The Wolf's Bandit: Paranormal Shifter Romance: A Howls Romance Read online

  He chuckled the way most arrogant men do when faced with a challenge. “Tell me, Miss...” he waited for her to give her name, but she wasn’t falling for that. She said nothing, didn’t move. Just stared him down. He grunted. “Why don’t I kill you now and take this for myself?”

  A grin crept across her face. “Because then you won’t get a cut of the next thing I bring in. And it’s going to be big. You better have a lot of money on hand.” The man’s eyes did that glowy thing and Robyn fought the urge to run. She needed that money and wasn’t leaving without it.

  Seriff laughed. “All right, Miss Thief, seventy-five it is.” He raised a finger and the man beside him produced an electronic gadget. He punched in numbers and handed it to her. She put in the bank account she had memorized and pressed enter. She handed it back and pulled out her own phone. Bringing up the online app for banking, she saw the money go in. She immediately transferred it to another account so Seriff wouldn’t get a wild hair up his ass and try to get his money back. Saying nothing more, she turned and walked out the door.

  Seriff leaned back in his chair, finger tapping his chin. “Boys,” he started, “take her to the safehouse in the woods late tomorrow night. I have more business with our pretty celebrity.”

  5

  After losing sight of her on the second bus, Aitan decided to stroll the area for food possibilities, hopefully finding that special cuisine he’d smelled only in this city many years ago. But he didn’t want to stay too long. He had to get back to Loxley’s car and watch for her return. Something wasn’t right with her. Actually, everything was perfect about her. But she was too cool. She hadn’t asked hardly anything about the missing tiara or him. Could be she didn’t care.

  No. That’s not what he smelled. She cared enough to drive him nuts being that close to her.

  Strolling through Little Italy, pasta and tomato sauce filled his senses. Reminded him of home and the local-grown fruits and veggies that went into their meals. Not that he ate a lot of that rabbit food. Meat was the best, the rarer the better.

  With another deep breath, a different scent wafted in. A familiar smell—the scent close to what he had been searching for. He followed it, nose in the air. Nobody gave him a second look. Guess they were used to just about anything here.

  When turning the corner, the smell intensified. Aitan didn’t recognize the complete fragrance, but an element of it drove him forward.

  From the parking lot up on the left, he heard a female scream then yell at someone. Around the end of a rows of cars, a thin, shaggy-looking guy ran toward him with a purse in his hand. Aitan stuck his arm out as he passed by, clotheslining the guy. He flipped onto his back, the purse lying on the ground a few feet away.

  “Pardon me, sir,” Aitan said, “if this is your purse, I whole-heartedly apologize. If not, then I shall return it to the person you stole it from.” Aitan got down into the man’s face and let his facial features shift enough for his eyes to shine yellow and his canine teeth to sharpen.

  They man jumped up, yelling, and took off. Aitan lifted the purse and headed for the row of cars, hoping the owner was still around. Searching the parking lot, he saw a little old lady wandering through the cars.

  “Ma’am,” he called out, “was your purse stolen?”

  The woman stopped and turned toward him. “What?” Her voice was as fragile as her petite body.

  He walked closer. “Was your purse stolen a moment ago?”

  She cupped a hand behind her ear. “What?” Aitan was only several cars away, so he lifted her bag for her to see. “That’s my purse,” she shouted. “It was stolen. Give it back.”

  The woman hurried toward him, determination on her face. He bet she was a tough one back in her time. He suddenly felt sorry for her husband. He probably had his hands full. Reaching out to snatch it back, she looked him up and down without hiding her stare. “My, my,” she said, “where did you come from?”

  “I was passing by when the man who took your purse...tripped and fell,” he replied.

  Her eyes got wide. “What a sexy accent you have there, young man. Where are you from?” She reached out and poked his bicep with a wrinkly finger.

  He felt his face flush. No one at home had the balls to say something like that to his face. Of course, at home, he didn’t have a “sexy” accent.

