Saved by the Billionaire Lion Shifter (Shifter Suspense Book 2), page 23
“Where are his eggs now?”
Lance checked his files. “Ah, his sister’s offspring. To keep them from being exploited, they’ve been placed in protective custody with another family until Mr. Rouse’s sister and her husband are located.” A shadow passed over his face. “More of Harper’s victims. They’re still alive, according to Harper’s records, but where, we don’t know. Mr. Rouse said they live full-time as dragons and that, along with their powers of invisibility, are going to make the mission somewhat… tricky.”
“I guess that makes sense,” she said softly. Mathis took hold of her hand under the table.
*Julian will be fine,* he said privately. *Lance has it under control.*
Lance pulled out his tablet and set it down with a click.
“The trial’s over, but that doesn’t mean we’re done here. There’s still the question of the repercussions on the lives of Harper’s victims…”
Chloe held Mathis’ hand as Lance detailed the support being offered to Harper’s ex-employees… and captives. As Chloe had guessed, and the trial had proved, even his employees were captives of a sort, trapped by the same threat of violence that kept the fighters in line.
Harper was going to be in prison for a long, long time, and while he was there, his fortune was being put to good use. Along with the prison sentence, the shifter judge had forced Harper to pay into a fund that would provide ongoing assistance to everyone who had ever been hurt by him.
Lance pushed his glasses up his nose. “Harper’s tentacles reached longer than we expected. We’re still digging up buyers he sold the dragon’s scales to, and as for his guests—” He snarled the word, and just for a moment, Chloe glimpsed the wild snow leopard behind the dapper man. “—They’re continuing to protest their ignorance of Harper’s activities, but we’re working on them.”
“You mean it’s been half a year and you still haven’t tidied this mess up?” Mathis grinned at Lance. “You’re slipping.”
Lance narrowed his eyes, but a predatory smile danced around his lips. “We’ll get there. Don’t you worry about that. I always thought there was more to the Diaz kidnapping case than we knew, and now we’ve got proof—and leads. And an office of agents to hunt this asshole’s contacts from their hiding places.”
Chloe squeezed Mathis’ hand at the mention of the kidnapping case, sending love and support to him through their bond.
Mathis had been right back on the island, when he told her his sister Francine would sense he was in danger. His twin sister had noticed that something was wrong. But after Mathis had revealed his true identity to Harper, the bastard had sent people to put her on the wrong scent. Harper’s minions had convinced her that Mathis had been murdered by one of his old friends—and had kidnapped and threatened to kill his friend’s mate as revenge.
Mathis cleared his throat, looking away from where Grant and Irina were sitting. “Will this have any effect on my sister’s situation?”
Lance shot him a sympathetic grimace, and Chloe remembered that Lance had been friends with Francine, too.
“That’s up to her,” Lance said in an undertone. He straightened his shoulders and checked his notes again.
“Speaking of the Diazes…” Lance nodded to the couple. “Grant and Irina are funding a research and development team to find out more about the effects of Mr. Rouse’s scales. We don’t know how many are out there, with outfits like the group that radicalized Francine. They’ll also be looking into other shifter abilities, such as the ones displayed by Harper and by Chloe, here.”
That got Chloe’s attention. “I had a theory about that. Ever since I started shifting, I haven’t used my… um, other ability. And Harper seemed to lose it as soon as he shifted that time on the beach, too. There might be a connection—is that what you’re thinking?”
She stared down the table at Grant and Irina, who stared back. Irina grimaced. “Um, we’ll… let you know? We’re more on the ‘providing money’ end of things than the ‘figuring stuff out’ end…”
She blushed and Grant wound one arm around her shoulders, pulling her to him for a kiss. “Smooth, Lance.” He winked at Chloe. “I’ll put you in touch with our lead researcher. She’ll be thrilled to hear from you.”
“Sounds great,” Chloe said.
