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  Table of Contents

  Scandalous Shifters Prequel

  The Great Wolf Escape

  The Dragon Mobster

  The Vampire Prince Imposter

  Bear Behind Bars

  Scandalous Shifters Prequel

  Scandalous Shifters Book 1

  Short Story

  Mia Taylor

  Chapter One

  What Am I Doing Here?

  The bartender nodded toward Magnus’ empty glass, the judgment in his eyes almost palpable as he studied the half-drunk mess in front of him.

  “Top you up, Detective?” Barris asked with a brightness that made Magnus want to punch him. There was a smug arrogance which permeated though his pores and put Magnus into an even fouler mood even though he should have been used to it by now.

  “What do you think?” Magnus growled in response, his mouth forming a firm scowl.

  “I think you’re toeing the line of sobriety,” Barris replied bluntly. Magnus’ frown deepened and he glowered at the barkeep with disdain. They had the same conversation almost every night and he wished Barris would work on some new material. It was getting to be as stale as the beer.

  Anyway, it didn’t much matter how much Magnus had to drink—his genetics would ensure he wouldn’t cling to the buzz long enough for even a decent hangover.

  Drinking is such a stupid thing for a shifter to do, he thought irrelevantly. A complete waste of time and money, yet here I am. Every damned night.

  Barris stared at him impassively and Magnus bristled.

  “If you’re thinking about cutting me off, I’ll have you know I leapt over that line over three drinks ago, Barris. Doesn’t make much sense to stop me now, does it?”

  The server gave him a wan smile, knowing full well that bears had no issue holding their own, but it was simply in Barris’ nature to give him a hard time. It was difficult not to work in an establishment like that without having some kind of attitude, after all, and Magnus almost forgave him.

  Almost.

  “I know,” Barris retorted, reaching for the bottle of vodka he hadn’t bothered to replace on the back bar. “I’m counting the minutes until you start in with the Surrey cops.”

  Magnus snorted, pushing his glass forward for Barris to top him up. A shot of defensiveness coursed through him but he didn’t let the bartender see that he was annoyed.

  “They started it,” Magnus muttered.

  “You say that every night,” Barris countered, pouring two fingers of straight vodka into the glass, despite the cup being dirty and in desperate need of changing. Magnus didn’t bother asking for a new one either.

  “Maybe because it’s true every night,” Magnus growled, looking around Sirens for the offending officers. The cop bar was unusually quiet but it occurred to Magnus then that it was the normal traffic for a Tuesday night. He was even more startled to realize that it was a Tuesday night.

  The days are all starting to blur together. What the hell happened to me?

  “There’s a difference tonight,” Barris replied, shoving the drink back across the bar with contempt. The liquid spilled over the filthy countertop and onto Magnus’ hand.

  “What’s that?” the detective asked without any interest. He was already bored of the conversation with Barris and wished the surly bear barkeep would move along.

  “If you get into trouble tonight, I have full authority to ban you,” Barris smirked. Shock shivered through Magnus in a bolt and suddenly, the buzz he’d accumulated over the past four hours abruptly dissipated. He gaped in disbelief.

  “Ban me?” he echoed. “Frankie wouldn’t ban me. I’ve been coming here since I was walking the beat.”

  Hell, I was here for this shithole’s grand opening in 1967. Ban me? What power trip is this fool on?

  “The order didn’t come from Frankie,” Barris replied, his smugness sparking an insurmountable fury in Magnus’ gut. “It came from Forester.”

  If Magnus had been confused before, he was dumbfounded now.

  “What? What the hell does Forester have to do with anything?”

  If possible, Barris’ smile widened and he looked hideous, leering at the annoyed detective. He leaned forward as if to tell a secret but his voice remained at the same volume.

  “Oh! Didn’t you know that your sergeant is a silent partner here?” Everything in Barris’ tone told Magnus he was relishing his surprise. Magnus had not known that, not in the fifty years he’d been on the Minot Police force.

  We’re part of the same unit and sleuth and Forester didn’t think to tell me about this? I’ve known the man almost a century!

  Betrayal and nausea filled his gut as he ambled unsteadily to his feet.

  “Where are you going?” Barris demanded. “You haven’t paid your tab.”

  “Have Forester take care of it since he’s so interested in my business,” Magnus mumbled, turning for the door. He didn’t give Barris a chance to respond as he made his way into the parking lot, his vison blurred.

  Maybe I’m not as sober as I thought.

  It seemed to take longer these days for the alcohol to clear his system, as if his body had given up on cleansing itself, despite his supernatural genetics.

  Whatever the reason, Magnus knew he couldn’t drive, much as he wanted to risk it. He had no doubt now that Barris would be on the phone to Forester the second he walked out the door and his sergeant was just waiting for cause to send him packing. The sergeant’s desire to see him gone was hardly a secret those days, despite their long relationship.

