Chosen by Fate

by Virna DePaul

  “You didn’t go to the police. Why?”

  “I don’t like the police as a general rule. I certainly wouldn’t go to them without more information than that. I think the more relevant questions here are why you didn’t tell your friend what I told you or where you were going tonight.”

  Lucy hesitated. She knew Dex would be worried when he woke and found her gone, but that couldn’t be helped. If it turned out Jesmina was right, the Para-Ops team and Mahone would need to know, if only because the Bureau was spending valuable time and resources investigating crimes that weren’t real. Not to mention the fact that falsely reporting a crime was a felony in itself.

  The only problem was, if Jesmina was right, and the felines were lying in order to explain what they were doing to their own bodies, telling Mahone could prove disastrous not just to the felines involved, but to all felines. Because even without speaking to Alton Maddox, Lucy could guess what surgery he was performing on the felines—sterilization. A feline’s sexual heat—which lasted seven days and then returned after another seven days—was nature’s way of ensuring that the feline race flourished through procreation. That nature had gone a little overboard didn’t matter. The felines worshipped their females’ sexuality and ability to procreate. Any feline who voluntarily sterilized herself in order to be free of the heat would be a social outcast, rejected as a veritable heathen. That one of those felines was a royal princess would cause a scandal that wouldn’t die for generations to come. Lucy assumed the rapes were a way to explain away infertility should it be discovered—the felines could always claim their attacker had rendered them infertile during the rapes, either deliberately or not. Lucy wasn’t so sure that outing the feline’s falsity was the right thing to do.

  Then, of course, there was her personal reason for wanting to talk to Maddox alone.

  She’d had sex with Dex, something she never would have done but for the heat and her desperation to do her job in spite of it. Even so, it was only a temporary cure. She could already feel her body beginning to cramp with the renewed need to be filled. Dex’s touch had been incredible, but it still had felt wrong because she’d seen it for exactly what it was—a pity fuck. As much as she wanted to be strong, she wasn’t certain she could be as strong as she needed to be, not when she had years of life still ahead of her. Unlike the others, she didn’t need to be accepted by the feline society, so being sterilized sounded like a viable option . . . especially since she had no plans to ever mate or have a family.

  Her mother had mated and procreated enough for both of them.

  “I’ll call as soon as I’ve spoken to Maddox and decided what to do,” Lucy said. “But right now, I have to think about the felines first.”

  Jesmina nodded. “I’ll wait here. But if you need me, yell. I . . . I won’t like it, but if you feel it’s necessary, I can use persuasion to get the information you need.”

  Lucy tilted her head. “Hopefully that won’t be necessary. Mr. Maddox sounds like he’s got a good heart. Let’s just hope he trusts me, and that no matter what he says, we can think of a way to help.”

  Wraith sat on the couch in her hotel room and listened to Caleb and Dex talking in hushed tones, as if they were afraid the news of Lucy or Felicia would send her over the edge and into a void of insanity. For some reason, she found the notion hilarious. A laugh escaped her as she thought, Too late. I’ve been there for over ten years.

  While she was worried for her friends, she was far more concerned with herself at the moment, and that was just pathetic. Felicia and Lucy had long, full futures ahead of them. She was a ticking time bomb that had already gone off multiple times. Instinctively, she knew it would only take one more detonation to kill her.

  This time, she giggled, the sound rife with hysteria. Caleb broke away from Dex to crouch in front of her. He reached for her hands, but pulled back before he touched her. Wraith smirked.

  Everything was back to normal, apparently.

  “Wraith, Dex called Mahone. He said Felicia is fine. She was never assaulted. The report of an assault was a cover—they’ve spread news of it for a reason, but he’ll fill us in on what happened when he sees us in person. Right now, we need to concentrate on finding Lucy, but based on the evidence, it doesn’t appear she was taken against her will. She must have used her powers to enchant Dex or used a silencing spell so she could leave the hotel room undetected. The only question is why, and with whom? Can you think of anywhere she’d go?”

