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  Finn shook his head. “I don’t have any indication that she’s had any interaction with males whatsoever. Not at work, and she lives alone.”

  Ian frowned again. That didn’t make sense. Anyone mated to Fiona would never let her out of his sight. Maybe for work, but nothing else. If she was Ian’s… Nope. No sense going down that road. She wasn’t his. And she never would be. “She has three older brothers. And her parents. They are all very overprotective.”

  “My trackers are very good. They know how to blend. There’s been no evidence of any family in her life. Not even her phone calls.”

  Ian’s eyebrows rose. “You tapped her line?”

  Finn didn’t respond one way or another. “What else can you tell me about her? She’s apparently been bordering my territory for a while and I know nothing about her other than she runs a shelter for abused supernatural women.”

  Ian’s mouth pulled into a thin line. He didn’t like talking about her. It felt like a betrayal. And he wasn’t surprised by what she was doing with her life. His Fiona had always had a big heart. “I haven’t seen her for a very long time. I don’t know what I could tell you.”

  “Liberty’s volunteered to set up a meeting with her and act as a go-between. My question is, is she trustworthy enough to allow someone as untrained as Liberty to go in and talk to her? She helped relocate all the females we saved weeks ago.”

  “Does she know your pack saved them?”

  Finn shook his head. “No. They approached her alone. So far all I hear is that she is very powerful. From what I can tell she’s trustworthy, but that kind of power…” He lifted a shoulder. “I can’t put blind trust in her before sending in one of my own.”

  “She would never hurt an innocent female. She would never go out of her way to hurt anyone, regardless of species or gender. Unless provoked.” If Ian thought otherwise he’d never allow his sister-in-law to go see Fiona. It didn’t matter that decades had passed—some things about an individual simply didn’t change. Fiona wouldn’t hurt Liberty.

  “That’s all I need to know.”

  “When will Liberty be going to meet her?”

  Finn didn’t respond, just took the file back and set it on his desk.

  “How long has she run the shelter?” Finn had redacted some of the information in the file, but Ian had been able to read between the lines.

  “About five decades.”

  Ian frowned again at the time frame. He needed to see her for himself, needed to see if she had gotten mated. She’d told him she would be moving back to Ireland after she mated with a male from an allied dragon clan. And he’d seen her mating manifestation from her family’s estate, had known she was with another male. His dragon rippled beneath the surface, pushing, pushing, wanting to burst free at the memory of that night.

  But if she’d been living here during all that time, running a shelter… Abruptly, he stood. “Thank you.”

  Finn just watched him carefully, his body tense. “Don’t go see her before I’ve had a chance to talk to her.”

  Ian stiffened and looked back over his shoulder at the male. “My brother might be part of your pack, but I am not.”

  The Alpha’s blue eyes turned to chips of ice. “Fine, I’m asking you not to go see her. I don’t want anything to affect Liberty’s meeting with her.”

  Ian didn’t respond, but he would never do anything to endanger his brother’s mate. Something Finn no doubt knew. Still, just because Ian wasn’t going to go talk to Fiona didn’t mean he couldn’t get a visual, and his camouflage would give him the perfect opportunity.

  Just one look. That was all he wanted. He couldn’t believe his own lie, but it didn’t matter. He was going to see her. No one would stop him.

  Chapter 3

  52 years ago

  Fiona’s heart felt as if it would jump through her chest. She couldn’t believe she’d snuck out of her family’s compound, but…she wanted to see Ian. She didn’t even know his last name. And there was no way she could have asked her family who he was. Especially not after last night.

  They kept her out of anything they deemed “important.” She was to be seen and not heard, as far as they were concerned. And most of the time, not even seen. They had no use for her because she was female. So lately she’d made herself as invisible as possible.

  Waiting for her chance to break out on her own, leave the clan behind. She loved her family, but…she couldn’t live like a prisoner anymore.

  Nerves jagging through her, she glanced around the busy street, looking for any sign of the tall, impossibly sexy male with dark hair and bright amber eyes. He had a sexy, brooding quality that she couldn’t deny she found fascinating. It was crisp out, with hints of fried seafood carrying on the air. The New Orleans restaurant looked more like a house than anything. Two stories, right on the corner of an actual residential neighborhood and painted a bright pink, it was a beacon of warmth and welcoming in the area. Not the kind of place her family would frequent, which was good for her.

  When she turned back toward the door of the restaurant, he was standing there. As if he’d been there the whole time. And he was watching her.

  A thrill shot up her spine at the sight of him.

  Wearing jeans and a simple T-shirt, Ian stepped forward, closing the distance between them. “I wasn’t sure you’d come.” His voice had just the hint of an Irish accent, and it made her insides melt just a bit.

  It was hard not to be affected by it. Ireland was her home and though she hadn’t lived there since she was a little girl, it was part of her soul. She cleared her throat. “I made a promise.”

  He nodded once, his gaze traveling over her. But not in a creepy way that made her feel uncomfortable. No, he watched her as if she was special, precious. She didn’t know what to make of it. Or him, and the way he made her feel. “I have a table reserved for us.”

