Lion And The Falcon (Furry United Coalition) (24 page)

“Yes
, please.”

“I’ve made no progress in reversing the mutations in Ellie or Joey.
The good news, though, is that they’ve responded well to the hormone therapy, and the adrenaline spikes they were experiencing, which led to their bouts of rage, are now under control.”

“
So no more murderous rampages?”

“Well
, seeing as how they never killed anyone during their short period of freedom, I’d say that was never an issue to begin with.” Not unless non-sentient field mice counted. If they did, then a lot of shifters were in trouble.

“But can they be trusted to enter the real world?”

“If you’re asking if they need to remain incarcerated, then in my professional opinion? No. I would still like them to come in for weekly checkups to keep an eye on them, but other than that, I don’t think they’re any more dangerous than Renee or Miranda.”

Kloe made a
face. “That’s not reassuring.”

Nolan chuckled. “
Sorry.”

“I’ll give them the good news tonight then and make arrangements for them to receive
proper housing and set them up with jobs. I think Joey might make a great agent. I was thinking of pairing him with Viktor and letting him mentor him.”

“
I think Joey would really like that. But Viktor? Not so much.”

“I know.”
A wicked grin crossed his boss’s lips. “Now, as for the rest of the escaped patients...there’s still no sign of them. Either they’re dead, gone deep into hiding, or behaving. Whatever the case, the higher ups have ordered us to go back to our regular routine. We’re pulling the remaining guards off you and your staff, which in turn, means I have no reason to keep Clarice from returning to ASS.”

“What
?” He bolted up in his seat. “You’re sending her back?”

“I have to. Remember
, she was only here on a loan basis. Her commanding officer called me, today as a matter of fact, and demanded her return since we’ve hit a dead end in our investigation and shifter hunt.”

“But she can’t go. I still need her,” he blurted without thinking.

“Do you feel threatened? Are you aware of something I’m not?” Kloe’s brows drew together in concern.

“No
… That is… You see…” Flustered, Nolan sought the right words. And couldn’t find an excuse that wouldn’t sound stupid. So he settled for the truth. “I might have kind of fallen in love with her.”

“I see.
Is this your way of asking if we could use her services at the office?”

“I hadn’t thought that far ahead. I guess she might like that.”

Leaning forward, Kloe pinned him with her gaze. “You guess? Nolan, is she aware of your feelings?”

“I don’t know. Maybe. I haven’t exactly told her.”

“Why not?”

He squirmed. “Because I’m a cowardly lion.”

Kloe barked out a laugh. “You? Cowardly? I doubt it. I’ve seen you face down the agents in this office without batting an eye, including Viktor. You took on that monster in the sewer with no care for your own safety. And do you know how many people sweated bullets when you decided to interview Ellie and Joey in person instead of behind the bullet proof glass?”

“Yeah, but that’s not the same.”

“You have plenty of courage, Nolan. What you’re experiencing right now is a fear of rejection. Don’t tell me you’ve never had it happen before?”

A sheepish grin pulled his lips. “Um, no actually. I guess you could say Clarice is my first real love.”

Kloe’s mouth rounded into an O of surprise. “No way.”

“Yes way. I mean
, don’t get me wrong. I’ve been with lots of women. Dated some even for more than a few months, but Clarice is the first one I’ve ever felt something for. The only one I’ve ever dreamed of a future with. I don’t know what I’ll do if I tell her and find out she doesn’t feel the same way.” Maybe take up yowling at night in the alley like the other tomcats.

“
Well, if I were you, I’d tell her quick, because if you don’t, she’s going to leave.”

“
I need more time. Can’t you tell her ASS boss that you still need her?”

“I’m sorry, Nolan. I wish I’d known before, then maybe I could have done something, but now, unless she chooses to stay
, it’s kind of out of my hands.”

With those words, Nolan knew he had to act. No more putting it off. Time to tell Clarice how he felt.
Today.

But when he got home and saw the note on the table, his sinking heart told him he’d waited too long. He didn’t need to see her crisp
, “Thanks for everything, Sylvester,” to know she flew the coop, taking his heart with her.

His mournful meow didn’t make him feel better, and for once, napping didn’t
solve all his problems. So he resorted to what his cousins did when dealing with heartbreak; he ordered up a huge tub of catnip flavored ice cream and proceeded to get tipsy.

The soft click of his door closing woke him from where he lay splayed on his couch, face down, wet from the drool on the fancy throw cushion acting as a pillow.

Soft steps approached and his interest perked. With his face buried
, he couldn’t smell who visited, but he knew who he hoped for. Clarice. Had she returned? He rolled over, eager to see the woman he missed. One glance and dejection set back in. “Oh. It’s you.”

“Well hello to you too,
son,” drawled his mother. “Could you act any happier to see me?”

“I was hoping you were someone else.” Someone he’d not seen or heard from in three days. Three. Long. Days. Depressed, he’d called in sick
to work and moped in his condo, eating and sleeping, trying to fathom how he could have fallen so hard—and how she could have left without even saying goodbye.
Without even giving me a chance to convince her to stay.

“
Why haven’t you answered your phone? I’ve been calling.”

“I know.” Each time, he’d pounced on his cell phone hoping to hear something from the falcon who
’d stolen his heart only to sink further in depression when it wasn’t her. It occurred to him to call her first, but what could he say?
Hey Clarice. I miss you. Will you come back?
Do-r-k-y! He didn’t think he could stand it if she hung up on him, or worse, laughed.

His mother planted her hands on her hips, her mouth a taut line of annoyance.
“If you knew I was calling, why didn’t you answer?”

