by Susan Harris
Agent Gober dismissed Chloe with a wave. “The tests came back clear. No trace of any drug in Agent Doyle’s system.”
“And that’s a big ol’ fat sucker of a lie if ever I smelt one,” Melanie said, even as Gober’s partner looked at her.
“Well perhaps if my client had been processed without prejudice, then the results would have proven his innocence.”
“Perhaps.” A cold word from the griffin.
Ricky’s phone buzzed, and he nudged Tom, who gave a slight bob of his head. Ricky rolled his shoulders. “Gotta go to work.”
He exited the viewing room, and then the door to the interview room swung open. “Ladies, I beg your pardon, but we gotta wrap this party up. I need the room.”
“We are not finished,” Agent Knight growled.
“Right now you are. I need to question Mr. de Valera about last night’s shooting. If you would be so kind as to adjourn for a while, I would be ever so grateful.” He swept his arms out in a mock bow before lifting his head. The warlock was having way too much fun.
“You don’t mean a word of that, Ricky.”
“Nah, D, not a sausage. But it’s fun to pretend.”
The two partners laughed as the griffins looked on silently.
“I would take great pleasure in plucking out your eyeballs and feeding them to you, Agent Moore.”
“Oh, kinky. You chicks say the sweetest things. I might just fall in love.”
With a huff, the birds gathered their belongings and swept from the room.
Ricky winked at the team through the glass. “Well, that was fun.” Turning back to Derek, Ever heard him say. “Now D, get your fine ass out that door and let me get to work. Arthur’s here.”
“Give him hell.”
With a snort, he shooed them out of the room, shirked off his leather jacket, and blew them a kiss. “Okay, peoples. Watch the master work.” Ricky flung his hair off his shoulder. “Don’t I look so pretty?”
Ever had never seen a metamorphosis quite like this in her life.
One moment Ricky was acting the diva, the next he was leaning back against the wall, facing them with one foot propped up behind him and his arms folded. Gone was the funny, charming, beautiful smile. It was now replaced by a cool, calculating mask that eerily echoed Derek’s own when he donned it. His eyes appeared almost aquamarine under the harsh fluorescent lighting. They were eyes she had become accustomed to seeing sparkle with vitality and mischief, but now they were so void of emotion it made Ever uncomfortable to look at them.
The door to the viewing room opened, and Derek strode in. Feeling her body instantly tense, Ever cursed herself for not having the capacity to shield her emotions like the rest of the people in the room. Things between them were fragile, like a coil stretched too far. Something had to give, or it would snap.
As if he sensed her discomfort, Derek came to stand behind her. He snaked his arms around her waist and rested his chin atop her head. She heard him breathe in deeply, and the arms around her waist tightened slightly. Derek never uttered a syllable, but Ever blew out a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding. When this was over, she could deal with her insecurities… and his.
The room remained still, as if everyone were aware of their issues and had taken to studying them, unless she was being paranoid and the reason everyone was on edge had to do with Caitlyn and Donnie. He had yet to remove his sunglasses, and Caitlyn… Caitlyn reminded her of someone who had pushed down her emotions so much that she had become a ticking time bomb.
The door to the interview room swung open, and Arthur de Valera sauntered into the room as if he owned it. His second followed him in, but Ricky advised that unless his second were legally trained, he would have to wait outside. The man’s face turned a vicious shade of red, but Arthur dismissed him with one glare. He shut the door behind him, and Arthur took his time unbuttoning his suit jacket before sitting down.
Games. Everyone had games to play.
And the biggest player isn’t even on the board yet, darling.
Flashes of a one-eyed monster assaulted her mind, and she could taste her own fear on her tongue.
“You okay?”
Derek’s voice was enough to tear her from the visions that haunted her, but her throat was so tight she didn’t trust herself to speak. Thankfully, the questioning was about to begin, and she put her full attention on watching and recording every word said.
