by Ann Gimpel
Max launched himself from his chair and flew across the room. He grabbed Johannes’ arm and peered at the wall screen. “Tell me.”
“The last couple of nights, she’s been digging up intel on the shifter underground.”
“Not possible. You must be mistaken.”
“Max.” Johannes pried his hand off his arm. “It’s all right there. Look.” He clicked a few keys, and the display flared to life.
“Shit.” A dull, lead weight settled in Max’s chest as he studied the screen. She’d had to confine herself to non-sensitive links, but she’d done a fair job of sleuthing nonetheless.
“You know what this probably means.” Johannes’ voice was gentle.
Max nodded. “The timing is too close to be a coincidence. She’s probably not the one trying to kill me, but it’s likely she’s linked to them. Aw, shit.” He sank into a nearby chair and pounded its arm with a closed fist. “Goddammit.” He nursed his reddened fist.
“There’s got to be some other explanation,” his wolf piped up.
”Like what?”
“Something. If she were our enemy, I’d have sensed it.” He paused. “It’s breaking the rules, but I could talk with her wolf.”
“No.” Johannes jumped into the conversation. He’d apparently figured out Max and his wolf were talking and had focused his magic to listen in. “We’re not compounding one wrong thing with a second.”
Privately, Max thought it was a good idea. The world had turned upside down since shifters had developed the rules they lived by. Audrey’s animal could yield some important clues. He filed the notion for action later when Johannes wasn’t close enough to listen in.
“Enough of this.” Max waved a hand at the wall screen. “Do what you need to so we can funnel into the meeting. It starts in three minutes.”
* * * *
It was closing on eleven when the meeting ended, and Johannes sent the vid feed into sleep mode. He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes with his fingers.
“I suppose it’s a relief we know who’s after me,” Max muttered. “What O’Hare said about me being a traitor finally makes sense. It’s also why the assailants knew about me.”
Johannes grunted and sat upright. “Yes and no. I’m really pissed it’s our own people. And to find out there are seven loosely-affiliated splinter groups scattered around the globe makes it even worse.”
“Why? You mentioned that as a possibility earlier, so it can’t have come as a total shock.”
Johannes shrugged. “Yeah, I may have mentioned it, but I hoped it wasn’t true. Plus, I had no idea there’d be so many of them. Damn it.” His mouth curled into a disgusted moue. “The fucking, meddling government did more harm than they ever imagined with their ill-conceived edict—especially when every other industrialized nation jumped on the bandwagon and copied it.” His eyes glittered dangerously. “This whole fiasco has turned us against ourselves. You do realize we’ll have to kill our own to burrow our way out of this.”
“Maybe not.” Max steepled his fingers and rested his chin on them. A headache throbbed dully behind one eye; he ignored it. “How about if you and I have a, um, discussion with their leadership now that we know who they are.”
An incredulous look spread over Johannes’ face. “Are you mad? They want to kill you, and you’re just going to sashay into their midst, big as you please.”
Max shrugged. “Maybe I’m too tired to be rational, but I’ve always believed in meeting things head on. We could bring half a dozen of us or a dozen. That should make them think twice about shooting me point blank.” He pushed heavily to his feet. “I’m going to bed. I have a mother of a headache.”
Max stopped when he got to the door and turned. “I understand why they’d be suspicious—of everything. For Christ’s sake, they went into hiding and then watched as things went from bad to worse. They have to blame someone.”
“It shouldn’t be us.” Johannes spat the words out. “We’re trying to help, for God’s sake.”
“Yes, but they don’t know that. They’ve been out of the communication loop since they went dark. You should turn in. It’s late.”
“I want to do more sleuthing. There should be electronic footprints if Audrey is linked to the shifter groups we found out about tonight.”
Max smiled sadly. “Thanks. Best of luck.”
Johannes nodded curtly. “Never fear. I’ll let you know what I find. Keep in mind, though, if I don’t find anything it could just mean she’s covered her tracks well.”
