Therian Prisoner Page 15

  “As far as I’m concerned, they can have her.” Devon finger-combed her hair back from her face, still not looking at her brother. “They obviously know our location. Not that it was ever much of a secret. So what risk does she pose to us?” Apparently she’d noticed Payne’s interest because she moved closer to Ian.

  Keep staring, Simba, and I’ll knock you through the wall. Ian allowed Therian light to flicker in his eyes, accenting the semi-playful threat.

  Payne grinned at him, finally moving his gaze away from Devon. She looks different. Less damsel-in-distress and more well-tumbled wench.

  She’s my well-tumbled wench, so back off!

  I would never poach and you know it. Payne shot him an impatient look.

  “Do you want us to come back when you’ve finished telling secrets?” Kyle looked to Devon for reinforcement, but she was still ignoring him.

  “I’ll check around outside.” Ian returned his attention to the verbal conversation. “But I doubt there’s anything to find.”

  “I’ll fill Eli in on what we’ve learned and see if he can dig up an identity.” Payne sighed, clearly frustrated by the dead end. “A physical disruption would be damn helpful right about now.”

  “I picked up an image in the bedroom. I’m not sure what I was seeing, but it’s better than nothing. The woman I saw was in her late twenties or early thirties with long silver-blonde hair.”

  “And wings?” Payne shook his head as he pushed back from the table. “The woman you just described is a ghost.”

  “Or she’s the daughter of your ghost,” Ian stood as well and reached for Devon’s hand. “If you have any other ideas, I’m happy to listen.”

  Payne just shook his head.

  “Devon, can I—”

  “Not now,” she cut off Kyle with an upraised hand. “I’m tired and grumpy and I’d only continue our fight. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Kyle didn’t look pleased with her brush-off, but he said nothing more.

  Ian led her from the kitchen and out the back door. As he’d feared, the ground below the broken window was basically undisturbed. He spotted a few pieces of glass, but he couldn’t sense anything helpful.

  Devon walked along at his side, quiet and sullen. He didn’t need his empathic receptors to tell him she was upset. “Are you sure you don’t want to talk this out with Kyle? It would be nice to have it behind you once and for all.”

  “I’m sure.”

  He understood her resentment. Her brother had seemed ready to forgo her happiness for the sake of gaining more power. She’d seen females bartered again and again while her father was in control and she’d expected more from her brother.

  But Kyle’s explanation made sense too. It was every Prime’s responsibility to keep their network strong. Powerful alliances were extremely important and it would have been foolish for Kyle to disregard Lokesh’s offer without even asking Devon if she’d consider the match.

  Regardless of his protective impulses, the conflict was between Devon and Kyle. Ian would offer his opinion when asked, but he knew better than meddling in family affairs. She’d told Kyle she’d speak with him tomorrow, so Ian decided to leave well enough alone.

  Once Ian confirmed that there was nothing of use in the yard or on the exterior of the house, he took Devon back down the stairs and into the basement of Holt’s house. It was one of five connected by a network of underground tunnels. The sanctuary complex served as a sort of hub from which the other buildings branched out. From the high-security area Eli supervised the compound guards and monitored the surveillance cameras. The Historian’s vault, several large storerooms and a series of bunkers completed the labyrinth. The bunkers had been constructed during the height of the Cold War, but they’d been far more useful as hideouts for overzealous rebels than protection from radioactive fallout.

  They reached a fork in the tunnel and Devon turned right, heading for the sanctuary rather than Erin’s house. Was she still angry with her mother too? “How’d things go with your mother?”

  Sleeping with Devon had been the last thing Ian intended when he took her to his cabin. He didn’t regret the intimacies they’d shared, but the surrounding conflict made him uncomfortable. The Lashtons were the closest thing to a family that he’d had in a very long time and he didn’t want anything to ruin the closeness they shared. His commitment to the Historians made it imperative that he carefully balance his priorities.

  “Mom was frighteningly civil. I expected her to rant and rave for weeks before she accepted us.”

