Search (The Empire Chronicles #2)

by Alyssa Rose Ivy

  New York had lost its appeal. Instead of exciting, now it just reminded me of disappointments and things I couldn’t have. Or really a girl I couldn’t have. I wasn’t in love with her. I knew that much even without Owen throwing it in my face. What I felt for her wasn’t love, but it was something more than I usually felt about girls. And the worst part? I couldn’t even motivate myself to get with anyone else since. At the rate I was going, I would end up as celibate as Owen. As frightening as a thought that was, getting fired and letting Levi down was a worse one.

  I needed to stay on task. I needed to plan our attack on Murphy, or at the very least, protect us from his next one. I couldn’t do it unprepared. I needed more intel, and part of that meant finding out who Toby was interrogating. Somehow that tied in.

  I decided to check out a shifter bar in Brooklyn that tended to attract the clientele I was looking for. I threw on a blazer and walked into the Hairy Turn. The bar hadn’t changed at all since I’d last visited a year or so earlier. The bouncer didn’t recognize me, but he let me in without an argument. Sometimes a steely glare can convey everything.

  “Are there nymphs around?” I asked the large shifter.

  He grinned. “Looking for some action, huh?”

  “Not action.” I stuffed my hands in my pockets. This was embarrassing, but I didn’t want to admit I was there on official Society business.

  “If you say so. There’re a few in tonight.”

  “Thanks.” I nodded and headed inside. I stopped by the bar and grabbed a beer.

  I hadn’t made it far when a manicured hand wrapped around my bicep. “Nice to see you again, Jared.”

  I stared down at a pair of brown eyes and dark hair. “Hi, Nelly.”

  “What are you doing in New York?” She turned her head to the side slightly.

  “I’m here for work.” I needed to shake her.

  “You’re at the Hairy Turn for work?” She cooed.

  “Yes. And if you’ll excuse me…” I shrugged off her hand and took a few steps. Nelly reminded me of Toby, who reminded me of Casey. Not the direction I needed my thoughts to go in.

  “He’s an asshole.”

  “Excuse me?” I turned back to her.

  “Toby. You know he’s with her.”

  “With who?” I feigned confusion even though her words hit my gut like a ten pound brick. So much for her just returning to him for help.

  “Casey. I don’t see why you guys think she’s special anyway.” She said Casey’s name with distaste. That bothered me more than it should have.

  “She’s special. That’s all you need to know.” I had no interest in explaining my interest in a girl I couldn’t have.

  A smile spread across Nelly’s face. “Oh. Maybe the reason you think she’s special has to do with the interrogation I helped Toby with.”

  Maybe Nelly was going to be more help than I thought. “Would you like to sit down?”

  “Yes. I’d really like that.” She sauntered over to a darkened booth. I followed, acutely aware of just how many pairs of eyes were on us.

  I sat down next to her, careful to keep my distance. “Tell me about the interrogation.”

  “Why would you want to know about such a little old thing?” She tapped her nails on the tabletop.

  “Because you’re right. Toby’s an asshole.”

  She laughed. “I’d be breaking an oath of silence to Toby. Are you going to make this worth my while?”

  I groaned. If she wanted sex, I’d be better off with the nymphs. “In what way?”

  “I want an invite to the wedding.” She scooted closer to me.

  “To what wedding?” I sipped my beer.

  “The wedding. What other one would I be talking about?”

  “Why would you want to go?”

  She put a hand to her chest as though she was surprised. “Why? The king and queen are getting married, and you wonder why I want to go?”

  “They’re already bound. It’s just a formality.” A pointless and possibly dangerous one. If I were on better terms with Levi, I’d have tried harder to change his mind.

  “I want to go.”

  Spill her secrets for a wedding invite? I’d take it. “Fine. Give me info I can use, and you’ll get your invitation.”

  “You could thank me, you know.” She flipped some hair off her shoulder.

  “For?”

