Twenty minutes passed while the officers took their report. Zach led them to the storage building and opened the door. Still trussed like turkeys, the two men glared at them. With their black ski masks and clothing, they looked like criminals, and the policemen had no reason to doubt Zach’s story.
One officer began reading the two their rights. The other slapped handcuffs on them. Once they were cuffed and their rights read, the officers bundled them into the squad car and they sped away.
Tired and cold, Simon went inside to get Raven. “They’re gone. Let’s go.”
“Aren’t you worried about what they’ll say?” Raven asked, walking with him back outside. Zach waited by the Tahoe, keys in hand.
“No. They’re shifters and they won’t break pack law. They won’t tell the humans anything.”
“How do you know that? They’re bad guys. What do they care about the law?”
Simon shook his head. “Pack penalties are much more harsh than human. Remember, we’re half wild animals.” He hoped she wouldn’t ask for more specifics.
Raven narrowed her eyes. She opened her mouth and Zach interrupted.
“Even if they did tell their story,” Zach put in, “who’s going to believe them? Werewolves? Protectors? Ferals? People would think they were crazy.”
After a moment, Raven nodded. She rubbed her hands together to warm them. “So we don’t need to worry about them anymore, right?”
Zach unlocked his vehicle and they all piled inside. Once Raven had buckled in, Simon did the same. He’d like to have kept his arm around her, but there was no reason to inside the SUV.
Zach started the engine. “Let’s give it a moment to warm up, then I’ll turn on the heater.” He glanced at his vet clinic, frowning.
“You still look worried,” Raven pointed out. “Why?”
Zach sighed. “I’m concerned. Somehow they knew you’d come to my clinic.”
“True,” Simon said. “Good point. I hadn’t thought of that.”
“I wonder how they knew.” Raven rubbed her temples. “The wolf…”
“The wolf,” Zach echoed. “What do you think is the chance they set the trap that injured your wolf?”
Simon exchanged a glance with Raven. “I hadn’t thought of that. Maybe they were trying to catch one of us.”
“And caught Theo instead.”
“Theo?” Zach put the vehicle in Drive and they moved forward. “You named a wild animal Theo?”
Simon couldn’t help laughing. “What do you expect from a Feral?” he said, laughing even harder when Raven punched his arm.
Zach lived in a modest, raised ranch, perched on a small rise at the end of a dead-end street. “Here we are,” he said cheerfully. “Don’t mind my dogs.”
About to get out of the vehicle, Raven froze. “Dogs? What kind?”
“Boxers.” Zach caught the look on her face. “Why? What’s wrong? My boxers are a hundred times more friendly than wild wolves.”
“Raven doesn’t like dogs,” Simon said.
Thinking he was joking, Zach laughed. “A shifter who doesn’t like dogs? Right.”
Face devoid of expression, Raven hung back.
“You’re serious?” Zach asked, glancing from Simon to Raven and back.
“Afraid so.” Simon crossed to her side of the vehicle and slipped his arm around her shoulders, unaccountably warmed when she sighed with relief and slumped into his embrace.
“Let me put them out back.” Still shaking his head, Zach unlocked his front door and went inside. Standing on the sidewalk, they could hear the boxers’ enthusiastic greetings.
Raven shivered. “I don’t know why I’m so afraid.”
“I don’t, either,” he teased, squeezing her shoulder. “You’ve lived with a pack of wild wolves for a few years. What’s a couple of seventy-pound boxers to that?”
For that remark, he earned a smile. Tentative, to be sure, but her smile made him feel like the sun had just broken through a slate-gray, stormy sky.
From the doorway, Zach laughed again. “Come on, you two. I’ve put the dogs out back for now, though you’ll have to get used to them sooner or later. I only have one guest bedroom. I’m guessing that won’t be a problem?”
“I can take the couch,” Simon said without thinking.
“No.” Raven’s fingers dug into his arm. “Don’t leave me tonight. Not here, not like this.”
