by Dannika Dark
“Actually, I have one question,” Blue said, tapping her chin. “Does Frank have any sons?”
“Yeah.”
“Alphas?”
Ferro huffed out a laugh. “No. That’s why he keeps going through women like underwear. None of them can produce a son, let alone an alpha.”
Blue didn’t look back at the chained bear, who was growling, but kept her eyes steady on Ferro. “Who’s in line of succession?”
“No one.” Ferro turned away and disappeared into the woods.
I turned to Blue. “What was that about?”
“We have to explore all angles to rule everything out. Frank might have felt threatened by a young alpha male. Most groups follow an order. When a leader gets too old, they choose a successor—usually their son—and step down. But sometimes you get a challenger who wants to overthrow the leader. It doesn’t sound like Rain was that kind of alpha, so maybe Frank was afraid that some of his best people would follow Rain if he started his own sleuth.”
I glanced at the bear. “Why would he want to take anyone from this family?”
“Likable or not, it would have been impossible for him to form a reputable sleuth because of his ties to this family. So he might have just settled for some of the men in this group. I’m sure they’re not all bad. Sometimes people get stuck for lack of options.”
“I don’t see why he couldn’t have started with a clean slate.”
“Let’s just say that groups like these sometimes have interbreeding going on. They share their women with the leader. Shifters looking to join a new group don’t want to mix themselves up with an alpha who came from this,” she said, gesturing toward the bear. “They usually don’t care about things like inbreeding.”
“It sounds like we’re going to have fifty different cases on our hands. Jealous mates, jealous leaders—what Pandora’s box did I just open? This wasn’t in the brochure.”
She poked my arm. “That’s what you get when you pick your own cases. Viktor has a vetting process for a reason. If we can’t solve a case, we look bad. He looks bad. Makes it harder for us to get the good-paying jobs. I think he felt a little obligated because Ren is like your family, but you should be careful with favors. People take advantage, and it doesn’t always work out.”
I scanned the property and noticed an axe lodged in a tree stump. I put my foot on the wood to steady it and pulled the axe free.
“And what do you plan to do with that?” Blue asked, her eyes dancing with amusement.
“Break the chain.”
She strutted up and tossed the axe onto the ground. “Don’t be ridiculous. The only thing you’ll break with that is your pride. That bear wouldn’t even let you get close to her with a weapon in your hand. This isn’t what we’re here for.”
“Maybe not, but this is exactly what I signed up for. We got what we needed from Ferro, so now it’s time to take care of business.”
She put her hands on her hips. “So you’re willing to start a war on an impulse?”
I met her steely gaze. “It’s only impulsive if you haven’t thought it through. I know exactly what’s at stake, and freeing her is worth a few pissed-off bears.”
A smile touched her lips. “I knew I liked you for a reason. But Viktor won’t approve.”
“Look, I know you follow his orders to the letter, but we’re not a military unit. You and I both know that Viktor doesn’t care what goes down on these jobs so long as we clean up our mess and don’t jeopardize the case.”
She toed up some dirt with her boot. “If word gets out we’re stirring up trouble on Shifter territory, we won’t get very far with the case.”
“What rumors are these assholes going to spread? That two women single-handedly shamed them? That they were chaining up Shifters in order to break them? If some of the elite groups in the area get wind of what’s going on out here, these guys will have bigger problems on their hands than the bear that got away.”
Blue stroked her bottom lip, and I sensed she wasn’t trying to talk me out of this. She was trying to get me to talk her into it.
I studied the bear, who was lying on her belly. “Why doesn’t she shift? The cuff around her neck would fall off.”
“Because her life is threatened. When our animal senses our life is in danger, they’ll take over. That’s what these guys want. You have to break the animal, or they’ll never be submissive. As long as she’s in those chains, she’ll protect her human side because the human is weak. I’ve heard of Shifters staying in animal form for years—some even decades.” Blue took a deep breath and relaxed her shoulders. “Once I release her, she goes her way, and we go ours. If she wants to lie there, then we let her. Got it? Unless you want to help me lift a three-hundred-pound bear into the back of your pickup.”
