"We have to help him," Blue said once I was close enough, his voice strained.
"Him?"
"The bear. He's in a lot of pain. The collar around his neck is sending electric shocks through his body and I don't know how much longer he can take it."
Hmm. This was new. I'd often heard of shifters being able to sense the emotions of the animals they were near, but I'd never seen it in action before. He flinched, his muscles tensing as pure rage darkened the blue of his eyes. The bear yelped and whimpered on the opposite side of the fence. Blue could feel the animal's pain and I couldn't help but feel angry with him. Either that, or his emotions were slipping through the bond, making me feel what he was feeling. Whatever it was, my dark magic whipped around me, ready...always ready.
Excitement and anxiety flowed through me as everything fell into place. This was my chance to break the barrier between us and, I had to admit, everything about it was hot. His anger, the way his muscles bunched and trembled with barely contained rage, the murderous glint in his blue eyes. I could have pounced on him right then if it weren't for the little issue we had to take care of on the other side of that fence.
"Let's get him," I said simply, allowing my magic to tear through the fence that stood in our way. I willed my magic to shield us from any human who might be nearby as the wood burst into tiny splinters and hit the ground.
A growl ripped its way from Blue's throat and damn if it wasn't the sexiest sound I'd ever heard. Within moments, he'd shifted into the most beautiful gray wolf I'd ever seen, his thick fur smooth and glossy. He charged forward, knocking the trainer back before whipping around and swiping a heavy paw across the cage that bound the poor bear. The bear stumbled forward weakly as I stalked towards the trainer. Luckily, Blue hadn't created a hole large enough for the bear to escape and ruin our fun.
"What the Fuck?" the man screamed, pushing himself up on his feet. Fear etched his features as he regarded the large wolf snarling before him. But it was nowhere near as strong as the terror coursing through him once his dark eyes landed on me.
He swiped a hand over his balding head before his hand came to rest on the large jagged scar that ran across his cheek.
"You."
I let out a hearty laugh. "Oh, so you do remember me. Good to hear I've made an impression on you."
My gaze traveled to his scar, resting there for a moment before sliding down his body to land on his chest. Between the fat of his breasts and just above his large belly was another scar much deeper than the one on his cheek.
The color drained from his face when he realized what I'd been looking at.
"I promised if I ever saw you hurting anyone else, I'd come for you."
"I never laid another finger on her, or anyone else for that matter." He stuttered over his words as his eyes darted between me and Blue, who was now standing before him in all his naked glory. Holy Fuck. This just kept getting better and better.
I shoved away every elicit thought that flowed through my mind at the sight of him before training my eyes on the man who'd literally pissed himself if the wet spot on his jeans were any indication. fucking humans. So easy to scare. So easily frightened. So fucking boring.
I yawned, stretching my arms to the sky before jerking a thumb in the direction of the bear. "The bear?"
Shock lit his expression. "It's just a fucking animal..."
Blue's fingers curled around the man's neck before he could finish that statement.
"Just a fucking animal?" Blue snarled, dragging the man toward him to yell in his face. "Just a fucking animal? So, his life and his pain mean nothing to you because he's just a fucking animal?"
"I...I..."
Blue tightened his grip around the man's neck, cutting off his air. A mischievous grin spread his lips. Damn, this was better than porn. I could get off just watching Blue like this, far from the timid, quiet person I'd come to know. He was all power and alpha, and oh so fucking sexy I could feel heat pooling between my legs.
"When's the last time you've even fed him? He's practically starving."
He released the man and watched as he crumpled to the ground at his feet, coughing and sputtering. "I can barely afford to feed myself."
I rolled my eyes. Wrong answer.
"Well, we're in luck, aren't we? You look like three hundred pounds of meat I'm sure the poor bear would enjoy. What do you say we see to it he's fed?"
The man shook his head, his eyes pleading for help. I laughed at that. If he thought for one second I'd help him, he had another thing coming.
"Well, the poor bear really is hungry. Would be a damn shame to see all this meat go to waste." I gave Blue a pointed stare and a nod. "But first, we play."
And we did just that. We played with the man until we'd had our fill and tossed him to the bear.
We both stood there, staring at each other, studying each other's reaction as the bear growled and the man screamed. It was music to our ears and the way Blue looked at me told me he appreciated this moment. Our moment. The first time he'd ever let his guard down around me. The first time he'd ever let me see the man beneath the mask he wore. And in that moment I knew, he was just as much a monster as I was.
CHAPTER NINE: UNKNOWN
I loved pretty women, especially when I got to look at them through the lens of my scope.
My breath pushed through my lips, smooth and even. The same pace I'd kept for the last couple of days as I'd watched the rainbow haired girl off and on.
Sometimes I looked at her through a forgotten open window in her house. Other days I watched as she moved around the yard of her home, a chaotic energy to her steps as she spoke to the little marmoset on her shoulder.
