by Susan Harris
Derek cursed a blue streak and tightened his grip on the steering wheel as he drove. Perhaps Sarge had been right, that his control was stretched to the limits at this moment. His wolf clawed at the edge of his mind, and he eased off the steering wheel as he heard it crack under the pressure. Blowing out a breath, he counted to ten to try to calm himself. However, being this close to the full moon hammered at his self-control.
If he were being honest with himself, Derek hated what he had become. Sometimes, when he thought hard about it, he considered the reason why he had joined his team was because he believed himself to be as much of a monster as those he chased down. He had explained this to Ricky one time, but his friend had shot him down. Ricky told him he could never be a monster like the ones they hunted down… that he would never let him be.
As the College of Paranormal Studies came into view, Derek turned on his right indicator and pulled into the first parking space he saw. The building loomed in his vision as he rolled up the window and popped his sunglasses on. It was a rare sunny day in Ireland, but Derek was worried that his wolf would come to the forefront and show in his eyes. All he needed was for some poor student to piss themselves at the sight of him all wolfed out.
His wolf snorted at the thought, liking the fact that they had power over mere mortals. Derek shook his head, opening the car door. His skin ached, so he stretched out his muscles. Despite the fact that he could channel his wolf at any time and change whenever he wished, for the most part, he tried to suppress that part of himself. This made the days leading up to the full moon more painful and the change excruciating on the night of, but he needed it to remind him that he was still human… to some extent, anyway.
He shut the car door and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. Behind the shade of his sunglasses, he could still see the admiring glances from the students bustling around campus. They smiled and batted their eyelashes at him, but he swiftly walked past them. Derek knew he was considered good-looking, handsome even, but he knew the wolf genes made him appealing to others. It made him more attractive with pheromones or something like that.
Striding forward, Derek made his way across the campus to find out where he could find his consultant. Sarge had barely given him any details at all except that the woman’s name was Ever Chace and she had helped him out a few times with different cases. If Sarge said she was the right person for the job, then Derek was inclined to believe it. Sarge had earned that from him—from all the team.
Derek paused for a moment to take in his surroundings. The college was a newly built facility, barely a decade old. When the supes had been revealed to the world way back in the 90s, Cork City center had gone through a metamorphosis. Originally, the college had been a small building with just three floors, and a vast array of businesses on the outskirts of the city centre. When the government had passed a motion to create a new college where humans and supes alike could study whatever they wished in paranormal studies, a lot of the businesses were bought out. A vibrant, state-of-the-art facility that was four stories high and spanned about four blocks stood in their place.
Both humans and supes studied there, and they even had night classes for the nocturnal creatures. Derek had been pleasantly surprised that the world had accepted them as openly as they had. Of course, there were those who’d said they were abominations, creatures spawned from the devil himself and set forth upon the earth. The largest group was called Humans Matter, and they staged protests and rallies all the time trying to sway people to their cause of banning supes out of Ireland altogether.
His wolf bared his teeth, snarling at the humans’ way of thinking. Derek sighed and shook his head as if he could somehow shake the wolf from his brain. As he moved forward, his heavy boots crunched on the asphalt. He had never been inside the college before. Glancing around for a sign that would lead him to a reception area, all he saw were building names. The Dracul Building made him smirk, while Wolfsbane House made him itch.
Derek was so busy trying to figure out where he was going that he walked smack into something… and the most amazing thing happened. His wolf instantly stilled—calmed and laid down in his mind’s eye. For a moment, he didn’t know what to do. He blinked away the confusion and stood there like an idiot for a few heartbeats.
His mind was clear, and he could think. Derek’s thoughts were just his thoughts; he wasn’t competing for headspace with his wolf. For the first time in a long time, he was just Derek. He felt human.
Then he heard a groan and shook the shock away as he gazed down at what he had collided with—or actually, whom.
Papers had scattered all over the ground, and a woman in her mid-twenties tried to scoop them up before they blew away. Derek knelt down and gathered up some before handing them to her. She cursed in German under her breath, and Derek’s lip curled up. He rose when she did and was about to apologize when the woman spoke.
“You’d think, being a wolf, you’d be a little more observant.”
“And if you’re smart enough to be attending college, then you should be smart enough to watch where you’re going.” The words left his mouth before he had the chance to think. He was about to apologize again when the girl burst out laughing.
It was then Derek had the chance to take her in—this girl who had calmed his wolf. She stood around 5’6” with silky smooth, golden-blonde hair that shimmered in the sun and blue-grey eyes that sparkled as she laughed. Her outfit made her look older than he imagined she was, but the faint hint of sneakers underneath faded denim jeans intrigued him. A black blazer over a loose, sky-blue blouse accentuated her eyes. With pale skin that matched her hair, she was classically beautiful, and Derek was captivated by her. She smelled of sunshine and sand; he could almost taste it on his tongue.
