Palm Haven Shifters: Complete Five-Part Series Page 32

  Then she broke free and bounced on the bed. “Nope, not this one,” she said, leaping from his grasp to the next bed.

  “Catch me if you can, tiger!” She laughed over her shoulder, getting a two-bed head start on him.

  Sean let out a hungry growl. She had no idea what she was tempting him with. If he were a tiger right now, his tail would twitch playfully, his ears going back as he crouched and got ready to pounce…

  He took off after her, bouncing as he did. Sean knew this game wasn’t actually about catching her — though he definitely planned to, eventually.

  “Any good ones?”

  Emily bounced in place and bent down, giving Sean a magnificent glimpse of her ass in those jeans. “What do you think of this pillow?”

  He frowned at the question and shrugged. “It doesn’t do anything for me.”

  She hurled it at him and he only narrowly ducked out of its path. “How about now?”

  “Oh, yeah, the print really sang as it flew by my head, you’re right.”

  Emily laughed and tossed another pillow at him.

  “Hey, are we looking for a bed or having a pillow fight?” Sean teased.

  “Both?” She said, mischief glimmering in her mossy green eyes.

  She didn’t seem uncomfortable around him, he thought hopefully.

  “You asked for it!” He took two pillows in each hand and lobbed them all harmlessly in her direction.

  Emily squealed and leaped to the next bed.

  Sean followed.

  He lodged another attack, hopping to the next bed to close the distance between them.

  Then, when she was bent gathering ammo, he landed behind her and brought them both down as she squeaked in surprise.

  “Truce?” She asked, trying to catch her breath.

  Sean nodded. “Truce.”

  They lay there on the bed for a moment, he was completely entranced with her and she was just catching her breath, laughing.

  “That was pretty close to the most fun I’ve had in this place,” she said.

  Sean itched to reach out and touch her. She spoke to him on so many levels. Emily wasn’t afraid to live. And she wasn’t ashamed of it either.

  He loved that about her.

  “Only pretty close?” He asked with mock offense.

  Emily’s expression turned deadly serious. “I have a lot of fun picking out armoires, I’ll have you know.” Her lips curled into a smirk and Sean found himself drifting towards them. Imagining her taste, the feel of her petal-soft lips against his…

  “I never thought I’d find you again,” he murmured, moments before their lips touched.

  Emily pulled back, confusion in her eyes. “What?”

  Sean cursed himself. That was so careless and now he’d ruined the moment.

  “I never thought I’d find a designer that gets me, I mean,” he said, digging his hole deeper.

  Why couldn’t he just tell her? We met a long time ago and I never stopped thinking of you. Please don’t think I’m creepy or insane.

  And that was the crux of it really. What if she did think he was creepy or insane? Then any chance with her would be lost. He just couldn’t risk it.

  Something vibrated against his leg and Emily jumped back like she’d been shocked.

  “Oh! Oh, that’s me,” she said, fishing in her pocket.

  Sean saw the alarm on her phone and frowned.

  “I’m so sorry,” she said, clasping her hands together, “I promised a friend I’d be somewhere. I had a great time. I’ll have them deliver everything tomorrow, okay?”

  Sean hardly got a chance to nod before Emily was scurrying down the stairs.

  So close.

  This woman would be the end of him.

  Chapter 8

  EMILY

  “There you are! I was about to give up on you,” Ashley waved Emily over, “I already get enough shit for being late on my own without your help.”

  Emily took a second to catch her breath — she parked a couple of blocks away and booked it over, knowing she was tardy. “Yeah, sorry. I was with…” She let out a long exhale, wiping a few beads of sweat from her forehead. “Sean.”

  Ashley grinned. “You’ll have to tell me about it later. Come on.” She dragged Emily by the wrist, not even giving Emily time to admire the recent renovations to the Coven house.

  “I love these faux finishes,” Emily said, her eyes trailing up the textured walls to the lofty ceiling and sparkling chandelier.