“One final thing…” He paused, and an expression of something close to panic flashed across his face. “Apart from an unkillable rumor about a new Hollywood franchise that just. Won’t. Die.”
Mathis laughed out loud, and Chloe sketched out a mock bow. “You’re welcome.”
“Which brings me to our final action point this afternoon—Ms. Kent, can I interest you in a job?”
Chloe blinked. “What? I mean, excuse me?” She turned to Mathis. “Did you know about this?”
Mathis shrugged, one hundred per cent genuine artificial innocence.
“What sort of a job?” Chloe asked, looking back at Lance.
Lance settled back in his chair. “If there’s one thing this matter with Harper has shown us, it’s that shifters across the country are vulnerable to exploitation not by humans, but by our own kind. The Manor is opening a new division dealing with issues of communication between shifters—ways for us to communicate known dangers, and for civilians to alert us to problems—using modern comms channels.”
Chloe couldn’t believe what she was hearing, and Lance’s serious frown wasn’t helping.
“You… you want me to be your social media manager?” she choked out.
“Given your work experience, and quick thinking under pressure—yes, something along those lines. We’ll work out the details once you’re on board.”
Chloe’s cheeks went red. “Thanks,” she blurted out. “I… really didn’t expect that. It’s very kind of you.”
Lance snorted. “Kind? We’re just snapping you up before anyone else does.” He paused and rubbed his forehead. “And that includes shifter organizations and human ones.”
“Everyone wants you on their team.” Mathis’ pride was clear in his voice as he slung one arm around her shoulders. “It’s up to you. If you want to push me into a career as a Hollywood superstar…”
“I want to help people.” A smile spread across Chloe’s face. “Shifters like me, who don’t have our own support networks. That’s what you’re saying, isn’t it?” She turned to Lance. “We’re going to stop anyone like Harper from being able to target vulnerable shifters again.”
“That’s the plan, yes.”
“Then I’m in.”
She barely heard what else was said as Lance closed the meeting. Her mind was flying over the possibilities of her new job. This was everything she’d ever wanted: her chance to make a real difference.
And with her mate at her side, she was ready to take on the world.
A note from Zoe Chant
Thank you for buying my book! I hope you enjoyed it. If you’d like to be emailed when I release my next book, please click here to be added to my mailing list. You can also visit my webpage, or follow me on Facebook or Twitter.
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Page down to read a special sneak preview of Stealing the Snow Leopard’s Heart, Book 3 in the Shifter Suspense series.
SPECIAL SNEAK PREVIEW
STEALING THE SNOW LEOPARD’S HEART
KEELEY
For a moment, Keeley was confused. She stared down at the thing inside the case, nestled so carefully in a satin-covered cushion.
She’d expected drugs, or money, or some high-value item Sean was fencing for his new “business partner.” Not this.
It’s just… a rock.
A fancy, polished rock the size of her fists put together. But still… a rock.
Frowning, Keeley slipped the rock out of the case, cradling it against her stomach as she checked under the cushion it had lain on. There was nothing else in the case. Just the stone.
What the hell is going on here? Is this some sort of a joke?
Keeley’s heart sank. No. Not a joke. A test.
Sean had tricked her, and she’d fallen for it. There was no job. He just wanted her to know he could still control her.
Her fingers tightened around the stone. She was about to throw it back in the case and slam the lid shut, but something made her pause.
It was just a fancy stone. The sort of thing Keeley had seen in New Age stores, the ones that sold crystals and herbs and stuff. It probably wasn’t worth more than thirty or forty dollars, really.
But it was… pretty. Glimmers of purple, green and blue seemed to shift under its surface as the train rocked in its tracks.
Pretty, she thought again. And strange. The coloration made the rock look mysterious, valuable—
She shook her head. Whoever had carved it had done a half-assed job. It wasn’t even properly round. Instead, it was tapered at one end, almost egg-shaped. And the surface wasn’t finished, but had a dimpled texture, like a golf ball.
