Lion’s Claim (Shifter Chronicles Book 6) Read online

  “Hey.” Annabelle laid her palm against Samantha’s back. “How about I show you to your room and let you shower and get some sleep?”

  “That’d be great,” Samantha said.

  Annabelle stood, glancing at Mac. He gave her a discreet nod to take Samantha downstairs. They guys would make sure that there was no lingering trace of Samantha, including her scent. Samantha gazed around as they walked through the narrow hallway that led to the bedrooms. Six of their group lived on that level. As far as anyone knew, they were the only ones who resided in the back rooms.

  A mist sprayed over their heads and Samantha flinched.

  “A scent neutralizer,” Annabelle explained. “No one will ever know you were here.”

  Samantha laughed nervously. “Okay.”

  “This way,” Annabelle said when they reached the end of the corridor. She moved aside a picture of the family to reveal a security panel. Before she punched in the four numbers needed, she glanced over her shoulder at Samantha. “Ready?”

  Samantha’s eyes were wide, but she nodded in response.

  Excitement coursed through Annabelle. She loved going down to the lower level. It looked like an entirely different building. While the bar appeared rundown and barely able to keep standing, that was just the surface appearance. The modern high-tech of the converted basement was amazing.

  She tapped in the code and the wood separated, revealing a three-inch-thick steel door. Annabelle stepped forward to run her hands over the shiny barrier until she found the notch where the latch was located. She pulled down and a click sounded before the door unlocked.

  “Wow!” Samantha murmured.

  “Just wait,” Annabelle said.

  She had to push the door open, but it moved inward silently and smoothly. As soon as she placed her foot inside, the motion sensor light triggered, illuminating the entry to the underground bunker.

  Down here was a whole different world. The walls were solid concrete to keep those who needed to hide safe and out of view. But the homey feel of the space surprised most people.

  The barrier opened into a large living area. Black leather couches and chairs were scattered around the room, alongside heavy, dark-wood furniture. Directly across the room was a small kitchen area and off to one side, the office had been set up. Monitors lined the walls, showing feeds from the numerous security cameras around the property. The hum of the computers was the only sound in the quiet space.

  “Let me show you where you can sleep,” Annabelle said. Samantha remained standing in the doorway. When she moved forward, Annabelle pushed the door closed until she heard the locks reengage. On the other side, the wood panel would be back in place. “There are three bedrooms down here. Someone will be out here in the main room at all times.”

  “You do this a lot,” Samantha commented.

  “Yes,” Annabelle admitted. There was no reason to lie.

  “When Cal and Duffy offered to get me to safety, I had no idea all this existed.” She waved her hand around. “I don’t… I don’t know what to do.”

  Annabelle took her hand and drew her to the couch. It sounded as though Samantha needed to talk to someone. They sank into the big comfortable cushions, which was one of the best feelings in the world to Annabelle. “All you have to do relax, trust that we know what we’re doing and get some rest. Before you know it, you’ll have a brand-new life.”

  “How can you do all this?” Samantha asked.

  It was a common question. “Each one of us has our own reasons for getting involved in this organization. In the beginning, when Mac first set this up as a safe house, we mainly dealt with domestic disputes. Women who needed to get away from an abusive husband or boyfriend. Because of our animal sides, it can be harder for a shifter to escape. Most of us have it bred into us to listen to our Alpha, the dominant, or whatever we have. It’s difficult to fight back when that person is the abuser.”

  “Yeah, it is,” Samantha whispered.

  Annabelle remained holding Samantha’s hand and the fox shifter began to squeeze harder.

  “After the humans were told about the existence of shifters, we expanded. Sometimes the laws don’t protect us. It’s a sad but true fact. We help those who need a new life.” Annabelle believed in what they did. She’d seen too many men, women and children come through those doors who’d had no hope until Mac had worked his magic and found them a place where they might regain the life that had been stolen from them.

  “You didn’t ask me what happened,” Samantha whispered.

