by Lynn Hagen
If Pierre had killed before, he would do it again, especially since he thought he’d gotten away with the murders.
As usual, Chance was hanging out by the front door. Didn’t the leopard ever sleep, or didn’t anyone else man the entrance?
“Hold up.” Chance raised his hand. “You ain’t going in there with that look in your eye.”
“Unless you want to lose that hand, get the fuck out of my way,” Colton snarled. He didn’t want to risk starting a war with the leopards, but he was taking Pierre, by force if he had to.
“Just tell me why you’re here and I’ll see if I can help you out,” Chance said.
Colton gritted his teeth. As badly as he wanted to storm the club, he had to use his head. He sucked in a breath through his nose and out through his mouth. “Bring Pierre to me.”
Change gave a short chuckle that held no humor. “Seems he’s very popular these days.” He gave a quick nod. “Give me a second and I’ll bring him to you.”
Colton narrowed his eyes. “You better not let him sneak out the back door.”
“Like I want that kind of trouble here. Trust me, he’s not worth it.”
Still, Colton called Rio and told him where he was. “I need you to cover the back door for me.”
“You’re in luck,” Rio said. “I’m right around the corner. I’ll be there in a second.”
“Thanks.” Colton hung up. He didn’t give two shits about vampire rules or that they policed their own kind. Letting Pierre go had been a deal breaker. If his mates tried to come down on him, Colton would…what would he do?
He yanked his phone from his pocket when it rang. “What?”
“Don’t snap at me when I’m doing you a goddamn favor,” Rio growled. “I’m in the back.”
Colton let out a long sigh. “Sorry…and thanks.”
“Let me know when I can get from back here.” Rio hung up.
Now Colton felt like shit for being pissy with him. Rio wasn’t the target of Colton’s anger. Matt and the Veneto brothers were.
Chance returned with a tight grip on Pierre’s collar.
“This is a mistake!” Pierre snapped as he struggled to get free, but Chance was a powerful guy. His hold obviously wasn’t easily broken—not even when a vampire who possessed inhuman strength was the one wiggling to get free.
Pierre took one look at Colton and froze. “Oh, no. You’re not taking me to that prison!”
Colton grabbed the vampire and shook him until Pierre’s head rattled around. “Tell me how you got free.”
Pierre narrowed his eyes. “I ain’t telling you shit. You’re not my Master. You’re a fucking joke. That’s what you are. Now get your paws off me, you filthy wolf.”
“We’ll see how big a joke I am when you’re sitting in a cell.” He called Rio and told him to meet him around front. Moments later, Rio appeared, glaring at Pierre.
“Scrawny little thing for such a big mouth,” he said. “Let me grab my car and we can haul him in.”
Pierre tried to bite Colton’s arm. Colton backhanded the little fucker so hard the vampire’s head snapped back.
Chance rolled his eyes. “You call that a slap?”
Colton knew about the leopard’s proclivities. “I’m trying to subdue him, not break his bones.”
“Let me show you how it’s done.” Chance pressed his fingers close to Pierre’s neck. Colton wasn’t sure what the guy was doing, but seconds later, the vampire went lax and would’ve fallen had Colton not caught him.
“That’s how you do it.” Chance winked.
Colton blinked at him. “You seriously got to teach me how you did that.”
And to his surprise, Chance told him. “The trick is not to keep a grip on them too long or you’ll damage nerves.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Colton carried Pierre to the car when Rio pulled to the curb.
The drive to the prison on the outskirts of town didn’t take long, and in no time, Colton handed Pierre over to the guard. “I’ll fax you the warrant.”
Aaron gave a crisp nod. “I trust you have one, so no rush, but make sure I get it.”
The lion shifter carried Pierre inside. Now that that was taken care of, Colton needed to have a long talk with his mates. But he had to admit that executing the warrant had got his blood pumping, and he knew right then and there that he couldn’t be the Master. Not when he was born to be a bounty hunter.
He just had to figure out a way to break the news to his mates and to get Matt to see Colton was still a valued member of the agency.