Max didn’t answer. The thought of Audrey being involved in a plot against him made his soul ache. He walked down the hall to his suite of rooms and went through his nightly ritual on autopilot. Feeling like warmed over cat piss, he crawled into bed and used the voice control module to kill the lights.
“Well?” his wolf asked.
“Well, what?”
“Do you want me to find her wolf?”
Max engaged in a momentary struggle with his conscience. At the time shifters had drawn up a covenant to live by back in the Middle Ages, the rule against animals communicating directly with one another made good sense. The bond animals were hard enough to control. The fear had been they’d band together, take over the partnership, and do something ill-advised that might target shifters for death. Their animal halves ran on instinct, not intellect. With their immense physical prowess, they tended to kill first if they felt threatened, and ask questions later, not unlike vigilante groups. The shifter bond was actually an unbeatable combination—so long as the human had the upper hand.
Max squeezed his eyes shut. Audrey’s dear face floated in the darkness. He tried to harden his heart but only ended up feeling sick at the possibility of her betrayal. “Yes,” he hissed. “Go for it. Be discreet, goddammit. I don’t want to have to justify this decision to Johannes.”
When dawn lightened the room, Max chucked the covers aside. He’d hardly slept but hadn’t felt like getting up to chip away at the mountain of work waiting for him. There’d been no word from his wolf. The animals had an in-between place where they lived when they weren’t paired with a human or were simply taking a short vacation from the partnership to commune with their own kind. He’d always suspected the animals relished the moments they had to themselves.
Max dragged his wrist computer off the bedside table and clicked a few keys. No word from Johannes, either, but that might mean a lot of things. One of Johannes’ favorite sayings was: bad news is best delivered in person.
No time like the present to find out. Max got out of bed and padded into the bathroom. The hot water jets had a salutary effect. It didn’t take him long to shower, dry off, and dress for the day. He headed toward the kitchen and the smells of coffee and breakfast, which meant Johannes was awake.
Max burst into the kitchen. He couldn’t get the words out, so he just looked at Johannes, face mute with misery.
“I didn’t find a thing.”
The tiny animal with sharp claws that had taken up residence in Max’s guts relaxed its hold just a bit. “I know you were thorough.”
“Very.”
“Where do we go from here?”
“Your plate’s on the table.” Johannes took a long swallow of coffee. “We either set up a meeting with the leaders of the splinter groups,” he hesitated and snagged Max’s gaze with his own, “or we start killing them. In terms of Audrey—”
“Killing our own is a violation of the covenant.” Max interrupted because he didn’t want to talk about Audrey. He slid into his customary seat.
“They broke it first.” Johannes carried his own food to the table and sat.
Max shoveled food into his mouth. Johannes was an excellent cook, but the ham and eggs tasted like paste. He wasn’t hungry but ate anyway. Ideas flowed better if his stomach was full. Johannes’ logic was incontrovertible, but killing other shifters went against the grain. “We’ll think of something,” he mumbled around a mouthful of eggs. “Just give me a little ti
me.”
“I’d hurry it up.” Johannes shot Max a meaningful glance from across the table.
“Yeah. No point in waiting for them to strike again, is there?”
“No. Back to Audrey. If I were you, I’d stay away from her until we know for sure.”
“You’re not me.”
“Be reasonable.” Compulsion ran beneath the words.
Max swallowed sudden fury so he wouldn’t jump to his feet and drive a fist into Johannes’ face. “I know you care about me, but do not ever use your magic to try to control what I do. Not now. Not ever.” Max pinched the bridge if his nose between his thumb and forefinger. “I’m conflicted enough about her as it is.”
“I’m sorry. Point taken about my magic. Truth will rise to the surface. It always does, just like day-old news. Finish your food, and we’ll go to work.”
* * * *
Audrey hurried to her desk, almost too keyed up to think. He wolf had told her Max’s wolf paid them a visit during the night, but she was less than forthcoming when Audrey asked what he wanted. No matter what her wolf said, she still didn’t believe Max could possibly be a shifter. Audrey nodded to herself. The wolf nailed it when she said it would take time for us to trust each other.
