Kate Douglas

  Dedication

  This book is dedicated to you, the readers, who have waited patiently

  (or impatiently!) as the case may be. The fact you have waited and occasionally written to

  remind me that I had a book due ages ago is what kept me going,

  and for that I will be eternally grateful.

  This past few years have had amazing highs and the lowest of lows, and at times—and

  always, it seemed—when I was at my lowest, one of you would write and ask me

  when my next book would be coming out.

  Those notes were the proverbial kicks in the butt I obviously needed,

  and I never once resented or minded in any way that

  you cared enough to remind me what my focus needed to be.

  I don’t know of many authors who have followers as loyal as you

  have all been. This has definitely been a rocky

  journey, and I am so glad DARK STRANGER is finally in your hands.

  ~~Kate

  Sort of why it’s taken me so frickin’ long....

  Dark Stranger has taken a very convoluted journey. Hence, this explanation, which you may skip entirely. I just felt I should tell my longtime readers who expected this years ago. I was writing a minimum of four, often up to six books a year, and then nothing for way too long. I first opened this book with a note to myself on March 28, 2018. It read:

  Dark Stranger notes

  I have a title! This one is Dark Stranger. May not sound like much, but once I get a title in my head, then it usually starts to come together. I know the book is about the search for more Berserkers caught up in the illegal predator trade, and Santiago and Sofia, the maned wolf Berserkers from Dark Captive will feature, along with Leo and Asha and Remington and Shay. I even know how it ends, but it's the opening and a few of the plot points that aren't coming together for me, and until I have those, I'm unable to get into the flow of the story.

  The story was in my head, rolling around as I worked on the plot. I’d jot down notes, write a few paragraphs that never felt right, but I didn’t quit. I wrote at least half a dozen different openings, but I couldn’t find my usual flow. The words were there, but they didn’t sound like me. I wrote anyway, and the more I worked on it, the worse my writing got. We were also hunting for a house, and finally moved to a little gold rush town in the Sierra Nevada foothills in September 2018. After six years in Healdsburg, we couldn’t take living in town anymore. I came home from a walk with my friend Carmen one night—she and I had talked about her plans to move to the Sierra gold country to be closer to her son and grandchildren, and I caught the bug. When Doug and I were dating (over 50 years ago—and no, I have no idea where the time has gone) we were talking about buying property in gold country when I graduated from college in a few months, and he said, “Well, if we’re going to buy property, we should probably get married.” I said okay, and we went on with our discussion of where we’d like to settle.

  Not the most romantic proposal, but our fiftieth anniversary is May 6, 2022, so something must have worked! The man is still the only one for me, and he still makes me laugh, often when it’s the last thing I want to be doing. It took us too many years, but we ended up finding the most amazing piece of property in Georgetown, CA. Neither of us had ever been here before, but when we saw the property, just off Main Street in an old town about ten miles from Coloma where gold was first discovered, we knew it was perfect. It has an old orchard, about four acres of beautiful old forest, and a perfect pond, about 1/3 of an acre in size, just outside the kitchen window. It was also more money than we wanted to spend, so we kept looking. But we were also watching the listing, and the price came down, and down again. We couldn’t believe it hadn’t sold, but we made an offer. The big surprise was that it was accepted!

  During this period I set thoughts of the book aside while we figured out the logistics of our move. Since we had a 30 day escrow, the time with our new buyer coming into our old house, and our moving into our new one fell neatly into place. If only my book would do the same.

  I realized, belatedly, that I was missing Anton Cheval, my alpha wolf from the original Wolf Tales series bugging me. Anton has been my muse since I wrote him into the very first book. He was a secondary character (in my mind) but he took over. He is, after all, the uber alpha of the Chanku Nation. Before long, I‘d hear his sexy voice in my ear, asking me when I was going to tell the next story, and we’d have these one-sided conversations where he tossed me bits and pieces of what needed to happen next. But then I wrote Wolf Tales 12, the final book of the Wolf Tales series. And Anton quit speaking to me.

  About a year later, he was back, asking me why I hadn’t written Lily’s story, and that’s where the Spirit Wild series was born. Anton’s voice was an earworm, and I knew I wouldn’t escape him without writing more about the second generation of shape shifters. Dark Wolf introduced an adult Lily and the man who would be her soul mate, Sebastian Xenakis. The children of more of the original characters started showing up with Igmutaka finally giving in to his love for Star Fuentes (Mik and Tala’s daughter) in Dark Moon, and I’ve just finished the seventh book in the series. In order, they’re Dark Wolf, Dark Spirit, Dark Moon, Dark Refuge, Dark Terror, Dark Captive. and now, Dark Stranger. If you go to my website, you can find all the matings that have occurred since I started this second series. They’re at:

  https://www.katedouglas.com/the-pack.html

  I hope you’ll enjoy this newest story. And watch for the re-release of the entire Dream Catchers series in an ebook bundle, an erotic science fiction tale that blends a bit of paranormal along with the S/F. It feels good to be writing again, though I also want to re-release many of the books where I’ve gotten rights back. Besides Dream Catchers, there’s my StarQuest series, also Science Fiction which I want to bring out complete as a bundled series. Then, of course, DemonSlayers.