  “Because you don’t have to tell me,” Annabelle assured her. “If you don’t ever want to think about it again, you don’t have to. But if you want to talk to someone, I am more than happy to listen. I’ve been told I’m pretty good at it.” She offered what she hoped came off as an encouraging smile.

  “I’m pregnant,” Samantha said, placing her hand protectively across her stomach.

  “Oh!” Annabelle reached over and laid her palm to cover Samantha’s. “A baby!”

  “If I’d stayed, I would lose this child like I did my first one. He would have beaten me until I miscarried again.”

  “Your husband?” Annabelle asked gently.

  “No,” Samantha said. “I wouldn’t marry him, but he refused let me go. My brother Mike got money and a high position in our troop. He’s the only family I had. He turned his back on me, though. I begged for help, but all my brother cared about was moving up in rank.”

  “I’m so sorry.” Annabelle felt tears gathering.

  “I thought, when I got pregnant the first time, the abuse would stop. I honestly believed Frank would be happy about a child. I couldn’t have been more wrong. He was furious. Frank wouldn’t allow anyone or anything to take my attention from him.”

  Annabelle had heard similar stories before, but this still sickened and shocked her. “No one helped?” She didn’t know why she’d asked. A part of her just wanted to hear that someone had attempted to come to this poor girl’s defense.

  “No one’s going to report a crime the sheriff was responsible for,” Samantha said.

  Fuck. Annabelle scooted over and tugged Samantha close until the little fox shifter sobbed against her shoulder. Once again, someone was using the law to protect themselves instead of the innocent. In Annabelle’s experience, she’d never come across an honest police official. That was why the group did what they did.

  She waited until Samantha’s crying jag finished before pulling away. “If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?” she asked.

  Samantha shook her head. “No idea. I just want to live somewhere private where no one will bother me. I want to raise my child in a loving home.”

  Annabelle grinned. “You’ll get that.”

  “How can you be so sure?”

  “Because our network is vast,” Annabelle said. “You’ll end up right where you’re supposed to. I believe that with all my heart.”

  “I have a hard time trusting any of this. The entire ride here I expected Frank or my brother to come after us,” Samantha confessed. “I still expect them to come busting in.”

  “They won’t,” Annabelle assured her.

  “How can you know that?”

  “Others have tried,” Annabelle told her. “No one has ever gotten down here. You’re safe.” Even if the bar was breached, no one would find the entrance to the lower level. They’d run tests and drills, making sure.

  Samantha nodded. “If your two friends hadn’t come across Frank beating me in a parking lot, I don’t know what might have happened.”

  “How’d they get you out of there?”

  “Calvin jumped in and saved me. He kept punching Frank until Frank fell to the ground. The restaurant was closed and none of the troop was there because we weren’t even supposed to be out of our territory. I’d run off because I found out I’m pregnant and Frank didn’t want the others to know that I’d taken off on him again. Duffy stepped in front of me, sort of guarding me, in ca
se Frank got up.”

  “Sound like our guys,” Annabelle commented.

  “I wish he’d killed Frank,” Samantha whispered the admission.

  “I understand.” Annabelle meant it, too.

  “Instead, once Frank was unconscious, Calvin turned to me and said, ‘If you want to leave here, we have somewhere safe we can take you. If not, we’ll leave you alone. It’s your choice, but you have to make it now.’ So I chose to go with them.”

  “I’m glad you did.”

  “Me, too,” Samantha replied. “I think I’d like to shower now.”

  “Good,” Annabelle said. She rose, pulling Samantha up with her.

  The first room was the largest and also had the biggest bathroom, so Annabelle led Samantha in that direction. Samantha deserves some pampering.

  “Here,” Annabelle said, pushing open the bedroom door. The décor was soft blues that she had read somewhere would give the space a relaxing atmosphere. Mac had allowed Annabelle to fix up the rooms. She hoped the people who stayed there found them peaceful.

  “It’s beautiful,” Samantha praised.

  “There are clean clothes in the dresser. We have all different sizes, so take whatever you want,” Annabelle said. “The bathroom is stocked with everything you should need.”

