It was pure torture. Lara had been in his thoughts for weeks now, and here she was, less than five feet away from him. He wanted her, dreamed of what she would be like in bed, and dirty thoughts filled his mind. Having her in his arms for a just a moment was the icing on the cake, sending his inner wolf into a frenzy and his body responding. God, he wanted her. Even Alynna could tell, teasing him afterwards.
“So, Lara…” Alynna flashed him a knowing smile.
“What about her?” He gave her an innocent look.
“Hmm…nothing…just interesting how, you know, she took off like that?”
“Like what?”
She laughed. “Oh, you dense man! She was jealous! Of me!”
“Jealous?” He sounded incredulous. While they were in the lab, Lara treated him like nothing had happened between them, and for a moment he thought maybe it had all been a hallucination.
“Yeah, as in the green-eyed monster! Well, you are a catch, so it’s only normal she has a crush on you,” Alynna observed.
“Crush? On me?” He was still reeling from the other woman’s words. Lara, normally friendly and nice, did seem awfully cold to Alynna just now.
“Lara’s a lovely girl,” Alynna patted his arm. “Just…you know, don’t break her heart. There’s more to her than she lets on.”
If you only knew, Alynna, he thought to himself. Well actually, better she didn’t know. At first, Liam decided that staying away from Lara would have been the best thing. But knowing that Lara possibly wanted him, too, beyond that encounter in the elevator, gave him some hope.
His wolf, on the other hand, licked its lips in anticipation of a hunt.
Chapter Six
The flight to San Francisco was smooth and uneventful. Lara closed her eyes and pretended to sleep. Her stomach growled furiously, and she was glad Gage was attentive, offering her dinner as soon as she “woke” up.
She glanced over at Liam once or twice as she ate, watching him as he worked on his laptop. It seemed strange. Normally, she went for everyday guys who worked with their hands, much like her father, but she couldn’t help but feel some pride watching this particular man work.
So she maybe sort of, kind of, looked him up on the Internet. She knew that he wasn’t just responsible for his clan, but also worked for his family business and his own startup company, Amata Ventures. His startup was working to find a treatment for lung cancer. With additional digging, she found out that Liam’s father had died from the same disease. She admired how he wasn’t just about making money, but he wanted to help people too.
No, she told herself. Forget about him. Not only was he forbidden, but he was clearly in love with someone else. She saw how he looked at Alynna, and she had heard the gossip around Fenrir. How he had pursued the Alpha’s sister first, but she ended up choosing Alex Westbrooke instead. Their exchange at the tarmac confused Lara. Did the other woman have feelings for Liam still, despite being married to her True Mate, and having his child? Alynna was naturally friendly, but she seemed extra flirtatious with Liam.
Of course, that didn’t mean Liam didn’t carry a torch. The hug they exchanged her made her heart wrench with jealousy. Even if circumstances were different, or if he wasn’t Alpha or a Lycan, she couldn’t, wouldn’t, be the second choice for any man. She might be settling for a marriage of convenience, but she would choose a man she could eventually learn to love and who would love her, and be loyal to her for the rest of their lives.
As soon as they landed, Liam had bid them goodnight, saying he had some business matters to attend, but they were booked at a hotel not far from his home. An hour later, Lara settled into her room, tired and jet lagged and slept soundly.
***
The next day, Lara put on her best “professional” outfit - a black blazer, pencil-cut skirt, heels, and a white blouse. After all, she and Jade were going to go in as academic experts to consult with the SFPD on their case. She swept her hair up in a neat chignon, letting a few tendrils loose around her face, put on some light makeup and applied her favorite pale pink lipstick.
Liam was waiting for them at the lobby at precisely 8:30 a.m. “Good morning, Jade, Lara,” he greeted. “Did you sleep well?”
“Yes, Alpha. The rooms here are amazing,” Jade said. “I didn’t know there was a Japanese-themed hotel in San Francisco.”
