Special Ops Shifters: Dallas Force: The Complete Series Collection (Shifter Nation)

by Meg Ripley

  Sliding into the driveway right in front of the house, a man with jet black hair and a thick mustache stepped out the double front doors of the house. He stood solemnly at the top of the steps, waiting for them.

  “That’s President Kelso,” Whiteside murmured.

  Vance thought he looked like a cartoon villain, but he kept his opinion to himself. He put the car in gear and turned off the engine, planning to get out first, but Delilah beat him to it.

  “President Kelso, it’s nice to finally meet you in person.” She strode up the steps confidently, extending her hand.

  His eyes raked down her body as he shook her hand, and Vance felt a stab of jealousy streak through his core. He kept his eyes on the man as he opened the car door for President Whiteside.

  “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you coming today,” Kelso replied, his voice far more stiff and formal than Vance would expect out of any native Texan. He turned to Vance, narrowing his dark eyes. “I don’t recall there being a third name on the invitation, however.”

  “I’m sure you don’t mind that we have our escort with us,” Whiteside remarked with a genial smile. “You can’t expect a young lady and an old man to make an out-of-town trip all by themselves, can you?”

  “Of course not.” The waves of discontent continued to roll off of President Whiteside, nearly palpable in the thick air. “Let’s go inside and get started, shall we?” He opened the door and guided them through the home. “Welcome to our meeting space. We like to keep things as casual as possible around here.”

  Yeah, as evidenced by your lack of control over the local population, Vance thought. He followed at the back of the group. The place was top-of-the-line, with custom cabinetry, marble and hardwood flooring, and massive windows, but he only took small note of that. His true concern was in noting escape routes should anything go sideways.

  They were soon in a large room at the back of the house. With a large fireplace on one end and vaulted ceilings, Vance guessed that at one point, this had been an extra living room that they’d converted into a conference room with an arrangement of comfortable chairs that faced the center of the space. To an outsider, it would look like nothing more than a conversation area, but Vance prickled as he realized they were far outnumbered. There were at least five other people besides President Kelso, and that only included those who were in the room at the moment.

  The hosting president made the introductions and invited their guests to sit down. “Please, make yourselves comfortable. Tell Jenny if there’s anything you’d like to eat or drink, and she’ll make sure you get it. A blanket, a pillow, whatever will make you happy while you’re here with us.” He gestured without looking to a blonde girl standing in the corner near the door, at the ready for any possible orders.

  Vance didn’t like the look of her. Her eyes were alert for a command, but they were otherwise dead inside. She’d been trained like an animal, but she no longer had the strong independence of a shifter. That was likely thanks to their overly gracious host, and Kelso had another demerit against him in Vance’s mind.

  “If you don’t mind, I’ve got a little something prepared.” President Whiteside stood. He might have been a little gray around the muzzle, but he’d brought all the confidence of an experienced leader. “Vice President Henderson and I were delighted to hear that you were willing to meet with us. We are conclave leaders not only because we were elected, but because we care deeply about the shifter community and what happens to it as society continues to evolve and change around us. This includes not only folks in the Dallas area, but all over the world, and we believe that involves working with other conclaves and leaders to achieve common goals. Diplomacy and communication are the keys to our future.”

  “Very nice,” President Kelso responded over the smattering of applause, though the smile on his face was a hard one that matched the look in his eyes. His cheeks were too round and his jaw too angular, and Vance had to wonder what sort of animal was hiding inside the man. A snake, perhaps? “I think we should get right down to business. Over the last several months, you’ve been claiming you have some issues with our community members. Let’s talk about that, shall we?”

  Whiteside resumed his seat next to Delilah. Vance saw how she looked at the man with utmost admiration and respect, like a father figure.

  “Yes, I think that’s a good idea. First, we need to discuss Paul Grimes. I understand he’s a registered shifter here in your area, but he’s been coming into Dallas on a bit of a crime spree. He’s knocked over multiple convenience stores, and in some cases, the clerks have been severely battered in the process. Though he lives here, we do firmly believe that we should be able to bring him in for justice.” Whiteside curled his fist slightly for emphasis on the last word.

  Kelso shook his head and gave another one of those slick smiles. “Who’s to say that we haven’t already taken care of the matter here?”

  “It should be addressed in the district where the crime is committed, as is commonly done,” Delilah countered.

  Vance felt the tendons stand out in his neck as he watched the way Kelso eyed her, like she was just a toy and he was trying to decide if he was going to play with her. “Ms. Henderson, just because your conclave likes to do things the old-fashioned way doesn’t mean we have to play along. I assure you, Mr. Grimes has been taken care of.”

  “What about the similar instances that are happening in San Antonio? We’re in good standing with them, as we strive to be with all other councils, and they report that they haven’t been able to extradite known criminals.” Whiteside lifted one grizzled eyebrow in challenge. “This, as well as several other issues, have certainly made us wonder about your motives.”

  “I see.” President Kelso stood up. He was a slim man, but his height made him imposing. That effect was only enhanced by the fact that everyone else was still sitting down. “First, you want to complain about a few petty criminals who’ve gone off to other cities to have a good time. Then, you assume that we’re not doing anything about it. It seems to me, Whiteside, that you’re putting all the focus on us to keep it off yourselves.”