  Samantha turned to her. “Thank you.”

  “You’re very welcome,” Annabelle pulled her into a quick hug before stepping out and closing the door behind her.

  Trent and Carter would return at any minute, so they’d probably head down there. Carter took care of the group’s IT needs. He’d no doubt be watching the cameras for the next several hours. Annabelle walked toward the little kitchen area with its fridge, microwave, stove and small pantry. Kelly was really good at keeping it stocked so that if they had emergency cases like Samantha, the group was prepared.

  Annabelle started a pot of coffee before walking to the couch. She picked up the blanket off the back and wrapped it around herself, then lay her head against the arm. She was really tired.

  She heard the water turn on in Samantha’s room. The rooms down there weren’t soundproofed, because part of watching over their charges meant whoever was on guard duty needed to hear what happened inside the other rooms. Sometimes the people who came to them for help became so overwhelmed that they tried to harm themselves.

  Not hearing anything to worry about, Annabelle closed her eyes.

  The adrenaline from earlier was slowly leaving, making her body feel heavy. It had been a couple of months since they’d had anyone needing their help. Sometimes it happened like that. They’d go for a while without any guests, or sometimes they’d be spread thin by having more than one person who needed assistance.

  During the times when it was just her small family around, they played in their shifted forms and worked the bar. The residents in Brookside were all shifters. No humans stayed longer than a few nights. It was the town secret, so that when humans showed up, the population of the small quiet town didn’t do anything to draw attention to their differences. It was a shifter’s choice whether he or she decided to be out in public or not. The inhabitants of Brookside all kept their shifter ability secret. It allowed them to remain safe.

  The locks disengaging caught her attention and she opened her eyes. Carter walked in first with Trent right behind him, which didn’t surprise her. She hadn’t been expecting Mac, Calvin or Duffy, though. Mac cocked his head, no doubt listening to where Samantha had gotten off to, and nodded.

  “She’s showering? Good. That should help her relax. How’s she doing?” Mac asked, striding toward where Annabelle sat.

  “Yes,” Annabelle said. They’d have a few minutes to talk without Samantha hearing them. “I think she’s doing okay. A little scared about what’s going to happen but grateful that she got away.”

  “It was lucky we came across her,” Calvin commented. He sat in the chair next to the couch.

  “You’re her hero,” Annabelle teased.

  Calvin just shook his head.

  “You should have seen him,” Duffy said, dropping down beside her on the couch. He pulled her legs onto her lap to rub the soles of her feet. “He was a total badass.”

  “Which you need to be careful about,” Mac told Calvin. “You could have gotten yourself arrested or worse.”

  “I know, boss. I saw him hit her and lost it. Samantha was so much smaller than this guy. He was at least six foot two and two hundred and eight pounds.”

  “Damn,” Annabelle said. “She can’t be more than five two and I’d be surprised if she weighed more than one ten.”

  “Yeah,” Calvin said. He looked at Mac. “I know I messed up. We tried to cover our tracks, but I don’t know if we got away clean. He’s a fucking sheriff. I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay.” Mac grasped Calvin’s shoulder, giving him a firm squeeze. Annabelle watched as Mac turned fatherly. “We can handle it. The important thing is you brought that girl here and you and Duffy are safe.”

  “I’ll make up for it,” Calvin promised.

  “Cal,” Mac said, moving to crouch in front of him. “There’s nothing to make up for. Yes, you made some mistakes, but I’m proud of you. If someone had stepped in when the same thing was happening with my sister, she’d still be here.”

  Duffy’s hand tightened on her foot. It wasn’t often that Mac brought up Charlotte’s murder. A sweet girl killed by her jealous husband who’d been abusing her for years. Mac had still been in the army and hadn’t seen Charlotte much, and he’d had no idea what she’d been dealing with. Not until he’d gotten the call that she was dead, killed by her husband, before he’d turned the gun on himself. Duffy had been found hiding in his closet, a scared and traumatized boy.

