Fate’s Reaping

by Becca Fanning

  It was his job to find Cory Rivers, even if he didn’t like their family. That was something he had to do because there was no other alternative.

  But making sure Angie didn’t suffer because of her decision – that sealed the deal for Marcus.

  I’ll find the boy, and I’ll find whoever kidnapped him and Angie. And when I do…

  He felt his stomach churn just thinking about it.

  Chapter 11

  They walked and they walked and they walked. Angie was sweating within minutes. Her eyes kept looking to the sky. She was expecting the rain storm to come any minute. It was hot – but no less ominous.

  Marcus had taken over the duties of leading the three of them into Joanna Rivers’ pasture. Joanna was next, followed by Angie at a distance.

  I know I’m being ridiculous. I know it.

  She couldn’t stop herself from it, no matter how hard she tried. Marcus was a good looking man – and if she was being honest with herself, he was probably the best looking man in the entire town of Charming. Maybe even the entire county. He was heavily muscled, handsome, and had a rugged demeanor about him most couldn’t help but try to emulate.

  He was perfect in almost every way.

  So, of course it makes sense that someone else would be after him. But that doesn’t mean I have to like it.

  Joanna Rivers was older than Angie by a good number of years, but she was still strikingly beautiful. She had a fierce determination that probably attracted men like moths to a flame. Plus, she was rich. She could have any man that she wanted – anywhere.

  So why does she have to go after Marcus? Is it because he’s mysterious? Handsome? Or because he wants nothing to do with her?

  He does want nothing to do with her, right?

  Angie believed him when he said he didn’t. She believed that he only wanted her. But seeing them together…

  I’m only human. It’s okay to be jealous.

  “I see him,” Marcus said, bringing Angie out of her thoughts. She glanced up and saw Marcus pointing downward to a small pond. There was someone sprawled out next to the water, hands spread wide and face towards the sky. Thunder rumbled.

  “Cory!” Joanna said, tears streaking down her face as she ran down the slope to her brother. Angie grimaced; she couldn’t help but feel for this woman. What she was going through wasn’t fair – and it was Angie’s fault.

  Marcus and Angie followed Joanna down to where she was already crouched by her brother’s side. Angie could see over Joanna’s shoulder. The boy was groggy, but he was alive. She felt relief flood through her body. Carefully, Joanna propped his head up and poured a little bit of water down his throat through cracked lips. He drank gratefully.

  “What happened?” Marcus asked, crouching down next to Cory.

  His eyes fluttered up to Marcus and his mouth opened but Angie was at his side, hand on Marcus’s shoulder, saying, “Marcus, give him a second.”

  Marcus nodded and took a few steps back, giving Joanna and her brother plenty of room. Angie watched carefully, one hand still on Marcus’s shoulder.

  After a few minutes of taking small sips of water and whispering between themselves, Joanna helped her brother to his feet.

  “He says he was kidnapped,” she told them.

  Marcus cursed under his breath and Angie asked, “Two men?”

  Cory Rivers nodded and said, voice hoarse, “Yeah.” He took another sip of water, standing unsteadily, and continued.

  “They came to the house last night when I was there alone. Knocked on the door. I didn’t know who they were – but when I opened it, they barged right in. I ran. Made it as far as my bedroom. I got halfway out of the window and I thought I was going to get away – and then one of them pulled me out of the window and drug me off towards the back of the house.

  “I didn’t see much. It was dark. And then they put a bag over my head and pushed a gun against my back. Made me walk. I don’t know how long. When we stopped, they tied me up and took the bag off. There was a bonfire burning – but I still couldn’t see them.

  “They burned me,” he said, lifting up his shirt. There were nasty burns against his side and chest. Angie felt a wave of guilt. She’d caused it.

  If I would have told Marcus sooner, said something. Anything…

  “They asked me questions. About you, Jo. The Sheriff,” he said, nodding towards Marcus. “Even her.”

  Angie felt her blood run cold. Everything was echoing what had happened to her.