“Arthur, we appreciate you coming in to speak with us regarding a number of cases, and I am duty bound to remind you that, at the moment, you are here of your own volition and are free to leave if you wish to do so,” Ricky began as Arthur rested his elbows on the table and cracked his knuckles. “You also have the right to have an attorney present during questioning. This session will also be recorded in the event it is needed for further investigation. Are you happy to continue?”
The smile that crept across Arthur’s face chilled Ever to the bone. “Of course. Anything at all I can do to help catch the person responsible for tarnishing the impeccable name of Derek Doyle.”
Ricky pushed off the wall and took as much time as Arthur had done to ready himself. He placed a hand on a chair, moved it so that he sat to the side of Arthur, in full view of those behind the mirror, swung it around, and set himself down facing the back of the chair.
“Can you account for your whereabouts two nights ago?”
Cracking his knuckles once more, Arthur tilted his head to the side as if he were contemplating Ricky’s question, deciding if he should give a straight answer or not.
“I had a pack meeting at my estate with almost two hundred fifty pack members in attendance.”
Ricky snorted. “Yeah, all of whom are loyal to you and have to lie if you tell them to.”
A low growl rumbled in Arthur’s throat, betraying his cool exterior. “I assure you, Agent Moore, that I have no need to force my packmates to lie for me. I may be alpha, but those under my protection have their own voices and opinions. I am not an alpha of old, commanding blind loyalty. Their loyalty is given to me because I have earned it—something Derek would know if he only agreed to meet with me once.”
Ricky paused, allowing Arthur a moment to calm himself before continuing. “I think it’s safe to say that you are not Agent Doyle’s biggest fan.”
“And?”
“And,” Ricky echoed, “you have made several attempts to get Agent Doyle to, as you once put it, ‘fall in line’ and join the Munster pack. Is it any wonder why you would be a main suspect in trying to make that happen—getting him to fall in line?”
“First of all, I happened to be a good distance away, surrounded by wolves, when that girl died. Second, you can hardly think that I can put myself in two places at once, shooting at both Agent Hardi and myself at the same time, do you? I’m a werewolf, not a warlock, Agent Moore.”
A growl ripped through the viewing room, but this time, it was not Derek or even Donnie that was growling. It was the wound-up-tighter-than-tight female vampire. Caitlyn’s mask slipped, her almost-onyx eyes now casting a crimson sheerness. Her fangs had lowered, and her entire body trembled. She snarled and slammed the phone in her hand shut before crushing it under her fingertips. Ever had never seen her vamp out before, and she was absolutely terrified of her new friend.
Donnie didn’t move a muscle from where he stood, but he did speak.
“Caitlyn,” he said softly, her full name sounding strange coming from his lips. “You being shot isn’t the reason for the problem between us. Stop blaming everyone else and try looking at yourself. If you can’t rein in your bullshit, then get out and leave the adults to work.”
And then things just got hella awkward.
“Get out of my fucking head,” Caitlyn hissed.
“Then grow the fuck up and shield your thoughts. My head’s pounding as it is,” he hissed back.
The aggression that saturated the air turned Ever’s fear to excitement. She wanted to see these two fierce warrior
s fight, needed to see who would win. The sensation pulsed through her veins, causing her body to shudder.
“Please stop,” she whispered, not sure if it was to herself or the vampires.
It’s the call of the fight, Kyria. It sings to you more than it ever did before, now that you’re starting to believe. Look at your sister, see her react as you do.
Stealing a peak at Erika, Ever saw the girl was trembling ever so slightly, yet her face remained stoic.
She has had more time to adjust to the call, Ever. She has lived thousands of years with the call.
“Please stop,” Ever repeated.
The aggression began to recede, and suddenly Ever was able to breathe again. She realized then that Derek had shut down their bond to hide his own reaction to the tension. Ever inhaled, counted to ten, and then exhaled.
“I’m sorry,” she said as soon as she felt she could speak.
Caitlyn cleared her throat. “It is me that is sorry, Ever. I regret that I am not myself today.”
“Perhaps you should be looking at your own people in this, Agent Moore. Seems like quite a few have issues with anger,” Arthur mused, seemingly delighted with the air of tension.
