It had been the weight of his presence. The sense of contained strength, the way his gaze had lingered half a second too long, like he saw something in her she wasn’t ready to admit even to herself. His inner lion had to be a massive beast, and it made her lynx want to either hiss in challenge or run away in fear.

  That unsettled her more than she liked. Lina Goodwell didn’t run from one damned thing. Never had. Never would. She was a warrior, just like him. But her inner lynx had sensed the Alpha lion in his soul and responded to it in a surprising way. Never had another shifter of any species gotten such a rise out of her inner beast. Not once in her entire life, and she wasn’t quite sure what that meant.

  Shaking off her silent conjecture, Lina reached for her go-bag and started laying out the basics. She had her sidearm and backup, her FBI credentials, a burner phone, and extra clothes, just in case. The routine motions steadied her. She’d worked undercover with cartel families, tracked human traffickers through seedy motels, negotiated with snitches in alleys that smelled of rot and despair. She could handle one Navy SEAL with a lion inside him.

  Maybe.

  The thought of spending hours working side-by-side with Liam Kinkaid made her pulse pick up in ways she didn’t really want to analyze. Attraction was dangerous. Distraction was deadly. And the woman they were hunting, a certain evil witch named Mrs. Entwistle, was neither predictable nor merciful.

  Lina zipped the bag shut with more force than necessary. She’d meet Liam Kinkaid on neutral ground tomorrow. They would hunt a witch together, pool their resources, follow the trail until it ended.

  Whatever spark had flickered between them once didn’t matter. What mattered was the mission. At least, that was what she kept telling herself.

  The next morning dawned gray and damp, a mist rolling in from the Atlantic that clung to the coastal streets and blurred the low skyline. Lina arrived early, as she always did, parking her Bureau-issued sedan a block away from the designated coordinates. She preferred to scope a location before stepping into it, habits honed from years of undercover work and more than a few near misses.

  The café looked ordinary enough. It had aged brick walls, big windows, a neon Open sign buzzing faintly in the light drizzle. Public, yet private enough for a conversation.

  Her lynx stirred uneasily as she approached. She didn’t need to see him to know he was already there. The lion’s presence hit her like a warm current of air in the cold morning mist. He had one hell of an aura, even from a distance.

  Lina stepped inside the café, scanning quickly. Just a few people were there this early. There were a couple of commuters getting coffee and a muffin on their way to the train station down the street, and a few elderly people reading newspapers at a table in the front window. A little farther back, she spotted him.

  Liam Kinkaid had claimed a corner table, back to the wall, eyes on the door. Of course he had. Even out of uniform, he radiated warrior presence with those broad shoulders under a plain gray T-shirt, posture relaxed but coiled for action, gaze assessing. His golden hair caught the dim light, giving him the look of some mythic hero carved in stone and dropped into a modern coffee shop.

  His gaze flicked up, met hers, and for just a beat, softened. Recognition. Maybe even something more. She almost shook herself for the silly thought. That had to be wishful thinking from her lynx who hadn’t been let out to play with a handsome male in far too long.

  Lina’s pulse stuttered before she got it back under control. She’d spent her life facing down predators, criminals, and worse. But the way Liam’s presence filled the space around him, tugging at her lynx until her claws ached to come out, was a whole different kind of danger.

  Professional, she reminded herself. Keep it professional.

  She walked over, her stride steady, her expression cool. If he noticed the way her lynx bristled and then settled in wary fascination, he gave no sign.

  “Ms. Goodwell,” Liam said as she reached the table, his voice low and rich, carrying just enough warmth to take the edge off the formality. He hadn’t used her title, which was safest out here in the open. She’d do the same.

  “Mr. Kinkaid,” she returned, sliding into the seat opposite him. She set her bag down at her side and met his gaze head-on, keeping her voice low so that only they could hear. “Looks like we’ve got ourselves a witch hunt.”