Chapter Eight
Corbin didn’t like the look in Colton’s eyes when he returned to the club and stormed into the office. He went on the offense as he eyed his mate. “Are we about to shed blood?”
Lucian looked up from some papers he’d been reading and stared at Colton, and Antonio rose from his seat, as if readying himself for a fight. Colton’s rage was tangible, filling the room until Corbin was choking on it.
“Depends,” Colton snapped. “Mind telling me why Pierre was at the lounge? I just got my fucking ass chewed out by Matt, and he had every right to be pissed at me.”
Corbin cocked his head as he looked between his brothers. “He was locked away, awaiting his sentence.” He turned his gaze back toward his mate. “Are you accusing us of letting him free?”
Colton’s glare swung his way. “You’re telling me you don’t know what’s going on in your own damn coven?”
“Fix your tone,” Antonio warned. “Pissed or not, I won’t have you talking to us that way.”
“But I’m the Master.” Colton folded his arms over his chest. He smirked at Antonio in triumph. “You can’t scold me for the way I talk.”
“Don’t be a wiseass,” Corbin warned. “Master or not, we’re still mates and we’ll talk to each other with respect.”
Colton dropped into the seat Antonio had just vacated and scrubbed a hand over his jaw. “I don’t know what to think anymore.”
“Where is Pierre?” Lucian asked.
Colton glared at him. “I took him to prison, where he belongs.”
“Very well.” Lucian strummed his fingers on the desk. “And can you tell me who attacked our club?”
When Colton looked away, Corbin knew his mate had the knowledge, so why wasn’t he sharing it?
“Because that was the discussion he had with his alpha,” Antonio surmised. “So might I ask you, where do your loyalties lie?”
Colton gave an insufferable sigh. “If one more person asks me that, I’m gonna cause a bloodbath.” He glanced up at Antonio, who stood over him. “You tell me where they lie. Matt pretty much kicked me out of the agency and my pack, and you guys want me to be Master when all I want to do is execute warrants. Which is something I excel at, by the way. I don’t know which way is up or which way is down, but I do know I’m happiest when I’m out there busting doors down.”
Colton curled in his lips as if he’d said too much. Corbin moved behind his mate and slid his hands over the wolf’s shoulders. “Why didn’t you just tell us that from the beginning?”
“This coven needs a Master,” Lucian argued.
“And you guys have been running the show just fine,” Colton countered. “You three can be the Masters, and I can do what I do best.”
Lucian shoved from the chair behind the desk and slammed his fist down on the wood. Corbin gripped his mate tighter, ready to haul Colton out of there if Lucian’s temper didn’t subside. “You killed Magnus,” he snapped. “You are the one who will lead this coven.”
Colton tried to stand, but Corbin kept a tight grip on him, keeping him seated. He didn’t want their mate storming from the room. This had to be settled, or they would be back at square one.
“Might I suggest something?” Corbin asked.
Lucian turned his murderous glare on him, but Corbin was unfazed by it. “What do you suggest?” Lucian asked between clenched teeth.
“One, you need to calm down while we’re t
alking with our mate. Stop acting like a damn savage. I just scolded him about respecting each other. Besides, the Master rule isn’t set in stone. Colton can and does have the right to relinquish the title to someone worthy enough to accept it.”
“So you would allow our mate to leave us?” Lucian asked.
“No.” Corbin massaged Colton’s tight shoulder muscles, hoping that relieved some of the tension. “He will still live here and mingle with the coven. We want what’s best for him, and he already stated that bounty hunting was what made him happy.”
“Why can’t he work outside the club?” Antonio asked. “He’s capable of taking care of himself, and if he finds himself in a bind he can’t get out of, he can always call us.”
Lucian dropped back into his seat, appearing weary as he sighed. “This was not how things were supposed to go.”
“Life hardly ever goes the way you plan,” Antonio said. “But Colton is with us now. He’s not going anywhere.” Antonio looked at their mate. “Are you?”