  She blinked, then nodded and stepped forward when he stiffly held the door open for her. He seemed almost nervous, which was at odds with the confident male she’d met last night—the one who’d dominated everyone in Bruneau’s fighting ring, including Colm.

  Once they were inside, she slipped off her coat. As a dragon shifter, she was warmer by nature, though she wore appropriate clothing to blend in with humans when necessary.

  It didn’t take long for a smiling human waiter to seat them and take their drink order. Feeling out of sorts because she was on her own, she scanned the place, subtly inhaling to scent if other supernatural beings were here. She scented a couple wolves, or what she thought was wolf, but that was it. Other than Ian, of course. And his scent was unique. It reminded her of pine needles and the forest in autumn, but there was an underlying cedar scent as well.

  “Thank you for not killing my brother,” she murmured, turning to face him. To think she’d been worried that her brother would kill Ian. Now the thought was laughable. She hadn’t been at last night’s fight, but she’d heard her other brothers talking and Ian had apparently destroyed Colm.

  Ian was sitting stock-still, a huge, immovable force as he watched her. He was big in the way dragons were. She’d thought that last night when they’d first met. When he’d so boldly ignored the introduction to her brother and simply introduced himself to her. No one had ever done that. Maybe because they were too afraid of her clan’s reaction. Or more likely because she didn’t matter to her family.

  Because she wielded absolutely no power among her clan other than her ability to reproduce. She was simply a pawn to them, something to be used. For so long she’d accepted it. Until recently. The world was changing and she refused to fall into the subservient role that her mother so easily had. Fiona was a dragon, the same as the rest of her family, and she deserved the same respect.

  “He fought well.” A non-answer if she’d ever heard one.

  “Until the end,” she added. Because her brother had almost gone dragon when it had been clear he would lose the fight. He’d actually released his fire out of rage and f
rustration—a great shame to her family right now. They went to incredible lengths to keep what they were private. Now all her brothers and parents were livid at Colm.

  Ian lifted one big shoulder. “I don’t want to talk about your brother. I want to talk about you.” For just an instant his gaze dipped to her mouth before his eyes locked with hers.

  It was hard to think, much less speak around him. “What are you?” she blurted, knowing exactly how rude she sounded. “I mean…” She cleared her throat, feeling her cheeks heat up. “Your scent is unique. I like it,” she tacked on. She liked it a whole lot. More than she’d admit.

  He watched her for a long moment, his amber eyes searching hers. He looked at her as if he saw her as a person of worth. She wondered what it would be like to feel his lips on hers, especially when he looked at her as if he could devour her.

  “Does it matter what I am?” he finally asked.

  “No. I was just curious. I think you probably know what I am after last night?” The place was loud, with none of the patrons paying any attention to them, but she kept her voice low regardless, for his ears only. When her brother had released his fire, Ian had dodged the blow almost as if he’d been expecting the attack. But even so, Colm’s stream of fire had been wide and raging hot according to her other brothers… And they’d said that Ian had seemed almost immune to it. Which meant pretty much one thing—he had to be a dragon.

  Ian nodded and for the briefest moment his gaze flicked to his animal. Her breath caught in her throat to see his dragon looking back at her.

  “So we’re the same.” The truth was, she wouldn’t care what the male was. The connection she felt to him defied logic or sanity. Her dragon wanted to preen in front of him. When she’d pulled him into that coat closet last night she’d been concerned for him because…she didn’t even know why. All she knew was that her dragon had become very, very interested when they’d met. But she couldn’t get rid of the feeling that there was more to him.

  He shrugged, not exactly answering. “You’re from Ireland. Are you just visiting New Orleans?”

  Okay, he didn’t want to talk about their shifter nature. That was okay with her. “Yes and sort of. I was born near Galway but my clan has holdings everywhere. For now, we’ve settled in New Orleans, but I don’t know how long we’ll stay. My father has business here with some vampires.”

  He nodded and it was clear he was listening intently. Honest to God listening to what she had to say. And her words weren’t even important. It rattled her that this felt foreign to her. On the deepest level she knew that wasn’t how things should be with her clan. That she should matter.

  “What about you?” she asked, then paused as the waiter returned with their drinks. After they both ordered one of the specials, she looked back at him expectantly. “What part of Ireland are you from?”

  “Just outside of Cork.”

  “And…are you with a clan?”

  He shifted slightly in his seat. “I have no one.” His tone was neutral.

  The way he said it made something shift inside her. She wanted to reach out and take his hand in hers, to somehow comfort him, but didn’t think he’d welcome it.

  She also wondered how old he was, but wasn’t going to ask. It was impossible to tell a supernatural being’s true age. She could guess based on how much power someone put off, but this male was too hard to read.

  “I would like to fly after we eat,” he said before she could think of a response. “Will you fly with me?”

  The question was so abrupt and unexpected. She knew nothing about this male, but the most intrinsic part of her knew he wouldn’t hurt her. She should say no. Should definitely say no… But she found herself nodding as excitement flooded her. Something told her that with him she could experience true freedom, if only for a short while. “I’d like that.”

  * * *

  Present day

  Fiona stared up at the blue sky, scanning it for a male she knew wasn’t there. A handful of white clouds were scattered around, but it was a clear, cold day.