  He could easily picture Erin “ranting and raving”. Devon’s fiery spirit came directly from her mother. “I suspect she’s saving the bulk of her bluster for me.”

  “Undoubtedly.” A smile flirted with Devon’s lips before she added, “She’s not there yet, but she’s a whole lot further along than I’d expected after only one conversation.”

  “We should probably talk about this ‘us’ thing.” She shot him a sidelong glance filled with conflict and…hunger? Perhaps he wasn’t the only one aching for more of what they’d shared on the mountaintop. “I’m way too old for a girlfriend and—”

  She shook her head and hurried her steps. “Don’t jinx this with a label. Our link allows us to feel what this is and we’re the only ones that matter.”

  Not wanting to argue, he let the subject slide. She was right. They had access to each other’s emotions. Unfortunately, despite that link, she was still incredibly guarded and unsure. Her reticence was understandable, but the predator in him wanted to hold her down and overwhelm her senses until she understood their rich potential. He wanted her so drunk on pleasure that she could think of nothing but him. Of course, the world was too evolved for such attitudes. Even within the Therian community men were expected to be civilized.

  He cleared his throat and forced his mind away from all the uncivilized things he wanted to do to her. “I can’t say I’m disappointed by Erin’s reaction. The last thing any of us need right now is more conflict.”

  She shook her head and sighed. “Meaning I need to give Kyle a break?”

  “I didn’t say that. This is between you and Kyle. However, the longer it drags on the harder it will be to resolve.” Ian waved at the guard as they passed the security station. A nested metal staircase led from the tunnels to the center of the sanctuary and Ian followed Devon up. “Trust me. I know what I’m talking about.”

  “The conflict is inconvenient, so he gets a bye for treating me like a piece of property?”

  They faced off in the center of the compound. The unique circular room was framed by wedge-shaped cages, allowing numerous animals to be accessed from a central location. “I’m not here to defend his actions. He’s the only one who can explain why he did what he did.”

  “You brought it up.” She crossed her arms over her chest, clearly annoyed by the subject.

  “Actually, I brought up conflict in general. You focused on Kyle.”

  He thought she’d continue the argument. Instead, she heaved another sigh and unfolded her arms. “I told Kyle I’d talk to him tomorrow and I will. I don’t want this to drag on forever either.”

  “Good.” He encouraged her attitude with a smile, but when he moved closer, she moved away.

  “I need to take a look at the new tigress before you take me to the Garrans’ clinic.”

  “Why am I taking you to see the Garrans?” No wonder she was still tense. Under the microscope had to be the last place on earth Devon wanted to be right now.

  “Apparently Dhane is still trapped in wolf form. The energy and sex stabilized his condition, but he can’t release the shift.”

  “They think whatever they injected you with is to blame?”

  “It makes sense.” She walked along the curved bank of cages, pausing at each one to look over the animal’s chart. “Besides, I’m the only other person we have access to who was exposed to whatever they’re tinkering with.”

  All he could do was nod. Every pr
otective instinct he possessed urged him to fly her away from danger and possible harm. She’d been through so much already and her recovery was still too fragile. He didn’t want the Garrans to undo what he’d managed to accomplish. With a little help from Dorothy, he amended.

  Devon faced one of the tiger cages as she flipped through various forms secured within the metal chart. “We basically have no information on her. How bizarre.”

  Erin had mentioned the mystery tigress, but he’d been too busy chasing after Therian females to give the tiger female much thought. “She was spotted wandering around in Aurora. The locals didn’t know what else to do with her, so they called your mom. She agreed to board the tigress until someone claims her or a permanent home can be found.”

  “How long ago was this?”

  He shrugged. The days had all run together while he was focused on missing women. “Ten days, maybe two weeks.”

  “And no one has called about her?” Devon glanced at him then slipped the chart back into the slanted compartment beside the gate. She knelt and kept her arms close to her body, making herself as small as possible.