  Magnus paused by his Ford F150 and steadied his breath, willing his mind to defog. He considered calling an Uber but he instantly dismissed the thought. There was nothing waiting for him but his sterile, empty apartment and sheetless bed on a bare floor. What was the rush to get home? There were other bars which Forester had no hand in owning, even in a town the size of Minot.

  Blinking his bloodshot, blue eyes, he steadied his gaze down 8th Street. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a group approaching the lot and he cringed, realizing he was about to be seen by some of his fellow boys in blue.

  Without a destination in mind, he moved toward the bright lights of Central Avenue like they were summoning him. He knew there were places to go there. It wasn’t until he was heading south on 8th Street that Magnus realized where his legs were taking him.

  Roosevelt Park.

  And why not? he thought miserably, allowing his feet to carry him toward the place he had purposely avoided for the past year. He had done his best to ignore calls to the park and even the area around it. Ever since that case had gone to hell, Magnus couldn’t bring himself to be reminded of what had happened there.

  There’s no point in ignoring the truth now. You’ve in over your head. No amount of sticking your head in the sand is going to change that. It’s time to face the music now.

  He entered near the playground and ambled around the side of the slide, his heart catching as he moved. It was impossible to believe that even after all this time, the mental picture still stole his breath. After all, it was something that kept him up all night, every night.

  In his mind’s eye, he could clearly see the outline of Sandra Braden’s body, covered in a white sheet as forensics combed th
rough the scene.

  Why are you doing this to yourself? Magnus demanded silently but he knew the answer—he deserved to suffer for the way that poor girl’s memory had been tarnished, mostly due to his shoddy police work.

  So much had been going on those days. Laura had just left, the sleuth had been without an Alpha for two months. He’d gone through three partners by then, all in the span of a year.

  Did I take out all my woes on Sandra’s investigation?

  There was really no excuse for what had transpired and Magnus was through making them. Sandra had deserved better than that.

  And the judges agreed when they awarded her family that settlement against me and the city. We failed them. I failed them.

  The sound of gravel crunching caused him to look up sharply and a blur of movement caught his eye as he whirled around to look at what had captured his attention. It took him several seconds to understand that he was staring at a woman running, her face twisted in fear as she gaped over her shoulder. She was darting out of view but even as he took in her startled expression, he could see she was exhausted, like she’d been going for a while.

  She hadn’t seen Magnus yet but he quickly made his presence known, stepping toward her from the shadows. She screamed, slapping a hand over her mouth as an afterthought, her dark eyes wrought with terror. For a moment, they only stared at one another, neither speaking until Magnus found his voice.

  “What’s wrong?” Magnus demanded, standing directly in her path. She tried to brush past him but he stood firm, not immediately realizing that he was scaring her more. Again, her eyes darted past him and Magnus understood. “Is someone following you?”

  She shook her long, blonde mane, biting on her lower lip as if she was afraid to speak.

  “You can trust me,” he told her, suddenly very aware of how he must look and smell after his bender at Sirens.

  “I—no,” she murmured, refusing to meet his eyes. “I-I’m fine.”

  There was no conviction in her words at all and Magnus was not about to let the matter go so easily.

  “I’m a cop,” Magnus told her quickly, wanting to wipe the stricken look from her face. “If someone’s bothering you, I can help. It’s literally what I do.”

  He tried to give her a disarming smile but somehow it came out as a grimace. She eyed him dubiously but her shoulders seemed to sag slightly in the darkness.

  “You’re a cop?” she echoed. Magnus nodded, reaching into his jacket pocket for his badge.

  I am for now anyway, he added silently but his personal woes were cast aside for the moment as he studied the face of the beautiful woman before him.

  “See?” he offered and she scanned the identification quickly before turning to again glance over her shoulder.

  “I-I’m sorry,” she mumbled, shoving past him. “I really have to go—”

  “Wait a second,” Magnus said, reaching for her arm. She flinched as if she’d been burned and he quickly withdrew his touch, brow furrowing. The last of his buzz slipped away and his well-honed cop instincts bubbled to the surface full force.

  She’s in trouble. Clearly someone is after her. I can’t let her go. If something happens to her…

  He forced the thought of Sandra Braden from his mind and focused on the troubled young woman before him. For the first time, he realized how lovely she was. Shame overcame him.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked quietly, noting her shabby, ill-fitting clothing. “There’s a diner just back toward the expressway. They make a mean bacon cheeseburger.”

  She started to shake her head, brown eyes widening.

  “I really have to—”

  “I’m starving,” Magnus interrupted before she could finish her protest. “And I hate to eat alone. My treat.”

  This time, he did manage a proper smile, his dark blue eyes glimmering as he eyed her plaintively. He wasn’t hungry but it was a small lie to tell if it earned this woman’s trust, if even for a few minutes.

  Was it a coincidence that he found another woman in trouble, right in Roosevelt Park, the day he finally decided to show his face there? Magnus had a feeling the fates were speaking directly to him.

