by Nancy Gideon
Charlotte’s features suddenly softened and her gaze took on a sultry glow. Without looking behind her, Nica knew Savoie had just entered the room. Was he here for her? She tensed, readying for fight or flight, until large hands settled on her shoulders, pressing her into her seat.
MacCreedy’s lips brushed lightly against her cheek. “Don’t run,” he whispered.
His remark made her stiffen. As if fear would send her rabbiting underground! She turned, her gaze filled with indignation.
“I’ve been waiting for you,” she purred. Her hand went to the back of his neck, but he didn’t wince as her claws dug in. “What took you so long?”
“We took the scenic route.” He pulled her hand away, then held it in his. “Did you order me something?” he asked, sitting in the chair beside her.
“I wasn’t sure what you wanted.”
A slight smile. “Oh, I think you know what I like.”
Their gazes held, challenging, searching, smoldering.
Charlotte looked between MacCreedy and Max with the same curious intent with which Max was staring at her and Nica.
“Your friend and I haven’t been formally introduced,” Max drawled. He pinned Nica with an icy glare. “I’m Max Savoie.”
Nica extended her hand with a flirtatious “Ah, the legend. Nice to officially meet you. Lottie and I have been friends since we were children. I didn’t think she could surprise me, but she certainly did when it came to you.”
He let her hand hang there for a moment while processing that news. “She’s surprised me, too,” Max murmured, accepting the firm handshake before taking the seat next to his mate. “In several things lately.”
Cee Cee avoided the comment by directing hers at MacCreedy. “And what sort of surprises have you been hiding, Mac?”
“Me? Nothing. No one asked me my political, religious, sexual, or species orientation when I came on board at the NOPD. I assumed the status quo was Don’t ask, don’t tell.”
Conversation stopped when their waitress approached. She smiled at Nica, then asked them, “Get you anything from the bar?”
“We’ll have a couple of these.” Silas gestured to Nica’s beer.
Max shook his head. “No, thank you, Amber.”
MacCreedy grabbed her wrist, startling a gasp from her. His stare was rapier sharp. “You tipped off the four who attacked Detective Caissie?” She paled and tried to tug away, her frightened eyes flashing over to Max.
“MacCreedy,” Nica said quietly as her hand settled over his, “let her go. It’s all right, Amber. Bring us those drinks. Silas, please.” More softly still, “This isn’t the time.”
The waitress darted away the instant she was freed, leaving them in a contemplative silence Max finally broke. “I think we should make time.”
Cee Cee and Silas’s pagers went off together, and they pulled out their phones to see the same number: Babineau’s.
“Give you a ride, Detective?” Cee Cee offered, grateful to escape Max’s interrogation.
“Sure.” MacCreedy also rose up.
“I’ll walk you out,” Nica offered.
Max looked at the three of them with obvious displeasure. “This matter isn’t finished. We need a more private venue. You’ll come out to the house tomorrow night for dinner.”
“I have to work,” Nica said quickly.
“I have paperwork to go over with Detective Babineau,” Silas spoke up.
“Amber will cover for you,” Max told Nica, “and you can bring Babineau with you. He has matters to settle, too.” His pointed stare slid to Cee Cee. “Any objections you’d like to make, cher?”
“How does seven sound to everyone?” At the reluctant couple’s nods, she looked at the glowering Max. “I don’t know how late I’ll be tonight. Depends on what’s going on here. I’ll let you know if I’m going to be staying in town.”
Max’s smile quirked at her obvious attempt at avoidance. “You do that. I’ll have Helen make arrangements for tomorrow.”
While Cee Cee went to get her car, Nica pulled Silas inside the dark doorway. She stood close, tucking her hands into the back pockets of his jeans, rubbing her nose into his soft cotton T-shirt and inhaling his scent. He stood very still, barely breathing.
“Did you bring him here to find me?” she asked.
“He would have done so eventually. I thought it might be better if I came along.”
