Shadowed Flame

by RJ Blain

  While my wolf grumbled her annoyance over Dalton taking a slice, she approved of Ryan taking a share for himself. “I ate a lot before, too.”

  Dad snorted. “You cost me a fortune to feed as a child. Maybe I should invest in a livestock farm of my own and sell animals to Ryan at cost. Otherwise, he might not be able to afford to feed you.”

  “That’s entirely unnecessary, Mr. Evans. I can manage.”

  “While I’m sure you can, Ryan, you don’t have to. I can handle my own appetite. Dad, stop instigating, or I’ll start submitting proposals to make your life miserable and vote yes—and bribe someone else on the board to likewise vote in my favor.” I smiled my sweetest smile in my dad’s direction. “I recommend pretending I’m the adult I actually am. If threat of corporate retribution isn’t sufficient, I’ll just call Grandmother and tell her you’re lonely without me and need a woman in your life.”

  Dad’s eyes widened. “You wouldn’t.”

  “Try me.”

  Dalton chuckled. “You should be congratulated on your successful raising of an intelligent, headstrong woman, Mr. Evans. You’ve lost this war. Surrender peacefully, and she might take pity on you. For some reason, I have my doubts she will, but she might.”

  “Back to business.” I grabbed a slice of pizza for myself. “We’ve established Harthel has motive. We have no proof of resources or connections. What’s next?”

  Grabbing a paper plate from the untouched stack on the counter, Dalton dropped his half-eaten slice onto it, got up, and washed his hands before finding the page of photographs and waving it in the air. “The Fenerec behind the attack. These men are the core of the operations, as far as we can tell. Of these, five are important. While the rest were active participants, they’re middling Fenerec who aren’t much of a threat to trained operatives.”

  Ryan devoured his slice of pizza like a starved man before licking his fingers. “What do you have on them?”

  “The Alpha goes by the name of Martin Dundrich, likely an alibi. No information on education, origin, or actual age. He showed up about seven years ago. At the time, his pack was small, consisting of seven members, all males. Four are still with him; the rest are presumed dead. These four and Dundrich are the core of the pack, probably the masterminds behind the attack on La Guardia. We have no information on his dominancy, either.”

  “Do you have anything of actual use?”

  “None of them are mated.”

  I frowned, wondering at the significance of Dalton’s declaration. Everyone else straightened, and Ryan growled, anger giving a bite to his scent. “That makes them dangerous.”

  “Without the stabilizing factor of females in the pack, they’re a risk to everyone, Fenerec and Normal alike. Unfortunately, you’re the one at most risk, Ryan. Judging from their behavior patterns and the fact none of them have mates, they’re looking for Fenerec bitches. Considering their willingness to kill, it wouldn’t surprise me if they decided to target Fenerec bitches—and their mates. They haven’t run wild yet, but it’s only a matter of time before they do.”

  Rage drowned out all other scents, and I sneezed several times to clear my nose. “Are women really so rare among Fenerec?”

  Dalton sighed. “On average, one in seven Fenerec are women. Lately, the number has been closer to one in ten. Most of our mates don’t want to become Fenerec. We’re volatile, and they know it. While Fenerec have stronger instincts than humans, most mothers don’t want to risk their lives to become a Fenerec. If the candidate for the ritual isn’t a hundred percent willing and determined, they die during the process. You were very fortunate, Matia. Ryan gambled with your life. I still don’t know how he pulled it off; even among those who say they’re willing, a quarter of the hopefuls die during the ritual. Becoming a Fenerec isn’t a safe bet. But, it’s not all bad. With so few women of our kind, you ladies rule the roost. Most males will roll over if their female bares her teeth and growls. I think that’s partly why so many females want a more dominant male for their mate; dominant males, especially Alphas, are wired to fight back. Fenerec enjoy a challenge.”

  “I deal with too many egotistical, wealthy men in my life already,” I muttered. “So, this pack has no women. What do they have?”

