Bonded

by Nicky Charles

  “We’ll move the playground equipment over there… ”

  Brandi didn’t hear the rest of what Farida was saying. It was almost dusk, yet in the fading light her attention was caught by the sight of Reno playing with the refugee children. He was giving a little girl gentle pushes on the swing while talking earnestly to a young boy who had a suspiciously new looking bucket and shovel in his hand. That’s strange, she mused. Sand buckets weren’t on the list of supplies she’d authorized nor were the bubble wands, toy trucks, and skipping ropes she saw being used a few feet away. She had a sneaking suspicion where they’d come from and wondered how Reno would justify them on his expense account.

  After a few minutes, he lifted the girl from the swing and balanced her on one hip allowing the young boy to lead him by the hand to the sandpit. Once there, he proceeded to help the child build a mighty sandcastle.

  A soft chuckle escaped her at the incongruous picture it made. The tough Enforcer that made unlawful Lycans quake in their boots was hunkered down digging in the dirt with a purple plastic shovel. Soon two other youngsters came to join them and somehow a wrestling match evolved. Reno was chasing the children and they were screaming with delight when he caught them and swung them about. A wistful smile played at the edge of her lips as she envisioned him playing with his own pups, her pups. He’d be indulgent yet firm and she’d…

  “Brandi. Brandi? Did you hear a word I said?” Farida waved a hand in front of her face and Brandi gave a start.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to ignore you. I was just watching the children playing.”

  “The children… or the man with them?” Farida slid a sideways look her way. “He’s a fine looking Lycan. Well built, with an air of command about him. Very polite when he arrived, and good with pups… ”

  “Farida, if you’re thinking of matchmaking—”

  “I’m not, I’m not.” She held up her hands in mock surrender. “I was just pointing out what I’ve observed. And since you requested separate rooms for yourself and Al yet again, I figured perhaps your interest lies in a different direction.”

  “Well, it doesn’t lie with Al, that’s for certain. The man is more like a brother than a potential lover.” Brandi conceded. “And as for Reno… ” She sighed. “We don’t get along very well.”

  “Sometimes that’s how the best relationships start,” Farida nodded wisely. “A spark that seems to be animosity is really just two individuals fighting against fate rather than each other. That’s how it was for Badru and me. Did you know his name means ‘born at full moon’? I’d tease him and say the full moon made him crazy like one of those fake Hollywood werewolves and—”

  Brandi shook her head. “That’s not the case between us. Besides, he’s an Enforcer through and through and we all know what they’re like.” She hardened her heart and spoke the words even though her wolf protested the injustice. “A rogue by any other name is still a rogue.”

  “For some,” the woman conceded. “But not all. Sometimes I think the whole rogue mystique is just propaganda put out there to make the Enforcers seem more fierce and formidable. I mean, just look at him with the children. A true rogue wouldn’t be bothered. And you should have seen how concerned he was for the parents. That’s not typical behaviour either. I know from experience how a rogue can be. They’ve stayed here before and you can see it in their eyes.” She nodded towards Reno. “That one isn’t unsalvageable, not if the right woman was willing to undertake the project.”

  Brandi gave a small smile and turned away. Listening to people point out Reno’s good qualities did nothing to help the turmoil inside her. Part of her wanted to be the she-wolf who tamed him; however, the other part of her was too nervous, too afraid of how he’d react and of the possible consequences. Besides, her career was important to her. Settling down wasn’t at the top of her list. She forced another yawn and extended her hand. “Farida, can I have those keys? I really am tired and I need to get some sleep.”

  “Hiding doesn’t change facts,” the woman pointed out as she dropped the keys into Brandi’s hand. “If you’re interested in the man—and I can tell you are—then you need to go for it. Staring at the man from a distance will only give you eye-strain.”

  Brandi didn’t answer her, merely murmuring a good night. With one last wistful look in Reno’s direction, she headed for her room.