“To protect my back or his?”
“My own.”
She laughed, not believing him. Her hands began to knead through the denim. “You could come over after you’re finished with your call.”
His palms settled easily on the subtle curve of her hips. “I could, but I’m not going to.”
“You’re still angry with me.” Her gaze lifted, teasing, tempting. “Or are you playing hard to get?”
“That would be silly, considering we both know how easily you get to me.”
She smiled, her chin lifting in invitation. He lowered his head until their lips touched, once very softly, again very silkily, then with enough heat to set off the fire alarms.
“Come over,” she sighed into his kisses. “You’ve tried the floor. The bed is more comfortable.”
He nipped at her lips, tasting and parting them so his tongue could slip inside for a quick, sensual dance.
“I don’t think so. I don’t trust you enough to close my eyes around you.”
She gave a husky chuckle as she tugged his hips against her. “I promise you won’t be sleeping.”
His hold tightened, pulling her against the rock-hard proof of his interest, until her eyes closed and her head fell back. When his mouth pressed to her neck, she moaned. When he set her away from him, she staggered.
“What do you want, Nica? Is this the way you keep your enemies closer?”
She drew a stabilizing breath before meeting his steady stare. Honorable men—God help her. She shrugged and said reasonably, “We’re not enemies. I like you. I like having sex with you. Why should it be more complicated than that?”
“It’s not going to happen.”
As he slipped past her, she laughed. “Think again, MacCreedy.”
“You’re a Shifter.” Cee Cee got right to the point as she drove her powerful car down the tight network of streets.
“I’m a lot of things.”
“What are you doing in New Orleans?”
“I already went through all this with your boyfriend.”
“Then you won’t have to think very hard about the answer.”
“My job.”
Her dark eyes flashed over to assess him. “As what?”
“A detective. Those four who jumped you were kidnapping girls for Blutafino. And the girls weren’t picked randomly.”
“Why do you say that?”
“They were clan females, selected because they had something of interest to some clinic up north.”
“The Chosen.”
Silas angled toward her on the seat to demand, “What do you know about them?”
“Not damned near enough. But I know they’re dangerous, and I know they’ve sent their Trackers down here to snoop around.” She gave him a gauging look. “About the same time you showed up.”
MacCreedy gave a snort. “I don’t work for them. I avoid them.” He paused. “How well do you know Nica?”
“Funny, Max asked me the same question about you. Guess we’ll all have time to get to know one another tomorrow night.”
“I’m looking forward to it.” He was looking forward to it. To getting inside those well-guarded walls, where he’d be closer to his goal than he could have ever hoped.
“Does Babs know what you are?”
“He knows I’m a cop and he trusts me to have his back.”
“And do you?” Delivered like a knife jab.
“Yes. Your partner’s safe with me. I picked this job, Detective. It wasn’t assigned to me. I’m trained and skilled, just like you are. I take it seriously and I do it aboveboa
rd. I’m not one of your boyfriend’s undocumented outcasts, hiding out of the mainstream. I want to do things that matter.”
Cee Cee chuckled at his defensiveness. “Have a pretty high opinion of yourself, don’t you?”
“I earned it, working damned hard.”
“Good. You don’t need to get all pissy about it. Geez, I have to tiptoe around enough of that shit at home.”
Silas enjoyed a laugh at his own expense and relaxed. “Sorry. Habit.”
She smiled. “I hear you. Try being a woman.”
They drove in silence for a moment. She slowed down as they entered the dockside area Babineau had called from. Then she asked, “How did you get mainstreamed in with us humans?”
“Clan connections. They arranged an identity for me, hoping I’d be useful.”
“And are you?”
“When I have to be.” He pointed ahead. “There he is.”
Cee Cee eased her car next to Babineau’s and cut the engine. Her partner came over to lean on her open window.
“Nice tan,” he observed, then nodded to Silas. “Got lucky. Spotted Manny slipping out of the club with some interesting company, so I followed. They’ve been on the ship for about a half hour.”