“Because I didn’t feel like it.”

“What is wrong with you? Is this about that stupid bird?”

“She’s not stupid.”

“Matter of opinion. Why are you moping?”

“I don’t mope. Moping is for pussies.”

“Says the man lying around in his boxers with cartons of empty ice cream littered around him.”

Not just ice cream, but pizza too. Classic comfort food
, or so all the breakup articles he’d read assured. “I was hungry.” But no amount of food filled the hole in his heart.

“Don’t lie to your mother. You fell for that overgrown chicken, didn’t you?”

Fell hard, and now couldn’t seem to muster the interest to get back up.
How pathetic am I?
“And if I did?” He pushed himself to a seated position, peeling the candy bar wrapper from his bare chest and ignoring the spoon that dangled by his ear, caught in his unwashed mane.

“
Forget the bird. She’s not right for you. You’re a lion, Nolan. King of the beasts. A noble creature meant for great things.”

“I am doing great things already,
Mother. I help save lives. I make a difference. And who cares what species I am? It’s what’s inside here,” he thumped his chest, his hand coming away sticky, “that counts, not the purity of my bloodline.”

“A bloodline that goes back generations.”

“Yeah, so you keep reminding me. I hate to break it to you, Mother, but I don’t care. And neither should you. I want love.”

“Love is overrated.”

“According to you and yet, aren’t you the one who never remarried after Dad passed away?” An unfortunate safari gone horribly wrong when Nolan was just a baby.

“I never found the right lion to take his place.”

“And I never found the right lioness.”

“Maybe if we looked to the western prides—”

“I don’t need to look. I already found. And she’s not a lion. She’s not a cat. Nor does she come with a dowry or political leverage.”

“Then what does she give you?”

“Happiness. She makes me happy. Doesn’t that count for something?” He asked this with all seriousness. He could respect tradition and a need for continuity where their heritage was concerned, but his cousins had already produced more than enough cubs to ensure their line would continue.

“You’d choose your own wellbeing over that of the pride?” His mother arched a brow.

Would he? He looked at his mother, thought of the lionesses and tigresses she’d paraded in front of him over the course of his life. None ever made him feel as if his world rested in their paws. None made the sun seem brighter. None made him happy like his falcon did. Did his mother deserve the grandchildren she so ardently desired? Yes, and she could have them if she would let go of her prejudice against other species. And with that, his answer shone so clearly. “I love Clarice, Mom, and that’s that. I know it’s not what you or the pride wanted. Hell, it’s not what I expected, but I can’t help what I feel. I love her, bird or not, and nothing you say can make me change my mind. So get used to it. You’re going to have a falcon as a daughter-in-law.” Reality came crashing back. “Or you would have if she hadn’t left me.”

“Excellent.”

“You don’t have to be so darned smug about the fact she dumped me.” His shoulders slumped as he pouted. Spotting a half-eaten chocolate bar, he snagged it and chewed the sugary treat.

“I’m not
pleased about that part. I said excellent because I think Clarice will make a fine daughter-in-law. About time you found a woman to settle down with.”

He almost choked
on a peanut. “Hold on a second. What did you say?”

“I said I think Clarice is a fine choice.”

Nolan blinked. Scratched his itchy scalp. Slapped his ears, both sides. Shook his head and winced when the spoon caught in the tangles swung and bopped him in the nose. He yanked it out with a few golden strands before clearing his throat to say, “Sorry, but can you repeat that. I thought I heard you say that you think Clarice will make a fine choice. We are talking about the same woman, right? ASS agent. Avian background. The one you get into a fight with every time you run into her.”

“One and the same.”

Hallucination. Had to be, brought on by excessive consumption of sugar and catnip. He threw himself back down on the couch. “I need to go back to sleep,” he mumbled, his face buried in his drool dampened pillow.

“
You’ve slept enough. It’s time you stopped wallowing in self pity and did something to get her back.”

Nolan turned his face and open
ed an eye to regard his mother. “Let’s back up a step. Since when do you like her? Last I heard you scream, you hated Clarice because she is, and I quote, ‘A bird-brained, scrawny little pigeon.’ ”

“Reverse psychology
, son.” His mother patted his cheek. “If I’d said I liked her and treated her nicely, you would have run the other way.”

“Would not have.”

“Yes, you would have because you delight in doing the opposite of what I tell you. You have since you were little.”

“
Because you’re bossy.”

“Yes, I am. And so is Clarice.
You know, in many respects, she reminds me a lot of me.”

Nolan
gagged. “Oh God, don’t say that. You’ll ruin everything.”

“Don’t be such a kitten. I didn’t mean physically
; after all, the woman is a string bean. I meant mentally. She’s strong willed. Courageous and unwilling to put up with crap. An excellent markswoman. Perfect for my spoiled baby cub.”

“I am not spoiled.”

“Says the man who still thinks his underwear gets magically washed when he leaves it on the floor.”

“Oh
, I know who is taking care of my laundry. I’m not stupid. Why do it myself when you’re all so willing to do it for me?” A ghost of a smile touched his lips.

“
Where did I go wrong?” his mother lamented. Up went her hands in a dramatic gesture that had him rolling his eyes. She caught the expression and shook her finger. “Impertinent boy.”

“Hey, you raised me.”

“I did. Despite what you think, or what I think the pride needs, ultimately, I do want you to be happy.”

“You have a funny way of showing it
,” he grumbled.

“
So sue me for being overprotective. One day, when you have your own children, you’ll understand.”

His depression settled back over him. “Kind of hard to get started on that when the woman I love has flown away.”