“Boss hired some escort a couple months ago. She decided to take a bigger tip than he gave for her trouble. Bag with fifty K, meant as payment to a supplier.” Tommy paused. “Boss sent Fig to retrieve it. Teach the hooker a lesson. That didn’t work out so well for Fig. Boss likes to live large, couldn’t scrape up replacement cash.”
“I’m getting bored, Tommy,” Laney said, her voice deeper than normal. “Really, really bored.”
The man’s eyes rounded as he looked past Cal. “The supplier’s a vampire. He’s been making something new, using vamp blood.”
Maybe he’d keep Tommy. The man could prove helpful later. “Speed it up.”
“Sure thing. He sent a guy to track the hooker down. Not sure why, but he decided he wanted the man she was hanging with, and told the boss he could have the hooker if he arranged for delivery of the man. His guy grabbed them, we picked ‘em up. They killed his guy, and he changed the terms, wanted ‘em both.” Tommy paused to lick his lips, his eyes flicking from Cal to Laney. “He sent people to get them last night.”
Cal could think of a dozen master vampires who’d recognize Thane, and want to get their hands on him. “I need a name, Tommy.”
“The vamp calls himself Nero Vitus.”
He hadn’t heard the name before, but Cal knew it what it meant in ancient Latin: Strong, vigorous life. “What do you think, L? Should we let Tommy live?”
They never used their full names in such situations. Laney responded without pause, knowing he meant her. “He could be useful.”
“It’s your lucky day,” Cal told Tommy. “Get up and come with me.”
“What about the rest of us?” asked the one who’d told Tommy to shut up.
Cal turned around and smiled at Laney. “They’re all yours.”
Chapter Twenty-two
“Got to say, I’m not exactly thrilled with some aspects of my new life.” Morgan and Thane were watching the door, waiting for their empty trays to be taken. “Not that my old life was worth writing home about, but at least I could drive down the highway without a vampire crashing into me.”
She ached, presumably from the faster-than-human healing her body was completing. The remainder of her injuries were superficial. Not that Morgan minded the ache; it was easier to deal with than the pain from the wreck or Bully Boy’s beat down. “Being a Were seems to come packaged with extra violence.”
The were-liger’s response was to reach for her hand. She let him have it. “Think Calhoun’s looking for us?”
He nodded, shooting her a brief smile before returning his attention to the door. Morgan sighed. “Well, he’s probably looking for you. Bet he wouldn’t mind if I wasn’t found. Be one less headache for him if I disappeared.”
Thane shook his head, gently squeezing her hand. She suppressed a derisive snort. “Oh, come on. I’ve been nothing but trouble for him practically from the second he saw me. How many times has he threatened to toss me in an isolation cell now? Four, five?”
He responded with another gentle squeeze. Apparently, he wasn’t worried about Calhoun abandoning her regardless of how she’d behaved. Morgan frowned. “He’s right. I do have an anger management problem. But he’s wrong about it causing my problems. I’m angry because of them.”
That drew a sidelong glance from the were-liger, and she raised an eyebrow. “What? The only real luck I’ve had in life was my mother not being addicted to crack or whatever, while she was pregnant with me. That’s a pretty shitty starting point, I don’t care who you are.”
Thane nodded in agreement. Morgan picked at the scabbing on her bottom lip. Some of it broke loose, and she tested the skin under it with the tip of her tongue. “Not that I’m whining about it. That’s just how it was. But it’s hard to make something of yourself when that’s your start in life.”
It wasn’t as though her new start was coming up roses either. “Now I’m stuck in someone’s dungeon. I haven’t exactly made it far in life, have I?”
Noises beyond the door closed her mouth, and the were-liger didn’t respond, his eyes focused on the door. The square at roughly head-level opened, but whoever was on the other side was a shadowed figure thanks to the brighter lighting behind him or her.
It proved to be a man. “The woman is to remain on the bed. You will move to the right corner of the room.”