“No, thanks.”
Blue twisted her long brown hair and wound it up in a bun, using an elastic band to secure it. Her lush lips and doe-eyed look were a stark contrast to her strong bone structure and thick eyebrows. She had qualities that made a person look at her for longer than normal, and I supposed that was why she often wore a hood.
She unzipped a pocket in her cargo pants and retrieved a small tool. “I’ll pick the lock around her collar.”
I chuckled. “You have everything in those pockets, don’t you?”
“Everything a woman needs. Except for weapons.”
“Should I call Viktor and tell him you’ve finally lost your mind?”
Blue propped her foot on the tree stump and surveyed the scene. “Animals can usually sense other Shifters. She’ll know right away I’m not above her in the food chain, so that might keep her from mauling me to death.”
“And if she swipes those big-ass, razor-sharp claws at your face?”
Blue shot me an impish grin. “I’ll fly away and leave you two alone.”
“Thanks.”
Blue didn’t bat an eyelash as she approached the massive creature, her pace steady, her back straight, her eyes downcast. When the bear unleashed a deafening roar, the hair on the back of my neck stood on end. I briefly eyed the fallen hatchet just in case we had to do the unthinkable. As Blue neared the animal, she held out her hands—palms down—and spoke softly. I was out of earshot and couldn’t hear what she was saying, but it was more about her tone and not the words.
After a few short huffs, the animal lay back down in a pile of dead leaves.
Where did this woman get the balls? I’m not saying I wouldn’t have done it myself, but Blue was recently mauled by a lion. Her scars were as fresh as the memories that must haunt her at night. And yet there she was, facing a beast that could finish what the last one hadn’t. Maybe she had a death wish.
I sharpened my light and paced forward, ready to distract the animal if it got agitated. Blue inched closer and then gingerly reached for the thick metal collar around its neck. I watched nervously as she dug through the matted fur and turned the collar, searching for the lock. She was dangerously close to the bear’s jaws. One snap and it was all over.
“Stay where you are,” Blue said calmly. “Don’t make her think it’s a trap. Isn’t that right, girl? Yeah. We’re gonna get this ugly thing off you.”
I waited for a painful minute while Blue used her lock-picking tool. The bear grunted a few times, shifting its weight and growing restless.
“Almost done,” Blue said as if she were tying the laces of an impatient child. “And then you’ll be free.”
How did this woman wind up here? Was she duped? Had she been traded off? At what point does a Shifter lose free will? How can someone let their family decide their fate?
Even though I’d grown up around Shifters, it was clear I would never fully understand them.
“Hurry up,” I sang.
“One more second.”
“Oh, I don’t think so,” a voice boomed.
I hadn’t sensed them coming, but as soon as I turned, I felt a weak lick of energy radiating from two men who looked ready to slit our th
roats.
I was about to pelt them with rocks when I remembered the axe. I hustled back to where Blue had left it and scooped it off the ground. “Frank invited us.”
One guy stepped in front, tattoos covering his pale, hairless chest. Unlike Ferro, who had a robust physique, this guy’s ribs were protruding from his chest above his concave stomach. Maybe they fought for their meals, and he always came up last. His buddy had more meat on his bones but was just as pasty. I would have never pegged them for bears.
More like weasels.
Skeleton Man pointed his knife at Blue. “Get off our female.”
Our? Just hearing that word made me want to trim his toenails with my axe.
The bear stood, chains falling away. Blue sprang to her feet and backed up, her eyes trained on the bear and not the two men.
Skeleton Man retracted his arm. The moment the knife left his grip, I dropped the axe and flashed after the blade, knocking it off its trajectory. I skidded to a stop just short of the bear and slowly backed up. Maybe flashing around an unchained animal wasn’t the best idea.
After a brief look around, the bear loped out of sight.
