The Last Warrior (Shifters Unbound #13) - Jennifer Ashley Page 0,14

in Houston or thereabouts, making the rounds in his territory, but Ben swore he must have some Fae magic hidden up his sleeve.

Only an hour or so after Ben had cleaned up the kitchen and taken Rhianne on a tour of the house to distract her from her troubles, he heard a motorcycle roar to a stop outside. Not just one, but three. Dylan always brought backup.

Ben had been showing Rhianne the rear veranda, on which Jazz kept comfortable chairs, tables, and a small bookcase, and explaining to her about the ley lines that ran under the house. When Rhianne heard the engine noise, she swung around in alarm.

Ben took her hand. As she’d done when he’d pulled her from the cell, she closed her fingers around his, not letting go as he led her through the house and to the front door.

The house whispered. Ben touched the wall by the doorframe. “I know Dylan’s a pain in the ass, but we should probably talk to him. Put it this way, he’ll camp out here until I either let him in or go outside and see what he wants. I think Rhianne will be okay.”

He felt the weight of Rhianne’s stare. “Who are you talking to?”

“The house.” Ben gave the wall a pat. “If it doesn’t want to let them in, it won’t. It’s very protective. I think we’ll have to meet them on the porch.”

“I thought you said they were only Shifters.”

Ben bit back a laugh. “Yeah, but Dylan’s special. He usually doesn’t mess with me, so stick close.”

Rhianne’s puzzlement settled into caution. She kept hold of Ben’s hand as he opened the door and led Rhianne out onto the porch.

Dylan had already climbed off his motorcycle and stood waiting for the other two Shifters to join him. One was the huge form of Tiger and the third … Uh-oh. Liam.

Dylan had the smallest build of the three who approached the porch, though that wasn’t saying much. Despite this, Dylan had more power even than Tiger, who, well …

Tiger was big and bulky, with tiger-striped hair and a golden stare that could skewer you until you shriveled up and tried to find somewhere to run. But it didn’t matter if you ran because Tiger would catch you. He always did.

Liam Morrissey was Dylan’s oldest son. He resembled his father with his near-black hair and intensely blue eyes, tall body, and swagger. Dylan had honed his swagger into something subtly intimidating, but Liam, young, fairly newly mated, and father to a female cub who was his pride and joy—his arrogance had reached its height.

Liam now led the Shiftertown in Austin, having taken over from Dylan when Dylan had stepped down. Actually, Liam had kicked Dylan’s butt in a fight while Liam was going through issues, though Ben always wondered whether Dylan had let his son win. Dylan had much more freedom now to roam over the Morrissey territory, which was vast, and more time to annoy everyone inside it.

Both Morrisseys wore Collars—the chain with the Celtic knot pendant containing a mix of magic and technology that in theory controlled Shifters’ violent tendencies. Tiger wore a fake one—when he’d come to live in the Austin Shiftertown, Liam had tried to put a real one on him, and it had not gone well. They’d given Tiger a fake one to fool the humans, and life had been better for all concerned.

“Dylan, Liam.” Ben nodded at them. “Tiger. How you doing, big guy?”

“My cub, Seth, is beginning to talk.” Tiger’s pride beamed from him. For a man in a leather jacket that stretched over a huge but tight body, with a face that terrified many, he looked almost sappy.

“Beginning to, he says.” Liam Morrissey approached the porch. He spoke with an Irish accent that Ben suspected he exaggerated. “Seth said his first word a few weeks ago and hasn’t ceased gabbing since. He’s under the bad influence of my nephew, who hasn’t stopped talking in twenty-three years.”

“How is Connor?” Ben liked the kid, who would soon be as intimidating and terrifying as Liam and Dylan, if genetics ran true.

“Oh, he’s getting by. He’ll be approaching his Transition soon, I’m thinking. A bit early for a Shifter, but the lad has always been precocious. The shite will hit the fan then. Maybe we can all move in here, and leave Connor the bungalow.” Liam ran a thoughtful gaze over the house.

Dylan hadn’t spoken at all. It was Liam’s way to chat and put people