Animal Instincts (Entangled Ignite)

by Patricia Rosemoor

  A sudden commotion from inside the casino raised the small hairs on Luc’s neck.

  “You’re not getting near one of my girls!” Beatrix’s strident voice was raised over the maniacal music of the slot machines.

  “Mother?”

  Nuala hurried toward the casino, but Luc bounded past her. What was his security team doing?

  “You’re in business to make money!” a man yelled. “And I have enough to buy one of your whores for the night.”

  Connelly.

  Luc rounded the corner in time to see the cop trying to get past Nuala’s mother, whose arms were spread wide, blocking the elevators. A few nearby workers had turned to look, but the guests all seemed wrapped up in their bets.

  Luc grabbed the man’s shoulder and jerked him around. “I told you never to come back here, Connelly.”

  “You oughta watch who you’re ordering around. You’re not careful, I could close down this place.”

  “Be careful who you threaten,” Beatrix said, pure venom in her voice. “I haven’t forgotten how you brutalized Katerina.”

  Standing off to the side, Skye gasped. “Now I know what bothered me when I watched the footage on Shade’s cell. You were in the audience.” Coming closer, she looked as if she’d just put things together. “Nik said Doyle had plans for the future that included a human partner with political influence,” Skye went on, sounding absolutely sure of herself. “He meant you, Connelly.”

  “You’re crazy! Your brother’s death put you off your rocker.”

  A sudden emotional upheaval battered Luc, and he realized it came from Skye. She was gaping at the cop, her eyes widening as if she’d come to yet a new realization.

  “Did you see my brother taking that footage of you?” she asked. “Proof that you were involved with the fights and the casino. You couldn’t let that get out or it would ruin you. It was you, wasn’t it?” She moved closer to him, her stricken gaze focused on his face. “You killed my brother.”

  Just then, Ethan Grainger arrived. Shade’s partner carried paperwork that looked like a search warrant. He frowned when he spotted Connelly. “Lieutenant?”

  Skye turned to Ethan. “You got here in time to arrest him for Shade’s murder.”

  Connelly laughed. “She’s gone psycho on us.”

  Ethan’s gaze narrowed on the other man, and he didn’t seem amused. “What are you doing here, Lieutenant?”

  “Hey, so I like to gamble. Legally. Nothing against department regulations about it.”

  “I looked at some of that footage on Shade’s cell,” Skye told Ethan. “Connelly was in the audience the night Shade was murdered. He might be gambling legally, but being at that fight is a felony. Shade could have put him away.”

  “Hey, she’s crazy!” said a wild-eyed Connelly. They found the cell? Fucking Cross! I should have killed him sooner. How am I going to get out of this?

  The man’s thoughts confirmed Skye’s accusation. The sudden urge to shift and take revenge nearly overpowered Luc. Connelly had killed her brother and had tried to kill his mother, as well. Luc could see that both Nuala and Beatrix were privy to the man’s thoughts. They were staring at him as if he was an insect that needed to be crushed. Then Nuala’s eyes filled with tears and the bones in her face distended.

  Luc put his hand on her arm. Get hold of yourself. Don’t shift. He could feel her struggle, but she did as he ordered.

  “He did it,” Nuala told Ethan. “I heard him say he should have killed Shade sooner.”

  Connelly grabbed Skye, levering an arm around her neck. “You can’t prove anything!” He started dragging her back past the rows of slot machines toward the habitat. “Stay where you are. I’ll break her neck unless you let me leave right now.”

  Luc could sense that Skye’s renewed grief and shock had momentarily taken the fight out of her. Fury engulfing him, he waved at one of the slot machine stools behind Connelly, and it went flying hard into the man’s back. The murderer lost his grip on Skye, and she tore herself away from him as Luc sifted, appearing a second later behind the man.

  When Connelly turned, it was into Luc’s fist. Blood spurted from his nose and he went down fast.

  “What the Hades is going on out here?”