Swallowing, Simon nodded. Maybe she didn’t understand that they’d have to share a bed. Perhaps once she saw the room, she’d understand why he’d offered to spend the night somewhere else. Anywhere, besides lying next to her. He didn’t know how much temptation he could take.
Maybe she didn’t realize how badly he wanted her. The time they’d spent together, both as wolf and as human, hadn’t lessened his desire. If anything, his craving for her had increased. He now spent almost every waking hour aroused.
As they crossed the threshold into Zach’s bachelor-decorated house, he hoped she’d fall asleep before he did. Then he would sneak off to find his rest elsewhere. That would be his only chance of getting some sleep that night.
Outside, darkness fell swiftly. Zach showed them their room, and then led them to the kitchen where he pointed at his glass-topped, round kitchen table. “Sit. I’ll make something to eat. But first,” he glanced at Raven, “the temperature’s falling and my boxers have thin coats. They aren’t used to the cold. Are you ready for me to let them in?”
Though she stiffened, she nodded, trying unsuccessfully to hide her unhappiness at the idea.
“Remember, just act normally,” Simon told her in a low voice. He reached for her hand across the table and squeezed.
She squeezed back, then pulled away. “I’m not sure I know how.”
Shaking his head, Zach went to the back door and pulled it open. Two stout boxer dogs bounded inside, jumping up and down, stubby tails waving furiously. One was a reddish-gold color and the other was a mahogany brown, so dark he almost looked black.
After leaping into the air and joyfully greeting Zach, they rushed over to inspect the newcomers. Since Simon sat closer to the door, they sniffed him out first. He held perfectly still, holding out one hand.
“Just like with wolves, don’t look them in the eye,” he cautioned Raven.
“And loosen up,” Zach chimed in, eyeing the way Raven sat stiff, like a statue. “They won’t hurt you.”
True to his word, the largest of the two animals sniffed Raven, then licked her hand. The other followed suit. Then, apparently satisfied, they retreated to huge, pillowed dog beds on the other side of the kitchen.
Raven let her breath out in a loud sigh.
“See?” Zach beamed. “I told you they were harmless.” Then, winking at Simon, he went to the fridge and began assembling ingredients on the counter.
“Are you guys hungry? I make a mean stir-fry.”
As if on cue, Simon’s stomach growled. Even Raven laughed.
“I’ll take that for a yes,” Zach said, still grinning.
They sat at Zach’s glass-top kitchen table and watched while he made pork stir-fry in his wok.
“That smells amazing.” Raven lifted her chin, sniffing the air. From the beds on the other side of the room, the boxers did the same.
When Zach finally set two heaping plates in front of them, Raven and Simon exchanged a glance. Then they both dove in, devouring all their food before Zach had even halfway finished his.
“There’s more,” Zach pointed. “Finish it off.”
So they did. After, while Zach stacked the dishes in his spotless, stainless steel dishwasher, Raven nodded off.
Watching her, Simon couldn’t help but smile indulgently.
“You’ve got it bad, old pal,” Zach commented. “I’ve never seen you like this.”
Simon frowned. “Don’t be ridiculous.” The sharp glare he sent his old friend worked to discourage him from saying anything else. He didn’t know why, but talking about his feelings, wheth
er real or imagined, for Raven would be dangerous.
Asleep, Raven slumped down in her chair, head on the table. One of the boxers, ever curious, crept closer, finally jumping up and licking her cheek.
“Ahh!” Jumping, she woke. Glancing blearily around her, she gave the dog a faint smile. “I think that’s my signal. Do you mind if I use your shower?”
“Not at all.” Zach smiled. “There are plenty of towels inside the cupboard.”
“Thanks.” With a slight wobble, she walked back to the guest bathroom, closing the door behind her with a quiet thump.
“If she wasn’t yours, I’d try for her.” Zach’s tongue-in-cheek comment made Simon take a deep breath. He hadn’t even realized he’d been holding it.
“She’s not mine,” he replied automatically. Then, rubbing the back of his neck, he gave his friend a sheepish smile. “There are rules about Protectors and Ferals. No way I’d break one of those.”