  A flicker of a smile touched his mouth. “I’m looking forward to it. It irked me that she got away the first time.”

  “And the second, judging by the file I was given. Your kin down in Texas had dealings with her recently, I read.”

  “They did, but she’s a slippery fish,” Liam agreed.

  “The best kind to hunt,” she said, looking up as a waitress started toward them to take their order. “I like a challenge.”

  The waitress stopped at their table and promised to be right back with the egg sandwiches they both ordered. The café had a small grill in the back where a short-order cook made sandwiches and egg platters for the bustling breakfast crowd. Most were orders to go, but there were a few tables scattered around the place, including theirs.

  When the waitress left, Liam leaned back, his gaze raking over her. She fought not to fidget with the apex predator looking out of his eyes at her. Lions were intense, and this lion seemed more intense than the others she’d met, with the possible exception of his Alpha, Sam Kinkaid. That guy was one scary mofo, as one of her fellow agents had proclaimed when he’d met the man during an op a few years back.

  Lina felt her own lynx stirring at the back of her mind, wanting to meet the challenge she saw in Liam’s eyes. She might be smaller than him, but she was also a predator, and she’d proved herself a damned good hunter in both of her forms. Which was why, after all, they’d come to her for help finding the witch who had escaped justice from the Kinkaids twice now. Lina vowed the woman wouldn’t escape a third time.

  She forced herself to focus on her notepad, pen clicking against the table. Work. Facts. She needed to think about anything other than the way his deep, masculine voice did things to her pulse.

  “So, have you given any thought as to how you want to proceed? I’ve read the file, and I’ve done some preliminary research, but I’m wondering where you’d like to start,” she asked diplomatically.

  Liam regarded her another moment then sighed as his massive shoulders relaxed. “I’m ashamed to admit that it’s become obvious that the military approach hasn’t worked. I don’t know where Mrs. E got her training, but she always seems to be one step ahead of us. Which is why I’d like to hear your ideas. You’re the wildcard, Lina. Your tactics are bound to be different than any I’d use.”

  “I think that’s a fair statement,” she replied, surprised a little by his openness.

  She was glad to learn he wasn’t going to go all king of the jungle on her and expect to take over all aspects of this mission. If he kept going like this, she could definitely work with him, and they just might get this job done.

  “All right. First, I want to do a deep background on the woman. I read the file I received last night, and it’s good, but there are holes in the data set that need to be filled. I’d like to talk to some of the ladies from her old neighborhood,” Lina said, meaning some of the Marsh Witches of Sagaponack who had been friends and neighbors of Mrs. E for years without realizing she was a traitor. They were bound to know things about her that might come in handy.

  “That can be arranged,” Liam replied, nodding. “Two of my cousins now live in the same community, and their new mates are related to some of those ladies. I’ll call them and see if we can set something up.”

  “Good.” Lina nodded.

  That was a good start. Hopefully, someone from that coven would know something that could lead them to their quarry. Either that or give them the next link in the chain that Lina could follow.

  The waitress returned with two steaming plates and a pot of coffee, setting an egg sandwich and a side of crisp home fries in front of each of them. The smell of fried eggs and bacon teased Lina’s nose, and she couldn’t wait to dig in. She took a bite, letting the ordinary ritual of breakfast steady her, then retrieved a folder from her bag, opening it on the table between them.

  “Right,” she said after swallowing that first bite, pen poised. “Questions first. Motive, opportunity, and resources. Motive looks personal, likely ideological. Opportunity’s obvious. She’s clever and mobile. Resources are the scary part. She’s got access to an unknown level of power as well as Venifucus techniques and allies, which isn’t garden-variety witchery. Whoever taught her or sheltered her is dangerous in their own right.” She looked up to meet Liam’s gaze. “Has anyone looked into her bank accounts or tried to track her travel? Has she bought or sold property? Even small purchases leave trails.”

