Two days later
Dark, misty shadows slithered between the trees, the air heavy with ill-will. The stories Catalina had heard since arriving on ShadowDance Mountain spoke of joyous celebrations honoring the majestic beauty of the surrounding, marking the changing seasons, and honoring various phases of the moon. Nothing in those old tales mentioned malevolence, and Cat knew the darkness was waiting for her.
Alex and Zach Lamont had shared stories about the Native American folklore attributed to the mountain’s interesting name. They’d regaled her with colorful tales about spirits dancing in celebration of the full moon, the end of winter, and bountiful harvest. Tonight, those thankful dancers remained hidden, even when they had to know the only way to banish darkness was with light. Evidently, even the longest passed spirit knew survival trumped a missed opportunity to dance in the silvery moonlight.
Catalina stood in the center of the small meadow, letting the moon’s luminescent light sparkle as it seemed to dance along the tips of her fur. She wasn’t certain how she knew, but she was secure in the knowledge nothing could touch her in this spot. A familiar sense of protection always wrapped itself around her anytime she stood in the moonlight—the feeling was one of her first childhood memories. Years later, her mother explained the moon’s magic was as powerful as the earth’s, and being chosen by either was an honor for any magical.
Brighten Adler had cautioned Catalina to remain grateful for the gifts she received, no matter how challenging they might become. As a young girl, she hadn’t understood how magical gifts could be considered anything other than a blessing, but as she’d grown older, it became clear. Sometimes the price you paid for those special skills was damned high.
When she’d first arrived, she remained hidden in the underbrush. Crouching in the thick pine scrub, watching and waiting felt dangerous, so she’d moved out into the open. The temperature dropped so suddenly, Cat’s wolf felt the shift, the sudden chill in the air making her hackles stand up. Danger lurked all around her, but she sensed the threat was being held back by a force beyond her senses.
Trust your instincts, my darling daughter. Stay in the moonlight and return to the Lamonts home. Help awaits.
Catalina knew her heart skipped several beats when her father’s voice moved through her mind. She couldn’t begin to count the number of times she’d prayed the Universe would let her hear the deep timbre of his voice one more time. Frozen in the moment, Catalina knew she should be moving but didn’t want to break the spell. Something deep inside her wanted to believe he’d speak again if she remained perfectly still.
Catalina, get your ass in gear! I don’t know what’s going on up there, but your parents are yelling at me, your damned brother is pitching a fit, and my uncle is threatening to send out a fucking search party. What the fuck. Get moving.
If Cat hadn’t been in her wolf, she’d have laughed out loud. Luke and Brooklyn lived in New Mexico. Cat bet her brother-in-law was sitting in what her sister affectionately referred to as the bat cave, inundated by telepathic communication. The man was off-the-chart gifted and dealt with a tsunami of information that would drive most people to drink themselves into a stupor.
Catalina had seen her brother, Israel, swear he was going to lose his mind in crowded rooms when they were kids. He’d eventually learned to shut down the noise in his head, but none of the empaths she knew would shut down any line of communication when someone they cared about was in trouble.
Running the barely discernable small animal paths she’d found in the forest, Catalina was able to avoid the predators the Lamonts had warned her about but staying hidden from magical threats was much more difficult. Twice she felt the icy chill of a nearby spirit, but she hadn’t gotten the impression they meant her harm. The closer she got to the Lamonts’ house, the safer she felt. Unfortunately, Cat knew it was going to be important to explore beyond the point where she’d been tonight. Whatever had been out there wasn’t going to go away until it was dealt with—and she was tired of running.
Katarina stood in the shadows holding Catalina’s clothes. She’d followed their guest outside but had been too far behind and missed the woman shifting into a wolf. Determined to see for herself how the process worked, Kat stayed so still, she was barely breathing. It wasn’t her new friend who was her main concern—it was Alex and Zach. God only knew how they’d react if they found out she was waiting to spy on a guest. As if she’d jinxed herself by thinking about them, a thick arm wrapped around her torso and pulled her back against a well-muscled chest.
“What are you doing, Kitten?” She wasn’t fooled by Zach’s whiskey smooth voice—he wasn’t pleased.
“Holy fat fairies, you scared me.” She felt his chest shake and knew he was laughing at her. “I don’t know why you ask me questions you already know the answer to, but I’m staying right here until I get to see how this whole shifting thing works. Cooper said there are other magicals in this area, but he wasn’t aware of any other shifters.” Looking over her shoulder, she wasn’t surprised to see Zach’s expression change from frustration to thoughtful interest.
“I know the Stone sisters are considered white witches. They’ve both told me their magic is based on the natural laws of the Universe. Their store is an interesting place to visit. They are both characters—intelligent, ornery as sin, and funny.”
