Chasing Shadows (The Initiative Book 1)

by Kindra Sowder

  “Well, McGrady,” he said with a gruff tone, noting his disapproval of the man I loved without having to say it, “I am responsible for what happens in the Initiative in this state as well as what happens to our agents. Besides, the other two killings were one on one. For something to kill five of our own at one time means something big is doing this, and it’s running out of time.”

  “Did your investigators tell you that?” Stephenson asked, barely hiding her new found hatred for a man she had never met until now.

  His gaze moved to her, taking in her perfect hair and wonderfully done makeup that had not once run because of sweat or the heat. She was still wearing her vest emblazoned with the letters F-B-I, not even caring to hide who she was and why she was there.

  “And you are?” Richards asked, one eyebrow shooting up in curiosity as he stared at her.

  She took a step forward, hand out to shake his and answered, “Special Agent Miranda Stephenson. I have been called in to help with the investigation and hopefully, learn more about what it is the Initiative does. We are very interested in you guys over at the FBI.”

  “Ah, well,” Richards began as he shifted his feet uncomfortably, “you are with our best. Isabelle Van Helsing has closed many a case and always gets her man.” He flashed a smile in my direction, and I had to attempt to hide the very noticeable cringe that overtook my body, those black eyes watching every move I made. His eyes roamed over my body so obviously I rolled my eyes and McGrady cleared his throat in an attempt not to say a word to the man. I wasn’t nearly as restrained, hence the eye roll.

  “So, we were called to the scene to do what?” I asked, meeting his gaze with scrutiny.

  He turned to look at the bodies, and then back at us, his fingers rubbing his chin in deep thought as if he had to decide whether to tell me something or not. “Follow me,” he said as he jerked his head back toward the bodies behind him.

  McGrady’s hand moved to the small of my back as we followed Richards, my eyes never leaving the man’s back for a second. I was trying to hide the fact that I knew full well what he was up to, but the longer I was around him, the more I just couldn’t. This would need to be over with and quickly before I accused him of sending these foul creatures after all of us, but for what? What would he gain? I guessed we would have to wait and see when we finally took him down. Richards leaned down next to the body he had been inspecting when we had arrived and lifted the sheet, moving it down past the woman’s waist this time.

  “I thought you may recognize something, and I wanted you to see it,” he said as he looked up at me. There was blood soaking through the woman’s crisp, white polo shirt, I recognized her instantly when I took in her blonde hair that had been matted to her forehead with blood, her bright green eyes wide with horror. Her flesh had been nearly ripped to shreds, and I wasn’t excited to see what lay underneath the fabric of her shirt. Her name had been Jennifer, and while I didn’t know her well, I did know that she was on the top ten. Each victim so far, living or dead, was within this range.

  “Hopefully, you haven’t eaten recently. If you have, you may not want to see this,” Richards said, eyeing each of us.

  Lucky for him we hadn’t stopped for food since we had met with Constance and I had thrown up everything in my stomach when I had crossed the veil with Eshu. Each one of us met his gaze, and he pulled the belly of her shirt up, revealing what was underneath. There was a sharp intake of breath from McGrady, the air sliding between his teeth in a whistle and a gasp of shock from Stephenson.

  “Look familiar?” Richards asked, his eyes meeting mine again. Ocean blue against the obsidian only I could see now that my eyes had been opened to what he truly was.

  The sigil of Abraxas, the same one that had been carved into my flesh to leave a permanent mark upon me, was carved on hers, but it seemed she had bled out from her assault when it was done. Did he mean to leave her alive to use as a beacon like me? Or was I expected to meet the same fate, but beat the odds because of McGrady’s quick thinking? Jennifer’s perfect flesh had been marred, but at least she didn’t have to live with the damage done to her body like I had. She had that blessing working for her at least.

  “The sigil of Abraxas,” I whispered as I leaned forward, inspecting the lines on her belly that mirrored my own. “How the Hell is Abraxas even tied to this?”

