by Dia Cole
“You’re firing me?” Tears gathered in my eyes. “What did I do? Tell me. I can fix it.”
“Nothing, Ms. James. Know that you did nothing wrong. You were a wonderful nanny, but we no longer need you.”
Filled with shock and denial, I tried to reason with him. “But—”
He held up his hand and spoke with that same otherworldly tone in his voice. “Don’t question this and don’t get upset. Just go straight home. Goodbye, Ms. James.”
Nodding, I left the bathroom and stumbled out of Mira’s bedroom. I’ll go straight home. Feeling like I was caught in a dream, I continued walking down the hallway, out the door, and in the direction of my apartment fifteen miles away.
14
Nathan
“The fuckers tried to kill Mira, brother.” I paced the length of my study as white-hot anger consumed me. Thank the fates that after expelling everything in her stomach, Mira had slept straight through the night. Although she’d woke this morning grumpy and tired, she seemed to have recovered from the effects of the poison. At least that makes one of us. I still hadn’t come down from the terror that clung to me the entire time I’d watched her sleep. I’d never felt so helpless.
Once Mira experienced her first Lykos transformation, she’d be able to heal almost any sickness or injury. But that wouldn’t happen until she was around twenty. Until then, she was as vulnerable as a human child. And human children died all the time.
Ty’s fierce expression mirrored my own as he watched me from the middle of the room. “Whoever did this will pay.”
My hands shook with rage. “Yes, they will pay. But first we have to find them.”
Ty’s gaze narrowed. “My money is on the Moon Valley Faction. They have the biggest ax to grind.”
I shook my head. “No. It’s not their style.” Although I didn’t trust Shoshanna, she’d seemed genuinely concerned for me and Mira. Besides the Moon Hunters were known for their honor. Poisoning a babe would be considered a cowardly act for them. “It could be the Bitter Lake Faction.” That Enforcer I’d pounded into the table could’ve decided to come after me and my family. “Or it could be the Reno Faction.” They’d promised to seek retribution for Tasha having insulted their Alpha at a recent council meeting. And they were not alone. “Hell, it could’ve been any of the dozens of factions Tasha has pissed off.”
As soon as Tasha took my position on the council, she’d sought to punish factions she deemed enemies through sanctions and tithing. That combined with her past homicidal tendencies meant that most of the factions in the country wanted her head on a spike. That’s where my attempts at diplomacy were supposed to come in. Not that I strove for peace for Tasha’s sake. I worked tirelessly for all the other Winterhaven males, females, and young who didn’t deserve to be persecuted because of the crimes of their leader.
“True,” Ty said rubbing his chin. “Have you questioned your housekeeper?”
“She remembers nothing probably due to the skull thumping Vana gave her when she fought her off.” When Mrs. Pierce had finally come to, she’d had no memory of the entire day nor any idea why she had a broken hand and a mango-sized lump on her forehead. I’d compelled the woman to believe she’d been in a car accident and sent her to the hospital for treatment. Of course I’d pay her medical bills and give her a nice severance, but she’d no longer be welcome in my home. She’d been compromised once, she could be compromised again.
“It sounds like it was lucky for Mira that Havana was here,” Ty said looking over at the couch where Mira napped. “Where is she by the way? Shouldn’t Havana have arrived by now?” Ty kept a neutral expression on his face, but he seemed a bit more interested in Vana’s whereabouts than he should’ve been. Is he getting attached to the female?
I tried to probe my friend’s mind through our bond.
He was shut down like Fort Knox. Lately, he’d been doing that, shutting me out. I didn’t like it. Wondering why he wasn’t sharing his thoughts, I muttered, “I let her go.”
Ty’s eyebrows shot up. “What?”
“It’s not safe for her here. If she’d eaten the poisoned pie, she’d have died yesterday. No matter what my feelings are for her, I won’t risk her life.”
“Havana might not have died,” Ty said softly. “Adult Lykos physiology is resistant to many poisons.”