“They remind me of my uncle’s home in Tokyo,” Liam explained. “I used to spend every other summer there.”
“Your mother’s brother, correct?” Jade asked. “I remember my mother mentioning her a few times.”
Liam nodded. “Yes. My cousin, Kengo, is the current Alpha of Tokyo. He’s a few years older than me, though, and has had the position for about a decade now.”
“Oh, shoot!” Jade bit her lip. “I left my tablet upstairs. I’ll be just a second, OK?” The brunette didn’t wait, but instead bolted towards the elevators.
“I’ll come with-” Lara began, but the other woman waved her hand and was already in the elevator before she could protest. Well, shit.
“You look…nice,” Liam commented, his eyes roaming over her outfit.
“Thanks,” she said nervously. The heat in his gaze was unmistakable. “I’m sorry, about your loss,” she began, hoping to steer his attention from her to the task at hand.
“Thank you,” he said somberly.
“The child-”
“Jillian.”
“Jillian. Is she OK? Who’s taking care of her now?”
“Maeve Williams has a stepsister. She and her husband took her in, and our clan will be providing for her.”
Liam frowned and she had to stop herself from trying to reach out and soothe him. Instead, she cleared her throat. “What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing, of course. But, well…they’re human, you see. Not that there’s anything wrong with that,” Liam assured her. “It’s different, being raised by Lycan parents.”
“I’m sure it is. But she has the support of your clan, and as you said, she’ll be provided for, right?”
Liam looked comforted by her words and Lara felt relief. The urge to ease his burden, make sure he was cared for was sated for the moment. Being a natural caregiver, she was in tune with the needs of others, but with Liam it seemed like her instincts were on overdrive. It made her more resolved to stay away from him.
“Lara, about-”
“Got it!” Jade came barreling towards them, her tablet in hand.
Lara sighed in relief as she guessed what Liam was about to say. No, she had to forget about what happened, forget about Liam Henney.
“All right,” Liam motioned to the door then. “Let’s go.”
***
The San Francisco Police Department’s headquarters was located on 3rd Street in the Mission Bay district. The building was all glass and modern, fitting for a city known for its high tech innovations. Liam drove them to the SFPD in a nondescript rental car, which he explained was more suitable for their cover. Thanks to the San Francisco clan’s connections with the police department, they were able to secure an appointment to examine the bodies under the guise of visiting consultants to help on the murder case.
“Here you go.” Liam handed them their credentials after he pulled into a parking spot. “You’ve got the same names, but Jade, you’re a forensic expert from Scotland Yard, and Lara, you’re a consulting professor of ancient European mythology from NYU.”
Lara checked her ID. “Wow, this looks legit.”
“And who will you be?” Jade asked.
“Your driver,” Liam said. “I’m joking. I’m just a concerned citizen with the right connections, bringing in experts to consult on a murder case. Chief of Police Williams knows about us and has pledged to keep our secret, and Captain Daniel Wu is actually a member of one of our oldest Alliance families. The Wus have been our strongest human allies for generations. But aside from the two of them, no one in the force knows about us.”
Liam stepped out of the car, walked to the oth
er side, and opened the doors for them. “Just follow my lead,” he instructed.
The two women walked with him into the glass building. Liam looked around, and then started walking to the side where a tall Asian man in a police uniform stood.
“Captain Wu,” Liam greeted.
“Mr. Henney,” the other man greeted back with a slight nod.
“This is Dr. Cross and Ms. Chatraine,” he said in a low voice. “The consultants I told you about.”
“Right.” Wu nodded to the two women. “Thank you for your help. Now, just give me your IDs and I’ll get your passes.”
They handed him the credentials Liam had given them and the captain walked over to the reception desk. A few minutes later, he came back with two red passes, which he handed to Lara and Jade. “Ladies, put these on and follow me.” He turned to Liam, his voice low. “I’m afraid I can’t let you come with them, for official reasons.”
“No worries,” Liam nodded. “I’ll be right here.”
