He turned his dimpled cheeks her way before focusing on the crowd. His tan button-up shirt and jeans were what he usually wore at work. He’d always enjoyed being the center of attention, so tossing chunks of meat into awaiting alligators’ mouths and flirting with his audience was what he did best.
Verity craned her neck over her shoulder as she retreated from the enclosure to hike the narrow trail that led beyond the confines of TailGators to the rocks at the bay. She sat down on a large gray slab and listened to the soft lapping of the gentle waves on the shore. While she watched seagulls ride the air currents and the sun drop low in the sky, she made a decision. No good would come from bringing their older brother Ramsay back into their lives.
She pulled out her phone and deleted his message. If she never found out about his discovery, it was fine by her. So long as it meant she never had to see him again.
Deane pulled the rental car in front of the white three-story art deco building. Turquoise accents bordered the copious windows, and etched lettering on the glass doors marked the Miami Chapter of the Genus Society. The palm trees flanking the lodge quaked as their fronds shook in the breeze.
Beside him, Emery squealed as she looked out the passenger window. “Oh my God. That’s it, I’m moving.”
Deane ignored her comment and pulled the keys from the ignition. He waited for a car to pass before getting out. His suit had absorbed the climate’s moisture, leaving him uncomfortable and overheated. He grumbled to himself, not sharing Emery’s enthusiasm.
He looked through the back window at Riley, who wasn’t making any movement to get out. Deane pointed out the glass. “Hey, kid, we’re here. I suggest ye come in with me, unless ye prefer overheatin’ in the car.”
Emery didn’t waste any time climbing out of the passenger seat to stand on the sidewalk. She held out her hands as if she could collect every bit of the sun’s rays. A couple of broad-shouldered men walked by, wearing tight shorts and dripping with muscles. Her head snapped to the side to watch them go by.
Deane was skeptical. “I don’t think they’re the sort who would swing yer way.”
She sighed. “Does this look like a woman who cares?”
The back door opened, and Riley squinted up at the sun as if it were offensive. His T-shirt hung loose from his shoulders. He needed a haircut but had refused to let Deane take him to get a trim.
Deane locked the car, and they filed up to the front door of the lodge. Cool air rushed past them as they entered. An enormous pink crystal chandelier hung above them, and the walls were just as white as the exterior of the building. Sleek padded chairs lined a white marble bar, and Deane wondered if they were in a hotel instead of a Society lodge.
“Hello?” A woman’s voice called out. “Can I help you?”
They looked in the direction of the greeting and found a woman stretched out on a white leather couch on the opposite side of the room. Her short dark hair was streaked with red, and she was wearing a deeper shade of lipstick than Emery. The woman focused her dark eyes on them and lifted a brow when too many seconds had passed without a response.
Emery approached her, looking like she belonged in this tropical climate. Her skintight capris and red tank top were straight out of a pinup’s closet. She gestured to Deane and Riley, then winced, her weeks-old stab wound giving her pains. “Hey, we’re from the Denver chapter. Alaric said he spoke to Cruz about us coming out?”
“Yeah, I remember Boss saying something about that.” The woman cocked her head and narrowed her eyes before standing up. “Everyone around here calls me Georgina.”
“Opposed to what?” Riley muttered under his breath.
Having overheard him, Georgina raised her voice. “It’s the name my mother gave me and what I answer to, jovencito.”
Deane gave a warning glare at Riley and leaned in to shake Georgina’s hand. “Nice to meet ye, Georgina. I’m Deane.”
She winked back at him. “We’ve got a few of them running around here, too.”
He was confused at the statement until he realized she was referring to youngling shifters. Boy, was she was in for a surprise.
Emery gave a nod. “Real nice place you’ve got here. Paradise.”
“Don’t you have the snow-covered Rockies out in Denver?” Georgina asked and started walking through the room, waving for them to follow.
“Yeah, but the ocean…” Emery searched the windows for a sight of the Atlantic.