“Don’t give me attitude, darling. I have enough trouble with my own.”
Arthur chuckled, waiting for Ricky to get back to things at hand.
“So, we’ll take names of packmates who can clarify your whereabouts on the night the girl was murdered. We also need—”
“Does she have a name?” interrupted Arthur.
“Excuse me?”
“Does she have a name?” Arthur repeated. “The girl that Derek allegedly killed. I would like to send her family flowers. I would like to show them that not all werewolves are monsters.”
Ricky’s eyes narrowed as he glowered at Arthur. “Do you think this is funny? A girl is dead, and you think it would make a good PR stunt?”
Responding with a tiny shrug of his shoulders, the movement barely a flicker, Arthur said, “Of course. Do not fool yourself into thinking the whole world is as forward-thinking as Ireland. We may have embraced those who hid in the darkness for centuries, but in most places, my kind is hunted for sport, your kind is skinned for the magic in their bones, and vampires are chased by hunters whose sole purpose is to kill them.”
Arthur frowned, his eyebrows meeting, waiting for what felt like an eon before he spoke again. “Good PR is all we have right now. This peace will not last. One day, there will be someone running the country who decides we are not as human as they. Then, we will be forced to run and hide. And I, for one, refuse to hide ever again.”
Ricky drummed the top of the chair with his fingertips. “Well, okay then. Back to the present for a moment. Who knew you were going to Chester’s party last night?”
“Everyone. I was quite vocal about it on social media. Plus, photos appeared in real-time of myself at the event. As I said—good PR.”
“You came out unscathed from the assassination attempt,” Ricky started, glossing over the PR comment. “Any idea who might want you dead enough to hire a sniper?”
Leaning back in his chair, Arthur rested his hands in his lap, clasping them together. He was trying to appear relaxed, Ever observed, pretending he wasn’t bothered at all by the event. But the slight twitch in his jaw, just below his lips, told Ever a different story.
“I had no involvement in any of these crimes; I was just an unwilling victim in the second. But as to who may have the stones to attempt to kill me, I’m afraid that would be a very long list. When you have lived as long as I have, you have stepped on quite a few toes to get where you are. It only balances the scales for you to amass more than a handful of enemies along the way. Isn’t that right, Derek?”
Derek’s hands tightened around her midriff as Arthur continued to speak.
“Does your sweet little mate know how much blood you have spilled over time—before and after you became a wolf? I’ve seen the records, Derek. If anyone could have made that shot, wouldn’t it have been you? You who had the best record of kills as a sniper while on ‘special missions’?”
Ever hadn’t known Derek had once been a sniper.
There is so much I still don’t know about him… maybe I—
And what of the things you haven’t told him, Kyria? Goes both ways.
Ever shook the voices away and tried to concentrate on Arthur and Ricky.
“But from what I hear, Derek, she doesn’t wear your scent yet. Doesn’t that make her fair game? Ever, sweetheart, let me wine and dine you, treat you like the queen you are. He doesn’t deserve you. Even your own mother agrees.”
“Christ, Arthur, you seriously have a death wish,” muttered Ricky.
Ever’s hands clenched into fists. How dare her mother speak to Arthur about their issues? As far as Ever was concerned, Arthur was an outsider, and you just did not discuss family issues with strangers.
“I’m quite happy where I am,” she said loud enough so he would hear her words, “and if you hadn’t gotten yourself shot at last night, then I would be wearing his scent now, not listening to you trying to piss off my mate.” She surprised herself at the sharpness of her tone, sounding more like the girl from her nightmares than herself.
Arthur cracked up with laughter. “Seems you’ve gotten a mate with bite, Derek. I’m quite jealous. Make sure you keep her safe, won’t you? Hooking up with you paints a target on her back.”
“Are you threatening the mate of a cop, Arthur? Because that would so not be good PR.” Ricky smirked while tossing the alpha’s words back at him.
“Certainly not. I was only making an observation. Perhaps lack of sleep has made you a little paranoid, Agent Moore. How have you been sleeping lately?”
