He brings our joined hands up to his face and presses his lips against my knuckles. “I agreed to go slow, but when we’re here on the ranch there’s no need to hide what I feel for you.”
My belly flops and I know it’s unfair for me to put the brakes on this because the feelings he has are mutual. It’s for this reason I step closer and rise on my tiptoes to press my lips against his, pulling back just as fast, and I relish in the surprise on his face.
“Thank you,” I tell him in all sincerity.
I hear a rumble in his chest before his fingers sink into my hair to tilt my head as his lips slam over mine. Without thinking I surrender to the kiss as his tongue dominates my mouth. There’s liquid passion flowing from his body into mine and it’s heating me up, making my pussy tingle with anticipation.
His fingers tighten in my hair and the bite of pain mixed with pleasure is overwhelming, but he rips his mouth from mine and buries my head into the crook of his neck. His chest is rising and falling as if he needs to take a moment to get a grip on himself.
His scent is intoxicating. I nuzzle his neck and let my tongue trace the artery, feeling every pulse his heart gives. There’s a sensual chuffing sound and right when it reaches my ears I become aware it’s coming from my body.
The instant I freeze is when I’m being pulled back and meet his blue eyes. “There she is. Tell me you felt it too. Your inner wolf calls to me.”
“I’ve never experienced something like this,” I croak.
Figor places his finger underneath my chin and lets his thumb trace my bottom lip. “Your guardian form was dormant until it was awoken by your mate. It’s not unusual. It shows the unique connection. Don’t stress and don’t force anything, I know for damn sure you’ll be able to shift within a few days. It’s also the reason I wanted you here. Being near each other allows the bond to grow stronger.”
He leans forward and feathers his lips against mine before pulling back again.
“Come on, I have a meeting planned with Caz and Ash.” He leaves me no other choice but to follow when he turns and tugs me along.
We enter a large room with tables and couches, clearly a place where a group of men can lounge. A combination between a bar and a living room.
“This is our clubhouse. The bar where we first met is for drinking and mingling with women. No outsiders are allowed in the clubhouse unless they are part of the pack. With the exception of Tobias.” He shoots me a grin. “But he’s considered a part of the pack already, though the young man doesn’t have a clue. We do have a few rules set in place for him, but the brothers keep an eye on him to make sure he understands them. They’re quite simple. He’s not allowed in the bar, and no alcohol for him while he’s in here either.”
“Thank you. He’s overjoyed with everything. It really means a lot.”
“I meant what I said, he’s a hard and appreciated worker. We will take our time to let him settle in, but I’m pretty sure at some time we will ask him to prospect. He might not be a werewolf but he fits in perfectly. If he survives the shock of seeing one of us shift because it’s easier to have him fully understand our dynamics in the long run.”
I slap my hand against his chest. “You’re kidding, right?”
He slowly shakes his head. “No, I’m not. And I’m very aware humans need to stay oblivious to the supernatural world but there are always exceptions. Tobias is one of those exceptions. I get the impression he will fully accept all of us. He has a big heart, is fond of animals, and has a certain calmness about him that lets me know he would be able to comprehend what we are, but wouldn’t fear. He has an open mind, Opal. He might not have a high IQ but what he lacks in numbers is expanding his heart and mind to open up for other stuff, making him double his worth on this fucked-up planet.”
How can I deny his words when he speaks the truth?
I nod but am prevented from saying something when Caz steps closer.
“Prez.” Caz bows his head for Figor and gives me a casual chin lift. “Opal, good to see you again.”
“Let’s get this over with, I have better things to do,” Figor grumbles.
I step away from Caz and closer to Figor and feel him relax slightly. Caz might respect his president and alpha, and Figor knows this little fact, but instinct is always scratching the surface at every turn. It’s a survival instinct and another jab for me to feel guilty for denying his claim.
