by Lauren Wood
Micah nodded. “We’ve discussed that. It’s not a bad idea, but I don’t want to come across as aggressive with accusations. This is a big moment for his clan and my pack, and I really don’t think he’s involved. But you’re right. We can’t ignore the timing.”
Brent nodded. “I’ve run a few scenarios, and I can’t come up with a plausible reasoning that he would be behind it. The treaty, if nothing else, makes us scrutinize him harder. If he wanted to get in and out undetected, he would have done it without the façade of wanting peace. What does make sense is that someone doesn’t want the treaty signed. And that could be any number of people.” He hesitated. He hated to bring it up, but he knew he didn’t have a choice. “And by that, I mean his people and ours.”
Micah looked up sharply. “You think we have a traitor?”
“I think you almost married someone who wanted to kill you,” Brent pointed out. “We’re a big pack, and even though we live peacefully, that doesn’t mean that everyone is trustworthy. Is it possible that someone is using Tara as a red herring? Yes. It is more plausible that they’re using a human as a messenger between the two cultures? Absolutely. I’m more inclined to believe the latter.”
“You’ve always had trust issues,” Jackson mused.
“That’s not correct at all. I stood behind Micah when he chose Stacey over Bridgette. I fought along side you when you were protecting Natalie,” Brent protested.
“You trust us. But you don’t trust anyone else,” Micah pointed out.
“It’s my job not to trust anyone,” Brent said coldly. “It’s my job to protect you two and this pack. The tunnel is proof that I’m failing my job. I won’t let my guard down again.”
“Brent,” Micah said with a frown. “You haven’t failed anyone.”
He ignored his alpha. “Before the meeting, we’ll go have drinks at Dave’s Dive.”
“You want to investigate the place?”
Brent turned his back. He didn’t want his friends to see his face when he told them the truth. “Tara has requested that I let her work. I’m keeping an eye on her,” he said in a neutral voice.
Even as he walked away, he could feel them smirking. He needed to get down to the bottom of all of this before his reputation was shattered completely.
* * *
Tara was careful not to stare at the three men sitting in the corner booth by the door. Micah. Jackson. Brent. Just Brent alone was an intimidating force, but the three top men of the Woodland pack together? Terrifying.
Not to mention that there were two other people stationed out the backdoor. Dave was about to have a nervous breakdown, but he didn’t dare voice his opinion. He said that as long as the men didn’t scare away his customers, they could sit and stare at Tara all they wanted.
And Tara didn’t tell her other co-workers the truth. She kept her mouth shut and tried to pretend that tonight was just like any other night. Truthfully, she was grateful that Brent was even letting her do this.
“Hey pretty lady.”
Tara looked over and saw one of her regulars take a seat at the bar. She immediately pulled out a glass and poured him his favorite beer. “Hey Leonard. How’s it going?”
The man was pushing seventy, and Tara knew his wife had passed away almost a decade before. He was a dirty old man, but he never meant any harm, and he always joked but never touched. Tara knew Leonard just wanted some company when he got lonely.
“Still waiting for you to come home with me,” he said with a wink.
She smiled. “I’m still waiting for you to invite me,” she said teasingly.
“Any time you want!”
“That’s not an invitation,” she said as she sat the beer down. “You want your cheeseburger?”
“Yes ma’am. Extra bacon. Hold the veggies. Bunch of fries.”
“Please tell me this is the only time you eat like this,” Tara said as she rolled her eyes.
“Scouts honor,” he lied.
“Please. Our burgers alone are enough to give you a heart attack.”
“Then I’ll go die with a delicious taste in my mouth while I’m staring at the prettiest thing in this town,” he said with a large smile.
“If you think flattery is going to get you extra fries, you can guess again!” She rang up his order and moved around the bar to check on her tables. Finally, she stopped by the pack.
“Gentlemen,” she said coldly. “Can I get you anything?” Everyone had been staring at them all night. It was probably because no one wore suits in this place.
Jackson smiled. “I like the sound of that cheeseburger with extra bacon. Rare please.”
Tara nodded. “Okay. Mr. Gordon?”
“Call me Micah,” the alpha said easily. “And I’ll have what he’s having.”
She turned to Brent. He was the only one who didn’t have a friendly glint in his eyes. For some reason, the dangerous scowl on his face turned her on. She struggled to gain control of her senses. It was ridiculous that she would find the man sexy. All he wanted to do was torture her. And not in the good way. “Mr. Jenson.”
“Brent,” he grunted. “And I’m fine. This isn’t a social call,” he said glaring at his two companions.
“Fine. Two cheeseburgers, rare, with extra bacon and fries coming up. And just to let you know, I’m going to have to take out the trash soon. If you could let your friends know so no one attacks me when I try to leave, that would be great.” She turned her back.
“Tara.”
She stopped when Brent spoke to her. “Change your mind?” she asked as she turned around.
“We ran the phone number that this so-called Matthew was texting you from. It’s a burner phone. If you could send your co-workers over, I’d like to get a description of him.”
“I gave you a description,” she said as she narrowed her eyes.
Brent nodded. “Yes. And now we want a description from them.”