Jade and Lara followed Captain Wu past the security barriers behind the reception desk and up a set of steps.
“We’ll be going to the forensic labs. I’ve had the bodies of the two victims and the suspect prepared by our team, as well as any instruments you may need,” Wu explained. “We’ve cleared the area as well, but there will be cameras watching you.”
“Understood,” Jade nodded. “I’ll be taking pictures with my phone and notes on my tablet. Hopefully, we won’t have to disturb the bodies.”
They walked through several more security doors before reaching the forensics lab. The room was sterile and nondescript, except for the three forms under white sheets laid out on the tables in the middle.
Captain Wu stood to the side. “Go ahead, do what you need to do.”
A chill blasted through Lara, the hair on her arms standing on end. She’d never been near any dead bodies, and she didn’t know what to do. Jade, though, with the cold detachment ingrained through her medical training, went right to work. She put on one of the lab coats hanging in the side, latex gloves, and a surgical mask, handing one to Lara, as well as her phone.
“Can you help me with the documentation?”
Lara put on the mask and then grabbed the phone. She concentrated on trying to take photos, rather than the dead bodies on the slab.
Jade carefully pulled away the white sheets covering the bodies. Lara’s hands shook slightly, but with a deep breath, she steadied them enough to start taking pictures. She concentrated on the symbols carved on their skin, taking as many detailed photos as she could.
The two bodies, one male and one female - the victims, Lara guessed - had strange runes carved into their arms and legs. The third body, a male in his 40s with thinning hair, also had the similar markings, but only on his chest. She didn’t know what they were exactly, but something about them seemed familiar.
The Lycan scientist, meanwhile, worked with speedy efficiency, examining the bodies with clinical objectivity and making notes. When she was done, she put the white cloths back over them.
“Hmmm…well.” Jade thought for a moment. “The suspect is definitely human, as far as I can tell.” She turned to Wu. “Have we identified him?”
“Yeah. His name’s Marshall Aimes, from Arizona,” Wu supplied. “He was a construction worker based in Phoenix, and according to his foreman, he stopped coming in to the site about two weeks ago. No one’s heard from him since.”
“So, Mr. Aimes disappears for two weeks, then somehow makes his way to San Francisco to kill the Williamses? What’s the connection between the suspect and the victims? Or motives?”
Wu shook his head. “None that we know of. As far as we can tell, it almost seems random.”
“I don’t believe in coincidences,” Jade declared as she took off her mask. She turned to Lara. “Can you sense anything?”
With a deep breath, Lara closed her eyes, willing her senses to open. From the moment they stepped inside the room, her instincts were telling her something was wrong. But to know more, she would have to open herself up. Magic always left some traces, and most witches would be able to feel any residual magic where it was used. Around the bodies, Lara could feel remnants of magic. It was very faint, but definitely present.
“I can’t explain it,” she whispered. “But magic…it’s here, but it’s not.”
Jade wrinkled her brow. “What do you mean?”
“It’s like…there was definitely magic involved, but it’s not coming from any of them. All types of magic leave some signature or trace, but I can definitely tell that no one wielded it.”
“Then where did it come from?”
A pit in Lara’s stomach began to form, and her temple began to throb. She reached towards Marshall Aimes’ body, drawing the sheet back. There were three symbols carved into his chest, two smaller ones on the side and one large one in the middle. She didn’t recognize the ones on the sides, but since the first moment she saw the middle one, something had been niggling at her mind. The image flashed in her mind - a triangle with a forked symbol inside. She had seen it before, when she had been studying runes with her mother.
“I think…oh God!” She lurched forward, covering her mouth. She knew exactly what it was.
“Lara!” Jade exclaimed. “What’s wrong?”
“I feel…” Lara swayed, feeling her knees buckle. “I need to get out of here!”
The witch turned back, going as fast as her jelly-like legs would take her. She blasted past the security doors, retracing her steps as best she could until she reached the lobby of the SFPD headquarters. Air, her lungs craved air. She ran for the doors.
