by Kim Faulks
The row of houses behind me reflected in the shine as the sleek truck pulled to a stop. I took a step toward the driver’s side window and stared through the midnight tint.
The tiny motor whirled and the glass descended. I stared into the cabin. “Don’t tell me, you were out in the area?”
Bloodless lips cracked into a smile as my uncle turned his head. “I wanted to see for myself what my nephew does with himself. Quite a community you’ve got out here.”
A howl cracked through the air. The sound lingered, followed with another piercing sound. A pack had returned from hunting and announced their arrival to the other packs. Newman stiffened at the sound. He licked his lips and stared through the trees behind me. “Quite a community.”
“You should see your face right now, it’s not like they’re going to savage you in your damn car.”
He flinched and shot a gaze toward me. “Yeah, well. Hop in, I want to talk to you.’
I glanced at the seat and turned my head to stare at my own ride. “How about we head up to my place? I’m due for another coffee anyway.”
He let out a small bark of laughter. “Good, because Darrion? Son, you look like hell.”
I ground my jaw and nodded. “Follow me and we can chat in private.”
Then X flooded my mind. “Wait, I ah… I’ve got someone living with me.”
“’Bout time you settled down with someone,” he chided.
I shook my head and turned to glare at him. A nerve flared, raw and open. “It’s not like that. Just don’t…”
“Don’t what? Don’t embarrass you? Don’t worry, I promise to be on my best behavior. In fact, I’m glad. I was hoping to grab the photo album you have. Your aunt has been wanting to get a number of those photos copied. Hell if I know why, but this’ll get her off my back, for a while at least.”
My stomach tightened. I nodded, my fate sealed by a damn photo album, and headed for my car. The black suburban hugged my ass as I headed home. It was too late to turn around, too late to take him to some quiet cafe in the town. I knew my uncle, better than anyone. If he smelled a damn rat, he’d rip down walls to find the damn thing.
I pulled up in the driveway and glanced to the window of X’s bedroom, maybe she was gone, running, hunting. Maybe she was still asleep…
I glanced to the rearview mirror as the black beast closed in, and then I shouldered open the door. Home was nothing special. The place was clean, neat, and mine. Suddenly I didn’t feel like sharing…not with family, not with anyone.
“Nice place, son,” my uncle muttered, taking in the fading paint and the cracked concrete.
Dried blood stained the corners. The corner post of the carport was misaligned. There was more to not like about the place than there was to like, but this was ground zero, this was where all the action started. This was the start and the end of it all.
I winced and dropped my gaze. “Let’s head inside. I’ll make the coffee.”
Movement seized my focus as I rounded the corner. X stood facing the trees with the broken branch in her hand dressed in my track pants and a thin white shirt that hugged her frame. Her eyes were closed, lips parted. She swept her arms over her head and cut through the air. Her breaths were slow and constant. Thin muscles flexed as she moved. She looked vulnerable, but that was the beauty, wasn’t it?
That was the illusion.
That this small, beautiful, woman could kill me with the swipe of a paw.
She came to me broken, bleeding on the inside.
But watching her now I knew something had changed.
Today was different.
Her movements were harder, sharper, faster. The stick whipped by so fast I barely saw it. This dance of hers was strong, powerful, and with every movement I saw a change in her. She became the dance when she moved. She became harder, stronger, inside and out.
“So this is…?”
I wrenched my head and stared over my shoulder. His gaze narrowed and slowly moved down her body. I didn’t like it…didn’t like him looking at her at all. I shifted my stance, blocking his view. “She’s a friend, staying here for a while.” I swept my hand toward the house. “This way.”
But he wouldn’t move. He just stood there, and behind those dark glasses, his eyes widened. I caught the reflex even as he yanked his gaze to me and forced a smile. “Yes, of course. Lead the way.”
But he pushed in front and kept his gaze low, heading for the stairs to the back door. Something made me turn to her, made me want to check, made me want to protect.
I closed my eyes and sucked in a breath. Jesus, I saw the way he looked at her. He was damn well transparent. I could almost read his thoughts, almost hear unspoken desires.
My fingers curled, tightening to a fist. Goddamn sonofabitch. I strode for the door, swallowed the steps in one quick stride, and yanked open the door. He stood with his back to me, facing a rack of dishes.
“You know X?”
He spun, forced a frown, and glanced to the door. “What? No. Why?”
I made for the coffee pot, keeping my movements casual. “Oh, I just thought you recognized her.”
“No, she just reminded me of someone I used to know. X, you say her name is?”
I hit the tap, water rushed, filling the kettle. “Yeah.”
“Where did she come from?”
His tone was casual, carefully probing but if I turned on him, he’d feign innocence. Something was up, something that quiet voice inside didn’t like one little bit. “She came from one of the newer packs. Lost her parents, needed a break. So I said she could crash here for a while.”
I hit the button and turned. “You came all the way out here to grab a photo album?”
He shook his head and glanced at the door. “No, after our talk the other day I asked around. It took a little digging, but I managed to get a handle on what happened. Manduck acted on his own. Kava had nothing to do with what happened at that building. He was off assignment as was the entire squad. There was no reason for them to be there, son. No damn reason at all.”
