“I’m looking for Danika Karson.”
Oh, for crying out loud.
* * *
Maury shoots me a furious glance. “I’m Maurice Cruush, Alpha team leader. What seems to be the problem?”
With the door open, I can hear yelling and thumping coming from below.
I stand but a warning grunt from Maury stops me dead in my tracks.
The agent looks to me, then Maury. “We have a werewolf here for questioning and—”
“What the hell is it doing here?” Maury’s voice rises several octaves. “You should know better than that. We have containment units for that sort of thing.”
Again the agent looks at me. This time when he speaks, the words are certainly directed my way. “We had to. It—I mean he refused to go to a holding unit. He insisted that he knew Agent Karson and that he be allowed to speak to her.”
This time I ignore the looks shot my way and step around the tables to meet the agent. “I’m Danika. What’s happening?”
“The werewolf. We were told to bring him in on suspicion of unlawful lupine infection, but he resisted.”
Eye roll. “Of course he did. No wolf wants to be accused of that. But why bring him here?”
“He said he knew you. He said he was set up and that he’d only come without a fuss if we brought him straight to you.”
I can all but feel Maury’s death glare boring into my back.
A quick whistle through my teeth sets Norma airborne again. “Go check it out, baby, tell them I’m on my way.”
“Ka-ka-karson.” She flies off at once, through the open door and out of sight in a flash.
The agent, I point in the opposite direction. “You go see Omega, right now.”
“But—”
“If that’s a werewolf wound then you need to be checked for infection. Do it now. Just tell me who this wolf is before you go.”
“Um.” The bemused agent fingers his forehead, seemingly surprised at the blood on his hands. “We don’t have a name, only a description. But he’s kinda old with this crazy big beard, all bushy and wiry. Dark hair, lots of clothes, like in layers—”
Well, shit.
I don’t wait to hear the rest.
Instead I’m shoving past him and dashing down the stairs, with furious yells from Maury still ringing in my ears.
* * *
It’s chaos downstairs. As to be expected. With most agents out or still in morning briefings, there are few left on the main floor to deal with this mess. Those that are have clearly already been out in the field, kitted out with guns, knives, utility straps, and belts.
Most have their guns free and aimed at the scene in the centre, but none of them are willing to take a shot. Halfway down the stairs I realize why.
Noel stands toe to toe with a huge, shaggy werewolf in hybrid form, his arms spread wide as if to form a shield. He’s talking softly, but urgently and, for the time being, holds the complete attention of the furry beast. On the other side, Norma darts in daring circles, yelling at the top of her tiny lungs with several other chittarik joining her in a deafening chorus.
It’s enough to save that wolf in the centre, but not for long.
Instead of taking the last few steps, I vault over the banister and hurry toward them.
The wolf notices me before anybody else does and immediately thrusts his hands into the air.
“All right. Don’t shoot me, you piss-poor human reprobates.” His voice is gruff and feral, almost lost beneath the growl that rumbles deep in his furry chest.
But I know it well.
I stop in front of him, pausing to give Noel a brief, but grateful pat on the shoulder.
He sighs. “Gao, Dee-Dee. What have you done this time?”
“Would you believe I actually have no idea?”
“No.”
Yeah. Can’t say I blame him.
I face the hybrid wolf towering a full two feet above my eyeline. “What’s going on, you filthy mongrel?”
The misshapen mouth, caught halfway between human jaw and lupine muzzle, forms a poor approximation of a grin. “Hi, little meat sack. You took your time.”
Chapter Seven
I hate having so many guns pointed at me. Makes me nervous. Perhaps not as nervous as the agents facing down a wolf in hybrid form, but that’s part of the problem. Nervous fingers are twitchy fingers.
I lift my hands. “This is Wendy Gordan—”
He snarls.
The little flock of chittarik cry out and screech.
Confused looks and snickering issue from the surrounding crowd.
