Vulfen Second's Angel [Vulfen Cadre 3] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Laina Kenney

  “Duct tape is my favorite human invention,” he said in an eerily calm voice.

  Angel goggled. Was that supposed to be a joke? She shook her head. No, it couldn’t be.

  “What will we do with him?” he asked. His voice was steady, but something in the black depths of his eyes made Angel think he would kill the doctor without a second’s hesitation if she asked, or even if she looked away too long.

  Angel shivered. She didn’t have an answer.

  “Call the police,” Grace said.

  She was standing in the doorway, supported by Valeri. She tried for a smile, but her eyes still looked dazed. Her gaze was on the white-haired warrior.

  Angel rushed to her friend’s side and, together with Valeri, helped Grace to a chair.

  “Oh, Gracie, I’m so sorry,” she said. There was so much she wanted to say, but she didn’t know where to start.

  Valeri was over with his two friends, or colleagues, giving orders. She wanted to explain everything to Grace, but she had to talk to Valeri first.

  Gracie flicked Angel’s arm in a gesture of friendship they had begun back in college.

  “Just call the police already. Call my brother, Angel.”

  Angel started.

  “Of course, John’s a policeman. I didn’t think of it.”

  Angel ran for the phone and dialed John’s cell. When John answered, she started talking.

  Grace put a hand to her head and grimaced while Angel did some fast talking.

  “She’s okay, John, I swear. All right, here.” Angel handed Grace the receiver and listened while her friend answered rapid-fire questions from her older brother.

  Finally, Grace said goodbye and disconnected the call.

  “John and his partner will be here in a few minutes,” Grace said.

  Angel put on a pot of coffee and got the depleted first aid kit from the mudroom, but Grace waved her away.

  “I don’t want to be covered in bandages when John gets here,” she said with a rueful grin. “You know he’ll blow a gasket if he thinks he’ll have to explain to Grandmom again why Gracie got hurt.”

  Grace laughed a little, and Angel couldn’t help but laugh, too. John was almost ten years older than Grace. He was a strong and stoic cop, but when it came to his little sister, he was a big softie. He had watched and worried over her from the time she was an infant because their mother retreated from the world into a bottle of booze whenever she could. By the time Gracie was walking, she and John were living with their grandmother.

  Angel was very fond of the grandmom Commander, but she was not a woman to be crossed.

  When the doorbell rang, Angel shared a look with Valeri.

  He didn’t offer any opinion, so she let John and his partner in and led them to the kitchen. They were big men, and with the three vulfen warriors there already, she and Gracie were surrounded by large bodies.

  John’s partner immediately took custody of the doctor, who was muttering to himself, and led him away.

  John sat down beside Grace and flipped open his notebook. Angel poured him a large black coffee and one with cream for Grace. Valeri shook his head at her offer, and she poured for herself, though she didn’t really want the coffee and much as she wanted the warm mug to hold.

  After what seemed like a hundred questions that Angel and Grace answered as best they could, he closed the book and leaned back in his chair.

  John’s eyes were on Angel’s throat, and she could hardly breathe. Did he notice the bite mark? What would he think?

  “So, Angel, I see congratulations are in order. You’ve found your mate. Or he found you.” His eyes cut over to Valeri, who stepped forward and offered his hand.

  John stood and the two shook hands. John sniffed the air.

  “Vulfen?” he asked, and Angel froze from the shock. He knew? But humans couldn’t know.

  Valeri nodded.

  “Yes, we are vulfen. And you are fox?”

  John smiled for the first time. “Fox Clan, though there aren’t many of us left who can shift now, I’m afraid, just two or three families. Did the good doctor know what you are? Is that what this whole shit mess is about?”

  Valeri bared his teeth, and his eyes flashed, but he gestured to the table and both men sat. At a nod from Valeri, Ives and the white-haired man left quietly through the kitchen door.

  Valeri told John and Grace the whole story, from the moment of his ambush. He didn’t leave anything out, and Angel was torn between gratitude that her best friends would know and fear that it would bring danger to them. Or were the fox people hunted, too?

  “What will happen to Dr. Novaks now?” Valeri asked.

  John grimaced. “Well, I don’t think it’ll be too difficult to prove diminished capacity, considering the events. I doubt it’ll go to trial, to be honest. He won’t go free, if that’s what you’re asking.”

  Valeri nodded. “If he is set free, the vulfen Clans will wish to be notified. If the human system cannot solve this problem, then we will. He will only do the same thing again.”

  John sighed. “Yup, most of them do. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve caught the same perp for the same type of crime a week after they get out of jail. It can get to you if you let it. But I have a good partner, and we work through it.”

  “You talk about the cases.”

  John shrugged. “Mostly we play basketball and have a couple of beers. Sometimes we talk. He’s human, but he knows. He’s cool with it.”

  Grace took Angel’s hand and squeezed.

  “Did you know?” Angel whispered to her friend.

  Gracie looked surprised.

  “Do you mean did I know you were a wolf? Yeah, I did. We all did. And we knew your mom was human. Didn’t you know I was a fox? And John and Grandmom?”

