by Julie Kenner
“I won’t break any laws. And with you, he will still be innocent until proven guilty.”
“You plan to be his judge and jury.”
“If he was the one who killed my people, yes.”
She shook her head. “Despite all this craziness, all I can think about right this instant is how badly I want to hold you, to keep you out of this. Safe. Must be the cop in me.”
The tight line of his mouth blossomed into a smile. “Not cop. Mate.”
She shook her head, not quite ready to admit that much. “Stay safe, okay?”
“Amanda, I—”
“Later.” Lifting his hand from hers, she brushed a kiss against his palm. “We’ve got a killer to catch.”
CHAPTER TEN
ALL THE PARKING LOTS around Sundance Square were full. It looked like everyone under the age of forty in the city had come out to party on Halloween. Amanda ended up parking her Volvo in the bank garage. “It’s a bit of a walk, but we should be safe.”
“All kinds of beings stroll among mankind this night.” Hunched into his jean jacket, expression bleak, Nick looked dangerous. Not law enforcement dangerous, but bad guy dangerous.
Despite herself, Amanda shivered. “I don’t want to know.”
They reached the crowded square without incident, merging into the costumed throng of people. When Nick took her hand, Amanda didn’t resist. For the first time in her life, she felt comfortable having someone else at her side.
The night pulsed with life. Witches in stilettos and pointy hats strolled alongside astronauts and gangsters. Amanda counted three wizards, a ghost, some sort of bondage costume, seven vampires of both sexes and a couple of authentic-looking werewolf costumes. If only they knew.
Smiling, she caught herself glancing at Nick. He dipped his chin to their left.
There. The Broken Shackle bar. One of Jason’s favorite hangouts.
Kenyon had cleaned the place up since Amanda had seen it. Around the corner from the popular Sundance Square, the place was enough off the beaten path to be ignored by the tourists. Maybe the bar was more than an unprofitable front for his Pack business. Muted yellow light glowed from behind the sparkling glass storefront. The place looked packed. Amanda squeezed Nick’s hand. A muscular bouncer dressed like an extra from an X-rated movie guarded the door.
“Kenyon’s goon.”
“I recognize him from earlier. I wonder if he knows the Mustang guy who shot at us.”
A small line had formed at the entrance. They waited patiently, both of them continually scanning their surroundings. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary—other than the costumes. People laughed and talked and strolled. A bunch of partiers, out to enjoy the darkest night of the year.
But something was different. Wrong. Amanda sensed it. She could tell Nick felt uneasy, too, though he might be dealing with feelings peculiar to shifters.
At last they reached the front of the line. If Kenyon’s bodyguard recognized them, he didn’t show it. Face impassive, he took their ten dollar cover fee, stamped their hands and waved them through, behind a woman in a gauzy harem costume who had to be freezing.
Barely squeezing inside, her hand firmly in Nick’s, Amanda searched the room. The noise level, while loud, still seemed subdued compared to a club with a live band. At least she could hear herself think. “I don’t see him.”
“Kenyon? If he’s out prowling for a victim, he won’t be here.”
“Or if he adheres to your traditions,” she felt obliged to point out, “he might have gone to find himself a nice, isolated pasture. Let’s ask for him.”
“Are you out of your mind?”
She yanked her hand free. “You know, you ask me that a lot. I’m getting tired of it. I’m here on official police business. If I want to see a suspect in a crime, I have a right to ask to see him.”
“Tonight’s crime hasn’t even been committed yet.”
Opening her mouth to ask him how he knew this, Amanda swallowed back the words. Hell, even she sensed whatever was to come had yet to happen. And she didn’t have Nick’s extra senses.
“Kenyon will be here shortly.” The man’s voice, flat and without inflection, came from behind her.
Amanda spun. “Who—?”
A tall, gaunt man stared back at her with eyes so black they seemed bottomless. He wore the costume of an old world gypsy, the clothing so worn that it looked authentic.
Yanking Amanda away, Nick growled. “Get away from us.”
The man held up his hands in the classic gesture of appeasement. “I meant no offense.”