  “Marcus, who’s next?” she asked. He just shrugged his shoulders.

  “Let’s get you home, kid,” he said. Joanna looped her arms underneath her brother and supported him along the far walk back to their house.

  Big, fat drops of rain were just beginning to splash onto the dusty soil when they got back to the Rivers’ house.

  “You should take him to the hospital,” Marcus told Joanna. “And don’t say a word to anybody. It could be dangerous.” She nodded and they climbed into her truck, rumbling off without even a thanks.

  “What does it all mean, Marcus?” Angie asked. They climbed into the borrowed car and sat without talk for a few minutes, the only noise the splattering of the raindrops on the car.

  “I don’t know, Angie,” he finally said. “And it scares me more than I’d like to admit. Last time – last time, we had an idea. They were going after you. And now – they’re going after you, and the Rivers’, maybe even going after me. What does it all mean?”

  Angie didn’t have the answers.

  “I’m scared, Angie. I don’t know what’s going to happen. But something tells me it’s only going to get worse. This is just the beginning. Blood is going to be shed, and I have no idea how to stop it.

  “Angie? What do I do?”

  She looked over at him, speechless. She didn’t have the answers. She didn’t know what she could even say to him.

  Angie kissed him.

  “Thank you,” he whispered.

  Marcus’s mood was as stormy as the weather around them.

  They drove into Charming, both of them mostly silent, thinking of what was to come.

  “I have to report that we were attacked earlier,” Marcus told her. She nodded. They pulled up to the deserted Sheriff’s Department. Marcus opened the door into the downpour and crossed to the building, unlocking it and waving Angie in. She opened her door and sprinted in, half soaked.

  “It shouldn’t take long,” he said.

  “And we keep the kidnappings close to our chest?” Angie asked. “Marcus, is that a good idea?”

  “If they find out we’re on to them, things could get worse.”

  “Or it could stop them from kidnapping others. It could stop it.”

  “Angie,” he said, putting down the pen he’d been about to write with. “This wasn’t your fault. It wouldn’t have changed anything if you’d told me sooner. Cory Rivers would still been kidnapped. The only thing we can do is try to stop it from happening again.” He sighed and ran a hand across his face. “Though I don’t know how we’re going to do that.”

  Angie nodded and sat down in the chair opposite the desk, watching Marcus write down his report. When he was finished, he grabbed the phone and dialed a number. Angie listened as he explained what had happened. She couldn’t hear what the person on the other line was saying, but Marcus’s demeanor changed.

  “No. They attacked us.” “At my house.” “A review? Are you serious? For defending myself?”

  He slammed the phone down and sighed, collapsing backwards in his chair. “They’re going to investigate me. They’re sending some officers out to our place now.”

  Our place. It had a ring to it, though the memories they had made lately there hadn’t been what she would call good.

  “Should we head out there?”

  “The hell with them,” he growled, getting to his feet. “I’ve filed the report. They’re more than welcome to come pick it up whenever it suits them.”

  He held out a ha
nd to her and she took it, letting him pull her to her feet. She came close to him and Marcus wrapped his arms tightly around her, holding her tight.

  “We’ll get through this, Angie,” Marcus said. Her face was buried in his shoulder but she nodded just the same. “We always do.”

  It was getting late in the evening but the storm was showing no sign of abating.

  “I’m starving,” Marcus said. They were both standing in the open doorway of the Sheriff’s Department, watching the rainstorm.

  “What’s there to eat around this town?” Angie asked. She’d been here for a while, yet she didn’t know everything there was to offer in Charming – though truthfully, it couldn’t be too much.

  “R & C?” Marcus asked. “Not much else in Charming.”

  “Sounds wonderful,” she said. She’d been there before, once, and though she’d never admit it – she thought it had better coffee than the coffee chain she’d pioneered for the town.

  They ran back to the police car and drove towards the Rest and Coffee. They had a lot of problems – but the most important one then was finding out what they were going to eat for dinner.

