by Dannika Dark
As I left the room, I glanced over my shoulder and noticed Wheeler pouring his second cup of coffee. He took a sip and grimaced, holding it up to me in silent approval.
Chapter 18
Delgado never called. I kept my phone charged, but the more minutes that ticked by without contact, the more nervous I became. Austin was wrong about which weapons make a man dangerous. We’re all armed in some form or fashion, but pride is the worst weapon of all.
Even if I left the Weston pack, they were already involved in a way that couldn’t be undone. The only honorable thing for me to do would be to see this thing through until the end.
When nervous, I had a tendency to clean. I spent the rest of the morning polishing every corner of my room, including inside the cabinets. When I found myself cleaning each leaf of a fake plant, I decided it was time to mingle with the household. I changed into a pair of red shorts and another white shirt that tied at the bottom. Since I was now a guest under their roof, I went barefoot, respecting their rules.
Austin remained home, waiting for Prince. I helped him move some of the cars out front. Lexi had called us with periodic updates on Maizy. By midafternoon, she confirmed they were still in the waiting room. April invited me to sit with her by the stereo, and she turned on some blues music at a low volume. We talked for a little while, but eventually the chatter died down and she began to read. April was a friendly girl—more shy around men than women—but I adored her sensitive nature.
When someone knocked at the front door, April glanced over her shoulder. “That must be Prince. Austin!” she yelled.
“Why don’t you answer the door?” I asked with a soft giggle. “The poor man is standing outside and listening to your shouts.”
“Normally I would, but I don’t always know the rules when another Packmaster is invited over. They get all funny about stuff like this. A member of the Council came over once and I answered the door in my slippers. That didn’t go over well with Austin, especially when I slipped and fell on my butt.”
“This is silly. I’ll get it.”
“Wait, I wouldn’t do that. Austin!” she yelled again.
I brushed off a chill and headed toward the door. The house was alight with sunshine that filtered through the sheer curtain and cast a luminous gleam across the wood floor.
I swung the door open and jutted my hip to the side. “You must be the alpha everyone is fussing over,” I said in a friendly voice.
Prince was pleasingly tall and dressed in a casual pair of slacks and a grey button-up shirt. I could sense he had a lot of money. Perhaps it was the sparkly gold watch on his wrist, or maybe it was the expensive cologne I’d become familiar with. Packmasters were usually men with brawn, but he seemed gracefully older and sophisticated. His dark hair was pulled into a tight ponytail, and when he removed his mirrored sunglasses, I stared into his eyes for a little longer than was necessary. One was brown and the other a deep blue.
He tucked his glasses in his shirt pocket and inclined his head. “I’m here by invitation. My name is Prince.”
“Naya James. Pleasure to meet you.”
“The pleasure is all mine, Miss James.” He traced his index finger across an eyebrow and assessed me in the way most Packmasters did.
“I’m not a wolf, but feel free to enjoy the view. Come inside.” I turned away just as Austin jogged down the stairs to meet him at the door.
“Prince. Thanks for coming on short notice. Have a seat. Do you want anything to drink?”
“Thank you for your hospitality, but no.” He swaggered into the living room and sat in a leather chair across from April.
She quickly got up and hurried toward the stairs. “I have to get ready for work.”
Prince chuckled as he sat down. “Timid little creature. I find her and Reno to be an anomalous pairing.”
Austin rubbed the back of his neck and eased into the leather chair opposite Prince. “Yeah, those two are something else.”
Then I realized Austin’s behavior had to do with rank. My, the culture of wolves fascinated me. I slinked around the sofa and took a seat in the middle, crossing my legs.
Prince unabashedly appraised me from head to toe, a smile playing on his lips.
“Has something struck you as amusing?” I asked.
His finger and thumb were in the shape of an L, holding up his chin. “Body language intrigues me.”
Clearly Prince was an observant man who interpreted every gesture into a meaning.
“Careful not to read into me too much, you might be dyslexic. Had I crossed my legs toward Austin—a mated alpha—it might have given you the wrong message about the nature of my relationship with him.”
Austin cleared his throat as a warning not to engage in this topic with Prince.
“No, no,” Prince said to Austin. “I don’t meet many women who understand the subtle nuances behind posture and the messages behind body language.” He regarded me with his gaze. “Then why not put both feet flat on the floor?”
“Because that’s not how a lady sits, and I would appear closed off since I’m not facing anyone. This conversation involves me, so it’s important I show I’m honest with nothing to hide. Crossing my legs in your direction is not about me showing interest; it’s about giving you my attention and trust.”
He silently studied me with a closed-lip smile. Austin appeared hesitant to interrupt, so I saved him the agony of watching his friend flirt with me.
“A human purchased the club I work at, and many others. He’s behind a series of kidnappings, and it turns out he’s using these girls for cage fights.”
Prince’s smile withered, replaced by a frightening expression.
Austin crossed one foot over his knee, then set both feet on the ground and widened his legs. “Last night we broke into Delgado’s house and rescued two Shifters.”
“You broke in,” Prince said flatly. “Without a warrant?”