The climate control in the building helped Deane get comfortable, and when he realized they were being led outside again, he unbuttoned his jacket to pull it off and hang it over his arm. He’d still be uncomfortable, but it would have to do. He wasn’t about to take off his shirt. He had his standards.
Georgina stepped out onto a huge patio. Lounge chairs circled a sparkling blue pool, and a dozen people were stretched out enjoying the warmth of the day.
She called over to a man sitting under an umbrella at a table. “Hey, Cruz, the enforcers from Denver are here.”
The man’s brown eyes lifted to watch them approach. His short black hair, well-trimmed beard and shadowed mustache made him look like he belonged on the cover of GQ. He was lounging in a pair of thin white pants and an unbuttoned short-sleeved shirt and had an ice-filled glass in his hand.
Deane stopped just short of his table and clasped his wrist. “I’m Deane, and this is my partner, Emery.”
Cruz’s serious eyes creased as he stared at them both. Then the corners of his lips curled into a smile. “Nice to meet you. I see you’ve met one of my enforcers. Alaric said you’d be coming to investigate some interesting new developments. Is it true there are freaks around who drink blood?”
Deane gave a sideways glance at Riley, whose eyes were focused on the ground. Deane cleared his throat. “Aye, we found a breed who survive on blood. Never seen the likes of it before. Not sure where they came from, but that’s why we’re here. To get more information before the Grand Consul meets.”
“Are they dangerous?” Georgina spoke up, unable to tear her gaze from Deane.
Emery looped her arm through Riley’s and answered, “Yes and no. Riley here just went through a change like younglings do, but he’s no shifter, and he’d die on a food-only diet. It was hard enough for us to get him to drink chicken blood, he hated the idea so much.”
Cruz and Georgina stared at Riley in shock. Apparently, Alaric hadn’t given them a heads-up. The kid looked more miserable than if he’d been forced to stand naked in front of an audience and yodel.
The Miami lodge leader’s brows sank into a glare. “You brought one with you? Here? Alaric only said you were bringing your foster-kid and would need someone to keep an eye on him.”
Deane could see the situation was quickly deteriorating. He didn’t know why Alaric hadn’t been more forthcoming with Cruz, but if they were going to get any help from him, Deane would need to smooth things over and quick.
“The kid’s no threat. He knows our rules,” he said with a level voice. “He was willing to die rather than drink human blood. We rescued him from his father—a man we need to learn more about. The situation is the kid doesn’t have a soul to look after him, and we need to learn more about his kind. One of the blood-suckers escaped, so we wanted him out of Denver in case they came back looking for him.”
Deane had kept this detail from Riley until now. A look of concern and fear pinched the teen’s face.
“And what’s the blood-sucker’s father have to do with Florida?” Cruz’s voice didn’t contain anger anymore, but he clearly wanted answers.
A breeze blew past them, temporarily drying the moisture on Deane’s skin. He reached up to undo his top button. “Ramsay called a number in Cutler Bay just before we arrived to rescue one of our own and Riley here from his thugs. They’re aware of our abilities and seem to like the taste of our blood. So we’ve come to learn more about who he was calling and why.”
A man with a square jaw and long brown hair walked out from the insi
de the lodge and came to stand beside Georgina. She leaned in and had a whispered conversation with him. His green eyes combed over the three visitors and rested on Riley.
Cruz ignored the new arrival and asked Deane, “Who did this Ramsay call?”
Deane fished Ramsay’s phone from his slacks pocket and pulled up the call log. “TailGators and Exotic Veterinary Clinic. We know nothing more than that.”
Cruz directed his attention to Georgina and raised a brow. “Give Rollin a call. See if he’s familiar with the place.”
“Yeah, Boss.” The Miami enforcer retreated far enough away from them to make a private call, lifting her phone to her ear as she leaned against the cement patio wall.
The man who’d been standing beside Georgina raised his hand in greeting and introduced himself. “I’m Beck, Georgina’s partner. She tells me you’re here to investigate a new breed of sorts?”
Beck’s beige palm-tree-patterned Hawaiian shirt, khakis and bare feet made Deane question whether anyone around here ever dressed up. Or wore shoes.
