Shifter's Claim (The Shadow Shifters) Read Online Free PDF Page B

need a few things from the store. My prescriptions.” She paused, coughed like she might stop breathing altogether in the next minute, and then began again. “I need my prescriptions. Malik was supposed to get everything for me but I don’t know where he is. Haven’t seen him in days.”
    Priya closed her eyes. No, she wouldn’t have seen him in days. In fact, it had been more like weeks and Priya knew why.
    “Just tell me what you need, Mama. I’ll go to the store and bring everything over.”
    Karen gave her the list and Priya shut down her computer, going into her room to get dressed.
    She was just about to head out the door when she saw the envelope that had been taped to it. She stopped, only able to stare at it for endless moments. When she figured that was stupid and beyond unproductive she took a couple of steps, reached out, and snatched it from the door. Willing her fingers not to shake she opened it and read. It was an address and a time and the words: The clock is ticking.
    Angry and helpless to do anything about it, Priya was about to ball up the note and the envelope but stopped because there was something else inside. The black napkin from the bar last night where she’d had the drinks with Perry.
    She looked around the apartment, saw everything was where she’d left it the day before and yet there was something different. She hadn’t noticed anything when she’d come in last night, possibly because she’d been so wound up after being with Perry that she’d gone straight to bed. They would have had to come in after that or maybe just before she arrived home. At any rate, this confirmed someone was following her, just as she’d thought that night in the alley.
    She had just enough time to deliver her mother’s groceries and medications before she had to be downtown, before she had to approach Roman Reynolds.

 
    Chapter 4
    “I thought you were working on the reporter. You said she didn’t see anything.” Dominick Delgado, Rome’s Lead Enforcer’s voice echoed throughout the spacious corner office of Reynolds and Delgado, LLC.
    Nick, in addition to being Rome’s partner in the law firm, handled all of the training for the Assembly. For almost eight years now Eli and Ezra Preston had been Lead Guards under Nick’s immediate command, personally guarding Nick and Rome while doing an exceptional job of training the new recruits.
    At this late-morning meeting, Ezra leaned forward, planting his elbows on the long conference room table on the far side of Rome’s office. They’d all checked out of the Willard early this morning, after receiving the text from Rome to do so and to meet here. This weekend was supposed to be about figuring out a strategy against the rogues and solidifying their relationship with the nation’s top leader. Now, the focus had turned to something they’d all thought was already handled.
    “I did a full report and e-mailed it to all the FLs. The threat was classified as minimal since she doesn’t even have a byline at the Post. Her stories are mostly editorials on things like what’s the best coffeemaker to buy in the dwindling economy. She rents a small apartment on Georgia Avenue and she’s up to her neck in defaulted student loans,” Ezra reported.
    On one side of the table sat Rome, Nick, and Xavier, three of the highest ranking Assembly officials who often stuck together even outside of shifter business. Jace Maybon, the Pacific FL, and Cole Linden, the Central FL, accompanied Bas on the opposite side. The Lead Guards, Eli and Ezra sat at the two ends of the table.
    “I saw the report,” Rome added. “Since we hadn’t seen anything in the paper immediately following the last killings I figured Ezra was right and she wasn’t a threat.”
    “And now she’s returned,” Bas stated, sitting back in his chair.
    “What does she know?” Nick asked in his usual agitated tone. This was the highly volatile leader that had guards and other shifters, as well as