  “She probably got away from a private collector who didn’t have the legal right to have her in the first place. That sort of thing happens more often than people realize.”

  “In Aurora?” She looked up at him then shifted her gaze back to the tigress.

  “That’s where she was found. We have no idea how far she’d wandered before someone called it in.”

  The tigress was curled up in the back corner of the cage, watching them with alert golden eyes.

  “Come here, girl,” Devon motioned through the bars, her voice gently coaxing. “No one will ever harm you again. You’re safe. I guarantee it.”

  Ian couldn’t help but smile. He’d been the one whispering assurances just a few days before.

  Suddenly emotions stabbed into his mind—fear and anger, hopelessness and grief. He staggered back as his knees nearly buckled.

  “Are you all right?” Devon straightened and turned toward him.

  He lightly scanned her mind but found no echo of the toxic emotions he’d just sensed. She grasped his elbow, steadying him as he shifted his attention back to the tigress. “Are you sure she’s a tiger?”

  “Cougars don’t have stripes.” Her playful tone belied the concern in her expression. “What’s the matter?”

  “I’m not sure.” He rubbed his eyes and shook his head. “Empathy can be tricky. Sometimes emotions linger long after the person’s gone.” That was true, but the shadowy echoes he was talking about were never as strong as the emotions that had just assailed his mind.

  “What did you feel? It didn’t seem pleasant.”

  “Far from it.” He took a deep breath and looked at the tigress as he said, “You name it and I felt it. Fear, sorrow, fury and pain. The kind of emotions that make a person unable to trust anyone.” He watched the tigress carefully, waiting for any hint that she understood what he was saying.

  She looked right into his eyes, her gaze cautious and searching.

  “Most of the animals here have been abused in one way or another.” Devon slipped in under his arm and pressed against his side. “You probably picked up on a mixture of all of their emotions combined.”

  “Probably.” Except he’d been in this building hundreds of times before and he’d never sensed anything from any of the animals. He tried to scan the tigress, but he sensed nothing from her. Which was as it should be. Animal thoughts and feelings resonated at a different frequency than human or Therian emotions, making them undetectable to his empathic receptors. “How long does it take them to realize they’re safe and we’re here to protect and help them?”

  “Depends on the animal.”

  He only nodded but his gaze remained on the tigress. He was nearly certain the emotional spike had come from her, which meant she wasn’t really a tiger. Was she trapped in animal form, like Dhane? Or was she hiding, too terrified to reveal her true nature to anyone?

  Meticulously scanning for an opening, he located a weakness, a section of her shielding that was paper-thin and ready to crack. He could force his way inside and confirm his suspicion, but instead he honored her choice.

  You’re among friends. He carefully pushed the thought into the tigress’s mind. We will protect you. As soon as you’re ready to rejoin our world, we will assist in any way we can.

  The faintest hint of Therian light glimmered in the depths of the tigress’s gaze. Then she lowered her head to her folded paws and closed her eyes.

  Chapter Nine

  “Where the hell is my son?” Nate’s authoritative voice cracked like a whip, echoing off the walls of Heather’s small office.

  She startled so violently her knee smacked the underside of the desk. Here we go again. She closed the inventory program she’d been updating and took a deep breath before she looked at her father. Overlapping voices and muffled music bled through the walls from the main room of the Clubhouse. She couldn’t decide if the semipublic setting was a mercy or an additional hazard.

  “I don’t know.” She did her best to sound calm, yet confused. “I told you, my lead was a dead end.”

  He crossed his arms over his chest and pinned her in place with his stare. “What were you doing in Idaho Springs?”

  Knowing he could span the distance separating them with one large step, she pushed back her chair and stood. She’d been on the receiving end of her father’s legendary temper too often to take it sitting down. “Do you have someone following me?”

  “I don’t, but apparently I should have.” His voice dropped to a menacing growl. “Answer the question.”

  “You gave me an ultimatum, so I took my best friend to Beau Jo’s so she could help me think through my options. They have the best pizza in Colorado, or hadn’t you heard?” She crossed her arms over her chest and mirrored his glare. “Either that or I’ve got Dhane stashed in a motel down there just to piss you off. Which makes more sense to you?”

