Renea turned and ran back down the path wondering why there was a tiger shifter chasing her so desperately. She knew this was the same man from last night. The same feelings and everything told her she needed to escape this man. If he caught her, she feared it would be deadly. Renea ran with all her might. She even went so far as to draw in some panther strength and energy to help her. She made it to the edge of the park, no one was in view as almost everyone was at work at this time of day or still at home asleep. A few cars could be seen off in the distance and there were stores open along the street she had come out on. Renea glanced back to see the Tiger still following but she had gained some lead on it.
This can't be good for the shifter community if this man takes his tiger through downtown. I have to find a place to hide.Knowing it was her only option of escape, she ran harder and turned the corner. When she did, she ran into a store and closed the door behind her. Panting and pretending everything was okay she turned around and walked down an aisle. Looking around she noticed it was some kind of toy store. Toys of all kinds lined the shelves. Anything from old wooden pull toys to modern robots and model airplanes. There was something for everyone in here. She heard someone come up behind her and whipped around frantic.
"Whoa, it's okay. I didn't mean to startle you!" A familiar voice stated. Renea had turned around and there stood Dante, the man who had nearly broken her nose. "What is wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost?" He asked once she had turned and he got a look at her sweating, frantic state.
"Someone is chasing me," she tells him hurriedly.
"What do you mean?" He turns and walks to the door without waiting and opens it stepping outside. He came back inside after a moment and locked the door behind him. "I don't see anyone out there now." He states. "Explain who and why there is someone following you." He says gently. He leads her behind the front counter to a small chair there. He sits her down and hands her a bottle of water. He folds his arms across his chest and leans against the counter waiting for her to catch her breath and tell her story.
Renea studied Dante, wondering why this man would help her when they had barely met. He seemed generally concerned and was ready to listen to her. He was wearing a pair of dark blue jeans and a light blue button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up just below his elbows. The shirt wasn't buttoned all the way up and allowed her the easy view of his muscular chest peeking from underneath. Renea's breathing finally calmed and she told Dante of the event and the tiger/man that was chasing her. Her uneasy feelings about all this and that she wasn't sure what she should do. He was following her sure but why? Why was this man so desperate to get to her?
Dante listened intently to her retelling of events. He didn't say anything and stiffened only slightly when she was retelling the chase, other than that, Renea couldn't tell what his feelings were about all of this.Am I just crazy or imagining all of this?She asked herself.
Dante straightened, "Was the event you were at the one for the community center for the children?" Renea shook her head yes. Dante smiled, " I was supposed to be there but didn't feel like going to another function alone." He chuckled. "Though if I had known you were to be there maybe I would have gone." He winked at her and broadened his smile. "Now let's see what we can do about your mystery man. I know a man or two in security over there. Let me make some calls and see what we can find out. You just sit right there and I'll be back in a moment. There are snacks in the common area over to the right there." He had already begun walking away from her before she could even protest.
Caleb
Caleb pulled away from the curb outside of Renea's building. He hated that he had to drop her off early but he knew something wasn't right with the event tonight. Caleb studied the man's face on his phone as his driver took him back home. He wasn't sure who the man was targeting. Was he targeting Caleb as the event organizer or was he looking for Renea in some twisted way of getting to Caleb? Or was the agenda something else entirely. There had been a hidden camera in the room. One not connected to the system. It was old school and used for this very reason. In the event that someone did manage to get into our systems then it would still be recording. Even if we could not access it remotely and had to wait to pull the footage, it would still be there when we did. Caleb had his boys pull the footage the moment they left. They had the guy's face at least but that was about it. The man appeared to be a ghost though. He wasn't anywhere in any system.
This wasn't as surprising as some thought as there were still shifter families that chose to live off the grid. They didn't want to integrate with humans. It was a risky move for us, as humans still don't know of our existence. Select few may have known over the years but none have said anything openly. It has been a well kept secret since the beginning of time. Of course, most things that go bump in the night have been kept secret. Humans would panic and while most may accept it, in the end they would not be able to accept it fully.
