He flattened a huge paw on her calves, easily covering them both. She shoved at his head, and it didn’t move. “We are not going to sit here all day while I pet you.”
One eye opened, somehow looking forlorn.
She relaxed and petted him. His eyelid shut and his entire body seemed to flop out in the sun. Hopefully he was somehow healing himself the way Adam had from the bullet wound. Ah, Adam. “You and the Enforcers go way back, as in not just the last few years. You know each other from your super-secret immortal world.”
Bear made a snuffling sound of pure contentment.
That finally explained how they could be friends and still belong to different and not-so-friendly motorcycle clubs. “That’s also why the Coven Nine let you leave Ireland and kept me. They already knew you, and you were fully aware that witches existed.”
He opened both eyes, sighing hard enough he left a wet mark on her jeans.
“Fine. I’ll stop talking.” She took it back—Bear was every bit as cranky in animal form. “But are you undercover here, like Adam was?”
The animal shook his head.
“Oh. You just like it here in the woods, away from most people.” Yeah. That seemed exactly like Bear, from what little she knew about him.
The sound of tires screeching to a stop, many tires, echoed from the front of the buildings. Bear jumped to all fours. A siren trilled once and then cut off. Doors rapidly opened.
The fur stood up on Bear’s back. He nudged her toward a barely there trail between two wide-spread pine trees. Her stomach knotted. She turned to run, and a helicopter came into view with a guy half hanging out, gun trained on her. SWAT? The guy was wearing a SWAT vest.
“Run, Bear,” she whispered. “Go now.”
They’d probably just shoot a bear.
He rose on his hind legs and roared at the helicopter.
She shoved him in the back, but he barely moved. “Get out of here. Now.”
With one last furious roar, he dropped to all fours and headed for the woods. For such a massively huge creature, he could seriously move.
Tori lifted her hands in the air.
Chapter 22
A huge guy all decked out in SWAT gear, vest, and guns, rounded the corner. He easily flipped Tori around and zip-tied her hands. Her mind numbed, and she shook her head, stumbling along with him back around the building. Apparently some sort of raid was being conducted on Grizzly headquarters.
When she reached the square area in front, DEA Agent Brenda Franks strode up.
Tori tripped over a rock, and the SWAT guy held her arm until she’d regained her balance. “What in the world are you doing?” Tori asked, the breath heating in her mouth. The blood rushed through her head, making her ears ring. “This is a raid?”
Franks nodded, her full mouth pinched. “We have enough information from other CIs that the Grizzlies are not only selling Apollo but that several of the higher-ranking members blew up the entire Titans of Fire compound the other day.”
“They did not,” Tori burst out, before she could think.
“Really?” Franks’s brown eyes narrowed. “Just how would you know that fact?”
Because she and Adam had been the only living people there. Tori pulled against the zip ties, but they held fast. “I just know Bear and the guys wouldn’t blow anything up. Not their style.” She glanced at the cops pouring through every door to search all of Grizzly territory. “Could you cut these ties?”
“Not a chance,” Franks said, crossing her arms. For the raid, she’d worn another high-end silk pantsuit that somehow looked even cooler with the bulletproof vest covering her full chest. “I’d like to know why you’re here at Grizzly headquarters when you told me you had just started dating a Fire member. Especially since Fire just exploded, and at least three of its managing members are missing.”
So those bones really had completely disintegrated. How hot could Adam make his fire, anyway? It was impressive in a totally scarier-than-hell way. “I left my favorite sweater here.” Tori tugged on the pretty sweater she’d had for years and still loved. “So I thought I’d pop by and retrieve it. That’s all.”
“You came for a sweater,” Franks said, her chin down.
“Yep.”
“Right.” Franks looked toward the far garage with the door wide open. “See, Miss Monzelle, that’s not how it works.”
Tori blinked. Franks had no clue how the world really worked. Tori was just finally figuring out that humans were a very small part of it. “Sure it is.”