Figor places a hand on my lower back and guides me toward a room near the back. A large table dominates the room, allowing about thirty people to take a seat. Ash is the only one in the room and when Caz steps inside behind us, he closes the door. Grabbing a chair, Figor pulls it back and offers it to me.
“Such a gentleman,” I mutter, making him chuckle.
“Seven deaths in total,” Ash says when we’re all seated. “All humans and all linked to scamming people out of their money, all of their deaths ruled as animal attacks and yet the authorities have labeled it as the work of a serial killer.”
I knew of a few victims, but damn. He hands me a sheet of paper and I gather–with me being the only one getting this info–the others are already aware of this information. Quickly glancing over the details, my curiosity is triggered by the similarities.
“All humans with nothing to lose and no family ties. Have you found a connection? How this werewolf finds the people he extorts and puts to work? Something they all have in common so we can maybe find the one who is using and killing them?” I question.
Ash takes out another paper and slides it across the table. “One of our other Iron Hot Blood chapters, located in Texas, has a former FBI agent. We’ve asked him for help and these are his notes.”
Figor leans in and says, “The Texas chapter are all humans. They, along with everyone else from the outside world, think we are the same as them: training and breeding livestock. Except for the added factor of also owning and training a special dog breed. They are good people and we visit them as frequently as they come here. I’m sure you’ll meet them some time soon.”
I give a faint nod and go over the notes. At the bottom the name is stated of the man who wrote them.
My eyes meet Ash’s. “Did Decker run a check on the diner and bar? I mean if three of those seven were last seen talking to a man in this bar, and the other four in the diner before they quit their job and disappeared…only to turn up dead a few weeks later…it does raise the need to scope out the place.”
“The FBI is working the same case. Decker reached out and Nick, the one investigating this serial killer, is heading our way to talk things through. We’ve worked with them before,” Ash says while Figor snorts beside me.
I swing my head his way. “What?”
Figor smirks before he shrugs and says, “Last time we worked together a man held an old lady of the Texas chapter hostage. He had a gun in hand, aiming it at Nick and her old man while keeping her as a shield in place with his other hand. They couldn’t do shit and it would have ended badly if I didn’t interfere. So, I ripped the fucker’s throat out.”
“You should have seen it, Nick was green in the face.” Ash chuckles and Caz joins him.
I can’t believe what I’m hearing. “You exposed yourself to humans?”
“You know we have to keep outsiders oblivious. Like I mentioned, they think we breed and train dogs, ones with similarities with wolves. And with us saving the day, Nick was thankful to be able to close the case with no other casualties other than ending a human who worked for the DEA but thought it was fucking legit to plant evidence.” The anger in Figor’s voice makes it clear he despised the human he killed.
“What evidence did he plant, and where?” My gaze goes to Ash and back to Figor.
Ash stays silent while Figor sighs. He rubs a hand over his neck and I get the feeling he doesn’t want to share details about this particular incident. The silence in the room becomes awkward. Caz is glancing back and forth at Figor, his president and alpha, and Ash, his VP, knowing he can’t say
anything and is also wondering if any of them will spill details.
“It happened years ago,” Figor ultimately says. “Back in the day when we didn’t have a separate bar and a clubhouse, but one room where other women were welcome to fuck a brother if opportunity struck. There was one woman who was a little too eager and targeted mainly me and Ash. She reeked of fear and we knew something was up. When she returned the next day we put pressure on her and she broke, spilling the information on how she was DEA and undercover but was forced by her partner to plant evidence. Fucking dog fights.” A growl of revulsion rips through his chest. “Long story short, the woman turned up dead. I ended up in jail and it took a while to prove our innocence. It’s a stain on our MC and it’s hard to get rid of a label like that.”
Anger is vibrating off him and I place my hand on his knee underneath the table.
“Then sometime after we received a fucking call from our Texas chapter, same damn thing happening to them. DEA agent, a woman, infiltrating and under pressure from her partner to plant evidence. It turns out to be the same fucker. Figor finally got his revenge since the dirty agent killed the woman who infiltrated us, they were able to prove everything links back to him.”