Caleb stepped out at his house, thanked the driver with a tip, and watched the man pull away. He had hired the driver for the night not only for an excuse to sit in the back with Renea but as extra protection for her. Caleb had pissed off a few people over the years. Usually no one knew it was him behind the scenes but there were rare occasions when his identity had been leaked or revealed. This left him a target on his bad days. While he could care less about himself and the bulls eye on his back, Renea did not deserve his backlash to fall on her.
He turned and walked inside the house. It was a beautiful two story house that allowed him plenty of room. Josh was also staying at the house. Josh had stuck close to him for a while now. He was an upbeat part of Caleb, that he rarely ever allowed himself. Josh mostly stuck to the second floor though and Caleb to the first. Unless Josh was in a mood to bug him then he didn't see him every day.
Caleb went to the office down the long hallway. He sat behind the desk as he booted his computer up. Caleb spent the next few hours looking into the events of the night and this mysterious man. Coming up empty though, he stood and went to his bedroom to change and catch some sleep. He would catch up with his team in the morning and see if they had been more successful than he had been.
A phone ringing brings Caleb out of his sleep. He glances at the time as he slides the green button over.Damn not even an hour of sleep,he thought agitated. "This better be good, Greg." He answered with a growl.
"Well sir, we just got a call you may want to know about. It was about Renea."
Caleb stiffens and shouts when Greg hesitates, "Spit it out then man."
"Sir, a man was reported as chasing Renea through the park and downtown in Tiger form. Dante called it into some of the guys in hopes to figure out what was happening, about an hour ago, and it just reached me. She apparently hid in his shop because it was one of the few open at that time. He calmed her down and then reported to the boys after she told him what happened and where she was last night."
Caleb thanked the man and hung up. He threw on some clothes and grabbed his keys as he headed out the door. Caleb climbed into his SUV and raced off toward downtown in hopes that Renea was still at Dante's shop.I should never have left her last night. I should have brought her back to the house. I don't know who this man is and why he is after Renea but if something happens to her, I will never forgive myself.
Dante
Dante hung up the phone with the security boys he knew. He hadn't learned much other than the security breach that Renea had told him about was very deliberate and impossible to figure out how they managed to do it.
Coming from the top-notch security team that they are that is saying something. Their systems are legendary and for someone to so easily get into their system, well that is a miracle in and of itself.
Dante walks out to find Renea had moved into the common room to grab herself a cup of water. She was standing with her back to him and he took a moment to study her features. Her long lean legs told him she was a natural runner. Someone that would give as good as she takes. There are muscles running along her back and upper arms that suggested a quiet and elegant strength. A strength that if pushed would be deadly. Her hair was wild in her ponytail from running and sweat. Even though she was sweaty she still carried this scent about her that was so unique. A scent that drove Dante wild. He stepped into the doorway and leaned against the frame crossing his arms over his chest. Renea heard him and spun around wildly. He could still see the terror in her face as she did so. She relaxed slightly as she realized it was only Dante but did not turn back around.
"I didn't find out much of anything on our mystery man other than well he is a mystery. They don't know who he is or what he wants. They did catch a picture of him though from the event last night. I told them to send it to me when they had a chance."
Renea nodded in acknowledgement and sipped her water. "I am sorry to trouble you with this. I didn't even realize I had stepped into your store until I saw you."
Dante waved his hand at her, "It is truly no trouble at all. I am glad it was my store you stepped into instead of another. I had opened early this morning because I had a client that needed to pick up a custom birthday present for her son and could only come by this morning before work." Dante moved closer to Renea as he talked and leaned on the counter next to her. He was not touching her but was close enough that when she moved occasionally their arms rubbed against each other.
"Thank you for helping me. Not many would do so. Especially not a wolf." Renea looked at the floor as she said so and Dante lifted his eyebrows at her boldness even though Renea didn't see him she felt him stiffen.
"And why would I not? What does me being a wolf have to do with protecting you." He leaned into Renea as he replied running his nose across her throat dragging in her scent as he did.
Renea shivered but didn't pull back from him. "Well, being a feline myself you would think a canine and feline would not get along well together."
Dante pulled back and stiffened. "Surely you are joking." He leans in and sniffs again. "You do not smell like a feline shifter. They usually smell different to me."
