LionTime (3 page)

“Then you haven’t been using them correctly.” He winked and began to throw a collection of items into a blender. She watched him rim a glass with sugar and poured the content of the blender into the tall hurricane glass.

He put a sliced strawberry on the edge and slipped a straw into it. “There you go.”

She frowned. “What is in it?”

“A little of this, a little of that and a lot of tequila. Try it.”

She licked her lips and sipped gently at the straw, her eyes widened as the strawberry and citrus hit her with the warmth of alcohol following immediately. “That’s very nice.”

He chuckled, his wide chest emphasized by his crossed arms tightening his black t-shirt. “Thank you.”

She sipped daintily at the drink and watched the people in the bar. The music was more subdued now, but couples were getting together in every booth available and talking softly as foreplay commenced.

“Do you have a medical facility here at all?”

Jim shook his head, his dark hair curling against his neck. “No, we have never had need of one. We usually just bring the wounded back through the portal.”

“That isn’t sensible. What if someone just cuts themself and needs stitches? Even shifters need time to heal.” She frowned.

“Dira at the Open Heart B&B is a fairly good medic, but she keeps odd hours.” He shrugged.

The movement of his shoulders was fascinating to her. She didn’t know if it was the drink or if she was getting used to him, but she could watch him for days. Blinking rapidly, she sipped at the drink again, surprised to find it empty.

“Would you care for another?”

Lee shook her head. “No. I think I will head back to the hostel. It has been a very long day.”

She got to her feet and had to clutch the stool for support. “Whoa. Where did my knees go?”

Jim came around the bar with a quick nod to Chuck and put an arm around her waist. “Come on, tough stuff. We will get you to the hostel in one piece.”

“This feels weird.”

He smiled down at her with amusement. “I can’t believe you haven’t had a drink before.”

“It isn’t allowed. Pride rules…well, my father’s rules. No women can drink. It might impair their earning potential.”

His tone got soft. “Pride rules?”

“Yeah. Fundamentalist lion pride. The male is king, but he sits on his ass. It isn’t right. I have looked into natural lions, and while the females do the majority of the hunting, the male protects the pride against other males. My father invites the idiots into the house.” She stumbled, and he held her more tightly.

“Does he? Like who?”

“Like that stupid wiener Carloth who grabbed my ass and called me fat.” She grimaced. “I hate him.”

“Who is he?”

“Supposed to be my husband. He already has two wives. I don’t want him, and so my mom helped me come here. He’s a stupid, fat lion. Lazy, too.”

The hostels loomed in the darkness, and she smiled at the claw icon on the female predator hostel. “I think I have to go in alone.”

“Yes, they are gender blocked. Will you come by the bar tomorrow?”

She smiled up at him and went up on her toes to press a kiss to his cheek. There was a trace of stubble on his skin and a muscle jumped under her lips. “I will come back tomorrow…or later today.”

He turned his head before she could back away, and his lips caught hers in a light kiss.

Confused, she blinked, and he gently helped her into motion by turning her and giving her a light pat on her ass. “Today then.”

Lee stumbled into the hostel and the bed that she had been assigned. She skinned out of her clothing and tucked herself between the sheets with a stunned smile on her lips.

She was out in seconds.

* * * *

James Barnes strode back to the Crossed Star bar and found the man he wanted to speak to in a matter of moments.

Without asking permission, Jim grabbed the young lion by his collar and hauled him away from the female he had been courting. When they were in the relative quiet of the hallway, Jim asked, “What the hell are fundamentalist lions?”

The young man looked confused and then understanding lit his features. “A few decades ago, there was a cult of unattached males who were tired of being shunned by the fathers of the women they wanted. The males started stealing the omegas and moved to the desert where they could train them to obey. The men kept stealing women, and eventually, they all had prides of their own. It’s considered a freakish off shoot of our society, but most who hear about it pretend that they haven’t.”

“What about the women, the children?”

