Quinn snorted. “She’ll need it. She’s as good as dead, you know that, right?”
“I know she tried taking out Luka and Centron, but being of their kind, and obviously having some connections to magic or perhaps a healer, they’re already back on the streets. A regular bullet can’t kill them, even when shot in the head.”
“Hopefully we get the chance to rip their fucking throats out. That ought to do the trick,” Quinn said in his thick Irish brogue.
Just then Angus spotted Reggie, and he looked grim. They gave him a hug hello. His salt-and-pepper hair made him mix in as a human aging as the years went on, but soon he would have to relocate, let his natural hair grow, and start the cycle again. Wolves just didn’t age, but playing a role in front of humans was important.
“Glad you survived the situation even though you shouldn’t have pursued them,” Angus told Reggie.
Reggie raised his hands up. “I know I fucked up, but I was thinking about you guys, your brothers, and the shit you’ve gone through. I saw the opportunity and I took it.”
“You’re not trained like we are. You never went through the process. You both could have been killed and explaining the human loss would have caused a lot of paperwork to say the least,” Quinn said and gave Reggie the once-over.
“I know, I know. I heard it all from Jimmy. So what’s the next step? Are you guys still trying to organize a hit on Carbarone?”
“A hit? What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Oh, come on. Are you to going to stand there and try to tell me that you’re not ready to pursue Carbarone and his men when you know they’re here in the city? We can take them down and destroy their operation. As a matter of fact, I think they’re also responsible for the double murder Sal and I are currently investigating.”
“What operation would that be?” Angus asked, now crossing his arms in front of his chest. Truth was, as much as he and his brothers would love to kill and destroy Carbarone and his team of criminals, he couldn’t. Not unless there was just cause, evidence, and an approval by a higher-up. With the new leaders of the Circle in position, there was a process to go through. From Ava and Dani, it seemed that Carbarone and his associates were on a watch list. No one was able to prove that Carbarone killed Margo, but Fennigan Pack knew. Margo had been going to see an informant and support the bringing down some rogue wolves who were assisting the Goddesses of Love, Were, and Unity when she was killed. A part of them died that day as well.
“The Carbarones are running a series of businesses from loan-sharking to drugs and prostitution. There also seems to be some special abilities from someone aiding them. How else would Luka and Centron had survived the bullets to their heads?”
“We have our orders. You have your cousin. Might I suggest we stop wasting time talking about what already happened and figure out how we’re going to keep your human partner alive?” Angus asked.
Reggie looked at them and sighed. “She’s an amazing woman. I have known her father for quite some time. I would do anything to keep her safe. Since you know more about Carbarone, what would you suggest I do to ensure her safety?”
“Take her out of here and into hiding,” Quinn said and smirked.
“Really? Come one now. You don’t know Sal. She’s a fighter, and she doesn’t back down from shit.”
“Yeah, she’s pretty good with a gun,” Angus stated.
“She’s fucking incredible with a gun,” Reggie added.
“Well, regular bullets don’t do shit to most mystical creatures,” Quinn added.
“I was thinking of switching her bullets to silver ones. That way she’d have a fighting chance,” Reggie said, sounding very serious.
“She’s a human woman. She’s weak in comparison to our kind. She won’t make it. We’ll work on things on our end and see if we can secure grounds for eliminating Carbarone and his associates,” Angus stated firmly.
“Like killing your mate who was helping the goddesses isn’t enough grounds for elimination?” Reggie asked.
“We’ve got a new Circle of Elders who want to clean house quietly and carefully. There are changes occurring all across the world. That means they weigh the circumstance by the intensity of the person’s crimes. Since Carbarone is capitalizing on humanity’s need for consumption of sex and drugs, it doesn’t quite fall into termination,” Quinn stated in disgust.
“That will eventually change the more they allow such leniency amongst the criminal magical creatures. You’ll see.”
“We’ll be here for a while longer. We’ll assist when we can with your partner’s security. I’m certain Carbarone’s men will make a move sooner or later,” Angus added.