“We had enough evidence. He’d made Naya an offer to work for him as a cage fighter.”
Prince slanted his eyes toward me. “Is that so?”
I picked at my nail, deciding a manicure was in order. “Someone like me is valuable to a man like him.”
“We expected him to call back, but he’s gone silent. That makes me nervous,” Austin admitted. “I don’t expect he’ll come busting through my door, but a man with that much money could buy off someone in a position of authority to take me down. By force or false charges. Either way, the unknown kept me up all night.”
“How many of his men did you kill?”
“Two confirmed. The others were left tied up or unconscious. We moved the girl to a safe, undisclosed location, so that leaves us with the young Shifter. From what they told me, he’s not in good condition. He might have skipped town by now. That’s what any sane person who’s not in a pack would do.”
Prince turned his head and stared at the black television. “How did a human purchase our clubs to begin with?”
“It’s been going on for years. Somehow he got his foot in the door long enough to make some good money—enough to pay someone off. Maybe selling drugs to humans is one way he got started, but he’s our problem now. We can’t touch him because the Breed laws prevent us from going after humans. That’s his shield.”
Prince laced his fingers together and stretched out his legs. “An egg has a shield to protect it, one that’s easily broken. No one is untouchable. And if what you say about the cage fights is true, then you have my full support in taking him down. To be honest, if this was nothing more than his owning a few Breed clubs, I would have walked away. A nuisance? Yes. But by no means a reason to start a war.”
“Is that what we have here? A war?” Austin asked.
Prince leaned forward and steadied his gaze on Austin. “I’ve lived a long time and come from a genetic line so pure that I’ll probably never find a suitable mate who will carry strong children for me—ones that will live as long as I will. Most of the purity has been bred
out over the years. I’ve spilled blood on the battlefield and negotiated treaties. This repugnant human won’t rob me of sleep, nor should he you. But once you let in the roaches, they infect. They spread their disease until you’re surrounded by nothing but vermin. Delgado’s power isn’t his personal rise to success—it’s the tricks he’s learning about the favor trading in our world. There’s money in cage fights, but if he’s keeping personal slaves, then I’d guess his fascination with us goes beyond money. He wants to dominate us—turn us against each other like savage animals, just as he does in the cage fights.”
“Why Shifters?”
“Maybe it’s not just us. Maybe he owns Mage bars, but I doubt it. Those immortals have insurmountable wealth and are not easily manipulated. We’re weaker because our struggles for independence are only in the early stages. So many Shifters crave power and money and are easily bought.”
“I can testify to that,” I said. “I’ve worked with all kinds, but since Shifters have it the hardest, they’re likely to do more for the money. It’s a pity.”
“And that is our struggle,” Prince agreed, leaning back in his chair. “We went from slaves living on the brink of society to free men. Yet no wealth to build upon, no home, no land, no skills. And still many continued to shut us out, even though by law they could no longer own us. I remember a time when we were turned away from jobs and no one would accept our business. Packs quickly formed to gain unity and strength, but it was an arduous battle for land. Even now we still fight amongst each other because we know it will take years to catch up to the monetary success the immortals luxuriate in.” Prince’s leg bounced a few times, causing his heel to tap on the wood floor.
“So what are you suggesting?” Austin asked warily.
“Snuff him out.”
A flurry of footsteps tromped down the stairs. “I’m off to work,” April called out.
“Who’s going with you?” Austin looked over his left shoulder and watched April drop her purse on the floor.
Trevor appeared at the bottom of the stairs with his guitar case slung over his shoulder. “Don’t sweat it. I’m going to see how the human girls like my act.”
“This should be interesting,” April said. “We serve children.”
“Hey, you’ve got plenty of cougars in there.”
“They’re probably married!” April slipped on her shoes at the door.
Trevor already had on a clean pair of dress shoes. “Babe, there’s no guilt in window-shopping.”
They went out the door like a hurricane, and I smothered a laugh.
Wheeler trudged down the stairs and looked like he’d gotten less sleep than I had. He’d showered and shaved, and by shaved I mean he’d taken a razor to his face and trimmed up his beard just the way I’d suggested. Clean on the sides with a circle of whiskers around his mouth and chin that made me think of how bikers sometimes wore theirs.
If my feet had been hidden in a pair of shoes, I would have curled my toes at the sight of him.
I tried to avert my eyes as he entered the room, but it felt like my chin was glued to my right shoulder. He didn’t just walk into the living room—he swaggered in a sexy, masculine way. My God, had I ever paid attention to how sinfully delicious Wheeler was to look at? He’d dressed in a long-sleeved black shirt that fit him tight enough to show his lean muscle. I guessed for appearance’s sake, he’d covered his tattoos so as not to offend Prince. I also liked the way his jeans fit him—slightly loose in the crotch and…
I looked away and turned my motor off before it began to purr.
When he sat on the sofa next to me, a heavy scent blanketed the air—one of soap, aftershave, and the dark spices of a real man.
I cleared my dry throat, feeling my silly heart begin to beat faster.
