by Tl Reeve
Charisma stood before making her way to the mirror. “I’m not even sure what compelled me to tell you, Hayden.” She pulled several tissues from the box before pressing it lightly to her cheeks. “We should get back. Your mate will start to worry.” Her tone broke Hayden’s heart.
Hayden stood. “I’m su—”
“Hayden, I’d appreciate it if you’d keep what I said between us.”
“Of course,” Hayden assured her, following her to the door.
Right after I dropkick Royce to the ground and pummel his balls to dust.
Charisma nodded before she pulled it open, and together they walked back out in the activity to find their mates. “Thank you.”
Chapter Five
The excitement was at a near frenzy by the time they returned. Handlers strode around the room with leashes in hand, showing off the wares prior to the auction beginning. Hayden’s stomach knotted at the deadness in the shifter’s eyes as they were paraded past her. The scent of their fear was thick in the air, and she wanted to comfort each and every one of them.
But she couldn’t. Not yet.
Soon, you’ll all be free.
“Patricia,” Nico said as he came up behind her, placing his large hand on her lower back. “I thought I’d lost you, wife.”
Hayden pasted a fake smile onto her lips before looking up at her oh so handsome mate. “I just stepped out for a bit to refresh my makeup.”
“I’ve secured us our seats.” Nico watched her intently.
Hayden couldn’t miss the question in his eyes. She tucked herself into his side, sighing as she breathed in his scent.
His eyes warmed, and the tension eased from his frame. He’d been worried about her. The scent of crisp outdoors, spice, and his cologne calmed her in a way no one else could. Desire flared in his brown eyes as he guided her to the table.
Royce and Charisma were already seated, and it took everything in Hayden’s power to not smack her beloved cousin on the back of his head for his stupidity as she walked by him to her seat. Instead, she simply glared at him. Royce was oblivious, his attention on the book in his hand while Charisma sipped from a flute of champagne with a fake smile on her lips.
“Ladies and Gentlemen,” the master of ceremonies said from the stage, and the room quieted. “May I have your attention. Everyone should have received a paddle with a number upon arriving. You will need this number to bid. Opening bids are firm. Do not attempt to bid lower. Those attempting to do so will have their paddle confiscated and will be unable to bid for the rest of the night.”
Hayden leaned forward. “They’re not messing around.”
“Nope,” Nico said.
“I think lot seventy-two is what we should purchase. It would make a perfect addition to our collection,” Hayden said, aware of those around them who were listening.
“Whatever you wish, my love,” he replied, running his finger down her arm.
The MC continued. “We have one hundred and fifty lots available for bidding tonight. Please remember all bids are final. Once you make payment in full, you’ll be given your merchandise.” Hayden’s lip curled in disgust. Shifters weren’t stock. They had feelings. Experienced love and had souls. “They are then yours to do with as you wish without fear of repercussions.”
Nico took her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Hayden had to be strong. Nico was depending on her, as were her uncles and one sweet little bear cub. Holding her head high, she squared her shoulders, determined to do her job and make sure not a single shifter went home with any of these sick fucks.
Unable to properly communicate with her mate because of those around them, Hayden winked at Nico, who gave her a sexy wink back. She waited patiently as the bidding moved quickly. When shifters were brought to the stage, they were forced to shift. Naked, they stood in their human form while those in the audience treated them as cattle. With each new cheer of happiness from the crowd when the bidders won, her gut clenched. Hayden felt as if she was in another dimension while wait staff walked around the room as if nothing unusual was taking place on the stage. Their trays were laden with liquor and appetizers. Most of the bidders took the drinks but ignored the food.
She only started paying attention when they called out the number seventy-two. On the stage, a young woman dressed in khakis strolled onto the stage pulling the reluctant bear cub behind her. The poor little guy slapped at the leather leash, crying in fear.
Hayden’s wolf, who had been silent since before she went to the ladies’ room, rushed forward again, trying to break through. She fought it back, knowing a shift now would place everyone in danger.