“Yeah, I’m positive that Luka and Centron didn’t take a liking to being shot in the head by a human female. Those two vampire mixes will want her to suffer when they kill her. So be ready,” Quinn said.
“I will be. You’ll see. She’s worth trying to save.”
“Whatever,” Angus stated.
Chapter 3
Salina didn’t know what she was going to do with herself for the next two weeks. The department put her on limited duty and then the lieutenant placed her on injury leave. Of course Reggie thought it was hysterical and teased her about the lieutenant having a crush on her, but she was annoyed. She suffered a flesh wound. In fact, she was healing exceptionally quickly. She also had this odd sensation inside. It was something she hadn’t felt in years. Almost like a separate personality, a creative side that had given her odd dreams as a child and teen. Then one day, they suddenly stopped. It was like she became normal and not some wild crazed freak with crazy dreams about wolves, mystical creatures, and wizards. Maybe as a child she watched the Syfy channel too many times with her dad. But her father seemed to enjoy the shows and movies and got a kick out of the ones about wolves.
She knew that none of those things were real, but in her dreams, as she slept, she remembered hearing people’s pleas for help, and somehow she found those in need and assisted. But they had to have been dreams. They felt so real though. She sighed and then stood up and walked across the room.
She looked out the bedroom window at the beautiful sunny day. She should at least try to go for a run, hit the gym, or do something productive. All she needed to do was sit around and eat and be lazy and she would gain twenty pounds.
As she scanned the neighborhood, she thought she noticed someone by the large oak tree on the corner. She looked again, and he was gone. She closed her eyes and shook her head.
What was with the hallucinations lately? From the incident in the old building and seeing the gunman bare his sharp teeth, to seeing Reggie’s eyes glow and then the guy in the dark, standing there watching her, too, and now, seeing people hiding in plain sight then disappearing. Had she bumped her head and not remembered? But she did see a few cars that normally weren’t parked on her street. Curious, she decided that taking a walk, along with her .22 caliber, might be a great idea. She felt her blood pumping. The need to investigate, her inquisitive mind in overdrive, drove her to leave her town house. She pulled on her sneakers, stuck the gun in the waistband of her shorts, and pulled the tank over it to cover the bulge, and placed her sunglasses on.
Sal started off walking slowly, appearing as if she were merely out for a stroll, remaining within the vicinity of the set of condos on this street. The development was a good size with more than fifty homes. Hers was on the outskirts that bordered some woods that led to a local park and soccer field area.
As she came closer to the vehicles she noticed from her window, she took note that they were empty. It didn’t sit right with her gut instincts, and the further she walked, the closer she got to the woods. She felt a mix of emotions. Part of her wanted her to go through the woods and walk to the park. It was a gorgeous, sunny day, and she could use the exercise. But then another part of her felt a forewarning, and her gut instincts kicked in.
She debated about what to do as she came to the beginning of the tra
il by the woods. She heard something, turned, and nearly screamed at the sight before her. One of the men she shot was standing there, and the son of a bitch was smiling.
* * * *
Quinn and Angus saw the situation begin to unfold right before their eyes. For an investigator, she had screwed up royally. Hadn’t she noticed the cars, the man hiding by the woods? Didn’t Reggie warn her of the impeding danger to her life? Angus didn’t like the feeling he had as Quinn took to the right to head Luka off before he could hurt Sal.
Angus heard her gasp and then pull the gun from under her shirt.
Luka attacked, shifting as he jumped toward her.
The gun went off. Luke roared as they tumbled to the ground. Quinn shifted midair, Sal screamed out in terror, and Quinn connected with Luka, knocking him from Sal.
Angus ran toward her and she pointed the gun and pulled the trigger.
“No, Sal!”
He was furious as he roared and pulled the gun from her hands. His chest burned and he knew he would need to shift in order to heal quickly.
“We are not your enemies.”