He was struck by a primal urge to taste her, to press his lips to hers and see if she tasted as good as she smelled. Although calmed, his wolf whimpered in agreement, and Derek had to take a step back to prevent him from acting untoward.
“I’m sorry for being so rude,” he began, but she waved him off.
“That’s okay. I probably shouldn’t be rushing around. Lost track of time… Are you lost?”
Derek bobbed his head. “I’m looking for the reception area.”
She came to stand beside him and pointed straight ahead. “If you cross the quad and go into the main building, it’s just inside the door. You can’t miss it. Look for a heavyset woman who looks like she could eat you alive. That’s Norma.”
His grin widened. “Should I be scared?”
She smiled back. “Nope, I don’t think wolf is her idea of a good meal. You should be safe.”
She swept her hair off her face, and Derek wanted to run his fingers through it to see if it felt as soft as it looked. What the hell was wrong with him?
Before he had time to articulate another word, the woman looked at her watch. “Shit! Sorry, I’m late for class! Nice running into you.”
And with that, she was gone, the scent of her lingering as his wolf whimpered.
He watched until her golden hair disappeared from sight, and that was when the wolf-rage punched back inside his head. Derek stumbled with the brunt force of it, grinding his teeth and clenching his fists to his sides. People around him gave him a wide berth, moving farther away as he tried to calm himself so he wouldn’t change.
When he had reined in his wolf, Derek wondered just who the hell that woman had been and how he was going to track her down to see her again. His phone beeped, dragging him from his thoughts. Pulling it from his pocket, Derek slid down his shades and squinted to read a text from Ricky. After claiming he had not killed the cat yet, Ricky told him they should make it to the first victim’s house by one.
Glancing at his own watch, he saw it was twenty past noon. Thrusting thoughts of the mysterious woman to the back of his mind, Derek focused on the job at hand. He followed her directions after crossing the quad, pushed open the heavy oak doors, and stepped inside. The corridor was da
rk, so he removed his shades and crooked them in the V-neck of his shirt.
He almost smiled as he laid eyes on who could only be Norma, glaring at him from behind a high desk. It was evident straightaway that Norma was a witch; he could scent the sage that clung to her clothing. She was indeed a heavyset woman whose shoulders gave Donnie a run for his money. A crooked nose and beady eyes watched him from behind thick glasses as he walked forward and leaned an elbow on the edge of the desk.
“Can I help you?” she croaked.
“Yes, I believe so. My name is Derek Doyle. I’m with the Paranormal Investigations Team.” He flashed his badge, and Norma’s frown deepened. “I’m looking for a Ms. Ever Chace. Her presence has been requested by my captain to help with a case.”
Norma cleared her throat. “You just missed Ms. Chace.” As she started tapping away on her keyboard, she left him waiting for a few moments before she responded again. “Ah, yes. Ms. Chace is in the middle of a paranormal offenders lecture over in Dracul Hall. You’ll find her there.”
He flashed his most charming smile, but it seemed to have no effect on her. “Thank you so much, Norma. You have been a great help.”
The quad was now quiet, with just a few stragglers rushing to get to class. Not bothering to shield his eyes, he made the short trek across the quad in only a few minutes. He held open the door for a young student, who blushed profusely as she thanked him before she melted into the darkness of the hallways.
Derek checked the board and spied the name and room number he was looking for. Taking the steps two at a time, he bounded up the stairs and strolled down the hall as the time on his watch indicated he was far too early to collect Ms. Chace. Derek came to a stop at the open door of the lecture theatre, and his wolf silenced once more. He couldn’t stop himself from going in, as if a siren song were calling him and his actions were not his own.
The lecture theatre was massive and packed with about two hundred students. The stage loomed below him, and his eyes wandered down until they landed on his mystery woman. He swallowed hard and leaned against the doorframe. His wolf curled up inside him, content to listen to her voice as she spoke.
“There are many misconceptions that can happen when it comes to paranormal profiling. Not all vampire killers drain their victims of blood. Not all shifter deaths are a result of dominance fights or loss of control of their animal. Like humans, serial killers and murders exist in the supernatural community as well. Sometimes, a human will even use a typical method of killing used by a supe to divert suspicion away from them.”
Derek inclined his head and listened intently as she continued to speak.
“For example, take the case of Philip K. Bourke, who raped and murdered seventeen men in the UK. Philip managed to use a nail to hammer two identical puncture wounds into the neck of his victims to give the impression a vampire had committed the murders. He even figured out how to drain some blood from the victims, but after good police work and investigation, it was soon discovered that the murderer had been human all along.”
Derek remembered the case. In the end, it had been Bourke’s cocky ego, thinking he could not get caught, that had done him in. He’d created a blog and posted detailed stories on how the murders had gone down, information only the murderer could have known. Bourke was now doing life in prison in the UK.
