Savage Shifters Box Set, page 27
Indigo Cris was one of the few who already knew what she was and didn’t say anything about it—not because she cared about Cassidy, but because she didn’t care. You could do whatever the hell you wanted, as long as it didn’t harm her business.
Cassidy shrugged again. “They won’t. I’ve been a messenger here for…four years now? Or three, because I started when I turned eighteen. As long as you don’t tell…”
“You could die for all I care.”
That had Cassidy beaming. “See? This is why this is the perfect spot to meet up with Dean. Because you don’t care.”
At the name, Indigo’s lips flattened, indicating her exact feelings for the man. It seemed that a lot of people had the same feelings for him, and Cassidy could see where it was coming from. But she didn’t exactly have a choice, considering how she and Dean were bonded in a way that they both couldn’t escape.
All because she discovered this world by accident.
“Why did you have to come here, then?” Indigo asked, keeping her voice low so the others wouldn’t hear. “Why not meet on your side of the world?”
Cassidy took in the tone, which was skeptical and just a tad bit derisive when she mentioned Cassidy’s world. Cassidy then studied the hag herself—hair that was a cross between silver and gray with hints of black, black lipstick, and black eyes with a reddish tint. She was pretty, in a rather surprising kind of way—but maybe that was just Cassidy, considering she’d never met anyone with that hair and eye color before.
“I don’t know. Maybe he’s busy? He wasn’t in the gallery when I went there, so Jack brought me over. Besides, I like visiting here.”
“And that’s about all you need to know,” a third voice piped up.
Both women looked up to find a tall, broad-shouldered blond man sitting on the stool beside Cassidy, effectively blocking her in. Dean was the type of man who would intimidate you at first look, considering he had golden eyes that pierced just a little bit too fiercely—sometimes even coldly. That gaze was directed at Indigo now, almost as if threatening her.
“Why are you asking my charge too many questions?”
Indigo’s own eyes narrowed, the red in them darkening before disappearing. “I was just making sure she wouldn’t cause trouble here.”
“She won’t,” Dean clipped out. “I’ll have a glass of water. Lukewarm, no ice or anything on the side.”
Well. Now she knew why Indigo disliked the lion shifter thoroughly.
Cassidy watched in fascination as Indigo’s dark lips thinned before she barked out a sarcastic yes, sir and muttered as she walked out on them, brought back a glass of water with a loud clank, and walked out again. When they were finally alone, Cassidy turned her full attention to the older man, who could very well be her dashing uncle if he wasn’t such a grump.
“Do you have another mission for me?”
Dean nodded, sliding a small pouch to her. It was made of black velvet material, and when she touched it, she could feel the weight sinking into her palm. Cassidy shot him a puzzled look, one he returned calmly as he started speaking in low, carefully modulated tones—the kind that were hushed but didn’t look that way, a very effective method of discouraging people from listening in.
“That’s a very important pouch, and I want you to deliver it to the Hudson River area. There will be someone waiting for you there.”
Cassidy nodded, pocketing it. “It will be done tonight.”
“Good. If you sense any kind of trouble, deliver it and run. I’ll take care of the rest.”
That didn’t sound very reassuring—but then again, he always delivered mission information this way, and she was already so used to it that she barely batted an eye. Dean was gone before she could ask more questions, so she supposed his warning was more of a precaution than anything. He told her he had some things to do first and they’d be meeting up again in half an hour, and she took that as him giving her leeway to hang around for a bit.
She looked at the coordinates he wrote on a piece of paper, frowning over the specified location he wanted her to go to. As far as she knew, under that river was a portal to another world altogether, and they weren’t exactly friendly…
“How long until you can stop putting up with that jerk?”
Indigo was back, frowning at the stool Dean occupied earlier before turning that frown to Cassidy.
“A few more months, then I’m home free. And he’s not so bad. He saved me from getting a harsher punishment, and I haven’t been in any real trouble. Did he get you in trouble?”
It was a daring question, one the bar owner ignored. “I just don’t like their kind, and I think your kind’s weak and defenseless and would be dead should they decide to take advantage. No offense meant.”
“None taken,” Cassidy said smoothly. “And you’re underestimating us.”
“You’re not as weak and defenseless?”
“No. We’re not as nice and non-abusive.”
Cassidy let that sink in. Then she flashed Indigo a smile before paying her tab and getting up, realizing she wanted pizza.
And there was no faster way to do that than to get this mission done and order one when she returned home.
A question popped into her head. “Any idea what would not get you killed on the spot if you met a crocodile shifter?”
Indigo’s eyes narrowed. “They like fairies. They eat your kind.”
“Wow. How do you know these things?”
“I have my ways. What are you up to?”
“Nothing. Bye,” Cassidy waved.
Then she was really out of there.
Cassidy’s agreement with Dean wasn’t the prison-type arrangement that outsiders were making it out to be—at least, the outsiders who knew about it and her world in general.