  “A submissive male with pyromaniac tendencies and a specialization in explosives. Former explosives tech with the Marines prior to a medical discharge almost two decades ago. His name is Willard Hamburg. He was the first of Dundrich’s recruits. Hamburg is the real problem of the pack. He’s smart, would rather avoid a fight, and skilled at dropping off the radar. The Inquisition has had an active hit order on him for at least a decade—shortly after he became a Fenerec. He’s responsible for the murders of at least seven women; failed rituals from what we can tell. There are likely more we don’t know about.”

  I clenched my teeth together so hard my jaw ached. “So he’s a serial killing mass murderer?”

  “The real deal, I’m afraid. Inquisition operatives aren’t often given kill-on-sight orders, but Hamburg is one of them, as is Dundrich. The rest are questionable. There are three we’ve pinpointed as being the muscle of the pack; like to fight, and enjoy getting up close and personal. There used to be four, but one was killed at La Guardia. He didn’t get far enough away from the payload.”

  Curiosity got the better of me. “How do you know that?”

  “His body was somewhat intact, and he’s been on watch lists for a long time. Cross referencing the surveillance videos confirmed he was carrying one of the bags believed to contain the explosives. We’re tough, but he trusted a little too much in our ability to withstand injury. I’ll spare you the details.” Dalton’s grim smile chilled me. “One less problem to worry about.”

  “That still leaves a lot of problems, Sinclair.” Ryan set his phone on the counter, tapping at the screen. “We don’t know where they are. We likely don’t know their numbers, either. It’s impossible to plan a good operation without intel.”

  “That’s where you come in, Ryan.”

  Ryan stared at Dalton, frowning. “What exactly do you mean by that?”

  “Until Matia’s confirmed to have control over her wolf and her witch powers, we can’t risk sending her out on any operation, especially when she’s been developing as a witch for far longer than I initially believed. However, I was thinking of a way we can use her—and you—to bait them out. Dundrich will want you, Ryan, because you’re submissive. Once he smells the fact you are bonded with a bitch, he’s going to want both of you. He’ll likely assume your bitch is submissive, since dominant bitches don’t tend to want submissive males. In short, I’ll take Matia into custody without telling you where I’m taking her. That way, when you claim the Inquisition took your bitch from you, it’ll be the truth.”

  Ryan tensed, and his growls rumbled in his chest.

  “Add in the fact the newly mated are always zealously overprotective of each other, easily provoked, and easily alarmed, and it’s the perfect situation to add authenticity to your con, allowing you to infiltrate the enemy. Unless Dundrich is stronger than I think, I won’t have any difficulty winning a contest against him. If he were a strong Alpha, he wouldn’t have a problem finding willing bitches. I’m not worried. Maybe I’m not the strongest Alpha around, but I can subjugate other Fenerec through their bonds with their mates—even Normals.”

  Sucking in a breath, Ryan stared at Dalton with wide eyes. “You can?”

  “I can. Matia might one day grow into a more dominant Fenerec than me, but she’s not there, not yet. I can subjugate her, which means I can subjugate you through her. If something goes wrong, we’ll be able to pinpoint your location through the pack bonds.”

  Ryan shook his head. “There won’t be enough time to develop the bonds.”

  “While I’m not a witch, I’m sensitive. Leave the issue of tracking you, if necessary, to me,” Dalton replied in a tone allowing no argument. “I’ve already been in discussion with other Inquisitors on how to best handle
the situation. One of my pack is currently in the process of wiring some clothing with microphones and transmitters so we’ll be able to hear everything. I wanted an ear piece, but they’re too easy to spot, so it’ll be one way only, but we’ll be able to track you. The batteries on the microphones are rated for a week.”

  “A week isn’t a lot of time,” Ryan replied, shaking his head. “I might be able to find them, but it takes a lot longer than a week to get close to rogues—especially rogues on the run.”

  “Within a week, any Fenerec within a city block is going to pick up on your distress. They’ll find you.” Pausing, Dalton glanced at me. “Then again, in a week, we’ll probably be testing the patience of every single local water witch putting out literal fires when your bitch’s temper frays and snaps.”