On days like that one, I observed her as she toyed with the new additions to her stolen home. The shifter and the vampire. Much to my annoyance. Those were quickly becoming my favorite days to watch her.
Whereas I usually detached myself completely from my marks, she was different. She thoroughly amused me in a way no other target ever had, while simultaneously making my blood boil enough that I toyed with squeezing the trigger on my gun even though I still needed her alive. To say the contradictory feelings were a problem would be an understatement.
Yet, there was no sign of them settling themselves out anytime soon.
I'd been watching her for a while and nothing had changed. I still thought it was funny how she'd pretend to be this monster with no feelings, prepared to do anything to get her way. Only to be pissed off moments later when I saw a flicker of doubt in her eyes.
She was too indecisive.
And her new toys, they made things even more interesting.
She flirted shamelessly with the vampire, using her body to sway him, and he fell for it. Every single time. And I enjoyed watching his downfall. It was like a train slowly, but surely going off the rails.
The final crash would be exquisite.
The shifter on the other hand wasn't moved by her at all. He was hesitant, doubtful about her intentions. Much smarter than the vampire who let a nice pair of tits and a perfectly round ass make his decisions for him. And the rainbow haired girl continued to try to master little plans to coax him to her.
Such as the ridiculous setup with the thugs who belonged to Slade, someone you never wanted to cross paths with in Hell's Point or any other area code. Fortunately for the girl, the low level thugs didn't hold close to enough sway to go to Slade with their problems with her, so they'd had to handle her on their own. And they hadn't had any chances of finding her.
Until she tipped them off on her location.
I'd watched the show as it played out in front of me. The thugs attacking, the girl pretending to be helpless. The shifter playing into her hand like an idiot, allowing her to use him, forcing an unbreakable bond on him in the process.
She'd thought it'd make him drift close to joining her, but it'd done the opposite.
Now the shifter was avoiding her, and s
he was allowing it to happen.
Another situation in which I had contradicting feelings. I'd originally thought the attack was a smart idea, ruthless and calculated. Perfect. But she'd failed to capitalize on it.
Disappointing.
And the act between her and the shifter was starting to grow old as the days passed with no real development. What was the point of going through so much trouble if she was just going to let the opportunity slip between her perfectly manicured fingers. Just the thought of it was pissing me off.
She should have made the shifter yield to her. Everyone knows you break an animal with merciless force, not timid coaxing.
I watched as she stood outside of the shifter's door, her shoulders coiled tightly and irritation clear in the way she knocked on the door. She banged and banged, the anger on her face clear as her lips pulled into a frown. She knocked harder.
No response.
I yawned, prepared to watch another day of no progress and wishing she'd just go and entertain the naïve vampire instead. It'd be a lot more enjoyable, especially if the two finally had the tension filled sex they'd been drifting towards more and more every day. The make out session the other day had been fine to watch but if they didn't hurry up and take things further, I just may have to-
My thoughts broke off completely as the girl went off script. Instead of giving up on the shifter, I watched in shock as she sent his door splintering into pieces.
This is new.
I let out a soft curse when my view of the girl and the shifter was obscured as she moved further into the room. I considered moving to the opposite side of the house where I'd get a better view, but knew it'd be a waste since the girl wasn't likely to stay in the room for long.
Surely the shifter will throw her out on her ass.
I waited patiently, tampering down my curiosity as more minutes passed.
The girl finally emerged from the room, a victorious smile curling her plump lips. I watched in shock as the shifter followed after her, his shoulders slightly slumped but looking a little less visibly pissed than usual.
Huh.
I tracked their movements through the windows of the home as they found the vampire and had a brief conversation with him. It quickly became clear a trip was in order as they all pulled on shoes and headed for the front door.
I pulled the safety on my gun, getting to my feet and stretching out my limbs.
Looks like we're going on a field trip.
I'd put a tracker on the van many days ago so it wasn't hard to follow the little group to the circus. And the unimpressed feeling in my soul made me regret thinking anything of real interest was going to happen that day.
A fucking circus? Who's bright idea was this?
I knew the answer though. It had to be another one of her ideas to sway the shifter. She seemed to be of the belief that as long as she kept throwing tricks involving animals at him he'd eventually do as she asked.
Stupid. Her for the idea, and him if he fell for it.
I followed them around the circus grounds, making sure to keep my distance and blend in with the hordes of families out and about. I pulled my cap lower on my head as I watched the group near the area where a man stood with a bear. The girl was practically bristling with excitement.
I rolled my eyes before glancing around, taking in the rest of my environment, a force of habit. My eyes stopped on a dark figure hovering outside one of the tents. Anyone without my training would have missed the man. He was the perfect example of a tail. Non descriptive, dark clothes, features hidden, standing as still as humanly possible, blending in with his surroundings.
He was me.
Except for the fact that he was a cop.
I could spot one in any room. His shoulders were stiff, a restraint to his posture that had to be engraved in him at the academy. The side of his shirt budged slightly where his service weapon rested.
