Carnal: A Dark Shifter Romance

by Piper Stone

I shifted through the first two pages when I noticed a new email had come in—Max’s email. The moment I pulled up the screen, I was both impressed as hell and terrified at the outcome. Max’s connections were definitely more impressive than mine.

  I hesitated for a full minute before opening the email. It was now or never. The fingerprints were one hundred percent conclusive. Now I knew exactly why I remembered the girl’s face. I’d met her before, albeit only once. Max had been right. The murder was a warning but if I had to guess, it had nothing to do with the Wolfen.

  I grabbed my cell phone, realizing I had little charge left. What I was planning was risky on several levels and possibly impossible, but one way or the other, I was going to find out the truth.

  “Hey. I need a favor and it’s one that could be considered dangerous. Are you game?” I closed my eyes, waiting for the answer. I breathed a sigh of relief after a few seconds. “No, I’ll text you where I am. Get here as fast as you can and text me when you’re near. I’ll meet you there. And don’t tell anyone you heard from me and I do mean anyone.”

  I ended the call, shoving the phone into my pocket, inching back toward the front windows. The two guys were still in the front, waiting as if prepared for the worst. I had one shot at this and figured they would check on me soon enough. I eased upstairs, grabbing another round of ammunition as well as a jacket.

  I was ready to head down the stairs when I found myself walking toward Max’s actual bedroom. I knew he hadn’t been here in years, but the cabin wasn’t devoid of some personal possessions. While the place had been well taken care of, I had the feeling he’d left in a hurry and not because he’d entered law enforcement training.

  His room was exactly like the man, rugged in every manner, the furniture larger than life. The massive bed was made of exotic wood, carved in an intricate design. What surprised me was the headboard held an almost romantic feel.

  I turned on a single light, studying the dresser, my curiosity piqued. For some crazy reason, I glanced over my shoulder before daring to open the drawers. There was nothing of real interest, until I opened the last drawer. The small cardboard box was kept closed by a rubber band. I pulled it into the light, chastising myself for invading his privacy.

  But I couldn’t resist.

  The box held photographs, dozens of them, many actual Polaroids from years before. The much younger version of Max’s father was entirely different than the man I’d met. He was happy and the woman standing beside him beautiful, her blonde hair shimmering in the bright glow of the sun.

  And I knew instinctively that she was very human.

  You are my mate...

  The realization was interesting, although I wasn’t certain what meaning it did or should have. I continued to dig for a few seconds until found a picture of Max, likely from only a few years before. The photograph was similar to the one of his father, the girl another gorgeous female. This had to be the girl Max had mentioned.

  Sighing, I glanced around the room once again, finally putting everything back and shoving it in the drawer. I had to find the real answers. Maybe Max had been brainwashed or drugged.

  After turning off the light, I crept down the stairs, checking on the two guards one last time. I had one shot at this. I was ready to leave when a thought occurred to me. I moved to the computer, quickly pulling up the gruesome pictures of the crime scenes, selecting one. After printing the photograph in vivid color, I folded and shoved it into my pocket. This should do the trick. The moment I walked out the back door, a shiver ran down my spine. I was either losing my mind or had a death wish, but I refused to remain in some kind of nightmare.

  As I crept into the woods, I prayed the limited level of cell phone power would guide me to my destination. If not, I was shit out of luck.

  I half expected that I’d hear the call of men chasing me, possibly even being captured within a few hundred feet of the cabin. When that didn’t happen, I knew without a doubt that what Max believed about his life and his past was a lie.

  However, there were still murders to solve.

  * * *

  I stood in the shadows, waiting. Biding my time. I knew the timing like the back of my hand, could predict the moment of his entrance down to the second. This was golf game day, the one excuse he gave himself for taking time off. Not to be with family. Not to give a shit about his wife or kids, but to drink with his buddies while swinging a golf club.