Feeling the tension flowing through Figor, I imagine it’s a mixture of what happened and also maybe nerves of how I will react to this news.
But for me it’s clear and quite simple. “Smart thinking of separating the bar and the clubhouse. And as long as outsiders don’t know this place is run by a pack of werewolves, I don’t see any issues with it. And it’s good this FBI agent, Nick, knows you have a special dog breed looking like wolves who are trained. Well, he might think they’re normal dogs, whatever, as long as he’s aware they are treated with respect and kindness and no animals are hurt or used in fights.”
“Nick is a good agent and accepts help where needed.” Ash nods when Figor voices those words.
“I look forward to meeting him.” I hand Ash the papers back. “When will he arrive? Because one of my contacts gave me information about a police report that was filed. Someone scammed an old woman, a few grand. Sound familiar?”
“It could be a new human he tied to him,” Figor states.
My head bobs. “I thought the same thing. And when the werewolf has enough cash and the police are closing in on the human, he will kill and move on. So, we have to move fast before we lose the lead.”
“Do you have a name and address?” Caz asks.
“Sure do, I would have checked it out later today but I figured with us working together you guys would want to come along.”
“You’re not going anywhere alone,” Figor snaps, making both Ash and Caz glance up at his harsh demand.
I narrow my eyes. “I’ve been a bounty hunter for years, asshole. Chasing criminals is what I do for a living.”
His jaw ticks and he’s clearly struggling with the issue.
“Okay, then. Well, in this case it’s a werewolf and we might not be a Death by Reaper MC, Werewolf chapter, who normally would handle their own breed gone rogue…we do feel responsible. You’re stuck with us, lady.” Ash adds a grin and winks at me when I connect our gaze.
Clearly, he’s more than aware of what’s going on between Figor and me. And I know Ash is right and Figor’s reaction might be a need for him to keep me safe, but we’re immortal, dammit. It’s not like I can’t handle myself.
I might not be able to shift into a wolf to fight a werewolf, but I can dodge teeth and have amplified strength, but it’s my magic that will save the day. I guess he has to see for himself, but I’m sure he will soon enough.
“When do we leave?” Caz asks.
Figor stands. “Right. Fucking. Now.”
So much for talking things through, I guess it’s time for some action.
CHAPTER FIVE
– FIGOR –
I hit the kickstand and wait for Opal to get off the back of my bike. Her hands leave my waist and she takes the warmth of her pussy with her. Fuck. It felt amazing to ride together and I can’t wait to officially claim her as my mate and old lady. But for now, I’ll settle for spending each and every moment together.
Taking the helmet from her I place it on the bike as we wait for Ash and Caz to walk our way. We’re at the address mentioned in the file Opal had. The last victim, an elderly woman, who lost money was smart enough to write down the license plate of the man who seemed helpful but instead stole her information and transferred money without her knowing.
Her son discovered it and when he asked his mother, she made the link. They reported it, and here we stand, in front of the house of the asshole who thinks he’s allowed to steal. But by the scent hitting my nose I get the idea this fucker already had a meeting with karma.
“Smell that?” Ash says as he steps closer.
“Blood,” Opal whispers.
Her hand goes up and she moves it from right to left, slightly wiggling her fingers. Some of the sand covering the driveway is flowing through the air, as if Opal is lifting a veil.
“Fucking hell, that’s a neat trick,” Caz mutters in awe underneath his breath.
And I have to agree with the man, it’s fucking amazing to see my woman use magic. She just revealed the fact that someone made an effort to sweep away footprints. Opal steps forward and waves her fingers again when she’s facing the door. The lock snaps open.
“Must be very helpful to do your job. Damn, I’m fucking jealous.” Caz leans in next to me. “I think we all want to be her when we grow up.”