Emery gave him their names, then Cruz pointed at Riley. The lodge leader took a sip of his drink and said, “That is a youngling blood-sucker. But if you ask me, he looks just as miserable as any other teen.”
It was plain as day that Riley was growing more and more unhappy the longer he stood on display, which hadn’t been Deane’s intent. He put himself between Riley and the Miami Society members and crossed his arms, careful not to wrinkle his jacket. “Leave the kid be. He’s been through hell and doesn’t need more grief.”
Cruz held up his hands and shook his head. “No grief intended, consorte.”
Georgina wandered back with the phone still to her ear and muttered, “Rollin says it’s a small gator show in Miami-Dade. There’s a veterinary practice at the same location. He’s heard of it.”
“Perfect.” Cruz smiled and took another slug of his drink and set it on the table. “If I were you, I would go in undercover, and I have just the man for you. Georgina, will you see if he’s available to drop off an animal who needs attention?”
Again, she stepped away to finish her conversation. The Miami lodge leader leaned forward and whispered, “Rollin is our inside man at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. He’s been quite useful. I cannot count the times an exotic pet walking along the side of the freeway has been a vacationing member out after a long bender. I send Georgina and Beck to have a little talk with them about our secrecy laws and give them a… memorable warning so it doesn’t happen again.”
Emery shook her head and rubbed her ribs gingerly. “Can I just say, not it? I already have a wound I’m recovering from, and I don’t want a veterinarian poking around. It’s still sore.”
“What are you? A flamingo with those long legs?” Beck asked with a suggestive grin.
Emery blew him a kiss. “I doubt you have many bears running loose in Florida.”
“You might be surprised.” Beck looked at Cruz and shared a laugh. The enforcer tucked his hair behind his ear and continued, “We’ve got it all around here, even black bears.”
“What are you, Irishman?” Cruz pointed at Deane just as Georgina walked up, slipping her phone into her jeans pocket.
“You could take owl form,” Emery suggested, squishing up her face.
“Another bird for the flock,” Georgina said, flashing her teeth in a smile. “Welcome to the club. There’s quite a few of us around here.”
Deane felt Emery’s eyes on him. If he didn’t say anything, he knew she would. “Aye, but that’s not all. I know tiger as well.”
The Miami crew went silent as they appraised him with wide eyes. Cruz nodded and clapped. “Two forms? That fits you. I can see it better than the owl.”
Deane couldn’t help but disagree with him. His tiger side came from a very different time in his life. A time when he was younger and more passionate. And foolish.
“Impressive,” Beck stepped into Deane, clasping his hand in a handshake.
Cruz got up and stood up eye-to-eye to Deane. “Send the tiger in. If they handle exotics, you’re perfect. You wouldn’t be the first illegal tiger running loose.”
Deane didn’t like where this was going. It wasn’t a bad idea, but he preferred avoiding tiger form unless it was completely necessary. It brought up too many bad memories from his past. Plus, he didn’t relish the idea of being locked in a cage. It didn’t guarantee he’d find out anything of value, except that he’d be stuck with needles.
Georgina looked at her watch. “Rollin has the morning off tomorrow and said he’d come by at nine with his truck.”
“Good deal.” Cruz gestured back at the lodge. “Sounds like you have some time before you get to work. You look like you could use a cold drink, and we can show you where you can put your stuff. We have a number of spare rooms upstairs for visiting members that I’m sure will do just fine.”
Emery was quick to follow the Miami crew into the building, leaving Riley and Deane staring at each other. The kid sighed loud enough for him to hear and muttered, “I’m a freak. Now everyone knows it, thanks. I wish I could have just stayed with Aerilyn.”
Riley slouched away. Deane wiped the moisture from his brow and grit his teeth, hoping they had whiskey somewhere behind that nice bar because he needed a shot of a stiff drink after avoiding Riley’s glares all day.
Three
Morning light poured in through the windows, and Deane did a double take at Riley sitting on the couch. “Ye’re wearing the same clothes as yesterday.”