  “For sending Casey to you.” She smiled. Her eyes begged me to touch her. That wasn’t happening.

  “How’d you do that?”

  She pushed out her chest. “I may have persuaded her.”

  “What? How?” I stopped my beer a few inches from my lips.

  “She was in my way. I merely made her see things differently.” Her lips twisted into an evil smile.

  “You used magic on her?” That was impossible. It was illegal for a witch to use magic against a Pteron, but even if they did, it wouldn’t have made a Pteron change her mind.

  “More than I planned to. That girl’s head is hard to mess with.”

  “Because she’s a Pteron. A Royal Pteron. Do you realize what crime you committed?”

  She paled. “I thought she was human. I didn’t break any laws.”

  “Forget the wedding invite, you’re lucky if I don’t turn you in.”

  “Then you don’t want your info?” She leaned closer to me. “Don’t you want to make Levi proud?”

  I pushed her away. “Talk.”

  “Toby brought in the cousin.”

  “The one Casey lives with?”

  “Lived with.”

  “What? What do you mean?” Had she moved in with Toby already?

  “It’s not what you’re thinking.” She laughed. “She got her own place.”

  “Oh.” I relaxed. Surprisingly, it wasn’t jealousy motivating me as much as concern. Casey needed to be careful who she trusted. She had so much to learn. “What did the cousin say?”

  “I don’t know. Toby kept me out of the room, but he seemed pretty upset afterward.”

  “Where’s the cousin now?”

  “I’m not sure. I wiped his memories before he left.”

  “Why wouldn’t Toby have told Levi this?”

  “He’s trying to protect her. At least that’s what I think.”

  “Thanks for the info.” I got up.

  “When can I expect the invitation?” She watched me.

  “Soon.” At the moment, I had more important things to do. I needed to find the cousin and figure out what Toby was hiding. I also had to tell Levi I changed my mind. Personal feelings aside, Casey needed protection. If Toby was worried about her, I needed to be too. Something about what Nelly said didn’t sit right. Did she really think she influenced Casey’s mind? How was that possible? No matter what, Casey needed training, and I was the best one to do that job.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Casey

  We drank the bottle of wine curled up under one of my new throw blankets on the couch. We weren’t cold, but the blanket was cozy especially since neither of us were wearing any clothes.

  “Does the place feel lived in yet?” Toby grinned, pulling me back against his chest.

  “Uh, yeah. Just a little.” I looked around at my new apartment. I still didn’t quite believe the place was all mine. Floor to ceiling windows gave us a perfect view of Central Park. It was the kind of apartment I’d dreamed about as a teen but never in a million years thought I’d live in.

  “I don’t think I could ever get enough of you.”

  “Yeah. I can kind of tell.” I could feel how hard and ready he was. I wondered if he’d ever be fully sated. I wasn’t sure whether I wanted him to be.

  He brushed his lips against my ear. “I’d say I’m sorry about that, but I’m not.”

  “We need to talk first.”

  “About?” He settled back.

  “You know what, but we need to get dressed beforehand.”

  “Why? I like you dressed just the way you are, especially whe
n you’re in my arms.”

  I pulled away, and stood up, unconcerned that without the blanket, I was completely exposed. “Because I’m not talking about my family while naked. I’d also love if you would put on some underwear too.”

  “You’re no fun.” He stood up, giving me a full frontal view of his body. He was aroused and just as gorgeous as always. I tossed his boxers at him, knowing I’d change my mind if he didn’t get covered up soon. I was beginning to understand that the Pteron side of me was sexually charged. Jared had brought it out before I transformed, and it hadn’t stopped. Things weren’t quite as out of control with Toby, but they were better. We were more equals, and the emotional part matched the physical. Sex was way better that way.

  “That’s not what you were saying a little while ago.” I pulled on his t-shirt. I figured I didn’t need to get completely dressed.

  Toby watched me as he slid into his boxers. “Do you want another glass of wine?”

  “Quit stalling, Toby.”