  I let my anger and rage fuel the question, looking to Richards, who was watching my reaction carefully, his black eyes never wavering. He had no clue I knew, and I would keep it that way as long as I could until we could enact some sort of justice on the bastard whether I did it or the judicial system did. Thankfully the courts took supernatural evidence into consideration and had used it to convict perpetrators of crimes over the last century. I just needed to pin Richards down.

  Richards shrugged and asked, pulling Jennifer’s shirt back down to cover the carnage, “You don’t have any leads?”

  I shook my head, trying to stay at composed as possible, so he didn’t realize I knew it was him all along. “Not a single thing. Sorry.”

  Richards stood and adjusted his suit jacket, buttoning it despite the stifling heat. “Well, if you find anything please keep me informed. I want to catch this guy and put him to justice,” he paused, “and fast.”

  It was like he had read my mind.

  “Well, we’ll come tae ye first if anythin’ comes up,” McGrady stated, reaching his hand out as he stood to shake Richards’, gripping it so hard I saw Richards wince, but he kept the contact.

  “Do all the victims have this sigil carved into their bodies?” Stephenson asked.

  I had a feeling I already knew the answer, and that was a hard no, the creatures inflicting as much pain as they could on the women, but for what reason? There had to have been one.

  “Nope,” Richards shook his head, “Just the female. Like in the attack on Isabelle here. She, McGrady, her brother and friend are the only ones to survive a direct assault. Maybe you all should speak about that. See if you can shake any pebbles loose or something. Isabelle even has her own set.” He flashed a wicked smile and looked at me, but I turned away knowing I couldn’t meet his gaze with a straight face any longer without jumping him to kill him.

  “You survived that?” Stephenson nearly shouted, pointing at Jennifer’s body on the ground with a shocked expression on her face. She couldn’t believe anyone could, but there had to be a reason for that too besides McGrady’s saving hands. Or maybe that was self-centered of me to think. I said nothing, so McGrady answered for me.

  “She did, but we almost lost ‘er. Anither Exterminator is still in th’ hospital an’ ‘er brither an’ Ah weren’ hurt nearly as badly.”

  She nodded, pouting out her bottom lip and stated, “Impressive.”

  I couldn’t stop the smile that graced my lips, but it quickly disappeared as Richards stared me down, his eyes lingering in places that they shouldn’t be. McGrady noticed and moved closer to my side, grazing my arm with his with the lightest of touches. A mixture of lust and anger flared behind Richards’ eyes.

  “Well, is that all you wanted to show us?” I asked, kicking my foot on the ground, not wanting to meet his eyes, but doing so anyway. It was like something was stolen from deep within me every time I did, and I wasn’t quite sure what that was. I focused on his sweaty forehead instead.

  “That’s it,” he answered as he stuffed his hands in his pockets innocently. “We’ll speak again soon, Miss Van Helsing.”

  I turned to leave, following Stephenson and McGrady until a soft touch grazed my arm, pulling my attention to the man I was hoping would just let me leave without asking if I had thought about his offer and I had. But little did he know that I would be using it to take his deceitful ass down. I turned around, letting the rage fill my eyes at him doing this in such a public forum. He leaned in closer to me, and it took all I had not to
take a step backward.

  “Have you thought about my offer? Now that you’re out of the hospital it’s not safe for you to be at your own home so that safe house would be beneficial to you,” he whispered, looking around to make sure no one else heard the exchange. I felt McGrady’s eyes on me, but he kept his distance, knowing this interaction had to happen to enact our plan.

  “I have,” I answered.

  “And?”

  I closed my eyes and took a deep breath in, not wanting to say the word but needing to, “Yes, I’ll do it. Just dinner though, no other funny business,” I said sternly, pointing a finger at the center of his chest and resisting the urge to jab him and push him away. “I know what you want from me, and you’re not getting it.”

  He grinned and flashed a glance in McGrady’s direction, the smile only broadening when he saw an expression on his face I didn’t turn around to see for myself. I was focused, intent on James Richards and his black eyes that I wanted so badly to gouge out of their sockets with my fingers.