  Angel shook her head. “No, and I didn’t know what I was, either. I didn’t understand what was inside me. I didn’t know anything until—” She broke off and waved her hand vaguely at Valeri. The men had finished and were listening to them talk.

  “He’s not bad,” Gracie said admiringly. “Not bad at all.”

  “When I first met him, he was a dog.”

  Grace snickered and flicked Angel’s neck close to the mating bite.

  “Well, I guess he surprised you, then, huh?”

  Angel snorted, and the two friends laughed together.

  “You could say that.”

  She looked over at her mate and her heart melted. He was so handsome and so strong. And in spite of his incredible power, he had reined in his wolf and let her take the lead.

  She had always thought she would end up alone, that there was no perfect match for her. But now she was looking at the most gorgeous man she had seen in her life, and he was hers. He was amazing, and she was so glad that fate had given him to her.

  He reached across the table and she put her hand in his. The look in his deep blue eyes made her tremble with remembered pleasure.

  John cleared his throat.

  “Come on, Gracie. I think it’s time to go.”

  “But things are just getting interesting,” she protested and then laughed at Angel’s face. “I’m kidding,” she said. “Just kidding. But we’ll have to talk soon. I want to hear everything.”

  John and Grace turned to leave, and Angel and Valeri rose to see them out. A thought seemed to occur to Grace and she stopped.

  “You’re coming back to work, right? You’re keeping your job?”

  Angel nodded. “I’m keeping my job.”

  “Whew. I’m glad. I’d have a hard time replacing you, for sure. And it will be hard to pump you for all the juicy details from a distance.”

  John groaned. “Grace, they’re newly mated. This really isn’t the time.”

  “Okay, bye then. See you tomorrow, Angel.”

  “See you tomorrow.”

  When John and Grace had left, Angel leaned against Valeri and watched the squad car turn the corner. Dr. Novaks had forced Grace to drive him, and her car
was still parked down the street, but John wouldn’t let her drive home herself. In fact, Angel would be surprised if he didn’t take Gracie to the emergency room to get checked over first before heading home. He was an older brother, after all.

  “The white-haired warrior,” Angel began.

  “Matsij Gabrov.”

  “Matsij. With that white hair, he should be visible everywhere, but all I saw was a shadow moving, and then he was there.”

  “Matsij is in the Cadre, but his position is unique, as are his gifts, and therefore his responsibilities. He is often called our Shadow. I have seen some of his gifts. I sometimes think he could track smoke on a foggy day. He comes from an honored lineage.”

  Angel huffed. “So do I, according to your Alpha, but my grandfather was really crazy.”

  “It happens in the best of families. Matsij’s brother attacked Rylek’s mate and was executed for treason, but Matsij is above reproach. He is trusted, as he deserves.”

  “So, you have trials like in a human court?”

  Valeri looked uncomfortable. “There was no tribunal for the traitor. He tried to kill Rylek’s queen. You’ve seen Rylek when a female is threatened. Now imagine what it would be like if that female was his cherished mate.”

  Angel grimaced.

  “Miros had to bring the truck?”

  Valeri nodded.

  “I see you understand.”

  She snuggled closer to his warmth.

  “You don’t mind that I have to work tomorrow?”

  Valeri kissed her hair, and his lips lingered to tease the fragile shell of her ear.

  “My Angel, I will have to work tomorrow also. Rylek will want a full report of today’s action, and there is still the rest of the hunting society to deal with. I think I’ll be working overtime for some time to come.”

  “As long as you’re coming home to me,” she said boldly.

  He laughed and swung her up into his arms. Angel squealed in delight as he whirled her around and around. He buried his face in her hair and stopped spinning. He let her slide down his body and she clung to his shoulders to hold herself up while the room slowly righted itself.

  “Every night, Angel. Count on it.”

  He flicked her ear with the tip of his tongue and she shivered.

  “Come out with me,” he whispered seductively against her skin and she trembled with the strength of the temptation he presented. “Come out and run with me under the moon. The sun will set very soon and when the moon rises I will show you the beauty of our world.”

  Angel felt tears spring into her eyes and she shook her head. She couldn’t find the words to tell him of the emotions flooding through her.

  He brushed her lips with a soft kiss that lingered and pulled her closer with one hand on her sensitive nape.

  “Come run with me, my Angel. Say yes.”

  “Is it safe?” Her voice quaked and his eyes softened.

  “You are safe with me always,” he said tenderly. “You are cherished.”

  Angel felt her body melt into the strength of his. That was the right word. She felt cherished with him.

  “Yes,” she said, and pressed his hand to her cheek. “Take me out for my first run under the moon.”

  “Tonight. Every night, if you wish it.”

  Angel smiled.

  “I do.”

  THE END

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Laina Kenney is a classically trained singer/instructor with a regular job and a deep love of the written word. Her family is supportive of (or perhaps just resigned to) a house full of books in every genre, with ancient history and romance taking up the majority of the space. She cheerfully admits to having a bizarre sense of humor and enough shiny accessories for any ten women. One of the greatest joys in her life is exploring the wonder of testosterone, both in prose and in person.

  For all titles by Laina Kenney, please visit

  www.bookstrand.com/laina-kenney

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com