  Chapter 11

  A week after the Bronte case, Reno sat in his office glumly dealing with the piles of paperwork that had mysteriously appeared on his desk during his absence. The pile hadn’t been that big when he’d left on Friday, he was sure of it. Maybe Damien had somehow snuck in and shifted some of the work over. Nah, the kid wouldn’t do that to him… would he?

  He narrowed his eyes and stared across the room at the clear surface of Damien’s desk. How had his partner managed to deal with all the work and still have time to head out for a long weekend? A low growl sounded in his chest; the kid must have bamboozled him! Reno decided to have a long talk with the boy when he got back which—he glanced at the clock—should have been two hours ago as it was almost eleven now. He rubbed his chin and frowned. Captain Fielding would be pissed off if he found out. The old man was a stickler when it came to rules. Well, if Damien got caught it would serve him right for leaving all the paperwork to his partner.

  Reno shook his head and returned to his own work grabbing the top file from the pile. He scanned the heading—budgets—and rolled his eyes. Turning on his computer, he brought up the appropriate form and settled down to work. A reluctant smile played about the corners of his mouth as he glanced one last time at his partner’s empty desk. He could never stay angry at him for too long. Damien’s stunt was one he’d have pulled himself when he was younger. And damned if Damien didn’t have more luck than any Lycan deserved. The kid would probably manage to slip in late and Fielding would be none the wiser.

  The door to the office swung open and a blonde bundle of energy known as Jenny Norfolk breezed into the office and dropped a thick file in front of him.

  “Here you go, Reno. Hot off the press and ready for you to read.”

  He glanced up from his computer screen and grunted his thanks while pushing the file to the side, and returned his attention to the budget. Travel expenses? How the hell was he supposed to remember all his travel expenses? Groaning, he thought of all the crumpled pieces of paper on his dresser at home. Dammit, he’d have to go through them all and see which ones were from this case. Some of them were personal, others were bills for meals and gasoline, and then there was the shirt he’d ruined climbing over the…

  “Uh… Reno?”

  With a start, he realized Jenny was still standing by his desk. He quirked an eyebrow at her. “Was there something else?”

  “Well… ” She paused and took a deep breath. He could see her fingers tighten on the files she was still holding, and then she began to speak in a rush. “A bunch of us are getting together at Clancy’s after work and I… I mean… we were hoping you’d be able to come.”

  Reno groaned inwardly but gave a politically correct answer. “Thanks. If I get my reports done in time, I’ll try to make it.”

  “Great! I’ll see you there!” A wide grin spread over Jenny’s face, causing Reno to cringe as he watched her bounce out of the room.

  He sighed as he thought of how the evening would go if he dared set foot in Clancy’s. Jenny would stick to him like a burr on his butt. Sure, the girl was as cute as a bug’s ear, he just wasn’t interested and she wasn’t getting the message. And now it seemed she’d misinterpreted his tentative agreement and was expecting to see him tonight.

  Hell, why did they always have to flock around him? Years ago he’d revelled in the attention until he realized it was the danger he represented, rather than himself, that drew them. And now, Damien said it continued because they thought he was brooding and saw cheering him up as a challenge. Brooding? Ha! He wasn’t brooding; he was just cynical and had a lot of responsibilities. Besi
des, Enforcers didn’t run around grinning like idiots. Well, Damien did, but that wasn’t really a grin. It was more of a smirk while he tried to decide who to pull one over on next or which female to go after.

  Sometimes he wondered if Damien didn’t send some of the local ladies his way, just to annoy him. The kid had a twisted sense of humour. But why would he have picked Jenny? There was nothing wrong with the girl, but Damien should know he wasn’t interested in the cute, perky blonde type. He rubbed his chin and made a face. Come to think of it, he wasn’t interested in any type lately… unless they had long red hair. He scowled when he realized his thoughts had brought him back to Brandi Johansson. Even when she wasn’t around, the woman wouldn’t leave him alone!

