Page 11 of Claws for Celebration (Hollow Oak Mates #3)
LUCIEN
T he shadow creatures had been waiting at the forest's edge, drawn by magical currents that pulsed through Hollow Oak like a beacon calling to things that should never have noticed their hidden community.
Lucien's panther had scented them before his human mind registered the threat, primitive instincts screaming warnings about predators that existed in the spaces between worlds.
He'd left Moira at the bookstore with promises to return soon, claiming he needed to check on a delivery at the loading dock behind the municipal building.
The lie had tasted bitter on his tongue, but some truths were too dangerous to share until she was ready to understand what accepting them meant.
Now, crouched in the undergrowth that bordered Hollow Oak's protective wards, Lucien watched three shadow creatures test the boundaries of their sanctuary.
They moved like liquid darkness given malevolent purpose, their forms shifting between recognizable shapes and nightmare amalgamations that hurt to look at directly.
Ancient magic clung to them like smoke, speaking of realms where different laws governed existence.
His panther stirred restlessly beneath his skin, territorial instincts demanding action against threats to their mate.
The big cat understood what his human mind was still processing: these creatures had been drawn by Moira's awakening power, and their presence meant other, more dangerous entities would follow.
Time to work.
Lucien stripped quickly, folding his clothes and securing them beneath a fallen log where they'd remain safe during the hunt.
The transformation took him like a familiar embrace, human consciousness merging with predatory instincts as his body shifted into the sleek, powerful form of a black panther.
Enhanced senses flooded his awareness: the acrid scent of otherworldly magic, the sound of shadow creatures testing ward boundaries, the distant pulse of Moira's bloodline magic calling across the night air.
The first shadow creature never saw him coming.
Lucien's panther form was built for silent death, muscles flowing like water as he stalked through forest shadows that welcomed his presence.
Claws extended, he leaped from an overhanging branch onto the nearest creature's back, silver-blessed talons tearing through its ethereal form with satisfying efficiency.
The shadow creature dissolved with a shriek that existed on frequencies beyond human hearing, its essence scattering like smoke in a strong wind. But the sound alerted its companions, who turned toward him with attention that felt like ice water in his veins.
These weren't mindless predators. Intelligence lurked behind their shifting forms, cunning that spoke of purpose beyond simple hunger.
The second creature attacked with tendrils of darkness that sought to wrap around his throat, but Lucien's panther was faster.
He rolled beneath the grasping shadows and came up slashing, silver claws finding purchase in whatever passed for the entity's vital core.
It too dissolved, but not before raking spectral talons across his shoulder in a burning line that would leave real wounds.
The third shadow creature was more cautious, circling at a distance while studying his fighting style with predatory calculation.
This one was older, more powerful, its form more stable than its dissolved companions.
When it finally attacked, the assault came from multiple directions simultaneously, shadow tendrils erupting from the ground beneath his paws while the main body dove from above.
Lucien's panther twisted with inhuman grace, avoiding the ground attack while meeting the aerial assault head-on.
His claws caught the creature's center mass, but its retaliation was immediate and vicious.
Spectral fangs sank into his left foreleg while shadow talons raked across his ribs, opening wounds that burned with otherworldly cold.
But panthers were built to finish fights once they started them. Lucien's jaws found the creature's throat, silver-blessed fangs tearing through its ethereal flesh with ruthless efficiency. The shadow creature's death scream echoed through the forest before it too dissolved into scattered darkness.
Silence returned to the woods, broken only by Lucien's labored breathing as he assessed his injuries.
The wounds weren't life-threatening, but they were definitely real, shadow magic having left its mark in torn flesh and bruised muscle.
Blood matted his midnight-black fur, and every movement sent fresh waves of pain through his shoulder and ribs.
More concerning than the physical damage was what the creatures' presence meant.
Shadow entities didn't cross dimensional boundaries without significant motivation, and they certainly didn't hunt in coordinated packs unless something powerful was directing their actions.
Moira's awakening bloodline magic had attracted attention from realms that posed existential threats to communities like Hollow Oak.
The transformation back to human form was more difficult than usual, his injured body protesting the magical shift.
But eventually he stood on two legs again, naked and bleeding in the forest darkness, silver wounds that would heal but slowly marking him as a guardian who'd paid the price for protecting his territory.
Getting dressed was an exercise in controlled movement, every gesture carefully calculated to avoid aggravating his injuries further.