“Have you ever seen them perform magic?” Without waiting for him to answer, she plunged full speed ahead, “Dang, I’ll bet you have. Why didn’t I know about them? Swear to all things holy, I live under a rock.”
“Sweetness, you have four wild as the wind kids, two husbands, in-laws who adore you but regularly request your help for their favorite charitable causes, and a business that has grown by leaps and bounds—I’m not sure when you’d be able to fit in traipsing around the mountains, checking out magical shops.”
When he put it that way, Kat didn’t feel so much like a slacker. Neither of her husbands had ever been anything but supportive of all her activities… unless they thought she was pushing herself too hard, then all bets were off.
Before she could respond, the largest wolf Katarina had ever seen ran across the courtyard. The magnificent beast slowed suddenly, sensing it wasn’t alone. Kat couldn’t hold back her squeal of delight.
“Damn, damn, and double-damn. You are gorgeous. I’m sorry if I scared you. It’s Zach’s fault. He’s all big and grinchy looking, but he’s just snooping on my… um, well, I guess he was checking on my attempt to spy on you. I picked up your clothes so they wouldn’t get dew on them. Can I watch you shift? We can make Zach look the other way, but to be honest, he’s seen about a gazillion naked women, so you probably shouldn’t worry about that part. Cooper told me you can shift in clothes, but it shreds them, so I sort of pieced together you’d be naked. He didn’t mean to throw your bare self under the bus or anything.” Pausing to take a breath, Kat shook her head.
“Frack, I’m babbling. I know it isn’t nice to spy, but I couldn’t help myself. Zach should probably get points for his claim that he was checking on me, even though that’s pretty darned lame if you ask me. Oh… wait. I know, I’ll give you a huge discount on the web-designs if you let me watch.” Katarina had never been this close to a wolf before, so she didn’t have anything to compare it to, but damned if it didn’t look like the animal was smiling.
Bones started shortening, the thick fur appeared to be disappearing back into her skin, and the wolf’s long snout was retreating. Within a few seconds, Catalina Adler stood before them, naked as the day she was born. Grinning at the two of them, she held out her hand for the clothing Katarina clutched to her chest.
“Can I have my clothes? Shifters are by nature comfortable being naked, but it’s damned cold now that I’m a human again. I might have lived in New York for several years, but I didn’t walk around outside in what Ms. Brighten Adler called my altogether.” Pulling on the clothes Katarina handed her, Cat smiled at the woman’s wide eyes.
“Holy shit… tzu.” Katarina’s attempted save seemed to amuse Zach.
“Kitten, ordinarily I’d swat your ass for that slip, but I was thinking the same thing, so it would be hypocritical for me to call you out.”
Catalina was pleased to see Zach’s eyes never left her face. She’d meant what she said about being comfortable in her own skin, but she appreciated his respect.
“Let’s go inside. I don’t know about you ladies, but I could use a stiff drink.”
Cooper met them at the back door, his expression seeming to shift subtly from concern to amusement as he listened to Katarina’s string of questions.
“How old were you when you first discovered you could change into a wolf? Did your friends at school know? Can all your sisters and brothers change? Do they change into wolves or something else? Do some people change into other animals? Can anyone change into more than one animal? Have you ever been shot at?”
“Katarina. Take a breath, love.” Alex Lamont’s sharp command brought them all up short. Cooper pulled her against his side, his scent soothing her in a way nothing else could. Lying side by side in bed late last night, he’d asked if mating had changed her. Her answer seemed to surprise him.
“Your scent affects me in ways I didn’t expect. It can launch me into the deep end of arousal so quickly, my head spins, but it also calms me when I’m struggling with all the changes in my life. The small shifts in your body chemistry from the DNA enhancements taking place are noticeable to me, and I suspect your sense of smell is becoming stronger. I know your eyesight has improved because you have seen things in this dark room you wouldn’t have noticed before.”
His arm tightened around her, bringing her back to the moment as he spoke against her ear, “I swear your mind works at the speed of light, Princess. For the record, you’re right. I notice significant improvements to my senses every day. The changes have been remarkable.” He’d spoken so quietly, the words would have been impossible for the Lamonts to hear—even if they hadn’t been talking a mile a minute among themselves.
“Sorry if I overwhelmed you with questions, but seeing you shift was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen. It was equal parts awesome and terrifying. Well, it was the snapping and crackling of bones shifting that was terrifying, but you get the idea.” Katarina’s eyes sparkled with intelligence, and Cat grinned at the other woman before accepting the drink Zach handed her. Settling on the sofa in front of the fire, she snickered at Katarina’s hopeful expression.
