Wild Embrace

by Nalini Singh

  “Ruby’s definitely carrying one, right?” Kenji’s tone had an odd undertone she couldn’t quite decipher. “I didn’t miss another set of Sheridan twins?” he added as they began to walk side by side, Kenji automatically shortening his stride to accommodate hers.

  “Definitely one this time.” Fur ruffled by what she’d sensed in his voice, Garnet turned to look at him, came up against a wall of good humor.

  Her eyes narrowed.

  Kenji had been good at hiding things as a child, too, had learned to do so in the midst of the war zone that had been his parents’ relationship. Why hadn’t she remembered that at twenty-one? Because, she admitted, she’d been young and inexperienced, a dominant predatory changeling swimming in hormones, her pride a touchy thing. She’d also been more than a little in love with Kenji Tanaka.

  She’d wanted to claw Kenji bloody. Pride alone had stopped her.

  Kenji had been a couple of years older. Old enough to have predicted her response . . . to have counted on it?

  “My brother Jasper,” she said, her brain gnawing at the issue like a wolf with a bone, “you remember him?”

  “Sure. He’s in Alexei’s sector.”

  “His mate is carrying twins. They’re ecstatic.”

  Kenji’s grin sliced through her heart. “I hadn’t heard. I’ll have to give him a call. What’s a good gift for twin pups?”

  There he went again, being the amazing, generous boy she’d grown up with instead of the daredevil lothario he’d become in his early twenties. “Nothing matchy-matchy,” she warned him. “According to Jas, he’s still scarred from his matchy-matchy childhood.”

  Kenji’s chuckle went straight through her, making the tiny hairs on her arms prickle. “I remember how your brothers would constantly want to swap clothes with me and their other friends. We got the best of the bargain, though.”

  Shoving down her primal response to him once more, Garnet nodded. “Mom’s an amazing tailor.” One who was secretly working on three adorable baby tuxedos—one for Ruby’s pup, two for Jasper’s pups. “This is my office.”

  Revel was at the computer behind the dark wood of her desk when they entered. “Fingerprints on the knife are a match to Shane’s,” he said as soon as they shut the door behind themselves, his face set in harsh lines. “I ran the program twice to be sure there was no mistake.”

  Garnet’s gut tensed—but dealing with the tough and the hard was part of a lieutenant’s job. Folding her arms, she set her feet apart. “Show me the location of the prints.” Something about them had been niggling at her ever since she took a quick look at the scan of the murder weapon before assigning Revel the task of identifying the prints.

  Revel put up the images on the large screen on the back wall of her office. Then, coming around to the front of the desk, he pointed out the four slightly smeared but readable prints on the handle of the blade. “Perfect.” He paused, his hands on his hips. “Honestly, it’s a little too perfect. If the room hadn’t been locked from the inside, I’d be tempted to say planted.”

  Kenji moved closer to the screen, the artificial sunlight making his hair gleam blue-black. “This knife is pristine except for those four prints. The others we saw in the set all had smudges, signs of repeated handling.”

  “Shane did handle them.” Garnet had visited with him over his collection about three months back, curious to see an ancient knife another packmate had described to her. “He enjoyed sharing his hobby with others, talking about the history of the knives.” She could still remember how his square-jawed face had glowed as he spoke about the workmanship, the hands through which each blade had passed.

  To Shane, it was about the art rather than the utility of the blades as weapons.

  She took a few steps forward, until she stood with Rev on one side, Kenji on the other. Both strong. Both intelligent. Both blood loyal to SnowDancer. Both beautiful. But only one made her heart thunder and her blood grow hot and her temper fire as violently as her passion.

  Damn it.

  Gritting her teeth, she focused on the blade that had taken a man’s life. “None of that means he didn’t clean this knife,” she said slowly, “but even if he did wipe it down, he’d have had to have picked it up from his collection, hidden it on himself somewhere.”