“None taken.” But Nick’s thunderous expression didn’t match his words. He stared after the other man until he’d disappeared in the crowd.
“What was that all about?”
“You don’t want to know.”
“Yes, I do. Who was that guy?”
“A very ancient vampire,” he said, unsmiling. “I’m not sure why he’s working with Kenyon, but this can’t be good.”
“A vampire. As in, costume?” Even to her own ears, Amanda knew her question sounded weak. As Nick started to respond, she shook her head. “Never mind. You’re right…I don’t want to know.”
Nick stiffened, frowning. “We need to go outside.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. Maybe I’m just suffocating. Or maybe it’s gut instinct.” Turning, he pushed his way back to the door. Amanda followed.
Once outside, he turned in a slow circle, breathing in the cool night air. Around them the crowd flowed and surged, laughter and the murmur of small talk filling their ears.
Amanda glanced around, too. “Do you sense something?”
“That’s just it.” Frustration colored his tone. “I don’t know. All I know is if the killer is a shifter, he will feel compelled to kill tonight.”
About to comment, Amanda spotted a familiar face entering the Broken Shackle bar. “There’s Chris Chartwell.”
“Out of the hospital already?”
“She should have been under guard.” Amanda punched automatic dial on her cell phone. A few words with the team member on station duty, and her stomach clenched. She clicked the phone shut. “She discharged herself. They couldn’t charge her with a crime, so they had to let her go.”
“That’s odd. Wouldn’t you think she’d have gone home instead of bar-hopping?”
“Yeah. And this particular bar…too many coincidences. Let’s go talk to her.”
He touched her arm. “No, wait. If she’s meeting Kenyon, his guards will have told him we’re here. I don’t want to alarm her into running.”
“Meeting Kenyon? Why would—?”
Someone screamed.
Amanda started forward.
The scream became a laugh. Someone else growled. Another person made a ghost sound. Playing.
“Halloween.”
Shaking her head, Amanda managed a shaky laugh. “I’m a bit tense. That’s not good.”
“Look.” Nick ducked behind a large metal suit of armor used as a statue. “Over there, by the door to the back. Chris. She’s with one of Kenyon’s bodyguards.”
Tall and slender, Chris’s blond hair shone in its single braid. She wore some sort of warrior princess costume, like Zena or Wonder Woman. As they watched, she slipped her arm around her date’s waist. Drink in hand, he leaned down and spoke into her ear, sending her into a fit of giggles.
“What the—” Swearing, Amanda started forward. “She said some men were following us when she chased us in her car. Now she’s dating one of these guys? We need to find out what Chris is up to.”
Chris and the bodyguard disappeared around the corner. Still, Nick hesitated. “They’re heading toward the movie theater.”
“Let’s follow,” Amanda said.
“Keep a few people between us. You don’t want her to see you.”
Amanda nodded. Counting to ten, she took Nick’s arm. Together, they strolled around the corner.
There was no sign of C
hris or Kenyon’s goon.
The wind gusted from the north. The solitary streetlight had burned out, leaving this stretch of pavement dark and cold.
“Where the hell did they go?”
“I’m worried.” Amanda tightened her grip on Nick’s arm. “What if she’s not dating that guy? What if he’s forcing her somewhere?”
Nick covered her hand with his. “Did she look like she was being forced?”
“No, but—” Nick was right. She swallowed. “One step at a time. Come on.” She tugged him down the sidewalk. “We’ve got to find them first.”
“How far is the theater? Maybe they’ve already reached it.”
“This quickly? It’s two blocks up, so unless they ran, they wouldn’t be there yet. They must have turned up one of these side streets. Come on.”
Still he didn’t budge. “Could they have taken a shortcut?”
“Nick, either you come with me, or I’m going without you.” She started forward. He grabbed her arm, spinning her to face him.
“Amanda…” Face intent, he cautioned her. “You’re a cop. Think. We’ve got to be extremely careful. There are a lot of innocent civilians around, especially in a movie theater. If a gun battle breaks out—”
She pulled free. “Gun battle? Do you really think Kenyon’s bodyguard would do something that crazy? Here? Now?”
