“I’m Jordan Pride,” he said. “She’s mine now.”
Surprise filled Katie. Why would the guy want a cat? She was a cat, right?
Jim Bob took a step back, his gaze swinging from Katie to Jordan. “You don’t seem surprised a girl turned into a little cougar.”
Jordan’s heart beat slow and strong beneath her ear. “Maybe you’ve had too much to drink. Either way, you’re going to forget about her and go on your way,” he said.
Jim Bob’s eyes began to shine, and he smiled a mean smile, his crooked teeth somehow sharp in the night. His beefy hands rubbed together. “I’m sure we can come to an arrangement.”
The smell of burning bushes tickled her nose and came from Jordan. Something told her it was the smell of being mad. How weird to find out “mad” had a smell. Maybe all cats smelled feelings.
He tightened his hold. “Don’t you want to know what I’m going to do with her?”
“Not if you make silence worth my while.” Jim Bob wasn’t even looking at her anymore. “And considering I’ve just stumbled across a huge-assed secret ... you’d better make it worth my while.”
Jordan’s chest rumbled in a snarl. “Noah, Baye, take this guy back to his home, and I’ll be along shortly. If he gives you any trouble, kill him—which is always a possibility when one discovers a huge-assed secret.”
Jim Bob’s eyes widened. The other two men nodded and each grabbed one of Jim Bob’s arms. They had cool hair just like Jordan, and their eyes were different colors of green. Both of them gave her a smile before turning to drag Jim Bob away. They had nice smiles.
Katie began to shiver. Her legs hurt again. Oh no. Was she going to turn back into a girl? Then Jordan would know for sure she was a monster. Girls didn’t turn into cats. Plus, she’d left her dress back in the kitchen. She would be naked. A low whimper fell out of her mouth.
Jordan looked down at her. “Ah.” Shifting her to one arm, he yanked his shirt over his head. Quick motions had the soft cotton over her fur, her paws trapped inside.
Warmth and cinnamon surrounded her. With a loud pop, she turned back into a girl.
Jordan smiled, his eyes crinkling. “There you are.” He helped shove her arms into the sleeves. “Bet that hurt.”
She nodded solemnly. “I’m a monster.”
He laughed softly, his eyes turning to magic. “No, you’re a mountain lion shifter. Very tough cougar.”
The way he said it made it seem okay.
“Are you gonna kill me?” She could still run.
“Nope.” He began walking. “I’m going to find you a good home where you don’t have to run.”
A real home sounded nice. “Are you gonna kill Jim Bob?”
Jordan’s chest stiffened. “No. I’m not going to kill him, little one. But he’ll never bother you again. I promise.”
She believed him. If anybody could make Jim Bob go away, Jordan could. Just like Superman. “Okay.”
He sighed. “I knew your parents and just found out they’d died—which took much longer than it should have. We learned of your location and were on the way to find you. I’m sorry about your parents.”
Careful hope warmed her chest. “You knew my mama and daddy?”
“Yes.”
She took a deep breath. “Um, did they like me?” Please, let them have liked her.
“I’m sure they loved you.” He peered down at her. “In fact, you’re the perfect image of your mama. She was pretty, too.”
He called her pretty. Katie giggled. “Did they like you?”
“Yes. We were friends. They left the pride to travel and live in different cities for a while. They would’ve come back home eventually.”
The idea of a real home made Katie’s heart kinda hurt. “What’s a pride?”
“Mountain lion shifters live in a pride. You’re a member of my pride.”
That was too good to be true. “Where are we goin’?”
“To a lady named Millie Smith. She loves little girls and little cougars ... and makes the best apple pie in the world.” Jordan kissed Katie softly on the head. “You’ll want protein first and then we’ll have some apple pie.”
“What’s protein?” Her eyelids drooped and she snuggled into safety.
“Meat. You need to eat meat after you shift so your muscles stay strong.”
“What’s ‘muscles’?” she mumbled, trying to stay awake. Her eyelids got so heavy they closed.
“I’ll explain later—sleep now.” Jordan tucked her closer. “Welcome home, kitten.”
Chapter 1
Last week
As nights went, it wasn’t a bad one to die.
Jordan Pride ducked behind a tree in the West Virginia forest, his footsteps silent and deadly, not sure how he’d suddenly become prey. As a lion shifter, as the leader of the feline nation, he was usually more of a predator than he liked to admit.
The force surrounding him edged closer, altering the atmospheric pressure enough to flood adrenaline through his veins. Clouds blanketed the sky, keeping the meager moon hidden. Good thing he could see in the dark. He considered shifting into a lion, but for now, he wanted the clear thinking he had only in human form. Once he let the animal free, instinct overcame intellect. For now, he needed to think this through.
He gave a barely perceptible nod to his enforcer, Mac. Mac’s eyes burned a harsh emerald through the dusk, the soldier seriously pissed someone had breached the security on shifter headquarters. Not someone—the Kurjans. The enemy smelled of sulfur, a smell Jordan had always associated with evil.
The air stank with sulfur.
The Kurjans were an evil vampire race unable to venture into the sun without getting fried. Unlike the true vampires who were Jordan’s allies—who enjoyed a day at the beach. Nighttime created excellent opportunities to attack, and the Kurjans had waited for a good one. Dark and deadly.
Mac’s brother, Noah, flanked his other side, looking even angrier than Mac, if that were possible. In fact, Noah had been pissed for the last ten years—since they’d moved to the mountains of West Virginia—since they’d forced their people into caverns and caves. Anything to avoid the Kurjan-created virus that destroyed their DNA and turned them into monsters.
Apparently the Kurjans had found them. Well. It had taken the bastards a decade.
Though ten years of war had depleted Jordan’s forces and been incredibly difficult for his people. His soldiers were battered and bruised ... if not dead.
Jordan’s canines elongated ... the beast within wanting to spring free. Not quite yet. He shot a triumphant grin at Noah. They’d hidden long enough to protect the children, the future. And yeah, for the most part, female shifters were hidden as well.
Well, everyone but the one female he’d give his left arm to protect. No. Katie had to be on the front lines, searching out the few remaining infected shifters. Unfortunately, once infected with the virus, male shifters became werewolves—true beasts that had to be put down for good.
A snarl lifted his lips.
The battle plan had just changed—thanks to the force around him returning to war against shifters. For the last decade, the Kurjans had directed their energy to taking out the vampires. Apparently they’d now switched tactics.
If he survived the night, he’d call Katie home tomorrow. The thought of her, the image of those stunning bourbon-colored eyes filtered through his memory and shot him into true lion form.