  He lunged forward and backhanded her so hard she lost her balance. Pain exploded through her head and lights distorted her vision. Then her hip slammed into the corner of her desk, sucking the pain in a different direction.

  “Utter another lie and I’ll convene the council.”

  She pressed her hand against her burning cheek as she fought to think through the throbbing. How much did he know? Had his spy seen Jake or just her and Lexxie?

  “Who was the dark-haired man in the SUV? Why did Lexxie spend the night with him?”

  He’d inadvertently given her enough information to build an alibi. Even so, she chose her words carefully. Nate Fitzroy didn’t make idle threats. If he didn’t believe her story she would find herself in front of the council, and their judgments had been especially merciless lately.

  “You know Lexxie. She doesn’t always think before she acts.”

  “Meaning?”

  “Lex met him in a bar down in Denver and one thing led to another.” Her legs began to shake, so she took a step back and collapsed into her chair. Better to sit than to end up on her knees. “He’s human, so once the alcohol wore off, she wasn’t sure she wanted him to know where she lived. She called me. I went and picked her up.”

  “What was she doing in Denver? There are plenty of Therians willing to scratch her itch. What was she doing with a human?”

  “Therian males expect their females to be obedient and docile. Sometimes Lex needs someone willing to indulge her wild side.”

  Nate scoffed at the idea. “That’s not natural.”

  Ignoring his obvious distaste, Heather remained still. Each of her movements intensified the pulsing in her temples and the last thing she needed was to throw up in her lap. “Natural or not, she was protecting the pack. She knew last night was a mistake and she wasn’t going to make it worse by bringing a human into the heart of your territory.”

  Silence stretched between them as she tucked the hair behind her ears and stubbornly blinked ba
ck tears. She would not give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry. Her father was a bully and she hated bullies. Little by little his violent tendencies were eroding what was left of her loyalty.

  If she joined the rebels, Dhane would doubtlessly follow. And then there would be no one left to lead the pack. At least no one to which Heather would willingly pledge her allegiance.

  “Why did you lie to me?” He sounded disappointed, not angry, and Devon almost smiled. The ploy used to work when she was a child. Now he’d used it so many times the ruse had lost its effect.

  “She’s my best friend. What was I supposed to do? She didn’t want the entire pack to know she’d been playing around with a human. No one respects her as it is.” If he had other clues, she needed to know about them now. “Why did you presume this had anything to do with Dhane?”

  No such luck. He just shrugged and reiterated what she already knew. “The hunter saw Lexxie get out of the guy’s SUV, but he was at the wrong angle to see the driver clearly. He said Jake Parlain drives the same make and model, so it sent me down the wrong path.”

  “Jake Parlain? The tiger-shifter from Aspen?” She rolled her eyes as her heartbeat lurched. Had she dodged the bullet or was he still probing? “What would Lex be doing with a cat?”

  “That’s what the hunter wanted to know.”

  “Which hunter has been carrying tales?” She concentrated on her annoyance, knowing her father would smell fear. “And what was he doing in Idaho Springs?”

  Nate suddenly laughed, the warm sound as out of character as it was unexpected. “Actually he’d just had lunch with some other pack leaders and you’ll never guess where they ate.”

  “Beau Jo’s?” If her face didn’t hurt so bad, she might be able to enjoy the irony.

  He nodded. “Tell Lexxie to stick with her own kind. If it happens again, I’ll let the hunters know she’s not getting enough action.”

  * * * * *

  A needle slowly pushed through Devon’s skin and she gritted her teeth. The momentary sting was inconsequential, but this had happened way too many times in the past month. Blood tests and biopsies, tissue samples and scans. Each time she’d fought her captors with all her strength and each time she’d failed to prevent them from taking whatever they wanted. They’d violated her freedom so many times, and in so many ways, it had all become a horrific blur.