to Quinn, Carissa let the heat of his body
soothe her. She and Ava were facing the same basic threat, but Ava was alone
and unaware of the support system available to her. It was almost impossible
for Carissa to focus on the future and the decisions awaiting her while her
sister’s situation was still so uncertain.
Compassion warmed Erin’s gaze and she reached down and
squeezed Carissa’s hand. “We’ll find her.”
Carissa’s only response was a weak smile and Erin returned
to her seat beside Ian.
“The other dictates are bullshit,” Jake muttered. “They’ve
drawn a line in the sand and they’re forcing people to pick a side.”
“They want to know where our loyalties lie,” Holt agreed.
“Can’t blame them for that, but this was an underhanded way of going about it.”
“Bureaucrats are always underhanded. Why do you sound
surprised?” Payne’s voice was deep, his words formed with an accent Carissa
didn’t recognize. Russian maybe. “When you figure out a plan of action, let me
know. I am weary of talk.” He pushed to his feet then faced Carissa. “I am
thrilled that we have finally found you. We need you far more than you
realize.”
A shiver sped down her spine as his golden gaze drilled into
hers. “I’ll do whatever I can.” It sounded hollow, useless. Like the obligatory
“sorry for your loss” she’d been offered when her mother died. He accepted her
statement with a nod then left the room. “What an unusual accent. Where is he
from?”
Erin smiled and crossed her legs, appearing more relaxed.
“He’s only been in the States for a couple of months, but most of his clan
lives in Georgia.”
“Did he move down there or is he just visiting his
relatives?” She wasn’t sure why, but the sullen lion-shifter definitely
intrigued her.
“He hasn’t decided yet.”
“Where did he live before he came to the States?”
“Prague,” Holt told her, his tone a bit dismissive. “He’s
not wrong to be impatient. We need to figure out our next move and get on with
it.”
“This won’t be over until they’re both defined.” Ian
stretched his arm out along the back of the couch as he gazed at Carissa. He
rested his ankle on his opposite knee, his foot bobbing absently.
“And that can only happen once,” Erin stressed. “We cannot
squander this opportunity.”
“I’m with Payne.” Holt stood and rubbed the back of his
neck. “Call me when you figure out what you want to do next. Strategy is not my
strong suit.” He walked down the hall and disappeared into the kitchen. Carissa
heard a door open and close then his heavy footfalls on the stairs leading down
to the tunnels.
He must live in one of the network’s other houses.