Page 18 of Shifter Mates for the Single Mom

“Once they found out I was after them–guessing one of the guards ratted me out, the bastards–the Tigers ran for the nearest village and disguised themselves as some of the locals. So here I am, running around, trying to use my nose to pick these mudaki out from the ordinary folks. The boss didn’t give a fuck about civilian casualties, but I did.”

I looked back at him again. “How did you finally catch them?”

“They got reckless after a while. I guess they were bored. I’d started bedding this hot little Siberian girl, so one of them imitated her and tried to lead me into a trap out in the woods. But he still smelled like asshole. So, I played dumb and followed him out until the other guy popped out of a tree on us and tried to jump us. I shot them both before the first one could break character. He changed back once he was dead.”

“Did they hurt the girl?” Nathan was only half listening, with most of his focus on the road.

“Nah, she was home in bed like a normal person. I made sure to check in on her before I left town. I know I got lucky. Tigers normally aren’t that dumb, but these guys forgot I had a working nose.” Bela chuckled. “That's the thing about Tigers–big egos, nasty appetites, lies and dirty tricks. Every last one of them thinks they’re smarter than anyone they go after.”

“We can use that to our advantage,” Nathan observed. “Con artists often have the same flaw. It’s one of the most common ways they get themselves caught. They get cocky, push the con too far.”

“Matthias is definitely arrogant. Him and his mother, as well. I thought it was just a rich-people thing, but it’s definitely more than that.” I didn’t like reminiscing on Matthias, and how oblivious I’d been at first to his bad behavior. But I had to.

“I don’t know how many con jobs he’s pulled before me and the colony,” I said tentatively. “But he seems pretty practiced. I wonder if Interpol or someone has a file on him.”

Nathan slowed as a jackrabbit darted across the road in front of us. “I’m having Jamie look for that online as soon as he’s done with the security system. I don’t know how much good it will do, but if it can give us some clues to how he operates and what kind of places he might hole up––”

“Posh,” I replied in a word. “Fancy. He loves luxury, and his mother loves it even more.”

“That narrows it down some,” Nathan mused. “We should check out any high-end hotels or Airbnb’s within an hour or two of here.”

“I’ll add it to the list,” Bela said, swiping something into his phone.

By the time we got to the colony gates, it was so hot out that heat mirages were shimmering all over the road and every flat surface out in the distance. They looked like puddles after a rainstorm, but as I rolled down the window to talk to the guy in the guard’s booth, the heat coming in felt like a blast from a hair dryer.

“Hey, Joe. Here to see Nellie and the gang.” He nodded, dark eyes flicking over Nate and Bela skeptically before he gave me a smile and went back to his booth. I rolled my window back up as quickly as possible as he buzzed us in, and the gate opened.

It was good to be back, even though the circumstances sucked. "Parking lots at the end of this road," I instructed distractedly.

"So how do you know these guys?" Bela asked as he looked around. His nostrils flared as he smelled the air. "A lot of potheads here."

"Yeah, well, artists. Um, basically I used to be part of the retreat back when Aidan was little. We ended up needing more space than one of their cabins, so I bought my own place."

"Where did you live before that?"

I pressed my lips together, remembering the old house on the hill just outside of Sedona. Ben's house, which he'd inherited from his parents. Now, his brother James lived there with his wife and five kids. I still kept in touch, but I didn't like going over there. Too many sad memories. "Sedona. I wanted to go somewhere quiet to make my art. The colony has a bunch of metalworkers and its own forge, so for a while, it was a good home. We just outgrew it."

"Seems nice. Lots of money here." Bela peered around, all energy and curiosity, clearly eager to get out and stretch his long legs. He reminded me of a greyhound who had been penned up all day. "So why do you figure Matthias targeted them?"

"I'm not sure why he decided to run this particular con. He was pretending to be a wealthy art collector, but I don't know if he chose to do that and then found the colony, or if he chose the colony and then came up with the con." I licked my lips, which felt dry and tight after that single blast of overheated air. "All I know is, it gave him the perfect opportunity to get his foot in the door and pretend to be interested in our work, and us as people."

"Con artists survive on their charm," Nathan said soberly. "I don't know if he was sleeping with anyone else in the colony, but I'm sure he must have taken them for at least some money as well."

"Just a few before I found him out, fortunately. He was playing the long game, trying to get us used to him. Trying to get us to trust him. Then I started figuring out what was up with him, and the first one I warned was Nellie. She's the goddess of gossip, so she had everyone here alerted in under a day. Next time Matthias came rolling up to the gates, they refused to let him in."

"I'm surprised he didn't do anything to the people here for revenge after that."

I took a deep breath, remembering those days. "I was pretty worried that he would. So was Nellie." We pulled into the parking lot, and Nathan found us a space quickly while I sorted through the uncomfortable details in my head. "Nobody's been attacked or disappeared, but he only started getting violent very recently."

"Con artists don't like engaging in violence, either." Nathan turned off the engine and we unbuckled our seatbelts and got out. "They avoid anything that would put them in danger or potentially draw law enforcement attention. But Matthias is a Tiger. He has less to fear from the law, and an awful lot more bloodthirst."

The heat beat against my skin through my thin, sleeveless blouse and jean shorts, leaving me struggling a little for air. "So, what does that mean long-term?"

"It means that we'll need to warn Nellie and anyone else close to you that they may need to boost their security or even go into hiding until we can get this guy and his people."

I felt a chill despite the heat. "Oh, God. Okay. I'll keep that in mind. Only family I have to warn is Ben's brother and his family, but I'll have to warn Nellie and the others here." I looked at Nathan, whose expression was as grim and regretful as Bela's was mild. "I guess that means everyone is in danger."

"Everyone who's ever crossed or inconvenienced him, and possibly everyone that is close to him, as well," Bela agreed. "Sorry, but better to warn them than wish you had."

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