I searched his face, gauged his voice. He was steady, rock fucking solid. “And you believe them, whoever told you this?”
He gave a nod. “Yes. I believe them, there’s no reason for them to lie to me.”
His words crowded in as I reached for the cupboard and dragged two cups free. I heaped teaspoons of coffee and grabbed the creamer. “Did you check the log?”
“Yes, I checked the damn log. I checked everything. It was there in black and white. Manduck and his team haven’t been assigned to anything for the past week. As far as the log book goes, they were on R&R.”
I poured, mulling over the information. “Then they were working for someone else.”
I’d been so damn sure they were under orders, even dressed in plain clothes it was too structured, too planned. I stirred. “Then I guess that’s that.”
He dropped his hand on my shoulder. “I’m sorry, Darrion. I wanted nothing more than to give you closure. I have a man asking questions, but Kava is saying nothing. They’re giving them a service funeral on Wednesday if you wanted to have a hunt around.”
I winced at the thought and shook my head. “No, I won't do that. If that’s what it is, then that’s what it is.”
I handed him a cup and leaned back against the sink. An uncomfortable silence lingered. “Your man on the ground, did you ask him to look into me as well?”
“No.” He jerked his head up. “Why, is there a problem?”
“Problem?” I shook my head and stared at the floor. “No, no problem. There have been some unusual things happening, and it seems I’ve attracted a fan, one who likes to let me know he’s out there. Probably one of the new wolves marking his damn territory.”
“You know I could get you any number of private contracts, just say the word. You can name your price. You don't have to be here, Darrion. You don’t have to protect those not worth protecting.”
I stiffened at those words and glanc
ed toward the door. Not worth protecting.
My uncle had made his views of my job well known. My loyalty was misguided, there were more attacks on humans by wolves instead of the other way around. So why wasn’t I out there protecting those who’d paid my wage for the last ten years?
I could talk until I was blue in the face. People like him couldn’t see the bigger picture when they were staring at themselves in the mirror.
But sabotage? I couldn’t see him driving all the way out here to watch my house at night. Still something didn't sit right. I shoved off the counter and headed for my room. “Let me grab that album.”
My uncle nodded, and then drained his cup. “Sure, I’d better be getting back anyway.” He stopped me with a hand on my arm. “Just promise me one thing? Think about the job, for my own peace of mind.”
I gave him a nod, knowing full well there was no thinking. I thought my entire life…thinking got me nowhere, action on the other hand kicked down many damn doors. I pushed open the door and stared at the sweat-stained sheets.
The corner of the album stuck out on the bottom shelf next to my bed. I sat on the edge of the mattress and dragged the packed collection free. This was all I had left of my family…just a few faded photographs and my memories…yeah, I had plenty of those.
My medals sat on the shelf above, two Purple Hearts and a Medal of Honor. They sat side by side across the front…I reached out and touched the steel. I was never that neat.
Someone had been in here. I glanced to the door. There could only be one person.
The covers were rumpled halfway from the bed, not kicked to the side as I left them this morning. The tousled sheets were cool under my touch.
I smoothed the covers and reached behind me to grab the pillow. My fingers sank into the edges. The faint scent of peaches teased as I breathed.
Peaches and underneath there was…her. The delicious scent was the feel of her lips against my neck, was her breath against my ear…was that look…that fucking look.
Wide brown eyes, perfect lips. Jesus I could spend an eternity just staring, touching, kissing…
A savage hunger came to life, like a beast chewing through the ropes of sanity.
I pressed the pillow against my face and breathed deep. Had she climbed into my bed after I left? My pulse picked up pace.
The thought of her sliding into my warm sheets made my body come alive. My cock twitched, desperation hummed through my veins.
Out in the kitchen my uncle cleared his throat, wrenching me from the sick fantasy.
I cast the pillow aside and grabbed the album. What the fuck was wrong with me…
I was the goddamn adult here. The one supposed to control his desires—not her. This was X testing the boundaries, finding out right from wrong. Figuring out who was safe.
And I was fucking safe. I’d make sure of it.
I strode from the room and into the kitchen. Newman stood at the doorway watching X with a predatory gaze, one hand gripping the timber doorframe, oblivious to my presence.
I glanced past him to where she spun and kicked, moving with the finest precision I’d ever seen.
“She’s amazing, isn’t she?”
He jumped at the sound of my voice and spun. “She’s a kid, and she shouldn’t be here, Darrion. She needs to be with her own people. It’s not right living here with you.”
Heat rushed to my face. Cold anger slipped into my words. “Not right? She has her own room. She comes and goes when she pleases and I make sure she’s safe. I make sure she’s fed. I make sure no one touches her…”
Not even me.
Those last words lingered as my uncle gave a nod. “I’m sorry if what I said was harsh. I’m just looking out for you. I promised—”
“My father. Yeah, so you’ve told me.” For the first time I couldn’t see the father figure he’d been all these years. I saw a jealous, controlling old man who was used to getting what he wanted. My jaw tightened, and what it looked like he wanted was me far away from X. “Here’s the album. Give my love to my aunt.”
