Resisting the Cougar (Cascade Shifters #2) (19 page)

Claire had a point, but as they approached the lecture hall where the event was being held, Aidan focused on his surroundings, his cat on high alert. “I’ll be fine. I’ve been practicing. However, for now, we need to keep our eyes open. Don’t hesitate to use the training I showed you, okay? If we’re separated, go to the secret meeting spot we discussed.”

“I think you’re trying to avoid saying I’m right, but okay. I will. There’s Dani, so you shouldn’t worry. If there’s anyone we can trust, it’s her.”

He wished, but judging by Dani’s grim expression, something hadn’t gone as planned. As soon as she was close enough, Dani said without preamble, “I just spoke to the head organizer, and apparently, he received threats from Human Purity. They might crash your speech and Q and A session.” She looked to Aidan. “Are you sure you still want to go through with this? You know what happened to Sean and Lauren last December.”

Sean and Lauren had been dating at the time, not yet mated. Since Sean was a cougar-shifter and Lauren a human, Human Purity had made them an example by kidnapping Sean. Only Lauren’s love for her shifter had brought Sean back from his inner cat taking over for good.

Aidan looked down to Claire. If it were up to him, he would lock her away inside DarkStalker’s mountain complex and never let her out. Yet if he did that, she would soon grow to hate him.

Instead of ordering Claire around, he asked his female, “What do you think? Should we still go through with it?’

His cat snarled, urging them to take her back to the car straightaway. He just about had his cat under control when Claire answered, “Yes. Otherwise, they will have won and I’ll be damned if I lose to a bunch of crazies. This might be our only chance to meet with the public. I still think doing so will help the vote pass easier.”

Aidan touched her chin. “You’re going to turn my hair gray in no time, but hell if I don’t love your strength, Claire Davis.” His inner cougar kept snarling, but Aidan told his cat that Dani would keep them safe. Once the beast calmed a fraction, he added, “Just don’t get yourself killed and stay on high alert. If I think there’s a credible threat, we’re leaving.”

She eyed him a second and nodded. “As much as I want to beat the bastards, I don’t want to die.”

Caressing her lower lip with his thumb, he murmured, “Good, because I can’t imagine life without you.”

He’d been waiting to tell how he really felt, but this wasn’t the time to share feelings. He hoped she wouldn’t choose now to discuss them in depth.

Claire smiled at him, her eyes full of tenderness, before she looked to Dani. “Tell the organizer we’re still going through with it. Maybe have some of the organizer’s security people blend into the crowd. As much as I trust you guys to protect us, shifters tend to stand out in a crowd of humans.”

Aidan nodded. “Do as she says, but still have our people around. Some of the Human Purity cowards might steer clear of a real-life shifter, especially with glares and growls.”

“As much as I want to whisk you two back to DarkStalker, the two suggestions combined should hopefully minimize the risk,” Dani said before motioning toward the lecture hall. “I’ll make sure everything is in place. Give me ten minutes. If I think the room unsafe, we’re leaving.”

Aidan nodded, a small part of him wanting there to be a threat so Claire wouldn’t be put at risk.

