Misfits (Psychic Retrieval Agency Book 3)

by TL Reeve

  “Yes,” he answered. “I met her, told her the rules.”

  “Did you mean what you said to her?”

  Grainger stopped. He turned his head slowly, unsure if he should answer the Alpha’s question. “What do you think?”

  “I think you like her, and you understand where she is coming from. I think you meant what you said, and you’re determined to do whatever you have to, to make sure she follows through on assisting us.”

  He shook his head. “I did what I had to. She’s helping us.”

  The Sheriff nodded. “True. You should also know Lu is somewhere in Massachusetts right now. He’s in deep with PBH.”

  Grainger hung his head. “Why are you telling me now?”

  “Because we're on to something big there. Bigger than I believe the government understands. If it's what I think it is, it'll make PBH flush with money allowing them to survive for generations to come.”

  “Good night, Kalkin.”

  Grainger used his speed to exit the building. It was too much pressure. He had to get away from it all. He needed time to gather himself and push away the knowledge he garnered from her. His beloved was a criminal. His mate was a tiger with a broken soul. How did a being like him—a vampire help the likes of her heal and want to be a better person, when she was determined to ruin everything?

  How do I let myself get talking into this crap?

  Pausing outside of his room, she rapped her knuckles on the closed door, before opening it. Ji sat exactly where she suspected he would be. In front of his television, playing his game.

  His gaze flickered toward the door, then back to the screen where he paused the action and stood.

  “Hello, brother.”

  “Don’t hello me, Fú zé,” he growled at her, causing her hackles to stand up. “What the heck are you thinking? Breaking into a store? Our parents taught us better than this. You dishonor them in your actions.”

  Wow. She expected those hurtful words from the woman downstairs, not from Ji. They always supported each other, through thick and thin. She figured it was because they were so close in age. Fallon rubbed at her chest, right above her heart as a wave a pain washed over her. “I'm aware of this, Ji. I had good reasons for doing what I did.”

  “There are no good reasons, Fú zé,” he huffed out, still using her formal name. His tense posture, had her rethinking this whole, talk-to-her-brother thing. “Are you trying to ruin the only place where we are safe?”

  “I’ve already been lectured enough tonight, Ji. I don’t need this from you too,” she snapped.

  “And yet you continue to act out? Dishonoring—”

  She raised her hand, cutting her older sibling off. If one more person told her how her actions affected their family or ancestors she was going to scream.

  “Calli found a spell,” she said.

  “Calli?” he spat. “I should have known.”

  She swallowed the urge to tear into his raging butt but pushed it down. He was allowed his anger. If she got kicked out, they'd be forever separated, unless he decided to leave—which she didn't see happening. Ever. She opened her mouth to continue, but he cut her off this time. “Why am I not surprised to find out that crackpot was with you. You need to stay away from her, Fallon.”

  She rolled her eyes at him.

  For some reason, one she couldn't fathom, Ji did not like Calli. At all. He went out of his way to be rude to her any time she came over. It didn’t take long before Calli noticed it too. Although her friend never said a word about it. It had gotten so bad they stopped hanging out at the orphanage altogether to keep from running into her brother. Calli had been the only one willing to help her investigate her parent's death. She kept hoping Ji would find his lost social skills over time, however, he didn't seem inclined to do so. His open display of disdain grated her nerves and she'd been close to her breaking point. The only reason she hadn't, was her parents.

  “Don't even start with this again, Ji. Calli is my friend.” His face contorted into a look of disgust. They would have to discuss this soon rather than later. Or else they'd have a knockdown, drag-out fight about in the backyard. “She's my BFF”.

  “Sage made no mention of Calli being detained. Where was this good friend at Fallon, when you were handcuffed and hauled into the Sheriff’s Department?”

  Kalkin had been extremely thorough, telling Sage and the others what had happened. I’ll have to thank him for it, later. Not.

  “On my orders, she left at the first sound of trouble. Calli isn’t influencing me in anything.” She pounded on her chest. “My actions are my own. Calli is just going along for the ride.”

  He said nothing, instead, chose to glare at her.

