by Erin R Flynn
I wasn’t sure what he meant, but he nodded over my shoulder. I turned around to find Corbin and several of Brian’s team carrying tray after tray of something. I glanced back at Brian with a curious look.
“Your big shaved ice plate was dine-in only. Instead, I got one of every flavor in the smaller size so you can try them all as we work. Plus, whatever cookies and yummies to make you smile and replace the sugar you need.”
“I love you too,” I said quietly, my cheeks heating up. I felt my blood boil when Celeste mad a disgusted noise. I glanced at her, letting my power flash in my eyes. “You should leave before I stop being professional and get pissed as his lover.” I glanced at some of the agents under me. “Show her and the others from her office out. They’re not involved with this, and I’m lead on all of it.”
“We’ll handle it, Chief,” one guy from Miami told me. “They can leave or we’ll escort them out, which means touching them.”
A few of the people from the DA’s office didn’t seem to care about that, more they didn’t want to be lumped in with Celeste and headed to the elevator. I didn’t blame them. They got dragged along because of the boss or whatever bull.
Because that whole meeting was bull. Unfortunately, there was a lot more. I enjoyed my present, starting with some sort of red velvet hot cocoa that I sent a picture to Simone of, saying we should make this into an adult beverage on the menu because it was awesome. Then I had my shaved milk ice with all sorts of flavors and toppings, one after the other while continuing to work.
And that night I went to bed with Brian, able to snuggle up to him when I needed it most.
And so did he.
21
It took us another week to shovel our way through the vast majority of the shit and corruption and death and crimes of all flavors. The New York division chief is taking early retirement, which I wasn’t a fan of when he mishandled so much. Brian made the argument that his hands would have been tied all over the place if the guy’s IA was dirty.
Sands was named the new division chief, and the guy replacing him in Memphis I met when I was there, and he’s a good choice. He’s got his shit together for sure and will keep pushing for a non-human team at that office like Sands had been.
Detective Pratt and the NYPD got some really good press along with the FBI for such a historic clean up. Media and politics on both sides are so focused on it that it honestly helped us sneak the baddies out the back door without getting much notice. And there were a lot of them. Too much dirt all over New York… And I don’t mean just the subways. Not that Chicago’s are any better.
They’re both gross and need a deep clean.
Most are worried about retaliation from mobs and cartels, but I think they’re shocked we pulled it off. For now it seems that they’re disavowing anyone who got picked up, assuming it stops with New York.
Yeah right. Idiots.
We’re going after the cartel in a week or so. I made a promise to rescue the gulls that were sold, and I will absolutely keep that promise. Along with taking that whole cartel down.
I don’t know all the particulars, but Haton seemed happy with whatever deal was made with the government about everything seized. The government couldn’t use it, just auction it or whatever happens after cases are long solved and finished in court but they weren’t going to court… It wasn’t my show, but I preferred Haton happy.
Madam Fox’s interrogation is going to have far and wide reach and end several careers. I’m very glad I’m not handling that mess. My office is helping the foxes and gulls now that we’ve gotten all their statements. They need some help and not just emotionally. There’s crap from their lives before and the gulls know more who want to get out of dangerous places like Russia.
So we’ll be busy. Really fucking busy.
The New York shifters are happy with the change in leadership. Most were clean, struggling to survive and make a living. The packs are combining, officially, and Melicent is all over it. I think she’s excited to have this chance not to be in Alena’s shadow. I get it. It’s a big shadow, and sometimes people just need the right motivation or opportunity.
The coven is still a mess, but it’s not my mess once all the crimes were reported, confessed to, and punishment given. I did however have a dept to pay before leaving New York. Paying it and dealing with Dubois again was troubling, and all I wanted was to go home to Chicago.
Brian was staying a bit longer, some of the ancients as well. The Shifter Council teams had more to do, and really it was a lot of light cleaning up and making sure ducks were in a row. I was nervous leaving Brian, but he promised to wear the vest and stick with the other teams. I kissed him goodbye and headed to the airport, ready for the nap I would take on the flight.
But I never made it…
The End
Please Review!!
I know it’s annoying, I hate doing it too. But it really, really helps the author with Amazon’s search algorithms. I appreciate the kind and constructive reviews, I truly do.
To say THANK YOU for taking the few minutes to review (and all the previous reviews), I’ve written an extra chapter that a lot of people have asked to see. I will absolutely write more extra side chapters to keep thanking you guys for the reviews. So please go review any and all of Sera’s books, and I hope you like the addition!
Love,
Erin
Extra Chapter
“Hey, Havers, did Sera get caught up in something?” Orson asked from my phone.
I frowned. “What? No. She left here like two hours ago for the airport.” There was silence at first, and then he said one of the worst things I’d ever heard.
“She never made it here.”
“That can’t be,” I argued. “Did you call her? Check with the car rental place. She was taking back one of the SUVs.”
“Of course we tried calling her. We’ve been calling her. It just rings and rings.”
At least her phone is on then. “You check with the rental place, tell them she’s FBI and we’re worried, and I’ll track her phone. Call me when you got something.” I hung up and went over to Corbin. “Track Sera’s phone. I need to know where she is.”