It was really her fault to begin with, mostly because she found out fairies existed—and in her eagerness, decided to hitch a ride in their luggage when they were headed back to their land after getting lost in SoHo. Then, as if that wasn’t enough, she went in again when her fairy friend needed some help and got discovered by elders, aka the shifter leaders who created the portal-opening devices in the first place.
Their first verdict had been to erase her memories, but Dean and a couple of shifters had stepped in and made a bargain. Now here she was: a messenger for a world that excited her beyond belief, and one she was going to protect no matter what.
Dean was already at the next meet-up location even before the half-hour mark, standing by an alley surrounded by brick walls. The marketplace had a lot of that, and she looked back at the lines of stalls owned by different kinds of creatures, stretching for miles and illuminated by glinting, glittery gems acting as string lights. The night sky was different shades of blue and some pink hues, and the crowd was a mixture of the dangerous and the mysterious.
The lion shifter took out a device from his pocket the moment she arrived: a brass pocket watch, which he rubbed clockwise with his thumb. A few seconds later, something gleamed in front of them, indicating that the path was clear.
Cassidy nodded at Dean.
Then she slid in and disappeared from sight.
*****
The portal took her to an art gallery, one amongst many of art galleries in SoHo—also, one relatively less popular because of its quirky and odd display pieces. She stretched her tingling shoulders and looked at the painting she came from, which depicted the same marketplace she’d been at earlier.
No dizziness this time, which was a good thing.
Cassidy stepped out of the restricted section and slipped out of the gallery fast, not waiting up for Dean. She slipped in a convenience store to buy some glitter, then took a taxi to the designated location and stopped by a diner, where she entered the bathroom to put some fake glitter on her arms—just some light touches to hint that she was a fairy. Her knowledge of some fairy words would do the rest. She also removed the pouch’s original content—a smooth black stone—and wrapped it in newspaper, then replaced it with an ordinary stone. Another precautionary measure in case things went wrong. It wasn’t necessary, but she’d done it enough times that it was almost routine.
If the receiver turned out to be a dupe, then she could run away with the real stone, whatever that was for.
Fifteen minutes later, she was already standing by the river and trying not to shift from one foot to another as she waited. Dean said the exchange would happen at exactly seven, which meant she still had a few minutes to kill.
SoHo—and New York in general—really was a beautiful sight at night, from the vast river nearby to the light reflected on all the cast-iron buildings. Its history was so rich and delightful that Cassidy didn’t think anything else could be more beautiful—that was, until she discovered the otherworld. This whole punishment thing was probably a blessing in disguise, as she got to explore that world more and still stay here, living in her own apartment and just trying to cruise by on her part-time job post-graduation.
Without warning, Cassidy’s skin prickled, interrupting her thoughts instantly. No sound came from the river except the steady waves of the water, but an alarm started screaming in her head that something wasn’t right. She took a step back, frowning down at the water and wondering if that alarm meant some crocodile was going to jump up from below and tear her head off—
The skin on her neck tingled hotly. Cassidy tried very hard not to freeze as she turned around, knowing without a doubt that there was someone behind her. She wasn’t disappointed, but she couldn’t say she was prepared for it.
No, she was definitely not prepared for the sight of the tall, silver-haired man, much less his body. He was tanned, very muscular and looked as ordinary as day, if you didn’t put into account the lethally handsome face.
And the thick, darkly sharp hide running across his bare shoulders and back.
He took a step forward, and the shiver came back. He didn’t look friendly at all, like he swallowed something sour...and wanted to swallow her whole to make up for it.
Her heart slammed in her throat.
And at that moment, Cassidy realized that maybe she wasn’t as safe as she initially thought.
Chapter 42
The woman standing at the edge of the river looked like a fairy but didn’t smell like one, which wasn’t any real indication of what she actually was. Xian knew several creatures already lived in the human world long enough to blend in, so he couldn’t exactly judge on smell alone.
Her hair was the lightest blonde, with streaks that might have been pink once. Her eyes were the bluest of blue, and her skin was a light, golden tan that could either be because she was a fairy or had been out in the sun for a while. She took one look at him and a few steps back, an action that would get her in more trouble than it was worth.
“Stone?” he asked, referring to the code word Dean had given.
“Stone,” she murmured, then said a greeting in a language he couldn’t understand. Fairy language, most likely. She switched back to English right after. “Good evening.”
“I wouldn’t keep backing away if I were you,” he warned, keeping his voice soft. Calm. “My kind would take the opportunity for a bite at your ankles if you tempt them that way.”
She was wearing jeans, and her ankles were covered, but that didn’t stop her from stepping forward in a rush—which, in turn, had her stepping towards him. She visibly swallowed, then straightened her shoulders, facing him with a quiet, steely determination that said she wasn’t easily scared.
There was nothing off about her, but there was something off about the situation—a warning bell that had been sounding in Xian’s head from the very beginning, which had him waiting for the messenger on dry land instead of the water. She didn’t look harmful at all, so he let his hide retreat, leaving him with his upper half bared and his lower half only covered by trousers.
She didn’t even blink, which said a lot about her guts. Instead, she eyed him curiously, and he did the same as they stood in silence.