Try again. “This is Wensleydale Gordan. He’s the alpha of the Dire Wolf pack and a friend. He’s not a threat to anybody.”
An agent with a rifle looks up over the sight. “He’s a menace. We brought him in for unlawful infection charges.”
“Lies.” Wendy’s furious roar rattles my ribs. “I would never do that. I’m not an idiot. Do you know who you’re talking to, boy?”
I put my hand on his shoulder. It’s a stretch to reach that far, and when I do the fur is matted and damp beneath my fingers. I hold on anyway. “Stop it.”
“But they—”
“I said, stop. I mean it.”
He grumbles. “Bloody humans.”
“They’re scared. Do me a favour and shift back, will you?”
“No.”
“What the hell is a werewolf doing in my headquarters?” Maury hurries down the stairs with his own gun aimed toward us. Several of the other G7s follow in the same manner and fan out to join the circle of other agents.
“It’s under control—” I begin.
“The hell it is. Move away from that thing right now.”
“But—”
“You’re in our sight-line, Karson, move. You too, Agent Gonzales.”
I glance at Noel. “You can if you want. Thanks, but you don’t have to risk yourself for me or this idiot.”
A soft growl. “Hey—”
“Shut up, Wendy.”
Noel shrugs. “I am here now, sí? Might as well stay. Over there I’ll miss all the fun.”
“You’re so bloody weird.”
“I think you mean ‘thank you,’ Dee-Dee.”
Yeah. I do. But he already knows that.
“Maury, we’re fine.” I look past my friends to meet my superior as he begins to move closer. “Please trust me.”
He snorts. “The agent you failed to debrief told me what this beast has done. There are three others with Omega right now and you ask me to trust you? You’re insane.”
Wendy flexes his claws. “We didn’t hurt anybody. Those injured are the result of self-defence, nothing more. No one is fatally—”
“Shut up, wolf—”
“For goodness sake, guys, put your fucking dicks away.” I know I shouldn’t. I know I’m letting frustration get the best of me, but this morning and the whole day so far has been one stress after another. I’ve had enough.
Maury continues to watch Wendy over the sight of his gun. “He shouldn’t be here.”
“No, he shouldn’t. Should he?” I offer Wendy a savage glare. “But he is, so now we have to deal with it and I’m telling you now—I can handle it. And we’re going to start, Wendy, with you shifting back to your human form.”
“I said no, Agent.”
I tighten my grip on his shoulder. Lower my voice. “Come on. They’re looking for a reason to shoot you. Don’t give it to them.”
“They already have. I didn’t enjoy it.”
For the first time, I realize that the dampness beneath my fingers is blood. I give him a startled glance and he answers with a grim nod. Yellow eyes gleam in the midst of dark, shaggy fur.
Just the same. Something needs to give and it has to be him. It has to be.
“Wendy…please. Trust me. Shift back.”
The tension is so thick I imagine I could lean back into it. Any moment now, if something doesn’t change, someone is going to snap. I
don’t want it to be an agent’s spine.
Noel stands close to me, his arms still outstretched. A tiny bead of sweat collects on his forehead.
“Wendy. Shift. Back.”
A sigh. Then the huge, muscled shoulder ripples beneath my hand. Subtle, then visible, and Wendy drops his hybrid form with a full body shake like a wet dog. A neat, clotted bullet hole on his right shoulder swells then ejects a bullet like a pursed set of lips spitting a watermelon seed. It hits the floor with a clatter and rolls away beneath the desks.
At last he stands before me in his human form, layer upon layer of tatty, but clean clothing, riddled with bullet holes and claw marks. His thick beard is as wiry and bushy as ever, while his eyes, no longer yellow, are stern and confident.
“Happy?” he mutters.
“It’s a start. Now put your hands on your head for me.”
The furious expression remains, but for a wonder, Wendy does as asked. He even goes so far as to lower himself to his knees, though not without loud complaints about the state of his back and knee joints.