Maybe that was just a cock-and-bull story the wolf had made up to try to push her into Max’s arms. The more Audrey thought about it, the more sense it made, especially since the wolf hadn’t been able to come up with a reason for the alleged visit. She snickered. Alleged. I’m starting to think like a lawyer. I really do need to get out of this place.
She’d been up early and gone by the credit machine and then the pawn shop. A thick wad of black market cash was stuffed inside her bra. It seemed the safest place until she could take it home and put it with her other cash in a carved oak box with a hollow bottom. Still, it made her nervous. She glanced at the half mirror mounted on the wall beside her desk and checked for telltale bulges.
Nope. I’m fine. Audrey settled at her desk and began sorting the incoming mail, messages, and documents for Max. It was just past seven. He generally showed up between seven and nine depending on what he had scheduled for the day. Fingers working automatically, she brought up his schedule on her wrist computer. No early meetings today, which should mean he’d be in any time. Her heart beat just a little faster at the prospect of seeing him again.
At eight on the dot, he came through the elevator doors, nodded to her, and walked past her desk. He looked so haggard, her heart ached for him. What the hell had happened last night? Dark circles etched beneath his eyes, and his jaw had a grim set to it. “Max?”
“Just send me what I need to do through the vid feed.” He disappeared through the stairwell door.
Tears pricked beneath her lids. Had last night been a dream? What about lunch yesterday when he’d leaned so close his heady scent enveloped her? Or dinner two nights before? She swallowed hard.
“Go after him.”
“Leave me alone. I’d like to exit this job with my dignity intact. It’s obvious he—”
“For the love of Fenrir, god of wolves, go after him. Don’t give me a raft of excuses.”
A tear rolled down one cheek. She brushed it away. The foyer was mercifully empty, but that could change in a matter of seconds. She gazed at her hands, poised over her keyboard. What should I do? Her finely honed resolved to keep her relationship with Max professional had gone to hell last night when she’d let him kiss her.
I had the strength to walk away from him last night.
But that’s not what I want.
It may not matter what I want if he’s changed his mind, a different inner voice sniped.
Her wrist computer vibrated, followed by Max’s voice on its intercom function. “Audrey, where’s today’s work?”
“Sorry, sir. Coming right up.” She made certain to keep her face out of the camera’s range so he wouldn’t see she was crying. Too bad I can’t gather up a stack of papers and walk them in to him.
“Get up, and go to his office.” The wolf sounded exasperated.
Because it jived with what she wanted to do—and she wasn’t getting anything done anyway—Audrey stood. She’d always believed it was best to address things directly and get them over with. This wasn’t any different. She could ask if she’d been mistaken about his intentions. If he said yes, she’d nurse her wounds and find a way to live with the disappointment. Somehow.
Shoulders square, head high, she mounted the stairs that led to his office. Johannes hadn’t been with him today. Or maybe he was and had simply taken the elevator to the top floor, skipping hers. A ray of hope forced its way into her heart. Max could have done the same thing. He’d chosen a route to his office that led past her desk. Surely it meant something. Her heart beat against her chest wall so hard, she could barely breathe. She crossed the carpeted hall on shaky legs, wishing she hadn’t worn high heels, and knocked softly on his closed door.
It flew open, and she stood face to face with Johannes. So he was still shadowing Max. “What do you want?” he barked, sounding menacing.
“Oh, let her in,” Max said. “While you’re at it, how about if you leave for a few minutes.”
Audrey shifted from foot to foot. This wasn’t going anything like she’d planned, but then she hadn’t counted on Johannes and his protective streak. He’d told her he’d die for Max, or something very similar. Apparently, he took his bodyguard responsibilities seriously. Gazing at the fire in his hazel eyes cowed her, but she was damned if she’d let him know that.