  Inside, much to Angie’s surprise, was packed. Citizens she’d never seen before were out eating, probably trying to wait out the storm. They were seated after a five minute wait – something Angie had never expected to happen in Charming.

  They’d just ordered – Marcus a steak, Angie a delicious sounding Alfredo pasta – when the doors opened again and three men walked inside. Angie looked them over and shuddered, though she didn’t know why.

  She watched their eyes scan the small diner and then settle over Marcus. The one in the lead smiled – he had long, dark hair and was extremely tall. Something about him set Angie on edge. When he took off his sunglasses, which she thought was odd to wear on a cloudy day like today, she saw why.

  He’s a Shifter. Here, in Charming? That can’t be. Marcus would have known. He would have said something.

  Marcus didn’t look happy when the three men walked up to their table, though he certainly didn’t look surprised.

  “After the trial, I’m surprised to see you two together,” he said. His voice was oily, disgusting, and made Angie’s stomach do flips. She knew right away that he was a despicable man, nothing like Marcus.

  “What do you want?” Marcus growled.

  “We just finished loading up the bodies of the men who attacked you,” the Shifter said. “It doesn’t look good, Marcus. Two men dead out at your farm. With everything else that’s going on, with everything that’s happened – what are we to think?”

  “Don’t pull this with me,” Marcus said, staring hard. “Pick up the report. You can read it and you’ll know that I’m telling the truth.”

  “We’ll talk tomorrow, Sheriff,” he said, moving out of the way as their food was brought out. He looked over at Angie and smiled, though it was barely more than a sneer.

  “Who were they?” Angie asked the second they were out of earshot – and she’d given them extra time to move to the opposite side of the diner where they’d pulled up seats at the counter.

  “FBI agents sent here to watch me,” he said, looking down at his steak. Angie’s food smelled delicious, but she’d suddenly lost her appetite.

  “That’s not what I mean, and you know it.”

  “Shifters,” he said shortly.

  “They don’t look like any Shifters I’ve ever seen,” Angie muttered, then blushed and looked at Marcus. “Well, I guess I’ve only seen you.”

  “That’s because they’re not like me. Not really. They’re wolves.”

  “Wolves? Like werewolves?” Angie had raised a bite of pasta to her mouth but it slowly fell away.

  “No,” Marcus told her. “Werewolves are nasty creatures. Though wolf Shifters aren’t much better. They’re arrogant, dangerous, and have no self-respect for anyone but themselves.”

  Angie audibly swallowed, glancing at the men’s backs at the counter.

  “Marcus, how long have you known about these men?”

  “They got here the day you got back into town.”

  “And you didn’t tell me?” she asked, more than a little hurt.

  “I’m sorry. I’ve been so overwhelmed, and I didn’t want to worry you anymore,” he said, grabbing her hand and squeezing. “I should have told you. It was wrong not to.”

  At that moment, the wolf Shifter who had spoken up – Angie assumed he must have been the leader – turned in his seat and flashed Angie a smile that made her blood run cold.

  “Let’s eat and get out of here,” Angie said. Together, they quickly ate, though neither had that much of an appetite any longer.

  Chapter 12

  “Wolf shifters,” Angie said for the fifth time. “What is going on? And they’re FBI agents in Charming?”

  Angie’s train of thought seemed to keep coming, and she was saying whatever came to mind. Marcus just sat next to her and nodded, said an occasional mmhmm, and let her talk. Every once in a while she would say something along the lines of, “And you didn’t tell me.” It was never a question; simply a statement. To this, Marcus said nothing.

  They were sitting on the porch as the sunlight fell away. The clouds were beginning to recede and Marcus could just make out the stars as they started to shine their way through the sky; if it wasn’t for his eyesight, he knew he wouldn’t be able to see them.

  “Can’t we get any peace and quiet?” he growled, turning towards the driveway.

  “What? I’m sorry – I’ll shut up now,” Angie said sheepishly.

