Chapter 3 #3
Most shifters became aware of their other half as toddlers or very young children.
So, anywhere from two to six years old. There were outliers on both ends for some, but this was the average.
We were taught to control our animals from an early age.
No one wanted their children to be in the grocery store and suddenly turn into a leopard, a wolf, or another species.
We kept our existence from humans a secret.
Most would fear us, and we were hunted enough.
I’d learned from talking to Old Galen and Gal that Fiona was twenty-six.
I had a lot of years on her. I was five hundred and ninety-five.
The average age a leopard lived to was nine hundred years, though some lived longer.
I appeared to be only in my thirties. I wouldn’t show significant aging until I was eight hundred or older.
I wish I were younger, then I’d have more years with Fiona.
However, I’d take the three hundred I might get.
Gal was sixteen and a junior in high school.
Old Galen informed us he was two hundred and fifty-six.
He should look more like he was in his early thirties at the most, but hardships and the loss of his beloved mate Maria had aged him.
He looked to be in his forties. When I learned that, I wondered again why they seemed to have so little money.
I resisted asking. I’d wait until we got to know and trust each other.
All that kept trying to take over my mind, but I pushed it away as much as possible to remain alert.
No one was harming Fiona or her family on my watch.
At the moment, it was seven o’clock in the morning.
Everyone in the Katz house was awake. Gal was hanging out in the kitchen, asking me questions about how I became a Sentinel, what it was like, and so on.
I answered what I could. Old Galen was making breakfast. I tried to take over, but he chased me away.
Gal told me no one messed with his grandad when he was cooking.
You might get lucky, and he’ll allow you to help, at most, I was told.
This morning, he had it all handled. I smelled the breakfast casserole as it baked.
I could hardly wait for it to be done shortly.
I’d heard Fiona moving in her bedroom and the water running in her bathroom. When I listened to the latter, my mind went to images of her naked under the spray. I shut those down. God, keep this up, and you’ll be kicked out when Galen sees you sporting an erection, I warned myself.
“Gal, go tell your sister that breakfast is ready,” Galen directed.
Without a word, Gal went to do his granddad’s bidding. I’d been permitted to set the table and to get out orange juice, a carafe of coffee, creamer, and milk. They were placed in the center of the table for easy access.
I heard footsteps coming up the hall. I could tell Gal from his sister. Her scent intensified, and I inhaled deeply. Her scent reminded me of spring rain, flowers with an earthy musk. My cock wanted to thicken, but I controlled it.
When they entered the kitchen, I noticed she was dressed in clothes similar to those she had on when we picked her up at work last night.
Fiona wore black slacks and a light lilac top.
Her shoes were black, with a small two-inch heel.
Her hair was back in that bun, and small post earrings glinted in her ears.
She was beautiful, wearing barely any makeup.
I could tell she was tired. It showed in her eyes.
“You were called in,” Old Galen stated when he saw her.
She nodded. “Yes, I got the call at five forty-five. They got slammed last night with a big homicide case with multiple bodies. The weekend has a small crew, as you know. Some tests need to be done ASAP before the samples degrade.”
“Did you ask how many others they called to come in before they asked you? How many others will be helping you with this extra work?” Gal asked.
“Gal, enough. I have to do this. We can’t risk losing valuable evidence,” Fiona explained.
She approached the table, and I made sure I was where I could pull out her chair. She hesitated, as if surprised I did it. She gave me a slight nod and a smile. “Thank you,” she said before she sat.
I pushed it in until she was comfortably close to her plate.
Gal carried the casserole to the table. There was already a basket of biscuits, homemade, of course, on it.
My stomach rumbled. Right before we sat down, there was a knock at the door.
I raised an eyebrow at Galen. Was he expecting anyone?
“That should be Gunnar. I forgot to tell you. I texted him this morning and asked him to join us. No need to eat hotel food. It’s never any good,” Galen said.
“I’ll be right back,” I told them before walking off.
I checked out the window to be sure it was my fellow Sentinel. It was. As I opened the door, he smiled and stepped inside. No lingering on the doorstep. He removed his boots once I shut the door.
“Good morning. Something sure smells good. The breakfast they served at the hotel smelled nothing like this. How are you? Good night?” he asked.
“It was fine. No disturbances. Just getting the local vibe down. Galen forgot to tell me until you knocked that he had invited you. I’m warning you, don’t try to hog the food.
The way it smells, I’ll have to cut you if you do,” I threatened as we joined the others.
They heard what I said, and it caused them to chime in with their own humorous threats.
Gunnar thanked Galen for the invite as he washed his hands. When he joined the rest of us, the food was passed around. Fiona wasn’t as talkative as her family, but she did interact. Praise for the meal was shared. It seemed Old Galen had learned how to cook over the years.
It was a quarter to eight when Fiona interrupted the light chatter. “I hate to eat and run, but I’ve got to get to work. Daideo, if you’re finished, let me clean up the plates and the stuff you’re done with. I feel bad enough that I didn’t help cook. You’ve got to allow me to do this.”
“No, you won’t. Get yourself to work. The sooner you get there, the sooner you can return. We’ll take care of these. Gal didn’t cook. He’ll help clean up the mess. Have a good day and come home as soon as you can get away,” her granddad reminded her.
I was on my feet, pulling out her chair before she could push back. I got another one of her surprised, mixed with puzzled glances. She hugged her brother, then hugged and kissed Galen. She smiled at Gunnar. Then, she had to face me.