  Luc looked away long enough to see Pop coming from his office into the casino.

  Long enough for Connelly to lunge for freedom straight toward the habitat.

  “He killed Shade,” Nuala told Pop.

  “Then he’s the one who tried to kill Elizabeth.” The habitat, you bastard, run straight inside!

  Hearing Pop’s silent command, Luc glanced back. A dark aura encasing him, Pop looked scarier than Luc had ever seen him. His eyes glowed spookily in a drawn face and he was reaching out with his right hand, sending waves of energy to control Connelly’s actions.

  Skye caught up to him as Connelly went straight through the wall of glass. It shimmered around him. A wild dog immediately moved out from behind a rock and licked its chops. Skye gripped Luc’s arm hard, but she didn’t say a word as Pop choreographed Connelly’s demise.

  He’s responsible for what happened to Jez and Hank and the other shifters who died. Don’t let him get away.

  The human part of Luc wondered if he should do something to stop this, but he couldn’t move. If Connelly had been correct that Ethan couldn’t prove anything, how would justice ever be served in Skye’s eyes? Connelly would get away with her brother’s murder.

  So, a sick feeling in his gut, Luc stood his ground and watched.

  As if finally realizing he’d put himself in a much worse sort of danger, Connelly tried to get out of the habitat, but no matter how hard he pounded, the glass wall wouldn’t give. His face a mask of terror, he turned, his back now against the transparent wall, a pack of predators surrounding him.

  Luc glanced at Ethan to see what he would do. The cop had put a steadying arm around Nuala’s back. He seemed mesmerized by the action in the habitat but unwilling to interfere.

  Even at a distance, Luc could sense Connelly’s desperation. The man pushed off the glass wall and ran. The predators followed. A panther brushed him as if taunting him. A coyote nipped at his heels. He ran until a tiger lunged from a low tree limb and grabbed him by the head.

  Connelly went down and quickly disappeared beneath the writhing bodies of the predators.

  Tear him apart, Pop ordered. Don’t leave anything left to identify.

  Reminded of his kills in Iraq, Luc couldn’t look. He turned away and pulled Skye to him, sheltering her from what he knew would be a horrendous sight.

  …

  My heart in my throat, I stayed in the protection of Luc’s arms for what seemed like forever, but what was in fact only a few minutes. I’d heard Cezar’s orders given to the predators. As shocking as Connelly’s manner of death should be to me, I didn’t know how else justice could have been served.

  Luc let go. “It’s over.”

  His eyes had turned a molten silver, and contrary to his claim after the shifter fight that there was “no together for us,” they slid over me possessively. My pulse thudded and the possibility that he’d rethought his decision stirred hope in my heart.

  And then Cezar called, “Luc,” and waved his son to come with him as he headed for his office. With barely a nod to me, Luc followed.

  I gaped at his back. Knowing I might never see him again, I felt my broken heart crumbling to bits. So this was it, then. My eyes stung with tears, but my anger with him was as great as my disappointment. I wanted to tell him what a fool he was, but I refused to cry.

  In a daze, I looked around. Beatrix was already gone. Only Nuala and Ethan remained. Nuala appeared a little too calm. I sensed that she was glad the man who’d killed my brother was dead. Ethan, on the other hand, appeared to be a bundle of warring emotions.

  “Now what?” I asked Ethan.

  “What the hell. I guess I should make out a report.”

  “About what?” Nuala asked. “Do you re
ally think there’ll be any evidence left to find in the habitat?”

  Ethan ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. “How would I even make anyone believe me?”

  I somehow held it together. “Now you know why Shade didn’t tell you what he was investigating.”

  Guests were milling about the habitat but leaving the area clearly disappointed.

  “Connelly, of all people,” Ethan said. “I never would have guessed.”

  I thought back. “I should have guessed the day I went to see Luc’s mother. Shade was joined with Boomer. Connelly pulled up as we were leaving. Boomer went crazy as if he hated the man. Shade couldn’t remember why.”