“The women were convinced to comply and the children were raised to believe that this was the way things should be. Only a handful of offspring bothered to escape and none of them managed to enter a normal lion society. No one would have them.”

The young man quivered in his grip, and Jim felt the points of his teeth extend. “So if one of these women were to break free?”

“They wouldn’t have a chance with a lion. No family would allow those weak genes to be carried on. Um…can I go now?”

Jim released him, and the younger male ran for the bar where his female was still waiting with a concerned expression on her face.

What the male had said made sense, but Lee’s frantic search for an alternate showed that she was not content to be handed off to another lazy lion. She was a woman of spirit despite her upbringing and her medical education was obvious.
How had she managed to go to school when she was confined by a cult that wanted to control her every motion?

He looked toward the door. She would return later today, and he would see if she was willing to answer his questions.

Chuck broke through his reverie. “Time for the supply run, Jim.”

Jim nodded and got the dolly to haul the supplies from the Meditation Centre to the bar. He had a business to run after all.

Chapter Five

Lee sat in the café wearing her new blue shirt, jeans and the flats from the night before.

She accepted the coffee and the pitcher of water gratefully. “Thank you, Nia.”

The beaver shifter nodded and quickly made her way to fetch the rest of Lee’s order.

A shadow fell across her table, and Lee looked up. “Hello, Jim.”

He grinned at the water and slid into the booth across from her. “Good morning, Lee. I wasn’t expecting to see you up and around yet.”

She shrugged. “I have always been an early riser.”

He looked to Nia and raised his finger. A cup of coffee was in front of him in seconds. “Thank you, Nia.”

The server blushed and returned to her station behind the counter.

Lee grabbed the cream before Jim got his hand on it, and he raised his brow. She grimaced and used it first. It was a small rebellion, but she was forcing herself into exactly that kind of act now that she was away from home.

She handed him the cream and cleared her throat. “I would think that a bar owner would sleep in a bit later than this.”

He shrugged. “I didn’t get much sleep last night. Sara is fine, the claw marks have healed and her suitor has accompanied her home.”

“What about the coyotes?”

“They are facing the punishment of their pack. Their actions have banned the pack from the Crossroads for the next five years. They also have been sentenced to pay reparation to Sara for the poisoning.”

Lee leaned back as a plate of ham, eggs and toast was slid in front of her. “Do you know what the substance was? It wasn’t strictly chemical, there was an herbal and magical component in it.”

Jim nodded and sipped at his coffee. “I would agree on the magical aspect. It made it easier for Chuck to make an antidote. He has written a report that should get the transporters to engage in some screens for this kind of thing. It is the equivalent of human date-rape drugs but stronger and designed to block the shifting ability of the victim.”

Lee nodded and dug into her food, eating before he had his, another taboo down the tubes. His stack of pancakes with a separate plate of bacon made her smile, cats needed protein and they tended to be direct about getting it.

“I see you have an appetite.” He admired her huge platter of food.

“I do. It is my one constant.” She didn’t add that she normally had to wait until her father and brothers ate their fill. The rarity of hot food was not lost on her, and she quickly ate everything on her plate.

She had barely finished her coffee when Nia was at her side grabbing her cup and filling it with a wink.

Jim’s pancakes seemed to evaporate, but his bacon was tempting. Taking her courage in her hands, she snuck a piece of bacon off his plate and received nothing more than raised eyebrows in response. Her grin of triumph as she nibbled at the crispy treat was unmistakable.

She stared at him with unabashed interest. In the light of day, his cheekbones were not as harshly cut as the shadows had made it seem.

He flicked her a look. “Most lions are tawny, your hair is dark.”

Lee smiled. “It is a recessive gene. Not a lot of my family have it. Thankfully, it has caused a delay in my father finding me a mate. One of my younger sisters is already married.”

“So, no one wanted you because of your hair colour?”

She shrugged. “More or less. I stood out, and in a pride, no one but the male is to stand out.”

“Bastards.” He finished off his pancakes and bit through the bacon viciously.

