Page 32 of Into the Lion's Den (Secrets of the Northland Shifters)

It was as if someone had labored to rescue the barn, only to abandon it again. It made me wonder about the inside.

Entering the barn, I saw that it was empty, except for several bales of pale-yellow straw scattered here and there, some of them stacked.

Thick wooden support beams crossed overhead. If there had once been a loft, its floor had either been purposefully removed, or it had fallen in and the debris swept away.

I immediately imagined the cathedral-like space cleaned and polished. I pictured thousands of white twinkle lights strung from the beams.

There was a raised area at the back of the space that would be perfect for a band and a dance floor.

The barn could probably fit…twelve tables? At eight people per table, that was about one hundred guests. Plus, the head table would fit perfectly along the left-hand wall, a buffet on the right. That is…if the barn was on resort property and if Reese would ever allow me to book a wedding.

And he wouldn’t.

Still, a girl could—

A growl rumbled through the air, coming from outside the barn wall. An icy trickle of fear slid through my veins, and the hair on my arms stood at attention, even under the warmth of my sweater.

I held my breath as paralysis locked my legs. I had to be imagining it.

But the growl rumbled through the wall again, low and ominous.

“Please, go away,” I whispered to whatever was out there. “Please, go away.”

Even if the mountain lion hadn’t moved on, Sam had to be right about wild animals shying away from humans. It wouldn’t come near me unless it was provoked. And I hadn’t done anything to provoke it.

Unless…it called this abandoned barn its home?

Shit. I needed to get out of here. But I was too afraid to move. And even if I could run, that might only make things worse.

Slowly, I pulled my phone from my pocket and called Reese. After our argument and my declaration that I didn’t need his help, this call would be humbling. He’d probably call me a city girl and tell me I didn’t belong up here. But at least he’d have the necessary information to later find my body.

Reese didn’t pick up. Instead, I got his voicemail. When I heard the beep, I closed my eyes and whispered, “Reese.Help. I’m in an old barn not far from the lodge.”

A low, menacing growl responded from just outside, and through the cracks in the barn wall I could see a large tawny animal prowling along the exterior.

I whimpered, walking backward toward the farthest right corner of the barn. My shoulder ran into a prickly bale of straw. There were two stacked on top of each other. A barricade.

I ran around behind them, then sat with my back to the bales, facing the rear wall of the barn. I drew my knees to my chest and wrapped my arms around my legs.

I was about to whisper a little prayer when I realized it was too little too late. The animal was nowinsidethe barn. Its rumbling growl was louder, and I felt rather than heard the whispery vibration of large paws slowly stalking across the wooden floor.

Sunlight streamed through the open barn door and projected the shadow of an enormous cat against the back wall. Perhaps the shadow was distorted, but it looked to be unnaturally large—maybe four feet high at the shoulder.

Its tail twitched, and it turned its head in my direction.

Oh god. I closed my eyes and laced my hands behind my head, curling into an even tighter ball.

More soft footfalls.

The mountain lion was now on the opposite side of my barricade, and it brushed the entire length of its body across the bales of straw. This put a heavy pressure against my back. So much so, I leaned forward.

Squeezing my eyes closed, I sensed the beast round the end of my barricade, and its hot breath brushed against my cheek.

My whole body trembled, and I swallowed my scream.

Then a warm tongue rasped the length of my neck.

13

---