“Lara!” a voice called behind her. Warm hands wrapped around her upper arms and spun her around. “Lara, what’s wrong?”
Slowly she raised her head up, her gaze colliding with electric blue eyes. “Liam…” she whispered, her lids feeling heavy, her limbs limp.
“Jesus, you’re shivering!”
Strong arms wrapped around her, and he pulled her against his chest. Weakly, she laid her head on him, the warmth of his body seeping into her own.
“It’s OK, you’re going to be OK,” he soothed, his large hand rubbing her back.
They stood there for what seemed like an eternity, at least to Lara. His citrusy scent filled her nostrils and she breathed in deep as it sent a comforting feeling through her.
“What’s wrong? What happened?” he asked, concern in his voice.
“Liam…” she whispered. “It’s awful.” She pulled away and looked up into his eyes. “I think…I think I know what happened. To Maeve and Alfred. And to Marshall Aimes.”
Chapter Seven
Jade and Captain Wu weren’t far behind Lara as they followed her down to the reception area.
“What happened?” Jade asked as she approached them.
Lara quickly disentangled herself from Liam, much to his dismay. “I can’t…we need to talk. And get Grant and everyone back in New York on the phone. My mother, too.”
“We’ll go back to our headquarters. We can videoconference with New York there,” Liam offered. He turned to Wu. “Thank you for your assistance, Captain.”
“Anytime, Alpha,” Wu replied. With a final nod to the ladies, he left.
Liam led them back to the car, and he put his assistant on speakerphone, telling her to set up the meeting with New York as soon as possible.
As he drove through the streets and hills of San Francisco, he glanced at Lara. When he saw her running across the lobby, his instincts went into overdrive. Seeing the look on her pale face and the tension in her body, his inner wolf spurred him to chase after her and make sure she was all right. Fear, horror, panic. He could smell it off her in waves, masking her usual pleasant strawberries and champagne scent. He reached out and took her into his arms again, trying to ease her fear. She was cold, shivering violently despite the climate-controlled atmosphere in the building. When she looked up at him with those bright green eyes, her body relaxing agai
nst his, the ache in his gut eased, replaced by desire. He hoped she didn’t realize how aroused he was, and he was glad he was wearing loose slacks.
Now wasn’t the time to think about that, and he quashed his feelings of lust. Something had genuinely scared Lara, something that had to do with the murders. The young woman remained frozen beside him in the passenger seat of the rented car. He couldn’t smell the fear anymore, but the anxiety was there.
Finally, they reached Gracie Manor. The big white gate opened up automatically and he maneuvered the car into the garage. Getting out of the driver’s side, he swung over to the other side to let the two women out.
“The entire first floor is my office,” he explained as they approached the house. It was massive, three stories tall, and took up half the block.
“Gracie Manor, right?” Jade said as she looked up at the house. “Neoclassical Revival?”
“Built in 1910,” he supplied. Instead of bringing them to the front door, he led them to the side entrance, tucked away behind a wrought iron gate. It looked nondescript, and that was deliberate. This part of the house was meant to be hidden. The door looked like it was white-painted wood, but it was actually made of steel. Liam slid a small panel on the side and pressed his thumb to a sensor, and then the door slid open with a soft whoosh.
“This way.” He let them go inside first as he secured the door behind him. The main foyer seemed normal enough, like any office, with a well-appointed waiting room, chairs, and decorated tastefully, if minimally.
An older Lycan woman appeared from behind one of the doors to the side, dressed in a crisp white pantsuit. Her brown hair was pulled back in a severe bun, and large horn-rimmed glasses were perched over her pinched nose. “Primul,” she said, greeting him with the traditional honorific for a Lycan’s Alpha. “The conference room is ready. New York is on standby.”
“Thank you, Brenda.” He nodded as they entered the room. “Could you get us some coffee please?”
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