  She glanced at Revel. “Did Lorenzo mention spotting gloves in Shane’s pockets?” The healer would’ve removed the clothing to ensure he didn’t miss an injury, but it had the side effect of preserving evidence.

  “Give me a sec.” Revel made the call to the infirmary, shook his head after a short delay. “Lorenzo just went and checked. No gloves.”

  Kenji, who’d been staring at the prints the entire time, picked up a thick black marker from Garnet’s desk and closed his fingers over it.

  “Yes.” Revel’s rich brown eyes were intent on Kenji’s grip. “If we put aside the oddness of the weapon not having any other prints, Shane’s are precisely where they’d be if he closed his hand over the hilt to use it.”

  Garnet’s gut churned; they were missing something, of that she was certain. “Kenji, you mind lying on the floor in the same position as Shane?”

  Eyes dark and lips set in an unsmiling line, an expression she’d rarely seen on his face, Kenji arranged himself on the colorful woven rug she’d placed over the stone. Garnet knelt beside him once he stopped moving, put the marker in his hand, and closed his fingers over it.

  Revel, having hunkered down on the other side, whistled. “Flawless match to the type of prints on the knife. You think Shane was set up?”

  “I think things aren’t adding up.” Anger licked through her veins at the idea of being played for a fool, with a man’s life as the stakes. “We need to talk to Athena again, find out who else might have had access to that particular knife.”

  • • •

  Kenji pushed up to his feet. Garnet and Revel rose with him.

  “Check in with Lorenzo,” Garnet said to her right-hand man. “See if he’s learned anything new from Russ’s body.”

  “Will do.” Flicking her a quick, playful salute, Revel left.

  Kenji knew he should shut it, but his brain couldn’t control whatever stupid part of his anatomy was driving his mouth. “I thought you two were dating.”

  A flicker in the glorious blue of Garnet’s eyes. “I see you keep up with pack gossip.”

  “I’m a faithful listener of Deja’s Delici-News.”

  Snorting at his mention of the packmate who had a wickedly funny nighttime show on the packwide radio station, she said, “Whether we’re dating or not, I’m still the lieutenant in charge of this den.”

  “Yeah, but there are times for the hierarchy, and there are times to haul your lover close and kiss the life out of her.” Wolf changelings, especially the dominants, weren’t exactly known to be shy or concerned about public displays of affection, especially when in the presence of another changeling who might be a threat to their claim on a lover.

  Revel hadn’t even blinked at Kenji’s presence. That made no sense, not when the other man and Garnet had only been on two dates so far. Kenji’s reputation and tendency to flirt with Garnet alone should’ve made Rev bristle. Garnet deserved bristling, deserved a man who knew her worth and was ready to fight to keep her by his side.

  Kenji wanted to snarl at the idea that anyone would take her for granted.

  “The man who avoids relationships like the plague knows so much about how to treat a lover?” A laser-sharp question, Garnet’s gaze so direct it was unsettling.

  Standing his ground, he said, “If I had a chance at a lover like you, then yeah, I’d push my claim. Hierarchy be damned.” The words came out a near growl, his claws pricking at the insides of his skin as his wolf, forgetting all the reasons it shouldn’t, readied itself to do exactly that.

  “Careful, Kenji.” Garnet ran a clawed hand over his
cheek and down his throat, her voice soft, a warning and a dangerous invitation both. “I might start to take you seriously.”

  Kenji shuddered, unable to control his visceral response to Garnet’s challenge. Her eyes gleamed. “You and I are overdue for a conversation,” she said slowly. “We’ll be having it after we put this situation to bed.”

  His blood was still pumping when they left the office to walk back to Athena’s quarters, his wolf an inch from his skin. He’d betrayed himself and Garnet had caught him. Shit. All these years, he’d been right to keep his distance—put him close to Garnet for a few hours and he lost it, became that lovesick boy again. Only now, his emotions were impossibly stronger.

