“We haven’t exactly told her,” Liam said. “Wanted to run it past you first.”
Dylan, who’d taken root at the bottom of the steps, finally spoke. “As my son says, you’ll be in constant contact with Shifters to pull you out as soon as we have what we need, or in case it grows too dangerous for you. Ben would be recruited, as well as a dokk alfar who lives in the Las Vegas Shiftertown. An Iron Master.”
Ben knew full well which dokk alfar Dylan meant, a powerful one who made the hoch alfar shit themselves in fear.
True, between himself, Shifters like Tiger, and Reid the Iron Master, Rhianne would have more protection than a precious diamond in the most secure vault on the planet. But in return, she’d have to go to that scumbag who’d abducted her and pretend to suck up to him.
“No,” Ben said firmly.
Chapter Five
Rhianne regarded Ben in surprise, which was swiftly followed by gratitude. She had assumed, when the Shifters began their demands, that Ben would take their side. Goblins had always hated the Fae, and the Fae had killed them off. He’d have given his loyalty to the Shifters, wouldn’t he?
The fact that Ben met Dylan’s even stare with one of his own and gave him a solid No, made her heart warm.
The three Shifters were not at all what she’d expected. Rhianne had pictured rangy men with shaggy hair, like the lions they were, who spoke in guttural tones and possibly let off a roar every once in a while.
What she saw in the Morrisseys were two tall, solid-bodied, black-haired men with hard blue eyes. Dylan, the older, had some gray in his hair, but otherwise, he appeared almost as young as his son.
The third, Tiger, fascinated her the most. He was taller and larger than the other two, with variegated hair and the yellow-black eyes of a tiger. Rhianne had never seen a real tiger, but paintings of them graced books she’d grown up with.
Though Dylan and Liam had obviously brought Tiger as muscle, he was curiously detached, as though he’d come for his own reasons, nothing to do with them. Plus, he’d easily gained the porch, while the house had put off the two Morrisseys.
“What does the lass say for herself?” Liam asked pointedly.
Ben didn’t back down. “What you are asking her is wrong on so many levels.”
“Wouldn’t do it if we didn’t think we could keep her from harm,” Liam said. “You’d be first on the scene, Ben, along with Tiger.”
Ben glowered. “Seriously, Liam, take yourself and your requests out of here. This is exactly what you asked Reid to do, and it almost killed him, and his mate.”
Liam’s frown couldn’t erase the appealing handsomeness of his face. “Now—”
“I’ll think about it.” Rhianne took a step in front of Ben, her chest tightening.
“Rhianne, you don’t have to do anything they say,” Ben said quickly. “I can have the house throw them off the property if you want.”
“I said, I’d think about it.” Rhianne kept her voice quiet. “I understand the request. They are correct that it would be an excellent opportunity.” Not one she wanted to take, by any means, and she wasn’t about to agree. Let the Shifters do their own dirty work.
“There you have it, my friends,” Ben said in a firm tone. “She’ll get back to you.”
Liam chewed his upper lip then he spread his hands. “So be it. If your answer is no, then it’s no. We’ll not force you, lass.”
“Damned right you won’t,” Ben rumbled.
Tiger straightened. He’d been still so long that his coming to life was startling. He left the porch railing and went straight to Rhianne. “You will take a walk with me.”
Tiger moved past her and down the steps to the front drive, without waiting to see if Rhianne would follow. She started after him before realizing that she did so.
“You don’t have to go.” Ben’s touch on her arm was gentle, comforting, his eyes concerned.
“It’s all right. I am interested in what he has to say.”
Ben released her and started to follow as she resumed her steps, but Tiger whipped around. “No. Only Rhianne.”
Ben clearly didn’t like that, and oddly, neither did Dylan or Liam. Had they not planned this? Or, Rhianne realized with sudden insight, they had no control at all over Tiger. He was here by his choice, not because they’d commanded him to attend, or even asked him politely.
Rhianne gave Ben a reassuring nod and walked sedately down the steps. The railing was warm from the sunshine, soothing somehow.
Tiger strode around the house, ending up at a path through the trees to what looked like a garden. Rhianne hurried to catch up with him, her cushioned shoes gripping the slightly damp path.
A break in branches led into a small clearing with a lawn, a few benches, a riot of rose vines climbing the trees, and flowerbeds dark with new earth. Someone cared for this patch of wild garden—Ben?
Tiger waited in front of a brick wall where rose vines greened over it. Blossoms covered it in spectacular color, reds, pinks, whites, even silvery purple.
A sudden bite of homesickness struck Rhianne. Her mother’s rose garden, lovingly tended by Akseli, the gardener, was also a tranquil retreat.
Rhianne halted next to Tiger. “Why did you bring me here?”
Tiger’s height was incontrovertible when she stood this close to him. Well over six feet, with a bulk to match, the Shifter was terrifying.
Or should be. Rhianne sensed that Tiger was out of the ordinary. Special. When he’d spoken of his child saying his first words, he’d glowed with pride and love. Not frightening at all.
“I thought you would like the garden.” Tiger’s words were simple.
“I do like it. Beauty without overdoing it.”
Tiger didn’t answer. He studied the wall with the roses and green leaves as though it were the most fascinating piece of sculpture he’d ever seen.
Rhianne swung her arms. “Go ahead. Try to convince me to return to Walther’s castle and spy on him.”
“You should not go.”
Rhianne blinked. “But the Morrisseys are adamant.” Their urgency had touched her—much fear lurked beneath their request, likely with good reason. The hoch alfar took what they wanted and cared for no one outside their realms. Shifters to them were Battle Beasts and nothing more.
“The danger is too great,” Tiger said. “Stay with Ben. Whenever you are with Ben, you will be safe.”
Tiger closed his mouth, a breeze stirring the ends of his short tiger-striped hair.
“Who is Ben?” Rhianne asked on impulse. She shook her head, her braid bouncing across her back. “I know he’s a goblin, but who is he?”
Tiger’s gaze flicked to her. “Someone very important. Take care of him.”
“Take care of Ben?” Rhianne regarded him in puzzlement. “My mother told him to look after me.”
“Lady Aisling does not know. None of them do. Ben must stay alive. He is the last warrior.”
Rhianne stared at him, getting lost in his golden eyes. “The last warrior? What does that mean?”
“When trouble comes, he is all.” Tiger tapped the side of his head. “I do not know what it means. It is what I see when I look at him.”