Still…
Keeley felt half-hypnotized. She ran her fingertips across the dimpled surface of the stone. She didn’t have many pretty things these days. If this was a trick, a test, then she didn’t need to leave it in the case, right? The stone was the right size to fit into her coat pocket. She could just—
Just steal it?
Keeley grimaced. Wow. Doesn’t take much to make you fall back into bad habits, huh? Even her inner voice was bitter.
She sniffed and gritted her teeth, bracing herself to push down on the surge of rage and helplessness she knew was coming. Damn it, she’d tried so hard. For years.
All she wanted was to be someone else. Someone better. Someone who deserved even a taste of the love and happiness she’d seen in that family she’d almost bowled over back at the hotel. Was that too much to ask?
She closed her eyes, stretching her imagination as far as it would go. No point imagining herself as someone with a happy mom and dad. It was a bit late for that.
But this new, imaginary Keeley—the one she’d dreamt of when she left home ten years ago, the one she’d spent the last decade trying day after day to become… In her most secret dreams, she would have a man who looked at her like the guy with the fancy watch had looked at his new fiancée. As though she was the most wonderful, most important person in the world.
Someone that Keeley could look at like the woman had looked at him, smiling and giggly and pretend-tripping so he would catch her. Like she trusted him so much it wasn’t even a question.
Like she couldn’t wait to start their life together. Be a family. Have a family, have kids who would grow up surrounded by that much love…
Keeley shook her head. Well, it hadn’t happened, had it? No chance of a boyfriend when she spent her evenings scrubbing floors and changing sheets instead of out clubbing. The most action she’d had in the last few years was dickheads like the guy tonight leering at her ass.
No. New Keeley, old Keeley, it didn’t matter. She was stuck with the hand she’d been dealt. No way she would ever have anything like—
*—Curiosity, warmth, hello?—*
Keeley spluttered and blinked. That… wasn’t her. It had been in her head, but it wasn’t her that had thought it. Or felt it. It hadn’t even been words, just a strong… feeling.
“Now I’m going crazy as well,” she muttered. She wiped her eyes and checked the next stop. “Oh, shit.”
The train had nearly arrived at the station where she was supposed to leave the backpack. She needed to put the rock away. Make it look like she hadn’t tampered with it.
Keeley wrapped her fingers more tightly around the stone.
Her fingertips tingled and she stopped, eyes wide. A moment before, the stone had been cool to the touch. Well, it was rock, after all. But now it was warm. And growing warmer by the second.
Keeley looked at it more carefully. It was still just… well, a fancy rock. It sat heavily in her hand, its polished surface reflecting the light unevenly.
It shouldn’t be this warm just from her holding it for a few seconds, should it? She turned it over in her hands, looking for a seal or join. Maybe it was some sort of electronic gadget?
Something moved inside the stone, and Keeley almost dropped it.
It felt alive.
Keeley held her breath. There it was again. The stone shook in her hands. A short, soft movement—like a heartbeat.
Thud. Thud.
“What is this?” she breathed, eyes fixed on the stone.
A bright, fluttery excitement burst against her mind. Not her excitement. She wasn’t excited, she was freaking the hell out. So what is—
Crack!
A hairline crack appeared in the stone, so thin Keeley could barely see it. She ran her fingertips over it, just to make sure she wasn’t imagining things.
“Oh, shit. Now it’s breaking?”
The stone rocked at her touch.
Crack! Crack!
The hairline crack widened and another one appeared. And another. Keeley’s pulse thudded in her ears. Was this part of the test? She opened the case, and the goods started breaking—was it some sort of failsafe?
A fragment of rock the size of her palm fractured and fell away, and Keeley gasped.
It wasn’t a failsafe. Because this wasn’t a stone. It was an egg.
A long, scaly nose poked out of the hole in the egg. Tiny eyes blinked, then peered up at Keeley, bright gold and shining with curiosity.