He inhaled, breathing through his nose rapidly, the anger, the annoyance so strong he could hardly speak when he inhaled her scent. His wolf reacted immediately and he grabbed her, covered her body with his own and sniffed deeply against her neck.
“Get off of me. Who are you? What the hell is that thing? Get off now!” She shoved at him and his cock hardened as he pressed harder against her. He could squash her she was so small compared to him. He tried to speak, to get out everything he needed to say, but he felt confused, aroused, possessive, and protective.
“Don’t move.” He warned her and then stood up. The pain in his shoulder was getting worse. It was minor considering she had used a .22. But it still burned. Thank God Reggie hadn’t given her silver bullets. Behind them Quinn continued to fight when a second shot rang out from a distance. Luka fled and Quinn growled low.
As he made his way closer to them in wolf form, Sal jumped behind Angus.
“What the hell is that? I saw a man and then this beast. Oh God, I’m losing my fucking mind.”
“Didn’t Reggie explain anything to you?” Angus asked, well, more like growled his question.
“Reggie? You know Reggie?” she asked.
Quinn shifted back, minus clothing, and Sal stared at him, mouth gaped open and hands on her hips.
“What the hell is going on?” she asked, slowly stepping away from both of them.
Quinn inhaled, his nostrils flared, and he started stalking toward Sal. Angus smelt her instant attraction to him. He looked at her and so did Quinn.
She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and stared at him in shock but also interest.
“Tell me I’m not imagining this. Tell me that you weren’t just a big dog only seconds ago. Just tell me and I’ll bring myself to the nuthouse.”
“Quinn, grab some clothes. Sal, let’s get you back to your place.” He scrunched his eyes together.
“You’re hurt. Who the hell are you and what just happened here?” she asked, stepping toward him and then stepping back.
“Thanks to you and your little peashooter. I’ll be fine. Quinn, take her back. I need to shift to heal.”
“Angus?”
“Not now, Quinn. Later. When we’re alone,” he warned his brother. They would talk about what they both smelled and how they must be the crazy ones. Sal couldn’t be their mate. Margo was, and she was dead.
* * * *
Sal stared at Quinn. The man was huge, and covered in tattoos. Both men were, but it seemed to her that the one called Angus was in charge. He was talking on his phone, giving orders, and commanding people, definitely not asking them to meet him and Quinn in New York. What was his involvement in this whole situation, and who were the backup he was calling in? The thick Irish brogue proved they weren’t from around here, besides them being extra large and very cocky.
She stared at Quinn. He was quiet. He didn’t say a word to her, but kept a dead stare at her. Every so often he would inhale and then exhale as if annoyed. He kept flexing his extra large muscles as if they were a reaction to whatever was going on in his head. He had beautiful, full, blond hair. It looked soft. Unlike the thick, hard Irish brogue both he and Angus shared.
Two drop-dead gorgeous men from Ireland who could shift into wolves. What the hell was this world coming to? Why wasn’t she running for the exit or calling police for backup? Something held her back. Something deep in her gut, in her heart, made her feel like this was normal and she was safe. She couldn’t help but wonder if her dreams were more like premonitions. But she wasn’t gifted like that. Give her a crime scene and she could analyze the evidence, come up with a profile, and find the killer or killers. That, she had a gift for.
She thought about her childhood and the memories of her dreams when she was little, but quickly pushed the thoughts away. Those were dreams and they weren’t real, just like these men. Something was going on here. Did Reggie have something to do with it? Was this some sort of elaborate joke? It couldn’t be. She saw a dead man walking. A man she killed with her own gun, whom every cop and detective who responded to the scene the other day saw dead.
“That guy who tried to attack me. I killed him. I shot him in the head. How the hell could he be alive?” she asked.
“What the fuck were you doing taking a walk by yourself in the fucking woods, lassie?” Quinn asked her. That thick accent of his sure was sexy.
“What the fuck were you doing shifting into a fucking wolf? That’s not normal. Who the fuck are you and what type of magic did you use to do that? Is it some sort of mind game? Did you spray me with something when that asshole Luka attacked me?”