  I hope you enjoy Dark Stranger. This one took me way too long to write, but what’s funny is that the thing that helped me recover my voice and my style was reading some of my earlier books from Wolf Tales. Just like that, I reconnected with the author I’d been so many years ago, and Anton was suddenly a part of my life again. It appears I really missed him bugging me!

  I do hope you enjoy Dark Stranger. Once I got myself back on track, it went quickly and I really believe it’s a good story, but there were personal health issues along the way (nothing serious, but not being able to type because of an arthritis flareup didn’t help!) and way too many interruptions that took me out of my writing bubble.

  Take care and be well, and never let yourself be without a good book!

  Kate Douglas

  February 2022

  Kate Douglas

  ©2021 by Kate Douglas

  1

  ____________

  Early Tuesday morning July 10, 2040

  Rural Upstate NY

  The big snow leopard stretched and then yawned. Back curved, his powerful hindquarters rose and thick muscles rippled beneath his spotted coat. Big paws with long, curved claws sliding free of their sheaths scraped the hard earth. When the cat yawned again, spreading those wide jaws even wider and displaying razor-sharp teeth, Luigi shivered. So much power. Truly a magnificent package to display such terrifying weapons in this tranquil setting...

  “Boss? Sorry to interrupt. You got a minute?”

  Snarling, Luigi gripped the arms of his Adirondack chair. He kept his gaze focused on the big cat. “Make it fast, Nick. And it damned well better be important.” This garden was his quiet place and his alone, where he could get away from work, where he could quietly enjoy his beautiful pets. Slowly, he turned, leveled his gaze on Nick, raised one eyebrow, and scowled.

  Nick took a step back and sucked in a deep breath. Scared shitless. Good. The man let the breath out and took a moment to gather himself. That discomfort always made Luigi smile. It was nice to know the guys who worked for him still bought the image.

  “I thought you should know, Boss. Volkov’s locked up. They’re holding him without bail.”

  “What’d the fucker do?”

  “Got busted. Since I was gone last week, I guess I just figured the maned wolf woulda already showed up, but when I checked, none o’ the guys had seen it. I called Volkov to find out why the animal never got here. I checked the books before I called to make sure accounting didn’t screw up, and it’s paid for. Ten big ones. Volkov’s housekeeper answered the phone. Said the FBI showed up and stopped the guys as they were loading your wolf. Turns out the animal was part of a sting. Word musta got out that Volkov was selling his rescues out of the sanctuary.”

  “First Cho gets busted, now Volkov?” He thought about the connections. They all knew each other, if not personally, at least by reputation. All businessmen who worked just a bit outside the law, though their crimes were secondary to their shared hobby, the collection and preservation of endangered predators. It was a good thing they did, this saving of endangered animals. He glanced at the snow leopard, realized the beast stared at him, almost as if he understood what was going on.

  Damned cat freaked him out, even if he was fucking gorgeous. Luigi shifted in his chair, focused on Nick.

  Choeden and Volkov weren’t necessarily friendly, more like civil competitors in the predator trade, though he knew Cho had started out as a customer, eventually collecting more animals than Volkov had to
sell. He’d branched out into selling them just a few years ago. Since he was also in Upstate NY, not far from this compound, it was easier to get the animals to buyers, something that hadn’t made Volkov with his sanctuary clear up in International Falls, Minnesota, happy at all. In fact, Luigi would have made the buy from Cho rather than Volkov, but Cho didn’t have a maned wolf. Just as well, since Choeden had been busted about the time Luigi had placed his order with the sanctuary in Minnesota. “Wonder if he gave Volkov up for a better deal? Prison for trading and selling these babies can mean a lot of very hard time.”

  “Doesn’t matter how Volkov got nailed.” Nick glanced at the leopards. “What matters is what kind of records he’s kept. They could lead right to us.”

  Luigi glanced again at the beautiful snow leopard. It was lying down, now. Ignoring the conversation. He hoped. Sometimes this male seemed to understand what he was talking about, which was impossible. Sad, though. So few of them left in the wild. Not even that many in captivity. “You’re right. But don’t destroy the evidence yet. Let’s wait a couple of days, see what shakes out. Volkov was an idiot. I doubt his records are all that good, if he kept any at all.” He laughed. “Not like he paid taxes on all the money I’ve given the bastard over the years...”

  • • •

  Namir snarled softly. He didn’t want the man, the one they called Zookeeper, to hear, though there was no risk that the stupid human would think the massive snow leopard he kept caged might actually understand his speech. Not that there was anything Namir could do about it, even if he could speak. Not like this. Not trapped in an animal body without the magic plant his kind needed to become human—if those plants actually existed. All he’d ever heard were rumors. He had to talk to Ziggy. She might have an idea on how to handle this. He thought of himself as the muscle, but his beloved Zigsa was definitely the brains of this pair of cats. At least he knew enough to realize that when Luigi Albano talked about destroying the evidence, he was talking about the creatures, others just like him and Zigsa. Killing all of them, just to save himself. Namir shuddered, opened his mind to see if he could feel Ziggy. He needed her now, more than ever. Concentrating on her mind, the essence of the female he loved, he searched. There. Back in the shade beside their cave.