I shook the blood off my knuckles and aimed a hot glare at the men. “Go crawl back under the rock you came from. We’re here on official business. If you want the higher authority up your ass, that’s up to you. Just keep in mind that I’m a Mage.” Static flickered at my fingertips.
“Since when does the higher authority give a shit what we do out here?” he spat out.
The woods came alive when at least ten more men emerged from hiding spots behind the brush.
I looked over my shoulder at Blue, deciding this wouldn’t end well. “Take off. I’ll meet you at home.”
She glowered. “I’m not leaving you here alone. We’ll fight together.”
“You’re unarmed. You can escape. I have no choice,” I said, noticing the men had spaced apart so that I’d never make it back to my truck.
“Have you got enough fang to take down fourteen men? Because it’ll take a hell of a lot of Mage light to drop a bear. I’ll fly if you promise to run.”
I gave her a regretful smile. “I can’t leave my truck. My father gave me that truck, and I’ll bet they’re stealing the tires as we speak.”
Blue sighed. “Go for the dagger. I’ll get the axe.”
“We require compensation,” Skeleton Man called out. “Tit for tat.”
One of the men slid his gaze down Blue’s body. “Yeah… tit.”
Once I spotted the knife, I flashed to it. One man made a wild lunge, but I spun around and sliced his arm.
Blue ran past me toward the axe, the ground thundering beneath her feet. She skidded to a stop when Skeleton Man reached it first.
He approached her with a menacing stride. “Are you a bird? Because I sure have a taste for fried chicken.”
I gasped when he lifted the axe in a sharp movement and brought it down.
One minute, Blue was in the line of fire. The next, a tall figure appeared in front of her and stopped the axe midair. He gripped Skeleton Man’s wrist, standing like a pillar between Blue and certain death. The stranger’s boots were as dirty as the ground beneath him, his long hair unkempt. When he turned his head to look at the other men, I saw his full profile.
Oh shit.
It was Matteo. What the hell is he doing here?
The men backed up when they saw that Matteo had gone primal. Chitahs weren’t Shifters, but they had something animalistic living inside them that was ruthless when it took over. Ruthless enough to take on fourteen bears? By the looks on the men’s faces, they didn’t want to take that bet.
I joined Blue’s side, uncertain how this would end.
Matteo bared his teeth, all four incisors in view. The venom inside was only poisonous to a Mage, but they could probably do serious damage. Skeleton Man stood frozen, his wrist still caught in Matteo’s clutches, his hand turning purple. When Matteo inhaled deeply and audibly, the man whimpered and let go of the axe.
Blue wasted no time collecting it. “What kind of depraved men chain up women? Go back to your cave now unless you want us to call our boss.”
“Don’t get any bright ideas,” I added, using my most authoritative voice. “If we don’t report back in an hour, they’ll send in Regulators to find us.”
That was enough for most of the men to retreat, but three lingered behind. “Let him go,” one guy demanded.
Ignoring him, I glared at Skeleton Man. “You better tell your goons to back off. Have you ever seen a Chitah rip out a man’s throat with his teeth?”
A low growl rumbled in Matteo’s chest. He slapped his hand behind the Shifter’s neck and yanked him so they were nose to nose. And Matteo had to bend down to meet his gaze.
The scrawny Shifter trembled, his eyes saucer wide as he looked at Blue. “I wasn’t gonna hurt you. I just wanted to—”
“I wouldn’t finish that sentence if I were you,” Blue said as she circled behind him and put her mouth close to his ear. “He can smell a lie, and you know it.” She finally sidestepped and nodded at Matteo. “Let him go.”
Matteo drew closer to the man’s neck.
“I said let… him… go,” Blue commanded through clenched teeth.
Matteo roared, and it didn’t even sound like a man. It was chilling enough to silence the forest. He flung the Shifter backward, and the man struck a tree like a rag doll.
“Don’t come around here again,” his buddy snarled, helping Skeleton Man to his feet. “Next time we won’t roll out the welcome mat.”
