by Crissy Smith
“You up for a drink?” Calvin Hart called out to him as he approached the group. “These old bastards have to get home and into bed.” He waved over at Zak, Abilene, Jamie and Cody.
“We won’t be going there alone,” Jamie replied with a huge grin. “Unlike you sad fuckers.”
Calvin groaned good-naturedly. Luca slung his arm over his buddie’s shoulder. When Calvin had been tending the bar he and Zak had visited while undercover Luca never would have guessed that the young shifter was an agent. He just didn’t fit the typical federal agent stereotype. Calvin was more surfer dude than bad cop. Luca had liked him immediately, though. As Calvin was another of the single agents, Luca also spent a lot of time with him. “I’m in,” Luca told him. “I could use a cold one. You can tell me how Zak jumped like a little girl when the fireworks went off.”
Zak flipped Luca his middle finger but didn’t remove his lips from Abilene’s neck.
“Let’s get him out of here,” Jamie said to Cody while pointing at Zak.
Cody chuckled before grabbing Zak’s shoulder. Luca turned back to Calvin. “I’ve got a change of clothes in my truck. I’ll meet you at the pub.”
“Sounds good.”
Looking forward to a relaxing brew, Luca took off in a jog toward his Chevy Silverado. He’d left it unlocked with the keys under the seat since he hadn’t wanted to carry any more supplies than he needed. Slinging his pack onto the back seat, he took a deep breath. The soft breeze brought forward the salt from the lake close by.
He loved Lake Worth, Arizona. It was a large city with a small town feel. A lot of shifters had gravitated to the area after they’d become public to have the sense of safety in numbers. His own home was only an hour away but being in Lake Worth really made him feel at home.
Like when he’d been younger.
Luca was extremely lucky to have a wonderful large family. Both his parents were warm and loving, and his siblings, while they drove him crazy, also showed their own support. It wasn’t always easy being part of such a close band of coyotes but Luca wouldn’t trade any of them for any amount of money in the world.
Well maybe Sal, his oldest brother. Salvatore Perez was loud, brash, and too damn arrogant. Sal had decided long ago that when their father wasn’t close by he would be in charge. Over Luca’s loud and passionate objections, their dad had agreed.
Sal called every week to check up on him. When Luca had been shot on his last assignment, Sal had dragged his partner with him to make sure that Luca was okay. While it annoyed him the way that Sal ordered him around, he also never doubted that he was loved.
Shaking his thoughts away, he got back to the business of changing clothes. He was dirty and sweaty. He yanked his black T-shirt over his head then exchanged it for a white one. He popped the button of his jeans before unzipping them. Quickly he replaced those with his favorite faded pair. They were loose and comfortable, the denim thin from multiple washes.
Luckily, he had also packed wet wipes and gave himself a quick brush with them so he felt a little more refreshed. He wasn’t looking for a date tonight, but if he happened to see a woman who caught his attention, he didn’t want to stink.
He stuffed his dirty clothing back into the duffel before slamming the door closed. Climbing into the front seat, he reached down to pull out his key ring. He was so ready for a cold one. He climbed behind the wheel and started the vehicle. The teams always went to the same bar when they went out. It welcomed both humans and shifters. The owner and bartenders were fully human but they had gotten to know the Coalition well.
It was a short five minutes until Luca was pulling up in front of the lit-up sign. Calvin stood out front by the door smoking a cigarette. Luca shook his head. Calvin had started that habit while undercover during the last assignment they’d shared. Zak might have been the agent in danger along with Luca, but Calvin had also been involved.
Calvin had posed as a bartender where the SIP went to do their drinking. It had been a good way for Zak and Calvin to pass information back to base. And the two of them were good. Luca had almost always been at Zak’s side and he’d never picked up on the fact that Zak and Calvin knew each other and that both worked for the Coalition.
He climbed out of his truck to stroll toward his friend.
“Hey, man,” Calvin greeted. “Thanks for meeting me. I’ve got too much adrenaline to hit the sack so soon. Man, I hate night exercises. It screws with my whole system.”
“I know what you mean. I still haven’t gotten back on track since I’ve come off my undercover assignment so it’s not too bad for me. Abilene was bitching the other day about it, but Zak assured her that he’d make sure she sleeps like a baby.”
They both laughed at that. Zak had fallen so hard and fast for Abilene that Luca knew it was just a matter of time before they were committed to each other. Maybe even mated.
Even though Zak and Abilene were two different species of cat—Zak being a tiger and Abilene a cheetah shifter—they made a dynamic couple. They were a match in every possible way. Luca hoped he’d be able to find someone like that for himself. He’d never really considered settling down until he’d seen how happy those around him were.
He had some issues, he could admit. Could even be a little childish at times, like during the exercise earlier that evening, but he hoped that someone could see past that and love him for all his faults.
“I’ll buy the first round,” Luca told Calvin as he slapped him on the back.
“Sounds good,” Calvin said. He stubbed out the end of his cig before tossing it into the trash. Luca held open the door and let Calvin walk in first.