  “What do you mean by that?” Delilah asked.

  The man’s laugh was as sharp as his shoulders in his suit jacket. “It’s so easy for you to forget about all the land you’re buying up in the Austin area, the educated shifters you’re sending down here to start businesses or take over managing the current ones, and the string of violent offenses that happen when anyone stands in your way.”

  “Patently untrue,” Whiteside responded.

  “You have your accusations, and I have mine.” Kelso lifted one hand in the air, indicating nothing about this situation could be helped.

  Vance was certainly starting to think it wouldn’t be helped by any of this charade. The Austin members had invited them there for a meeting, but they weren’t interested in getting anything done. Vance watched Delilah intensely, trying to get her to look at him. He wanted to know the truth before things went any further. As though she’d heard his thoughts, her eyes swept over to meet his gaze. Vance met her with a quizzical look, and her response was a subtle shake of her head. Good. Kelso was just spewing lies.

  Whiteside moved to the edge of his seat, sitting up straight and bracing his hands on his knees. The overstuffed furniture had kept him slouching and reclined otherwise. “If you care to see it, I do have proof of the crimes I’m speaking about, among several other offenses from your community members.”

  “Proof? What’s proof these days? I can offer you proof, too, but you’ll just tell me I had it manufactured. No, I might be younger than you, Whiteside, but that doesn’t necessarily make you wiser. The fact of the matter remains that you’re trying to hijack our territory. Dallas isn’t enough for you, and you’re making moves to expand. I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve got some grand plan of becoming the Alpha over all the shifters in the country. I’m not going to stand idly by and let you get away with it, not if we can sto
p it here.”

  “Such allegations are preposterous.” Whiteside was getting angry, Vance knew, but he was doing his best not to show it. “We’re simply trying to protect the safety of our people, and not just the shifters in Dallas, but the humans, too. It’s our job to care about all the shifters in the world, but they have to be governed in some way.”

  “Right, you care so much about all your dear shifters,” Kelso oozed. “I suppose that’s why you had a medical center built right in the middle of your territory, yet you won’t let anyone else obtain care there.”

  Delilah’s eyes snapped. “What?”

  “Oh, you heard me. One of our members happened to be in your area to visit family. She grew ill, but she knew she’d be all right, thanks to the Dallas Center for Shifter Medicine. What better place to go, after all? But the intake nurse said she wasn’t in the Dallas registry and therefore couldn’t be seen.” President Kelso ran his long, pale fingers down the back of the couch. “Not very generous of you folks.”

  “That’s not how it works.” Delilah was calm on the outside, so calm that she looked stiff. But Vance could see and almost feel the fire blazing inside her. “We worked very closely with Dr. Barnett to create that hospital, and I can tell you with full certainty that medical care is available to any shifter who shows up. If there was any sort of problem, you should’ve simply asked us.”

  “And while an ill shifter is certainly something to be concerned about, so are the crimes that your shifters are committing. They run the risk of calling attention to our kind, should they be caught. You know how important it is to keep our secret from the general public, and there’s a lot more than goes into that than simply keeping our mouths shut.”

  Kelso was bobbing his head far too enthusiastically now as he paced in front of the long couch. “You’re right. You’re absolutely right. There’s a lot to think about, but I have to wonder what you’re thinking of when you hire a group like the SOS Force.”

  Vance felt his lips tightening. He was several seats away from Delilah, yet he had the distinct feeling he was going to need to be much closer so he could protect her. This wasn’t going at all like they’d planned, and why should it? This Kelso was a nut job. Still, he remained seated. Acting too quickly could cause more trouble.

  “Interesting that you should even know such a thing,” Whiteside countered. “It doesn’t make a man feel much in the mood for negotiating when a man who’s supposed to be his equal—and who ought to have the same goals—is apparently spying on him.”

  “Neither does it make a man want to negotiate when he finds out his equal—or rival, I have to wonder—has hired the most elite group of military-trained shifters to stand beside him. I don’t know what kind of war you’re preparing for, Whiteside, but don’t think for a second that I won’t stand up against you.”

  The old man’s eyes narrowed. Vance could just imagine what he was thinking, wondering if he’d done the right thing by bringing Vance along and if it would be even more of a problem if Kelso knew Jack and Max were waiting for them back at the hotel. Delilah had told Vance that Whiteside didn’t want to make a show of force, but it seemed the Austin president was determined to see what he wanted to see.

  “I should hardly think that the presence of a few men with military experience should constitute a war,” Whiteside riposted. “And if you think it does, then perhaps we have more of a problem on our hands than I ever expected.”

  President Kelso finally stopped moving, and he turned sharply to face Whiteside. The gleam in his dark eyes wasn’t a pleasant one. “Here’s the thing, old man. You think you know how the world works, but the world has changed without you. No longer are we living in a time when we can simply hide in the shadows and pretend everything is fine and dandy. My voters elected me because they want a man who’s going to take action against our enemies. And if one of those enemies happens to be the Dallas conclave, then so be it.”

