A Jaguars Touch (19 page)

Gideon stood then, shaking his head as he shoved away the chair. He could see Stella lying there surrounded in blood, sightless eyes wide open. And the sick bastards had placed the baby in her arms. God, the things they’d done to that tiny child still haunted Gideon. But now? Was it possible Thomas’s child was out there somewhere? Alive?

“I know Clara came down here to talk to you. Why didn’t you tell her any of this?” Gideon demanded.

“I’m a bastard, but even I’m not that cruel. She never did anything to me.”

“So why tell me, Dillon? Why? You’ve refused to say anything. Now, I’m here, and you start spilling like a faucet. Why? Or is this all some elaborate lie you’ve cooked up? For what? What do you get from saying all this?” Gideon roared the words.

“I’m done talking,” Dillon stated in a low, venomous tone. “Kill me or leave me the fuck alone.”

“You think this is a game? Tell me where he is!”

Dillion smiled. “He thought I was stupid, weak, but I was the only who figured out what he was doing. And I was the one who stopped him.”

“You killed Lydia just as sure as you put a gun to her head. You drugged Clara’s mate and one of the shifter’s in this pride. Anything you did was for your own selfish reasons, so don’t try to convince me otherwise,” Gideon dared him.

“Do you even know what Thomas had planned? A trade, Gideon. He was going to make a trade with the hunters to get his kid back, and I wasn’t going to wait around to see who he was going to offer that they’d take. Thomas was a cold-hearted bastard, and he deserved what he got. He deserved it.”

“What did he deserve?” Gideon asked.

“I would have suggested he trade Ariel to them. She’s so damaged it wouldn’t matter what the hunters wanted with her. They could torture her or make her a toy. I hear some hunters like toys.”

“That’s enough,” Gideon roared.

“Did you fuck her, too?” Dillon asked. “Or was she too dirty for you? Thomas told me they messed her up pretty badly.”

Gideon roared, but something shoved past him in a flash of orange, knocking him out of the way. His first instinct was to move in front of his mate despite the blood bath that was taking place in front of him. Ariel had shifted into her tigress form, and there was no way Gideon or any of them would be able to stop her from the blood lust she was on. And after Dillon’s words, no one would blame Ariel.

She was on the other man in an instant, and though he managed to shift, his bobcat was no match for the large Bengal tigress he faced. Ariel tore him to shreds. In minutes, Dillon was gone and only the tigress remained, standing there heaving, paws and muzzle covered in red.

“Ariel,” Gideon called out to her.

The cat turned toward him and let out a loud roar.

“It’s okay,” Gideon said. “He was wrong. He was so wrong. You know that. We all know that.”

Murphy and Finn were there, watching, but neither said a word. Gideon got the impression both of them had been ready to attack Dillon themselves. Gideon couldn’t say anything as he’d been close to the same. Vic’s chest heaved against his back.

“Bastard,” she shouted. “He deserved that. Damaged my ass. Who’s the one damaged now, you little fucker?”

The tigress looked at Vic and growled as if in agreement with his mate. There was such pain in the large amber eyes, and Gideon prayed this wasn’t a setback Ariel wouldn’t be able to recover from. She’d suffered enough.

“What the hell’s going on down here?” Reno shouted, running down and stopping in the doorway. “Jesus,” he muttered, taking in the carnage.

“She did what she had to do,” Vic said, skirting around Gideon to stand between the tigress and Reno, as if she would protect Ariel’s beast. “The asshole got what he deserved. If she hadn’t killed him, I would have.”

“Aye,” Murphy agreed.

Finn nodded.

“Well, shit,” Reno said, but he nodded at Ariel. “I need one of you to fill me in on what’s going on before I let Tah know.”

“Maybe we should wait and tell him when we see him in Oklahoma,” Finn suggested.

Murphy and Reno both snorted.

Gideon turned to Ariel. “Are you okay? Do you need anything?”

Finn was the one who came forward. He took off his shirt and dropped it on the floor in front of where the cat sat. Then he turned and folded his arms over his chest.

“Turn around,” he ordered and they all complied.

A few minutes later, Ariel cleared her throat. When she stepped forward she went to Vic. Without question, Gideon’s mate put her arm around Ariel’s shoulders.

“We’re heading up. Ariel needs a shower and maybe some hot tea,” Vic said.

“Laced with a goodly dose of whiskey,” Finn added. He stepped forward but didn’t touch Ariel. “You’re a fierce fighter. I’d trust you to have my back anytime.”