He stared at her and appeared as if he clenched his teeth. His eyes suddenly changed from the gray-blue serious ones to a bright yellow with specks of brown. She jumped back and gripped the arms of the couch she sat on.
He showed his incisors. “Does it look like a fucking magic trick?”
She stared at him in awe and trepidation. She shrugged her shoulders.
If she weren’t so freaked out right now, she would actually analyze the sensations that these two men were causing in her body. Both Angus and Quinn made her breasts feel full, her nipples hard, and her pussy actually ache. They were so freaking attractive. She never met men as big, as sexy, and as muscular as these men. They were a living, walking fantasy and she was feeling pretty damn ready to hit on them. Which was completely odd. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she willed her tough attitude to resurface and not make her so vulnerable to their sex appeal.
She was experiencing flashes in her mind of them having sex. It had to be due to her lack of any sexual encounters for the past couple of years. She never met any man she felt compelled to have sex with. Not since college and even that was more of a show of independence and control over her life and her body. Not that she had regrets. Keano was a hottie and a half. In fact, if he lived locally, she wouldn’t hesitate calling him for a little friends-with-benefits action. She swallowed hard. These two men were not anything like men around here. Her attraction was instant, and that in itself freaked her out a little.
She swallowed hard then glanced at Angus, who disconnected the call, then glanced back toward Quinn. He was smirking as if he knew what his good looks and sensational body were doing to her.
He inhaled and stared at her breasts. Could he smell her arousal?
Jerk.
Just then the front door shoved open and neither Quinn or Angus turned to look. Angus said hello to Reggie as if he knew it were him.
“Sal. Holy shit, are you okay?” he asked, hurrying toward her and kneeling on the floor in front of her. The moment he covered her hands with his and was close to her, Quinn growled low. Reggie looked toward him, eyes wide, and Sal pulled Reggie next to her, closer. Quinn growled deeper.
“Reggie, don’t mess with him. He isn’t normal,” she whispered.
&
nbsp; “Normal?” Reggie asked and then looked at Angus and Quinn.
“Luka attacked. Quinn needed to shift, then I did because she shot me,” Angus stated, his brogue sounding even stronger. Maybe that was because he was still pissed off at her? He rubbed his hand along his chest where the bullet had been. She was still recovering from the fact that she shot him and he was fine. He didn’t need medical attention, he just complained that the area itched. Then again, Luka was alive and well, and she shot him with her Glock right in the forehead. How the fuck did someone survive that?
“Shit. Okay. Sal, there are some things we need to go over,” Reggie began to say.
“I can’t believe that you didn’t warn her. What the fuck were you thinking? That this asshole and his goons would go away? She shot his two main guys, his son. Of course Carbarone would come for her as revenge,” Angus reprimanded Reggie.
“Revenge? Son? What is he talking about, Reggie?” she asked.
He covered her knees with his hands. Quinn growled low.
“Easy, brother. He is our cousin after all.”
“What in God’s name are you talking about? You guys are cousins?”
“Sal, listen to me. We’ll deal with the rest later, for now you need to know a few things.” He started to explain about the existence of werewolves, of other mystical creatures, and the fact that the two men she shot in the head and thought she killed were actually half wolves, half vampires. He went on and on with Quinn and Angus watching over them and Angus’s phone going off continuously. He obviously was very important. A few times he held a finger to his temple and stared off as if he were thinking hard. She wondered what that was about.
“Okay, I’m totally freaked out here and lost. Let me bypass the craziness that there are men and women that can shift into wolves, and other mystical creatures. I can’t believe I just said that. God, okay, let me try to understand here, for argument’s sake. Why would they care about coming after me if they have such special abilities? I’m just a human. How could it be fun to mess with me and kill me when I don’t offer a challenge?” she asked Reggie.
Task Force Two: Fennigan Pack's Earth Angel [The Men of Five-O #9] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) Page 3