“Just as long as Lucian stops acting like an ass, I don’t plan on leaving.”
“But you already said Matt won’t let you execute warrants,” Lucian pointed out.
“You let me deal with him,” Colton said. “Meanwhile, I’ll still mingle and do what I can to protect the coven. Thank Victor for that. The little mouse has gotten under my skin.”
Antonio chuckled. “He is adorable.”
“A yapping puppy ready to please,” Corbin chimed in.
“I’ll send him a thank-you note,” Lucian groused.
“Or make sure no one else fucks with him,” Colton said. “Just because he’s at the bottom of the coven chain doesn’t mean he has to be treated like crap.”
Lucian narrowed his eyes. “That is something I’ve been trying to correct since I arrived here. Magnus had a lot of barbaric rules, but changing a coven isn’t as easy as it sounds. A lot of them have been practicing the hierarchy bullshit Magnus implemented eons ago.”
“You might be able to help matters,” Corbin said to Colton.
“How?” Colton asked.
“If everyone sees you doting on Victor, they might follow suit.”
“Fat chance,” Antonio argued. “They’re far more likely to punish him for being Colton’s pet. Jealousy runs rampant here.”
Lucian rounded the desk and then parked his butt on the edge as he faced Colton. “Is this truly what you want?”
“More than anything,” Colton said. “Truthfully, you guys aren’t as bad as I thought you were, and I do like some of the members, but hunting is what I love to do. It would kill me to sit around playing politics.”
“I’ll rescind your title on one condition,” Lucian said.
Colton arched a blond brow. “And what’s that?”
“Tell me what you and Matt discussed, and I’ll make the announced tonight when the club closes that I and my brothers are the new Masters.”
“You’re asking me to betray my friend,” Colton argued.
“Okay, then tell me this,” Lucian said. “Has a kill warrant been issued for the one responsible for the fire?”
Colton chewed on his bottom lip. Corbin didn’t think he would answer. His mate was loyal to a fault, but he was pleasantly surprised when Colton said, “Kill warrants have been issued.”
“As in plural?” One of Lucian’s black brows arched. “Creatures from the veil.”
Colton shrugged.
He didn’t need to say anymore. Corbin understood the gist of things. Matt didn’t want the vampires to know. He didn’t want them bloodthirsty and ready to take down the offenders. The owner of Mercury Rising wanted the kills to be clean.
But Matt wasn’t going to get what he wanted. They would find out who was responsible, and when they did, the culprits would wish for death long before it came.
* * * *
“Let me execute the warrants with you,” Corbin said as he caught up to Colton, who was leaving the club. “It’ll help me see why you love doing this so much.”
Colton knew better. Corbin wanted to know who the warrants were sworn against. He shouldn’t have told his mates about them, but damn it, Matt shouldn’t have put him in this bind in the first place.
“No.” It was bad enough he had to go to Matt and grovel just to get his job back. Colton wasn’t the groveling type, but he would set his pride aside so he could do what he loved.
“Fine.” Corbin laid his hand on Colton’s arm. “You want the truth?”
“That would be nice.”
“Lucian wanted me to find out who was named on your warrants, but I honestly want to see what you find so fascinating with hunting down criminals.”
The guy did look sincere, but right now, Colton wasn’t sure who he could trust, and that was a pretty fucked-up feeling.
“I give you my word,” Corbin said. “I won’t report back to Lucian. And my word is my bond. I don’t give it lightly.”
“You fuck me over on this”—Colton stabbed his finger into Corbin’s chest—“and I’ll rip your goddamn throat out.”
Corbin grinned. “You’re sexy when you threaten someone.”
With a roll of his eyes, he headed outside where Rio was waiting for him at the curb. He wasn’t sure how well this was gonna go. He hadn’t told the beta they’d have a ride-along.
“What’s wrong?” Rio asked when the two slid into the car, “Daddy won’t let you come out to play on your own?”
Colton growled. “Just take me to the agency.” He looked over his shoulder. “You stay in the car while I’m inside.”