“Same goes,” Murphy agreed.

Ariel nodded and let Vic lead her away. Gideon hoped Dillon’s words didn’t inflict too much damage on the woman. She’d been through enough. They stopped a few paces away and Ariel turned, meeting his gaze.

“He’s dead,” she said. “Thomas is dead.”

Gideon nodded.

“Wait,” Reno said. “Dillon talked to you? He told you that?”

“No, he told us a bunch of other things that I’m not a hundred percent sure of,” Gideon said.

“Then what makes you think Thomas is dead?” Reno asked.

“Because every time he spoke of Thomas, it was in the past tense,” Ariel answered.

Gideon sighed. “You all heard what he said, too? I didn’t imagine that?”

Murph, Finn, Vic and Ariel all nodded. .

“Clara could have a cousin out there somewhere,” Vic said.

“What?” Reno asked.

“She’ll be wanting us to find that one and bring ‘em home,” Murphy said.

“We have no clue who we’d even be looking for. If they do exist outside of Dillon’s mind,” Gideon muttered. “I can’t believe… I was there. Jesus, I was there and had no clue.”

“Clara will be just as devastated,” Vic said. “Even though she suspected Thomas might be capable of stuff. Nothing will prepare her for some of what Dillon suggested.”

Gideon said. “I think the only thing we can be sure of right now is that Thomas is dead. Everything else Dillon said could just be smoke and mirrors.”

“Then why would we believe Thomas is dead?” Reno asked.

“Because it’s the only thing Dillon didn’t come right out and tell Gideon,” Finn said.

“Exactly,” Gideon agreed.

Chapter Fifteen

Vic and Gideon spent the whole morning packing and helping load boxes. Reno, Amia, the Professor and Griffin would be heading out at first light the next day. That would leave only Finn, Murphy, Ariel, Vic and Gideon to take care of the rest. Vic knew Murphy was planning to blow the cabin once they were all clear.

Gideon went into town with Finn and Murphy after lunch to get the last moving truck and when they came back, Gideon was driving a big black SUV.

“Where’d you get the wheels?” Vic asked.

“This one’s mine. It’s what Griffin, Ariel and I drove here,” Gideon said. “I left it hidden when we first got here. Wasn’t exactly sure where we were headed, but I couldn’t drive it through the woods. So we parked and came in on foot.”

“So I guess we’ll be traveling in this,” Vic said and Gideon nodded.

“That okay with you?” he asked.

“As long as I’m with you, I don’t care,” she said, peering into it. “Do I get to drive?”

He laughed. “We’ll have to take shifts. It’ll be a long trip.”

“It’s got all the bells and whistles,” she sighed. “This is going to be fun.”

“You’re easy to please,” he said. “Head back to the house with me?” He held out his hand toward her, and she took it, linking her fingers with his.

“What’s up?” she asked when they were far enough away from the others.

“I need to make a few stops on the way,” he told her. “Are you okay with that?”

She nodded. It was obvious from his facial expression that he felt whatever these stops were for was important.

“Care to tell me?”

“I hid some journals,” Gideon said. “I’d like to pick those up. The notes will come in handy when we get a lab set up in Oklahoma. And I have a few places I want to check in. Shifters I want to speak with myself. One of them lives where I left the journals.”

“Friends? You should have said something, Gideon,” she admonished. “Of course, we’ll go talk to your friends.”

“These guys aren’t exactly friends,” Gideon warned. “You think I was a bastard when I got here. These three make me look like a cuddly kitten.”

“So why stop and see them?” Vic asked.

“They need to know what we suspect about Thomas. All of it,” Gideon said.

There was only one reason Gideon would feel they were that important, at least only one that came to her mind.

“They were with you,” Vic said softly.

He nodded.

“In the cages? You didn’t say anyone else left with you.”

“Their stories aren’t mine to tell. There were hundreds of cages in that place. Only five of us walked out. Thomas and I went one way, and they went another. I’ve checked in with them from time-to-time. I never told Thomas that. I’m glad I didn’t, now.”

“Yeah, I’ll go with you,” she said. “They… We could invite them to Oklahoma. They might have more information. Things that could help us.”

He shrugged. “We can invite them, but I’m not sure any of them would come.”

“Should we leave a little early?” she asked.

“No,” he shook his head. “Unless you have a certain time and date you want to be down there.”

