by Susan Bliler
***
Stepping out into the blinding snow, RedKnife cursed himself. He knew the blizzard currently raging was his fault. He’d been unable to control the part of him that tapped into the elements since the moment he’d met Cindy, and the entire county was paying for it. Even now, with her locked securely in his cabin, wearing his halo that proved to all she belonged to him, he still couldn’t control the thick snow that continued to blast across the mountains.
Not claimed. While Cindy had been collared, a Walker claiming also required a binding…a mating after the gifting of a halo, and apparently his inner beasts agreed with the dictate. How in the hell he’d ever get near enough to touch her once he brought her brother in was beyond him, but he’d find a way. Worse, he still didn’t even know if it would work. He wasn’t afflicted. Still, he vowed to try. She would be his.
Shifting, he took flight and headed for the city. His eagle’s eyes scanned the snow-covered plains as he soared over the highway and he wondered if he’d even be able to get back to StoneCrow with Cody. The roads looked bad, but he was a determined Walker.
Soaring over the land he couldn’t help the bite of pride he felt. Cindy was wearing his halo. He was prepared to claim her as his Angel, and nothing felt more right. Could it be that his days of loneliness were at an end?
Not if I fuck this up. He had to find a way for Monroe to get his answers, Cody to stay breathing, and Cindy to end up in his arms…and his bed.
Chapter 27
A short few hours later, RedKnife was standing behind a seated Cody Sambrano in Monroe’s office. The CEO pinned the petty crook with a challenging glare.
RedKnife turned when he heard the door open and cursed Monroe internally when Cindy entered. Relief flooded her expression when her eyes landed on him, but disappeared just as quickly when she looked behind him and saw her brother.
“Cody?”
She raced for her brother, but RedKnife caught her and turned her into his arms.
Her voice was shrill with panic. “Why is he here?” She turned horrified eyes on him. “RedKnife?” She stopped trying to get free, her accusation spilling from her on a breath. “What have you done?”
What I had to do to keep you safe. He didn’t speak the words. Instead, he scowled at Monroe, silently commanding the CEO to explain.
Monroe smiled cockily and complied. “Turns out, Ms. Sambrano, your brother denies your account of his intentions.”
Her gaze whipped to Cody. “What?” Honestly, what had she expected? Her brother was a leech. He’d sucked her dry for years, and now she couldn’t really expect him to own up to it. Still…it hurt.
“Regardless,” Monroe carried on. “We know he’s lying.”
It was Cody’s turn to scowl at Monroe. “I ain’t lying. If she was trying to rob this place, I had nothing to do with it. It’s all on her.”
Cindy’s eyes flooded with tears. Had her own brother really just thrown her under the bus? Lying bastard! She lunged at him with clawed hands, but RedKnife held her firmly to him.
Oh, how she hated Cody! She hated him for hounding her parents up until their death. She hated him for the guilt she bore for not being able to provide more for him. She hated him for not being the brother she prayed for. She hated him for her nightmares. Finally, after all her work to save him, to keep him and to love him…she was finally ready to let go.
RedKnife growled.
Cody paled.
And Monroe smiled, turning his attention back to Cody. “Who said anything about robbing the place?”
If it was possible, Cody paled even further. “You did. You…uh…”
Monroe’s brief smile faded as he shook his head and tsked. “Exhausting.” Dark brows speared down as he took up a pen and studied the paperwork on his desk, not looking up as he directed, “RedKnife, take your mate home.”
Mate? Cindy didn’t ask about that, but she had to know. “What are you going to do with him?”
King entered the office and strode over to tower behind Cody.
Monroe didn’t even look up. “King, take him to our holding facility until the police arrive.”
“No way, man!” Cody sprang from his chair. “You’re not fucking locking me up! Take that bitch!” He jabbed his finger in Cindy’s direction. “It was all her idea!”
Quick as a flash, RedKnife released Cindy and spun. His fist snapped out so fast that Cindy barely saw the punch that connected with Cody’s face, sending his unconscious form dropping toward the floor.
Good!