  Liam rubbed his jaw, thinking. “My cousin, Gavin, has been tracking a few financial blips that might be linked. His team discovered she had shell accounts, with deposits from obscure donors, but I don’t think he’s found anything solid yet.”

  “Is he here? Is he on your team?” Lina wanted to know.

  “No, he’s helping remotely from home base in Texas. He’s the head of security for Kinkaid Industries,” Liam replied. “I’ve been working nearby with a skeleton crew of Navy personnel on a different task and was pulled into this just yesterday.”

  She wanted details but would wait to really question him about why he was in the area, as he put it. It felt like too much of a coincidence, but she’d wait for privacy to grill him like a suspect. The thought made her want to smile, and she chastised herself to get back to the matter at hand.

  “The report mentioned that the coven cleared out Mrs. E’s house afterward. Any chance they found something useful before, or even after, destroying her traps?” Lina asked.

  “I understand there were a number of things that the ladies put under lock and key. When I ping my cousins, I’ll see if they can spare some time to help us go through anything the ladies are willing to give us access to. My cousins are former Special Operators and good with surveillance. They’ll also have recordings of the operation that went down in the neighborhood when Mrs. E escaped the first time.”

  Lina was nodding as she made a few notations. “Good. I’d like to see anything they have that will tell me more about her and what she can do. I’ll also run anything Gavin found through our systems today and cross-check any aliases, shell companies, or travel on passports, and satellite ping records, if I can get them.”

  She liked the way his brows rose at her words, as if he hadn’t expected her to take the ball and run with it so quickly. He’d learn. She hadn’t gotten where she was in the FBI by letting grass grow under her feet.

  “Sounds good. I’ll get that information to you ASAP,” he promised without objection.

  So far, so good.

  “Now, as for my preliminary assessment of our target. I’ve read over the initial file, as I’ve said, and it’s pretty clear that Mrs. Entwistle likes theatrical displays. She might try to draw us out if she realizes we’re on her trail.” She felt the familiar thrum of that lynx-wariness, the animal part of her arching inside her soul. “We just need to deny her a stage unless we control the circumstances.”

  They traded specifics for the next half hour while they ate and drank the entire carafe of coffee between them. When they couldn’t drag out the meal any longer and the waitress had given them the check, Lina put away her file and stood. Liam had taken the check and showed no signs of wanting to split it or even expense it as part of their jobs. No, it sure looked like he was paying for her breakfast, and she didn’t know why that sent a little thrill up her spine, except for the fact that they were both shifters and providing food was a basic need when courting a mate.

  What was she thinking? This was no courtship. This was a temporary work partnership, plain and simple. That’s all it ever could be. He was a lion, and she was a lynx. Sure, they were both big cats, but they were vastly different cats, when it came right down to it.

  “When do you want to meet up again?” Liam asked as they were on their way out the door after he’d paid the check. “My original mission in the area is nearing completion, but I have a full day of work today to tie up a bunch of loose ends.”

  “That’s fine,” she replied. “I’m going back to the office to run my queries on the secure equipment there. It should take most of the day.”

  “Do you want to meet up again tonight?” Liam asked as they walked slowly down the sidewalk, away from the café.

  “How about I call you this afternoon? If I find anything actionable, we can meet to discuss it. If not, I’ll keep working as long as it takes to find something. In the meantime, if you could set up some meetings with the ladies for tomorrow, that would be ideal. I don’t think we have a lot of time to mess around on this. Intel leads me to believe she’s already here and planning something. My instincts tell me that we need to move as fast as we can.”

  “Sounds good. I’ll await your call this afternoon. You have my number,” Liam said, nodding.

  “I’m parked over on the next block,” she told him when the silence had gone on a little too long. They were still walking slowly in the damp air of the gray morning.

  The air smelled of salt and rain. Liam slid his jacket on with easy motions. It was leather, and it looked well-worn.

  “Yeah, I know. I’m parked right across from you.”

  “You are?”

