Before she could escape the unnerving presence of the guards, the heavy oak door of her father’s office creaked open. Her father emerged, a grim expression on his face.
“Mia,” he bit out, his voice as icy as his demeanor. His gaze was as cold and distant as ever, treating her not as a daughter but as a commodity under his control. “Get dressed. We’re hosting a party tonight.”
Swallowing the lump in her throat, she nodded. “Yes, father.”
Any sign of disobedience could incite his fury, something she had borne the brunt of far too often. His word was law, a notion he drilled into everyone who worked for him. He had never treated her with anymore care than he did any of his employees and she didn’t expect him to start now.
She watched as her father stalked away, flanked by his guards. The scent of his expensive cologne still lingered in the air, a stark contrast to the bitter taste of fear that filled her mouth. The harsh echo of their laughter resonated in the vast hallway long after they had left.
Retreating to the sanctuary of her room, Mia allowed herself a moment to breathe deeply and calm down. As she gazed out of her bedroom window, the soft fabric of her drapes brushed against her fingers, the only gentle touch she had felt all day. She longed to shift into her leopard form so that she could run. She felt stronger in that form. Safer. There were times when she wished she could live in her other form permanently. At least as a leopard she was better able to protect herself. She crossed the room to her dressing table and sat on the stool in front of it. Her determined eyes stared back out at her. Leopard or human, she was not powerless.
Her hands trembled slightly as she retrieved a cellphone from one of the drawers. The device felt like a lifeline in her grasp. She brought up a number then hit dial before putting the cell to her ear.
“I have more information,” she whispered into the receiver when her handler at the FBI answered.
She quickly relayed the information she had overheard then hung up the call. She was taking a risk by speaking to her from inside the house, but an unavoidable one. She didn’t think her father distrusted her enough to plant any sort of listening device in her bedroom but living in a house filled with shifters who all had excellent hearing abilities meant that she always needed to be careful.
Every bit of information she could give her handler led her a step further into danger but also a step closer to freedom—if she could stay alive long enough to enjoy it.
She turned to gaze out of her window at the setting sun, and her room grew darker as if the day echoed her thoughts. But the fire in her heart blazed brighter than ever and she was even more determined to help the FBI bring her father to justice. The path was treacherous, but Mia was ready to fight. She had been a pawn in her father’s deadly game for far too long. It was time for her to make her own move.
With her resolve strengthening, she opened her closet and selected an outfit for the party. She had lots of classy, expensive dresses, but her father would want her to wear something sleazy and overly revealing, all the better to distract his business associates so that he would have the upper hand in his negotiations. She shivered in revulsion as she picked out a backless silver dress that barely covered her modesty. Soon, she told herself as she started to get ready, her days of being paraded around like cattle in a market would finally be over.
Mia wished, not for the first time, that she had someone she could talk to about her troubles, but even if there was someone willing to listen, she didn’t think she would be able to trust them.In her world, people were only out for what they could get. The wives of her father’s associates were as fake as their eyelashes. She’d learned that the hard way. No, she had no one she could count on. She had been alone ever since her mother had ended her own life five years ago. She knew that her father had driven her mother to it, but it was hard not to resent her mom for taking the easy way out. Mia wouldn’t do that. Besides, she had something to live for now. She wouldn’t rest until her father was locked up in prison where he belonged.
Chapter Three
Max
Max sat up straighter in his chair, listening carefully to the information that was being relayed from the meeting at his field office in San Antonio. He had been back from Afghanistan for over a week and had yet to be given another mission. He was sick and tired of paperwork and his inner tiger was getting antsy. It had been too long since they’d been able to run, to unleash their full strength and speed…
Max blinked, and for a moment, he wondered if he had zoned out and misheard his superior. He cocked his head to the side and frowned.
“I’m sorry. Did you say, big cat attacks?” he interrupted. “Here in Texas?”
Senior Officer Miller nodded. “Jaguars to be precise. There has been a string of fatalities in the past week alone.”
“What’s that got to do with the CIA?” Max enquired.
“Aside from the fact that there are no jaguars in Texas,” Carter interjected.
Max knew that the officer was a shifter like him, but unlike Max, Carter was a mountain lion. Other than his species, Max knew little about the man. They had never worked together on a mission and Max never socialized with his work colleagues.
Miller nodded. “Exactly, our intel suggests that the jaguars are shifters.”
“Still not understanding what that has got to do with the CIA,” Max said. “Isn’t this a job for the police?”
“What he said,” Carter added.
Max rolled his eyes.
Senior Officer Miller glared at each of them in turn. “If you’ll let me finish, I’ll tell you. Our intel suggests the shifters are Mexican. And if Mexican nationals are killing Americans on American soil, then technically that is our jurisdiction.”
It wasn’t actually, because the CIA were not permitted to operate within the US, but Max kept silent about that because he was just grateful to have something to do other than paperwork.
“You’re right, Max, this is something that would usually be taken care of by the police,” Senior Officer Miller continued. “But there aren’t any big cat shifters on the force in San Antonio, and we think someone of your species would prove useful on this case, so the CIA are going to lend the police a helping hand. I want you out in the community gathering intel. Carter, I want you researching from here please. You’re back up if Max needs it.”
“Why do I get to be back-up?” Carter complained. “Can’t Mr Cold and Unapproachable here hug a desk?”
