Shift: A Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance Read online

  I rapped a few times before Anthony opened it.

  He smiled. “Much better. Hayden will be pleased.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Where is this Hayden?”

  “Right this way.”

  I followed him down a different staircase than the one we used the night before.

  It emptied at the bottom of a hallway. It was narrow and dark. Before I could adjust to the light, Anthony opened the doors to the dining room.

  “You can go in,” he instructed.

  It was strange that I wanted him to go with me. I didn’t know who I was going to meet. And suddenly it scared the shit out of me.

  9

  Case

  “Who let this happen?” I glared at the Tribe. I stared into each and every pair of eyes that stood before me.

  No one answered.

  “I asked a question. Who was watching Cadence?” My roar was deafening. “Anyone? Was there anyone at her door? Was anyone watching her? Was anyone protecting her?”

  “We were all in the meeting.” Caroline was the only one brave enough to respond.

  I spun toward her. “And the other girls? Where were they? She was the only human in the damn house. How did this happen? An entire compound with shifter hearing and shifter guards and not one of you realized she had been taken?”

  My jag was furious. Livid. Anger boiled in my blood. How in the hell had this happened? Where in the hell was my mate?

  Drew’s hand rested on my shoulder. “We’ll find her.”

  I clenched my teeth. “Yes we will.” There was no other option.

  The door slammed to the kitchen and Bey ran in. Her eyes were frantic and her hair wild.

  She was out of breath. “I found something.”

  Everyone looked at her.

  Donovan walked toward her. “Maybe we could talk in another room,” he suggested.

  “No.” I stopped him. “Maybe it will tell us where to start looking. What is it Bey?”

  She extended her hand. “It was on the floor under the table.”

  I took the balled up piece of paper and unraveled it. The air was still around me as I read the note.

  I scanned the message. “Where did this come from?”

  “From the Litchfield compound they use in town. It was where they called the meeting.”

  “What does it say?” Drew tried to read it over my shoulder.

  “It says that the Maddox heir is in play,” I whispered.

  “What?” Drew looked at me and then Francesca, his mate.

  I ran my hands through my hair and walked out of the room, leaving my soldiers. I had to think. I needed space. I needed air.

  Drew was on my heels.

  “Wait. What does that mean?”

  He chased me into the study. Our father stared down at us. I reached for the bourbon.

  “Close the door.”

  He locked it. “What heir? I thought Cadence couldn’t…” He was as embarrassed to say it aloud as I had been.

  No one else in the Tribe knew. Drew was family, though. I had told him what the Keeper had told Cadence and me, after the Council had been destroyed, about the shifted magic. He knew that I wanted an heir. And if I didn’t have one, the Maddox line passed to him.

  “She can’t.” I finally spoke. “I don’t know what in the hell it means. There isn’t an heir. It’s some kind of sick twisted joke. Someone trying to remind me that the Maddox line is mine to lose.”

  I kicked back the bourbon.

  Drew shoved his hands in his pockets. “I’m sorry, brother. I know this is hard. But we’ll find her. We’ll bring her back.”

  “It’s my fault, you know. I left her up there too long. I never should have let her out of my sight. Never.”

  “You can’t say that. And you can’t drink.” He took the tumbler from my hand. “You need to get out there and look for her. No one can find his mate better than a mate.” He attempted a smile.

  The darkness filled my head. “I don’t have a mate line with her,” I snarled. “She’s human.”

  “But you know her better than anyone. Her scent. Her sound. You are her mate. Go find her.”

  I held out the note for him. “And what does this mean? Why is this the correspondence?”

  Drew read it again. His forehead furrowed in concentration. “I don’t get it either. If they left it for you to find, they had to be counting on you to scour the location. That doesn’t seem likely.”

  I groaned, staring at the ceiling.

  And then I thought about the timing. I thought about the note getting passed last night. I thought about the glitter in the woods. I thought about how all of the magic had changed.

  “Damn it.” My chest tightened. I looked at my brother. “Cadence is pregnant.”

  “What?”

  My heart swelled. It was the magic. The bonding. It had happened. And she knew it. She had practically glowed the entire way back to Charleston. And when she pressed me for more time I pushed her away. She knew our bonding had created our baby. She knew as soon as it happened.

  And then I felt the fear rip through me.

  “Drew, we have to find her. She’s carrying my cub. I want everyone out of this house now. Everyone searching the city. Bring in more shifters. Bears. Foxes. I don’t give a shit. Call the damn Nox. But find her.”

  “You’re going to be a dad?”

  I scowled at him. “Not how I thought this would go down, but yes. And my mate and baby are out there.”

  He clasped my shoulder. “We’ll bring them back.”

  “Don’t tell the others, though. I want them focused on Cadence.”

  “Got it. We’ll find her.”

  He turned for the door.

  “Thanks,” I whispered and watched as my brother left to order the Tribe to form a search party for my family.

  10

  Cadence

  He was tall. I don’t know what I had been expecting in a menacing kidnapper, but it wasn’t good looks and a charming smile.

  “Your majesty.” Hayden bowed as I walked toward the mahogany dining table.