“Chief?” he asked, giving me a worried look.
“Just do it!” I barked, wincing when several people around us flinched. “Sorry, please. Find her.”
“What’s up?” Sands asked me quietly as he joined us.
“Sera didn’t make it to the plane. They called wondering where she is.”
He gave me a worried look. “She left here like two hours ago.”
“I know.”
“She’ll be fine,” he muttered, not sounding all that sure.
“I’ve got her at the airport,” Corbin told us. He pulled up the map on the bigger glass screen used for cases. He zoomed in several times and glanced from the screen to his monitor. Then a map of the airport came up and went over the tracking map. “Looks like she’s in the bathroom by the private flights.”
I called Orson back before he even finished. He picked up right away. “She’s at the bathroom by the private flights. That’s where we pinged her phone. Traffic was probably bad, and maybe she ate something spicy.”
“For over an hour and a half?” he muttered. “The guy remembered her when I show him a photo. She returned the vehicle over an hour and a half ago. Emilio is getting the footage to be sure and so we can track her through the airport.”
“She probably stopped to buy souvenirs for the boys,” Sands offered, able to hear Orson since he was right next to me.
“While we all waited? She never makes people wait like that if she can help it,” Orson argued.
And unfortunately she was right.
“Fuck!” Orson bellowed a few moments later.
“What?” I demanded.
“I’ve got her phone and no Sera. It was sitting on the ledge of the garbage here, like waiting to be found. She’s not in the bathroom.”
“Check it again. Visuall
y check it.”
“I did,” he snapped. “She’s not in there. She’s gone.”
“No, no she’s not,” I growled, turning and looking at Corbin. “Get on the phone with the airport and tell them we might have someone missing and we have people there that need to see their security footage.” I hung up on Orson, not even thinking about it and connecting a call to Axel. “Sera’s missing.”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“She dropped off the rental at the airport an hour and a half ago and didn’t make it to the plane. Orson found her phone outside the bathroom. How close are you to there? I need you to track her.”
“We just arrived. We’ll meet up with them and track her. You call everyone and find out if there was any deviation. Who was the last number she called?”
I asked Corbin the same, and he told me it was Melicent. “I’ll call her and the others. There were no incoming calls after that besides Orson, and they were never answered. Tell me what you find.”
“Got it.”
I hung up and was never so glad I’d made sure to have Melicent’s number too. She picked up almost immediately, which shocked me. “Sera’s missing.”
There was a pause. “Hold on. Melicent’s in the middle of something so I answered,” a voice replied. If I had to guess, I would think it Bemus, as she didn’t seem the type to allow just anyone to answer her phone. I rolled my eyes when I heard the sounds of loud sex going on. Oh, she was in the middle of something all right. “Melicent, your little sister is missing according to the mating candidate.”
“What?” she snarled in the background. I heard some shuffling and a few thumps before she got on the phone. “You lost her?”
I felt her question like a punch to the gut, taking in a shaky breath. “No, I can’t lose her.” I heard the crack in my voice as did others, Sands moving his hand to my shoulder and giving a squeeze. I filled her in on what I knew and what we were doing. “You were the last call she made. Did she say anything? Maybe going to get the boys souvenirs or something? What did you discuss?”
“The eco gyms idea,” she muttered, some more shuffling in the background. “She did some more research and found a company in the UK that puts small, outdoor gyms in park districts to support healthier living for kids, people who can’t afford a gym membership, and people who might find it all intimidating, away from eyes that might judge. She was all excited that maybe it was something we could do at Chicago and New York park districts.”
“That’s so like her,” I chuckled as I scrubbed my fingers over my forehead. “Nothing else? Nothing telling?”
There was a long pause. “No, not in that she was diverting from her plans but she confided in me that Councilman Dubois worried her even more than before. His personality is controlling and obsessive, and she burst his bubble on something. She was concerned there might be some backlash and warned me, as I was still in the area. Plus, she saw some images of him wanting a siren as much as he wants her.”
I had my keys and jacket before she even finished. “I’m heading to the coven now.”
“Do not go there alone. She would not want you risking your safety like that.”
“We don’t know where she is, Melicent.”
“I will meet you there. I do not believe he has her, but it is worth questioning him.”
“Agreed. Fine, I’ll chill.” I hung up and nodded to Sands as he hurried onto the elevator with me. I waited until the doors closed and we were alone. “She’s gone.”
“She’s not gone. We’ll find her. If someone took her, we’ll get her back. Start calling people so this can get on the radar to look for her.”
He was right. I called Councilwoman Haton next, annoyed when the lackey that answered said she didn’t take calls outside of her contacts. “Asshole, tell her Sera is missing. That’s why I’m calling.”
Haton was on the line seconds later and demanded I fill her in. “I would rather us be premature than not taking it seriously and there is a problem. I will personally speak with the other council members and make sure none of them are involved. Keep me updated, and I will do the same.”
“Thank you.” I hung up as we reached my rental, and I was glad when Sands actually took the keys. Yeah, not the time to be driving in NYC crazy traffic as I made calls.