  Ethan slapped the search warrant across his other hand. “I have to account for this search warrant, I have to make some kind of report. And the investigation about Shade’s murder will go on and on.”

  “What if you saw and heard what went on just as you did,” Nuala said, “but say in the end that Connelly ran and you lost him?”

  I added, “His car has to be here in the lot, which will add credence to your story.”

  “Yeah, but how did he get away?”

  “We’ll think of something if we need to,” I assured him.

  I could tell Ethan didn’t like it. But what else could we do?

  He nodded. “You think Shade will be able to move on now that his murder is solved?”

  “I hope so.” That and my brother’s soul being returned to him, though I didn’t clarify. Ethan was already on woo-woo overload. I had to get home and let Shade know what had happened.

  Ethan gave me a quick hug. “Tell Shade I’ll meet him for a beer in the next life.” Another hug and he left.

  Nuala gripped my arm. “I want to see him. I don’t care if Shade remembers me or not. I have to see him one last time before he’s gone forever. Please.”

  If Nuala had been devoid of emotion over Connelly’s demise, that certainly wasn’t the case now. Pain was clear in her eyes. In my heart, I knew she deserved the chance to say good-bye, whether Shade remembered what they’d meant to each other or not.

  “All right. Let’s go tell Shade everything.”

  And then I would have to let him go.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Skye had left hours ago, leaving Shade to worry. Where the hell was she? Was she all right? Why didn’t she call?

  Oh, right, she could call, but he couldn’t answer.

  Boomer following at his heels, he wandered through the apartment, unable to stop imagining bad things happening to his sister. Eventually the dog grew tired of pacing with him and curled up on a living room chair.

  When Shade finally heard footsteps in the foyer and the key unlocking the front door, relief filled him. Boomer’s tail thumped against the arm of the chair, but he didn’t stir. Skye entered the apartment and flipped the light switch, her smile sad when her gaze met his.

  “Thank God you’re all right.”

  “It’s over, Shade. We did it.”

  He looked past her to see the woman he never should have forgotten. “Nuala.”

  If he still had a heart, it would have stopped right then just seeing her again. He drank her in. Her exotic beauty that had first drawn his attention. Her lush dark hair that had felt like silk on his bare skin. Her dark eyes that had enticed him. Now those eyes were filled with tears. For him?

  “Shade, you remember?” she asked softly.

  “I do now. Everything.”

  Nuala rushed to him and reached out as if to touch him. “I wanted to see you one last time.” Her hand went straight through the spot where his heart would have been if he still had a corporeal body.

  Body or not, Shade swore he felt her, and memories of their time together whirled through his thoughts. “Who says I’m going anywhere?”

  “You must.” Nuala pulled herself together. “No matter how much I want you here, it’s not your destiny.” She gazed at him, and her love filled him. “Once you have your soul, you’ll be gone.”

  No, not yet. He’d just found her again. “Not until the case is closed.”

  “It’ll be closed now,” Skye said, a strange hitch in her voice.

  Shade started. He’d almost forgotten that he and Nuala weren’t alone. His sister looked ready to break. “What happened tonight?”

  Skye filled him in. “Doyle was running the fights. He’s dead. So is his former human partner. Your lieutenant.”

  “Connelly?” Shade frowned. “I knew he was more than a paying customer.”

  Nuala blinked and tears rolled down her cheeks. “Connelly killed you to protect himself, but Pop took care of him.”

  Shade realized this was it, then. The case was resolved. His essence stirred as if summoned from beyond. As soon as his soul was returned to him, he would leave this earth and the people he loved. Perhaps the hardest thing he’d ever had to do. But it was his destiny, and he couldn’t keep fighting it.

  He reached out as if he could touch Nuala’s cheek. “I will always love you, Nuala, but you need to find a good man who will make you happy.”

  “I could never love anyone the way I do you.” A sob caught in her throat. “When you leave, part of you will still be with me.” She put her hand to her stomach. “Your child.”