  I crossed my arms over my chest. “I don’t like it.”

  “Of course you don’t. You’re not supposed to like it. You just have to do it. In fact, the less you like it, the better off Ryan is. If his cover appears authentic and his anxiety is legitimate, most Fenerec won’t be able to hurt him. He’ll be safe enough. Even Normals are affected by submissive Fenerec, especially when they’re as submissive as Ryan. Unless they run wild or have employed a complete lunatic, he should be safe enough. You, on the other hand, would be a liability—and at risk.”

  Ryan sighed. “I hate it, but he’s right. That’s why I run ops solo, often against what most would consider hardened criminals. They hesitate.”

  “That’s part of what makes him so precious. A submissive doesn’t just bow to more dominant Fenerec, Matia—they bring protective instincts to the forefront. No matter how far removed humans are from their wild ancestry, those instincts still exist.”

  “Let’s assume I manage to infiltrate them. What happens then?”

  “My pack will track you down, and we wipe them out. We should be able to get a feel for their numbers and abilities by listening in on the microphones. Apparently, it’s easier to waterproof the microphones and their batteries than it is to create button-sized cameras that can withstand a run through the washing machine.”

  “Right. How many outfits will I have with built-in microphones?”

  “Ten.”

  “Matia will be at Inquisition headquarters for the entire operation?”

  “With several water witches capable of putting out any fires she may or may not set in stressful situations. I’ll also change my plan for her to participate in a training course until this is over. She won’t need combat training to oversee the comms, and I’d rather move on getting the location of this rogue pack and dealing with them. Once you’ve done your part and been extracted, Ryan, you can worry about teaching her how to handle a gun.”

  “Why does this seem like a disaster in the making?” I grabbed the box of pizza and tore free a slice. While I wasn’t exactly hungry, eating kept my hands and mouth busy.

  No one needed to hear me—or my wolf—whine over something necessary but unpleasant. Maybe there wouldn’t be a chance for public justice against those responsible for destroying so many lives at La Guardia, but I wasn’t going to risk my chance of helping to stop the rogue pack from striking again.

  “You’re smart, that’s why. Try not to worry. We’ll make every effort to safeguard Ryan.”

  “I can take care of myself, Sinclair.”

  “I know you can, but Miss Evans doesn’t, and there’s little as dangerous as a bitch in a corner. Let’s not take any unnecessary risks, especially when the cornered bitch can light things on fire when provoked.”

  I ate another slice of pizza so I wouldn’t argue with Dalton. My wolf encouraged me to challenge the Alpha, and when I refused, her snarls of displeasure filled my head.

  It took every bit of my willpower to cooperate and go with Dalton instead of staying in the apartment with Ryan. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from voicing a whine—or complaining.

  “This is really for the best.” Dalton guided me to an SUV parked in the underground garage. Dad and Sam waved a farewell and didn’t hesitate before getting into the car and driving off, leaving me alone with the Alpha. “Ryan’ll be motived to finish his part and get back to you—you’ll pay close attention to the comms. Comm monitoring can be dreadfully dull, especially without video surveillance. It’ll also give you a chance to adapt to your wolf without Ryan’s personality suppressing you.”

  “He doesn’t suppress me.”

  “Oh, but he does, Miss Evans. That’s what makes submissive Fenerec so precious. You’ll understand in a day or two. By then, your temper will start fraying, and you’ll get a full taste of keeping your wolf controlled all the time. Fortunately, the folks you’ll be with work with dominants often. They’ll be able to handle you until you learn to handle yourself. Now, get in. Let’s get on the road before Ryan works up the nerve to argue with me on it.”

  I growled but obeyed, jerking open the passenger door.

  “Or you can start having frayed nerves within five minutes of leaving his presence. They’re going to be so happy with me for bringing them a cranky bitch.” Dalton sighed, buckled in, and started the engine. “This really is for the better. Ryan’s motivated because he knows he has a bitch to come home to. You’ll be motivated because you know you can’t settle down with your new mate until you have your wolf and witchcraft under basic control. You’re not going to like the headquarters because there is silver in the walls, which will help motivate you to get out of there as soon as you can. You’ll end up staying there for at least a week to adapt, but if you get the hang of it quickly, you’ll be released.”