  “Okay. Let’s talk.” He settled back down on the couch, and I joined him. I pulled my legs up underneath me and turned myself so I was looking right at him. “I had a little chat with your cousin.”

  “What?” I shot up off the couch, crushing Toby’s leg in the process.

  He seemed unconcerned with his leg, but very concerned with my reaction. “He won’t remember the chat though.”

  “What do you mean?” I struggled to keep my voice calm. “What did you do to Rhett?”

  “He’s fine. Nelly just erased his—”

  “Nelly! You subjected my cousin to that bit—” I stopped myself before I could say the word I really wanted to.

  “She’s paying me back for the hell she put us through. It was necessary. I’m trying to be completely honest with you. I could have left this part out, but I want it all out on the table.”

  I looked down at him skeptically. “Yeah, you really want this all out on the table. That’s why you’ve been so excited to tell me about it.”

  He stood up and took both of my hands in his own. “Can you blame me? Things are finally going right for us. I didn’t want to mess anything up. But I don’t regret what I did. We need information, you said so yourself.”

  I reluctantly agreed and sat back down. He followed, taking my hands again after I pulled them away to sit.

  “Vera went willingly.” He didn’t look at me.

  “What? No way.” There was absolutely no way that was true. Vera couldn’t have left me that way.

  “I know it’s hard to believe, but he seemed sure of it. I guess she told him goodbye.”

  “She didn’t say goodbye to me.” I spoke the words softly, not wanting to hear them uttered out loud. Vera and I had always been close. I didn’t want to believe it. I knew Toby wouldn’t lie about something like this. Nor would Rhett. My heart sunk.

  “I’m sorry, Casey. But maybe there’s more to the story.” He put an arm around my shoulder.

  “There has to be.” My spirits rose. “Maybe she didn’t have a choice.”

  “We’ll figure it out either way.”

  “You’ll still help me find her?” I needed his help. Willing or not, Vera had left my life. I needed her back in it, or at least some closure. But was closure possible if she was choosing to spend her time with Murphy? With someone who obviously had something not so wonderful planned for me.

  “Of course. Why would that change?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe now that you know that she wasn’t kidnapped, it doesn’t seem important enough.”

  He looked right at me. “She’s your sister. We’ll find her.”

  “Why do they want me? And if they did, why not take me when Vera left? Why wait?” There were so many unanswered questions. My head spun.

  “I can’t answer that. I wish I knew.”

  “Did Rhett tell you where Vera is?”

  “He didn’t know. I have a feeling if he did, he would have done something stupid trying to find her already. She may have left willingly, but he doesn’t like that she stayed with them anymore than you do.”

  I pulled a hand back from Toby and rested my forehead in my palm. “So now what? What are we supposed to do?”

  “I have my whole team searching for them. As soon as I know something, we’ll plan from there.”

  It was my turn to make an admission. “Murphy told me she went willingly, but I didn’t want to believe him.”

  “My gut tells me there’s more to the story.” He rubbed small circles on my back. “But promise me something.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Promise you won’t tell anyone about your mother being a bear. Especially not the Laurents. We need to keep that a secret for now.”

  I nodded. “I will.”

  He smiled lightly. “Is that enough information for tonight?”

  “I don’t know. Are you sure you’ve told me everything?”

  “Yes. You now know everything I know.”

  “Then, yes, it’s enough.” I still had tons of unanswered questions, but I wasn’t sure how much more I could handle, or how much more Toby could tell me.

  He nestled his chin on my head. “Any chance we can get back to where we were earlier?”

  “Do you think about anything other than sex?” I teased.

  “Yes. I think about you.”

  “Do those thoughts involve sex with me?”

  “Some of them.”

  I smiled. “At least you’re honest.”

  “Completely.” He repositioned me on the couch so my back was to him. He started in on a backrub.

  I moaned. It felt so good.

  “You’re way too tense.”

  “There are a few things to be tense about.”