Cee Cee studied the vessel and frowned. “That’s one of LEI’s. Who took him on board, Babs?”
“You’re going to love this. Francis Petitjohn. Question is, does Savoie know about it?”
“I doubt it,” MacCreedy said, then gave them a brief summary of the confrontation between Manny and Max he’d overheard in Manny’s office.
“So,” Babineau mused, “if Max isn’t in on this little get-together, could be T-John is planning to make a move on him. Wouldn’t have thought he had the balls for it.”
“Weasels have sharp teeth, but only strike when they have a sure advantage. Why would T-John be thinking that he does?” Charlotte mused. “Something’s going on, and we’d better figure out what pretty damned quick.”
“To protect your boyfriend’s interests?” Babineau drawled.
Cee Cee wouldn’t let it get personal. “Who’d you rather have at the head of Legere Enterprises? Savoie, who’s not giving us any grief, or Petitjohn, who’ll have the streets running red in no time?”
“Got a point.”
Babineau began to straighten when suddenly he was yanked out of sight without a sound.
“Alain?”
Hand going for her gun, Cee Cee was getting out of the car when a large figure loomed up between the parked vehicles. The door came smashing shut, catching her in the temple. As she slumped forward, huge clawed hands gripped her under the arms to drag her out.
Silas saw three of them, already transformed into hulking bestial shapes. As he unbuckled, the car began to rock violently. He was tumbled around as the vehicle went over onto its roof in a slow roll, but as soon as the car settled he came shooting out through an open side window.
Babineau was struggling with one of the man-beasts and Cee Cee sprawled unmoving on the cement. He had two challengers to overcome before he could be of any help to them, and there was only one way to accomplish that quickly.
He shifted.
The astonishment in their eyes was satisfying as the two hired watchdogs saw MacCreedy’s T-shirt stretch and tear as his mass increased with explosive power. Taking advantage of their surprise, Silas used that second of hesitation to rip through the throat of the one closest to him. Then the other was on him, knocking him back against the overturned car. Locked together in combat, they grappled for momentum until MacCreedy managed to throw the other down and was instantly on top to quickly finish him.
Covered with blood and deep gouges, Silas leapt over the car to confront the third attacker. He was bigger than the first two, with a massive chest and curling claws. Seeing MacCreedy’s rush, he flung Babineau to the ground and charged with the force of an oncoming train. They both went down, snarling and snapping. Silas managed to flip him, got his forearm around the other’s neck and an arm wedged up behind his back, and planted the creature’s altered face into the pavement.
“Who are you working for?” Silas growled, his voice as harsh and deep as death. “Who hired you to turn against your own kind? Blutafino? Petitjohn?”
With a buck and a twist, the other got MacCreedy’s arm between his teeth and would have severed it, if Silas hadn’t seized the back of his attacker’s neck in mighty jaws to crush his spine. Silas rolled off the lifeless body to clasp his mangled arm, letting go of his animal form to rock and curse in pain.
Babineau crouched over him, muttering, “Son of a bitch. Just when you think you know a guy, he turns into a fucking werewolf.”
“You’re welcome,” Silas groaned as Babineau yanked off his cotton jacket to use as a compress, applying steady pressure to get the bleeding under control. By then, a groggy Cee Cee had come to kneel on the other side of him, and was swiping at the blood on Silas’s face with her palm.
“Mac, you okay?”
“Get me up. We gotta get outta here before more of them come sniffing around.”
The two humans hauled him to his feet, then were faced with the problem of the upended car.
“Help me,” Silas told them simply as he gripped the door frame with both hands and began to lift. Crimson-glazed muscles bulged as he strained and groaned. As soon as the vehicle began to rock up onto its side, the awestruck detectives put their shoulders to it as well and momentum carried the vehicle over to bounce, then settle on its wheels.