“If he plans to hurt Chris, he might.”
She stared. “Hurt Chris? You just said she looked like she was there of her own free will. On a date. Why would you think he’d hurt her?”
He looked down. “Remember when I told you some shifters think you’re responsible for Jason’s death?”
“Yes.”
“A few more of them are watching Chris. She was his best friend. If she did anything to hurt him, they’ll be on her like fleas on a dog.”
“Watching Chris. Don’t you think you should have shared this before?”
“I just found out.”
“When?”
“While you filled out paperwork at the station earlier. I heard from Mike Andrews again. He seems to consider himself my informant. And then, I thought it was nonsense.”
Only slightly mollified, she shook her head. “I thought we were partners. Partners don’t withhold information from each other.”
“Amanda.” He grabbed her chin. “I’m sorry. I made a mistake.”
Taking a deep breath, she pushed away her fury. Out of place, overmagnified. But still…“We need to go. Get Chris out.”
He grabbed her arm. “Wait. We need to hold off until the movie starts. Nothing will happen there—they’ll have to leave. We’ll have to watch the theater.”
He had a point. “So we wait.” She couldn’t keep the grudging tone from her voice. She crossed her arms. “You know, there are severe holes in your logic. If Chris killed Jason, then she would’ve also killed the others. All the M.O.’s were the same. While I agree that we could consider Chris, I think Kenyon’s a much more likely suspect. One of his bodyguards is with Chris. She could be in danger, especially if Kenyon thinks she’s the murderer.”
“If she didn’t kill Jason, then she’s not in danger. Kenyon wouldn’t act without proof.”
A sound from their right, close, around the back of an old warehouse, made them turn. Amanda looked at Nick. He stared back. Both of them recognized that sound. The muted pop of a gun fitted with a silencer. Then a crash and the awful thud a body made hitting the ground.
“Chris,” Amanda whispered.
They ran.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
ONCE AROUND the corner, Amanda skidded to a halt. The bodyguard was on the ground and Chris stood over him with a gun aimed at the man’s chest.
“You!” Amanda struggled to hide her surprise. She didn’t shock easily, but the scene in front of her was unreal. Tall, slender Chris had bested the burly bodybuilder. How—especially if he was a shifter? And why?
Tossing her hair as she lifted her head to glare at them, Chris snarled. “Yes, me.” She saw Amanda look at the bodyguard and laughed. The sound sent chills down Amanda’s spine.
So did the sight of the pistol Chris clutched in her left hand and pointed at Nick.
“You’re the killer?” Amanda still didn’t believe it.
Chris smirked. “Yes. I slipped something in his drink. Takes a while to work. Nothing to it, just like all the others.” She glanced at Nick. “You shifters are not the brightest.”
“Why?” Nick asked, his voice unemotional and calm. “Why’d you kill them?”
“Because I can. And now that you know, I’ll have to kill you, too.” That was no answer, and they all knew it. But criminals, especially killers, liked to boast. If Amanda could get Chris talking…distracted, then Amanda might have a chance to go for her own weapon. She flexed her fingers. Dare she?
Chris kept her gun pointed at Nick, though her gaze flicked to Amanda. “Try it and he dies. I have silver bullets.”
Damn. Amanda gave a slow nod to show she understood, then she glanced at the body, pretending fascination. “You’re damn good, Chris. One shot, straight through the heart. Amazing. You obviously know what your victims are.”
“So do you.” Chris pursed her lips. “Jason told me. He showed you. And you didn’t want him.”
Nick had gone silent. With a major effort of will, Amanda kept herself from looking at him.
Jason. She focused on Chris’s words. “You killed Jason?”
With a frown, Chris jerked her head once. Yes.
“You were Jason’s best friend. Ever since college. You two were inseparable. Why kill him?”
“Because of you.” The other woman spat the words. “I loved him, more than you ever could. He belonged to me. In more ways than one.”
Now Nick spoke. “You were lovers?”
“Lovers? You could call it that. Jason did what I told him to do. He was my slave.”