  Ashley swatted her arm. “Hey, focus. You’re supposed to be sniffing out darkness or whatever.”

  Emily nodded.

  “But if you ask me this is a big fat waste of your time and you should’ve been spending more time with Mr. Simons,” Ashley said with a little nudge.

  “Well, Sonya seems to think something’s up.”

  Ashley made a face. “But we both know Sonya’s been through a lot and might be seeing monsters in the shadows.”

  Emily crossed her arms, prepared to take a stand for Sonya if it came to it. “But those shadows might belong to monsters Ash. You of all people should know that things aren’t always what they seem.”

  Once upon a time, Ashley hated shifters and now she was shacked up with one.

  “Ugh, whatever,” Ashley conceded as they walked through into the glass-walled solarium.

  They took a couple of seats next to a redhead fiddling with her charm bracelet. Ashley leaned over to whisper something to the girl, but Emily couldn’t hear what she said. She only saw the nod the redhead answered with.

  A cloaked figure sat almost directly across the circle from Emily and the woman offered a thin smile. “Welcome, sister. Is this your first meeting?”

  Her aura shimmered bright silver, nearly platinum and Emily squinted a little.

  “No, but the first in many years, yes.”

  “Sage, this is Emily Westcott,” Ashley offered helpfully.

  The woman’s hood bobbed in understanding. “I’ve heard much about you.”

  Emily was on the verge of asking what Sage had heard and how incriminating it might be when another cloaked woman entered the Solarium and instantly grabbed her attention.

  Emily grabbed Ashley’s arm and squeezed. “Is that her?”

  Ashley cast a sideways glance to Sage who welcomed the new entry and called the meeting to order, before she nodded to Emily.

  A gaping sinkhole opened in Emily’s stomach and Ashley turned to give her a wide-eyed glare.

  “She’s definitely evil,” Emily said without pause, her fingernails digging into Ashley’s arm.

  Ashley pulled away from her grip and whispered, “Are you sure?”

  Emily nodded emphatically. “That is like… the evilest darkest aura I’ve ever seen,” she whispered back. “I have to say something. I have to tell everyone.” She started to stand, but Ashley took the opportunity to grab her by the wrist and yank her back into her seat.

  “Are you crazy?”

  “We can’t just act like everything’s fine.”

  “Eh-hem,” Sage cleared her throat and sent a pointed look in their direction. “A moment of silent meditation, please.”

  Emily bit the inside of her cheek to keep from speaking up. She and Ashley continued their conversation with silent gestures and facial expressions. But Emily had seen enough and she couldn’t sit there anymore.

  She stood from her chair and walked out of the circle, feeling a dozen pairs of eyes follow her out.

  There was only one pair of footsteps that followed her, though: Ashley’s.

  “What is your problem?”

  Emily paced in the open entryway, unconsciously admiring the bay windows and silk-covered window seat in the next room. “My problem? Why won’t you let me say anything? I know she’s tainted now.”

  Ashley huffed. “But you’re still not even a member of our Coven. No one’s going to listen to you. If you’re going to try to besmirch the name of the woman who is essentially our Vice President, you
’re going to need proof.”

  “But if I could just talk to—”

  Ashley held up a hand. “I’m not letting you make any accusations without evidence, Em. For everyone’s sake. You know you can get way ahead of yourself.”

  Maybe Ashley was right, but there was no way Emily was going to admit it right now. She wasn’t getting ahead of herself. Sonya had given an eye-witness account and now Emily had verified it herself.

  What more did Ashley want?

  It didn’t matter. She could work her way through this without Ashley’s help.

  “Fine, whatever. I have work to do,” Emily said, leaving her friend calling after her.

  “Em! Emmy, wait!”

  But Emily didn’t wait. She marched straight back to her car a few blocks away and went home without even glancing in the rearview mirror.

  The moment she walked through the front door, Emily’s eyes landed on Sonya.

  “Hey, Em—”

  “Oh my gosh, you were so right about her, Sonya.”