  “Not you,” he said pointing down the driveway. At the end of it, an expensive looking car was making its way towards the house. “Who could it be, now?”

  “Oh shit,” Angie muttered. Marcus glanced at her, wondering what could cause that kind of reaction – then he took a long, hard look at the car and he realized who it was.

  Angie’s ex. What the hell is he doing here? On my property?

  “Before you even ask,” Angie said, turning towards Marcus. “I have no idea what he’s doing here.”

  Marcus stood up from the chair, standing as tall as possible, and watched with narrowed eyes as the fancy car pulled up between his borrowed police car and Angie’s totaled rental.

  The driver’s side door opened and Marcus saw Jonathan Hall’s assistant – driver – whatever he was, walk around and open the door for the other man. He stood up, flattening his suit and staring up towards the house with a look of confusion.

  Next to him, Angie stiffened.

  “What?” Marcus asked, his voice as quiet as possible. The two men began making their way towards the house, though Jonathan Hall’s assistant stopped underneath one of the trees at the foot of the sidewalk.

  “There’s two of them.”

  Everything clicked into place immediately. Marcus knew where Angie’s thoughts were turning. She’d been kidnapped by two men, and there were definitely two men here.

  “You didn’t think it was him before?”

  “I didn’t know there were two of them. I thought Jon had come alone,” Angie said. She glanced sideways at Marcus and hissed, “You knew he wasn’t alone?”

  Marcus shrugged.

  “Ange, Sheriff Stone,” Jon began as he reached the foot of Marcus’s porch.

  “What can I do for you, Mr. Hall?” Marcus was asking at the same time as Angie was saying, “What do you want, Jon?”

  He looked at both of them for a few moments as if unsure who he should talk to first. Then he smiled at Marcus and said, “You are the Sheriff, after all. I’m here to talk business with an associate of mine.”

  “I’m no associate of yours,” Angie said. Marcus could detect the anger radiating from her. He wasn’t sure just what set it off – but it was there, simmering barely below the surface.

  “Can you give us a minute, Sheriff?” Jon asked with a smile that did nothing to set Marcus at ease.

  In response, Marcus took a step closer and said,
“I’ll stay if Angie wants me to stay.”

  “It’s about our… past dealings, Ange,” Jon said.

  “Marcus, can you give us a minute?” Angie suddenly asked. Marcus felt his heart skip a beat. He’d never expected her to say something like that – he’d expected her to tell her that whatever Jonathan Hall needed to say, he could say it in front of Marcus.

  Marcus nodded and said, “I’ll be right inside.”

  He closed the door behind him and made his way into the kitchen, sitting down heavily at the table. If he had wanted, he could have stood on the inside of the door – his heightened senses would have let him hear every word between Angie and Jonathan Hall – but he didn’t feel that would be fair to her.

  So he sat for nearly fifteen minutes in silence, stewing in his thoughts. He had no idea what they were talking about and it was almost eating him alive.

  Finally, he heard the door open and Angie came inside. She looked disappointed – nearly disgusted – almost as if she’d done something she wished she hadn’t done.

  “What was that about?”

  “He wants us to work together,” Angie said. She grabbed the seat opposite of Marcus and sat down almost as heavily as he had a quarter of an hour earlier. “He wants to help me with Charming’s expansion.”

  “And you told him hell no, right?” Marcus asked. He knew the answer already, but when Angie didn’t answer, he prompted, “Right?”

  “I told him yes,” she said, looking into his eyes. There was something there, something deep within them that didn’t sit right with Marcus.

  “Why? Why would you agree to something like that?”

  “I can’t say.”

  “What do you mean you can’t say?” he growled. He felt anger rising inside of him. After everything they’d been through these last few days, and she wanted to keep something like that from him? It was grating. “What did he mean about your past dealings? What did that mean?”

  Angie sat in silence for a few more moments, Marcus growing angrier by the second. The more he felt the rage growing, the more Angie seemed to shrink in front of him. Her mood was becoming just as bad as his, though there was no anger there – at least not directed toward him.