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“A Tasmanian devil and a snow leopard?”
“Not any weirder than, say, a polar bear and a cave lion.”
Derek chuckled. “Point taken. As long as you’re okay…”
“I am, but thanks for checking.”
“Then I’ll head out and do another circuit through town.”
“Be careful.”
“I’m a polar bear, and I have a gun.”
“Yes, you do.”
Winter nursed her scotch, and as the crowd started to thin out, she made the decision to head back to Windsong. She was opening the door to her SUV when she heard a crackling noise behind her. Before her brain could process just what it was, fifty thousand volts of electricity hit her in two contact spots in her back. Winter could feel her muscles seize up as her knees buckled. As she began to lose consciousness, she realized that a taser was a superior weapon to a gun. Someone could shift with a bullet, but the voltage delivered by a taser interrupted a shifter’s ability to shift, as did an iron collar placed around the neck.
Fortunately, the effects of the taser, especially a loss of consciousness, didn’t last but a minute or two. The problem was that it was more than enough time for her assailants to put a black hood over her head and secure it with what she was sure was an iron collar. She tried to call forth her snow leopard and could not do so. She was dragged to some kind of van or panel truck, tossed onto the hard floor and forced to listen as a door slid shut.
Blinded and unable to shift, Winter threw a punch in the direction of the sound of someone moving close by. Her arms were seized by two men—she was pretty sure they were male and shifters—and her wrists were forced close together. As Sean had done, they secured her wrists with zip ties. She kicked out and managed to back her way into the corner of the vehicle. After several failed attempts to bring her under further control, the two goons in the back with her left her alone, allowing Winter to try and focus on the twists and turns of the erratic driving as well as speed and distance.
Sean. He crept into her mind even now. She tried to reach out to him via the bonding link, but the taser and the iron collar seemed to have damaged that somehow. Perhaps if they’d had more time. No; she wasn’t going to think like that. They would have all the time in the world. She would find a way back to him or he would find her. If she knew nothing else, she knew her mate would come looking for her, and whoever these bastards were, they were about to get a lesson in what happens when you threaten an alpha snow leopard’s mate.
Winter was glad of the hood as those who had taken her couldn’t see the smile she could feel forming. Here she was, hooded, handcuffed, and collared—which in the right circumstances might be kind of fun—and instead of being frightened, she was focused on her mate. The scariest thing she could think of was her growing feelings for the snow leopard who’d claimed her. She wasn’t at all sure how she felt about that, but there was some reassurance in the knowledge that between him and Colby, these guys would regret ever having touched her—if they survived.
CHAPTER16
SEAN
Sean and Colby continued to strategize about a coordinated attack on the Shadow League.
“You’re really all right with Winter remaining here at Windsong?”
“I never said that. Winter will return with me toCuraidh, but I know she is needed here for the time being, and I think she can do what you need her to do from Scotland. In fact, it wouldn’t be the worst idea to throw the Shadow League off by having me haul her away kicking and screaming.”
Colby sat back. “I see how that works for you, but I’m going to need a good beta in place before this all goes down.”
Sean nodded. “And I have an idea about that. Hamish is one of the strongest, most courageous warriors I’ve ever known. He is as loyal and honorable as they come. I also think he is developing feelings for Trudy.”
Perking up, Colby said, “Are you thinking we exchange betas?”
“It’s not unheard of in the Highlands between two closely allied clans.”
“I think it’s an inspired idea. I also think you are far more Machiavellian than your mate might think.”
“Oh, I don’t know, I tend to be far more straightforward than that, but you have to admit it makes sense. Or maybe Hardaway and your sister can come here, and Trudy and Hamish go to the MacLeans.”
Colby nodded. “Certainly, a lot to think about. Let’s go get those VINs and get them to Jax. He can run them down, and I think it will make him feel better that he’s not being excluded.”
“I sense there’s history there,” said Sean.
“There is. Jax, Asher Wells, and I grew up as the best of friends. We raised a lot of hell together. When we joined the Navy, they were both recruited by the SEALs. I was recruited by Naval Intelligence. It was while I was there that I first started picking up threads about the Shadow League. Twice they tried to have me killed. One of those times I was in the field with another team, and when they tried to get me, they managed to kill everyone but me. I knew in order to keep my friends safe, I had to distance myself from them.”
“A reasonable conclusion and action to take.”
“Yes, but neither was easily dissuaded…”
“So, you became a gangster,” Sean said with a smile.