  I folded my arms as I leaned against the wall, listening to the tick-tock of the old-fashioned clock he’d insisted on keeping in his office. When the door opened only two minutes later, I couldn’t help but smile.

  “Hello, Father.”

  “Shit.” He jerked around to face me, his chest rising and falling from actual surprise. I noticed he closed the door immediately, as if he knew there would be a confrontation. “Kathleen. What are you doing here? You look terrible.”

  “Why, thank you so much, Father. You truly expect me to believe you didn’t anticipate I’d figure it out?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  I exhaled, taking a minute to observe his body language; the slight but definite nervous tic in the corner of his mouth, the two beads of sweat that had already formed near his hairline, and the shake of his hands as he walked closer. I pushed away from the wall, moving toward the easel that remained like a beacon of glory. I took my time, looking through the pages, finally laughing when I noticed the name scrolled on the bottom.

  “Roselake, Father. You have plans to bulldoze the majority of the city, replacing the quaint buildings and homes with high-rise condominiums and hotels, restaurants and gambling facilities. A multimillion-dollar project and one that would certainly bring a very high return. That is, if you were able to find the right investors.”

  I darted a glance over my shoulder, studying his reaction. There was a good deal of surprise as well as something I hadn’t expected. Fear. However, my father was excellent at masking his emotions and within seconds, he was stone-faced as usual.

  “I’m a real estate developer, Kathleen. I’ve developed projects for years. Why does this surprise you?”

  “Because I’m well aware that the people of Roselake won’t sell. Not a chance.” I walked closer to him, a smirk on my face. “Now, if they were to be run out of their city by either a tanking economy or perhaps some ancient secret that would be exploited, then my guess is that you and your investors could buy the land for a song. The profits would be huge, but only if you’re willing to destroy the lifestyle and livelihood of some decent people.”

  He twisted his mouth, huffing in his usual arrogant manner. “Those are very tall accusations. I am many things, Kathleen, but I’m not a monster nor am I unscrupulous.” Why did the words seem to catch in his mouth, as if lying actually bothered him?

  “That’s crap and you know it. What I can’t figure out is how the murders of innocent people fit into all of this, or at least I couldn’t. Until now.”

  “Murders?” He walked closer, swaying just enough I knew I had caught him off guard. “Now you’re accusing your father of being a murderer?”

  “Oh, I don’t think you have the balls to do something a heinous as committing the vicious crimes, although I do believe you’re a monster.” I laughed bitterly as shame, guilt, and anger mixed with adrenaline. I was sick at heart and mind but seeing the look on his face meant I’d been right, at least to some degree. “Why, Father? Why would you allow people who supported you for years to be killed? Murdered. They were ripped apart.”

  “What? No, I...” He faltered, stumbling against the front of his desk.

  “Your buddy Captain Walters didn’t explain to you that the case I was working involved the victims of this scheme you have going on?” I shook my head.

  “You don’t have any right to talk to me that way. I’ve done nothing wrong. Nothing!”

  I yanked the picture from my pocket, unfolding and shoving it in his face. “Does she look familiar, Father? She was someone who
believed in you once. She even supplied one of the first loans you had, vowing to support your endeavors. What happened, Father? Did she balk at your latest project? Did she tell you that you were wrong so you had her killed?” I felt a level of rage that I hadn’t in years, my entire system flushed as heat wrapped around every tendon and muscle.

  He looked away, his mouth moving but no sound coming out.

  “Look at it, Father! Her name was Darcie Miller. She had a family including four grandchildren.” When he remained like a damn statue, I rounded the desk, throwing the photograph into his face. “Look. At. It.” I almost didn’t recognize my own voice, the husky tone ravaged by sadness and fury.

  “I had... nothing to do with that. Nothing. I swear to you!”

  “Oh, yeah?” I rubbed my shaking hand through my hair. “Another murder occurred last night, Father. This time, the girl was someone who doesn’t work for you, but her father does. In fact, he’s on your board of directors.”

  “What?”