“What if I don’t want him that far away?” Morgan asked, her fingers tightening around Thane’s hand.
“Your wants are irrelevant. He will do as told, or there will be consequences.”
Thane slowly disengaged, patting her hand before lowering it to the bed. He slipped out from under the sheet and went to the corner of the room. Even though he was less than twenty feet away, Morgan suddenly felt alone.
“Good. We will open the door now. Stay in your places.” The next sound indicated the door was locked by bolt. The door opened and four men entered, avoiding the trays. Two were carrying assault rifles, and quickly trained one on each of them. The other two were carrying far different items, and a wave of the odd mustiness told Morgan they were probably all vampires.
“Punishment for disobeying will be swift.” The speaker was the same one who’d given them directions, a pale, slender man with shoulder-length brown hair. He focused on Morgan, slightly lifting the bundle he held. “I will change your IV bag while you dress.”
The other unarmed man tossed a pile of clothing toward Thane, who caught it. “You will dress as well.”
She looked at the were-liger, who responded with a slight nod. I hope he knows what he’s doing. “All right.”
The line was disconnected to allow her to pull on the sleeveless, close-fitting black shirt and leggings. Morgan glanced at Thane while the vampire changed the IV bags and reattached the line to the catheter. The clothing he’d been given matched hers exactly. Neither of them were given footwear, and the vampires retreated, taking the old IV bag and trays with them.
Thane silently moved to the door to listen as she sat back down on the bed’s edge. Morgan waited until he turned from the door. “They gave us clothes. That’s a good sign, right?”
His faint smile of response didn’t exactly fill her with confidence.
Laney refrained from glancing at Cal, though his mental gymnastics were distracting as hell. The First’s thoughts weren’t usually so easy to glean. As she’d told Lucas and Jerome, Cal could do things with his mind that she didn’t understand and wouldn’t dare attempt to replicate.
Right now, his focus was divided between the search for “Nero Vitus” coming up empty, and worrying at the possibility that Morgan was his Chimaera.
Laney sat in the corner of the conference room in one of the California field offices—which was really a mansion—watching everyone, but Cal in particular. Becoming a Were had been the best thing to ever happen to her, after years of misery due to her telepathic ability manifesting. Humans didn’t have to know about it to view her as an outsider.
Telepathy had given her a leg up when it came to meeting Cal the first time. He’d pulled his usual antics—though Laney didn’t view his offer of sexual companionship exactly the way others did. Cal was searching for his Chimaera in every new Sleeper who appeared; his seductions were simply a subconscious part of his search methods.
Then he gets a Sleeper who’s different, and it never occurs to him those differences may mean she’s the one he’s been waiting for. Laney nearly shook her head. Unbelievable. He really is punishing himself for a mistake made thousands of years ago.
She’d had no interest in acting on the sexual attraction present between them because she hadn’t understood the reason for it at the time, and things she didn’t understand made her overly cautious. Now, Laney understood its presence: Calhoun was the Fount, and such beings were exceptionally attractive to their people as part of their ability to control them. Throw in “like attracting like” because Weres of the same species were naturally driven toward one another, and it was no wonder most female Sleepers spent
at least a little time in Cal’s bed.
And no surprise he seldom attempted to pursue continued sexual activity with them once they’d Awakened. Cal was certain by the time they Awakened that they weren’t the woman he was waiting for, especially since his attraction to them usually waned afterward.
“I can’t believe after all the time we’ve invested in building a worldwide network, that a vampire named Nero Vitus has managed to completely fly under our radar.” Cal slammed his palms down on the tabletop, scowling at those present. His eyes had changed, the gold spinning, and his top canines were distended. “Are you people fucking kidding me right now?”
Only Laney heard his mental howl of anguish at the idea they’d never find the vampire, thus never locate Morgan and Thane. She was the only one to catch a glimpse of his hastily buried terror that he’d always be alone, never have his promised mate beside him.