  My eyes pierced together. “And what should I call you? Mr. Kidnapper? Sir Abductor? Her Hostage-Taker?”

  He chuckled. “I see you have a sense of humor about your stay.”

  He pulled a chair out for me.

  “I wouldn’t call my stay anything that I consider to be humorous.” I let him slide the chair forward as I sat.

  Hayden walked to the other side of the table and sat. It wasn’t only his height. He had broad shoulders and the kind of waist I was sure was on the cover of men’s magazines. He was a walking piece of art. A piece of art I hated and despised.

  He smiled. “How is your room?”

  “Claustrophobic,” I responded.

  “I’m sorry to hear that. I do have a larger suite. I’ll have Anthony move you.”

  I shook my head. “I don’t think that will help.”

  His eyes glowed brightly. “Whatever you wish, your majesty.”

  “What I wish is to leave. Can I do that?”

  He shook his head. “I’m afraid not.” He sat back as a plate was served.

  I wanted to protest the food, but I was starving and the omelet looked delicious. I also had a feeling that avoiding food wasn’t going to help the baby.

  “Please eat,” he urged.

  I picked at a piece of bacon.

  There was fruit, oatmeal, muffins, and yogurt.

  “I had the chef read up on all the most nutritious meals for pregnancy.” He smiled at my shocked expression.

  “How did you—”

  “Ahh, I have a lot of information about you.”

  “But I—that’s not possible. You can’t know.”

  He poured orange juice into a crystal glass. “But I do know. I’ve been waiting for just this bit of news.”

  My hands instinctively moved to my belly as if I could shield the baby from whatever was coming next.

  “I haven’t told anyo
ne.” I stared at him. He had to be bluffing.

  “Then, that makes this an even transition for all of us.”

  “Transition?”

  Hayden sat back. “This is a rather heavy breakfast discussion. Would you rather sit in the sunroom?”

  I nodded. I didn’t know why. But I wasn’t able to continue eating after discovering he knew about the baby. I followed him through what seemed like a maze until we ended up at the back of the house in a sun-filled room. It overlooked a small pond. The lawn was impeccably landscaped. I spotted a gardener, pruning roses.

  “This might be more comfortable for you.” Hayden led me to a cushioned chair.

  Once I was settled he began again. “I’m sure you are aware that I’m interested in the Maddox territory here.”

  I nodded. “I am.”

  “And I have discovered a way to put an end to any bloodshed before it begins.”

  I leaned forward, hoping he had some kind of olive branch to extend.

  “What is that?” I asked.

  He grinned. “You’re going to marry me.”

  My jaw dropped. My heart almost stopped beating.

  “I-I’m not single, Hayden.”

  “Technically, you never had a wedding. The official bonding ceremony with your mate has yet to take place. I can fight for you.”

  I shook my head. “No. I’m not available. I love Case. I’m his mate. He’s mine.”

  Hayden leaned forward and I felt his energy enter the space around me. He smelled good. He should smell evil and repulsive, but he didn’t.

  “Your personal pledge to each other means nothing to me. There has been no blood ceremony. No witnesses. You are very much available.” He grinned. “And it surprises me. Case has always been so thorough. So detailed. And then somehow, he forgot to do this one thing.”

  “It doesn’t matter. I’m not marrying you.”

  “Well, you can agree to be my wife and things can be peaceful. No one will get hurt. No one will die. Not a drop of blood will be shed. I promise you that.” He took my hand. I tried to pull it out of his grip, but he held it firmly. “Or, you can fight me on it. And that means I’ll fight Case for you. The Tribe will come to defend you. They will fight the Litchfields. And jaguars will die. Maybe some of those pretty panthers too. I’m not sure how many, but there has never been a war without death.”

  My hand hurt from where he held it.

  “I’m having his baby,” I pleaded. “Case is never going to give up this baby.”

  “Does he know?”

  And as soon as the question was off his lips I betrayed Case. My eyes darted to the ground.

  “He doesn’t know.” Hayden smiled. “I thought so. That’s why the timing of your invitation had to be so well planned. We were waiting for almost the minute the baby was conceived.”

  My eyes lifted to his. “You knew when the baby was conceived?”

  “Shifter magic has changed. But I’m afraid Case has been so busy chasing his tail trying to catch me, that he hasn’t studied all the new ways. He was too focused on the past. Not the future. The glitter used to signal a panther’s submission. Now it signals a new shifter in the line. He would have known that if he had the magical allies I do.”

  I finally pulled my hand free. “It doesn’t matter what he knows about the new magic. What matters is that this is his child.”

  “It’s mine.” Hayden’s palm landed on my stomach and I squirmed in protest.

  “No,” I shook my head, jumping from the chair. “That is never going to happen.”

  “It is going to happen. You’ll marry me. We’ll raise this as our child and we’ll rule Charleston and all of my lands in Florida.”

  “You’re insane. I would never betray Case that way. And you aren’t getting your hands on my baby.”

  Hayden rose next to me, his frame towering over mine. “Love, you need to think about whether you’re willing to risk the lives of everyone you know. Because that’s what you’re choosing. You’re asking them to sacrifice their lives for yours. And that includes Case.”