  “Alright, I’ll have a car pick you up at seven tomorrow evening. Where should I send it?”

  “You have McGrady’s address. Send it there,” I said as I turned and walked away, his hungry eyes gazing over me for what felt like the millionth time as I did so, not even turning back to look at him.

  All three of us jumped into the car after being let out of the scene by the same officer who had let us in, and as soon as the doors were shut, I was bombarded with questions by Stephenson. I turned back in my seat and looked at her, holding my hand up to shut her up.

  “Hold on now, Agent. First off, I need you to tell us which hotel you’re staying in so we can drop you off and then get you tomorrow. After that, you can ask whatever you want.”

  She nodded and replied, “I’m at the Bourbon Orleans Hotel.”

  “Good, that’s not too far awa’ at all.” McGrady started the SUV and pulled away from the curb, making the necessary turns to get to the hotel as Stephenson asked me question after question about the attack on us. I didn’t have all the answers, but I did what I could.

  “So, this sigil. Are we sure it’s actually Abraxas that’s sending these Shadow People?” she asked, and even I had to admit I had no idea.

  “Well, we’re not entirely sure, but if it’s a ruse it is rather convincing don’t you think?” I turned to look back at her, and her eyes turned down to her hands in her lap.

  “Yeah, I’d say so,” she reflected, biting her bottom lip as she thought. “Why only women, though? There has to be something behind that.”

  McGrady jumped all over that one. He was the one in the vehicle the most knowledgeable about this demon in particular from his studies.

  “Well, he is said tae be a supreme bein’, solar power bein’ his focus. Anythin’ from th’ sun. Th’ light he brings can conjure these shadaw beings, creatin’ them from th’ energy he creates.” He shrugged and continued, “But ‘at cood depend on which text yoo’re getting’ yer information froom.”

  “So, I guess I should do some digging around to see what I find,” she said as she picked at her fingernails.

  “Yup, and we’ll do some more on our end too. Don’t worry,” I said as I watched her eyes rise to look into mine, “we’ll get this bastard. I’m sure of it.”

  We pulled up in front of her hotel, the old building still held its Southern charm, greeting her with its warm lights and the old brick that led to the French doors. She slid across the seat and got out, closing her door and walking to the doors without even looking back. I sighed and leaned my head back on the headrest, thanking my lucky stars the interrogation was over.

  “‘At one sure is a Chatty Kathy, isn’ she?” he joked as he pulled away from the hotel.

  “God, yes. I think I don’t want to work with the FBI again if they’re all that talkative. It makes me antsy,” I admitted, rolling my head on the rest to watch his profile, a smile spreading over his lips.

  “She’s nae sae bad, an’ it is ‘er job, Izzy.”

  “I guess you have a point,” I agreed with a passive wave of my hand. “So? Hotel or your place? I told Richards he can send the car to your place, but I think I did that mostly to get under his skin.”

  McGrady let out a chuckle, taking joy in being able to get to the man all because of the woman whose heart he held in his very hands.

  “Mah place. Ah don’t care much fur hotels an’ they ur expensive aroond hur. Plus,” he paused as the sincere smile turned into a wickedly sexy smirk, “Ah can dae whatever Ah want tae ye at hom’ withit someone thinkin’ Aam killin’ ye an’ callin’ th’ cops.”

  “Agreed. Your place it is, then.”

  He put more pressure on the accelerator, the engine roaring to life under his expert hands, and he gripped the steering wheel with a white-knuckled grip. He lived closer to the swamps like I did, liking the quiet and the sounds of nature that surrounded him. It was calming after a long day, and we both needed that quiet at the moment.

  “Ur ye hungry?”

  “A little,” my eyes slid up again to focus on his profile, a smile spreading over my lips. “Why?”

  “Aye so leery, hen,” he chuckled, his Adam’s apple bobbing with the sound. “We’ll stop an’ pick up somethin’.”

  He reached over and placed his hand between our seats, palm facing up. I put mine in his, and his fingers twined around mine, holding just tight enough, so he didn’t feel like I was slipping through his fingers. I knew the feeling and because of the very absurd sexual request from other man tonight, I couldn’t say I blamed him.