After a while, she slipped her hand into her pocket and took a pouch out, which she handed to him without hesitation.
She froze, just as her hand touched his.
At the same time, Xian felt the alarm in his head wail. Then a blur appeared beside him, and he swerved just in time to avoid the crash of what looked like a metal pipe about to hit his backbone. He snarled, turning to face the attacker, and found that there wasn’t only one of them as he was surrounded by men dressed in black and holding an array of weapons—humans, from the looks of it.
Bounty hunters, if Xian was to base it on the nets and ties prepared just at their feet.
Ones who specialized in hunting supernatural creatures.
Behind him, the woman gasped. He watched her try to run away, only to be blocked until the two of them were trapped in a circle.
Right.
She was either acting it out or really unaware of all this. In any case, Xian prepared himself to shift to his full crocodile form as the first three men stepped in and used their metal weapons on him. His claws came out and swiped the weapons off, then took one and extended his hand to the woman.
“Make yourself useful,” he barked.
The woman took the metal pipe with no protest, then positioned herself in a stance that said she wasn’t experienced in this at all. More men stepped forward and tried to gang up on him, then tried to attack the woman before dragging her off. The metal pipe was wrestled from her hand, clattering to the ground. She screamed, and Xian used his claw-free hand to grab her arm and drag her back.
Something zinged in the air, whistling by his ear. It hit his neck, and he felt a tiny prick.
Seconds later, he felt it—a dizziness that didn’t come from fighting but from something else, and he realized that these bounty hunters were far more sophisticated than the ones he was used to.
He was swallowed by darkness before he knew it.
*****
The pain woke him up—excruciating, mind-blowing, the kind that made one not want to move at all for fear it would only get more painful. But Xian still tried to move, which resulted in his body feeling as if it was beaten up badly.
Something poked his side, almost tentatively, which had him opening his eyes and staring straight into familiar blue eyes. It was the woman from earlier, and the worried expression on her face indicated that things weren’t looking up.
“I think we’ve been kidnapped, mister.”
The statement had him glaring at her. “You think?” He tried sitting up, which only made the pain worse. He could smell blood dripping down his back, the horror setting in at what exactly was happening—or rather, what had happened while he’d been unconscious. It was replaced by anger right away, one so intense that it clouded his mind with the need to rage and get his hands on whoever did it.
Those who took his hide off his skin were going to pay with their lives.
He fisted his hands, not wanting to make any careless movement now. He looked around and found they were in what looked like a dome-type atrium, surrounded by a metal cage that extended to the roof. He turned to the woman, who still had on the same clothes, although slightly dirty now from all the scuffling. The knee area of her jeans was torn, but she looked unharmed.
“Do you have any special powers that can get us out of here?” he asked.
She shook her head. Then she paused and slowly nodded. “Not a special power, but you can call it a talent. I can open doors with pins.”
“Pins?”
“I’ll show you.”
Xian nodded. Then he stood up ahead of her, gritting his teeth when it felt like his skin was being ripped. She gasped, scrambling up beside him and eyeing him anxiously. A hand reached out.
“Your back…”
“Don’t mind it,” he snarled. “Just get us out of here.”
She bit her lip. The hand retreated. Then she nodded her head, a steely determination entering her gaze before she was walking to where the atrium cage entrance was.
There were no guards around, which brought to mind the thought that they were isolated and left for later. Most likely, those assholes were still running around trying to capture more of his kind. And her kind.
Bounty hunters were the bane of supernatural creatures’ existence, as they collected what they could with no remorse—shifter hides and fur, fairy wings and other magical creatures’ horns and tusks, all to trade with other humans or to keep in their private collection. There was still no definite source of how they even found out about the otherworld, much less get a hand into where they usually resided. But he’d bet anything there was an inside source that was feeding them the information.
Xian wasn’t friends with Dean or the other shifters in general, mostly due to a war that happened before they were born—one that had Xian’s forefathers wrestling for power before getting defeated and driven away. Now, instead of the original world with the marketplace as the center point, the crocodile shifters lived in a jungle accessible only by multiple portals under the Hudson River—portals that were near SoHo.
But Dean was a tentative acquaintance and owed him for freeing Dean’s friend up when they wrongly entered the jungle, and he hoped to hell that damn lion shifter and his elders were already doing something to eliminate this certain risk.
Remembering exactly what this woman was, he turned to her, watching as she slipped a tiny clip out of her hair and inserted it into the lock.
“Did they take your wings, too?”
She frowned, her gaze focused on what she was doing. There was concentration there, and her tone when she finally responded was almost distracted. “No. They couldn’t see my wings. They’re idiots.”
They probably were, for even bothering to leave. That was underestimation at its finest, and Xian wasn’t above taking advantage.
The woman kept at it, her movements quiet and precise, but so slow that he began to feel impatience running through his veins. His blood throbbed from the pain on his back, and he could feel his vision dimming from time to time, indicating that he still needed some recovery period from this—or better yet, needed his hide back, to help him regenerate from his wounds faster.