“I’ll answer your questions under two conditions. First, everything we discuss stays in this room, or at least you refrain from discussing it with anyone other than your husbands. Second, your offer for a bargain on my website design is still on the table.”
Alex and Zach both leaned their heads back and laughed.
“She’d probably do it for free to get answers, Catalina.” Zach grinned from his seat on the other side of the heavy wood table at the center of the seating area facing the largest fireplace Catalina had ever seen in a private home. “I had the feeling you returned to the house in a hurry, and I’d be interested to know why.”
Zach’s astute observation surprised her. She knew he’d been in the Special Forces and expected him to be perceptive, but this was more than a simple observation. Explaining what she’d felt, then heard, Cat wondered if the trio would think she’d lost her mind.
Remember, they deal with Mitch Grayson, so they understand and respect empathic gifts.
Thanks for the reminder. I’m still reeling a bit from having them waiting for me when I returned.
Shifting in front of Katarina and Zach Lamont had been a huge leap of faith, one she wouldn’t have ordinarily considered. For the next hour, Catalina answered every question the three of them posed. When the answers weren’t easy to put into words, she was impressed with their ability to grasp the complex nuances of magic.
“Do you think there are other shifters in this area? We’ve met several of your siblings over the years and know they are considered shifters, but I have to tell ya’, knowing and seeing are two entirely different things.”
“Who was in the control room when Catalina returned?” Cooper’s question felt like someone suddenly dropped a truckload of bricks on her chest. Holy fucking hell, how had she managed to get her head so far up her ass, she’d failed to consider all the security monitoring equipment she knew was in place? The Lamont’s property was a virtual fortress—one of the reasons she’d been sent here. Slip-ups like her lapse in thinking got operatives killed. It wasn’t like she was a damned beginner—fucking hell, she knew better.
“Mitch and I were the only ones up there when you left and returned, Catalina. We’ll make certain we warn you when other members of our security team are on shift. Your safety is our number one concern, so there will certainly be times you won’t have any expectation of privacy outside your own suite. There are few blind spots.” Alex looked at Katarina and raised a brow, challenging her to argue. “I’m sure our lovely wife will be happy to show you the ones she’s discovered. Keep your phone on you. We’ll text if she takes you to one of the coveted private spots we’ve recently covered.”
“Wait. What? Are you fixing them? As in wiring every inch of this place for sight and sound? How’s a girl supposed to pop a squat in the woods? Well, if that doesn’t beat all. I tell you, the world is going to hell in a handbasket.”
Catalina didn’t know Katarina Lamont well enough to decide if the pretty blonde was kidding, serious, or if her mini-rant was something in-between.
“Love, I’d better not hear or see anything remotely related to you popping a squat outside. If your bare ass is going to be recorded for posterity, my brother or I better be present, or those high-definition videos will be the least of your worries.” Alex’s warning was spoken so sincerely, Cat started to wonder if the whole group was serious.
How can they be so security conscious and not know their wife if peeing with the bears in the woods?
Cooper’s bark of laughter brought her back to the moment, and she turned to look at the man who was now her mate. “Princess, Katarina was trying to break the tension, and Alex is playing along.”
“Playing along? But he seems so much like Kyle West, how can he be playing along?”
“She’s got you there, Alex.” Katarina burst into a fit of giggles despite her husbands’ glares. Waving Alex off when he started to speak, Kat continued, “Yeah, yeah, I know. Swats. I’m going to pay… won’t be able to sit comfortably for days. But you know what? Watching the largest wolf I’ve ever seen change into our houseguest was worth every stinging blow.”
The room fell silent for several seconds while Katarina’s Doms’ mouths fell open. Cat could feel Cooper shaking with the laughter, trying desperately to hold back. Catalina might have been able to keep a straight face if the other woman hadn’t given her a saucy wink. The simple gesture tipped the scales, sending Cat into a fit of giggles. Laughter erupted around the room, providing much-needed relief from the pressure of the past few days.
It took several minutes for everyone to settle back into the conversation. Cat was relieved to feel a new sense of calm settle over them as conversations took several turns around children, growing tensions as political changes were implemented around the world, and the safety concerns Catalina faced. When their chat turned back to Cat, Alex and Zach both leaned forward, elbows resting on their knees, and fingers steepled loosely together.
Remarkable. Even their gestures are mirror images.
Catalina answered the Lamonts’ questions about her captivity. They’d apologized for the intrusive nature of the conversation, explaining they hoped the new eyes theory would come into play. She’d worked independently so much of her career, it was a concept she understood but rarely had the opportunity to employ. Bringing in someone new to take a fresh look and hopefully ask enough thought-provoking questions to spark an answer was an interesting blend of their military and business backgrounds.