  “From Eastern Europe, ma’am,” Aitan answered.

  “How sweet. Manners and all.” She leaned to the side to glance at his back end. He pivoted, trying not to be obvious. “You know, if I were forty years younger, I’d climb you like a tree.”

  He glanced around for an escape route, acute embarrassment setting in. She patted him on the abs, where her head came up to.

  “Don’t fret, there, Europe,” she said. “I’m may talk a mean game, but it’s all bark. Walk me to my car.” She started away from him. He had serious second thoughts about following, but he didn’t want her to be easy prey. “So why are you here? Tourist, all by yourself?” She looked over her shoulder at him. He didn’t like the look. Now he felt like the prey.

  He thought about something safe to say. “I am here to find good, old-fashioned American food. And by myself.”

  “Well, now. You’ve come to the right person for that,” she said. “Come to dinner at my house tonight. I feed a barnyard full of people on Wednesdays.”

  No way in hell was he cornering himself in her home. “Thank you, ma’am,” he started.

  “Call me Granma. Granma Loxley at your cooking service.”

  Hmm, change of plans.

  6

  When Robyn stepped off the bus, she felt eyes on her. Under her lashes, she glanced around, searching for anyone watching her. Nobody she could see. Nonetheless, she hurried to her car. She wasn’t in the best part of town.

  With the money safely in her account, she could now pick up the kids and get them ready. She got a tip on the children from a homeless shelter she visited. It took her a while to find them, but she did. Her heart broke at what she saw. Remined her too much of her past.

  The weather was still warm on that day not too long ago, sun shining brightly overhead. Despite the light, the alley was dark and damp. Great place to get pneumonia and a host of other diseases. The box the children shared was starting to crumble. The disgusting, filth-covered blanket they sat and slept on needed to be burnt. No amount of washing would save it.

  Robyn first saw the boy dumpster diving for food. She followed him several blocks to find his sister in their cardboard shelter. Neither looked to have had a bath or good meal in a long time.

  At that moment, she started looking for a target that would bring in enough money, coming across the tiara. It was enough to cover half, and the next gig would take care of the rest.

  When she spoke to them, the older brother kept his sister safely behind him, trying not to let her be seen. How she wished back during that time she’d had someone like that. Someone to cling to, someone to tell her what to do, where to go. She now filled that role for others.

  She parked half a block from the alley. She’d told the kids not to go anywhere unless they absolutely had to. She’d be back for them. Big brother was skeptical. Smart on his part, especially not being more than ten years old. People seldom did nice things for others with nothing in return.

  Halfway down the alleyway, she saw their cardboard box home was crushed into the ground. Panic raced through her veins. Where had they gone? Were they alive?

  “Elijah,” she whispered loudly, searching the dark places in the narrow passage. “Ellie.” Each second without a response made her more frantic. She’d taken too long to come back. She should’ve demanded they go home with her the first time. Elijah refused even though Ellie wanted to go with her.

  Now, she wouldn’t give them a choice. “Elijah,” she called louder. Finding herself running, Robyn calmed herself, not letting panic take control. Behind a trash bin farther up, a small head with draping hair popped out.

  “Ellie, no!” H
er head disappeared as if her brother jerked her back. Robyn heard arguing, then the little girl darted out, running toward her. The child’s grungy, undernourished arms wrapped around her waist, stringy dark-colored strands sticking to her suit jacket.

  “You came back,” she said. “I knew you would. Eli didn’t believe me.”

  Robyn knelt to her level, wiping the tears making paths through the dirt on her small round cheeks. “I’m sorry I took so long,” she said. “I had to do something first. Now you and Elijah can come with me.”

  Ellie pulled back. “Are we going to school where we get food every day?” Her smile lit up Robyn’s heart. This is what she lived for—helping others who needed it. The girl jumped up and down, so excited to be going where most kids claimed to hate.

  “Later today. First we need to get you a bath and lunch.”