  Wraith stared at Caleb and felt a rush of regret. He had the purest heart of anyone she’d ever known. Not perfect, but loyal and honorable. She knew he wouldn’t rest until he found Lucy, and then he’d commit himself to finding out Wraith’s identity, thinking that would save her somehow. Her longing to be saved, after everything she’d been through, made her angry, angry enough to say, “Maybe she had second thoughts about screwing Dex just so she could do her job.”

  Stunned silence followed Wraith’s statement.

  Flicking her gaze to the were, she asked, “Nothing to say, Dex? Because I bet you were plenty persuasive when you asked her to take one for the good of the team.”

  The were didn’t so much as flinch. “What do you want me to say? That could be exactly why she left.”

  Caleb straightened and cursed. “I kidded you about that in the bar, but how . . . ?” He turned to Wraith. “How did you know?”

  “One of her admirers got fresh last night. Unbuttoned her shirt and pushed it aside like he wanted to mark her neck. Only, someone already had. She had whisker burns and bite marks. Wolf, not vampire.” She glanced sideways at Dex. Part of her tried to hold back the words that were on the tip of her tongue, but the other part of her relished saying them. “So how was she? Did she know anything, or did you have to hold her hand the whole time?”

  Dex finally started to look pissed. “Don’t go there, Wraith, because you won’t like where it leads us, I promise. Neither of you will.”

  She caught his meaning immediately and quickly glanced away. Thoughts of Caleb “holding her hand” played through her mind, taunting her with what she’d been given a small taste of. Then she thought of the horrified glances she and Caleb had shared in the bathroom mirror twenty minutes earlier, when they’d both realized she’d become full wraith again. As it had then, her stomach clenched, and her chest felt hollow and empty, devoid of life and purpose.

  “Wraith, what about your friend Colt? The vampire you were dancing with at Knox’s wedding? Did you see him talk to Lucy that night? Do you think she’d have any reason to trust him?”

  Her gaze slowly catching Caleb’s, Wraith struggled with confusion. Why was he asking her about Colt? What could the vamp possibly have to do with Lucy’s disappearance?

  “Lucy could have gotten out of her room without Dex knowing about it if someone teleported her out. A vampire,” Caleb explained.

  “And why would you think that vampire would be Colt?” she choked out.

  Caleb and Dex briefly met gazes before Dex nodded, his features grim. Caleb turned to her. “I told Knox about the two men sent after you. He started looking at security footage from the night of the reception. After a time, he focused on Natia because of something his brother had said.”

  “Natia. I knew something was off with that one,” Wraith interrupted, but she gleaned no satisfaction from being right. Regardless of what the feline had done, Caleb had been close to her at one time. Cared for her. Her betrayal was clearly hurting him. Just as Wraith knew his next words were going to make her hurt, as well. “So what does this have to do with Colt?”

  “Knox discovered footage of the two of them talking. Money exchanged hands, and then Colt made some calls. Less than five hours later, your friend Joanna was attacked by two men. The same men who came after us.”

  “Circumstantial evidence,” she muttered, but she knew it was enough. As much as she’d hated the drugs Colt had used to give her sexual relief, she’d never hated him. A part of her had always been grate
ful to him, but obviously he’d had no problem selling her out to the highest bidder. Vaguely, she wondered if she’d at least been worth more to him than the five hundred dollars Doug and Emmett had accepted.

  “I’m sorry, Wraith. We can’t know what Colt’s involvement is, but if there’s any chance he got to Lucy . . .”

  “I never saw them together. Not once.” Unable to bear the men’s scrutiny for a second longer, Wraith stood up, strode into the bedroom, and slammed the door shut behind her. Helplessly, she looked at the bed, the sheets still rumpled from when she and Caleb had made love. Tentatively, she reached out and smoothed her hand over them. Then, firming her jaw, she snatched up her clothes and began to dress.