Probably screwed that one blue and tattooed, even if we do find them. Laney didn’t think Morgan was the forgive and forget type, from what she’d learned of the other woman. And then there was Thane. The were-liger was unique, his uniqueness off-putting to every female Were Laney knew. Including myself.
Which hadn’t stopped her from occasionally sharing Thane’s bed. Very occasionally, only three times, when Laney absolutely couldn’t stand the aura of aloneness emanating from him. Thane wouldn’t want to give up Morgan now, not unless the woman did something horrible to him.
“What the hell have you people been doing? All the resources at hand, and not a single one of you knows shit about this vampire?” Cal had risen from his seat, his tone low and furious, his claws out and the tips beginning to dig into the metal tabletop.
Well, damn. Laney sighed, watching as his skin began to ripple. Can’t let him lose it right now.
She stood, cleared her throat, which drew everyone’s attention to her. Refusing to flinch under Cal’s burning gaze, Laney said, “Everyone out. Now.”
The order made Cal blink, but the rest were quick to act on it, leaving in a hurry. Jerome, the last one out, raised his eyebrows at her before shutting the door at her slight nod. Yeah, I’ll be okay.
Straightening to his full height, Cal stalked around the table toward her. “Who the fuck do you think you are?”
Laney stayed in place, focusing on his mouth. “One of your most loyal subjects, and your friend.”
That checked his next step. He halted, his hands clenching into fists. “I’m listening.”
“Good.” She risked a quick glance at his eyes. The gold hadn’t slowed down, but his willingness to let her speak was enough. Dropping her gaze back to his mouth, Laney said, “You’re not in a position to act in anger. Doing so will drive those who are uncertain about your leadership straight to our enemies.”
“I’m not worried about that right now.”
“You should be. You haven’t looked at the list I sent you. There are some names on it that would make it perfectly clear how tenuous things are within our society.” She took a slow step toward him. “You need to be our king right now. Calm, in control, and considering the impact of your actions. Even if Morgan is your Chimaera, you can’t allow the fear of losing her to affect your decisions, or your treatment of your people.”
“Thank you for the lesson in how to behave.” His lips twisted, and Laney froze at the coldness that lashed out from him. “Now get the fuck out of my sight.”
“No.” She’d never disobeyed a direct order, but he hadn’t used the tone that would compel her to obey.
“Excuse me?”
“I said no, Cal. You need to work off some steam, calm down, before continuing.” Aware of the gamble she was making, Laney met his eyes. “And we both know what works best for you when it comes to that.”
Laney’s unspoken offer hung in the air between them, neatly diverting Cal’s attention for several seconds as he digested its implications. I’m on the edge and it’s obvious.
He was, the need to rip and tear at those around him growing with every new report of nothing. Cal closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath, letting it out slowly before meeting her eyes again. Nothing but concern showed on Laney’s face. “Offering yourself as a sacrificial lamb?”
“If that’s what it takes, sure. You’re too angry to be around humans right now, and the only female Weres here, aside from me, are a couple of leopards.” She tilted her head toward the window. “It’s getting late. They’re not going to stop trying to find information if we decide to call it a night.”
“You turned me down.”
“You didn’t need me then. You do now.”
Cal studied her with his eyes, nose, and the extra something he’d received as Fount. She was serious, though not aroused by the thought. He hadn’t smelled arousal in Laney’s scent since before her Awakening, around himself or anyone, and he realized he’d never caught any mingling of scents to indicate she was sleeping with anyone. Suddenly curious, he asked, “Do you have an arrangement with someone?”
“Worried about cramping my style, boss?” Her smile made it clear she found that idea amusing. “Don’t be.”
Not an answer, but he decided against pursuing it farther. “Just so we’re clear here, you’re not expecting...”
“I’m not expecting anything other than helping you get a hold of yourself. If that means sharing a bed until this crisis is over and you can move onto figuring out whether or not Morgan’s definitely your Chimaera, that’s fine. Sex is your crutch, Cal, and you’re not in the right mindset to have it with humans.” She cocked her head. “I doubt it’ll be an unpleasant duty.”