Norma and her flock of chittarik pals finally stop guarding his back and settle to roost. One or two of them alight on his legs while Norma lands on his shoulder, rubbing her face against his cheek.
Wendy chuckles and croons nonsense to the small creature who coos back with little, broken whispers of my name.
Most of the guns aimed in our direction lower to keep Wendy within sight. A couple of others waver, then drop point-down to the ground.
It’ll have to do.
“Okay.” I make my voice calm, but firm. Loud, but steady. “Now we can all talk like civilized adults.”
A couple of the agents move forward, reaching for handcuffs and chains.
I step straight into their paths. “Don’t you bloody dare.”
“But—”
“I said don’t.”
Maury stalks up beside me, his gun still aimed at Wendy’s head. “We have protocol and a procedure for a reason, Karson.”
“And sometimes it’s bullshit. The situation is calm now, why would you do something to heat it up again?”
“To protect the agents of this cell.”
“That’s my job too. And I’m telling you now, cuffs are not how to do it.”
“Cuff that werewolf.”
I hesitate.
How far can I really push this? I’ve been lucky this morning, but the tic beneath Maury’s left eye suggests he might snap any second. How close to the edge can I dance before tumbling into the disciplinary abyss?
“Now, Karson.”
Wendy clears his throat. “I am Wensleydale Gordan, alpha of the Dire Wolf pack, unchallenged and undefeated.” His voice deepens, swelling with power, pride, and authority. “I place myself under the dominion of Agent Danika Karson until such time as she releases me from my pledge. My words, my actions, my body, and life are hers to command. With all persons here gathered in witness, this I vow upon my blood. Upon my life.”
Oh. Well, shit.
Maury’s mouth falls open. He stares first at me, then Wendy as though his jaw has dropped and locked in place. “What?”
“You heard me, meat sack. I’m under the girl’s command now. I’ll do as I’m told. So long as she says it.”
“Wendy.” I shake my head. “Why? I didn’t want this.”
He pulls a crooked smile. “Neither did I, girl. But here we are.”
More agents lower their guns.
Noel backs off completely, leaning against one of the nearby desks with a sigh and a trembling hand pressed to his chest.
Still Maury looks lost. “What does that mean?”
Wow. Someone really needs to buff up on their werewolf societal rules.
I offer him a wry glance. “It means, Maury, that I can do this: Wendy, get up.”
Despite his creaking knees and aching back, Wendy obeys, scattering all the chittarik but Norma who simply shifts to rest on his head instead.
“Sit down.”
And again.
“Bark like a dog.”
Wendy frowns. “Girl, I’m not—”
“Just do it.”
Though clearly embarrassed, Wendy obeys the ridiculous instruction. Even in his human voice the sound is clearly canine and still more of the agents stare at me in open bewilderment.
“Great. Now tell me that I’m the most beautiful woman you’ve ever seen.”
Wendy laughs, but repeats the phrase word for word, complete with fluttering eyelashes, longing looks, and clasped hands.
“Finally…put those cuffs on your wrists.”
Sighing, Wendy steps away from me to the agent on his left.
The poor man looks about ready to bolt and offers no resistance as Wendy plucks the cuffs from his grip. He unfastens the loops one by one, then feeds his own wrists into them. A few clicks later and the cuffs are fully closed.
“Happy now?” This he directs at Maury.
“I…uh…well…I guess so.” Finally, Maury lowers the gun. “How long does this go on for?”
I shrug. “Like he said, until I release him.”
“Oh. Then…then I guess it’s okay.” He continues to stare, only now his expression has changed. No longer is it one of anger and vague distrust, but consideration and, dare I say it, respect.
Makes a nice change.
“Wendy?”
“What, meat sack?”
“Get rid of those cuffs and come with me. We need to talk.”