By the time he made his way back toward town, dawn was already lightening the eastern sky, and guilt gnawed at him for leaving Moira alone so long without explanation.
The Hollow Oak Book Nook glowed with warm lamplight when he approached, and his heart clenched when he saw her silhouette through the front windows. She was still there, still working, probably wondering where he'd disappeared to in the middle of their conversation.
The ding of the bell announced his return with its familiar chime, and Moira looked up from the Shadowheart Codex with relief that quickly shifted to concern.
"Lucien! There you are. I was starting to worry..." Her words trailed off as she took in his appearance, brown eyes widening behind wire-rimmed glasses. "Oh my God, what happened to you?"
He'd forgotten how the shadow creatures' claws had torn his body. Blood had soaked through the material in several places, and he probably looked like he'd been mauled by a wild animal.
Which, technically, he had been.
"Hiking accident," he said, the lie coming easier this time because it contained elements of truth. "Took a tumble down a rocky slope in the dark. Nothing serious."
"Nothing serious?" Moira was already moving toward him, her scholar's attention focused entirely on cataloging his injuries. "Lucien, you're bleeding in at least three places."
"Mountain terrain can be unforgiving," he said, trying to project calm competence despite the way her obvious concern made his chest tight with unfamiliar emotions. "I'll clean up and be fine."
"Absolutely not." Her voice carried surprising authority for someone who'd been questioning her own sanity just hours earlier. "Sit down right now before you fall down. I'm getting the first aid kit."
"Moira, really, I?—"
"Sit." The single word was delivered with enough force to make his panther take notice. "I know you think you're some kind of invincible mountain man, but you're hurt and you're going to let me help you whether you like it or not."
The protective instinct in her voice, combined with the way she was already moving toward the back office where he kept emergency supplies, made something warm and dangerous unfurl in his chest. His panther purred with approval at being fussed over by their mate, while his human heart clenched with the recognition that no one had cared about his wellbeing with such fierce determination in longer than he could remember.
"You don't have to—" he started, settling carefully into the chair she'd indicated.
"Yes, I do." Moira returned with a well-stocked first aid kit and a bowl of warm water, her movements efficient despite the slight tremor in her hands. "Take off that shirt so I can see what we're dealing with."
The request sent heat curling through his stomach, though he tried to keep his reaction hidden as he peeled away the destroyed fabric.
Moira's sharp intake of breath when she saw the full extent of his injuries made his protective instincts roar to life, wanting to eliminate whatever had put that distress in her voice.
"Jesus, Lucien. These look like claw marks." Her fingers hovered over the worst of the wounds without quite touching, as if she was afraid of causing him additional pain. "What kind of hiking accident leaves injuries like this?"
"The kind that involves unexpected encounters with local wildlife," he said carefully, watching her face for signs of suspicion or disbelief.
"Wildlife." Her tone suggested she found his explanation less than convincing, but she began cleaning the wounds with gentle efficiency instead of pressing for details. "Right. Well, whatever attacked you, it got you good."
The careful attention she paid to each injury, the way she bit her lower lip in concentration while applying antiseptic, the unconscious gentleness of her touch as she worked, all combined to create an intimacy that felt more profound than anything he'd experienced in decades of carefully controlled existence.
"There," she said finally, securing the last bandage with hands that had grown steadier as she worked. "That should hold until you can get proper medical attention."
"This is proper medical attention," Lucien said, catching her hand before she could step away. "Thank you."
The contact sent familiar electricity arcing between them, and for a moment, the air in the bookstore felt charged with possibilities.
"You scared me," Moira admitted quietly, her thumb tracing unconscious patterns across his knuckles. "When you didn't come back, I started imagining all sorts of terrible things."
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you."
"Promise me you won't go hiking alone in the dark anymore. Whatever's out there, it's dangerous."
If only she knew how dangerous, and how much more dangerous it was becoming every day as her power grew stronger. But looking into her concerned brown eyes, feeling the warmth of her small hand in his much larger one, Lucien found himself making a promise he had no intention of keeping.
"I promise to be more careful," he said, which was true even if it wasn't the whole truth.
As dawn light grew stronger outside the bookstore windows and Moira continued fussing over his injuries with fierce protectiveness, Lucien realized that his greatest challenge wouldn't be protecting her from the supernatural threats that her awakening magic attracted.
His greatest challenge would be protecting her from the truth about what he was willing to do to keep her safe.