  Shade looked for a baby bump, but Nuala wasn’t showing yet.

  “I won’t be here.” Devastated that he would never see his child in person, he placed his open hands on either side of her. “Is it okay if I meet my child now?”

  She nodded, and he moved his hands closer. He concentrated the same way he did when entering Boomer. His hands began to shimmer, and he gently moved them until the presence inside filled him with an otherworldly joy.

  …

  Shade’s expression of wonder and happiness brought tears to my eyes. It was so obvious that he and Nuala were in love and should have had a life together. Thinking about what might have been between Luc and me gave me another reason for tears. I slashed my hand across my eyes and looked to my brother as he removed his hands from Nuala’s belly.

  He was smiling. “She told me her name is Maeve.”

  “Maeve.” Nuala smiled through her tears. “A good name.”

  I realized it was the name of an ancient Protectress, one of the first who’d signed The Book of Powers. An inheritance for a descendent of the Nephilim? I didn’t miss the irony. Something I needed to keep to myself. For now.

  “I wish more than anything that I could be here for you and our daughter,” Shade told Nuala.

  “I’ll always be there for both of them.” Wondering how I was going to restore my brother’s soul to him, I removed the pendant he’d put around my neck at the shifter fight. “You knew I had your soul all along, didn’t you?”

  “It was the first thing I remembered. I feared for you when I realized you were at that shifter fight. I gave it to you because I wanted to keep you safe.”

  Tears welled in my eyes again. “It helped me to do what Mom asked of us. We made a difference, our two souls together.” I stared at the sea glass in my hand. “Now I have to figure out how to return yours.”

  “Cup the sea glass in your palm and concentrate,” Nuala said. “Visualize it leaving its resting place. It will—”

  “You do it, Nuala.” As much as I wanted to be the last one to say good-bye to Shade, I knew how much it would mean to her. I held out the pendant to the woman my brother so obviously loved. “You stole it back for Shade. You should be the one to return it to him.”

  Nuala smiled through her tears. Taking the pendant from me, she cradled the sea glass in the palm of her hand and went quiet.

  As if the dog knew this was it, Boomer jumped off the chair and sat in front of Shade, who stooped to give him an air kiss. “Bye, buddy. Take care of Skye for me.”

  Boomer barked once in agreement.

  “Good-bye, Shade,” I whispered, unable to stop the tears any longer. “I love you. I’ll think of you every day.” I sniffed. “Oh, I almost forgot. Eth
an said to tell you he’ll meet you for a beer when he gets to the next life.”

  Shade’s grin was sad. “Tell him I’m counting on it. And if you ever get the chance to tell Dad…well, everything, I guess…tell him I love him.”

  I knew I would have to find a way to tell our father about the supernatural underworld, because I couldn’t cheat him of a granddaughter, no matter her birthright.

  “I’ll tell him.”

  “Love you, sis.”

  A dazzling green light filled Nuala’s hand and slowly spread up her arm and throughout her body. She wept as she placed her hand over Shade’s chest. The dazzling light worked its way into him until they were both lit and glowing green together.

  “I love you!” Nuala cried as the light transferred completely from her to him.

  Shade began to shimmer and fade. “Find happiness with someone you can love here on earth, someone who would make a good father to our daughter.”

  The light flickered out.

  He was gone.

  Boomer whined and ran away, disappearing into the darkened rear of the apartment.

  Nuala wailed, and before I could try to comfort her, she vanished.

  I wasn’t surprised. Apparently the Lazares seemed to think that was the way to end a conversation.

  Deeply touched by her and Shade’s love for each other, I gave in to my tears. At least some people knew how to love despite all odds, I thought, remembering how Luc had walked away from me without so much as a word. I was certain that if he had lived, no way would my brother have given up on his relationship with Nuala. He would have fought for her against all odds. At least Nuala would have his child to keep him close to her.

  While I was alone for the foreseeable future. I had to accept that.