  Because Garnet? She was no longer the girl he’d worshipped; she’d become a tough-as-nails lieutenant who was respected and loved by her packmates. And she’d done it without changing herself or losing the ability to play with their most innocent. Was it any wonder that the more he saw of the woman she’d become, the deeper he fell?

  He was fucking screwed.

  “Door’s open,” Garnet said when they reached Athena’s apartment. “Athena,” she called out.

  The other woman’s voice was barely audible but it appeared to come from the direction of the bedroom. “Come in, Jem.”

  Kenji went with Garnet to the bedroom door but stayed outside while she went in to talk to the older woman—who’d struck him as delicate in spite of her earlier spirited defense of her lover. Kenji had delicate packmates in his den, too, ensured they were safe and protected and happy, same as the rest of his denmates, but he’d never been attracted to delicate.

  He wanted to pat those men and women on the head and say, “There, there.”

  Garnet would tear off his arm and snap it in half if he tried that with her. She’d probably use his finger bones for toothpicks for good measure. He grinned. How messed up was it that he found it hot that she was so fucking dangerous? And even though that was a singularly inappropriate thought to be having right this instant, it steadied him in a way nothing else could’ve done.

  He listened as, inside the room, Athena told Garnet that Julie had popped out, would be back in ten minutes. Allowing the other woman to talk until she was settled, Garnet asked her who else might’ve had access to the knives.

  “You know Shane,” Athena said in her soft and breathy tone, a tremor beneath the surface. “He’s always showing them off.”

  “Would he notice if one was missing?”

  “Not right away, but he tidies and cleans them every Sunday.” Her tone changed, warmed, as if she was smiling. “It’s his hobby, you know? I do my art and he sits with me and we talk and he babies his knives. To him, they’re works of art, too.”

  “It’s Thursday today, so who’s had access to the knives since Shane’s last cleaning session?” Garnet’s voice was gentle but firm, compassion and strength entwined.

  “Well, aside from me,” Athena said, “there was Taneese and her mate, Cameron. Cameron has an interest in Chinese weaponry from a particular era and Shane had a special blade to show him.” Her voice steadied as she went through her memories. “The men went into the studio, but I’m pretty sure Shane just took out that one blade to show Cameron.”

  “You didn’t see?”

  “No, I was chatting to Taneese, but Shane and Cameron went in and came back out together.” A pause. “I’m sure Cameron was never alone with the knives.”

  “Okay. Who else?”

  “Two younger packmates who’re working part-time with Shane. Mitchell and Eloise.”

  Kenji straightened at the name of the young soldier who’d discovered the murder. Coincidence? If so, it was a damn convenient one.

  “That’s it?” Garnet’s response betrayed neither surprise nor shock.

  Athena took time to answer. “Yes.” The tremor returned. “It’s been a quiet week. We w-were planning to hold a dinner party on Saturday. It’s not really Shane’s kind of thing, but he indulges me.” A shaky sniff. “Russ never let me do things like that—he just didn’t like people all that much.”

  The sadness and pain in her words made Kenji wonder why she’d stayed with Russ for so long, but while SnowDancers had a primal wolf heart, they also had a human one. The animal’s clarity and simplicity was at times overwhelmed by the complexities and inexplicable yearnings of their human side.

  “Do you lock your door when you go out?”

  “No. Who does?” A wet laugh. “But Shane padlocks the studio to make sure pups don’t hurt themselves if they come in while we’re out. They can get into the unlikeliest places, can’t they?” Another pause, her next words soaked with a poignant sense of loss. “I always wanted a pup of my own, but Russ . . . I loved him once, but he was so much work. And now I’m too old.”

  Kenji’s heart ached.

  “There are always children in the world who need love,” Garnet said gently. “After this is all over, we can talk about your options.”

  “You believe Shane is innocent?” Athena’s voice rose into a higher pitch.

  Garnet’s reply was tempered. “I’m keeping an open mind.”

  Chapter 6

  Despite her calm while with Athena, Garnet’s heart was racing, her skin tight and her wolf’s body at quivering attention. She forced herself to keep her silence until she and Kenji had left the apartment. “Did you hear?”