“Not really,” Vic said. “I texted Tah to let him know we’d decided to come to Oklahoma.”

“What did he say?” Gideon asked.

“Drive safe,” Vic answered with a laugh. “Tah already told you the pride would welcome you. He didn’t change his mind, especially now that you’re mated to one of his kick-ass friends.”

“That I am.” Gideon purred and leaned down to kiss her.

“Think we have time to sneak away?” she asked breathlessly when they broke apart.

“Wouldn’t count on it.” Murphy’s voice sounded from their right and several chuckles filled the air.

Gideon grinned, and in that moment, he looked younger and so incredibly happy. It filled her heart with joy. The next thing she knew, she was being tossed over his shoulder again as he took off toward the cabin. She was shrieking and swatting at him when they arrived. Reno stood on the porch, shaking his head as if they were kids.

They spent the rest of the day hauling boxes and getting both trucks packed. By the time they were ready for dinner, she was hot, sweaty and getting grumpier by the minute. They’d be packing the rest of the non-perishables that evening and sending them in the truck Reno was driving.

They were all getting edgy. She and Amia had both made a point of keeping an eye on Ariel today. She was quiet but seemed to be holding together pretty well. Vic noticed all the guys watching out for her, as well. The Professor had even pulled her along to help him with something, and when she’d come back, she’d been laughing at something he’d said. Gideon had stopped what he was doing just to stare at the two, and Vic knew without asking it had been a long time since Ariel had really laughed.

Dinner was a quick jumbled meal of sandwiches and leftovers where everyone grabbed something and took care of themselves. Reno had spoken with Tah, and he gave them a change in plans while they were all gathered.

“Tah thinks we should all leave at the same time. Both trucks are packed and ready to go. First light, we get the explosives placed and rigged with a timer. Then we’re all out of here,” Reno said. “Does that work for everyone?”

They all nodded.

“Murphy, how long will it take to get it wired and ready to go?” Reno asked.

“With all of us? An hour tops,” Murphy said. “I’ve already got most of it set. Just need to get it rigged in the spots we designated. Make sure all the wires are tied in to the central timer. I’ll set it to blow twenty minutes after we leave. That should give us plenty of time to be down the road a bit.”

“Make sure everything’s disconnected. We want it demolished but no fires if we can help it. There’s a lot of wildlife out there. Don’t want to leave any without a home,” Reno said.

“I know what I’m about,” Murphy reminded him.

“We all know that, Murph,” Reno said. “Wouldn’t put anyone else in charge of it.”

“Did you tell him?” Ariel asked quietly when there was a lull in the conversation. “Tah,” She clarified. “About Dillon?”

Reno nodded. “He’s not upset with you. He’s only sorry he wasn’t here to do it himself. Men like Dillon…” Reno shook his head. “There’s a special place in hell for them.”

“Amen,” Vic agreed.

She noticed Ariel seemed to relax, as if she’d honestly feared Tah might not want her as part of the pride anymore. The other woman had taken an extreme beating to her confidence. Vic planned to work on helping her rebuild it. Funny how they hadn’t liked each other at first, and now Vic could honestly see them becoming close friends. She was anxious for Kenzie and Holt to meet Ariel. She didn’t doubt they’d take to her immediately. Unfortunately, they hadn’t had the chance to meet either of them before they’d left—Kenzie choosing to stay in her room, and Holt either with her or making a point of avoiding everyone else unless absolutely necessary.

“Tah spoke to Kenzie,” Reno said.

“Everything okay?” Vic asked, coming to attention.

“Tah said she sounded fine. She’s wrapping things up and heading to Oklahoma. Holt’s with her. He’s tying up some loose ends, as well, and they’ll both meet us in Riverton.”

“And has her mate called to check in on her?” Murphy asked.

“Not yet,” Reno said. “But we all know it’s just a matter of time. Besides, she and Holt aren’t on their own.”

“What?” Vic said then shook her head. “You finally heard from Dusty and Reed I take it?”

“Seems they were holed up in a little jail in Mexico,” Reno told them.

Murphy and Finn both chuckled.

“They’ll be tailing Kenzie,” Reno said. “She has to be protected.”

Vic nodded. She hadn’t been certain Kenzie was in any more danger than any of them were. All shifters were hunted, tortured and killed. But that was before Dillon had spouted his tale about Thomas’s child being taken. If that were true, Kenzie could be in more danger than she realized. Vic needed to make a point of getting in touch again soon.