  The door opened. Jenny had returned and he resisted the urge to bark at her to leave him alone. “Sorry, Reno. I forgot to give you this letter. See you tonight.” She set the envelope on his desk, waggled her fingers at him, and left.

  Reno eyed the letter, a muscle working in his jaw. All thoughts of Jenny and her silly finger waggling faded as he contemplated the plain white envelope. He reached over and pressed save on the computer. Gingerly, he picked the letter up by the edges and sniffed it to see if the scents on it held any clues. No—there were too many and they were too intermingled to be of any use. He turned the envelope over in his hands, studying the label, the stamp… There was nothing remarkable about it. Damn!

  He knew what it was. It was the fourth he’d received in as many weeks and of course, there wouldn’t be any finger prints beyond those belonging to Lycan Link staff. With a sigh, he opened it and scanned the contents. Just as he suspected, it was more threatening mail from the Purists. Well, technically it didn’t say it was from the Purists but there was little doubt. It contained the same vitriol as the last three unsigned letters…

  Lycan Link was misguided and corrupt and, by association, so was he. They were violating the Book of the Law by taking halves from the packs that ‘owned’ them. The downfall of Lycan society was imminent if they didn’t cease their actions and return to the true way of the werewolf. Should he and his team persist, necessary measures would be taken to stop them.

  Reno set the letter down and rubbed his neck in frustration. Despite his best efforts and that of Lycan Link to promote tolerance and acceptance, the Purist movement continued to exist. It was on the fringes, yet still had enough momentum to be a continuous source of trouble, especially with the smaller packs in more remote areas.

  God, he was so sick and tired of the Purists’ narrow-minded views. Eight years as an Enforcer, four of which he’d spent working the ACS, and he still couldn’t believe the injustices he encountered.

  Reno pushed off from his desk, his chair scraping across the floor, and strode over to the window. He was one of the lucky ones with an above ground office and an actual view, such as it was. His office looked out onto the inner compound, which was basically several acres of grass and small pathways with a screen of trees and a high fence blocking most of the view of the outside world. Several small to medium sized buildings dotted the area, some hiding the entrances to the larger underground complex that actually made up Lycan Link.

  Pulling the blind aside he stared down to where last week’s group of refugees stood huddled around several picnic tables. The youngsters would recuperate the fastest; already some were playing a game of tag. It was the adults, who’d been victimized by their neighbours, who would take much longer to feel safe enough to trust another pack.

  Finding them a new home would take time and considerable effort. Screening possible packs, matching temperaments, researching employment opportunities and available housing were but a few of the steps that needed to be taken before permanent relocation would occur. And even after that, support—both mental and financial—would be offered through Lycan Link’s service groups. In some of the worst cases, the victims never did completely recover.

  A heavy weight settled in Reno’s chest as he contemplated the fact that, for all his efforts, he could never completely undo the damage the mixed families and halves had endured.

  It usually started simply enough. A Lycan mated a human, which while not exactly encouraged, was allowed. They started a family and all was well until the Purists moved in, taking over the territory and turning the pack against them with tales of pure-blood supremacy. Eventually they ended up as little more than slaves with no rights or freedoms, sometimes underfed and often mistreated.

  Once the Purists were in charge of a pack, the only hope half-breeds had was to try and escape or smuggle a message out to Lycan Link. When a case was discovered, his unit was quick to react, but how many undiscovered cases still existed?

  Reno shook his head in disgust. What did it matter if a Lycan was pure-blooded or half? Sure, some limitations afflicted halves; their control when shifting often meant they couldn’t maintain clothing during a transformation but it was more an inconvenience than anything else. The quarter weres that existed might even need assistance to shift at all, yet in these modern times it wasn’t that important. Shifting was more for enjoyment, not a life and death situation.