He dropped his gaze. Unspoken words waited like the beginnings of a perfect storm.
“You said you had to get back.” I prodded and glanced at the album in my hand.
He gave me a slow nod, sadness seeped into his eyes. “Yes, you’re right, I should be getting back and this is none of my business. I’m sorry, son. Forgive me. I’m an old man, stuck in his ways.”
He moved in grabbing hold of my shoulders and drew me close. The album bunched up, flattening between us.
“And now, I really need to be getting back. Your aunt has organized a cocktail party. Why, I’ll never understand. But I do love those little sausage rolls she makes, so I’ll suffer through three hours of pretentious boring conversations just to have them.” He gave me a squeeze and then dropped his hand to the album. “Take care of yourself, Alpha. Give my best to Regan.”
He took my album as he headed for the door. He never gave X another glance, only kept his gaze focused on the door as he pushed through, and then the stairs.
Seconds later he was gone, leaving me standing alone in the middle of my kitchen, and wondering what the fuck just happened.
He traveled all the way out here to not only grab an album, but tell me face to face that Kava had nothing to do with what happened that night?
I wasn’t buying it.
I wasn’t buying any of it.
Manduck was dead. Stitch was dead. A lot of people were fucking dead. But there was no media coverage. No fingers were pointed. No investigations held. No blame was held.
It was all one massive cover-up. The deep growl from the suburban cut through the air. All this way for an album…
No, all this way to give me a subtle hint…back the fuck off.
X’s deep grunts blended with the sound of the truck, pouring fuel over the rage simmering inside me, and as the engine faded, I knew there was no going back.
Not for me.
Manduck was a vindictive sonofabitch. I’d had more than my fair share of battles with the overbearing snake, and if there was one thing I’d learned about him, it was that he always kept track of every dark deed to use against you.
Whatever he knew, he kept a record. I was willing to bet my life on it.
I grabbed my phone and skimmed my thumb across the screen, scrolling for the senator’s number and pressed the button.
The call was answered on the second ring. There was silence before Artemas’s voice cut through. “Alpha, everything okay?”
“I just had a visitor. It seems my uncle drove all this way to send a message.”
He paused and then answered. “And what was this message?”
“That Manduck acted on his own.”
There was an unusual silence in the background, no tire noise, no whisper of a breeze, nothing as he answered. “And do you believe this?”
“Everything I know about the sneaky piece of shit says no.”
“Then I suggest you trust your gut, Alpha. It’s never let you down before, has it?
And that was the kicker. That was the fucking guilt that ate me.
I knew something was wrong as we stood outside that building as Gunny gave the order. An icy chill swept through me. I should’ve listened to my gut, should’ve changed tactic. If I had, maybe Stitch would still be alive.
“And you’re thinking of making another trip to the city?”
Even before he said the words, I knew what needed to be done. “Yeah.”
“Then I suggest you take someone with you. Someone who has your back. Take heed of your uncle’s warning, Alpha. There’s something sinister going on here, something so deep those in power will do anything to destroy the chaser. Make no mistake, they won’t get away with a damn thing. Take care of yourself, Alpha, and keep me updated.”
“Will do,” I answered and then ended the call.
The coffee sat like acid in my stomach. I opened the fridge and stared at the last packet of steaks, and then t
urned my gaze to the door. She was faster today, stronger, more powerful. Something took flight inside my chest, watching her eat the food I bought and cooked did something to me.
Pride, desire intertwined, taking up space inside my mind. One emotion I wanted, but the other refused to budge, leaving me to stare at the door and remember the smell of her peach shampoo on my pillow.
I scoured in the bottom of the fridge and pulled an apple from the pile. The thought of traveling alone filled me with dread. I needed someone who had my back…there was only one I wanted.
I took a bite and shoved the fridge door. The crisp icy rush filled my mouth. The thought of spending hours together in a car made my stomach tighten. I swallowed the hard wad, took a breath, and headed for the door.
“So this guy is who?”
I glanced across to X and then swung my gaze back to the road. “It’s a little complicated. Let’s just say he wanted to keep you and the others at that building, and he was prepared to kill to make sure we failed to get you out.”
“So, he's the enemy.”
She summed it up with one neat word…enemy.
If they didn't stand with us, then they stood against us. It was that simple.
She pulled her foot up onto the seat, sitting with the kind of grace only a shifter could do and stared out of her window.
I adjusted my shoulders. The leather jacket was tight, but I wasn’t going anywhere without a piece strapped to my chest. So, I’d put up with being uncomfortable. “You okay there? It’s been a while since you saw this world.”
She stared out of the window. Her voice was brittle, barely heard over the radio as she answered. “At least it’s not white walls.”
Her foot edged closer to her body, arms tightened around her knees. She’d been hurt in that place, damaged deeper than I could fathom. A sense of helplessness closed in.
I had no idea how to help her.
No idea what to say, no idea what to do.
I kept my focus on the road and tightened my grip on the wheel. “I’m glad you're here. Glad you came to me. You’ve always got a place to stay with me, and if you ever want to talk, I’m here. I won’t have the right things to say. Hell, I’m about as sensitive as cardboard sometimes. But I can listen. I can listen and I can…”