“But then, you’re not actually a Protector anymore, are you? At least, it doesn’t seem so after what you’ve told me.”
“Once a Protector, always a Protector.” Again, his answer came without thinking.
“Dude, they’re trying to kill you. You saw those guys. I bet they had silver bullets in those guns.”
Simon cursed. He hadn’t thought to check for that. “We should have looked before we let the police take them.”
“Maybe. But what are you going to do?”
“Raven’s been asking that question, too. You know, I really don’t know. Until those two guys attacked us, I thought I could convince my boss to let me finish my assignment.”
“Beck said this was supposed to be his assignment. That you had him taken off so you could have it instead.”
Simon grimaced. “I had him taken off because I thought he was talking crazy. Now, I’m beginning to think he wasn’t.”
He glanced at the clock on the microwave. “You said you have his number. Would you mind giving him a call? I’d like to talk to him.”
Without another word, Zach flipped open his cell and scrolled through his address book. He punched Send and then tossed the phone to Simon. “Here you go.”
Beck answered on the third ring. Instead of answering with his last name as he usually did, he simply said hello.
“Beck. It’s Caldwell. Where are you, man?”
“Why?” Hostility. Simon should have expected that.
“Look, I’m sorry. I had no idea. I thought I was doing you a favor by having you sent on vacation.”
“Vacation?” Beck snorted. “I’m not on vacation, that’s for sure. More like on the run for my life.”
“What? Why?”
“I bucked the system. Normally, no big deal, right? But Ross has turned the Society into the Gestapo. He’s gunning for anyone who doesn’t behave like a robot.”
“Which explains why he’s gunning for me,” Simon said.
Silence while Beck digested this. Then, “You? What the hell have you done? You’ve always been their shining example, the model Protector. The Terminator.” This last was said with so much bitterness, Simon winced.
“Can you help me? I’d like to figure out what’s going on.”
“I want to ask you a question.” Beck’s voice cracked as static came over the line, then the static faded. “You’ve been there longer than me. How connected in the Society is Ross?”
“Ross? I don’t know. He’s been there a long time.”
Beck coughed. “Look, talking like this on the cell isn’t safe. You don’t know who might be listening. I know where you are. I’ll be over there in half an hour.”
Before Simon could respond, Beck hung up.
Shaking his head, Simon handed Zach the phone.
“Well?” Zach dropped his cell into his pocket. “What’s up?”
“He’s on his way here.” Simon tried to rub the grit out of his eyes. “I sure wish I knew what the hell is going on.”
Zach chuckled. “Maybe you’re about to find out.”
When the knock came at the back door a few minutes later, to their credit the boxers didn’t bark. They harrumphed twice, watching Zach. Satisfied that they’d done their canine duty, they settled back in their beds when he crossed to the door to open it.
The tall, angular man who entered bore little resemblance to the man Simon had sent on vacation just a few weeks ago. The man looked ten times worse than he had the last time Simon had seen him and recommended him for a mandatory vacation. With the dark circles under his eyes, hollow cheeks and close-cropped hair, he looked like a walking cadaver.
“Beck.” Simon stared in shock at his friend and former coworker. “What the hell happened to you?”
“Sit down before you fall,” Zach advised, pointing at the chair across the table from Simon. He went to the fridge and got them each a beer.
“I can’t stay long,” Beck protested. “They’re after me. If I stay too long in one spot, they’ll find me.”
Simon popped the top off his beer and took a long swallow. “Sit your ass down. What the hell are you talking about? Who’s after you? I think you’d better explain.”
Hesitantly, Beck sat. Simon slid a beer across the table to him. With a sigh, Beck opened it and took a sip.
“The people after me are the same people that are after you.”
“Protectors? Why? Did you defy a direct order?”
“Is that what you did?” Beck leaned forward. “Because when I told them I sure as hell didn’t need a vacation, Ross sent goons after me. He wants blind obedience. I think he’s trying to form his own army.”