“Opening bid is seventy-five hundred. I have a note from the staff on this cub. At this time, they’ve been unable to get the cub to shift to his human form. I’ve been assured it is simply because he is so young, and, in a month, he will be able to. It is why his bidding is so low.”
“Seventy-five sixty,” called an older woman on the other side of the room.
“Eight thousand,” said a younger man at the table next to them.
The bidding went back and forth, till Nico picked up their paddle, calling out, “Fifteen thousand.”
“Fifteen thousand to paddle number three twenty-five,” the MC called. “Fifteen thousand going once…going twice—”
“Sixteen thousand,” said the older woman who had started the bidding.
Nico never hesitated. He simply raised the paddle again and called out their bid before the MC confirmed the old bat’s bid. “Twenty thousand.”
“Twenty thousand! Going once…. going twice…Sold to paddle three twenty-five,” the MC yelled.
“Oh!” Hayden exclaimed before hugging Nico with enough drama to win an award. Although, she did feel relieved they’d won the bid on the bear cub her wolf had already claimed as theirs. “Thank you, my love! It’s just what I wanted!”
“Anything for you, sweetie,” Nico cooed for their audience. “Are you happy?”
“Without a doubt,” she continued with their ruse.
“All that matters.” Nico kissed the top of her head before she turned her attention back to the stage.
* * * *
When the auction came to a close, all those who won their bids, including Nico and Hayden, made their way to the desk in the front where they’d received their paddles and paperwork. From there, they’d be taken to the cashier. Royce and Charisma were escorted out of the preserve with those who hadn’t won any of the lots. An uneasy feeling took root in the pit of Nico’s stomach. He didn’t like not having anyone there to cover his ass, even if they were completely surrounded and no one would be getting away without being seen.
Still...he couldn’t shake the ever-present buzz of something not being right. It’d only grown more intense after Hayden informed them they were in the dark. Her connection to her aunt and uncle would help them, but everything from this moment on would be on them.
While Hayden had been taking inventory of all the shifters, he’d gone to the restroom to retrieve the gun Hauser had hidden for him. He tucked the 9mm into his waistband and made sure no one touched his back or got too close to him. He should have felt secure with the firearm. Instead, it only made the knot in his stomach cinch tighter. He constantly checked the exits to make sure they had a clear path out of there if something went wrong, but fear of being caught caused him to stop. No way he’d blow their cover. He could do this.
Nico placed his hand on the small of Hayden’s back as they waited in line. One by one, the patrons paid their fees, then went in search of their prizes. It took all of Nico’s control to stand there and not do anything at all.
Hayden, on the other hand, had been a ball of anxious energy. The cub meant something to her, and after seeing the little fur ball, he understood why. The boy had brilliant green eyes and a curiousness about him. He knew then, his little wolf had claimed the cub, and no matter what, they’d be a family.
Pride welled within him. Hayden had taken the first ste
p by herself to create a family unit for the three of them. Old Hayden would have looked to him for advice. Would have dutifully listened to what her father or her aunt had to say and then negated her feelings for theirs. This time, she took the bull by the horns and forged a new path.
When it was their turn, Hayden gave him a brilliant smile. “We are so lucky. Lot number seventy-two.”
The woman glanced through register before saying, “Paddle please.”
Nico handed it over, along with the marked bills Kalkin gave to him while he and Hayden had been in his office going over the mission. Once everything went down, Vigilante or the government could trace the money, so it could be retrieved. “Twenty thousand, I believe.” He handed her the money. She placed it in a money counter, then smiled when the correct amount showed up on the digital screen a few seconds later.
“Thank you. Enjoy your prize.” She pointed them to a cordoned off area where neither he nor Hayden had been before.
“Oh, we will.” He winked at the woman before ushering Hayden forward. Thankfully no one but him could smell the nervous energy coming from her. He had to calm her down. This last part would be tricky. Getting the boy and his mate out of the building before hell descended on them would take all of his concentration. Nico leaned in and lowered his voice. “I have been dying to get you naked all night.”