“No.” Franks winced when a couch came flying out of the clubhouse. “Rival motorcycle clubs don’t share women. They just don’t. So when you left the Grizzlies and took up with a Fire member, you cut off any possible way in hell you could be here. You’re stupid, but even you aren’t that dumb. Know what I mean?”
Irritation raised goose bumps on Tori’s skin. “I’m the friendly sort.”
“No, you’re really not.” Franks zeroed in. “And now that I’m finally putting it together, you’re not stupid at all, are you?” Her voice roughened and became calculating. “Holy shit. Holy fucking shit.”
Warning caught any reply in Tori’s throat.
“You’re the key.” Franks shook her head as if surprised she hadn’t figured it out sooner. Her overly red lips pursed. “You’re the tie between the two drug-running clubs, and you’re the one with connections. Parker Monzelle’s daughter. Why the hell didn’t I see it before?”
Tori took a step back. “See what before? What are you talking about?”
“And your sister taking up with a Fire member. Shit. She has probably run interference for you the whole time. The whole damn time.”
Tori shook her head. “Wh-what are you saying?”
“I’m saying, you’re under arrest for the manufacture of drugs, for the distribution of drugs, for attempted murder, and for homicide.” Franks grasped Tori’s arm above the elbow and pulled her around toward a black SUV. “I have no doubt we’ll be adding more charges to that, most likely arson to start with.”
Tori’s feet went numb. “I’m not dealing drugs. I was trying to help you find out who was putting that stuff on the streets.”
“And I made you a confidential informant,” Franks snorted, shaking her head and completely disregarding Tori’s words. “I let you be right in the thick of things so you could do your job, which was to get that killing drug on the streets. Man, I’m going to get slapped down for that one.” Her fingers tightened on Tori’s arm. “My only consolation is that you’ll pay, and pay dearly.”
Tori stumbled. “I didn’t do anything.”
“You’ll be charged federally. Did you know that the federal government employs the death penalty for large-scale drug operations?” Franks seemed to cheer up as they reached the SUV and she opened the back door. “Then you’ll get to feel what it’s like to have poison put into your body. Watch your head.”
Tori slid into the backseat, and cool leather brushed against her skin. Her head spun. The death penalty? But she hadn’t done anything. Her sister was out of town, so she couldn’t call Lexi for help. She could call Lexi’s police partner, but he was a Seattle cop and didn’t have any sway with a federal agency like the DEA. She didn’t know any lawyers. Would she get a lawyer for a federal drug charge? She had to. Well, maybe. She didn’t know the federal legal system.
They were tying her to her father? God, she hated him. Really hated him.
What about the witches trying to shoot Apollo at Adam? Would they try to get her? If the DEA took her into town, she might get killed anyway. But for now, the witches didn’t know where she was. That was good.
Unless they did know. Did the witches have sources in the DEA? It made sense, since they were investigating Apollo, too. Thoughts zinged through her head as quickly as the adrenaline flooded her body. She had to get out of here. Get to safety. Back to the cabin in the woods just thirty minutes away.
What about Adam? Tears pricked her eyes. She h
ad to get a call to him somehow. He’d have no idea what had happened.
Shots rang out behind the buildings. “No!” she screamed, scooting to the edge of the seat and pressing her nose against the window. Bear was the only thing back there. Had they shot Bear? She turned her back to the door and tried to open it with her bound hands, but it was locked. Oh God, not Bear.
She muffled a sob and shook herself, trying to think.
Franks jumped into the front seat, and a smaller man with silver hair slipped into the driver’s seat.
“Wh-what was that shot?” Tori asked, leaning toward the front seat.
“Some animal,” Franks said dismissively. “No Grizzly members. They’re out on a ride, it looks like.”
Tori choked back another sob. “You haven’t found any drugs. Have you?”
Franks turned and looked over the seat. “We’ve just started searching. Don’t worry. We’ll find their stash.”
“You are so clueless,” Tori muttered, shoving herself back in her seat and scouring the area outside the vehicle. Bear had to be okay. “Did they shoot the animal? I mean, did they hit him?”