Before Cody hit, RedKnife caught his wrist and jerked, pulling the dead weight to him as he bent and shoved his shoulder into Cody’s midsection. Then, he hoisted the man up so he was draped over his shoulder. Turning, he frowned at Cindy. “Wait here.”
“You got what you wanted,” she bit out harshly. Lifting her head with feigned confidence, she refused to meet RedKnife’s gaze as her hand lifted to the halo around her throat. “Now take this thing off me!”
Her eyes snapped to his, and he wanted to wince at the clear hurt he read there.
“You’re not backed into a corner now. You kept me here. I didn’t escape.”
Realization slammed home. She’d misunderstood. She actually thought he’d gifted her his halo to keep her from escaping. How could she not know he’d done it to protect her while he’d been gone? No one would dare touch her if they knew she was his, that was why he’d done it. Of course, how could he expect her to see it any other way? He hadn’t shown her any reason to believe that he’d gifted her his halo for any other motive than to control her.
“Cindy,” he spoke softly and stepped forward, but she jerked back.
Her hazel eyes slammed to Monroe. “Did you get what you wanted?”
Monroe didn’t respond, and RedKnife knew he needed to deal with Cody quickly before he could explain himself to Cindy. “Wait here,” he repeated.
She wanted to tell him to go to hell, but didn’t. When his expression softened and he lifted a hand to cup her cheek, she pulled back and dropped her eyes.
His lip curled derisively as he flashed a look toward Monroe before stalking from the office with King right behind him.
Alone with Monroe, Cindy was quiet a few moments before eyeing the top of the CEO’s head as he worked. “What now?”
Monroe’s clear blue gaze met hers.
“What happens now?” She clarified. “Am I free to go?”
As if only just now considering it, a grin titled the CEO’s lips. “Absolutely.”
She didn’t need to hear anything else. Turning, she hurried for the door. Monroe’s words halted her escape.
“But, Ms. Sambrano!”
She didn’t turn to him, simply stopped with her hand on the doorknob.
“That halo around your neck says differently.”
“I…I can’t get it off.”
“No.” There was no humor in his voice. “You can’t. A Walker claiming is permanent. I just wanted you to know that, once you walk off this Estate, you’ll be free of us.”
She swallowed hard.
“But you’ll never be free of him. Not now. Not ever.”
Chills coursed through her body. “He can’t keep what he can’t catch.” She’d intended the words to sound more fierce but to her mortification, they’d actually come out on a tremble.
Turning, she raced from the office, down the two flights of stairs and out the front doors. She was leaving RedKnife, and it felt wrong. Her chest was heaving, and she fought back tears as she shoved the doors open only to run square into the nerdy detective she remembered from what felt like a lifetime ago.
“Whoa!” Detective Cameron steadied her by gripping her shoulders. “Easy.”
She pulled out of his hold and frowned at the two uniformed officers who were with him. “You must be here for Cody.” She stepped around the detective. “You can have him,” she muttered under her breath, then stilled at the Detective’s next words.
“Actually, I’m here
for Mr. KillsPrettyEnemy.”
Shock colored her tone. “What? Why?”
“We’re charging him in the disappearance of Richard Jamison.”
“But you know he was with me. He doesn’t know anything about that.”
“Why are you protecting him?” Cameron’s tone grew harsh. “He’s a killer, and he’s got you fooled.”
She knew it wasn’t true. RedKnife was a lot of things, but a killer wasn’t one of them. Worse, the thought of them taking him in and confining him in a tiny cell had her heart racing. He wouldn’t be able to handle it. She envisioned her Walker trying to keep it together, to keep them all from knowing that he more than hated confinement, he had a phobia. “I did it.”
The words were out before she could check them, and her eyes jerked to the creepy detective. His teeth clicked shut, and his expression darkened. “Excuse me?”
Once the words were out, they felt right. This felt right. She couldn’t let them cage RedKnife, and it wasn’t just for his sake. All Walkers were at risk if one of them was taken in. What if Cameron somehow found out about them? What would happen? Would all Walkers be hauled in, under the guise of community safety? She couldn’t chance it.