Nick spoke. “You were his mistress?”
Chris’s smile was cold. “In every sense of the word. But I didn’t realize he had the upper hand until too late. He used me. For sex. Not lovemaking.” She mocked the word. “He liked it rough. Lots of his kind do.” Her furious eyes burned Amanda. “Bet you didn’t even know that, did you?”
“No.” Amanda managed to push the word out past her suddenly dry throat.
“Not all shifters like it rough.” Nick answered Amanda’s unasked question, though he spoke to Chris.
“Jason did. He liked to play wild and loose. Two women, or men, the more the merrier. He helped me kill the first victim.”
“Jason?” Amanda couldn’t contain her shock.
“Yes.” Chris grimaced. “The first time was an accident. It happened in the heat of the moment.”
Nick took a step forward. “An accident? You ripped his limbs off.”
Amanda quietly did the same.
“Don’t come any closer.” Chris’s voice went shrill. “Or you’ll be my next kill.”
“You’re not one of us.” Nick never took his gaze off the gun. “You’re human.”
“Human,” Chris snarled. “Not good enough. I wanted to be like you. But Jason refused to obey and make me a shifter. Gave me some story about how it was inherited.”
Amanda noticed Nick didn’t point out that Jason had spoken the truth. She inched a little closer. “If you shoot Nick, I’ll take you down.”
Chris’s gaze darted from one to the other. “He’ll still die.”
“So will you.”
“I hate you, Amanda.” Chris spat the words. “Jason thought he loved you, not me. And you didn’t even know him. I accepted what he was, but he was going to propose to you. I tried to stop him, told him how I felt, and he rejected me.” Venom and rage rang in her tone. “I wasn’t good enough for him.”
“So you killed him?” Amanda kept her expression neutral. Dangerously unbalanced, Chris still had her gun aimed at Nick’s chest.
“I’ve never been good enough.” Chris’s face started to cru
mple. For half a second, then the icy mask came back. “Jason helped me, at first. The kinkiness got out of hand. When it did, other things got out of hand. In the midst of all this, Jason changed into a wolf. That’s when I knew what I wanted to become—a werewolf. Jason lost control—you should have seen what he did to that guy’s body. I thought if he bit me, if he drew blood, then I’d be able to become a wolf, too.”
“Have you?” Nick asked, as though it were even a possibility. According to what he’d told Amanda about shifters, it wasn’t.
Chris stared at him. Amanda took that opportunity to move a few feet closer, unnoticed.
“Not yet.” Chris kicked at the dead bodyguard under her feet. “I’ve tried and tried and tried, but I haven’t become a wolf.”
“Why’d you kill the others?”
Lifting her head, Chris’s nostrils flared. “I want their power. When I become a wolf, I’m going to be a strong one. Jason told me how, in the Pack, the power of the dead can transfer to the living.”
“That’s why you dismember them?” Nick sounded fascinated rather than repulsed. Amanda hoped that was only a ruse. If it wasn’t, she didn’t want to know. But if Nick could keep Chris’s attention and keep her talking, maybe Amanda could get close enough to take her down.
It was worth a try. She scooted a bit forward.
Chris glanced at her and Amanda froze. “Yes,” she said hurriedly. “Why cut off their arms and legs? And what do you do with their heads?”
“I do what Jason did as a wolf. I feed on their power. I eat their flesh, drink their blood. It fills me with power.”
Amanda didn’t dare look at Nick. But the idea that Chris had Jason’s head and the heads of all the others, and kept them as trophies, infuriated her. “You’re insane.”
Chris bared her teeth. “I’m a wolf,” she snarled. She swung her gun around to Amanda.
“Now!” Nick shouted, moving forward.
Amanda kicked up, glad for all those Tae Bo classes she’d taken. Her shoe connected with Chris’s arm an instant before Chris squeezed the trigger.
The gun went off. The bullet went into the air.
Amanda’s momentum carried her forward. Chris went down with an oomph. Her head made a sickening sound when she hit the pavement. Amanda slapped cuffs on her and then felt for a pulse. When she finally found one, it was unsteady and weak.