  “Um?”

  “Esther, she’s totally evil. I don’t know what she’s done, but her aura is nasty and black and eroded.”

  “Right, well, we can talk about tha—”

  “And Ashley wouldn’t let me say anything! I mean, how am I supposed to keep quiet about something like this? Who knows what she’s capable of?”

  “Yeah, that’s tricky, but—”

  “I mean, I get that this is something huge to accuse someone of and it could totally ruin her… And we should have concrete proof, but still! People could be in danger!”

  Emily paused long enough to see Sonya looking toward the hallway, her lips pressed into a thin line.

  “What?”

  Sonya looked hesitant to say anything, but finally she sighed. “Sean’s waiting for you in the office.”

  Emily’s chest tightened and somewhere far off in the house she heard the distinct sound of another light bulb shattering. That was three this week.

  Crap.

  Chapter 9

  SEAN

  When Emily poked her head in through the open doorway, Sean did his very best to appear unconcerned though he was anything but.

  “How much of that did you hear?”

  He clasped his hands in front of him. “My hearing is very good.”

  She sighed. “Of course it is. You’re a tiger.”

  Sean waved her into the seat next to him, though it was her office not his. Emily seemed like she could use some guidance, even if it were only for the simple things.

  She sat, tucking her feet beneath her as she stared over the desk, out the window on the opposite wall.

  “I’d like to help.”

  Emily’s mossy eyes turned to him, her lashes damp. “Why?”

  He shrugged.

  “What kind of help?”

  Sean’s instincts to protect her were running wild. He knew she was distraught. Could smell her fear and hear her rapid pulse. He just wanted to wrap her in his arms and make everything bad go away.

  Starting with whoever this evil witch was.

  “I have friends… Connections, if you will. I have many resources at my disposal Emily and I won’t hesitate to come to your aide. If you’ll let me.”

  Emily hugged herself and shook her head. “No way. You don’t need to get involved with my problems. We have a professional relationship and you shouldn’t have heard any of that. Let’s just worry about getting your house decorated.”

  “Emily, I don’t care about the house. I care about your safety.” The look of wide-eyed surprise she shot him told Sean he may have said too much. Been too open. He cursed himself.

  “Please. Stay out of it, Sean.”

  “So that’s it, then? I’m supposed to forget all of that?”

  She bit her lip, not daring to look his direction and nodded. “I would appreciate that.”

  Sean held back the snappish reply on the tip of his tongue. He didn’t know what she was trying to protect him from. That was his job!

  He stood, knowing she wouldn’t budge.

  “I’m sorry, Emily. I can’t do that.” And he left.

  He tapped his foot on the accelerator as the phone rang once… twice… three times.

  “Come on, pick up.”

  A fourth ring and “Hey, what’s up?”

  “Sloan, we need to talk.”

  “Okay, shoot.”

  “Not on the phone.” Sean looked in the rearview mirror, feeling a prickle like he was being watched.

  Maybe that was just the uneasy sensation that came with the knowledge of a dark witch in your neighborhood.

  “Okay, where?”

  “Same place as last time.” He couldn’t be too careful. He didn’t know what witches were capable of normally — he definitely didn’t want to underestimate one that had gone bad.

  “Alright, fine. I’ll be there in ten.”

  “Perfect,” Sean said, his labored breathing slowing a bit. Sloan would be able to help. Sloan knew more about this than he did. Sloan was mated to a witch with Coven ties.

  Sloan could fix it. He’d have to.

  Because Sean didn’t know what the fuck to do.

  He took the stairs three at a time, not wanting to wait for the glacial elevator. Besides, he could work off some of that nervous energy. Briefly, he considered shifting, letting the tiger loose in the stairwell if only to get rid of all the human fears that could hold him back.

  But there were cameras in the stairwell. He couldn’t be sure who — if anyone — was watching.

  Sloan waited for him just outside the door and Sean hurried them both inside before Sloan asked, again, what was going on.