“Oh, my God,” Keeley breathed.
The little creature poked its head up, staring straight at her with golden, cat-slitted eyes. Another piece of shell fell away, revealing—No, that’s impossible—a pair of folded, gleaming-gold wings.
As Keeley watched, the hatchling flared its wings out, its eyes narrowing with pleasure as it stretched free of the confines of the egg for the first time in its life.
She knew it was pleasure the creature was feeling, because she could feel it too. In her head. A little sunburst of satisfaction.
The hatchling opened its eyes again and stared at her.
“Prrp?” it trilled.
Keeley stared back.
So this is what Sean wanted you to move. Not money, or drugs. Not a stone. A living creature.
“What are you?” she whispered, tentatively lifting her hand towards the hatchling. It sniffed politely at her fingertips and nibbled experimentally on her pinky finger.
The world seemed to whirl around her.
No, she thought, desperately clinging to reality, that’s not the world spinning. It’s the train slowing down.
Keeley licked her lips. Drop the case in the backpack in the last car and leave by the rear door. That was what she was supposed to do.
And fuck knows what Sean will do if you don’t. No way he’ll stop at getting you fired. Remember what happened last time.
The scars on her fingers ached.
The tiny winged lizard-thing blinked up at her with its huge, innocent golden eyes. Something shivered deep inside Keeley. A warm, gentle feeling she hardly recognized.
And this time, it wasn’t from the hatchling. It was all her.
What sort of a person are you, really?
LANCE
“Are you sure this is the best route? Briers?”
“Best I can do, sir. Traffic’s all backed up the other way. If you take the next left—”
Lance cursed. They were still a block away from the intercept site. If Briers’ intel was correct, then this was their best shot at recovering the egg.
Or it was a trap. That was always an option.
Either way, if they didn’t get there in time, they’d never know. And they’d lose their chance.
“There’s no time,” he barked. “We’ll do it on foot.”
“Sir, even with the re-route, it’ll be faster in the car—”
“I know a shortcut.”
Lance paused, his hand on the car door handle.
There were four agents in the van with him. Tori Bradford, one of the night-shift meerkat shifters from the office, was in the driver’s seat. In the back with Lance were Parker, Yelich—and Zhang.
*All of you, follow me.*
Zhang might be a green recruit, but for this mission, he needed trackers. And no one tracked better than a shark. She’d be more useful on the front line than providing backup from the van.
*Shields up!*
The other agents obeyed his telepathic order immediately, flickering out of sight. Lance grinned and reached for the dragon-scale shield strapped to his upper arm. The scale pressed down onto his skin, and the world around Lance shimmered as he dropped out of sight.
So long as the scale was touching him, no one would be able to see, hear or smell him, unless they were shielded, too.
It was dragon magic. Julian Rouse’s magic. The same magic that whoever had stolen the dragon egg wanted to exploit.
Lance jumped out of the van, signaling for the others to fall in behind him as he ran into the building the car had been stuck outside.
He knew this building. At least, he knew it ten or fifteen years ago, when it had been a burnt-out shell, and he’d been friends with the woman who bought and restored it into a glitzy hotel.
He’d thought he had known her, too. Francine Delacourt. But he hadn’t, not in the end.
Lance shook his head, dislodging old hurt. He’d seen the blueprints for the new build, and now he navigated by them, slipping invisibly past guests and staff into a warren of employee-only corridors that eventually burst out in an alleyway near the station entrance.
He glanced at the station clock as he ran down the stairs to the nearest platform. The train should just be arriving. Motioning for Parker and Zhang to fall into position behind him, he raced down the final few steps.
The platform was almost empty. A dozen or so wilted late-night travelers were slumped at intervals along the platform, waiting disinterestedly for the train to stop.
Lance mentally filed the facts as he noticed them. Their arrival time. The rush of air that heralded the next train’s approach.