  She’s barely holding it together, Caleb thought, but unfortunately he didn’t have time to coddle Wraith. He wanted to. He wanted to cradle her on his lap and comfort her and tell her she’d be okay no matter what she looked like or what she was, but he knew just how little she’d appreciate that. Plus, he wasn’t at all certain he’d be telling her the truth. Regardless, they had other things they needed to deal with right now. Caleb ran his hands through his hair before looking at Dex.

  “You really think you’re the reason Lucy left? Or that she would’ve gone anywhere with a strange male, even a vampire that Wraith had once known?”

  He hesitated, then shook his head. “No. She was fine with what happened. And I don’t think she’d go anywhere with this Colt. She doesn’t seem to trust males in general, except for Mahone, Knox, you, and me. But I never thought she’d use her powers to sneak out on me, either. Not unless she’d learned something critical in the last few hours, and she was drugged up most of that time. Besides us, she didn’t talk to anyone . . .” A stunned expression transformed Dex’s face. He smacked his fist into his palm. “A vampire,” he growled. “Not Colt. Not a male. But how about a female? The one who held her while I helped contain the shape-shifter? She must have convinced Lucy something was wrong and that she couldn’t confide in us for some reason.”

  Caleb immediately understood where he was going. “The vamp said something about Natia. That she wanted to talk to us about it. I was so concerned about Wraith, I cut her off. But she and Lucy, they had time to talk before you left. Who chose the hotel you stayed at?”

  “Lucy,” Dex said grimly. “She said she’d read about it online and wanted to check it out.”

  “And did she ask for a particular room?”

  “I don’t know. She checked us in while I was on the phone with Mahone. Shit!”

  “So the vampire teleported in and out with Lucy?” Caleb asked.

  “It’s as good an explanation as any,” Dex said.

  “Did you get the vampire’s name?”

  At the sound of Wraith’s voice, they both looked over. She’d gotten dressed in her leathers and even had her sunglasses on. She looked ready to kick some serious butt, and Caleb couldn’t help thinking how different she looked from the vulnerable female who’d been in his bed less than an hour earlier.

  “Jesmina Martin.”

  The name rolled off Dex’s tongue so swiftly that Wraith’s mouth twitched upward. “Made an impression, did she? Do you think you did the same for her?”

  Dex shook his head. “Not yet. But if she’s hurt Lucy, I’ll leave more than an impression on her. I’ll have her begging for mercy.”

  “On the bright side, if Lucy is well and happy, maybe you can still make an impression on the vamp—”

  “Don’t.” Wraith glared at Caleb. “I just lost my humanity again, and who knows where Lucy is. Jokes about threesomes are not allowed.”

  Even so, he caught the small spark of amusement in her voice and thought, You see. You’re not completely lost to me, Wraith. Not yet. And while he hadn’t forgotten Jesmina’s revelation that Wraith was probably going to die unless she found out her human identity soon, he couldn’t help thinking things might have changed. The human traits had left her, and maybe that meant she’d been given a reprieve. Even so, she wasn’t who she wanted to be, and that, more than anything, including the pain she’d no doubt feel when he touched her now, was what would keep them apart.

  THIRTY-SIX

  Wraith stared at the shape-shifter who’d been brought into the Bureau interrogation room over fifteen minutes ago. They’d cajoled, questioned, and threatened him and he’d yet to say a word to them. Now, sitting on the long table next to him, one leg crossed over the other, she swung her foot and loudly chewed her gum. Every time she cracked it, the shape-shifter looked annoyed, so she kept right on doing it.

  She couldn’t help but wish there was a vampire handy to read the creature’s mind. Sure, it would constitute a violation of his constitutional rights, but Dex looked about ready to call it quits and start pummeling the shifter. The only thing that was probably stopping him was the camera in the room, but even that would fail to control him if the shifter didn’t talk soon. And she’d be waiting in line to get her punches in, as well.

  “Your friend would have been grateful to me, you know.”