  She thought she’d observed everything in the area before leaving her car, but obviously, she’d missed something. And if he’d seen where she parked, how had he beaten her to the café? He must have walked really fast, but she supposed it was doable. Though how she’d missed him on the street she didn’t understand.

  She’d always thought of lions as big and lumbering, but apparently, that was a mistake. They were cats, and she knew from personal experience that cats excelled at being sneaky. Her inner lynx wanted to raise a paw and bat at him in play for the sexy smirk on his handsome face. Down, girl.

  They picked up their pace as rain began to fall more steadily. He left her at her car with a quick, “Talk to you later,” and headed for a large SUV parked across the street and a few spaces down.

  She sat in her car for a moment after he’d driven away, watching his taillights disappear into traffic. Her lynx paced restlessly inside her mind, unsettled by how right it had felt to work beside him.

  Dangerous thinking. She had databases to query and leads to chase. The mission came first. At least, it always had before.

  Chapter 3

  The afternoon dragged for Liam. He spent most of it tying up the last of his duties at the nearly-empty base. He was cataloguing gear for transport and checking logs when his phone buzzed. The caller ID read, Goodwell.

  He hit accept instantly. “Liam Kinkaid.”

  “This is Lina Goodwell,” her clear voice answered. “I’ve got some results I’d like to share. I ran Mrs. Entwistle through our systems and found a few hits that weren’t in your file. She’s using an alias tied to a lease in Queens. Nothing flashy, but the timeline fits with her movements after she left New York the last time.”

  Liam straightened in his chair. “That’s a solid lead. Are you free to meet so we can discuss it further?”

  “I can be. You mentioned meeting again tonight. Will that work?” she asked.

  He glanced at the half-finished inventory on his desk. None of it mattered as much as this new mission, or the intriguing woman on the other end of the line. “I can make time. Can we talk during dinner?”

  Silence. Just long enough for his lion to prick its ears and pay attention.

  “Dinner?” she echoed, sounding wary.

  He understood. For shifters, offering food wasn’t casual. It could be a significant signal, in certain situations. Him buying her breakfast this morning could be chalked up to friendliness among new colleagues, but if he kept feeding her, it could be taken for courtship.

  He wasn’t really aiming to court the pretty lynx shifter, but something protective and almost nurturing roused in him on every interaction. He had to somehow make it clear that sharing dinner wasn’t a primal need to provide for a potential mate. In this case, it was about working together and utilizing the little time Liam had today efficiently.

  That’s all it was. Surely.

  “There’s a place I know. Family-owned. Shifter-run. It’s safe for us to talk, and they’ll give us privacy. I just really don’t have a lot of time to spare today, and we both have to eat.” There. That should make it clear that what he was proposing was simply a shared meal, not the beginning of some sort of intimate relationship.

  She paused before answering. He imagined her lynx bristling, weighing the offer, testing his intentions. Finally, she exhaled.

  “All right. Text me the address,” she almost snapped.

  “Will do. Seven o’clock work for you?” he asked.

  “Yes.”

  The line went dead, and he couldn’t help but smile. Was she merely being efficient or had he detected a bit of pique? The sassy lynx side of her intrigued him. He looked forward to seeing her again. Dangerous waters, but he had his head on straight now.

  Work colleagues. That’s all they were, all they could be. His lion had other ideas, but Liam had spent years learning discipline. He could handle one beautiful lynx shifter.

  Probably.

  Lina was a good friend to have with all sorts of law enforcement connections, and he’d heard tall tales about her skills with a sniper rifle. Any weapon, really. She was among the best of the best with a firearm in her hands. Or so his friends in the Army unit had told him.

  Liam laid his phone down, his mouth quirking. She hadn’t liked agreeing, but she’d agreed all the same. Maybe her lynx didn’t trust easily. Maybe it recognized something in his lion that complicated things. Either way, he wasn’t about to waste the chance to get to know her better.