by Erin R Flynn
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Seraphine After Dark
Find A New Series To Love…
About the Author
Other Titles by Erin R Flynn
A Supernatural Script Inc. Book
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Division Chief Seraphine Thomas knew going to Russia was a trap and she would be the target. Her life changes forever in an instant when her enemies take the nuclear option to hurt her in the worst way possible.
Just when she thought nothing could shake her more than her birth father coming back into the picture and having to adopt her half-brother—becoming a mother, which she never wanted—life throws her a surprise right hook. And when it doesn’t seem to be as bad as she thought, it gets worse.
Much, much worse.
An old adversary Sera hoped never to see or tangle with again comes to Chicago and with a powerful backing that scares her into considering the one thing she never thought she would… Leaving the FBI. And someone she loves is the reason he’s there trying to hurt her again.
All of that and someone’s leaving bombs around Chicago wrapped as holiday presents. Sera’s not sure if she’s going to blow her top or bash some heads in, but some people are definitely getting coal in their stockings this year.
Seraphine Thomas is a crime series filled with Chicago attitude and a strong heroine that pushes what most would think a female lead capable of, along with the heat being involved with several men brings while trying to figure out what she wants.
1
“Agent Thomas, please answer the question,” the Russian Secretary of something said through his translator.
Unfortunately, I had been right about that whole I’d end up having to go to Russia thing. It took me weeks of working with Phobie to get to a place where I could get on my plane, especially for a longer transcontinental flight, but I knew how bullshit worked out too often. Plus, after sort of misbehaving around the president, FBI, and shifter council, I had to play nice this time.
Especially since my misbehaving had panned out well, so I wanted those good feelings to stick around.
“You realize this is absolutely a trap and they will try to assassinate me, right?” I had said to Deputy Director Galvin and Councilwoman Haton.
“Yes, of course, but you’re smarter, you always are,” Haton had replied. “We’re asking you to do it so it’s off our shoulders, but this isn’t bullshit on our end. Do it how you need to and don’t put up with any of their crap. It’s a concession you go. No one said to behave.”
“We wouldn’t ask that of you,” Galvin added, sounding amused. “You know work and these types of politics, Thomas. Play the game until the line and conversation go over. Havers is going but they’ll have him at the FBI office and with a full detail you’ll provide. Divide and conquer and they’ll focus on you as you’re going on their turf.”
I snorted, getting the implication. “I’m the dumb blonde American they’ll break and shoot at while they’ll be polite and professional with the stronger blond man they’ll worry about his word.”
“Yes, that type of bullshit,” he agreed.
Fine, I played, as I owed them both for not warning them. I’d walked into many traps knowing they were traps and my people were more than ready.
Just in case, everyone was also wearing bulletproof vests.
Duh.
“As I’ve said, it’s Chief Thomas,” I told them for the umpteenth time over the past three hours. “And I have answered the question, Mr. Secretary.”
“You have not, Agent Thomas,” the translator told me.
“I have, sir, but you don’t like the answers because they’re not the answers you want.” I smirked at him. “And I’m Chief Thomas, just so we’re clear for the recordings both sides are taking.” I swallowed a laugh when they flinched.
“Do not let this stupid bitch leave with that recording,” one of the guys said to an “aide” who looked like he would aid in burying bodies instead of answering phones.
“If you aren’t going to ask any further questions and not even show the politeness of using my actual title, I think this meeting is over.”
“No, you will stay until you answer our questions,” the translator told us. “We have been very polite with you while you have been rude and dismissive, which we do not appreciate.”
I smirked at them and let my hand change to a claw, tapping my scary nails on the table.
“Good luck with that. And it’s a cheap and basic psychology play to keep calling me ‘agent’ instead of ‘chief.’ It’s a way that unsure strength and fragile egos widen their perceived authority over someone, but let me be clear you have no authority over me. This was a courtesy interview that I was asked to come to, nothing more. You’re not in my chain of command and I’ve answered your questions meticulously.”
I waited for the translator to handle that one, doing my best not to laugh at the comments of American arrogance when they were giving me the same but in Russian.
“She really is stupid if she thinks we’re letting her leave just because she wants to. She was broken by the Germans and it won’t take much longer to make her crack. She doesn’t leave until we get her to admit her government broke international laws and where the shifter council headquarters are so we get revenge for our people.”
I’d hit my limit and decided to just let the cat out, smiling at all of them but then focusing on that guy.