  Wasn’t working.

  “Knock it off,” she growled.

  “There are reasons they refused to sell to everyone, especially a crazy witch who has no clue of her ability.”

  She winched. His brother's description of her friend was harsh, nevertheless, it had a thread of truth to it.

  “This isn’t about Calli,” she reminded him.

  “It is in part about Calli, she's involved and gives you encouragement, you do not need, Fú zé. Do they know, she was there?”

  “I denied it,” she admitted.

  “Why do I think there is a but coming.”

  “Because there is.” She rolled her shoulders, meeting his gaze head-on. Even with him being a year younger and bigger, she did not fear him or his anger. “I’m sure they have video of us together right before I broke in.”

  “Now on top of you being a thief, they also know you to be a liar?” he hissed reminding her of their much-loved father. “Why do you continue to place yourself in these positions?”

  “Why?’ she snarled. “Are you for real?”

  He shook his head. “It’s time to move on. There is nothing we can do.”

  “Maybe this is true for you, but it’s not for me. They were murdered. Taken from us in a blink of an eye. Our world, their world, destroyed. I can’t simply accept their deaths being an accident.”

  “You're not a cop or a PI. What can you possibly do?” he yelled.

  “Something! Anything other than sitting here wasting away,” she spat ignoring his flinch. He needed to wake up. He wasn’t living, he was barely freaking existing. “I have an in with PRA now. It wasn’t my original plan, but it will work. Proving myself will go a long way with them. I know it. I’ll find the right people in the organization, tell them about our parents, what evidence I have and my theories. Someone will help us, and our parents to rest in peace. I will avenge them with or without you.”

  “You reach too far, Fallon,” Ji said, softly.

  The sadness in his voice had her gut clenching in remorse. He wouldn’t stop her. She started down this path once she accepted her fate and nothing was going to stop her, not even him. “And you don’t reach far enough,” she replied.

  With a shake of her head, she walked out of his room. Until her brother realized how much harm he caused himself, he'd never understood her desire to find the people responsible that night, not so long ago—even if no one believed her. The last thing she remembered from the night her parents died, had been the impact of the accident.

  Fallon continued down the hall to her room. She had enough on her mind to last a lifetime after her expedition. She'd focus on the events leading up to it, later after she slept, and after she dealt with the three—four brawny men, if she included Suān ní who’d become her team members after she’d royally screwed up.

  Why do they have to be so good looking though? Why couldn't they be ugly? It would make working with them and hating them so much easier. As it was, she couldn't stop thinking about any of them. She liked the quiet sureness of Warren and the warm empathy from Abraham. Grainger rubbed her the wrong way, but she thought it might have been because of how much he reminded her of her father. The disappointment etched on the face of the vampire, hurt her soul. She couldn't make heads or tails of it eit
her. Except for the fact she wanted to do better for him, while simultaneously wanting to claw his eyes out because he'd been so dang arrogant. Plus, there was her familiar. She sighed. Having him by her side would change everything. Can’t do anything about it now. Might as well accept the changes and keep moving forward. For your family’s sake.

  Chapter 3

  Present Day...

  Fallon leaned against the Enforcer Kalkin finally allowed her to drive and waited for Calli to exit Window Rock’s small community college. Her and Calli had been through a lot over the years, to now be a part of a team she wasn’t sure of, while her friend moved on with her life as well, kind of blew Fallon’s mind.

  Since she’d been with the Psychic Retrieval Agency, PRA for short, she’d learned a lot about herself. All of the anger she had about her parents’ death, she channeled it now, into helping kids who needed someone on their side. She understood them more than most, including Grainger, Warren, or Abe. They still had families—prominent families in the community, some of which contributed funds to PRA to keep the agency solvent.

  These kids though... Sometimes giving them twenty dollars to buy their favorite candy or to even help them figure out what they’d like or maybe new clothes or toys, ripped her apart while also giving her this warm feeling she couldn’t yet name. The whole experience had been what she needed, yet she still couldn’t squelch her selfishness. It reared its ugly head every so often, mostly after the smaller jobs Kalkin tasked them with. She wanted to scream at the top of her lungs, ‘don’t I matter too?’ Then the guilt would follow, and it always stung worse than the selfishness.