Through it all, Katarina sat back, listening, and watching the interplay between her husbands and guests. She rarely contributed to the conversation, but Catalina could practically hear the other woman’s mind spinning. A sudden shift in the energy of the room made the hair on Catalina’s arms stand on end. Returning her focus to Katarina, Cat watched as the air around her crackled with brightly colored sparks. Katarina’s aura—something Cat didn’t ordinarily see—changed colors quickly. Two things struck Catalina at once—first, it was obvious her own magical abilities were growing exponentially, and second, her new friend had just had an epiphany.
“Have you considered that Catalina isn’t the only target? Who will run to her aid if they come for her again?” Without missing a beat, she answered her own question. “It’s not a secret how Cooper feels about her—after all, they’re mated, right? Anyway, anyone wanting to use Catalina’s magical skill for nefarious purposes would have to go through Cooper. Once you eliminated him, you’d face Cameron Barnes. Now, I don’t know Mr. Barnes, but his reputation precedes him. Apparently, he’s a bit of a hardass as a Dom and something of a legend as an intelligence officer.”
Her husbands stared at her in disbelief, but the woman waved them off. “Don’t worry, I didn’t pick the pathetic lock on your desk and rummage through your files. There is more than enough information available on the… well, the internet. You can find all sorts of interesting things if you take the time to look.”
“Love, if you’ve been looking around the dark web, you’ll have bought more trouble than you bargained for.”
“Kitten, we had a deal.”
“I didn’t renege on our deal. Katarina Lamont has not been on the dark web.” Catalina wanted to laugh out loud at Kat’s obvious devious game of semantics. There wasn’t a chance in hell the men were going to fall for it, but it was amusing all the same. “I think Catalina’s magic is the target, and the piss-widget who tried to set them up is a tool of the dark magicals. Setting Cooper and Barnes up was just a fast way to get them out of the way.” Katarina’s casual shrug belied the brilliant insight she’d brought to the discussion.
At first glance, Katarina Lamont looked like a woman from a 1960s sitcom—blonde, beautiful, and ditzy. Cat would bet it was a stereotype Katarina dealt with often. From what she’d observed, Katarina was smart as a whip, and Catalina looked forward to working with her.
Catalina, Cooper, and Cam had all considered the possibility there was a covert group within the American intelligence community targeting Cam and Cooper, but no one was sure why. Katarina’s fresh eyes had done more than offer another perspective—the sudden clarity of the mystery surrounding the list made Cat’s head spin.
“Your names were on the list. On the one hand, I knew it had to be true. It was the only thing that made sense. But…” Catalina rubbed her open palm over her forehead, the pulsing in her head as the memories flooded back in, making her head pound. “That’s why I blocked out actually seeing them written on the list. I knew it wasn’t true. It couldn’t be true. But they thought I’d walk away from you if I believed you’d betrayed our country. Not only would you be locked up, but I’d cut all ties to you and be more vulnerable. They weren’t angry I wasn’t giving them all the names. Hell, they already had the list of real traitors. This was all about making certain I was isolated.”
She hadn’t been able to remember the interrogations she’d endured at the hands of her captors—nothing about that time existed aside from the pain. Catalina knew she’d fueled their anger but hadn’t understood why… until now. The hair on her arms stood on end, and she automatically sat ramrod straight, poised for whatever was about to happen. Cooper reacted a split second later, but the reason for the energy making the entire room shimmer was already sitting in a nearby wingback chair.
“Brigitte, it’s nice to see you. Interesting entrance.” For some reason, Alex’s calm response struck Catalina as funny. Laughing out loud, it wasn’t long before Kat joined her, the two of them cackling like loons. Through it all, the only thing Catalina heard was Gigi’s steady voice.
“I’d be insulted if I wasn’t so damned relieved to see her smile again. My niece has been riding my ass about being heavy-handed with her new in-laws—can you believe it?”
“Baffling.” Sarcasm practically dripped from Zach Lamont’s tone, but Gigi ignored him.
“I’m not surprised to learn you are a magical, but I’m pissed I didn’t figure it out on my own. I’ll bet your dark… umm, I mean, lower-level internet profile is virtually non-existent. Damn and double damn. How did I miss this? Why do I get the feeling I’m the only one who is surprised?” The petite blonde looked from Alex to Zach, then back to Alex. Katarina’s eyes narrowed in a virtual dare as she waited for her men to deny they’d already suspected Gigi Stafford was a witch.
“I doubt they had conclusive proof, but it seems unlikely they hadn’t been briefed. Their network is extensive, and in my experience, men are terrible gossips—far worse than women.”
Cat wasn’t sure it had been Brigitte’s intention to break the tension with humor, but it had worked like a charm. One of the things she’d learned from her sister-in-law, Charlotte, was to expect the unexpected when it came to the Stafford family.