“But she’s not Lykos. She’s an Atavus or don’t you remember?”
Ty refused to meet my gaze.
“Brother, what are you keeping from me?”
He let out a puff of air. “I believe Havana is a latent.”
I could only stare at him in shocked disbelief. The idea that Vana was a latent, aka a Lykos who had yet to go through their first transition, was preposterous. “That’s impossible. Tasha has a doctor screening blood samples from every babe born in this town. If Vana was Lykos, she’d have found her.”
“Havana was born inside her mother’s trailer, not at the hospital, remember? And I doubt she’s ever received legitimate medical treatment.”
There had to be more to his suspicion than that. “What did you find out about her background?”
Ty turned away and stared out the window at the swing set in the backyard.
My impatience grew as he said nothing and kept his mind locked against me. “Spit it out, brother!”
He spun around, a flash of anger in his eyes. “I spoke with a former friend of Havana’s mother. It seems Havana was the product of a one-night stand between her mother, who I believe was an Atavus, and a colonel in the army.”
I waved my hand dismissively. “So. Hundreds of colonels and lieutenant colonels probably move through the army base every year.”
Ty continued. “Donna, the friend, remembered that the colonel was nearly seven feet tall, that his eyes were a very unusual gold color, and that his name was Zacharias.”
In an instant all the heat seemed to leave the room. “As in Zacharias the Original?”
The slight nod of Ty’s head took me straight back to the whispered stories we’d heard as boys about the twelve Original Lykos project test subjects. They were the strongest, deadliest, and most powerful Alphas of us all. Unfortunately, they were also the most mentally unstable. Although most of them were thought to have been destroyed, a few, like Tasha, had escaped and a few, it was rumored, were kept by the military. “If that’s true then—”
“Then Havana will become a very powerful Lykos when she transitions,” Ty finished for me.
I shut my eyes seeing the inevitable events that would follow. “As soon as Tasha senses Vana, which she’ll do once she transitions, she’ll hunt her down and kill her.” The Alpha of Winterhaven would never allow an adult Lykos female of rivaling power to exist in her territory.
“I won’t let that happen,” Ty vowed.
“And neither will I.” Damnation. I ran both of my hands through my hair. It wasn’t enough that I had an assassin on my hands, the female I lo—cared for was in danger. Vana being a latent changes everything. Once she transitioned she’d need protection. My protection, the wolf inside me snarled. She’s mine.
Ty started to say something, but a popular dance song interrupted him. It sounded like the ringtone of a phone.
We both looked around my study in confusion until I tracked the source to a black purse sitting on the floor near the couch. Hoping to stop the racket before it woke Mira, I grabbed the bag and pulled out the noisy cell phone. I must’ve hit the talk button because a voice at the other end started shouting.
“Girl, you’d better have a damn good explanation for not coming home last night. You know you’re supposed to tell me if you’re staying at that rich guy’s house. Unless… Unless you were getting laid. Damn, girl, did you finally do the dirty with Daddy Warbucks?”
Ty arched his brow and mouthed “Daddy Warbucks?”
I cleared my throat. “Who is this?”
The woman on the other end cursed. “I’m Sydney. Who the hell are you and why do you have my friend Vana
’s phone?”
“I’m Nathan Steele. Ms. James is my employee. I just came across this phone in my study. She must’ve left it here yesterday. You said she didn’t come home?”
“Yeah. I thought she was just sleeping through the party last night, but her car isn’t in the parking lot and her bed hasn’t been slept in.”
The worry in the woman’s voice set my heart racing. After compelling Vana to forget yesterday’s events, I’d told her to go straight home. That compulsion should’ve been impossible to shake, which meant that something serious must’ve happened to prevent her from acting on it. “Is there anywhere else she might’ve gone? Anyone she might’ve spent the night with?” Saying those words filled my mouth with a bitter taste.