  “Released makes it sound like a prison.”

  “It is. I won’t lie, but that’s the way it has to be. Until you’re no longer a threat to Normals, it’s a very comfortable prison designed to encourage you to improve your control and learn how to survive. It wouldn’t surprise me if they want to keep you there for a few weeks. Witch Fenerec have become a bit more common, but the Inquisition doesn’t like taking risks with the more dangerous supernatural. You’re now one of those. Fire witches are dangerous enough before you add in a Fenerec’s enhanced strength, longevity, and violent tendencies. The more dominant the Fenerec, the more violent the tendencies, too.”

  Violent thoughts were second nature to me; before the La Guardia bombing, I often had them, although I had never acted on them. With a wolf sharing my skin, I had the feeling it’d only be a matter of time before I lashed out and did something I’d regret—something my wolf wouldn’t find repulsive to her nature.

  Wolves hunted, wolves killed, and wolves ate what they killed.

  Humans hunted and killed, too, but we did it for greed and passion rather than survival.

  My wolf stirred in my head, and she made no effort to hide her smug superiority. I was just a human while she was the wolf, the predator, and the one with the morals, the one who only did the necessary.

  Underneath her superiority was an undertone of resentment and doubt. She had saved my life in La Guardia, changing me into a Fenerec, and she wasn’t sure she had made the right choice.

  Like it or not, we were stuck with each other. Everyone had told me what to expect with becoming a Fenerec, but no one had even suggested what had been done could be undone. If my wolf didn’t want me, she’d find out about the nature of two-way streets.

  I had a lifetime of experience suppressing violent instincts. If my wolf wouldn’t work with me, I’d work to make sure she couldn’t work against me.

  “There’s no changing back, is there? Becoming a human again, I mean.”

  Dalton put the vehicle in gear and backed out of the spot. After a long, uncomfortable silence, he sighed. “No, there isn’t.”

  “That’s what I thought. I just wanted to know for certain.”

  “You’ll figure things out. We all do. It’ll take time to get used to sharing with your wolf, but everything will work out, you’ll see.”

  I didn’t believe him, but I nodded anyway. Understanding cam
e swift and painful; I couldn’t transform into a wolf because my wolf didn’t want me. She didn’t want me in her body. Until she did, I’d always require someone forcing the transformation.

  We’d always fight each other.

  The only thing we had in common was Ryan, and even then, we wanted him for different reasons. Mine went far deeper than the need to mate.

  He had saved me. My wolf had, too, but Ryan didn’t regret the risks he had taken.

  My wolf did.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  The Inquisition headquarters was located almost an hour north of New York City where the lines between civilization and nature blurred. According to the sign, it was a large apartment building servicing the nearby town.

  Did the neighbors know they lived next door to werewolves and witches? What other supernatural existed I didn’t know about?

  Dalton parked near the front doors. Unbuckling my seatbelt, I wrinkled my nose and opened the passenger side door. “How long should it take Ryan to finish his part of the job?”

  “If all goes well, not long. It depends on how sensitive their noses are.”

  “What do you mean by that?”

  “Fenerec can smell lies. Some are better at it than others. It’s a useful trick. Some can mask their scent and prevent lies from being detected, but it takes time to learn. Ryan will have to be careful; he can be vague without any risk of discovery, but the bigger the lie, the harder it is to hide. Of course, it wouldn’t surprise me if Ryan could lie his way out of trouble. He’s a cunning old Fenerec. A lot of what he’ll say won’t be a lie, either. He has a lot of reasons to hate working with the Inquisition.”

  While I was aware Dalton and Ryan knew each other, I wasn’t sure how close they were, if they were close at all. However, if the Alpha was willing to tell me more about Ryan, I wanted to learn as much as I could. “Why?”