  “Sara Miller was murdered, her body dragged to Roselake of all places. You do remember Robert Miller, I assume?”

  “Robert?” He faltered, blinking several times. “Sara was... killed?”

  I realized at that moment that my father had no knowledge of the murders, at least not in the way I’d expected. “The other two victims were also a part of your organization.”

  “Why?” He moved to one of the chairs, barely making it onto the seat without falling.

  “That’s why I’m here. What the hell is really going on?” I sat on the edge of his desk, trying to calm my emotions.

  “It’s not what you think. I promise you that. The bastard.”

  “What bastard, Father? What are you talking about?”

  “The one blackmailing me as well as others!” he snapped, his breaths so scattered and his face reddened to the point I was fearful he was having a heart attack.

  Whoa. This I hadn’t expected.

  “Then talk to me.”

  He shook his head. “You don’t understand. He has a hold over us. You just don’t understand. I didn’t believe it either. How could some... creature do this?”

  “A creature?” I shrank back, holding my breath. I allowed my mind to shift to what little I’d learned. “What kind of creature?”

  “The kind nightmares are made of.” He jerked up from the chair, fighting to get to his bar. He poured a half glass of whiskey, downing the entire amount within thirty seconds. When he wiped his mouth, I heard the whimper slipping from his throat. “I had no choice, but I didn’t believe.”

  “You didn’t believe. That the murders are ones you’re responsible for?”

  “No. I didn’t do it! I had nothing to do with those murders. I did everything I could to fight him. I tried. You have no idea how hard I tried.”

  “Who? What are we talking about here?” I demanded.

  He shook his head several times, pouring another glass of liquor. “You won’t believe me. Hell, I don’t believe it myself. It couldn’t be. It just... couldn’t be. He’s close. Too close. He knew things. He learned things. He...”

  “Try me, Father. I’m open to just about anything.”

  He took his time, gulping for air. “A wolf. A murderous, monstrous wolf.”

  For some reason, I was shot into vivid images of everything from the murder scenes to the ugly moment in the forest. Then I saw Max’s face, could hear his words. They healed quickly. They had extraordinary senses. The bruises on Zane’s hand. The fact Max had been punched by the asshole chasing me. Oh. God. “Where is Celia?”

  “Celia?”

  “Where is she?”

  My father appeared confused, opening and closing his mouth several times. “I don’t know. I swear to you.”

  “God damn you. If anything happens to my sister, I will fucking kill you with my bare hands! Give me your keys!”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Give me your goddamn keys.” I’d called Amber to pick me up from Roselake and to her credit, she’d been a trooper, but I refused to involve her in this. She would be in too much danger. “Now!”

  He tossed me his keys, still shaking, still having difficulty breathing. “You don’t know what is really happening. You could be in danger.”

  “Oh, I think I do, Father, and I’m going to end this nightmare. We’re long past the point of my life being threatened.”

  I rushed out of his office and the house, refusing to look back. The moment I started the engine on my father’s massive SUV, I pulled out my phone. The fucker had one percent left. I slammed my hand on the steering wheel several times, rolling out of the driveway and praying to God I wasn’t too late. As I dialed her number, I held my breath. When I got nothing but the damn voicemail, I talked quickly.

  “Celia. Listen to me. Get the fuck away from Zane. He’s going to hurt you. Go anywhere and just stay there until—”

  Beep. Beep. Beep.

  “Damn it!” The battery was completely dead. No. No.

  Whether or not I believed in the bullshit regarding the Wolfen didn’t matter. Zane had decided to use the fucking legend to benefit his own greed. I was sick, unable to think clearly except for one thing. I would save my sister.

  I pressed down on the accelerator, not caring in the least about obeying the traffic laws. I knew that Zane would use her against me, furious that I’d sought help. Protected. I’d been protected while my sweet sister had lived with the enemy. Oh, God. Oh... God. Tears formed in my eyes and no matter how furiously I wiped them away, they continued to roll.