“Hell no. The woman acts like a granny these days. If she’s not over at your house, she’s here. Wait. There’s a really hot, tall, dark-skinned guy she used to see, although she weirdly doesn’t seem to remember him. He drives this amazing—”
Giving Ty a sardonic look, I cut her off. “That’s Tyberius. He’s here with me now. Is there anyone else? Another friend or family member she would stay with?” From what I knew about Vana, I could already answer that question. A feeling of dread washed over me. What if the assassins took her?
“No.” Sydney was quiet for a minute and then said, “Wait. There’s this creeper from the club that’s been stalking her for months. What if he kidnapped her or something?”
“What? She has a stalker?” Why do I not know about this? I looked over at Ty. “Do you know anything about this?”
He shook his head, looking as worried as I was starting to feel.
“Yeah, his name is Jeremy Riggs. He texts her constantly. I told her she should get a new number and report the guy, but she just tells me he’s harmless, and there’s nothing to worry about.”
Ty stiffened.
“What is it, brother?”
Ty didn’t answer me, but the fact that he’d grown a shade paler kicked my pulse up several notches.
Turning my attention back to the phone I asked, “Do you know where Jeremy lives?”
“Actually, I do. The slime was always bragging about being the super of that new high-rise apartment building downtown. You know the posh one with the five-star restaurant on the first floor?”
“Yes.” I knew the location well. I’d just had lunch with the mayor there a few weeks back. “I’ll pay Mr. Riggs a visit.”
“Good. Tell him to leave Vana the hell alone. I’ll wait for her here and call you at her number if she shows up.”
“Please do that,” I said, ending the call.
As I swiped down on the face of the phone, a daisy chain of text messages appeared.
What R U wearing?
I did something bad. Need U 2 punish me.
Mistress Robin, ILY.
UR Mine.
You can’t avoid me forever, bitch.
SRY for temper.
I’m having another party. I want you to come.
There must’ve been hundreds of messages all within the past week. “What the fuck? Who is this guy?” I forgot to keep my voice low.
Mira whimpered and flipped over on the couch. Thankfully, she continued sleeping.
Ty strode over and tore the phone from my hand. “Shit. I think it’s the fat guy from the club parking lot. I didn’t think he’d keep harassing her like this.” As he scrolled through the messages his hands shook.
“Why wouldn’t she report this? Why didn’t she tell you or me?”
Ty looked over, an expression of guilt on his face. “I compelled her not to worry about him.”
I saw red. “You did what?”
“I now see that was a mistake. If I’d known—”
My fist slamming into his jaw cut him off. “You endangered her life, you son of a bitch.”
He shoved me away and growled. “You endangered her life by hiring her and bringing her into our lives.”
He’s right. My anger faded. “We don’t even know if this Jeremy is involved. It could’ve been a rival faction that took her.”
“I’ll find out.” Ty headed for the door.
I grabbed his arm. “No. You’ll stay here and watch Mira. I’ll go look for her since I’m familiar with the Meridian.” I’ll turn those apartments inside out to find her. “Here, take this.” I tossed him Vana’s phone. “Call me if the friend rings with any updates.”
Ty clenched the phone so tightly, it looked like it was going to snap in his hands. “Find her, brother. If that fat fuck has hurt her…” His jaw elongated and his fangs lengthened.
“If anyone has hurt her, they will wish for the mercy of death,” I vowed. With that, I grabbed my keys and headed to my garage. Urgency drove me to choose the silver BMW. It was fast and wouldn’t attract the kind of attention most of my other vehicles would draw. The last thing I needed was to be stuck in some intersection by gawkers or luxury car enthusiasts. As I peeled out of my driveway, I spied Vana’s four-door still parked in her designated spot out front. What the...? Had she been attacked getting into it?
I pulled my car alongside the sedan, jumped out, and sniffed the area. No one had been anywhere near here but Vana. Why would she leave her car? It didn’t make any sense.
I thought back to my exact words to her yesterday. Damnation. I’d ordered her to go straight home, which could be interpreted as don’t stop for anything. Even her purse. Even her car. I slammed my hand on the steering wheel. The fates be damned. The female lived miles from here. It would’ve taken her hours to get home on foot. Hours that someone could’ve been watching her. Hunting her. I buried my face in my hands. This is my fault. I’d put her safety at risk.