Tara struggled not to let her anger show. “Look, I won’t have you tarnishing my reputation here,” she said softly. “You promised you’d keep a low profile tonight.”
“Consider yourself lucky that I allowed you to be here at all,’ Brent threw back.
Jackson immediately threw up his hands. “We’ll be discreet. If they ask, we’ll just mention that he’s a suspect in something and we’re trying to get more information about him.”
“And if he’s innocent?” Tara asked.
“Afraid he won’t want to date you anymore?” Brent asked softly.
She glared at him and whirled around before stalking back to the bar. It was bad enough that she was in this mess, but it was even worse to find out that he had so much control over her. It drove her insane to know that just a few words could both infuriate her and turn her on.
What was wrong with her?
“Sandra,” she called out. “Can you stop by table two? They’ve got some questions for you. I’m going to take out the trash.”
“The three hunky men in the corner have questions?” Sandra fluffed her blonde hair. “I don’t suppose it’s to ask me if I have plans tonight, is it?”
Tara felt a streak of jealousy, and she immediately clenched her jaw. “No. I’ll be back.” She grabbed the trash from the can and headed to the back.
As she opened the door, she yelled cautiously. “It’s me. I’m taking out the trash. Please don’t attack me.”
There was no answer. She stuck her head out and saw the blood. As her gaze trailed closer to the trash bin, she saw the two men lying still on the concrete.
She screamed.
Chapter Four
The shadows were moving. She pressed herself against the wall as fear engulfed her. It felt like hours, but it probably only seconds before the three bear shifters were racing through the door and into the parking lot. Each one of them was growling as they prepared for a fight.
But there was nothing except the blood and the two unconscious men in the parking lot. The shadows were nothing more than a figment of
her imagination.
Brent leaned over and grabbed her, and she immediately fought him. In her fear, she kicked out and screamed, but he only circled his arms around her and held her until she calmed down. Finally, the darkness receded from her brain, and she fell against him. “Easy,” he whispered. “I have you.”
Micah and Jackson were kneeling down to check the bodies. They nodded grimly. “They’re alive. Call the emergency team and get them back to Gratsky,” Micah ordered. He looked at Tara. “What the hell happened?”
She shook her head. “I didn’t do that. I swear. They were like that when I came out.”
“Of course you didn’t do it,” he said in disgust. “No human could take down two bear shifters. Did you see anything?”
She shook her head, and Brent released. Almost immediately, her knees buckled, and she nearly fell. The shifter caught her.
“Tara?”
“What have you pulled me into to?” she said as she gritted her teeth. “This is where I work, for Christ sake. This is all your fault.”
For the first time since she met him, she saw uncertainty in his eyes. She pulled out of his grasp and stared at him. “Am I in danger?”
He swept a hand through his hair. “Tara, you’re still a suspect.”
“And by the time you realize that I’m not guilty, I’ll probably be dead.” She turned away in bitterness and stared at the two bodies. “Are you calling the police?”
“No. We police our own.”
“Of course you do,” she said. “Excuse me. I think I’m going to be sick.”
He took a step towards her, and she sighed. “Of course. Can’t let me out of your sight, can you?” She hesitated. “Are they going to be all right?”
“We heal quickly,” he muttered.
She turned from him and headed for the bathroom. She knew that he was behind her, like a shadow, and she hated him for it. Her life was shitty before, but it was simple.
Now she seemed to be a pawn in someone’s deadly game.
* * *
Brent personally made sure that Tara was tucked safely away in his home before standing guards at both the entrance to his condo, the elevator, and at each entrance to the building. He also had someone man the security cameras. He didn’t want anything reaching her.
The waning moon lit their path as they crossed over the neutral territory that separated the pack from the vampire clan. Deep in the Woodland forest, there was a pack of wolf shifters that roamed, and even further beyond the vampires, a small clan of lion shifters lived. Woodland was home to all kinds of species, and Brent hated to think what would happen if the peace between them ever ended.
The war would, no doubt, spill over into the human territories.
Three vampires met them at the border, and there was no hostility as they led them onto the sanctuary grounds just outside the fence. De’Massier, a young and handsome vampire stood immediately and offered his hand. Once again, Brent felt no tension, but he suddenly wished they had brought Natalie along. As an empathy witch, Natalie had a way of sensing the truth behind the façade.
“Gentlemen,” de’Massier said in a low voice. “This is a momentous night.”
Micah nodded. “It is. And yet it’s marked with blood.” Immediately, the air thickened. The alpha held up his hand. “I’m not making accusations, but I wanted to forthcoming about the recent events. Someone has found a way to break into the territory. It could have happened months ago, and it could have happened weeks ago. But tonight, two of our own were attacked. I would like to point out that it does not seem like they were attacked by vampires. But the timing gives us pause.”
De’Massier nodded. “I understand. And, in light of your honesty, I also have information. One of my men is missing. The investigation leads right to your doorstep.”
“We don’t have your vampire,” Brent said instantly.
“I believe you,” he said smoothly. “But I believe that someone is trying to place a wedge between us.”