Johannes turned so he could see both her and Max. “I don’t think that’s a very good idea, sir.”
“Well, I do. Out.” Max rose to his feet. “You can stand right outside if it makes you feel better.”
“With the door open.”
“No, with it closed.” Max sank back into his chair, intense blue gaze fixed right on her. He looked wary, as if he didn’t trust her.
After a lengthy pause, the door finally clicked shut with Johannes on its other side. Audrey inhaled raggedly. Words tumbled out almost of their own accord. “Sorry to intrude, and just tell me to go back downstairs if I’m out of line, but I had to see you.” She blew out a breath, sucked in another, and hurried on before her courage failed. “Was last night just a sham? Did you change your mind?” She held herself like a tightly wound spring and waited for his answer.
Max’s hands closed around the edge of his desk; his knuckles whitened. “Why have you been researching the shifter underground?”
Her teeth clanked together. Her first thought was to deny it, but lying didn’t sit well. “How would you know about that? It wasn’t on work time.”
“It doesn’t matter how I know. Just answer the question, Miss Westen.”
“I can’t.”
“Are you more comfortable talking this way?” Her eyes widened. Blood roared in her ears. “I know you can hear me,” Max went on. “Don’t bother to deny it.”
Joy, brighter than any sun, jolted her. If he could speak into her mind, he had to be a shifter. She knew they could communicate telepathically because of her father. Tears streamed down her face. “I don’t want to deny it. This means my wolf was right.”
“What was she right about? Tell me why you can shift. You shouldn’t be able to.” Max got to his feet.
“I got the drug, the serum, from the black market. I wanted to be one of you so I could help us. It’s why I resigned. The underground needs help. I figured that out from all those documents we went over. And I first shifted right after that, so…”
“Whoa, whoa.” Hope blazed from his eyes.
“Sorry, I know I was babbling, but it’s just such a relief to tell someone who might help me figure out how things work. And it means I don’t have to hide who I am from you, which means—”
“Yes, darling. It means all those things.”
She didn’t understand quite how Max covered the distance between them so quickly; he folded his arms around her shaking body.
He stroked her hair and her back and murmured nonsensical words into her ear until she relaxed against him.
“It’s the shifter groups in hiding that are trying to kill me,” he explained, talking softly into her ear. “We finally figured at least that much out. They blame me and the underground for the escalation in enmity and all the shifter deaths. When Johannes hacked into your vid feed and saw where you’d been, we were afraid you were part of them.”
She moved back an inch or two and looked up at him. “I could never do that. I’m falling in love with you.”
“I know I’m falling in love with you.” He smiled, and her heart took wing. “But it’s far more than that, Audrey darling.” He bent close and whispered, “If our wolves are right, you’re my mated one.” He kissed her forehead tenderly. “All I know is I’ve never felt such an intense attraction for anyone.”
“Me, either.” She nestled against his body. Warmth, relief she’d trusted her instincts and a liquid heat vied for ascendency. She wanted to stay in his arms forever. It was the rightest place she’d ever known. She turned her face up, and Max kissed her, gently at first but with increasing urgency as his hands trailed down her back and snugged her against his body. His cock jutted into the junction between her thigh and stomach. She pressed against him, breath coming fast, tightened her arms, and opened her mouth to his kiss.
A soft tap sounded on the door. Max pulled away. “It’s Johannes. I’d know his knock anywhere. We’ll have all the time in the world to savor each other.” He kissed the tip of her nose and called, “Come in.”
Johannes came through the door, closing it behind him. Max quirked a brow. Johannes nodded, relief obvious on his face and in the relaxed set of his shoulders. “She told the truth.”
Audrey turned her head to look at Johannes. “Of course I did. I always do. You can tell things like that?”
He nodded. “I’m a cat shifter. We have different gifts than you do. One is sensitivity to falsehoods.” He grinned. It transformed his face. “I suppose the two of you will want to retire to our house for the rest of the day.”
Max grinned back. “Maybe the rest of our lives.”