“That makes two of us, brother,” Ty said into my mind. “Now stop blaming yourself and get your ass over to that apartment complex. The fat male is our only lead.”
“Right.” I straightened my shoulders, threw the car into gear, and raced toward the high-rise in the center of town.
15
Havana
A sharp crick in my neck woke me. I lifted my head slowly and blinked into darkness. My eyelids felt as if they had ten-pound weights on them and my head felt as if it was stuffed with cotton candy. Dazed, I fought against the dizziness threatening to pull me back under. Where am I?
I tried to rub my aching neck, but couldn’t move my arms. They were duct-taped to the arms of a chair. What the hell? Duct tape covered my mouth too. Terror climbed up the back of my throat. Attempts to twist my body back and forth got me nowhere. Even my legs were secured to the chair.
Panic filled my chest. As I hyperventilated, each frantic inhale and exhale was forced in and out of my nostrils. Calm down, an inner voice shouted. It was the same voice I first heard as a three-year-old when I’d been trapped on my bed by that tree. That voice had gotten me out of many bad situations and I wasn’t about to ignore it now. Breathe and try to remember what happened.
As I deepened my breathing, I struggled to piece together my memories. The last thing I recalled was walking home to my apartment. For some unfathomable reason I’d decided to walk home instead of taking my car. I’d just been passing a dirt lot when a car pulled out in front of me. Surprised, I’d stopped in my tracks.
Jeremy Riggs had jumped out waving his flabby arms excitedly. “It really is you. I couldn’t believe it when I first saw you. I almost didn’t recognize you in those clothes.” It wasn’t hard to recognize him, however. He was even wearing that same god-awful Hawaiian shirt he’d worn the last time I’d seen him in the club parking lot.
“I need to get home,” I said, trying to step around him. The relentless drive to go home nagged at me with an urgency I couldn’t explain.
He blocked my way with his corpulent body. “Let me give you a ride.”
So that he could learn my address and stalk me at home as well as by phone. Yeah. I don’t think so. “No, thank you,” I said, scanning the surrounding area. Unfortunately, I’d chosen one of the least busy side streets to
walk down. The dirt lot was empty and so was the abandoned industrial park across the street. Crap. There weren’t even any cars driving by either. Not good. And to add insult to injury, I hadn’t grabbed my phone or purse on my way out of Nathan’s house. Epic fail all around.
“I gotta go.” I stepped around him.
“Fine. Fine,” he said, putting up his hands as if in surrender. A wide smile split his face. “I get it.” He turned and walked back to his car.
Relieved, I increased my pace and all but jogged away from the creep. I’d hoped that would be the last I’d see and hear from him.
I’d made it only fifteen feet when I heard the crunch of gravel behind me. Before I could spin around, a large hand holding a damp washcloth clamped over my face. I’d immediately choked on a sickly sweet chemical odor. What the hell? I struggled to pull away, but the surprisingly strong arm around me tightened.
My eyes watered and my brain fogged. “Help!” I screamed, but the washcloth muffled my voice.
A woozy feeling hit me and my legs buckled.
As I’d fallen to the ground, I’d heard Jeremy say, “So glad you can join the party.”
So Jeremy had taken me. Guess he was a far bigger threat than I’d thought. Regret that I hadn’t reported his creepy behavior rushed through me, followed by a sickening feeling in my gut. Ah hell. Did he rape me too? I shifted around in my seat enough to confirm that I still wore my blouse and slacks. Other than my bladder being uncomfortably full, my body didn’t feel bruised or injured in any way. That was something at least.
Now to figure a way out of this mess. A lifetime of watching thrillers had me rocking my body back and forth in the chair. Although the chair didn’t move much at first, after a minute I’d built up enough momentum that the chair wobbled on two legs and then crashed to the floor on its side.