Once Dani left, Aidan stared down at his mate-to-be and murmured, “Be strong, but not rash, Claire, and we should be fine.”

~~~

Most people would be offended at Aidan’s remarks, but over the last two weeks, she’d learned to appreciate her shifter’s honesty. Hell, if more people acted like Aidan, the world would solve problems a lot quicker.

Patting his chest, she answered, “I know my limitations pretty well. I’m still sore in a few places.”

“Well, good. Cockiness gets people killed.”

Since they had a few minutes, Claire leaned against Aidan’s side and he hugged her close. Breathing in his scent of male and forest, under the cherry blossoms, it felt as if she were in a dream, much like the last two weeks had been.

She couldn’t imagine living anywhere but DarkStalker. Sure, she may not be in charge of the SEA any longer, but Kian listened to her ideas and used more than a few of her strategies. She was helping shifters achieve equality from the inside, and she loved it.

Of course, waking up to Aidan in his cougar form would occasionally startle her, but then she would curl next to her big kitty and fall asleep to his purrs. Once in a while, even Chloe would show up in their bed in her cougar form. With a big cat at her front, and a little cat at her back, she’d never feel cold again.

The upcoming event had brought reality back in a flash, though. She might be brave on the outside, but on the inside, her stomach was doing flips.

As if he could read her mind, Aidan rubbed her side as he said, “I believe in you, Claire. If you’re attacked, your muscles are starting to remember the moves without thought. Besides, I’ll be right there next to you. Not to mention Dani and the other shifter soldiers.”

“I know, but I can’t help thinking you’ll be taken away from me. Two weeks is nowhere near enough.”

“We have our whole lives, Claire. I would mate you right now, if you wanted.”

She looked up, but there was nothing but sincerity and tenderness in his eyes. “You have the worst timing, Aidan Scott.”

“So that means yes?”

“Not right now. I want to make sure Chloe is okay with it first.”

Aidan’s expression turned soft. He looked like he wanted to say something, but instead, he merely kissed her gently on the lips. “I guess that means we need to survive this thing. Otherwise, they’ll have to face Chloe Scott, and they have no idea what she’ll come up with.”

Claire laughed. “I somehow doubt a seven-year-old can take down Human Purity.”

“Oh, I bet if she put her mind to it and used those big eyes of hers, she could persuade enough people to help her.”

She turned in his arms until she leaned against his chest. “Maybe next year, we can bring Chloe here to see the cherry blossoms. While you may not be impressed, I think she’ll love them.”

Aidan caressed her cheek. “That sounds like a plan.”

Her man leaned down to kiss her, but Dani’s voice interrupted them. “Sorry, love birds, but it’s show time.”

As they followed Dani into the lecture hall and down the corridor, Claire’s heart pounded. Maybe she should turn away and flee back to DarkStalker so she wouldn’t have to worry about anyone taking Aidan away from her.

Then she remembered her Aunt Gwen. Currently, the polls showed a fifty-fifty chance of the law passing. If Claire didn’t do something drastic, such as talk with a live audience, then she could lose the vote and never see her aunt again.

No.
Between Aidan, Dani, and everyone else, she should be safe. Claire would win the vote and hopefully see her aunt in the New Year. While the federal government looked as if they would turn a blind eye to shifter marriage equality in the states, even though it technically violated federal law, they could always change their minds.

They reached their entrance and everyone stopped. With a nod, Dani entered first. A few seconds later, she motioned for them to follow.

Taking a deep breath, Claire allowed Aidan to enter first and then her. Inside was a giant college lecture hall, full of people. Some of them were even holding up signs of support. One said, “Human-Shifter Love is also Precious” while another read, “Everyone Deserves a Happy Ending”. A few people were also waving extra-large versions of the Shifter Equality Alliance flag.

Since the event was not only invite-only but also part of Shifter Appreciation Week, Claire had expected support. But unlike all the other events and speeches she’d given over the years, this one was personal. Their support actually touched her heart, giving her hope she could remain with Aidan for as long as she liked without fear of arrest, or worse.

They stopped at the side of the stage at the front of the room, near the stairs. Dani looked to her and Aidan. “I’ve done as much as I can to protect you two, but there’s always a risk of danger. Keep an eye out and don’t be afraid to cut the speech and questions short. Staying alive is more important than earning a few votes.” Dani stared Claire down. “I’m talking to you, missy. Understand?”