Men started to appear on the deck of the ship, and lights began to shine across the dock.
“Tomorrow night, seven, out at the house.” Cee Cee didn’t give her partner a chance to argue as she shoved MacCreedy into her car, then quickly climbed in herself as Babineau got into his. Then the two cars spun away in different directions to blend into the darkness.
Silas leaned against the car door, eyes closed, cradling his arm to his chest.
“You need a hospital?” Cee Cee asked.
“No. I’ll heal. It just takes a little time. Take me home.”
Home was a subletted apartment on St. Peters. Cee Cee pulled up in front of the three-story building of salmon-colored stucco with blue shutters. He was on the second floor, and he thought grimly of that flight of stairs.
“What are you going to tell Savoie?”
Cee Cee frowned. “I’ve got some poking around to do before I drop that bomb on him. I’ll stop by for a visit with Antoine D’Marco, LEI’s attorney, first, and find out what the pecking order is for controlling interest. See if our buddy Petitjohn has been as busy behind the scenes as I’m beginning to think he’s been. If he’s planning to make a move on Max, it’s going to be his last one.”
In too much pain to care about Savoie’s politics, Silas heaved himself upright with a groan and pushed open the car door. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
Cee Cee nodded, wincing as she touched her own bruised temple. “Yeah. Seven o’clock.”
Moving gingerly up the three front steps, Silas heard her pull away from the curb with a squeal of tires. He took his time with the arduous climb inside, thinking of nothing but a long, hot shower, restorative red meat, and bed. Until he reached his apartment and saw a strip of light beneath the door. He used his key and entered cautiously.
His shotgun apartment was narrow and cramped, furnished for utility rather than comfort. The only thing classy about it was the fiery redhead who swept out of the galley kitchen.
“Don’t you have a bottle of decent wine? Where have you been? I’ve been stuck here for hours waiting for you. And you don’t even have cable.”
She stood with her fists on curvy hips in a dress that probably cost more than his month’s rent, the picture of impatient displeasure while he dripped blood on the carpet. Not a word about his ragged appearance, only her own inconvenience. Sometimes it was damned hard to love her, but he did.
“Nice to see you, too. A call would have probably made for a more gracious we
lcome.”
She sniffed at that. “You would have told me not to come.”
“Knowing that, why are you here?”
“Because you won’t answer my calls. I don’t think you fully appreciate how important this is to our future, or you’d be taking care of things instead of brawling like some animal.” Her critical gaze took in his battered state with distaste.
His answer was testy. “I’ve got an invitation to Savoie’s estate tomorrow night. So you see, I have been toiling diligently to see to your future happiness and self-indulgence.”
She smiled then, and her tone softened like warm honey. “How clever of you. And it’s for your happiness, too. It’s to get both of us what we want, what we deserve. Or have you forgotten that while playing with your silly human associates?”
Silas growled, “I haven’t forgotten anything. I know what the stakes are. Why else would that bastard still be breathing?”
She took a quick step toward him, gripping his arm just above the terrible wound. “You promised you wouldn’t act against him, Silas. This isn’t the time for vengeance. Stick to the plan, or we’ll lose everything.”
“What haven’t we lost already?” He jerked away, ignoring the pain of that harsh movement as his temper heated. “I know what’s in the balance. You have no idea how hard it is to be so close and do nothing.”
“You’ll have your blood for blood, but not until we regain our power. Remember your obligations.”
“When have you ever let me forget them?”
Her gaze grew bittersweet. “You don’t need me to punish your conscience, Silas. You take too much joy in that task already.” She gently rubbed his tense shoulder, then drew him down to press a light kiss to his furrowed brow. “Are you all right? I’ve been worried.” Finally, that soft note of concern.
A knock at his door was followed by its immediate opening. The two females regarded each other with territorial bristling.
“So,” Nica drawled, “this one you can close your eyes around? What’s your name, bitch, so I know what to tell the ambulance driver when they pick you up on the curb?”