Frowning, Simon took another drink. “That doesn’t make sense.”
“I don’t know,” Pulling out the third chair, Zach sat. “There’ve been rumblings for a while now about a big shake-up in the World Pack Council. Maybe your Ross is going for that.”
“World Pack? I thought we were just talking about the Society. The World Council is several notches up from that.”
Unblinking, Zach watched him. “Lesser men sometimes have lofty political expectations.”
“Oh, it’s worse than that.” Beck slugged back a third of his beer, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “He’s eliminating anyone who questions his orders. He’s gone from eliminating dangerous Ferals to eliminating dissenters.”
“I still don’t understand.” Simon’s head had begun to ache. “The Society is well respected in the pack. Even if Ross succeeds in assembling his own bunch of brain-dead Protectors, what does he plan to do with them?”
“This is what I’ve been trying to find out. I’m not sure how high up this conspiracy, for lack of a better word, goes. I’ve attempted a bunch of times to contact someone higher up in the Society. I’ve been blocked at every turn.”
“Who? Who have you tried to call?”
Simon and Zach watched as Beck ticked off the names on his fingers.
“So now I’m calling Turley.”
“Turley?” Simon whistled. “Hellhounds.”
Zach looked from one to the other. “Clue me in, guys. Who’s Turley?”
“Turley is on the Supreme Council of the Society. That’s our governing body. He’s in charge of the entire organization and of all the Protectors. Ross is peanuts compared to him.”
“Kind of like comparing a senator to the president?”
“Exactly.” Both Simon and Beck nodded.
“In the meantime, Ross has a crew after me,” Beck said.
“Yeah, me, too. You know the Feral you were assigned before you got sent on mandatory vacation?”
“Yeah, the job you worked?”
“Ross wanted me to exterminate her before I even filed my report. I refused, so he sent a replacement. Raven and I—Raven’s the Feral—went on the run. It’s all gone downhill from there.”
One of the dogs raised his head and woofed. The other got up, padding toward the hallway that led to the guest bedroom.
“I thought I heard another voice.” Barefoot, ha
ir disheveled, Raven wandered into the kitchen, her long hair wet. Though she wore clean clothes Zach or someone had placed on the bed, no doubt leftover from a girlfriend, they were too big and she’d wrapped a blanket around her like a serape.
“That felt wonderful.” Though she smiled, her blue eyes were slightly unfocused, and she covered her mouth gracefully with her hand as she yawned.
Simon thought she looked unbelievably gorgeous.
“Beck, meet Raven. Raven, this is Beck, a friend of mine.”
Beck stared, openmouthed, as Raven tilted her head to look at him. “This is your Feral?”
“I hate that word,” Raven scowled. “Please don’t use it again around me.”
“Uh…okay.” Beck rubbed his eyes, continuing to stare. “You look…Were you a captive of a professor a few years ago, here at CU?”
Crossing her arms, Raven slowly nodded. “How did you know that?”
“Because there was another one, another girl who looks just like you. Ross has pulled out all the stops trying to find her. The last sighting of her was a video taken by the professor a couple of months ago. Ross wants her, dead or alive. There are standing orders that she’s to be captured or exterminated on sight.”
Chapter 11
“E xterminated?” Raven wrapped her arms around her middle. “You people never cease to amaze me. Why do you want to kill her? Because she refuses to live by your rules?”
Beck set his jaw as a flash of anger lit his gray eyes. “First off, I’m not you people. Second, they’re not my rules. Not any longer. I’ll offer you a truce, Raven. I won’t call you Feral, if you don’t lump me in with the ones who want to kill me. Fair?”
Slowly, Raven nodded. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
He accepted her apology with a nod. “Did you know about the professor’s other captive?”
“Simon told me there was another girl.” Raven watched as Beck took a long drink of his beer, finishing it. He placed the empty bottle in front of him and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. Like Simon, he radiated masculinity. Unlike Simon, he looked rough, as though he perpetually strolled on the edge of a crumbling cliff.
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