The Lion’s Cross Species Baby

Leah smirked. “Well, it’s true. I love you and can’t live without you, so you better get your ass back to America in one month or less. I will come get you.”

“Yes, mother.” Annie kissed Leah’s cheek, lifted the handle of her rolling luggage, and headed to the security check. She looked back once. Leah lifted a hand to wave and blew her a kiss. She returned the gesture and faced forward, refusing to the let the tears fall. She’d only be gone a month, not forever. Her adventure was about to start.

*****

Almost nine hours later, Annie walked into the airport in Rio de Janeiro, exhausted and exhilarated by the unfamiliar sights, sounds, and smells, and she hadn’t even left the airport yet. Much like the airports in the US, Rio’s airport had lines of people from all over the world, tax-free shops, and kiosks with all sorts of foods. Security was a little more lax here, so she was able to wander around after retrieving her bag from baggage claim.

Annie had overestimated her time of arrival; she’d told Cooper her flight would be in at four o’clock, but they’d landed at a little before three. She pulled out her cell phone and turned it back on. She made the promised call to Leah and swore she’d send an email before she left Rio if she could. Leah’s main concern was the fact that she would be alone for over an hour.

“Leah, seriously. I’m in a crowded airport surrounded by people,” Annie huffed. She was irritable from the flight.

“Not people, Annie. Strangers. Just keep an eye on your personal belongings as well as any food or drink you buy,” Leah advised.

“I will, Leah. Listen, I’m starved and I can smell Brazilian food and I think it’s calling my name.”

“All right. Love you and be careful,” Leah said over the phone.

“Love you too.” Annie disconnected and sighed with relief. Leah was wearing her out with all this worry. When she’d turned on her phone, six text messages had popped up from Leah asking about her progress. I know she loves me, but geez, Annie thought as she began her meanderings through the airport in search of the delicious smells.

Near the exit, she found a kiosk selling a thick stew that had black beans and what looked like sausage in it. The vendor explained in broken English that it was called feijoada, a traditional Brazilian stew. Annie bought a bowl and a bottle of water, and the vendor also gave her a thick slice of bread to sop up the juices. She found a small table, scooted her luggage under it, and sat down to her meal and people watching.

The feijoada was very spicy, and Annie finished her bottle of water right after the last gulp of soup. She dragged her luggage out from under the table and walked back to the kiosk for another water. When she turned around, a family had taken her table. She sighed and looked around. A rather uncomfortable bench sat close to the exit, and since it was almost four, a seat near the exit wasn’t such a bad idea.

At 4:30, Annie was still sitting on the bench, finished with people watching as her irritability changed to anger. She glanced at her watch again, for the fifth time in five minutes, and wondered what she should do. She mentally re-read the email from Cooper. She was positive she’d told him four o’clock; he was thirty minutes late and she had no way to contact him.

Another fifteen minutes passed, and she was so angry she was almost in tears. Fear played a small role in her need to cry, but she fought the tears. She checked her watch again and began debating with herself about finding a hotel for the night and trying to contact him tomorrow. She had no idea where the dig was located, so she couldn’t even hire a driver to take her there.

A man sat down on the bench next to her and smiled when she looked at him. She nodded at him, not in the mood to muster a smile.

“Is everything all right?” the man asked in heavily accented though perfect English.

“Fine, thank you,” she replied brusquely.

“Did your ride forget to pick you up?”

“How did you guess?” she replied rudely. His face showed his shock, and she sighed. “I’m sorry for my rudeness. I’m very irritated. He is almost an hour late.”

“Your boyfriend?” he asked, glancing at her ring-less left hand.

Annie looked at him again. He seemed harmless and was probably just hitting on her, but she was in a foreign country and had to be careful. “Yes, but I may have not adjusted for the time difference.” She had, but he didn’t need to know that.

“If you need a ride, I am more than willing to take you anywhere,” he offered generously.

Alarm bells sounded in Annie’s head. “No thank you. I’ll wait a while longer and then get a cab if necessary.”

The man leaned closer to her; she could smell his breath, a combination of sweet and sour she found unpleasant. “A beautiful woman like you, and a shifter at that, should never be left to her own devices.”

Annie’s stood abruptly. “Excuse me.” She grabbed the handle of her bag and marched away from the man and the exit, a little frightened. Before she was ten feet away, a man’s voice called her name.

“Annie! Annie, I’m here!”

She stopped walking and looked back. She had seen a picture of Cooper, and she wasn’t sure this was the same man. His beard had grown out in the wilderness, and his blonde hair was shaggy. But the eyes were the same. She’d been drawn to the eyes, the color of pine leaves, even in the photo. Relief swept through her, then anger.

She marched over to him and hissed, “Cooper, you have to pretend to be my boyfriend so pervert guy over there will leave me alone.” Her dramatics sounded ridiculous to her, but she was angry and tired and a little scared. She wasn’t thinking right.

Cooper glanced at the man on the bench, who watched them with the eyes of a predator. Cooper sniffed the air and recognized his shifter scent. A werewolf. He murmured to Annie, “Brazilian werewolf. They’re very dangerous.”

Annie’s eyes widened. She’d read accounts of the werewolves here. They weren’t civilized by any means, and there were no laws here to keep them under control.

“Just get me the hell out of here, please,” Annie growled at him. “He knows I’m a shifter and offered me a ride.”

Cooper looked at her again and sniffed. Her owl scent was intoxicating to his senses, and he tilted his head and looked at her. His smile broadened. Loudly, he said, “Babe, I’m so sorry. Please don’t be angry.”

Annie was tempted to curse at him. “Whatever. Just take me to the hotel.”

“Of course, babe, of course. Let me get your bag,” Cooper gushed. He took the handle from her, his hand briefly on top of hers before she snatched it away. “Ah, babe. I said I was sorry for being late.”

Annie glared at him. He might be acting the part, but I’m really pissed, she thought. “Can we just go? I’m tired of being here.”

“Your wish is my command, my love,” Cooper said, taking her free hand and leading her out.