Page 57 of All's Fair in Lion and War
“You’re alien animal men?”
“In a manner of speaking.” Tor shrugged. “We’re called Reylean.” His phone buzzed and he picked it up off the counter. “Hello?….Yep. Got it. We’ll be ready. No, he’ll be fine.”
“What?”
“Col is sending Owen and Kann down to help track Lorelei. Col and Ryder are going to stay with Novik and his people on the mountain. They’re bringing three more females to the bunker. Then they’ll swing by and pick us up.”
“Three more hostages?” Liam’s eyes widened, disbelief written clearly in each strained line on his face.
Tor rolled his neck and silenced the growl in his chest. “This pride terrorized tribes back on our world. They haven’t changed their ways since they got here. They’ve stolen women from human towns and from other Reylean groups who came through the portals and settled here.”
“In other words, I shouldn’t feel guilty about shooting any of them.” His eyes were bright with the same rage Saul felt deep in his soul.
Rivian and his warriors were every bit the bastards Liam had called them. Col might not want to kill them all. He might want to give them a chance, but they’d made their choice. They’d stayed with Rivian. They’d stolen women and kept them captive and starved them and beat them and gods knew what else.
Saul’s words clawed up his throat, burning and igniting his fury once more. “Unless they prostrate themselves on the ground and surrender, you blow their fucking heads off.”
His lion was ready to bathe in blood. By the time Owen arrived, he’d be healed enough to do whatever was necessary.
“Come on back. I’ve got a few more guns in the safe in my office. Neither one of you look like you’re packing.” Liam waved them after him.
He and Tor followed the burly giant—for a human—through the kitchen and into the small office in the very back of the building. Liam opened the door and flipped on the light. The fluorescent bulbs above their heads buzzed to life.
“Rifle or hand gun?”
“Hand gun,” they both answered. Penny had taught them both to use rifles, but if they had to shift, they’d have to put the rifle down.
Liam handed one to each of them, snapped securely in a holster.
Saul shoved the clip over the waistband of his jeans. Tor did the same. If they had to shift, the gun would be absorbed by their magick like their clothes. It would remain with them, ready to use once they shifted back again.
“Let’s go get us some lions.” Liam cocked the shotgun and gave a wicked smile that made Saul glad the old soldier was on their side.
20
Penny
Penny waved to Owen. He closed the hatch down over her head and then she spun the wheel and locked it into place.
During the rebuild of the MCC, she’d made sure to have a special team of contractors come in and make sure the bunker was solid and they had rebuilt the entrance and installed a new hatch.
Ava was handing out sweats and t-shirts. The poor women who’d been delivered looked to be in worse shape than Lorelei and that was saying a lot, cause she’d been nothing more than skin and bones.
“There are bathrooms back around the corner so you can wash up and change clothes. If you want a shower, we’ve also got those. Towels and soap are on the shelf next to each stall.”
“Who are you?” One of the women stood up. Her hair was in a scraggily braid. Her skin was gaunt and stretched tight over her face, but Penny could tell she’d be gorgeous once she got a few weeks worth of meals down her belly. “There were dragons fighting those bastard lions. I saw one shift and crush one of the guys under his foot.Smooshlike he was popping a balloon.”
“You’re human, aren’t you?” Naomi stepped closer to the woman, bouncing a baby. Penny couldn’t tell which baby Naomi had at the moment. They played ring-around-the-rosy with all the children all the time. The babies and the moms were used to it. You took one and held it, cleaned it, or fed it.
“Yeah, but I quickly figured out they weren’t the typical kidnappers. You know, fangs and fur, and all the growling. And they shifted in front of me a couple of times. I liked cats before this, but I’m pretty sure I’m a dog person now.”
A snort of laughter escaped Penny’s mouth. “Sorry, I shouldn’t laugh. It’s just…”
The woman smiled a little. “It’s okay. I’m trying to find humor in the situation so I don’t completely lose my mind and get locked in a padded white room.”
“I’m married to a lion shifter, just so you know.”
“The one that was with the other guy who brought us here?”