“Are you taking me, or will Gunnar? Or I could drive myself?” she asked hopefully.
“The last one isn’t happening. You’re stuck with me. If you’re ready, let’s go,” I told her.
She harrumphed but didn’t argue. Within a matter of a few minutes, we were out the door. She was wearing the jacket she'd worn yesterday, and her purse was with her. I bet money she had her gun in there.
I got her situated in the car by opening the door.
Again, she refused to let me help her get into the higher-than-usual SUV.
But when I got in the driver’s side, I leaned over to snatch a hold of her seatbelt.
I pulled it slowly across her. Fiona held her breath but never took her eyes off me.
I noted the vein throbbing in her neck. She wasn’t totally immune to me.
Good. Because I sure as hell wasn’t immune to her, nor did I want to be.
I didn’t cop a feel, though it was tempting. When I was through, I sat back and secured my own. After I started the vehicle and backed out of the driveway, I asked my first question.
“Are you carrying your gun?”
She gave me a roll of her eyes. “What do you think? Yes, I have it. Yes, I know how to use it. I swear I won’t throw it as a projectile, or point it at myself,” she replied, slightly sarcastically.
Dia, God, her smart-alecky attitude made me want to put her over my knee and warm up that sweet ass of hers. The enjoyment I could get out of that punishment slash playing made my cock twitch. I was back to being turned on by her.
“I love that mouth of yours. Just remember, if you go too far, I’ll have to teach you a lesson,” I told her without missing a beat.
My smirk was automatic, too. Immediately, I regretted it. Or I did, until I noticed that instead of pissing her off and having Fiona screaming at me, she blushed and her body threw out pheromones. I’d turned her on. There was no mistaking those. My chest twinged.
“Keep your eyes on the road, not on me. And I was only pointing out how silly you are about me carrying. You act as if you’ve never known a woman who does.”
“Oh, I’ve known a few. It’s just that I didn’t expect the reception I got from you last night. Who taught you how to shoot? Your granddad or someone else? Does Gal know how?” I asked.
I could gather information on them as a family. Knowing their capabilities would be helpful. Maybe Gunnar and I would take the three of them out shooting, not only to assess their abilities, but to build on what they knew. Knowing how to protect yourself and others was always a valuable skill.
“Granddad knows how, and so does Gal. However, at first, Granddad was reluctant to show me.
I asked why, and he blurted that it was the men in the family who were supposed to look out for their women.
I told him that was old-fashioned thinking and that women not knowing how would make themselves targets and victims. He remained stubborn until I came home one day and informed him it was no longer necessary for him to do it.
“Lord, he was upset. He calmed a bit when I told him who showed me. I’ve been out shooting with my family a few times.
Even though Arizona is an open carry without a permit state, I chose to take a state-approved firearms training course to get a concealed weapons permit, a CWP.
It made more sense to me due to my relationship with the police department. ”
“Who showed you?”
“Wally, one of the officers at work. He was adamant I should know how when I told him how Granddad shut me down. Then again, he always wants me to be able to defend myself. He’s shown me self-defense moves, too.”
The smile on her face and the way she said Wally’s name made my hands tighten on the steering wheel.
It took all my restraint not to demand to know if she was seeing him.
Were they more than friends? Somehow, I kept from blurting it out, but Rogue rose, and I swore he was pacing inside of me.
Needing to change the subject, I diverted her attention to what she planned to accomplish today and asked her how often she was asked to work extra shifts or overtime.
That’s when I discovered that the actual number of times was outrageous.
Even when she got a day off, they bugged her.
Or on the days she worked, they’d ask her to come in early or stay over.
Our discussion carried us to the front of the police department.
There were people around, unlike last night.
I got out and opened her door. This time, unlike last night, she accepted the hand I held out to her. We were earning a lot of attention.
“You have my number. As soon as you know when you’ll be free, call or text. Either Gunnar or I will come pick you up. Until we get here, please stay safe inside the building.”
“Thank you for the ride, Keir. And I’ll text when I’m ready, though I wish you’d all let me drive. I can protect myself.”
“You can keep asking, even begging, but it isn’t happening. What would it do to your granddad and brother if something were to happen to you?”
That reminder had her sagging a tiny amount, then she nodded. “Fine, I’ll make everyone think I’m a damsel in distress at work. You’re ruining my reputation as a tough woman,” she snipped.
I chuckled. “I don’t see that happening. Now, off to work and try to get out of here at a decent time. Your family wants to spend time with you.” And so do I, I added silently.
So do we, Rogue chimed in.
She smiled at me and walked away. I watched her until she disappeared inside.
While I did, I noticed how people looked at her.
There had been curiosity from several, but from the rest, mostly men, there had been disapproval or worry.
I wasn’t surprised that other men were interested in Fiona.
What I wanted to know was if she returned their regards.
Even if she didn’t have a boyfriend or mate, it didn’t mean she wasn’t interested in someone.
The thought that she was made my stomach clench.
Shit, this was going to be hard, but I refused to let her slip through my fingers.
The only thing that would stop my pursuit of Fiona Katz would be if she absolutely disliked me or had zero attraction to me.
I’d already seen proof that the last one wasn’t true.
However, it was time to get my head back into my work.
We’d see what we could track down today.
I’d think about my pursuit of Fiona after the day’s work was done.