“You won’t find me arguing. My brothers are beginning to show attitude, and it hurts me to think that they will turn into their father if they survive to adulthood.” She shuddered at the mental image of the two oldest fighting and stopping when they sensed their father approaching in lion form. Both of her oldest brothers now wore the scars that their father had imprinted them with, just like Lee’s.

The price of being noticed was pain. It was something that her father drummed into them from the time they were cubs. The bits of affection that her mother had been able to provide her with had made Lee what she was today, hiding in a pocket dimension and trying to find a man.

Lee exhaled sharply. “Well, I suppose I should resume my hunt. Where do you think likely men are going to be at this time of day?”

He jerked as if he was struck. Jim paused and smiled slowly.

Lee knew that smile. It was the smile of a hunter. She could even see a little bit of fang.

“I will show you where they are likely to be hiding at this time of day. Most won’t be up, but there is an area where you can shift and have a run if you like.”

Lee fought tears. “Really? Could we do that first?”

Jim got to his feet and nodded to Nia. “Yes, Lee, we definitely could.”

Lee slid from the booth, her icon clicking on the surface. “I think I have to pay.”

“Breakfast is on me. It is the least I can do for what you did for Sara.” He wrapped an arm around her waist and steered her out of the café.

“I wanted to do it. I am rarely allowed to offer help unless I am at work. When she said no, it was all I needed.”

She could tell that Jim was altering his stride to match hers. It sent a warm spiral down her spine. His arm around her waist increased the sense of warmth.

“Where are we going?”

He chuckled. “There is a field behind the bed and breakfasts that borders on the forest. We can run there and enjoy the sunlight.”

“I can’t remember the last time I shifted.” She sighed and tried to remember, but the memories struck pain and humiliation, so she receded.

“You do a remarkable partial shift if I may say so. I have rarely seen a woman who can stay upright with claws and paws.” Jim waved at two men who were busy at work building a structure using nothing but hand tools.

“What are they building?”

“It’s an adjunct to the Meditation Centre. You have to keep the beavers busy or they start ripping down the older buildings and starting all over again.” He smiled brightly.

“How many beavers are here?”

“Four family groups. There are a few of us that do not fit into the human world anymore, like Chuck. His eyes are fixed, and he has embraced his Naga heritage. He still manages an active creative life, but his future is here.”

“The serpent eyes. Can’t he just use contacts?”

“His second lids pop them off.”

They were on a charming walk through morning at the Crossroads. A few wobbly couples were making their way to the Meditation Centre and others were heading for the café.

An open path behind the Victorian B&B’s led to a strange structure. “What is this?”

“It’s a change room, literally. You can leave your clothing and shoes here in complete safety. The charm that you use for purchases will shift with you so keep it on.”

She broke free of his grip and lunged for the first open kiosk. A shimmering veil dropped into place the moment she was inside. Curious, she stepped toward it and the veil lifted. “Cool.”

Her clothing came off in seconds, and she folded them, putting them on a shelf at the back of the kiosk. Lee breathed deeply and reached inward for her lioness. There was no need to reach, she came roaring to the surface and wrapped herself around Lee in a way she had never been allowed to before.

Lee bounded out of the change room and bounced into the meadow. She shook her fur out and twitched her tail.

Jim streaked out of the change room next to hers, and as he cleared the doorway, the gauzy film closed it. The enormous tiger ran to her and stroked his head against hers. She returned the greeting, scent marking him as he had her.

His eyes were closed for a moment before he opened them and jerked his head. She followed his lead, and before she knew it, she was running.

Her muscles extended and bunched as she felt the green of the grasses collapsing under her paws. It was glorious.

She jumped at the butterfly that passed her and followed it through the meadow.

The huff came a moment before Jim tumbled her through the grasses. She rolled free and shook her head. She crouched, her head and shoulders low while her hind legs prepared to spring.

When Jim turned toward her, she lunged and caught him in the centre of his ribs, knocking him to his back. She didn’t stop. She kept moving past him and turned to crouch in attack posture again.