“At least she knows to look through the resume of someone she’s interviewing as it’s on mine that I speak Russian and fluently and we’ve been streaming this whole thing live to my superiors so there’s no recording to steal. And I wasn’t broken. I was injured. I’m sorry if Russians aren’t able to heal from their injuries where you all just break but I’m made of stronger stuff than that.”
Carter lost the battle not to laugh when the English translator still translated that as they were instructed to translate anything said into the microphones, not the side notes or whispers… Which were my favorite parts and none had been
flattering.
The audacity of people floored me. Too many English speakers assumed everyone else should just speak English or have it as an option in every country, and too many from other countries assumed that English speakers knew no other languages. They weren’t speaking code but a published language and there were lots of people who knew Russian but I’d encountered it with other regions too.
I always found it funny.
I changed my hand back and studied my nails before pushing to my feet. “This meeting is over. I cannot say it was a pleasure, but thank you for wasting our time.”
And then we were gone. We zipped out of there before the translator even translated the last of what I said. We darted around security and over a few gates. Carter went to help me and I just snorted, my professional heels already off.
We slid out the doors right before people started reacting and getting the word to detain us. I did a quick headcount as Carter did, making sure we had everyone. Good.
I quickly slid on some sneakers, giving my detail a nod I had what was next in hand as it was a real run away. I took off with my bag, wondering if that was a mistake, because if I got caught it had all of my IDs and stuff and then I’d really be detained.
Oh well, all the more reason not to get caught.
Emilio and Sander were coming with me but circling the area if I needed them, as ancient vampires on wolf turf wouldn’t be a good start to what I was pretty sure was going to be another demeaning and horrible meeting.
I tended to be right on those things. It was funny how many times I’d told IA about situations or cases where I was treated like a stereotypical scene from a mob movie and they would roll their eyes like I was exaggerating or throwing in shit for fun.
No, I wasn’t. The world was full of sexist assholes and bigoted assholes and egotistical assholes… And just assholes all around.
Plus, I would love a case or situation that was polite, just happened without crazy.
Sometimes IA needed to get out in the field more often. Maybe the real world as well.
Sometimes life didn’t need any embellishments to be unbelievable.
I was panting by the time I reached the Russian oligarch’s estate… That was also the Alpha of Russian wolves. Yeah, it was like that.
Of course it was.
Fuck all the damn ducks.
There were several problems with that and him. First, the Russian government liked oligarchs; they kept their dictator “president” in power. Which meant they were also untouchable.
And apparently would ignore their hate of supes if they had that kind of money because by all accounts, everyone knew this guy was a wolf but they just didn’t talk about it. That meant he had a super sweet setup to do whatever the fuck he wanted.
Second, the shifter council wasn’t recognized as having any sort of authority in Russia. Nor did they give two fucks about Greece.
Third, the Alpha felt the same and that the Russian government could protect him.
Fourth, he was the asshole on the Russian end tricking and selling prey shifters.
But that was where I came in. As long as I was in Russia, I was asked to stop by and make it clear that the Russian government couldn’t really protect him, and if he didn’t start behaving as he should, people would react.
Me especially because I was not a fan of selling people.
I dodged security and blew through the estate as best as I could, locking down my power so they didn’t sense much of anything. Most wolves couldn’t do that and weren’t as fast as I was, so it was a good threat as he didn’t know what was really outside Russia. He would most likely assume I was nothing special, a dime a dozen, as egotistical men did, and that would be his mistake when he felt my power.
Or work in my favor as he came to the conclusion there were a lot more powerful people out there than him. So really it was sort of win/win.
I switched shoes at the last second and strolled into his study as if I hadn’t just broken into the place. His eyes instantly filled with recognition and I stopped hiding my power. Everyone there besides one fought to show me their throat, which was a shit move and basically denying I was above them.
Idiots.
“Look, it’s another weak bitch to offer herself for protection,” he said to his friends in Russian. “I could use a new mistress to entertain at parties and she’s not half bad to look at even if a bit too fat.”
Oh, now he was just being an asshole.
I chuckled. “I wouldn’t throw that insult around as I’ve never met a wolf with a beer gut so you must be really lazy. And you would be the last person I’d ever ask for protection as I blew right by yours.” I rolled my eyes when they all gave me shocked looks. “Yes, others besides Russians can learn Russian. There are these things call books. Women read them sometimes.”
“What do you—” he started to demand but I talked right over him as if he hadn’t opened his mouth.