And most importantly, I'd seen him before. He watched her almost as much as I did, just not quite as well. And to my knowledge, he'd never caught sight of me before. Not even the second time I saw him and abandoned watching the girl out of curiosity to learn more about the man. I'd followed him right to the precinct.
I still didn't have an inkling of an idea what his business was with the girl, but I knew I needed to keep an eye out for him and learn more soon. I couldn't have him imposing in on my mark after all.
I shook my head, pushing the cop to the back of my mind for the time being as I turned back around. The group was no longer where they once were and I frowned, drifting closer to the station where they were only moments before.
All three were gone and so was the bear and the man over the station.
I pulled my lips together, knowing they couldn't have gotten too far.
My suspicions were confirmed when I found the group outside of the tent I last saw them. They're shielded by a group of trees, a big steel cage hooked to a truck also offering cover. Inside the cage was the bear the group had passed by inside the tent. And the man who was controlling the station is on his knees in front of the girl.
Tears streamed down the man's face, his hands positioned as if he was about to pray as he wept and begged. I quirked a brow, keeping to the shadows between two large trees as I watched the event in front of me unfold
Tendrils whipped through the air as the girl raised her hand, aiming it at the man and what happened next could only be described as beautiful.
Blood began to pull from the man's eyes, long dark streaks that dripped to the ground. His mouth opened but no sound came out. His hands tugged as his hair, pulling out chunks as the silent screams began to rack his body. When the girl dropped her hand, the man stopped thrashing, his chest heaving as he took deep breaths. The blood continued to drip from his eyes, but it was slower now.
And just as I began to get bored again, she raised her hand and the torture resumed.
The girl continued to toy with the man and my lips twitched as she waved her hand, a moment before the man's screams worsened. She turned to the shifter, her eyes bright and wild as she encouraged him to help her.
There was only a moment of hesitance before the shifter's shoulders lifted and his lips turned into a sneer. He strode forward, grabbing the man whose insides were nearly hanging out of him. The man pleaded and yelled as the shifter continued to drag him, right into the bear's cage.
Like the rest of the group, I only watched as the shifter let the bear free on the man, encouraging the animal.
And when the man's guts and blood went flying through the air, I had to give her credit. Because while she may not fully have the shifter on her side yet, this scheme produced more progress than she'd made in the last couple of days.
Good job, Charley.
I only allowed myself to think her name the one time, knowing how dangerous it was. Because no matter how entertaining I found her shit show of a life, she was still a mark at the end of the day.
And the first rule in my line of work is to never allow yourself to get close to your mark in any emotional way.
I'd continue to watch her with more interest than necessary, but I'd never forget what I'd ultimately have to do to her.
CHAPTER TEN: BLUE
“That was fucking awesome,” Charley exclaimed, her voice echoing off the walls. “Holy shit. I didn’t think you had it in you.
“Me either,” Knox grumbled, shoving past me to get to the fridge. He opened the fridge door and bent down to look inside. He snatched out a bottle of beer, popped the cap, and took a long swig from it. His emerald gaze locked on me. “I thought you were against murder.”
So did I, but the thought of letting that monster live another day didn’t settle well with me. I thought of the torture he’d put those poor animals through for nothing more than his amusement and a murderous rage settled over me. If I could revive him and kill him again, I would, but this time far more brutal than I already had. Was it poetic justice he wa
s mauled and consumed by the very animal he tortured? Yes, it was. But even then his death had been too swift.
Knox finished his beer and discarded the bottle into the metal bin beside the fridge before grabbing another one. His movements were aggressive, hostile as he stomped out of the kitchen and made his way upstairs. The sound of his door slamming reverberated through the house, causing me to flinch. He was pissed, though I couldn’t figure out why he would be.
“What the fuck is his problem?” Charley asked, her nose scrunched.
“I’m not sure,” was all I could say. And, if I were honest, I really didn’t care. At least not in that moment when adrenaline was coursing through me, the excitement of the kill stirring my wolf into a frenzy.
A mischievous grin lit Charley’s face in a way that had me awestruck. The woman was gorgeous as it was, but there was something about the edge of darkness that had the hairs on the back of my neck standing. She walked over toward the white marble island in the center of the kitchen, reached beneath the sink and pulled out a bottle of Jose, salt, and limes.
Something about that had Spanky climbing off her shoulder onto the island and leaping to the floor. He made a quick exit without looking back, scrambling up the stairs and more than likely into my bedroom where he’d slept almost every night I’d been there.
Charley frowned and I could feel the envy that laid just beneath her surface, threatening to spill out. The emotion was so thick it was almost tangible, but that emotion was quickly replaced with indifference. It was clear she didn’t appreciate the bond I’d created with Spanky, and I couldn’t say I didn’t understand. After all, he’d been her only companion for as long as she could remember, if the memories she’d shared with us were accurate. I could imagine it would feel like a slap in the face to her.
Nowhere to Run: A Dark Paranormal Villain Romance (Midnight Renegades Book 1) Page 6