  When she spotted Calli, Fallon waved, grabbing her besties attention. Today she had two of her male friends with her. Both of the shifters were nice. Super attentive too. As if reading her mind, which he did an awful lot, Suān ní slithered from her shadow and appeared beside her. Though he still wore his guard attire on missions the rest of the time, he put on street clothes. Who knew the guy could be such a fashionista? He draped his arm over Fallon’s shoulder, and she cut her gaze to him.

  “What are you doing?”

  Suān ní grinned. “I am blending in. Being the cool.”

  She snorted. “We’re not a couple though.”

  He blinked. “Resting one’s arm over the shoulder of the opposite sex, means they are a couple?” Suān ní frowned. “What would they be considered a couple of?”

  “It means they’re dating,” she whispered.

  “What is this dating you speak of? You and I have been bonded for a year, but you have yet to teach me the way of the modern world.”

  “Can we talk about this later,” she pleaded. “I promise we’ll discover everything together, just not now.”

  “I will hold you to such promise. Later, I shall learn the way of this dating and being a couple.” Suān ní lowered his arm before placing both hands behind his back. “Why are they so close to Calli. They give off pheromones. I do not like the smell. It is like an unclean latrine.”

  Fallon curled her lip in disgust. “Eww, gross, Suān ní. Not a visual I needed at the moment.”

  “It is not visual. It is a simile.” Suān ní’s chest puffed up. “I have been reading Calli’s English 101 books.”

  “I’m so glad you’re here,” Calli cried out as she rushed to hug Fallon then Suān ní. “Suān ní, you too.”

  The expression on her familiar’s face made Fallon grin. It was a mix of content and of being perplexed. “Where else would I be? Where my mistress goes, so do I.”

  Calli wiggled her brows. “Mistress, huh?”

  Fallon sighed. “Don’t start.”

  Her best friend giggled. “Thank you for escorting me, Micha and Andrew. I’ll see you tomorrow?” She kissed both shifter’s cheeks then waved as they started away. “Aren’t they so cute?”

  “They smell like a dirty latrine.” Suān ní frowned then sniffed Calli. “Alone, you smell like a poppy in bloom.”

  “Uh?” Calli swung her gaze to Fallon. “Thanks?”

  “With an undertone of smelly latrine.” Suān ní slipped back into Fallon’s shadow. I am ready to go now.

  Fallon opened the passenger door for Calli. “It’s a long story. I’ll explain it later.”

  “Yeah, sure.” Calli slipped into the seat while Fallon got in on the driver's side. “I am so glad classes are over for a couple of days at least. This semester is kicking my booty.”

  “That bad huh?” Fallon placed her thumb on the dash and the vehicle started. “You could always be a witch for PRA.” Fallon dangled the carrot every so often. Her best friend in the whole world had been through thick and thin with her and it only made sense for Calli to also join the ranks of PRA. And, though she might have her selfish reasons, having a witch as part of PRA might level the playing field when it came to the PBH—Paranormal Bounty Hunters.

  Calli giggled. “Though the offer is tempting, my path is different than yours. You were meant to become an agent. Me... I’m not sure yet. Whatever the world holds for me, I’m going to excel at it.”

  “Does this life include Micha and Andrew?” Fallon enjoyed teasing her friend. Neither one of them had a serious boyfriend. Heck, she figured Calli was still a virgin—not that there was anything wrong with it. Fallon on the other hand experimented.

  “I don’t know.” Calli drew her bottom lip between her teeth. “I like them, for sure. More though—”

  “They seem like good guys.” Fallon shrugged.

  “They smell like a latrine.” Calli laughed.

  “Suān ní said pheromones. So, I wonder.” Fallon glanced at her friend. “It could be a mating that would explain the smell.”

  “I’m not sure I’d make a good mate.” Her friend frowned. “I feel like I’d hold them back.”