  “Lunch?” Elijah said, coming out from the dumpster, desperation clearly in his eyes. “Why are you doing this?” he asked.

  Robyn stood and extended her hand for a shake. She wanted to treat him like she would any grown-up because he’d seen more than most adults ever do. She knew. Eli stared at her hand then hesitantly put his hand in hers.

  “I do this because a long time ago, someone did something nice for me that changed my life and I’m returning the favor.”

  He stared at her with narrowed eyes for a moment. “Okay. We’ll go with you,” he said. Robyn wanted to jump up and down like Ellie, joy filling her inside. She took one of the girl’s hands as her brother walked on the other side of his sister. She belted them into the back of the car as Ellie ran her hand over the leather seats, her eyes about to fall out of her head.

  Opening the driver’s side door, she felt the world was staring her again. She looked around, but so many people walked the sidewalk and shops, there was no telling who watched her. And she didn’t care right now. She had a couple children to feed, wash, clothe, and get to school.

  After a lunch of chicken noodle soup, whole-grain bread, and a cookie, they had baths. Ellie’s hair was so badly matted, Robyn thought about taking her to get it cut. But half a bottle of conditioner later, the knots smoothed out and a comb swept cleanly from top to bottom. Elijah’s hair was long for a boy, but that was something that would be taken care of later if he wanted.

  Dressed in fresh new clothes and shoes, the two stood in front of her with beaming faces. She had to suck back the tears threatening fall. This made it all worth it—the risks and dangers for this outcome were acceptable to her. Hell, she’d give her life if a child needed that of her.

  She fed them more chicken soup and crackers. They needed to ease back into eating solid heavier foods or their stomachs would revolt. Sister Helen would know what to do better than her.

  Next, they packed their own small suitcase with clothes Robyn had purchased and they got to pick what they wanted to take. Ellie took them all, saying some other girl would wear what she wouldn’t. She could already tell little Ellie would be a friend to every girl in the academy.

  Elijah, though, was a different story. He was jaded toward the world and might be for the rest of his life. Never trusting, never believing in the goodness of people. She hoped one day he would find a love that could renew what he lost. She’d be happy if he simply made friends. He was too much like her.

  They gathered their suitcases, backpacks and school supplies, and headed to school. The worried looked on Elijah’s face told her what she needed to know.

  “I know you guys will really like this school,” she said, glancing at them in the rearview mirror. “The school is really old and looks like a castle plopped right in the middle of the city.”

  7

  “Are there princesses?” Ellie blurted.

  Elijah grunted at his sister. “Don’t be dumb, Ellie. Princesses aren’t real.”

  “Princesses are very real,” Robyn inserted in their conversation. “I dreamed of being a princess when I was your age too, Ellie.”

  Her eyes got big. “You did?”

  Robyn almost laughed at the awe shining from the young face. “Yes, I did. I even had my own knight on his noble horse and big dresses with glitter.” She stopped, not going into the rest of her childhood fantasy that got strange from there.

  She never figured out why, but a beautiful white and gray wolf always made an appearance in her dreams. It wasn’t a killer like shown on TV, but lovable, rubbing on her legs and letting her scratch between the ears. The strange part came when she looked into his eyes. She saw understanding and intelligence beyond what normal animals possessed. It was as if he was a human inside the creature.

  He was playful and cuddly and licked her face despite her protests. He made her laugh and soothed her worries. She hadn’t dreamed about the wolf in a long time. She realized she missed him and the peacefulness her brought into her dreams. She really needed to socialize more. Maybe it was time for a company party.

  Pulling up to the security shack to Holy Pereth Academy, she rolled her window down. “Hi, Rickey,” she said.

  “Checking in or bringing in new?” he asked, ducking to look into the back seat.

  “The more, the merrier, Sister always says.”

  Rickey laughed and pushed the button for the gate. “That she does.” The barrier slid to the side and Robyn pulled through. Children roamed freely around the expansive grounds. Many engaged in a game of tag or Red Rover while the girls skipped double-dutch rope.