“I did it.” She sniffed, and lifted her chin. “I…” She didn’t know what to say. Did she admit to killing a man she’d never even laid eyes on? What if he wasn’t even dead? What if he was just missing?
“I’m responsible for Richard Jamison’s disappearance.” She clarified.
Detective Cameron was shaking his head. “You damn little fool.” He looked at the two officers behind him and jerked his head toward her. “Cuff her.”
***
RedKnife raced out the front doors of StoneCrow only to find the courtyard empty. Lifting his head, he scented the air. Cindy’s scent was faint.
Partially shifting, he scoured the tree line. He remembered her pigheaded tendency to storm off ill-prepared, but his animals’ eyes picked up no sign of her. Descending the steps, he stilled when her scent immediately disappeared. His eyes dipped to the gravel-covered driveway. She was in a vehicle.
Shifting, he took flight. The massive wings of his bald eagle form beat at the sky as he followed the road, his eyes darting back-and-forth with any flicker of movement below. There were no vehicles on the back roads, so he tipped his wings and sailed seamlessly toward the highway. It was a nightmare. Too many vehicles with beads of light for eyes dotted the black ribbon of road. Travelers coming home for Christmas were making his hunt more difficult. Worse, he didn’t know what she was driving. If she was with a Walker he could contact them through the mist. An idea struck, and he reached out to Stoney.
“Stoney. Is Cindy with you?”
“R-RedKnife? No! Why? Is she missing?”
He ended the communication and turned to circle back away from the city. If he were on the run, he’d go the opposite way he knew his pursuers would look. He was certain Cindy would do the same.
Chapter 28
“Find. My. Angel!” RedKnife growled viciously, hands planted on Monroe’s desk as he scowled down at the Dominant.
“We’re looking.” Monroe’s expression was serious. If there was one thing the Dominant didn’t mess around with, it was a Walker Angel. “Legion is checking the surveillance now, and…” His words cut off as his eyes turned sightless, looking through RedKnife instead of at him.
Waiting impatiently for the telepathic communication Monroe was receiving to end; RedKnife fisted his hands and released them repeatedly in an effort to alleviate his need to punch something.
Monroe blinked hard, then returned his attention to RedKnife, his lips thinned into a grim line. “She was handcuffed and taken away by Detective Cameron and two officers. It seems little Ms. Sambrano is currently in the custody of the Great Falls P.D.”
RedKnife threw back his head and roared.
Within minutes, Monroe had contacted the Great Falls P.D. and set up a meeting with Cameron. RedKnife wouldn’t be refused, and accompanied the CEO and three other Sentries to the city. Hell, it had taken some talking to keep the man from flying straight to the city and breaking his One free.
At the Police Department, the four Walkers were led into a small interrogation room.
“Have a seat,” Cameron directed, fumbling with some paperwork.
Ignoring him, RedKnife attempted to calm his temper as Monroe claimed one of the two empty seats and smirked at the detective’s bowed head. Cameron was attempting to place some paperwork into a manila folder, but it slipped through his fingers and fell to the desk. Cameron’s head snapped up to see if anyone was looking at the documents even as he snatched them up in a crumpled and disheveled mess before turning his back on the group and sorting the papers to get them into the file.
Behind Monroe, King snorted and Haka chuffed a laugh. RedKnife wasn’t as amused. The thought of this bumbling fool being in charge of his Angel’s safety was galling.
The detective finally claimed a seat. “Okay. I’ve got some questions that’ll…”
Monroe cut him off. “Where is the woman?”
The detective flushed. “As I was saying, I’ve…”
Monroe slid a CD across the desk, tilting his chin down to narrow his eyes on the bumbling detective. “This is video surveillance of StoneCrow Estates. Specifically, the Crow’s Nest, where Ms. Sambrano works. I understand that she confessed, but as the footage will show, there is no way she could be responsible for Mr. Jamison’s sudden disappearance, as she was working on the night in question.”
Opening his mouth to argue, Cameron flushed beet-red when Monroe carried on.
“Offering aid to your…capable staff, I sent my Sentries to scour Mr. Richardson’s acreage.