“Is Oleg really your first name? It’s so… Cliché. You must have changed it, right?” I shook my head in disappointment. “I knew a vampire like that who changed his name to Vlad. He’s dead now. Cliché villains were so 2000s.” I smirked at him as the rage poured off of him. “You know who I am and fought to show me your neck, not even acting as if you just didn’t trust me but a blatant disrespect.”
“No bitches are Alpha,” he sneered.
I rolled my eyes. “Cliché. Yeah, yeah, I’ve not heard that before. However, I’m more powerful than you and I don’t like being insulted by weaker wolves.” I smirked at him when he snarled. “So that leaves us with two choices. One, you offer some apology for the insult, or two, I kill you for it and there won’t be any more problems in Moscow or Russia for the shifter council to be annoyed with.”
Two of his guys launched at me and I moved faster than them, using their momentum against them and sending them flying into the wall. They damaged it and were out before they hit the ground… But alive.
“That’s about as generous as I’ll be since I invited myself into your house without calling first,” I practically purred, smirking at him. I saw in his eyes that he knew he couldn’t take me. He was a born wolf and I could feel the power in him, but it wasn’t anywhere near mine.
And he was clearly out of shape with the beer gut. Honestly, I’d not known a shifter to have one. Which hit me after a moment, seeing others with them as well.
They were on the outs with their wolves. They were betraying shifters by selling them and that went against what wolves believed in. They were hurting prey and the strong protected the weak in our world.
I threw back my head and laughed when I realized it… And the one who didn’t disrespect me was in great shape. Interesting.
I studied him and his neck still being bared to me. I went over to him waved for him to lean down as he had several inches on me. I kissed his neck and was swarmed with images, very useful images, as he basically tried to cry for help.
“Oh, you think I’m pretty and not fat, huh?” I murmured as I ran my hands up his chest.
“You are gorgeous, Alpha,” he whispered, shivering as I ran my nails over his sweater.
“Mmm, I could use a sexy enforcer to add to my pack who’s so well behaved,” I said before taking his hand in mine. I chuckled as I moved my fingers against his, showing the size difference. I slowly inhaled as his nostrils flared, understanding what I was doing. “Yes, you could be very useful.” I turned to the Alpha. “I will take the well-behaved one with the large hands as an apology for the insult.”
His eyes flashed rage but then like he was trying to swallow amusement. Yes, because the cliché asshole would assume he could get a spy in my bed because all women were easy and stupid like that.
And yet I was playing him like a fiddle.
“Of course, as we wouldn’t want an issue with a pack like Chicago. I didn’t realize you were the Alpha Bitch from there at first. I hope your mate, Alpha Vasiliev, accepts him as my apology for disrespecting his bitch.�
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I blinked at him a few moments. “I’m Alpha, not Alpha Bitch, and I have no idea who you’re talking about.”
His eyes flashed shock. “Eugene Vasiliev is Alpha of Chicago we heard. You mated and he took over.”
I threw back my head and laughed so hard I had trouble standing. I kept laughing when I felt that they really believed that and weren’t lying. “Eugene is in the running to maybe be one of my mates but I am still very much Alpha. I didn’t even know his last name, as those council boys are still protective of them.” I shook my head. “No, I did know it. I remember it from the paperwork but forgot.”
He snorted. “No one could leash the last Vasiliev of the royal dire wolf line. That bloodline runs thick with power and insanity.”
I shrugged. “I don’t care what you believe.” I held up my hand to hold him off but filing that information away for later. I didn’t want to be there any longer and things just got complicated as I was bringing someone back with me now. “I dropped in for a quick second, not a history lesson.”
“Oh and you think you are leaving again as you now say you are, Alpha?”
“You and your whole pack couldn’t stop me,” I drawled as I went from not locking down my power to really letting it out, cranking it up and up until they bared their throats to me, unable to prevent acting that way. “So enough with the bullshit and patronizing. I am a warning from the shifter council that you will stop selling prey shifters or forbidding wolves from fleeing Russia.”
I snorted when his eyes went wide, his shock filling the room like a thick perfume.
“There are eyes and ears all over Russia and you think your ties to the government will protect you.” I gestured around the room. “They are not here and I am and we both know I could easily kill you. So this is your warning from them that you are not as untouchable as you think, get it?” I waited until he nodded. “Now, this is your warning from me that if I find you mistreat one more shifter you are dead.
“I don’t give a fuck about international politics. I will come back and retrieve you right under all their noses and bring you to the shifter council to be punished. I will take all of what you have as reparations for the victims of your crimes. This shit ends. You are not king without any accountability. No Alpha is a god. If wolves want to leave, they may leave if they have permission of another pack to join.