Wheeler stretched his arm across the back of the sofa, and I felt a slight tug on my hair. I set both feet on the ground and straightened up.
Prince squinted at me and then his eyes drifted to Wheeler. Hand to God, I felt a heat rising across my chest. Against my white blouse, that would be no good!
“What’s the plan?” Wheeler interrupted.
“Wheeler and Reno were the ones who broke into the house,” Austin explained to Prince.
“And Naya,” Wheeler added.
Prince looked at me, nonplussed. “So you’re not a wolf, but you participated in a dangerous mission with a wolf pack?”
“I had a personal investment. I would have gone in without them.”
A single eyebrow arched and he turned his attention to Austin. “Let’s wait for him to contact you or make a move, and then we’ll decide. There’s little you can do at the moment without knowing his whereabouts.”
“I have his number; we can call him,” I said.
“I’m afraid that wouldn’t get you far. A man like him doesn’t want you to know his next move. He won’t accept your terms or conditions at this point.”
“He might. I’m a panther.”
Prince’s jaw slackened.
“He values me at a high price.”
Prince curled his lips in and began rubbing his hand across his mouth. I didn’t have a doubt in my mind why he looked uncomfortable. Ancients like him had seen the darker side of our past—had lived it. Prince gave Austin a judgmental stare, but Austin merely sat up straight and centered his eyes on him.
“If I take out Delgado, will I have your full support?” Austin asked. “Your protection?”
“My absolute protection—as much of it as I can offer. The laws are in place to create order, but sometimes we have to take the law into our own hands. Discreetly, of course. It’s important you don’t make any mistakes, because you might only have one chance. Too many failed attempts will draw suspicion to your court—too many eyes you can’t afford to have on you. When things like this happen, you want to keep that knowledge to a limited few, such as those sitting in this room right now. Your pack will remain unified, regardless if you conceal information from them. You’re their leader, and Packmasters have no obligation to disclose the details behind our orders. We protect our packs, and that’s why it’s better to only have a handful that could be held accountable if something goes wrong. Your goal is to protect as many of your packmates as possible.”
“I’m all for keeping this limited to our private little party,” Wheeler said.
Austin lowered his voice. “This isn’t the first time Delgado has tangled with our pack, but I’ll make damn sure it’s the last. To hell with the laws if they protect a man like him.”
The slander laws were frustrating. Within the Breed world, an accusation without evidence was a punishable offense. The dynamic in the Breed world was so different than for humans because social chatter built reputations. Our population wasn’t as massive, and because of our extended lifespan, slander could financially damage someone in a way that couldn’t be undone. It’s the kind of thing that could follow a man for seven hundred years, preventing him from forming alliances or offering his services. So our laws decreed that warrants couldn’t be issued without substantial written or physical evidence. Jail space was limited; therefore, only serious crimes resulted in a sentencing. The higher authorities had no desire to be held accountable for a botched arrest. We had to be careful not to draw attention to ourselves, and concealing a prison was a tremendous task. Vampires worked for the higher authority to make sure any suspicious humans had their memories scrubbed. We also had spies working in the human world, and hackers erased documented evidence of Breed business.
“Keep me abreast of your actions, Cole. Now that I’m involved, consider me an investor.”
“I have my pack leaving in groups of two. I’m not about to shut us in here because of that bastard.”
“And you shouldn’t,” Prince agreed. “Keep your pack moving and split up. When you have an enemy upon you, the worst thing you can do is huddle together as a single target.”
“Someone’s here,” Wheeler murmured, glancing at the front door.
>
When it swung open, Lexi looked frazzled, still wearing her sweatpants and tank top from this morning. A strand of hair settled in front of her weary face and she tucked it behind her ear.
“How is she?” Austin asked.
Denver walked in carrying Maizy. At eleven years of age, she was already growing out of the little-girl stage I remembered. But she was still dwarfed in Denver’s arms.
“It’s just an infection,” Lexi said, hanging her keys on a nail.
Austin’s brow furrowed. “What kind?”
“That’s medical jargon for bullshit,” Denver bit out. “Six hours in the waiting room before they’d even see her. Those humans are a bunch of dickwads.”
“Someone’s in a good mood,” I said. “How’s our baby girl feeling?”
Prince rose from his chair and approached them.
“Fine,” Maizy murmured weakly.
Lexi rubbed her face. “They gave her some meds and a shot to lower the fever.”
“Which we had to wait another hour for,” Denver added.
“The little one is growing so fast,” Prince said, closing in on Denver. “May I?”
“May you what?” he snapped.
Prince laid his hand upon her forehead. “Human children are often stricken with fevers of unknown origin.” He lifted her eyelids and bent down, looking closely at her eyes. “I still see mischief. As long as there’s mischief sparkling like diamonds in those blue eyes, then you have no reason for concern.” Prince stroked her cheek and Maizy smiled up at him. “Tell me, child, do you remember who I am?”
When Maizy nodded, Denver stepped back and gave Prince a heated stare.
“Why don’t you put her to bed,” Austin suggested. “It looks like you’ve had a long day. Are you hungry, Maze?”
“Kinda. Maybe just some soup.”