Hayden gasped. She turned her head to stare at him. Her cobalt gaze swirled with arousal and fear. The same fear he too felt. “James...”
“It’s true. Seeing how all the men in this fucked up place stare at you.” A low growl rumbled in his chest. “I want to mark you. Get my scent on you. Knot you.” All of it was true; however, he had an ulterior motive. Keep his mate from freezing up at the wrong moment. “When we’re out of here. I’m fucking you in the limo.” He nipped her earlobe. “Knotting your sweet pussy.”
The aroma of her lust drowned out her nervousness, and he knew he’d done the right thing. Her breath hitched. Her eyes were glazed over. “You are a naughty man.”
He gave a nonchalant shrug. “When you’ve got it, you’ve got it.” He kissed her cheek as they passed through another entry point.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. The room had been empty with the exception of a door at least two hundred feet from them. They were also alone. His wolf surged forward. His teeth were bared. His fur brushed along Nico’s skin. They were trapped. He glanced at his mate, who had a distant look in her eyes. At least they had a way to communicate with everyone. Even if he couldn’t hear what was going on.
Hayden grabbed his hand as the door opened. A man appeared, carrying the small cage the cub had been in. The man had a scowl on his face to rival Kalkin’s pissed off demeanor. At his hip a holstered SIG. The man wasn’t the average bodyguard. Nico inhaled and cursed. So, Worthington did use shifters as a goon squad. He tasted the man’s scent once more to figure out what he could be.
The scowl turned into a cruel grin. He placed the cage and their little boy on the floor in the middle of the room. He took a step back and cracked his knuckles, as though preparing for a battle. Somehow, Nico didn’t think the others who won their lot were treated this way. Shit.
Hayden stopped mid-stride when the door opened again. Henry Worthington. The man had been dressed as Nico had been. The suit had to cost as much as Nico had paid for the cub. His sandy-blond hair had been slicked back with pomade. His brows were manscaped, and his grey eyes twinkled with merriment.
“Ah, if it isn’t the famed Raferty girl and her mangy wolf,” the man said. “I was wondering when I’d finally get a chance to meet the both of you.”
Hayden cut her eyes toward Nico. “I think you have the wrong people. My name is Patricia Goodall. This is my husband, James.”
Worthington laughed. “Good show, girl. But, I know who you are.” He closed the distance between them with purposeful strides. “You are the daughter of Hazel Geithner and Jace Raferty. You have a twin, Bodhi Raferty. Your aunt is Holly Geithner, and she saved your father, you, and your brother from your mother.” He placed his hands on either side of her face. “Tell me, girl, are you special, just like her?”
Nico growled, this time not caring if they knew who or what he was. “Get your hands off of what’s mine.”
Henry tsked. “Such a foul-tempered dog.”
“No. I’m nothing like her.” Hayden drew the man’s attention back to her. “Thank fuck too. If you ask me, she got what she deserved all those years ago.”
The man laughed. “Oh, you are stupendous. You’re going to be the star of my collection.”
“I’m not warning you again. Get your fucking hands off of what is mine.” Nico snarled, exposing the curved canine of his wolf. The beast slammed against the invisible barrier keeping him in check. Shifting now would endanger Hayden. The odds of them getting out of there were slim, but he had to keep his head. He couldn’t allow the situation to get out of control.
Not yet anyway.
Henry glanced at Nico. “Do you understand what you have here? This experiment? This girl is the holy grail of the Paranormal Bounty Hunters. She is the beginning and the end. She should be bred until she makes the perfect government weapon.”
Every word he spoke churned Nico’s gut. No way in fuck his little wolf would become some baby maker just to make a killing machine. He knew all too well who Hazel was and what she’d been capable of. She could kill someone with a simple thought. Tear them apart from the inside out. No. It would destroy his mate knowing half the things her biological mother had done, but more specifically, it would destroy her spirit if she birthed the same evil, she spent most of her life running from.
“No.” Hayden growled. She grabbed Worthington’s hands and bent his fingers backwards until they popped out of place. “I am not my mother. I can never hurt anyone.”