  “Eloise.”

  “Exactly.” She stopped in the corridor, hands on her hips. “Before we talk to her, I want to find out if she was connected to Russ in any way.” The idea of the girl as a criminal mastermind didn’t fit with what Garnet knew about her, but everyone had secrets.

  “Want me to do the same for this Mitchell guy?” asked the green-eyed man in front of her, a man who was very good at keeping secrets of his own.

  “No,” she said after a moment’s thought. “Rev will have better luck since he’s based in this den.” Mentally reviewing the schedule for senior members of the den, she found a gap. “Can you do a security shift, cover for me?”

  It was raining outside, the environment no picnic, but Kenji didn’t even hesitate. “Consider it done. Who do I get the route from?”

  Garnet told him, then asked, “You have business at your own den you have to look in on?” His responsibilities were as heavy as her own and as critical to the health of the pack.

  “Emi and I have messaged.” He held up his phone. “She’s got everything at the den under control and I made sure the international stuff would keep for a couple of days at least.” Sliding away his phone, he said, “I’d better go grab the route.” A pause, his expression intent and his focus so absolute that she felt as if she was the center of his universe. “You’ll figure this out, don’t ever doubt that.”

  Breath tight in her lungs, Garnet watched him walk away, his stride long and his body gorgeously powerful under the simulated late-afternoon sunlight of the corridor. He was being her Kenji again, no dominance games, no making things hard for her, and definitely no chasing after women.

  And the fact that those jeans hugged his butt oh-so-nicely . . . Well, she had a pulse. She noticed. Especially when it was Kenji. She’d tried damn hard not to notice for a lot of years, but trying not to notice Kenji Tanaka was like trying not to notice a golden-maned lion sitting smack bang in the middle of your bed.

  It was impossible.

  Connecting with Revel on the phone once Kenji was out of sight, she went to meet the man she should’ve been thinking about. As Revel walked toward her, tall, dark, and sensually beautiful, Kenji’s words rang in her mind.

  Yeah, but there are times for the hierarchy, and there are times to haul your lover close and kiss the life out of her.

  Garnet knew that despite his more sophisticated exterior, Revel was no more civilized than Kenji. If he’d decided on her, he’d have acted all growly and possessive, regardless of her a
nger or the rules of the hierarchy. Wolf males couldn’t always help themselves with their courtship behavior. Neither could wolf females.

  If Revel hadn’t been acting as he should, then neither had she.

  Garnet blew out a breath; in truth, she’d known hours ago that she had to break things off with Revel. It was the only right course of action until she’d got to the heart of this thing between her and Kenji; an attraction that she’d finally accepted had simply gone into hibernation seven years ago. It was awake now, and awake with a vengeance.

  She thought of how he’d shuddered when she’d scraped her claws over his throat, how he hadn’t slapped away her hand or done anything else aggressive—both perfectly acceptable responses from a dominant touched unexpectedly in a highly vulnerable spot—and felt her blood heat. Kenji had no more gotten over her than she’d gotten over him.

  So they’d figure this out. One way or another.

  “Lorenzo?” she asked once Revel was close enough.

  A shake of his head. “He hasn’t got to Russ yet—had a couple of small injuries come in. Juveniles getting a little too enthusiastic with indoor soccer.”

  Garnet made a mental note to look in on the kids later. “Let’s hope the weather clears soon.” Wolves, young or old, didn’t do well cooped up. “I need you to follow up on something Athena told me.” She recapped the information on Mitchell’s possible access to the knives. “Connections, motives, anything relevant.”

  Nodding, he glanced at the heavy black watch he wore, similar to the one Kenji favored. “I’m meant to be taking a combat class in ten. I can switch with Felicia, do her session tomorrow.”

  “Sounds good.”

  When the silky dark of Revel’s gaze met hers again, it wasn’t senior soldier to lieutenant, but man to woman. “Can you take a couple of minutes for a personal discussion?”