Duty. He blinked, not liking that particular slant, or the fact that Laney seemed to have him figured out as well as she did. Because she was correct: sex was his crutch. Human, Sleeper, or newly Awakened, sex filled the hole, albeit imperfectly, where his Chimaera should reside.
Slut, Morgan’s voice whispered in his mind.
“I heard that,” Laney said. “Your thoughts have been getting louder, Boss. That’s pretty unusual.”
A sign he was closer to losing control than he’d ever been. Cal nodded. “Guess I’m not in a position to say no.”
She shrugged. “You could, but I imagine we’d be trying to pull you off someone in the next twenty-four hours, and maybe not in time. The rumors that our king has gone cuckoo will spread faster than wildfire, and there’s at least three Were elders who’d be happy as hell to jump on the opportunity to really shake up things.”
“And you’re willing to let me use you to prevent that from happening.” His bald statement made Cal flinch.
“I am. You’re the First, the Fount of my species, and king of my people. I wouldn’t be who I am if not for you, and Cal, I enjoy being who I am now. Consider it repayment from freeing me of a life of misery, if that makes it more palatable for you.”
He weighed his actions of the past few days against the faint distaste he felt over the circumstances behind her offer, and slowly nodded. “Okay.”
Chapter Twenty-three
Cal woke alone, the only reminder of Laney’s company her lingering scent. If he’d ever doubted her loyalty and commitment to their people or himself, her actions the previous night would’ve laid those doubts to rest. She would’ve made a hell of a queen.
But that wasn’t to be, and Cal regretfully shelved the thought to focus on another: Morgan’s likely my Chimaera and I fucked up everything where she’s concerned.
He wouldn’t have a chance to unfuck things unless she and Thane were recovered. Thanks to Laney’s aid, Cal felt calmer and more clear-headed than he had in weeks. He left the bed for the bathroom, and, less than thirty minutes later, was heading downstairs, showered, shaved, and freshly dressed.
The first person he saw was Lucas, who half-smiled. “You look better.”
“I’m sorry I’ve been such a hard ass lately.” His people knew their jobs. They’d find something.
Lucas nodded. “Apology accepted, boss. Laney’s scouring Tommy�
�s brain, looking for memories of what the vampires he’s seen look like.”
Which she’d then be able to identify, if they had photos of those vamps in their database. “Good. What about the names on her list?”
“I’ve sent teams out to pick up those they can. We’ll know who’s serious about overthrowing the throne by who runs.”
“Wolf-only teams, I hope.” Cal wouldn’t be able to trust other Weres without a Chimaera’s influence, not even the younger ones he’d promoted, if the elders of the other species decided to start a real war.
“Of course, and only our oldest operatives. It’s going to cause issues no matter what, boss.” Lucas fell in beside him as Cal began walking again. “We do have some gaps.”
“Yeah.” Weres had gone missing since the beginning, presumed dead unless evidence appeared to indicate otherwise. Most of those disappearances were of the other three species, and had occurred after Cal had killed the other Founts. It was a big planet, and in spite of humanity’s efforts to explore it, there were plenty of places for Weres and vampires both to hide. “We need to focus on filling those gaps after the current mission.”
They went to the dining room, where coffee and a breakfast buffet waited. Cal filled a plate and sat down to eat. Lucas chose coffee only. Other members of the team appeared in the next few minutes, to report while having breakfast or more coffee.
Cal apologized to each one he’d snarled at over the past few days. Once, he would’ve viewed doing so as showing weakness. As the years had passed, he’d realized it made it easier for his people to own their mistakes if he were willing to admit to his.
Laney’s appearance filled the room with an unusual vibe. Cal wondered how many there had had the opportunity to enjoy her generous attentions. A scan of their faces while she selected from the breakfast offerings raised his eyebrows. Unless he were completely wrong, none of them had. Who the hell was she involved with?
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