Opal throws her head back and laughs. “I heard that. And believe me, you’re not the only one who is jealous of someone else’s abilities.”
I don’t care if my VP and Caz are right there with us, I need to hold her close because I know she’s referring to her lack of ability to shift.
I reach out and wrap my arm around her waist, pulling her against the front of my body. “Just wait, you’ll make ’em even more jealous with your captivating beauty. All you need is time…the wait will be worth it.”
She places her hand over my arm, stroking my skin gently with her thumb. “Waiting sucks.”
A chuckle ripples through me and I place a kiss on the top of her head. “Yes, it does.”
I push the door open and Opal takes the lead, stepping into the house as she heads for the living room. All of us have heightened senses and while we inhale deep it gives us a flow of information. One of those things is the knowledge no one besides us is here. Another thing is the stench of blood.
Opal closes her eyes and gently guides her hand around her. I’m still watching her face as she opens her gorgeous eyes again but the curses of Caz and Ash makes me swing my head to the open space.
It’s like a loop from a movie playing out in front of us. A damn hologram showing a man stumbling back and hitting the floor as another man stands in the doorway. He shifts into a werewolf and jumps the man on the floor, shredding him into pieces. The hologram disappears but the destruction painted in red stays on the floor and walls.
“I don’t recognize him,” Opal states. “Any of you?”
“I repeat,” Caz croaks. “I wanna be her when I grow up.”
“We might not recognize him, but we now know what he looks like and we have his scent.” Ash glances around the room. “The blood stains stay?”
Opal nods. “I think so. When I recall a memory, it draws energy from its surroundings. What happened here was recent and he might have cleaned the blood but it’s still in every fiber of the carpet.”
I glance at Ash. “Call Nick and give him the address. He needs to see this.”
“On it, Prez.” He grabs his phone and stalks outside to make the call.
“Want me to see if I can track his scent?” Caz asks.
“Shift and see what you can find. But if he went as far as cleaning this room and getting rid of the body along with wiping out his footprints outside?” Frustrated, I rub a hand over the back of my neck. “I’d say you wouldn’t be able to track
him, but it’s worth a shot.”
Caz grunts in understanding and heads for the kitchen to shift and go out back.
“We need to go to the bar and the diner. You and I can go to one while Caz and Ash go to the other. The four of us know his scent and it’s easier if we split up.”
“You’re right,” I tell her.
I hate the fact she’s putting herself in danger but those are my issues to deal with. They might involve the fact I haven’t claimed her yet, and I don’t want to lose her. But I also have to realize she’s been doing these kind of things for years. On her own for fuck’s sake.
“I think there are more than seven, well…now eight, people he killed. Who knows how long he’s been doing this until he got sloppy. There will be more because he won’t stop. He’s not only money hungry, he craves the kill. He–” She shivers and closes up.
Closing the distance between her, I take her into my arms. “What is it?”
Her head tilts back to connect our gaze. “He partly eats them. It’s why he cleaned up in here. He’s evolving as a serial killer. Nick would agree.”
“Nick would agree to what? He’s on his way, ten minutes out since he was heading for the clubhouse,” Ash says as he steps into the room.
I’m thankful Opal doesn’t step away from me but snuggles closer in my embrace while answering Ash’s question.
“He’s evolving as a killer. Eating his victims and cleaning up after him. Those others he killed he just attacked to kill and left their bodies in an alley to find. This? This is different.”
“Yeah, you’re right. We need to find this fucker and fast. I don’t think we can hand it over to Nick either.” Ash pins me with a look to ask my opinion.
I glance down at Opal, knowing very well what her opinion is since her father gave her direct orders, but I can’t tell Ash.
Opal swallows hard and pride overtakes me when I see the determination sliding across her face. Before she says one fucking word, I know exactly what she’s about to do and this right here is a giant step forward for the both of us.
Cowboy Bikers MC: Werewolves Page 4