“So?” Riley muttered as he blinked at his phone’s screen.
Emery came down the stairs from their second-level guest rooms. She had on a pair of white shorts with a button-up tank tied at her waist. “I’m jealous, Riley. You get to go swimming. I would if I could, but I have to wait a little longer until my wound heals.”
He didn’t look up at her or respond. Emery shrugged at Deane and muttered, “I’m starved. Gonna grab something to eat before Rollin gets here.”
She turned the corner and went into the back of the building where the kitchen was located.
He didn’t know what to say to Riley. Everything he did seemed to rub the kid the wrong way, so he decided to leave him be. Deane stood at the front windows and looked out at the street. The sun was shining brightly, and a few clouds were scattered across the sky. He’d opted to go without a jacket and was wearing trousers and a long-sleeved button-up shirt that he’d rolled up. He wouldn’t be needing his clothes soon enough, anyhow.
A silver truck pulled up and turned into the side parking lot. Deane watched as a man got out. He wore green shorts, a tan shirt and a pair of reflective glasses. He came around to the front door, walked into the climate-controlled entry and rubbed his shaved head.
“Ye must be Rollin,” Deane said and approached with his hand out.
The man was taller and broader than Deane and wasn’t short on muscles. Rollin chuckled and answered with a deep, velvety voice, “I sure am. And are you the animal I’ll be transporting today?”
“That I am. Nice to meet ye, I’m Deane.”
Georgina and Emery came into the sitting area. Georgina mock-punched Rollin in the chest, and the wildlife officer stumbled back a few steps and groaned. “Good one, Georgina. Almost took me down that time.”
Riley’s eyes lifted momentarily to watch the horseplay then he returned his focus to his phone.
Emery walked up to Rollin and touched his umber biceps. “Do those come in a two-pack?”
“They sure do,” he laughed in response.
Deane rubbed his brow and muttered, “Emery, cool yer breeches. We have work to do.”
She stuck out her tongue at him and threw him a bottled water. “You should hydrate before we get started.”
He twisted off the cap and emptied half of the cool liquid into his mouth. Deane directed his next question to Rollin after swallowing. “So how’s this going to work?”
“That depends on the type
of animal I’m transporting,” Rollin said, growing serious.
“A tiger.” Dean finished off the rest of the water, feeling his stomach bloat.
“Damn, this’ll be fun,” the wildlife officer said drily and lifted his glasses on top of his head. “Okay, I’ll need to give the place a call, let them know we’re coming, and I hate to tell you, but this is going to involve tranquilizers to keep up appearances. I can’t just go rolling up with a friendly tame tiger—'cuz no matter what any large cat lover tells you, there’s no such thing.”
Deane exhaled and closed his eyes. He reminded himself why he was doing this. They needed information, and the best way of getting it was going undercover. Deep undercover.
“Since I can’t have a tiger seen in town, we’re going to have to set this up outside city limits.” Rollin glanced at Emery and Georgina. “You ladies joining us?”
“I sure am.” Emery was loving every bit of the plan and smiling away.
Georgina looked at Riley sitting on the couch and shook her head. “No, I’ll be keeping an eye on things around here.”
“I’ll catch you later, then. Time to roll.” Rollin went to the door and held it open for Emery. As she passed by him, he added, “I’ve got another shirt you can wear so you look more official.”
Deane turned to Riley. “So, kid, sounds like I won’t be back until tomorrow.”
“Fine,” was the only response he got.
Deane shared a private look with Georgina. She sat down beside Riley. “My little cousin’s coming by later with a few of her friends. She’s eighteen and likes hanging out inside, too.”
“Cool.”
Clearly, they weren’t going to get anything else out of the kid. Deane squatted in front of Riley and leveled a stare at his evasive gaze. “I expect ye to be here when I get back. Be respectful and stay out of trouble. Emery will be back later, but until then, Georgina’s here for ye. Let her know if ye need anything.”
Half-Blood Secrets: A Paranormal Series (Half-Bloods Book 2) Page 2