“Who?” Jackson demanded. “Are you seeking to update the treaties for all the territories? All the shifters? The witches? The humans?”
De’Massier cocked his head. “We have not extended the same courtesy to the witches. We’ve never had an issue with them. And of course, the federal government upholds the peace with humans. And yes, we’re updating the treaties for all the shifters. I want my people to feel safe. I want others to feel safe around my clan.”
“We’ll contact the other packs in Woodland and see if anyone else is having any problems. In the meantime, I think we should postpone the signing of the treaty. It’s not that I don’t want to sign it, but I want to get to bottom of this first,” Micah said sternly. “I hope you understand.”
The vampire nodded his head. “I do. Please keep me informed. I will do the same.”
Brent hesitated. “De’Massier. How old is the vampire that’s missing?”
“He’s been a vampire for nearly seventy years,” de’Massier said after a moment. “He’s the youngest in the clan.”
“Did you father him?”
The vampire leader shook his head. “It is forbidden to continue to create vampires.”
Brent nodded, satisfied. “We’ll be in touch.”
As they were escorted to the neutral territory in the woods, Micah passed a questioning look to Brent. When they were alone, his two friends stared at him. “Why did you ask him his age?”
“Most clans of vampires are connected by blood. Whether they share direct blood or they share meals, their blood ties them together. If one goes missing, someone in that clan should be able to track him. The only reason they wouldn’t is if the vampire is too young. And even though seventy years isn’t a long time to a vampire, it’s enough to create a bond,” Brent explained.
“You think de’Massier is lying.” It wasn’t a question. Jackson was trying to figure out the implications.
“He has to be. Either the man isn’t missing at all, or the vampire is too young. And that would break all kinds of laws.” He cocked his head. “Jackson, didn’t Gratsky mention that Natalie’s ex was injecting witch’s blood in his veins?”
Jackson nodded. “It gave him a temporary boost of power, but it didn’t last long. Why?”
“What would shifter blood do to a vampire?”
Micah shook his head. “Why go through the charade of a treaty and put yourself right under our noses?” he demanded. “If de’Massier is behind it, he has to know that we would suspect him just because he’s always around.”
“You’re not wrong. But it doesn’t make his story any less believable.”
They pondered in silence as they walked through the woods. “Does that mean that Tara is off the hook?” Jackson finally asked.
“No,” Brent said harshly. “I don’t know what her connection is, but I do know that there is one.”
Was she guilty? It seemed less and less likely, but Brent was willing to let her go just yet.
Unfortunately, he didn’t know if it was to watch her or to protect her.
Or maybe it was simply because he liked having her around.
* * *
She heard the door open and shut. For a split second, she considered closing her eyes and pretending to sleep. But she had some words she needed to say to him. She hadn’t slept since the moment he left the condo, and the few hours that he was gone only built up the anxiety inside her. Tara needed to clear the air.
She pulled her sweatpants on and tiptoed to the door. He was already stripping out of his suit, and for a moment, she was tempted to just watch. Just his act of undressing was already making her wet. She stifled a moan and flung the door open. This was not the time to get all hot and bothered.
His head swiveled around, and his hands froze at the second button of his shirt. “Tara?”
“I can’t sleep,” she said as she crept along the wall. As his intense eyes focused on her, she suddenly wondered if confronting him was the best idea in the world.
“I have guards at every entrance. You’re safe,” he said as his arms dropped to his side. She was almost disappointed that he didn’t continue to unbutton his shirt.
“That’s not the point,” she said harshly. “I shouldn’t be here, and I think you know that.”
“I’m not completely willing to discount your innocence,” he muttered finally.
“Discount my innocence?” she laughed at the absurdity of the idea. “Look at you. You can’t admit that you made a mistake. You can’t admit that you dragged me into this mess.”
“I didn’t drag you into this mess. Your ex-boyfriend did,” Brent pointed out.
She reddened. “He’s not my ex-boyfriend,” she snapped.
“Oh. So you still plan on dating him once you find him? Nice. Real nice,” he growled.
“No.” She rolled her eyes. “That’s not what I mean. I barely knew Matthew. Actually, I didn’t know him at all, but the information I thought was true was fairly sparse. I had a last name and a number. I met him in the bar, and we went out a few times. That’s pretty much it. I can’t tell you anything about him family or his career or hobbies.”
“So it was just sex?”
She growled at him. “There was no sex.” She shrugged. “Although it wasn’t for want of him trying. But we never went to his place and he never came to mine. We always met in public. I wanted to break things off with him long before now.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. It’s hard to explain. When I was with him, he was mesmerizing. And I thought that we’d be good. But as soon as he was gone, the chemistry was no longer there. When I thought back to our dates, I found him flat and boring.”
Brent cocked his head. “But when you were with him, you found him dynamic and interesting?”
Tara flushed. “Yes. And before you start thinking that I’m strange, I’ll have you know that it’s not always the case. It just happened to be the case with Matthew.”
“I don’t think that’s strange at all,” he said slowly. He bent down and picked up his phone. “Callie? Do you have any photos of the vampire member? Great. Can you send them to me.”