The skin on Wendy’s arms and hands immediately ripples with a sudden growth of fur and claws. With it comes a flex of abruptly thicker muscle, and the cuffs break apart like loops of paper. After brushing away the shattered pieces of steel, Wendy allows the change to stop and flow in reverse while strolling to meet me.
He positions himself slightly behind me, on my right side, close enough that his chest occasionally touches my arm.
I shift my elbow to maintain the physical contact between us.
Maury grunts. “Who the hell went into the field for a werewolf pickup with steel cuffs? Don’t you people know anything? Did you at least have silver bullets?”
There are sheepish looks and lowered gazes from the agents around us.
I leave them to it, guiding Wendy up the stairs and toward the conference room.
We need to talk. At length.
* * *
I was hoping I’d seen the last of the conference room for the day, but at least the atmosphere is more relaxed. Enough so that Norma, now no longer on guard duty, has fallen asleep on my shoulder. Her soft breath is warm against my neck through my T-shirt, while her claws occasionally dig into my shoulder.
Do chittarik dream? Until recently I hadn’t known that vampires could dream, so it’s not an unreasonable question. I absently wonder about what a small cat-dragon-bird-creature with barbs and tail could possibly have to dream about.
Wendy paces back and forth in front of the desks, grumbling and muttering into his thick salt-and-pepper beard.
I sit with my boots up on the table, watching him go, waiting for the right time to ask. Because I have to ask.
“How’s Rayne?” he mutters.
I flinch. “Fine.”
That stops him. Wendy looks me up and down, shrugs, then returns to his circuit in front of me. “And Pips?”
“Great, actually. Sure there were problems at first, but she’s adjusting really well.”
“And they’re both okay?”
“I assume so.” I chance a glance at my watch. “At this time of day they’re both out cold. Why? What’s wrong?”
He sniffs. “Just wondered. What with you smelling like a walking buffet.”
“Excuse me?”
“Blood, girl. The blood. Did the Foundation change your shots?”
Ah. Of course he can smell it.
Strange, but unlike Jack, I know Wendy will be unconcerned and frank about such personal talk.
“No. It just happened. This morning.”
“I’ve never smelled the lunar blood on you before.”
“Is that what you guys call it?”
He shrugs. “If we call it anything. Anyway, I don’t like it. Do something about it. It makes me…feel things.”
I gape at him. Can’t help it. “Wait, are you saying—”
“I’m not saying anything except that if I can smell you, your sister and girlfriend must be half-mad with wanting. Do something about it.”
Wow.
Wait…how had I not thought about that? It makes so much sense now.
Suddenly this morning’s whole episode appears in a completely different light and the weight I’d hardly been aware of seems to lift off my chest.
So if that’s what caused Rayne to come on so strong, if it’s really as simple as that, then at least we can talk. I can explain. I can do something about it.
I can apologize.
Even Pippa’s comments about the smell of my room make more sense now.
I smile my first real smile in hours.
“I will, Wendy. Thanks. But we’re not here to talk about me. What about you? What’s going on?”
More pacing. More growling. More muttering.
“I didn’t infect anybody,” he whispers.
“Was it the one-armed wolf?”
“This isn’t a joke, girl. Do you have any idea what’s going on out there? I’m not the first wolf pulled in on piss-poor charges like this. I’m just the only one who knew to ask for you.”
“Yeah, and knew how to con a rookie team into bringing you here instead of taking you to Shakka.”
Wendy spits on the floor. “I have no problem with the warty little goblin, but this is serious and my pack is in trouble. I’d rather speak to you. You get things done.”
Well, at least someone appreciates me.
He reaches the end of one line then spins round to begin again, each step heavy and angry against the carpet tiles.
“This is ridiculous. It’s stupid. We’re being framed.”
“Oh, come on, Wendy. For real?”
“Yes.” His anger is palpable. “You know me, girl. I’m not prone to fancy and make-believe. I trust what I see, what I hear, and what I smell, and I’m telling you, someone is out to get me. Could even be someone within the pack.”
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