  Rising, he stretched again as if there was nothing wrong; he was just a big dumb cat who loved his pen, going off in search of his mate. Sex, naps, and food. All any of them wanted, right? He sauntered lazily away from the bars that framed a small garden patio where the human liked to sit and watch the animals in his zoo. He’d sent the other man away. Now, he sat quietly, staring through the stout fence that held Namir and the rest of them inside their artfully landscaped cages. Bastard. None of them belonged here. Not a single one of them had any choice in their lives, whether animal or shapeshifter. He gave the human one last look, and then headed toward the far side of the paddock. Ziggy, love? Where are you hiding? We’ve got a problem.

  • • •

  Early dawn, Tuesday, July 10, 2040

  Chanku Headquarters, Anton’s Pentagon

  Anton Cheval, pack alpha and leader of the wealthiest country in the world—the Chanku Nation—and final authority on every major move his people made, stared at the glow of early sunrise over the massive silhouette of the northern Rocky Mountains and faced the potential repercussions of the largest and most devastating failure of his life.

  How the hell could I have been such a fool? Hubris had brought him to his knees more than once, but rarely had his choices endangered so many innocent souls. They’d been made aware of Berserkers over a year ago, but instead of doing his own research, he’d accepted their goddess’s word, that the Chanku born as animals were feral creatures, killers at heart, living out their lives unable to shift, lacking the intelligence and honor of the human born shifters. He should have questioned her. Should have realized, once Reko and Ari joined their pack that Berserkers were not killers, were not evil by nature. No...from the moment they’d met the twin wolf brothers it was obvious they were good and honorable wolves. Not only that, they’d been taught to read by their mother, a wolf who wanted more for her sons, who found written words in trash barrels and along littered highways and somehow, with the rudimentary skills taught by her mother had managed to teach her sons to read.

  Now he stood at the big window in the five-sided den the guys had started calling “the Pentagon.” It had been the Pentagram Room for years because of its mystical shape until the teasing about his role as the alpha of the Chanku Nation got his favorite hang-out bumped up a notch. Focus, you idiot. He stared at the pale pre-dawn sky just above the mountains, struggled to empty his mind, to find the clarity he needed to save so many innocent souls.

  It wasn’t easy to find quiet within, but he fought down the need to force peace. It had to come naturally, or he would fail. Unacceptable. Entirely unacceptable. Untold lives depended on the actions they were taking.

  My love? Hold on to me. I have quiet to spare.

  He sighed softly and smiled when Keisha sent him a visual of his wolf shaking water off his wet coat. The memories it invoked were his—just last week they had stolen an hour for themselves. They’d frolicked like pups in the creek, made love in the thick grass alongside the tumbling water. The memories accomplished what his stubborn head-butting against the problem had only made worse.

  His tense muscles eased, his mind cleared.

  Thank you. Why is it I always hesitate to ask you when I know you’re there for me? He knew better than to stew, yet he still fought the need to ask his beloved for help.

  Her laughter filled his mind, and he smiled, shaking his head. There was no need for her to speak when he knew exactly what she was thinking—that he was too stubborn to ask anyone for help, even when it was freely offered. He was trying to do better, though.

  Proof of that was here, in this room. The two packmates he’d asked to manage this lifesaving rescue mission.

  He glanced over his right shoulder. Remington Caruthers and his mate Shay Stone sat at the bar with fresh cups of coffee. They’d arrived only moments ago, both of them still half asleep but anxious to get things moving. Rem had contacted Anton, said he and Shay wanted to talk, but so far, they’d been drinking coffee, waking up. Giving him time to get his thoughts in order.

  Remington raised his head, as if sensing Anton’s regard. “The maned wolves still haven’t shifted,” he said. “But we need to move. Now.”

  Anton turned away from the big window, focused on the FBI agent he’d hoped from the beginning was Chanku. He’d tried hard not to gloat when Rem shifted. Failed entirely when Rem and Shay mated. He’d been as pleased as if they were his own flesh and blood. Now, he nodded, silently agreeing.

  Rem’s half smile told Anton he’d expected as much. “I’ve got two teams ready to go this morning,” he said. “Jack Temple, Mary Ryder, Reko, Sissy Long, and Mac...”

  “Mac’s going?” Anton bit back a smile. Unexpected, but Mac would be an asset to any team. This son, so unlike his fun-loving twin brother Gabe, tended to be quiet, more introspective, but he was a caring, intelligent young man, and that wasn’t merely a proud father’s exaggeration. Anton was proud of Mac, pleased that the family introvert was stepping up when needed.

  “Yep,” Rem said. “He contacted me last night and said he wanted to be part of any rescue mission. I figured this would be a good group. Ricky McClintock’s going to pilot the chopper, said he’d be available to help out when needed. They’re going to hit the large animal sanctuaries that currently house predators. Shay’s checked all of them to rule out the ones with rescued domestic animals and non-predatory species. We really don’t have time to waste, at least if I want to get a decent night’s sleep again.”

  “I’m unfortunately way too familiar with that feeling.”