  My stomach rolled with what he said. I almost collapsed, but Hayden scooped me up.

  “Put me down,” I protested.

  He tucked a pillow under my knees. “I shouldn’t have said so much. I’m sorry, Cadence.”

  He looked genuinely upset, but I hated him. I hated every part of him. His pretty face. His strong hands. He was the devil.

  “Why are you doing this?” I asked. “Why are you involving my baby in your plan? My baby is innocent.” The tears fell from my lashes.

  “Our baby,” he corrected me. “You will marry me, Cadence.”

  I’d had enough. I threw the pillow across the room and jumped up to run.

  “Anthony!” Hayden called and in a flash Anthony appeared, blocking my exit from the sunroom.

  “Please take Cadence to her room. She needs to rest.”

  I turned to glare at him.

  “I’ll check on you later,” he dismissed me while Anthony’s hand gripped my upper arm.

  “Back upstairs.”

  11

  Case

  I wanted to howl at the moon, but it wasn’t up yet. With each passing minute, I grew increasingly worried that Cadence was being moved farther away from me. By now, she could be anywhere in the city.

  Bey was scouting all of her contacts. Donovan had brought in a line of bear shifters. Josh and Drew were on patrol.

  Eli and Ronan had found my abandoned SUV at a warehouse on the edge of town. It was filled with Cadence’s scent, but after that spot we lost it. I could only assume she had been handed off and moved from there.

  Noah drove me to the warehouse. I wanted to perform recon myself. I couldn’t sit at the compound and wait for reports. Drew was right. I needed to be out looking for her.

  I combed the parking lot. I walked the wharf. And came up empty. There was nothing here.

  My phone rang. It was Noah. “Tell me you have something.”

  “Bey has done some more digging.”

  “Ok.”

  Noah continued. “It looks like the Litchfields are moving in and out of the city. They’ve been spotted on the same road.”

  “Which road?” I asked.

  “Taylor’s Point. There’s not much out there.”

  “I’m on it. I don’t care.”

  “Come back here and we can go together.”

  I shook my head. “No. I have to find her. Call me if Bey hears anything else.”

  I hung up and took off for the route. The name sounded familiar, but I didn’t remember why until I saw the Keeper’s cottage.

  Her driveway was empty. I took a chance and barged inside.

  She rose from the fire. “Your majesty.” She bowed.

  “Where is she?” I demanded. “Where is Cadence?”

  The keeper’s eyes widened in fear. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “The Litchfields have her. And they’ve been coming here. What do you know about it? What are they doing?”

  The woman backed up toward the wall, but I followed after her. I’d slice her to shreds if I had to. I didn’t give a damn about her.

  “I-I don’t know much.”

  My fingers wrapped around her throat. My claws protruded enough to press into her skin. “Much? What do you know?”

  She gasped for air. “They told me to lie to you.”

  “What?” I searched her eyes for answers.

  “About the baby. About Cadence getting pregnant.”

  I released my hold on her. “Tell me what you’re talking about.”

  She rubbed her throat and coughed. “They wanted you to think she couldn’t get pregnant so that you would get her pregnant. That’s all I know.”

  “What in the hell?”

  “I was only the messenger. I don’t know anything about a kidnapping.”

  My hands were around her neck again, shoving her against the wall. “Messenger, huh? You lied to me. You lied to
my mate. And now she’s gone.”

  The woman wheezed, gasping for air, but my grip tightened. “Please,” she begged. “I-I didn’t have a choice.”

  “No choice? You’re a Keeper. You know things. You didn’t have anything you could leverage?”

  She squeaked. “I didn’t have time. I didn’t know she was going to be kidnapped. They said she was going to be the queen. She would be treated like a queen. And she is your queen.”

  I let her fall to the floor and backed away. Cadence was my queen as far as I was concerned, but it wasn’t official. She wasn’t the queen of the Tribe.

  “Stupid woman,” I spat at her. “You have no idea what you’ve done. My child is in danger.”

  “I’m sorry,” she cried.

  I didn’t have any more time to waste. I rushed out of the cottage, leaving the door wide open.

  12

  Cadence

  I sat on the big bed until I could no longer fight sleep. Eventually, I curled up into a ball and let the exhaustion win. When I awakened, I realized someone had tucked a blanket to my chin.

  It was almost dark. The sun was setting.

  I sat up, hungrier than I’d been in days.

  Anthony peeked his head inside. “Hayden would like for you to join him for dinner in an hour. There is a gown laid out for you.”

  “No thank you.” I glared.

  “It’s not optional.” He eyed me. “I wouldn’t reject his invitation.”

  “Fine.” I huffed. “What does he want me to wear?”

  “I hung it up for you.”

  “Are you the one who covered me with the blanket?”

  He nodded. “You looked cold.”

  “Thank you.” I walked toward the bathroom to see the gown. My bottom lip dropped in shock.

  It was gorgeous. It was floor-length, with a deep V-cut. The dress was a shade of purple so rich I didn’t think I’d ever seen it before. It shimmered with an incredible glitter woven into the fabric. My fingers drifted over the material.