“Don’t know and don’t care.” Franks turned back around. “You should probably worry about yourself. We’d like to give you a chance to avoid the death penalty, but that means you have to tell us everything.”
Tori bit her lip until she tasted blood. She didn’t know a damn thing about Apollo or who was creating it. Any knowledge she had, mainly about the crazy immortal world, wasn’t going to help her this time. She cleared her throat. “I want to call a lawyer.” She’d have to find one in the phone book somewhere.
Franks chuckled. “Let’s chat about that when we get to our offices.”
That didn’t sound good. So much emotion poured through Tori that her hands and feet tingled. “You’re making a big mistake.”
Franks didn’t answer her.
The driver turned the key, and the engine roared to life. He set it in gear, and the SUV rolled forward. The engine clunked once. Twice. The vehicle hitched. Then it went dead.
Tori shut her eyes and leaned her head against the seat. Great. Just fucking great.
* * *
Adam stepped into the sunshine outside the hospital just as his phone belted out King of the Mountain by Bon Jovi. He lifted it to his ear. “Hi, Dage. What’s going on?”
“The Grizzly headquarters was just raided by the DEA, according to a source in Seattle SWAT. They shot some sort of animal and took at least one person into custody.” The sound of typing came across the line, and Dage cleared his throat. “I have an emergency with the Alaska shifters, but I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“Any idea who it was?” Adam asked, running for his bike.
“No, but I’m having a satellite hacked right now to see if we can get a visual on what happened. Simone doesn’t know yet,” Dage said.
Adam frowned and lifted his leg over the Harley. “You have to tell her. Keep her there until we know more, but she needs to know that her brother’s place was raided.” He gunned his engine, his mind settling into the mission. “Don’t tell her anybody was shot. Not until we know who it was.” There were tons of Grizzly members, and it could’ve been anybody.
“If her brother was harmed, I won’t be able to keep her at headquarters. In fact, I don’t think Nick could, either.” Dage paused. “Well, okay. Nick could. The demon is a badass.”
Adam opened the throttle, making it difficult to hear. “She’s pregnant, not weak. I’ll secure the area and then let you know.” He clicked off. Oh, he’d love to keep Simone safely behind rock walls, but she was a strong witch, a powerful woman, and locking her down would just piss her off. Making Simone truly angry was to be avoided at all costs.
Man, he loved his cousin.
It was no wonder Simone and Victoria had become friends. Both women had strength to spare. Hopefully Victoria was still sleeping at the cabin or, at the very least, taking it easy. Maybe she was even writing a song. He’d love to hear one of her songs.
Lowering his head, he increased his speed, soon leaving downtown in his wake.
A half hour later, he drove into the disaster that was Grizzly headquarters and gave a low whistle. The cops had torn the place apart. Half of the furniture, including the pool table, was stacked outside in varying degrees of brokenness. The pool table had been slashed and smashed in two, and the sofa was ripped end to end, with cotton sticking out everywhere. White tufts blew in pieces around the square.
Several bikes were parked over to the side.
As Adam dismounted, Lucas Clarke strode out of the largest garage, fury sizzling across his square face.
Adam approached him. “What the hell?”
Lucas shook his head, his body vibrating. “DEA raid. We got here right when they were finishing.”
“You weren’t arrested, so I take it no contraband?” Adam asked, grimacing at seeing a classic Chevy torn apart in the nearest bay.
“Not here,” Lucas said. “The guns are off site, and this is why.”
Adam nodded. “Good.” It was imperative that humans not get their hands on the guns immortals had created. “Dage has intel that somebody was shot. An animal.”
Lucas stilled. “Bear was the only one here.” He turned and launched into a run, skirting the far side of the building.
Adam ran with him, his senses tuning in to any sort of vibrations. They reached the back of the buildings, where a rushing stream babbled yards away. Lucas didn’t pause but instead turned down a trail littered with pine needles and small rocks. They ran for almost a mile, and Lucas took a sharp left, winding through bushes to reach a small wooden structure set into the rock.
Adam scented blood immediately.
Lucas growled.