“When it comes to profiling a person of paranormal descent,” she continued as she walked from one side of the stage to the other, “we must leave our prejudice and beliefs to one side as we would if the offender were human. Some of the supernatural communities are as human as you and I. They have the same rights to a fair trial and to be innocent until proven guilty.”
There was a pause and a nod before a new voice piped in. “But isn’t there an increasing chance in the days leading up to the full moon that violence amongst the werewolves is increased, and thus can only indicate most murders that happen around the full moon are indeed done by wolves?”
Derek snickered; he couldn’t help it. Eyes turned in his direction, and her eyes danced mischievously as the woman on stage peered up at him.
“Brendan, we have a unique opportunity to have a wolf with us so close to the full moon. Now, I know we usually ask Declan about wolfie matters, but he is too young to be around us this close to the full moon. Would you mind?” she coyly asked Derek, but her facial expression betrayed her as she grinned.
Derek straightened and smiled back at her. “Not at all. Brendan, is it?” he asked, flashing his teeth at the poor boy. “Any occurrence of violence would have happened way back before the supernatural community came out to humans. When wolves are forced to conceal a vital part of themselves, reduce shifting to when necessary, and basically never fully accept their other halves, that, of course, could lead to violent outbursts and losing control of their wolves. But, having alphas and being part of a pack strengthens the human half and lessens the spate of murders that could occur if a wolf is not properly disciplined. Any person, wolf or human, can succumb to rages if they bottle up their emotions. Wolves just tend to use claws when they lash out.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Derek nodded, barely taking his eyes off the blonde.
A bell chimed, signaling the end of class, and the students clambered free of their desks and hustled up the steps. He waited until the room was almost empty before he descended. His mystery girl stood talking to a grey-haired woman, who he assumed was Ms. Chace. The woman was small with a kind face. She smelled human, and Derek wondered how she had ended up being a paranormal studies professor.
He came to a halt as both women glanced in his direction. Remembering his manners, Derek held out his hand and addressed the grey-haired woman. “Agent Derek Doyle of the Paranormal Investigations Team. Tom Delaney sent me to escort you to the station. He speaks very highly of you, Ms. Chace. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
The woman clasped a hand over her mouth and giggled. He raised an eyebrow as she doubled over laughing. The golden-haired girl next to him just shrugged and smiled. His wolf inclined his head, intrigued. When the woman had finally regained her composure, she waved a hand, and Derek wondered if Sarge knew his consultant was crazy.
“Dear, I’m afraid you have the wrong person. I’m not Ms. Chace.”
Derek wondered if he had read the board wrong and frowned. “Oh, I’m sorry. Can you tell me where I could find Ms. Chase, please?”
“I’m right here.”
Derek turned and looked into cobalt eyes. This time, she extended her delicate hand and said, “Ever Chace. Nice to see you again, Agent Derek Doyle.”
Derek took her outstretched hand, and his wolf wagged his tail at the simplest touch of skin. He pulled back, raising his eyebrow again. “You’re Ever Chace—Doctor Ever Chace?”
“Guilty. Now, shall we go? I don’t wish to keep Tom waiting.”
His wolf bristled at the casual way she spoke of Sarge, purely jealous of the familiarity and evident fondness in her voice. He backed away, the confusion of being in such close proximity with Ever beginning to unease him.
Ever said her goodbyes to the other woman and gathered her bag before following after Derek. They walked in silence until they were out in the fresh air again. Even though his wolf watched Ever with an intensity that shocked him to his core, Derek wondered how she could calm his wolf so much as to turn him into nothing more than a puppy dog.
“So… are you going to speak to me again or not?” Ever smirked as she caught up with him despite his long strides.
“Depends on if you knew who I was when you ran into me.”
She snorted. “You were the one who ran into me, Mr. Agent. Besides, other than knowing you were a cop, how was I to know you were the one Tom had sent to bring me to the station?”
He blew out a breath and stomped out to the car park. Derek had no clue why he was so pissed off, but he knew he needed to get Ever to Sarge and leave before his wolf decided he didn’t like being docile anymore. He could feel the
rage build up inside him, and he longed to punch something. It was not a good feeling for a wolf on the cusp of a full moon.
Derek went to the passenger side of his car and opened the door for Ever. Looking surprised, she gave him a genuine smile and slipped into the seat of his BMW. As he closed the door, he gave himself a minute before getting into the driver’s side. After putting the keys in the ignition, Derek started the car and reversed out. It was a little after one and the lunch traffic was beginning to build up.
“If you’re going to be all silent and broody, Mr. Agent, can I at least turn on the radio?”
Derek grunted a yes as he maneuvered his way through the traffic, groaning as Ever turned on the radio and an overly poppy track vibrated out of the speakers. She tapped her fingers on the window and hummed along to the song. Both man and wolf were utterly captivated by her.
This was going to be a long day.