  “You’re a witch. You could never hold them back.” Fallon drove away from the college and toward YoJo’s. This morning had all about drills. Running, chasing, scenting. She had to focus, let the tiger out bit by bit so she and her beast could smell the aroma of a small child lost in the desert. Her teacher—Utah.

  Years ago, when he'd been a teen, Utah was offered a canine companion to help him. His—her teacher Mr. Hill also had a companion, Molly. Anyway, Utah only had his canine, Ajax with him for a couple of weeks when he and Ajax found two lost children in the desert, one of them would later become Calli’s father. So, getting to work with him after learning about Calli's dad, was a treat. It also meant she had to learn sign language because Utah, as far as she knew, was the only tiger who'd been deaf.

  “I worked with Utah this morning,” Fallon said.

  “You did?” Surprise filled Calli’s voice. “What’s he like?”

  “Haven’t you ever met him?”

  Her friend shook her head. “No. He was gone for a long time and I guess I never sought him out, you know when he and Raquel returned with their son Asim.”

  “Well, you should meet him. He’s cool people. Suān ní and I learned sign language so we could talk to him.”

  “Maybe I will.” Calli shifted in her seat. “So, where are we going today?”

  “YoJo’s, I’m starving. I thought we could get some lunch and a bubble tea.”

  “Yum! I’m starving.” Calli wiggled in her seat. “So, Miss Agent, how’s the P.R.A. treating you?”

  “It's a job.” It was more than a job. It was life. Since she agreed to join, she'd been living with Warren, Abraham, and Grainger along with her gargoyle, Suān ní. It’d been a recommendation made by Rapier. She figured it was to keep her under constant supervision. Not only was it awkward, but it also led to some pretty interesting interactions. “It’s kind of why I wanted to talk to you today.”

  Surprise filled Calli’s features. “Oh, the intrigue. Dish?”

  “Inside, screwball.” Fallon huffed out a laugh. “Let’s hope I can get it all out in an hour.”

  “Now you've got me hooked.” Calli exited the Enforcer and headed for the door. “Last one sitti
ng has to pay the bill.”

  Fallon rolled her eyes. She was planning on paying anyway. Might as well, she had a disposable income she could use to take care of her brother and her for years to come. She entered the coffee shop and found Calli already sitting at a table in the back away from the other patrons. Good, I don’t want anyone to hear this.

  For the last couple of months, something weird was happening in the house. Not as though weird stuff didn’t already happen, but the tension was thick enough to cut with a knife. The other night, she heard Warren and Abraham going at it, nothing new, however, what struck her was this out of body experience. An unseen thread connected her to both guys, urging her to join them. She knew from reading up on incubi, it could happen, but it was specific, directed at her not in general. She’d been at their door when she snapped out of the trance and realized where she was and went back to her bed.

  The next day, they acted normal, as though nothing happened. Even Grainger had been sniffing around her and it set her on edge. Though she'd loath to admit it to anyone but Calli, she enjoyed seeing Warren, Grainger, Abraham, and Suān shirtless. They were all well-built men. Sexy. Muscular They were also partners—agents together in not doing crimes-er, whatever. The total antithesis of her.

  “Hey, Fallon. What can I do for you and Calli?” Ero waved from behind the counter.

  “Afternoon. We'd like a couple of ham and cheese on sourdough and two bubble teas.” She slipped her bank card from her back pocket.

  I too would like to try this ham and cheese on sourdough and bubble tea. It sounds interesting. Suān ní’s voice drifted through her mind.

  Sure. She held her finger up as Ero started ringing up their order. “Add another sandwich and tea.”

  “Sure.” Ero made the correction. “Fifteen even.”

  Fallon paid for their lunch then headed to the table. When their food was ready, Luc would bring it to them, giving her time to at least get some of her thoughts out in the open. She sat across from her best friend and tried to figure out the best way to explain what was happening, even though she didn't understand it herself. She supposed the biggest question she needed to address was, did she like them? The answer had been a resounding yes, once she got past their bluster and Grainger's condemnation. As a team, they were good together. But, relationship-wise? Warren and Abraham were gay, and Grainger tolerated her. She wouldn't say hate anymore. So, no. It was best if she didn't hope.