  “Please?” he added when she still didn’t respond. Her mouth pursed into a line and he could tell she was weighing the idea carefully. Magnus didn’t give her a chance to object and as if she were made of glass, he gently guided her toward the park’s exit.

  “I’m Magnus,” he introduced himself. “Magnus Galvin. What’s your name?”

  She was quiet for a moment, permitting herself to be guided out of the park on his arm. To his utter relief, she didn’t struggle in the least.

  She wants me to lead her out of here, he realized and that gave him a burst of confidence.

  “I’m going to have to call you something,” he teased lightly when she didn’t respond. “Any name will do.”

  “Jennica,” she said quickly. “My name is Jennica.”

  Inexplicably, a boost of warmth flooded Magnus and he knew it had nothing to do with the copious amount of alcohol he’d consumed. The sound of her name, the wistfulness in her voice, all had a profoundly intoxicating effect on him.

  “Jennica,” he echoed. “Good to meet you.”

  She didn’t answer but for the last time, she turned her head to look out into the dark at her back.

  Whoever she’s afraid of, she doesn’t have to worry anymore, Magnus thought with unwarranted confidence. If he hadn’t been so self-assured, he might have seen the shining, gray eyes watching them from a distance.

  Chapter Two

  Bad Memories

  As much as she didn’t want to inhale the burger and fries Magnus had ordered for her, the smell of the food made her mouth water. Simply being inside the diner made her realize that she was starving, but every moment that she sat there, her anxiety mounted.

  I shouldn’t be here, she thought, sinking lower into the booth, even though they were seated far from the window as she had requested.

  Magnus made small talk in front of her, careful not to ask her any direct questions, but she could read the curiosity in his bright blue eyes, handsome face searching hers as if he could read the answers there. She didn’t want to think about his attractiveness, about the intense feelings that flowed through her every time she caught her eyes with his. She had far bigger issues to consider than what Magnus Galvin’s full lips might taste like. And yet the question lingered strongly, like his pheromones were assaulting her from his side of the table.

  She reasoned that she had finally taken leave of her senses as she’d been sure would happen one day. What other reason could there be for such inane thoughts?

  I need to get out of here, she thought, wiping the corners of her mouth warily, but the notion was just as ridiculous as staying.

  After all, where was there to go but back into his arms?

  She swallowed nervously, biting on her lower lip.

  Haven’t I learned anything in this past decade? she wondered, eyes darting about the diner as she looked for signs of anything out of place. I’m stupid tempting fate and I know it.

  But still, she remained in the booth as if she were paralyzed.

  Or protected.

  “Jennica?”

  She looked up sharply, realizing it wasn’t the first time Magnus had tried to get her attention. She’d been so lost in thought, she hadn’t noticed he’d been calling her for a while.

  “Hm?”

  “Do you have somewhere to stay tonight?” he asked gently. There was no leer to his question, no hidden innuendo, and yet the query troubled her all the same.

  Her mouth firmed. Until three hours ago, she had. Or at least, she’d believed she had.

  Magnus seemed to accept her silence for denial.

  “Can I get you a hotel room?” he offered and she tensed. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion and Magnus instantly threw his hands up, realizing how the question may have come across.

  “I meant for you. I have my own apartme
nt…” he trailed off, sensing that he was somehow making matters worse.

  “I could drop you off at a shelter,” he offered and she was sure her spine was going to snap in half.

  “I’m not homeless,” she muttered. Magnus looked abashed, his mouth parted as he tried to think of something else to say.

  “Look,” he sighed, sitting back to fold his arms defensively over his chest. “I’ve been a cop for a long time, Jennica, and I know a person in trouble when I see one. I’m just trying to help.”

  “Is that because you’re in trouble too?” she asked before she could stop herself. He blinked.

  “What?”

  “Do you know a person in trouble because you’re in trouble too?”

  A grimace crossed over his face but to her surprise, he nodded and shrugged.

  “Yeah,” he replied. “I am. I guess it really does take one to know one.”

  Startlingly, her shoulders relaxed. His honesty abruptly put her at ease.

  He’s being up front with me. He is really trying to help.

  Somehow that didn’t alleviate the stress she was feeling.

  “I’m not trying to pressure you,” he said softly. “But if you need a place to stay, I can arrange that for you. That’s all I’m saying.”

  She stared into his intense eyes and felt her guard slipping in spite of herself.

  He’s a cop, she thought. I can trust him. Maybe he can help me when no one else has.

  She, too, settled back against the cracked vinyl and managed a weak smile, her heart pounding as she summoned the brazen words.

  “Tell me about your apartment,” she said.

  ~ ~ ~

  It was after midnight when Magnus led Jennica into his apartment, the idea that he had allowed a perfect stranger to know where he lived not fazing him in the least.

  Somehow, it felt natural, like he’d known her much longer than the couple hours he had, and not for an instant had he questioned why he was doing what he was. It went against every instinct he had, bringing a strange, disheveled woman there, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he knew her—or had known her once.