They approached the door, flanking it, both on full alert.
Lucas opened the door, and Adam went first, his gun already out.
Bear lay on the floor in human form, buckass naked, blood pouring from his shoulder.
“Bear,” Lucas breathed, sliding on his knees to reach his friend. “Bear?”
Adam looked around the one-room cabin and didn’t see a towel. He yanked off his shirt and pressed it to the gaping wound.
Bear groaned, and his eyelids fluttered open. His brown eyes were cloudy, and the atmosphere rolled and swelled with his pain. “DEA,” he mumbled.
Adam nodded. “We know. Just hold on. Can you send healing cells to the wound?”
“No.” Bear shook his head wearily, his shaggy hair moving. Sweat rolled down his face and over his bare chest.
Lucas clamped his hand around Bear’s wrist. “You need to shift. It’s the only way to heal yourself. This is bad, Bear.”
“Yeah,” Bear groaned. “I need to shift for good, Luke. For a while, anyway. I’m not getting any better.” He spit out each word as if it hurt like hell. “Take care of the Grizzlies, yeah?”
“No problem.” Lucas helped him to sit up. “Go do what you need to do. We’ll be here.”
Adam grabbed his other hand and helped Bear to stand. “I’ll be around, too.”
Bear hung almost limply between them, sweat and blood mingling down his side. “I stayed hu-human so I could tell you. They, the DEA . . . they took Tori.”
Adam shook his head. “What? Victoria? How? When? From here?” What the hell had she been doing in Grizzly territory?
“Yes,” Bear whispered, his voice full of pain. “Wanted to tell you.” His head lolled. “Tell my sister I love her and not to look for me. I’ll be back.” He shrugged them both off and limped toward the door, leaving drops of blood and sweat on his way. The moment he cleared the porch, he dropped and turned into a bear.
Seconds later, he was gone.
Adam yanked his phone out and dialed quickly. “Dage? I need a favor. Now.”
Chapter 23
Tori sat at a metal table, rubbing her aching wrists. Agent Franks had released the ties and left her sitting in the freezing room for about an hour
. The walls were a boring light blue with a couple of black-and-white photographs of the Washington wilderness as decoration. Finally, the agent returned and pushed a steaming cup of coffee toward her.
“Thanks,” Tori said automatically, reaching for the fragrant brew. She took a drink, and the bitterness scalded her tongue. She winced.
“Yeah, the coffee sucks.” Franks slapped a yellow legal pad on the table and sat across from her. She set her phone next to the files. “I think you’re a decent woman who probably never had a real chance, considering who your father is.”
Tori lifted an eyebrow and blew on the coffee. “Is that a fact?”
“Yeah. Same with your sister. Oh, I think she was doing all right until she fell for that Titans member, and then I think she got in over her head. Dragged you in with her.” Franks reached into a briefcase she’d set on the floor and tugged out several manila file folders. “It’s always the men, right? I’ve seen more than one good woman end up in serious trouble because of a man.”
Tori sipped again. That was true about most men, without a doubt. Her father was a real bastard, and Tori had dated more than her fair share of assholes. But Adam? He was different. Oh, he was hard to read, and he’d kept secrets, but there was something about him that inspired trust. Deep down, where it really mattered, she knew he wouldn’t let her down. She blinked. What did that mean? That meant something, right? “My sister is a good cop, and she’d never run drugs. Neither would I.”
Franks sighed and tapped a closed file folder with one long red nail. “It’s time for you to start thinking about yourself. Let me help you.”
Tori couldn’t stop a small smile from tickling her lips. “Yeah. I can tell. You really want to help me out.” Just how dumb did Franks think she was? “Let me ask you: What did you find at the Grizzly compound?”
Franks’s bright red lips thinned.
“Yeah. That’s what I thought.” Tori ignored the anxiety in her stomach and sat back, studying the agent. “You’re so desperate to solve this case you actually stink of it. But you’re way off base. You have to know that deep down, right?”
“I’m going to be there when they pump you full of poison,” Franks snapped.
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