  All her dragon senses wanted to take to the skies, to spread her wings and soar. It was the only time she felt truly free. When her animal took over, she could shelve everything else in her life. At least for a little while.

  “The new female is here,” a familiar voice said from behind her.

  Fiona had scented Ava approaching before she heard her. The vampire could be a ghost when she wanted. Turning, she smiled at her friend and business partner. “After I talk to her, I’m going flying.”

  “I figured as much. Listen, her scent is different. I don’t know how to explain it. I believe what she told me about being abused, but…her responses seemed carefully chosen. I couldn’t discern any lies, but I might not have been asking the right questions.”

  Fiona simply nodded, keeping the information in mind. The female’s responses could be based on her own history. She could be used to speaking or answering a certain way so as not to anger her abuser. An abuser who was likely someone close to her.

  Many supernatural clans, packs and covens were highly patriarchal and didn’t want that to change. Fiona knew that from firsthand experience.

  After one last look at the sky, she headed inside. She and Ava ran a center for supernatural women in need of help escaping their abusers. Referrals were all by word of mouth and they took the safety of their clients very seriously. Unlike humans, supernaturals had no one to turn to for help. At least no national or international system. In that, humans sadly had a leg up on the supernatural communities—and that wasn’t saying much, considering how lacking the various human systems were.

  Which was why Fiona and Ava had started their organization. Their main intake center, where every woman who wanted help came to meet them first, was a big house in the country. It was a comfortable setting away from any prying eyes, human or supernatural. If she or Ava deemed the woman was indeed in trouble and telling the truth, they’d move to the next step, which usually meant relocating her to a safe pack—or clan or coven, depending on what type of being she was. Often the women, and sometimes their children, if they had any, would stay at the house while Fiona and Ava made arrangements. Right now they had no one staying with them, which was fairly unusual, but they’d just relocated a dozen females.

  Inside the Colonial-style home, she found the blond female sitting on a love seat in one of the sitting rooms. The room was decorated in natural, soothing tones and the scents were lavender and chamomile. Women who came to her for help were already stressed out enough, either from physical or emotional abuse. Usually both. She wanted to put them at ease as much as she could.

  The woman gave her a nervous smile and stood. Her long, golden hair was pulled back into a ponytail. She had a slender build, was almost fragile-looking, and was stunningly beautiful. “Hi. Thank you for meeting with me.” She smoothed a hand down her gray pants, clearly nervous.

  “Of course. I’m Fiona.” She motioned for the female to sit back down as she did the same, sitting across from her in a cushy chair.

  The female cleared her throat. “Liberty.”

  Ava had been right. The woman had a strange sent to her. Not unpleasant. The opposite, like fresh spring rain and cinnamon—with a hint of wolf underlying it all. She seemed mostly human though. Fiona was good at discerning what supernatural beings were. It was one of her gifts. It was rude to ask what a supernatural being’s race was, but sometimes she had to. For safety reasons.

  “I’m going to ask you something that is impolite.”

  The female smiled, her expression softening. “You want to know what I am.”

  Fiona nodded. “Normally I can get a feel for what someone is. But you have a mated sent to you.” It wasn’t necessarily abnormal; many females who came to her were mated to abusers. That was a bit rarer, since mates tended to shower their females with adoration. But abuse happened.

  Liberty ran her fingers over the platinum charm on her necklace—a little wolf. “My m
ate is half wolf. And I’m afraid I’m here on partially false premises. I’m a member of the Stavros pack. My Alpha, Finn, would like a meeting with you. He didn’t want to approach you in your territory. He thought it might be wiser if I spoke to you first.”

  Fiona was silent as she watched the other woman. She knew exactly who Finn Stavros was. She’d done research before settling down in the area. Decades ago, Finn hadn’t been the Alpha of Biloxi. Hadn’t been an Alpha of a pack until he’d killed his uncle. And from what she knew, his uncle had deserved it. She’d never had any females from Finn’s pack come to her for help either. So by all accounts he was a good and fair leader. Something she had never personally experienced.

  But that wasn’t the issue right now anyway. “Why didn’t he just call me on the phone?”

  Liberty lifted her shoulders and Fiona was under the impression she truly was confused. “I don’t pretend to understand shifter politics. I’ve only recently mated to a half-wolf shifter. And we are very new members of the Stavros pack.”

  “You had to go through an interview process before meeting with me. And Ava is good at detecting lies.” Fiona didn’t come out and ask what she wanted to. But the question was in the air all the same.

  “If you’re asking if I was abused in the past, then the answer is yes.” Liberty took a deep breath and Fiona watched as her fists clenched in her lap, her knuckles turning white. “I was stuck in a Hell realm for months. I was thrown into the realm before I knew about the supernatural world. That was my introduction to it.”

  Fiona inwardly winced. She went to Hell realms often, helping to save those who needed it. She used her dragon essence to infiltrate those realms. If Liberty had been a human when she’d been sucked into one… Fiona gritted her teeth. She’d witnessed what happened to females in those places. It was something out of anyone’s worst nightmare. “I’m so sorry for whatever you’ve been through. I’ve been to those realms before.”