  Sean blew out a long breath. “You know how you said you think something’s going down soon?”

  Sloan nodded, silent.

  “There’s a witch. In the Coven. She’s dark. I don’t know what that means, but Emily was really freaked out about it and in light of everything else, frankly, I am too.”

  He definitely had Sloan’s interest.

  “Alright,” Sloan said, getting a decanter of brandy from the bar and pouring them both a drink. “Why don’t you tell me everything you know.”

  Sean spared no detail, and when he was through, they both needed a refill.

  “Esther… She’s one of the important ones. She tried to take away Sarah’s guardianship,” Sloan said, his voice low and rough, nearly a growl.

  Sean knew that feeling. Someone threatening his mate made him downright murderous.

  “Well, do you have any ideas on what we do from here?”

  Sloan frowned. “Not solid ones. If we try to go after Esther directly, that will only look more like an act of war on our part. And I’m not going to put Sarah in the position of confronting her.”

  “So what, then?”

  Sloan took another long drink and smacked his lips, “Well, birds of a feather, right? Who do we know on our team that is also a dirty power-hungry shithead?”

  It was Sean’s turn to growl. “Randal.”

  “I always suspected he had some backroom deal with a witch, but I never had any concrete proof. This might be our witch.”

  Sean set his drink down and cracked his knuckles. “Only one way to find out.”

  They waited until dark to leave Sean’s hotel.

  Sean paced until he was sure he’d wear a path in the carpet.

  “Calm down,” Sloan said as the sun dipped below the horizon. “We can take him.”

  “I’m not worried about that. Just… Everything, y’know?”

  Once it was completely dark and the streetlights had come on, they snuck into the night.

  Sloan knew his way around town better than Sean did, so when they shifted, Sean followed in his footsteps, careful to keep out of sight.

  They wouldn’t want there to be reports of tigers roaming the streets — they weren’t exactly native to Central Florida.

  The tigers grazed the outskirts of town, keeping to the thick
ets of pine that surrounded Palm Haven.

  Finally, Sloan stopped and they circled Randal’s spacious ranch-style home. If they could avoid it, they should try not to disturb Randal’s wife — the Elder’s precious daughter.

  Sean took a step forward and in the light of a flood lamp, he saw the feline reflection of another pair of eyes.

  A third tiger stalked forward, baring its huge fangs. Then Randal shifted. “What the hell? I thought you were wolves.”

  Sean shifted too and held in his insult — what kind of tiger couldn’t tell the difference between his own kind and wolves? Despicable.

  Sloan shifted last and Randal’s tension visibly increased when he recognized the man.

  “Alright, y’all need to start talking.”

  In a flash, Sloan had Randal pinned up against a tree, his forearm pressing into the other man’s neck until Randal sputtered and his face turned deep red.

  “I’ve waited a long time to do this,” Sloan said.

  Sean stepped forward, flanking Randal on the other side so escape was impossible.

  “Tell us what you know about Esther,” he said. He wasn’t going to waste time torturing the guy, no matter how much he disliked his attitude. But Sloan looked content to keep him in a stranglehold for the foreseeable future.

  Randal laughed. “That’s what this is about? Jesus. What do you want to know?”

  Sloan threw his body weight into the chokehold and Randal’s head darkened to plum.

  “What business do you have with her?”

  “Why do you need to know?”

  Sloan pressed.

  “Okay okay!” Randal wheezed and Sloan eased off a little. “She was helping me. I had some ah… aspirations.”

  “You mean you wanted to overthrow Cunningham,” Sloan said.

  “Wanted. Past tense. I don’t need to overthrow the old bastard anymore. I’ve got him wrapped around my finger so tight…” The rest of his sentence was cut short when Sloan leaned in again.

  “What did she get out of helping scum like you?”

  Randal shrugged. “She wants a war between the clans. I don’t know why. I didn’t ask as many questions as you two.”

  “And we’re just supposed to take your word for it that she’s behind all of this?” Sean asked.