And they were horrible calls to make.
“I just hung up with Axel,” Reagan informed me. “Her scent from the rental place goes within two feet of the plane but then just ends. There’s nothing else. They’ve sniffed all over the airport, and there’s no trace from her. They would think she was still standing at that spot if not for the scent having faded. She just disappears. How could you lose her? You let her go alone?”
Again, it was like a punch to the gut. “No one lets Sera do anything. She agreed to start taking a detail or more than one of the ancients driving her if they were around. She was going to seriously sit down with you guys and Monroe to figure it all out. She was supposed to ride with them, but she got delayed signing stuff and then decided to take back one of the extra rentals. Who would think she could get nabbed at the fucking airport? How even?”
“Yeah, I get it, sorry,” he mumbled.
“You didn’t say anything I wasn’t already thinking or feeling,” I forgave. “I just keep thinking who could have that sort of power to… I’ve got to call you back.”
“Who?”
“Roberson,” I growled and hung up. I called his cell, and he didn’t pick up. It took me a moment to think of how to get him, but then I remembered he was still the US liaison in Iran. I realized we were going to where I could get the number anyways.
Melicent texted she’d spoken to Alena and she wanted updates and any way to help. I wasn’t sure how or who could help with this because if Reagan knew, that meant Dain did and he would tell Queen Laila.
We arrived at the coven estate, and I was out of the SUV before Sands even fully stopped. I jogged over to the door, and it was opened as I lifted my hand to knock.
“Chief Havers, what can we do for you?” the vampire asked me, dipping his head in respect.
“Where’s Dubois? Is Papadopoulos still here?”
His eyes flashed anger, but I didn’t care. “Both councilmen are busy at the moment. If you wish—”
“Apollo, I need to speak with you!” I bellowed, knowing he had crazy hearing, as good as or even better than Sera’s from what she’d said. All the ancients were that good. “Apollo!”
“Chief Havers, I would ask you control yourself,” the vampire snarled. “You are allowed certain niceties because of your ties to Mistress Sera, but there are lines to that.”
I snapped, grabbing the vampire and shaking him. “I don’t give a fuck about your codes or games. Someone took the woman I love, and I will do whatever I have to to find her!”
“What is going on here?” Papadopoulos demanded as he and Sands joined us at the same time.
“Sera’s missing,” I told him, letting go of the vampire. “We think she was snatched from the airport. Her trail ends there, and then it’s just gone. Where’s Dubois? Melicent said Sera was upset because of something that happened with him.”
“He did not take her. He’s been here since she left this morning,” Apollo explained. “She left here to go sign some papers at the office before her flight. I saw her leave.”
Sands put his hand on my shoulder to hold me back. “With all due respect, Councilman, he’s got the power and reach to call someone to do the dirty work. We’re not accusing him, but we both know that. Melicent doesn’t think he did it, but he might know something or could have said something that would make others think they should take such action on his behalf. We have to speak to him. She agrees and is on the way.”
Apollo sighed. “Fine, but I don’t know how much you’ll get from him. He’s sauced.” He shrugged when we shot him confused looks. “All I understood was that Seraphine pulled back the curtain and revealed more than he was ready to see.”
>
“Okay then,” I grumbled, not sure I wanted to know what was going on with that as long as he hadn’t taken her or his people weren’t involved. “I need to contact Bijan Nuri. Jason Roberson is working with him, and I need to speak with him.”
“I can get him on the line,” Apollo promised as he waved us to follow. “Have Melicent join us when she arrives.”
Sands and I shared a confused look, but I still trailed after the vampire because I didn’t care what was going on besides finding Sera. And if I had to walk into Hell itself to find her, I would.
Instead I found the councilman who was completely and always in control, perfectly put together and immaculate, now in total disarray and drunk off his ass. That had to be an interesting story.
I didn’t even get a chance to speak as he saw me and slammed down his glass, the ice popping out of it. He got to his feet and stumbled over to me, jabbing me in the chest. “How did you do it? How did you tame her?”
Yeah, Sera’s been here. “I didn’t. No one could tame Sera. That would break her, and she’d no longer be Sera. I love her.”
“No, no, you own her,” he argued, giving me a shove before going back to the bar. Luckily he didn’t put his full strength into it or I’d be on my ass or worse. “You own her. You tamed her like the most glorious horse that no one could ride.” I went to argue with him, but he waved me off as he poured himself a large drink. “She offered it to you freely. I had to trick her to get it, but you she just offered it.”
“What did you do to her?” I snarled, reaching for him. Apollo reached me first, blocking him from me but really me from him, and we all knew that. “What did you trick her for? Did you force her into a corner too?” I swore when Dubois gave me a guilty look. “You’re going to break her. All of this bullshit you all force on her will break her. Don’t you get it? You can’t tame her. She is sunshine and light and—”
Dubois burst out laughing. He laughed so hard he spilled his drink and let go of the bottle to keep on the stool. “That woman is not full of light. She might have goodness in her, but there is a deep, very deep darkness in her. She has been touched by too much evil to ever be of the light. And she enjoys pulling the rug out from under people.”