  “That is so cool,” Ellie said, driving by the young ladies.

  “You’ll get to learn how to do that,” she replied. Elijah sat quietly, looking out the window, not nearly as excited as his sister. When she pulled into the visitor parking, her old friend stood waiting with a boy and girl with her. “Okay, we’re here. Elijah, you ready for this?”

  He nodded and slowly opened the door as Ellie exploded from the car. “Elijah, wait a minute,” Robyn said. He stopped and met her eyes in the mirror. “Elijah, I want to tell you a short story before we get out. Will you listen?” He nodded once again but said nothing, staring out the window.

  Robyn started. “About twenty some years ago, a young girl watched her mother die of a drug overdose in a back alley. The girl didn’t know where she was, where her home was, or where to find her father.

  “When the police came to get her mother’s body, she hid behind a dumpster because she was scared of going to jail. She’d heard that’s what happened to kids who didn’t have parents. For a long time, the girl dug in dumpsters to find food others had discarded. She drank water from puddles and a container she’d found and collected rain in.

  “During those rains, she sat next to her bucket, no cover or shelter to keep her dry. She cried during those times, but no one cared. Then one day, a little boy with gold shining eyes sat next to her in an alley. He was dressed in fancy clothes like those in the big city wore with no dirt on him. He took her grimy hand in his without blinking an eye.”

  She withheld this next part from him because nobody knew. She’d told no one in her entire life how much the little boy affected her. At eight years old, she’d fallen in love with an older man. He was probably ten, but her heart was in deep.

  Through the years, she’d purposefully forgotten him and that time in her past, too busy trying to make a life out of what little she had. She wondered as she sat in the car if that was why she’d never given her heart to a man. A little boy took it a long time ago.

  With a deep breath, she continued. “When his parents found him and saw the little girl, they felt sorry for her. So they brought her to this place and paid for her to live here and go to school until she was eighteen. Here, her life changed. She had a chance to be someone in the world. And she did become someone, running a multi-million-dollar business.”

  She didn’t tell him about the years of nightmares of being back in that alley, trapped with her dead mother decaying beside her. Or the emotional scars left from fending for herself and trusting and loving no one for many years afterward. She pray
ed he wouldn’t suffer the same as she did. But she had healed with the help of her father she’d found later and Granma.

  A small hand rested on her shoulder. Elijah asked, “That girl was you, wasn’t she?” Robyn nodded, not trusting her voice to remain strong. She hadn’t relived those memories for a long time for a reason. “I get it now,” he said. “Thank you.” He sounded so old for being so young.

  “Let’s meet Sister Helen. You’ll love her. She’s great.” Together, they walked to the older lady who Ellie had already met. The young girl with the sister took Ellie by the hand and they ran off.

  Robyn hugged the woman who had shaped her youth and molded her into the strong woman she was today. Without Sister Helen, Robyn wouldn’t know where she would’ve been now.

  “Sister Helen, this is Elijah. I see you already met his little sister Ellie,” Robyn said.

  Sister laughed. “Indeed, I did. She’s a ball of energy. She’ll do well here.” Sister shook the boy’s hand as Robyn had earlier. “Good to meet you, young man. I’m glad you’ve decided to join us.”

  Elijah blushed and smiled. “I’m glad to be here,” he replied.

  Sister gestured to the boy by her side. “Elijah, this is Carlo. Miss Loxley brought him here, too. He has a similar background to yours if you get my meaning.”

  The boy did. A smile cracked his hard exterior. Maybe there was hope for him here. “Come on,” Carlo said, “I’ll introduce you to all the others like us.”

  “Us?” Elijah repeated.

  “Yeah, we’re Robyn’s Merry Guys,” Carlo said with pride. Robyn burst out a laugh, completely unprepared for that revelation. The guys walked off, Sister and Robyn watching.

  Sister sighed. “Robyn Loxley, you are the angel God has sent into these children’s lives.”

  8