  “Mac,” Calvin whispered.

  “I hope this fucker does come here,” Mac said, menacingly pounding a fist into the palm of his other hand. “We’ll show him what’s it’s like to fight someone his own size.”

  Calvin nodded. “Okay.”

  “Why don’t you two go get cleaned up and some sleep? Trent and Carter are on the cameras,” Mac said.

  “Yeah.” Calvin ran his hands roughly over his face.

  Duffy patted her leg before rising.

  Annabelle waited until Calvin and Duffy had left, the door closing behind them, to peer up at Mac. “You okay?” She glanced into the office area, but Trent and Carter were busy on the computers.

  Mac sighed deeply and dropped down into the chair that Calvin had sat in earlier. “I have a really bad feeling about this.”

  “What? Why?” She straightened up.

  “I don’t know,” Mac said. “I just feel like this isn’t going to be a simple case.”

  “We’ll be okay, though, right? We’ll get Samantha out of here?”

  “Oh you can count on that.” Mac leaned forward, dropping his hands between his knees. “I’ll never let anyone hurt any of you. We have to move fast and cover our tracks, but Samantha is going to be safe. She and the baby will have a good life.”

  Annabelle bit her lip. Now she was scared. If Mac had any concern about Samantha’s situation, then Annabelle needed to consider what might happen. If any strangers showed up she’d keep her eye on them. No one was going to threaten what they were doing there.

  * * * *

  Logan Coldwell was ready for the day to be done with. He’d spent the morning testifying in court on an old case before he’d returned to his office to finish some paperwork. His partner of two years, Olivia, was off on personal leave to take care of her father, who’d suffered a heart attack, and Logan missed her. He didn’t have a lot of friends and wasn’t close to anyone other than his partner inside the Coalition.

  It was already after the end of his shift so he didn’t know why he still sat in his office, when all he really wanted to do was go home and have a beer or two. Yeah, he did—he just didn’t want to go to his lonely apartment. Still, he couldn’t spend his evening there. Logan glanced across the room at the mirror on
the wall. He needed to move the fucking thing. Every time he caught a glimpse of himself Logan saw how old he was beginning to look.

  Instead of his neatly cut dark-blond hair Logan saw the gray hairs that were starting to come in. His pale blue eyes had such dark circles under them it appeared he’d aged ten years in the last three. If he didn’t start taking better care of himself he wasn’t going to recognize himself soon. He still spent plenty of time at the gym, making sure he remained in top shape to work in the field, but stress and loneliness took their toll.

  Logan stood and yanked his suit jacket off his chair, and his desk phone rang. He shook his head. It figured that the second he decided to go home, he’d get a fucking call.

  “Agent Coldwell,” he said while slinging his jacket into the guest chair before taking a seat again.

  “Hey, Logan, it’s Jamie Ward.”

  “Jamie!” Logan exclaimed. It had been a long time since he’d spoken to his fellow Coalition agent. They both worked for the government agency that had been formed after the announcement of shifters to the world. The Coalition’s purpose was to protect innocent shifters while at the same time dealing with those who broke the laws.

  “Hey, man,” Jamie said. “It’s good to talk to you. How long has it been?”

  “At least a year,” Logan replied. “I heard you fell in love and settled down.”

  Jamie’s laugh was boisterous. “Yes. Her name is Brandy and she’s amazing.”

  “That’s great, man,” Logan told him. He’d met Jamie when they’d both attended the police academy in Phoenix. Back then, they’d had to keep their abilities a secret, so they’d bonded. Late at night, they’d sneak out to shift into their animals. It had been weird for Logan to transform with a bear, since he’d always gone through the change alone.

  “I’d love for you to meet her,” Jamie said. “You haven’t been back to Arizona since we graduated from the academy.”

  There were reasons for that, but Logan didn’t want to think about them. “No, I haven’t. This is the smallest division of the Coalition, but I like it here.” It wasn’t a lie either. Logan wouldn’t be happy in a large office like Jamie worked in.