His feeble threat deserved a laugh, but frankly, I didn’t care. Once they were out of sight, I heaved a sigh. “That could have gotten ugly real fast.” I twirled the knife, only slightly disappointed that I wouldn’t get to use it. “I hope the bear’s long gone by now.”
Blue signaled for my attention with a graceful wave of her hand. “Raven, put the knife down. Slowly.”
Matteo was glaring over his shoulder at me. At the knife. Then back at me. His savage eyes drilled into mine, the tension as taut as a spring on a mousetrap.
“I thought most Chitahs respect women?” I said quietly. “He’s a decent guy.”
Blue gave him a guarded look. “Yes, but he thinks you’re threatening his female.”
“His female?” I snorted. “Should I book a caterer? When’s the big day?” I let the blade fall to the ground.
Matteo drew in a deep breath and, when satisfied with my emotional scent, scanned the woods.
Blue erased the distance between us and blew out a breath. “Thank the fates he didn’t kill anyone. Claude’s hard enough to control, but I don’t know anything about Matteo or his intentions. Go on without me. I’ll take care of this idiot before he sniffs out their cave and starts a war.”
“Are you sure? We could always tie him up in the back of my truck.”
“Or tether him to the bumper,” she muttered.
“You need to have a talk with him,” I said, irritated by the whole affair. “He can’t follow us around when we’re working a delicate case, and he sure as hell can’t interfere. If Viktor found out, he’d pull us off this assignment so fast.”
“Gotcha.”
“I’ll keep my phone on. If you change your mind and need a lift, just call. It’s a long walk home.”
She smiled. “But a short flight. He’s the only one who’s on his own. I just need him to unflip that switch so I can hit him over the head with a rock.”
“Careful. That’s how cavemen fell in love,” I said, heading back to my vehicle. I stopped halfway and turned. “If you plan to fly home, do you want me to take anything? Like your boots?”
“No need. Usually I leave my clothes in a place where I can retrieve them. But if I lose them, no big deal. My axe is all that matters, and that’s at home.”
On my walk back, I mulled over how close we’d come to fighting those morons. Blue would have probably flown off, assuming she survived the axe, and I wo
uld have taken my chances. Sure, we could have left the woman, but that wasn’t in my DNA. And reporting the incident wouldn’t have made a difference. The sleuth would have hidden her by the time anyone could investigate, and the higher authority would demand to know why we were impersonating them. We had to be more careful, and Matteo needed to find another obsession.
Once inside my truck, I beeped the horn twice to signal I was leaving just in case she changed her mind at the last minute. As I drove away, I watched my rearview mirror, but Blue never appeared.
Chapter 9
Blue wiped the sweat from her brow, still rattled by how close they’d come to a bloodbath. She would have never taken the risk with a high-class Shifter group, but then again, reputable families didn’t chain women.
The birds resumed their chatter in the treetops, and dappled light covered the ground like broken shards of glass.
“Are you going to stay like that all day?” she asked Matteo, unsure about the best way to snap him out of it. Claude had flipped his switch enough times that Blue knew how to talk him down, but it was personal for every Chitah. Claude once described it as riding in the passenger seat of a speeding car, and Blue could relate but only to an extent. She shared physical form with her spirit animal, but Chitahs didn’t. What came out when they flipped their switch was themselves in their purest state, stripped of all reasoning and logic, acting only on emotions and instinct.
Mainly they had to feel secure again, so she spoke matter-of-factly, knowing he would pick up her emotional scent and realize the threat was gone. “I can’t talk to you like this, so I’m leaving.”
When she reached the front of the cabin, he called out, “Wait.”
Blue turned on her heel, relieved to see that his eyes had returned to their golden hue and his fangs had retracted. She pulled the elastic band from her hair.
Matteo canted his head, watching her like a hawk. She knew that look. He was trying to figure her out, study her habits.
“I’m not going to ask what you’re doing here,” she began, deciding not to point out the obvious. “Did you run Chitah speed the whole way?”
With the grace of a panther, he drew closer, his gaze mysterious. “That’s not easy to do in a city with humans. A female gave me a ride.”