  The shape-shifter’s words made Wraith jerk in surprise. She glanced at Caleb and Dex, who immediately took their seats and leaned forward, waiting for the shifter to say more. Wraith saw the way he immediately closed up.

  She turned to them. “Get out.”

  Dex snorted. “Get real.”

  Wraith locked eyes with Caleb. He hesitated, then got to his feet. “Come on, Dex. I need some coffee.”

  Dex’s expression became mutinous. After knocking his knuckles on the table about ten times, he finally nodded. Standing, he planted his palms on the metal surface and leaned forward threateningly. “Don’t screw around with me. You aren’t the only thing in this room that can shift. If I do it, it’ll be for one reason and one reason only. To rip your throat out. I’d talk fast if I were you.”

  “Come on, Dex. Now.” Caleb pulled Dex toward the door. The were left, albeit he dragged his feet and glared at the shifter the whole time.

  Wraith popped her gum and threw her hands up in a gesture that seemed to say, “What are you going to do? We just can’t seem to control the wolf.” “Sorry about that,” Wraith said. “But you see . . . Dex and Lucy are particularly close, if you get my meaning, and he’s worried about her.”

  “She used him to ease her heat, just like most felines use men. Or, should I say, let themselves be used.” He didn’t say the words disdainfully, the way someone like Harry Jenkins, the televangelist Otherborn-hater, would have, but rather, he seemed to hold a great deal of compassion for the felines. He’d obviously fallen for Lucy’s feline act just like they’d wanted.

  “I’m not sure what you meant earlier, but if Lucy was going to appreciate what you planned to do to her, why’d you have to drug her first?”

  He looked affronted. “I couldn’t do it to her otherwise. The procedure would have been too painful if she was fully sober.”

  Procedure? “Enlighten me. Please.”

  “Sterilizing a feline is major surgery. Ideally, she’d be in a hospital and put under. But given the circumstances, I do the best I can for them.”

  What the . . . Sterilizing a feline? She struggled for words and finally said, “So you think you’re helping the felines? By sterilizing them?”

  “Of course. It’s what they want. What they’d choose if they felt they had the option.”

  “Says who?”

  “They do,” the shifter said gently. “When they come to the clinic I work at. Every day, they beg us for meds to ease the heat. To give them some modicum of control. They complain about their partners or how they don’t want to have more kids, but they don’t have any choice, not when the heat controls them half the time. Did you know that while licorice can help ease their heat, it’s only a temporary fix?”

  “Uh, no. I didn’t know that.” Wraith thought of what Ramsey had told her. That the feline rapes weren’t rapes at all. Despite his warning, despite how great she was with riddles, she hadn’t put two and two to
gether, not even given her past experiences.

  Maria had betrayed her and turned her over to the mage, ostensibly in exchange for some kind of relief from the heat, but Wraith hadn’t really believed it. Wraith had known many felines who enjoyed their sexual natures, adored their children, lived happy, full lives. She’d convinced herself that Maria’s motivation must have been something else. Something more universal. Money. Power. Love. Had she really been that wrong? “Lucy didn’t want to be sterilized,” she pointed out. “She’s not even a feline.”

  The shape-shifter pursed his lips. “What planet are you living on?”

  That made her mad. She scooted off the table, stood threateningly close to the shifter, and rested her hands on her hips. “Meaning?”

  “Meaning she’s part feline. The were knows it. He helped her because she wanted an end to the heat. She wanted to break its control on her.”

  Lucy was part feline? Wraith’s first instinct was to feel betrayed all over again. But she quickly pushed the feeling away. Lucy was her friend. A true friend. She’d kept her secrets, just as Wraith had kept Lucy’s. She hadn’t done a thing to hurt Wraith, not the way Maria had.

  But how could she not have known she was feline? It hadn’t been in Mahone’s files, but did . . . ? She scowled. Of course Mahone knew. The bastard’s machinations were really starting to piss her off. “How did you know . . . ?”