Ever deduced from Arthur’s entire conversation that while he was not involved in the two connecting cases, he did have spies watching them, garnering information to use against them. Arthur de Valera was not a threat right now… but he would be one day.
“Now,” Arthur rose from his chair and buttoned his suit jacket very slowly and deliberately, “if that is all for today, I have another meeting. The high council is convening to discuss these latest…” he broke off as if searching for the right word, “…inconveniences. Will you be in attendance, Agent Moore?”
Taunting, messing with their heads, playing games…
“I’d rather dig out my eyeballs with a spoon.”
“Can I quote you on that?” Arthur sneered.
Ricky let his own lips curl up. “No need. That’s exactly what I told Samhain Chace this morning when she called to ‘invite’ me.”
Swiveling so that he faced the window, Arthur seemed to know exactly where Ever stood observing him. “Sweet Ever, if you change your mind before you take him to bed, give me a call. I’d be happy to show you how a mate should be treated.”
His second appeared in the doorway and glanced at the mirror Arthur faced. Ever shivered but wasn’t really sure why. She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, both werewolves were gone, as was the unease in the pit of her stomach.
“I’m going to kill him one day.”
“Only if I can watch,” Ever told Derek.
He didn’t reply. Derek unwrapped his arms from around her waist, and she instantly missed his warmth. Ricky flung open the door and let it bang shut behind him as he stepped inside.
“Christ, I despise that man,” he murmured, shucking on his leather jacket.
“So what do we do now?” Sarge questioned, the first words he had spoken in an age.
“We divide and conquer.”
Everyone turned to stare at Derek. “We know the griffins are hiding something, but we also think Arthur is involved somehow. We need to find out who is more involved. That means two after Arthur, two after the griffins. We don’t have any other leads, so this is our best shot.”
Sarge coughed to clear his throat. “Unfortunately, I agree. We have nothing to go on, and the top brass are on me to make an arrest�
� even if that means arresting an innocent man. Donnie and Caitlyn can go after Arthur, while Ricky and Erika trail the griffins.”
“I can follow Arthur by myself.”
Donnie’s words surprised everyone—everyone, that is, apart from Caitlyn, who continued to stare straight ahead.
“We go in twos. Everyone needs backup,” Sarge ordered, his words clipped and grim.
“Then let me take Erika.”
“You will go with Caitlyn and stop letting your bruised ego mess with logic. That’s an order. Or would you like to sit out this investigation, Agent O’Carroll?”
Realizing he was beat, Donnie simply shook his head. “No, sir.”
“Then get moving because his car just left the station.”
Both Donnie and Caitlyn were out the door in a blur of motion. Once they were gone, the tension that had been strangling the air evaporated with them.
“Awkward!” Erika mused as she popped her gum.
“I never expected those two to act like teenagers.” Sarge sighed, a look of pure weariness on his face.
“Isn’t that what we have Ricky for?” Derek said in a teasing tone.
“Dude, that’s cold.”
“Sarge, I’m going with Ricky.”
“Like hell you are,” Sarge growled in response to Derek’s words.
“I can’t just sit here and wait to see if whoever’s got it in for me strikes again. What if next time it’s not Caitlyn that gets hurt? What if it’s Ricky, Erika, or Ever? I’d never forgive myself.”
Ricky pointed to Derek’s leg. “D, aren’t you forgetting something? You’ve got a tracking device on your leg that the griffins are watching twenty-four-seven.”
“That’s why I’m gonna take it off.”
“And how are you going to do tha—oh Christ, he’s getting naked!”
Erika quickly turned ‘round as Derek yanked off his hoodie and T-shirt and began to unbuckle his jeans. Sarge cursed under his breath, and even Ricky faced the wall and began humming. And if she were not mistaken, he was humming “Cookie” from Magic Mike XXL.
Ever simply could not take her eyes off Derek. She’d seen him undressed before, of course, but that was before they had become involved. Plus, at the time, he had been in a tremendous amount of pain. Watching him undress, her eyes skirting over the defined muscles of his stomach and chest, right down to the V of his hips, Ever took a step back to try and break the spell.