  Chapter 16

  We stumbled loudly into McGrady’s home which, from the outside, looked a lot like most homes in New Orleans, but the inside was a different story. You could tell it was a man’s house, the walls covered in earthy colors and dark hardwood floors with sleek lines and large furniture. He threw his keys and wallet on the entry table by the door, leaning me into the doorway as soon as I had crossed the threshold and it was closed, his lips running over mine. He smelled like a hint of whiskey, which we had bought after we picked up dinner from the Canal Street Bistro. The bag containing my duck enchiladas and his fish of the day was dangling precariously in his curved fingers, the handles threatening to spill from his fingers and we had already demolished half of the bottle of Devil’s Cut whiskey that I now held in my hand.

  “Mmmm, we have some work to be doing,” I said past his hungry lips, his tongue entering my mouth past my words and enveloping it.

  “We have all nicht fur that. Plus,” he slurred as he pointed at his temple, hinting at his brain, “Aam a walkin’ encyclopedia oov all things demonic.”

  My eyebrows raised in exaggerated interest caused by the alcohol running through my system. I wasn’t nearly as drunk as him because, as a Van Helsing, my tolerance was double what his was even if he was a large man.

  “Oh yeah? I had no idea,” I said as I took another swig of the open whiskey bottle, wincing at the burn in my throat that produced way too much saliva.

  His hand slid around the bottle as I raised it to my lips again, taking it from my hand and placing it on the entry table and setting the bag of food on the floor beside his feet.

  “Mmmhmmm,” he answered as he covered my mouth with his again, just as hungry as before if not more so.

  His musk and the heady smell of his attraction made it hard to breathe, air coming into my lungs in ragged gasps as I slid my hands underneath his shirt, causing him to moan in pleasure again as he pushed me deeper into the threshold of his front door. His fingers slid up my throat and tangled themselves in my hair as my own explored his rock hard abs. I felt a smile form on his mouth, and he pulled away long enough to stare down at my thin black t-shirt, a sensual light in his eyes.

  “Thes needs tae go.”

  His large hands gripped the collar
of the shirt and then there was an audible rip as the shirt gave way under his strength, tearing away from my body in one piece. I let it fall down my arms and to the floor as I circled around him. He reached out to me, and I evaded playfully, walking backward and heading up his stairs to my favorite room in the entire house as my throat released the sensual giggle I had been holding inside.

  “Whur do ye think yoo’re goin, lass?” he asked as he stalked toward me like a predator, his muscles coiled like he could pounce at any moment.

  “Maybe you should follow me and find out.” The words practically came out in a moan.

  My belly tightened in anticipation of his touch on my skin, but I still moved up the stairs, my eyes never leaving his as a sultry heat filled the air between us. It was filled with electricity that skittered over my skin and left goose bumps. I had reached the landing, but my foot slipped, McGrady catching me with ease as he reached me within a few steps. He held me there and laid a kiss on my exposed collar bone, falling to his knees on the step just below where I was standing and hands roaming over my scarred belly, which he covered in soft, adoring kisses. My fingers tangled in his dark hair as his stubble barely scratched my skin. It wasn’t painful. None of this was. Not even the fact that those ugly scars were there bothered me at the moment. His hands grazed up my legs and then around to my back, my head craning back and a moan of ecstasy escaping from between my parted lips. I took his moment of distraction to take a step back, and then another, his mouth following me as I did so.

  I reached down and took his hand in mine, splicing my fingers apart to wrap within his large and warm hand and when he looked at me he was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. His gorgeous lips were parted, his chest rising and falling quickly through heaving breaths of passion, his amber eyes hooded and hot like a fire was burning within them as he stared up at me. A sexy smile spread over his lips, and he came to stand in front of me, taking the last step onto the landing as I returned the expression as a carnal, animal one took place on his. I could see the lust in his eyes as well as the love and the passion and my breath left me in a whoosh.