“You can’t do that, it a potential crime scene. You could have compromised…”
“My Sentries discovered Mr. Jamison’s remains on the north eastern end of his ranch. Apparent bear mauling.” Monroe flicked a pointed glare at King over his shoulder before shoving a folded piece of paper toward Cameron. “Here is the specific location. Now, save yourself the time and disgrace of looking any more like a fucking idiot than you already do and release Ms. Sambrano.”
RedKnife couldn’t stifle the rolling growl that rumbled up from his chest. It drew the detective’s gaze and he paled as he eyed the three men standing over him, his eyes darting back to RedKnife and his dark sneer.
“This’ll all need to be verified. We can’t simply take your word. Someone could have staged it to look like an animal attack.” Cameron aggressively shoved back from the desk.
“Oh, it was an animal attack.” Monroe grinned, then shrugged negligently. “I don’t really give a damn how you verify the information I have so graciously gifted you with. I only care that you are falsely imprisoning one of my employees.” Monroe leaned forward, propping an elbow on the edge of the table that separated them. “I’ve got more money than God, Detective Cameron. If I need to smear this Police Department to hell and back just to ruin you, don’t doubt that I will.” Sitting back, he smiled coldly. “Now, be a good boy and fetch me Ms. Sambrano.”
Detective Cameron’s lips twisted in a sneer as he eyed Monroe for long minutes.
“MOVE!” RedKnife bellowed, making Cameron spring to his feet.
Standing with shaking fists the detective turned for the door. “If this information is invalid, or if you’re trying to play me for a fool….”
“I have no time for games.” Monroe stood and plucked at his cuff. “Do hurry. It’s getting late.”
Cameron exited the room, leaving the door open as he departed.
Watching him go, RedKnife scowled at the detective’s back as he barked orders to an officer on the other side of a barred door at the end of the hall. Monroe crossed to stand in front of him. Taller than everyone else in the room, RedKnife could easily see over his Dominant’s head.
It only took a few minutes for Cindy to appear on the other side of the bars, looking small and defenseless. RedKnife
was taking a step toward her when Monroe lifted his hand, halting him.
“Easy. Let them bring her to us.”
***
Pacing her cell, Cindy wondered what in the hell she was going to do. No one even knew she’d been arrested, and they’d denied her a phone call.
“Your boss is here.”
Staring at him from the other side of the bars, Cindy smiled at Monroe, grateful he’d come. Her eyes landed on RedKnife, and her heart gave an involuntary flutter. Her smile widened, then just as quickly evaporated when something strange happened. A bright light flashed from the halo around her throat, accompanied by a high-pitched whine. At the same time, she doubled over, then dropped to her knees with a pained gasp as agony seized her in an iron grip.
“SHIT!” She heard Monroe hiss.
Then there was a deafening roar and a scuffle, but she couldn’t focus. Something was happening to her, and it hurt like hell.
In her periphery she saw Monroe shove RedKnife back as King and Haka held his arms pinned. Another Walker raced toward the cell where she was being held, even as Monroe continued barking orders. “She’s afflicted. Get him the fuck out of here!”
Sucking in an agonizing breath, Cindy wanted to scream, but the pain stole her ability to breath. Left writhing in misery on the floor, all she could do was pant as cold sweat soaked through her shirt. “Aaaaaagh!” she groaned through clenched teeth, rolling to her side.
She heard RedKnife snarl, “DON’T TOUCH HER! SHE’S MINE!” He fought King and Haka to get to her.
Cameron rushed to the cell door. “What the fuck! What happened?”
Monroe’s tone was impatient. “Get her out of there! She’s ill!
Cindy knew it was a lie. He’d said she was ‘afflicted’, but it couldn’t be the Walker affliction. Stoney said it happened to the Walker, not the human. Something was wrong! She wanted RedKnife. He’d help her. She tried to gasp his name, but nothing came out as her insides tightened around another knot. “Ooo-ooh.” Her voice broke on a sob, she rolled to her back, arms crossed over her stomach, and knees pulled into her body. Tears were freely streaming now, and thunder clapped so hard outside that it rattled the building. RedKnife! She knew it was him.