“I don’t know,” Corbin said with a twinkle in his eyes. “I’m not sure I can be left unsupervised.”
Rio snickered.
Colton glared at the beta.
Corbin gave a soft chuckle from the backseat. “I’m sure your friend can keep me entertained,” he said. “Go, take care of your business.”
Colton looked at Rio. “Shoot him if he tries to get out.”
Rio saluted Colton as he got out and headed inside. Matt stood by Stephen’s desk, talking with the receptionist. Colton recalled when they’d first leased the building. Back then, they didn’t have the Pit. That had been added on years later. But Colton, along with a few others, including Matt, had spent hours painting the place and sprucing it up.
The walls were a light color, and there were tall plants in a few corners. The carpeting was starting to wear, but it still looked nice and artwork hung on the walls—art Colton’s mother had helped pick out.
His chest tightened when he thought about her. Shifters didn’t have funerals. They simply buried their dead. Colton hadn’t asked Matt what had happened to his mother’s body, and he’d been trying really hard not to think of the entire incident.
But he would have to go to her house and clean it out. He knew that, but he wasn’t ready to face that part of his life. Not yet. The pain was still too raw.
Matt turned and eyed him. Without a word, he headed to his office, and Colton followed. When they stepped inside, Colton closed the door. “First, I want to apologize for earlier,” he said. “I shouldn’t have bitten your head off.”
“I was told you took Pierre to the prison.” Matt sat on the edge of his desk.
“It was the right thing to do.” Since Matt hadn’t sat, Colton hadn’t either. He stood there with his arms crossed, hoping Matt didn’t kick him out. “I asked the Veneto brothers about him, and they were livid that he’d gotten free. I’m sure they’ll find out who did it and take care of the matter.”
Matt didn’t look convinced. “So then why are you here?”
This was the part Colton was no good at. Groveling didn’t come naturally to him. He was relieved his mates wouldn’t fight him about bounty hunting, but the conversation he’d had with them would be a moot point if Matt didn’t let him back in. “We’ve known each other for a very long time.”
Matt nodded.
“Fuck.” Colton ran a hand over his head. “I’m no good at
this shit, Matt. I’m not gonna come in here and remind you of our friendship. I shouldn’t have to. I want to bounty hunt. That’s what I’m good at. That’s what gets my blood pumping, and you’d be wasting a damn good asset if you fired me.”
Matt held up a hand. “Before we go any further, what did your mates say about this?”
“Does that matter?”
“Very much so,” Matt said. “I’m not gonna fight against their wishes. If they’re not on board, we have nothing else to discuss.”
“Lucian wasn’t particularly keen about me bounty hunting, but he finally relented. Corbin and Antonio have no problem with it.”
“You can’t work here and be Master of a coven,” Matt said.
Why was he giving Colton such a hard time? He’d already told him shit was cool, but Matt seemed to be making this difficult for Colton.
“My mates are taking over as the new Masters.” It still felt weird as fuck to refer to them as his mates. Colton was still adjusting to the idea, and shit, he had three of them. He wondered what his pack thought of that, but he’d never asked any of them their opinion.
It wasn’t as though it would matter, anyway.
A thought occurred to Colton. “You sent me after Pierre on purpose. You wanted me to go to the club, to face my mates.”
Matt shrugged. “Someone had to kick shit into gear instead of watching you self-destruct over a decision that shouldn’t have been that hard to begin with.”
“Not that hard?” Colton ground his teeth, telling himself to keep his cool. Going off on Matt would defeat the purpose of why he’d come here. “Vampires killed my brother. How is that not hard?”
“And you’ve had time to grieve his loss,” Matt said. “But we’re talking about mates, Colton. A rare find. You were throwing away a gift from fate, and I was tired of watching you hurt.”
Colton knew he’d been wallowing in hatred and angst for far too long. Would he have gotten himself out of his dark headspace if Matt hadn’t practically shoved him at his mates? Would he have taken the first step, or would he have run from Lucian, Corbin, and Antonio for the rest of forever?