  “None of which you can do anything about tonight.” He kissed my neck. “Besides, we leave for Hawaii next week. Even if we had a lead, Georgina would kill us both if we missed that wedding.”

  “I don’t see why it’s so important I’m there. I’m not really family.” No matter what Georgina wanted me to think, I knew my existence complicated things.

  “Yes, you are, but that’s beside the point. They want you there.”

  “Thanks for coming with me. I know it can’t be easy for you to go.”

  He continued his work on my shoulders. “It is easy since I’ll be with you.”

  As much as I enjoyed the way his hands felt, I needed to see his face. I turned. “You really can be sweet sometimes.”

  “Only sometimes?”

  “Most of the time.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Only most of the time?”

  “Yeah.”

  He grinned. “I’ll show you sweet.”

  Before I knew it, he had me in his arms, carrying me toward my new bedroom. The room was probably ten times the size of my closet, and the king sized bed made my twin mattress on just a bedframe seem tiny. I wasn’t sure what surprised me more, that the bed was mine, or that the guy currently hovering above me was. Either way, he was the one I cared about much more.

  Chapter Twenty

  Jared

  Rhett was easy to find. He sat huddled over his desk in a tiny office in the anthropology building at NYU. Whatever the guy was hiding, he hadn’t lied about his profession.

  He didn’t glance up from the pile of dusty books on his desk when I walked in.

  “Rhett?”

  He pushed a pair of wire rimmed glasses up on his nose when he turned to look at me. “Can I help you?”

  “For your sake, I hope so.” I didn’t wait for an invitation. I walked in to his hovel and closed the door.

  “If you don’t mind, I’m kind of busy here.”

  “I do mind actually.” I leaned against the door, letting him know he wasn’t leaving.

  “Who are you?”

  “You tell me.”

  “Uh, that’s a little hard since we’ve never met.” He looked at me like he thought I was crazy. I wasn’t buying it. Toby wouldn’t have wasted his time interroga
ting an innocent human. “So I’ll ask again. Who are you?”

  “I could be asking you the same thing. Take off those dumb glasses. You aren’t fooling anyone.”

  “Fooling anyone?” He gripped the arm of his chair, betraying the first hint of nerves. “What do you mean?”

  I walked over and pulled off his glasses and broke them in two. “The whole Harry Potter look is out anyway.”

  “I need those!” He reached for the broken frame.

  “No, you don’t. You can see perfectly fine.”

  He sighed and mumbled something about it being his last pair “How’d you know?”

  “Lucky guess.” I smirked.

  “What? You broke my glasses and didn’t even know for sure.”

  I shrugged. “Turns out my hunch was right. So what are you?”

  “I’ll admit to not needing glasses, but that’s it.”

  “You know what I am.” My eyes locked on his. I wasn’t asking him a question.

  “I’m guessing you’re a Pteron.”

  “Not just any Pteron. I’m head of security for The Society.” I didn’t break eye contact. “If I were you, I’d start talking.”

  “What am I supposed to be talking about?” He slowly let his nerdy cover fall. He still looked skinny as hell, but my gut instinct had been right. He wasn’t human.

  “Who you work for.”

  “NYU Anthropology and a few small grants cover my salary.”

  I took a chance. “How much is Murphy paying you?”

  “Paying me? Murphy?”

  I smiled to myself. This guy wasn’t cut out for acting. “You know more than you told Toby.”

  “Toby?” He gave me a blank stare. “As in Blackwell? I haven’t talked to him.”

  The witch wasn’t lying. She had erased his memory. Either that, or he was an even better actor than I thought.

  “Fine. Let’s move on. Tell me about Murphy.”

  “Why would I know anything about him?”

  I picked him up by his collar, pulling him from his chair. “Cut the crap. Tell me about Murphy.”

  “Okay.”

  I dropped Rhett back into his chair.

  “He’s a bear, but my guess is you already know that.”

  “How do you know him?” That was the key.