Luca followed behind and scanned the room like he’d been trained. The bar wasn’t too busy. Half a dozen patrons sat at the bar drinking from bottles and glasses. Four tables held bigger groups as they laughed and talked. He motioned with his head to one of the tall tables in the back. It would give them a good view of both the front door and the entrance from the hall.
He was never off duty. If there was trouble, he and Calvin would be ready for it. They passed a group of three women who all turned their heads to eye the new meat that had arrived. He checked them out the same as they were doing to him and Calvin.
The full-chested blonde had a ring on her left finger so he scanned her quickly before moving on to the redhead to her right. She was small in stature, probably no taller than five-five, with an ample bosom and a very pretty face. The third woman had dirty blonde short hair and pretty blue eyes but his gaze went back to the redhead as he walked up behind her.
She smiled up at him before slowly dropping her gaze in flirtation. Oh yeah, a drink had been a wonderful idea.
“Hello, ladies,” Calvin greeted as they continued to stroll on.
He received a giggle in response. So they were probably well on the way to being drunk. Luca hoped that they weren’t too blasted. He had no problem with picking up a woman at a bar, but he did want her to remember the night they spent together.
Calvin yanked one of the tall chairs out and sat. Luca did the same. Rosalinda, the pretty Spanish waitress that they’d come to know, was at their side right away.
“What’s it going to be, boys?” she asked.
“Couple of drafts and two shots of tequila,” Calvin requested. “Why don’t you send that table over there a refill also?”
Rosalinda glanced behind her at the women. “You got it.”
“You got the redhead?” Calvin leaned forward and asked.
Yeah, Luca had a type and she fit it perfectly. He enjoyed being dominant in bed and wanted a partner that could appreciate his strength. He had to be careful, though, since he was much stronger than a human male. If he didn’t watch it he could leave bruises. Some women didn’t mind but Luca preferred not to go too hard when picking up a lady at a bar. Alcohol could do funny things to one’s inhibitions and he never wanted someone to regret the time spent with him.
“Yep,” he answered Calvin.
“I do lov
e the blondes,” Calvin said happily.
Luca laughed. Calvin was worse than he was. Luca didn’t set out to pick up a girl every time he went out. Calvin, on the other hand, called the night a failure if he didn’t get laid.
Rosalinda dropped off their drinks before continuing on to the ladies. Luca watched out of the corner of his eye as the three women accepted their offering before standing. Oh, he was so getting some tonight.
The redhead slipped to Luca’s side and put her hand on his arm. “Thank you for the drink,” she murmured seductively.
“You’re very welcome,” Luca told her. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. There would be no question about what he wanted.
Calvin was already talking to the two blondes so Luca didn’t feel rude for not striking up a conversation with them. “I’m Luca Perez.”
“Beth Williams,” she said while running her palm up the front of his shirt. He might be smaller than most of the shifters he was surrounded by on a daily basis, but Luca worked out hard and had nice muscles to show for it. He captured Beth’s hand, pressing it against his heart. “And what are you up to this evening?”
“Just looking for a little fun,” she told him boldly.
He smiled, picked up his shot and drank it quickly. “Me too.”
Chapter Two
Jade Adams watched the video of the joint Coalition and ATF task force from the night before. As a behavior analyst with the FBI she couldn’t deny her interest in how the two very different agencies were working together. Even more so when her supervisor had informed her that the FBI would also like to add a few agents into the fold. Jade had quickly volunteered her and her partner for the job.
While she was pure human, she had been teamed up with a wolf shifter named Cole Babcock since she’d transferred into the Lake Worth office. Cole had ten years’ experience on her and she’d learned a lot in the six months they’d been working side by side.
This opportunity was a chance for Cole to see how the Coalition worked. Jade was looking forward to learning more about the shifters and their behaviors.
From the beginning when she’d found out that some human beings could transform, she’d been drawn in. So much made sense now that she was able to connect someone’s personality and shifting ability.
Turned out her brother was married to a fox shifter. Jimmy had known but had kept it from his family to protect his wife. Now Alice and Jade could openly mention Alice’s other form. Jade had noticed a big difference in their relationship. Alice had confided in Jade that instead of feeling like an outsider who had always had secrets, she was comfortable around the entire Adams family.
Jade had grown closer to Jimmy as well. Since Jimmy’s entire family had welcomed Alice with open arms when they’d discovered her secrets, Jimmy came around more often than he had been. Guilt had kept her brother from attending a lot of dinners and holidays. Jade felt as though she had her brother back. And she loved that.
Soon after Jade had learned of her brother’s mate she had been asked to consult on a case with some agents from the Lake Worth office. Cole had strolled into the large conference room and announced that he was a wolf shifter. He was also heading up the team and if anyone had a problem with him they were free to leave.
She had been shocked when three agents had actually walked out of the door.
It wasn’t until later when she’d been partnered with Cole for a month that he’d told her he’d been getting threats and taunts almost daily from agents who didn’t like his shifter status. Even people who had once been his friends had turned their backs.
Pissed off on his behalf, she’d assured him that she had no issues at all. Cole had simply nodded before turning away.