Claire didn’t back down. “I have common sense, Dani. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have lasted this long.”

Dani’s expression softened a fraction. “I know, but Aidan is one of my oldest friends and I can’t stand the thought of him losing someone else.”

“I know,” Claire answered. “I’ll be careful, I promise.”

Dani looked to Aidan. “You, too. Give the signal if you suspect anything.”

Aidan gave a mock salute. “Yes, ma’am.”

Rolling her eyes, Dani muttered, “I almost wish you’d be grumpy again.”

With that, Dani melted into the crowd and a man spoke up on stage. “Our next speakers are quite a treat. While you knew it would be someone from the SEA, what you didn’t know was that we have the former president of the SEA, Claire Davis, and her shifter fiancé, Aidan Scott, here today. Let’s give them a warm welcome for being brave enough to come here and give their first talk in public together.”

As the crowd applauded, the organizer motioned for Claire and Aidan to come up on stage. Threading her fingers through Aidan’s, they made their way to the podium. Since Claire was the experienced speaker, they had agreed for her to give an introduction.

After receiving the all-clear from Dani on the side, Claire leaned toward the microphone. “Good afternoon, everyone. Thanks for inviting us to speak. Unfortunately, those who are expecting my man to walk around naked before shifting will be sorely disappointed. I’ll just say that the photo doesn’t do him justice.” A few laughs broke out. “In all seriousness, we really do appreciate the invite and your support. I’ve been fighting for shifter and human marriage equality for nearly a decade, but now that I’ve found my own shifter, it’s more than doing what’s right—it’s about finding my own happily ever after.”

Cheers went up and Aidan squeezed her hand. After sharing a glance with her shifter, Claire spoke up again. “Now, the world has heard me speak a thousand times before, so to give you something new, Aidan will say a few words. Then I’ll have a lot more words to say and take questions. Are you ready?”

Leaning forward, she cupped her ear and the crowd screamed yes. With a smile, she stepped to the side, allowing Aidan to take her place.

For a few seconds, he looked around the crowd and then he recited the words they’d rehearsed earlier. “Five years ago, illegal poachers killed my mate and our two unborn children. I never thought I would find someone again. Then Claire appeared in my life and now I can’t imagine my life without her.”

The crowd awed and Claire couldn’t help but smile. Aidan didn’t like sharing personal details, but she’d finally worn him down. Without personal details, voters wouldn’t support their cause.

As soon as she placed her free hand over their clasped hands, Aidan continued. “However, that can all be taken away from me if voters don’t approve the initiative to make shifter-human marriage legal in the State of Washington. I don’t care what your politics are. This issue is nonpartisan. Just imagine if you couldn’t marry someone because of their ethnicity. It was that way decades ago, but now it’s unthinkable that interracial couples can’t be together. I’m asking for you to see shifters and humans in the same light.”

He paused and claps sounded out. One of the SEA flag holders waved his flag enthusiastically. So far, so good.

Aidan’s voice boomed over the speakers again. “Most of you are already supporters, but we also need you to talk to your friends, families, and coworkers. We have a little over seven months to try to change the world. Let’s help make Washington State the first in the country.”

More applause and cheers went up, not that Claire could blame them. For all Aidan’s protesting about public speaking, he was pretty good at it. Maybe not as good as her, but with a little more practice, he just might be.

One of the giant SEA flags stopped waving and she smiled. She knew from experience those things could be damn heavy.

The holder rested the base on the ground, the material of the flag covering his body. She was about to step to the podium for her turn when something rod-shaped poked briefly through the material. Wanting to be safe and not chance it, she released Aidan’s hand and pushed him away.

The instant she was about to duck down, a shot fired and a burning sensation ripped through her side. A cacophony of screams, shouts, and running filled her ears as she fell to the stage. For a very long second, the world went still.

Then Aidan leaned down into her line of sight and cupped her face.

Pain wracking her body, Claire tried to focus on Aidan’s words as he said, “Stay with me, Claire, do you hear? Don’t fall asleep.”

Yet her eyes grew heavy as she grew colder. She tried to keep her eyes open, but it took too much effort. She managed to whisper, “Aidan,” before the world went black.

Chapter Sixteen

Aidan cradled Claire’s head as her body went limp. For a split second, he believed she was dead. But then he noticed the slight rise and fall of her chest.