  Whiteside lifted his chin indignantly. “Is that a threat of war, President Kelso?”

  “Of course not,” the man said with that snide smile of his. “It’s simply a reminder that we won’t let you trample all over us.”

  “I hope you’ll come to understand in time just how foolish you’ve been.” President Whiteside stood and straightened his suit jacket. “I believe this meeting is over. Don’t bother showing us the way out.” He gestured Delilah out of the room ahead of him.

  Vance followed on their heels, listening attentively for any sound of pursuit. He’d gladly take the chance to lash out at any asshole who tried to run after them and attack them when they weren’t looking. God knew he needed an outlet after all that tension. But the Austin conclave let them go without a further word.

  The three of them were silent as they made their way back to the hotel. Vance knew Whiteside and Delilah were in deep thought as they pondered their next move, but he’d already been forced to stay silent long enough during the meeting. He was in his room for only a brief time before he headed down the hall and knocked on Delilah’s door.

  She opened it quickly, as though she’d been expecting him, and held the door wide to admit him. “Good. You can join me for a drink.” Delilah retreated to the minibar on the other side of the room and poured them each a whiskey.

  “I think we need to get out of Austin as quickly as possible,” Vance said as he took the glass from her. The liquor was cheap and burned all the way down, but that was just what he needed to stay focused. He’d gone there to talk business, but there was something about being alone in a hotel room with Delilah that made other parts of his mind—and body—want to take over. It wasn’t exactly the barn on a warm spring night, but he could certainly make do.

  “Why do you say that?” Delilah took a conservative sip of whiskey, considered the glass, and then knocked the whole thing back. She turned to the bar to pour another. “The ravings of a lunatic aren’t enough to make me run away.”

  “I’m sure that’s true.” And he was. Vance still had a lot to learn about Delilah, but he knew she wasn’t easily threatened. “I thought it interesting that he wanted only you and Whiteside, yet he had his entire council there with them. Even more to the point, he didn’t offer any of them a chance to speak.”

  Delilah nodded. “You noticed, I’m sure, how Kelso spent most of our time turning accusations around on us instead of trying to resolve any of the real issues. He’s one of those fanatic leaders that gets the voters excited by promising all sorts of action, even when it’s toward things that the populace doesn’t need. He could get them riled up about having fucking spaghetti every Wednesday night, and they’d vote him into office because he’d make them believe they deserved it.”

  “That’s exactly why I’m concerned. I’ve seen men like him at work before. They get even crazier when times are desperate, whether that desperation is an illusion or not.” He sat on the edge of the loveseat in the living room area of the suite, perched on the edge of the cushion and ready to jump back up again if need be.

  Delilah turned to him, her fingers wrapped around her glass, curiosity narrowing her eyes. “What do you mean?”

  Vance licked his lips as he replayed the meeting in his mind. “There were a lot of things Kelso said that were a bit off, but it was right at the end that he showed his hand a little. He said we can’t just hide in the shadows and that times have changed. The man absolutely has a plan. I’d say he’s getting ready to do exactly what he accused Whiteside of. He wants to take over other conclaves, gobbling them up one by one until he’s made himself a shifter emperor of sorts. If he has enough people underneath him, then I wouldn’t put it past him to tell the world our secret and perhaps try to hold some sort of power over the humans simply because we’re stronger.” Some of it was pure speculation, seeing as how he didn’t know the man well enough to say otherwise. The one thing that was profoundly clear was just how much of a zealot Kelso was.

  “I see. Yet another battle about shifter rights,” Delilah said with a
sigh as she sat down across from him, swirling the amber liquid. “It’s funny, because within the Dallas region, we think we’ve made a lot of progress. We’re a very active conclave compared to some of the ones in the past, working hard to improve social infrastructure for our kind. The hospital was a big step, but it was just one of many that we’d like to carry out. And yet you have only to go a few hours away to find someone like Kelso who still somehow thinks the right way is to stand up to the world, kicking ass and taking names. He doesn’t realize that it would never work.”

  Vance ran a hand over his face, smoothing out the lines that were becoming permanently etched in his forehead. “I know Whiteside is a peaceful guy. He wants to focus on keeping everyone safe and happy, but he’s going to have to take some real action to make it happen. We need to get back to Dallas. You need to talk to your constituents about being vigilant. Jack needs to work with our D.C. unit to put the final touches on the shifter registry. And Whiteside needs to seriously think about constructing a military.”

  Her mouth was a slanted line as she shook her head slightly. “It’s already been discussed once, and he didn’t like the idea.”

  “That was before meeting with the mayor of Crazytown. I’m sure Whiteside is starting to understand that negotiating with Kelso is going to be about as easy as putting socks on a rooster. I know he’s a pacifist, but if he cares enough about his people, he’ll see that this is the right thing to do.” It bothered even Vance to think of raising a small, local army. It was too reminiscent of the militias he’d seen fight each other overseas. They were small groups who hardly even had the strength to carry out the battles they engaged in, and more often than not, their fighting ended in death and destruction instead of any real victory. Still, there was no telling what they’d face if they succumbed to the radical Kelso.