  I was desperate, screaming at anyone who got in my way and when I finally rolled down her street, the screech of the tires actually gave me comfort.

  Her car was in the driveway. Thank God. Thank God! I pulled the SUV to the curb, jamming the gear into park and not bothering to cut the engine. I was taking her out of here. As I raced to the door, I felt a presence behind me and managed to draw my weapon. “Fucker. Get the hell away from me.”

  The laugh was dark, laced with danger and the moment I turned, I...

  * * *

  Ping. Ping. Ping.

  “Mmmm...” I took a deep breath, trying to move my arms at the same time. What the hell? I struggled, doing everything I could to open my heavy eyes. There was limited light and I had difficult focusing. After blinking several times, I realized I was in some kind of a cellar or basement, the sweeping cold I could feel all the way into my bones.

  Ping. Ping. Ping.

  I shifted again, finally realizing that my wrists had been tied behind me. A slice of fear crept into my system and when I was finally able to focus, I realized where the sound was coming from. Water dripped off the ceiling, splashing down on the concrete floor. What the hell happened?

  As the disjointed memories began to settle in, I bit back a moan. I’d seen little other than a rag smashed over my face. Where the fuck was I? I struggled, realizing instantly that I wasn’t getting out of my bindings. There was almost nothing to indicate where I was, except that I was located partially underground, the limited light coming from two very small windows over my head. From what I could tell, the cavernous area was large, the ceiling fading into the shadows.

  The only thing I could see given the darkness was a couple of steel shelves. I kicked out, attempting to move forward. Whoever had kidnapped me had another think coming if they believed I was going to give up that easily. When my foot hit something, a clang of metal made me wince.

  I took a deep whiff, trying to calm my nerves. That was the moment I realized I wasn’t alone. I gathered a scent of another presence lurking somewhere in the darkness. “What do you want?”

  There was no sound for a few seconds then something that sounded like a scraping noise. Like claws being scraped across the cold, concrete floor.

  I refused to cry out, merely attempting once again to scoot away from the wall. “You don’t scare me. I’m not buying the bullshit you’re feeding the public. There are no such things as booge
ymen.” I laughed finally, thinking back to the conversation with my father. He’d been terrified, fearful of whoever was putting the screws to him.

  Had he really not known about the murders? I had no way of knowing nor did I want to learn the truth. He was my father, the man who’d at least given me a sense of pride about my family. I stared into the near blackness, trying to ascertain if there was anyone hiding in wait. Maybe I was just hearing things.

  My answer was almost immediate, the slight huffing noise following by another series of scraping noises.

  “Come out. Come out wherever you are.”

  “You shouldn’t prod the beast.”

  The voice was definitely male but not one I could recognize, the husky tone slightly garbled. “Then show yourself. Let me see what I’m dealing with.”

  The asshole went quiet for a full two minutes.

  “Why did you kill those people? Money? Power?” I asked, still trying to keep an edge, although I knew I was in danger.

  Another snort was followed by what sounded like a growl. God, whatever drug I’d been given still had effects.

  “If you think you can get to my father through me, you’re dead wrong, Zane.” I tried a different tactic.

  My words were answered with a laugh, one that created another round of intense shivers penetrating every pore and muscle.

  “I’m certain... he wouldn’t want his... daughter killed,” he snarled. It wasn’t his words that bothered me, it was the ragged breathing in between them. As if he had difficulty speaking.

  “Then what do you want? Who are you?”

  “Someone... you should... fear.”

  “Show yourself!” I demanded, doing everything I could to control my breathing. I blinked several times again and I could swear my vision became clearer. As I peered into the abyss, the asshole only had to creep forward another inch for me to gather a look. “No. No!”

  The tap-tapping as the being approached was unlike anything I’d ever heard before but the sight of him—of it—was exactly what I’d seen in the forest. As he moved closer still, his yellow eyes glowing in the darkness, I tipped my head back and screamed.