Jade didn’t take it personally, though. While it was taking longer than she wished, Cole was slowly opening up to her.
“You’re watching that again?”
She turned her head to peer at her partner as he walked into her office. “We’re meeting these guys today. I just want to make sure I’m ready.”
Cole leaned on the side of her desk to look over her shoulder at her monitor. “You’re a good agent. You don’t have anything to worry about.”
Pleased with the compliment, she grinned. “Thanks but they’re all shifters. I can’t compete with that.” It was her biggest fear. She wasn’t able to run as fast, see as well, and she didn’t have superior hearing.
“You’ll probably be the smartest one in the room. And if they give you a hard time I’ll take care of it.”
Since Cole didn’t give praise very often Jade knew he meant it. But that didn’t help with her nerves. Plus she didn’t want Cole to go into the meeting with aggression. If he felt that he had to protect her, Cole’s alpha personality could make it difficult for the two of them to fit in with the Coalition. She wanted this partnership to work.
Glancing through the windowed wall into the rest of their department, she couldn’t help but be disgusted with the people she worked with. Cole had proven to be experienced, dedicated and smart. He closed cases and put the bad guys behind bars. Yet there were only a handful of agents who sought out his advice. It was a shame.
He didn’t even get support from their boss. Special Agent Jensen ignored them both unless he had a difficult case that he needed to be handled. Jade had noticed that over the last several months, every case that she and Cole were handed was a job that no one else wanted or that had the potential of real danger.
When she’d read about the joint task force through the intranet home page that the agents all shared, she’d submitted hers and Cole’s names without asking their boss or her partner. It wasn’t until they’d made the shortlist that she had come clean and informed Cole about what she’d done.
And hadn’t that been a fun conversation. Not.
Cole hadn’t blown up or anything, but he hadn’t been happy either. Instead of being relieved at getting away from the jerks they shared an office with, Cole had calmly explained to her that he didn’t want to go anywhere. He wanted the other agents to look at his face every day and know what he was.
She tried to understand but couldn’t figure him out. She’d seen Cole turn the other cheek numerous times when someone would mumble under their breath about him being an animal or some other taunt. Cole never blew up or confronted them. Just kept walking like he didn’t hear them. Except Jade knew he did. If she could pick up on the rude comments and gestures, Cole had to. But he really acted like he couldn’t care less.
Jade wanted to throttle them all.
Instead, she’d worked on talking Cole into accepting the temporary joint task force assignment. She’d practically begged before he’d given in. Now they would finally get to work with others who would accept Cole. She couldn’t wait to see how her partner reacted.
“We better get going if we don’t want to be late,” Cole interrupted her thoughts.
“I’m ready,” she replied. She grabbed the messenger bag she’d packed earlier with notebooks, her laptop, a charger and office supplies.
“You remind me of a little kid getting to go see Santa,” he teased. At least she thought he was just teasing. Sometimes she couldn’t tell with him.
Instead of commenting, she grabbed her suit jacket off the back of her chair and slipped it on, covering her weapon and badge in the process. She’d gone with power gray for her wardrobe that morning. The dark pants and matching jacket were complemented with a light blue silk shirt. Her boots were both comfortable and fashionable and were the same color as her suit.
She pulled her shoulder-length brown hair up into a clip with a few strands flowing loose. She wanted to appear professional but easy to work with. She absolutely didn’t want to come across as eager as she was. Following behind Cole, she locked her office before walking with him to the elevator.
Jade didn’t miss the looks of disgust on a few faces as they passed. Cole walked with his shoulders back, head up and expression clear. She was going to have to learn ho
w he did that. Practice in a mirror or something.
She sighed in relief when the elevator opened immediately for them. She didn’t enjoy feeling her co-worker’s eyes boring into the back of her head.
“Ignore them,” Cole whispered as they both stepped inside.
Jade grinned. “I’m trying. I just want to punch them in the throat.”
Cole snorted out a laugh that was so unexpected that Jade turned to stare at him.
“What?” he groused when he noticed.
“Nothing,” she replied but didn’t stop smiling. Yeah, Cole was coming around. She was even almost certain that he liked her.
“Whatever,” he muttered, but Jade was sure he was keeping himself from smiling too. She didn’t want to push her luck, though, so she remained silent.
“I’ll drive,” he said when the doors opened to the parking garage.
Once again Jade didn’t reply. Like there was any doubt that he would take the wheel. He never let her drive.
He hit the key fob to his department SUV, disarming the alarm and unlocking the doors. She stashed her bag in the back seat. Cole’s backpack was already inside. Maybe he was more excited than he was letting on. Normally he let her handle the paperwork, but if he was bringing his computer he might just surprise her.
She climbed into the passenger seat. “Have you ever met any of the agents?” she asked him. Out of all of their talks about the Coalition she’d never asked that. He might be more comfortable if he knew the teams already.
“No,” he replied. “From what I gather the Coalition doesn’t get along any better with the FBI than anyone else.”
The way the Feds were treating her partner made Jade feel like the Coalition might have a reason for not getting along with them. “We’ll change their minds,” she said.