  He let the blind fall back into place. This last mission had taken its toll on him. A month of diplomacy wasn’t his thing and yet he’d found himself biting his tongue and trying to be polite to an ass of an Alpha in order to secure the release of this last batch of mixed families and halves. Going in with a squad of Enforcers and whipping the Purists’ butts until they begged for mercy, was more his style, but Lycan Link insisted that diplomacy be tried first.

  As much as he hated to admit it, the talks had gone well this time, though whether it was because his negotiating skills were improving or the Alpha had been weaker than most, he wasn’t sure. The halves and their families were now free but whether or not the remaining pack members would change their ways was yet to be seen.

  It was almost noon, so he decided to share the letter with the captain after lunch. There was no point in giving himself indigestion sooner than he had to. Maybe Damien would be back by then and they could bounce some ideas off each other as to who might be responsible. The leadership of the Purists was still a mystery and in between half-breed cases, his team worked on determining who the individuals might be.

  Reno rubbed his chin and wondered what might be holding Damien up. While the kid liked to push the rules, he took his job seriously. Hopefully, nothing had happened to him. Nah, if there was a problem, Damien would call him. The two of them had forged a strong bond over the years, closer than most Enforcers ever got to their partners. They knew they could count on each other, no matter what.

  After three years, Reno felt he knew Damien Masterson inside and out. Fresh out of the Academy, Damien had been cocky and unruly, ready to break any and every rule just for the hell of it. Reno had taken to the kid on sight, not that he let Damien know it. For the first few months, he’d slapped him down so often, it was surprising the new recruit hadn’t quit. Damien had taken it all on the chin, though, and had kept coming back for more.

  In the end, the kid had learned to control his attitude and turned his sharp mind to working within the rules—usually—rather than constantly trying to break them. Now they made up one of the best teams Lycan Link had ever produced.

  Speak of the devil… The door swung open and Damien walked in looking more dishevelled than he should after a supposedly restful long weekend.

  “Hey Reno!” He flopped down in a chair and leaned his head back. “God, I’m tired.”

  “Had a good time, I see.” Reno sat on the edge of his desk and observed his partner. His black hair hung messily over his forehead, stubble graced his chin and dark circles were evident under his eyes. Yep, he looked like shit.

  “I met a girl. Beth.” Damien responded without opening his eyes but a smile played over his lips.

  “So what’s new?”

  “She’s really something.”

  “She must be if spending three days with her makes you look like this.
”

  Damien opened one eye briefly. “She’s very… unique.”

  “Say no more. I don’t need to hear the sordid details of your love life.” Reno held up his hands to stop the flow of words. “Just tell me that you were discreet and I don’t need to contact the DC office.”

  “It wasn’t like that. We spent most of the weekend talking… and a few other things.” He laced his fingers behind his head, looking smug.

  “Good. We don’t need any more complications than we have right now.”

  “Complications?” Damien opened one eye again.

  “We got another letter this morning.”

  “Shit.” Shaking off the groggy look he’d been wearing, Damien sat up straight and extended his hand. “Can I see it?” After scanning the contents, he tossed it onto the desk. “Nothing new there, just the same old ranting. Have you shown the captain yet?”

  “Nope. Thought I’d wait until after lunch.”

  “Good idea. God, I could use a cup of coffee.” Damien rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands then followed Reno to the cafeteria.

  Chapter 12

  Brandi looked around her office one last time to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything. She’d spent three years working out of this room and it was surprising how much she’d accumulated. This last week she’d divided her time between finishing up loose ends, apprising co-workers of ongoing cases, and purging her desk and files of unnecessary items. When she started her new job, she didn’t want to arrive with a lot of clutter.

  “I can’t believe you’re really leaving us.” Al Zimmerman stood in the doorway, his arms folded across his chest. “You’re making me a very unhappy man.”

  “Al, we’ve been through this before. You’ll get along fine with a new partner and we’ll still see each other. I’m just three floors down, not halfway across the continent. And it will be at least a few months before I’m assigned my own territory and leave completely.”