In a flash, Henry flew across the room. Had Nico not been watching it, he’d never believed what Hayden had done. The man smacked the cinderblock wall with a sickening thud. Nico winced. Instead of staying down, Worthington got up and laughed. He popped each of his fingers back into place as he closed the distance between them.
“There you are. I knew you had it in you.” He stopped out of Hayden’s reach. “You didn’t tell them about yourself, did you? Didn’t tell them you’re a telekinetic? What else do you have in your bag of tricks?”
Nico stared at his mate. A single tear rolled down her cheek. The smell of her shame swamped him. Had she hidden it all this time? Had she’d been so good at it, no one knew, not even Danielle and Keeley?
“Stop, please,” Hayden cried. “Don’t make me do this.”
Nico, Keeley’s voice filled his head.
He grimaced. The words echoed in his brain, causing his eyes to burn and his ears to plug up. Son of a bitch, if this is how it feels for everyone, don’t ever do this again.
Sorry, Danielle enhanced the connection a bit too much. Your walls are amazing, Keeley said.
Yeah, I don’t think this is a good time to be talking about my walls...
You’re right. Sorry. The pressure in his head eased. Better?
Yes. You’ve got to send everyone in, now.
Kalkin is on the way. You have to hold them off for a little longer, Keeley stated. Did you know?
About Hayden? No. Did you?
Keeley sighed. None of us did. Holly never told us when they arrived. Of course, she and Bodhi always had a twin-sense about them like Kalkin and Caden. But, they don’t use it.
Guess we know why.
Yeah, she answered. Don’t give up. Save your mate. Save the cub. You’re not alone.
The guard snapped in front of Nico’s face, pulling Nico back to the present. “Wallowing in your pity now?”
“Fuck you.” Nico hit the guard, knocking him to the ground. He took a step forward and pulled his gun. If Kalkin needed time, he’d give it to him.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Worthington chided. He wrapped an arm around Hayden’s wai
st and pulled her to him, so her back was to his chest. “Put the gun down, Mr. Lopez. Wouldn’t want to accidentally shoot your mate.” The cruel grin on his face, ripped at Nico’s gut. “We’re going to walk out of here now, and you’re not going to follow.”
Never in Nico’s life had he wanted to shoot someone as badly as he wanted to shoot Worthington. Instead, he dropped the weapon in acquiescence. He couldn’t allow Hayden to become a casualty of Worthington’s sick game. Security guards flooded the small space. Nico glanced around the room. There were too many between him and Hayden. He watched in horror as the man pulled a syringe from his pocket. He removed the cap with his teeth then spit it out. The cruel smirk returned to his face as he placed the needle to Hayden’s neck.
“Say goodnight to your toy, Miss Raferty.” He plunged the syringe into her skin and pressed the plunger, injecting whatever concoction was in it. “Kill him.”
“No!”
To his shock, Hayden shifted into her wolf form before dropping to the floor. She was unsteady on her legs, her head bowed like she was about to pass out.
How the fuck…The bastard forced a shift. How was that even possible?
Not important, Nico, Keeley said.
You need to get out of my head, Keeley, you’re distracting me, Nico demanded with a growl, uncaring that he just gave an order to his pack’s Alpha female.
Silence told him she had left.
Worthington leashed and muzzled a dazed Hayden. His mate didn’t even put up a fight. His gut clenched in fear, and he did something he hadn’t done ever before. He prayed. He begged for someone to protect his mate while he struggled with his wolf to not shift and to stay where he was. The beast beneath his skin, for once, didn’t fight him. They agreed. Instead, the wolf paced, snapping and snarling, promising retribution. The only thing keeping Nico sane had been the necklace he’d given Hayden earlier, tangled in her fur by the scruff of her neck.
“After…” The security guard who brought in the cub stepped up to Nico. He made a show of cracking his knuckles in an attempt to intimidate Nico. He was anything but scared of the other shifter. His sole focus had been on figuring out how to get Hayden out of this shit storm of a mission. “We’re going have some fun first with the wolf.”