“You’re one of them, aren’t you?” He narrowed his eyes and sneered.
She sniffed the air and wanted to gag at the highly potent smell of death that filled her nose. Damn demon.
The demon they referred to as Sully lifted his gaze from her face to over her shoulder and raised his brow. His thin lips curved up into a full-blown smile, giving her a glimpse of his yellowing pointed teeth. He was a lessor demon, an easy kill, but sneakier than most.
“Drop it, lady,” a winded voice called from behind her. Despite the breathlessness, she recognized the deep voice instantly, the damn human from the other alley. The damn persistent human from the other alley. The human was a complication, but Sully was her capture, the whole reason she’d spent the last hour in that god-forsaken alley. No way in hell she’d give up now, not when she was this close to strapping the spelled silver cuffs around the demon’s wrist.
“No can do, buddy. You don’t have any idea who this is or what he stole.”
“I said drop it, now!” The cop slowly moved around her. His uneasy gaze landed on her gun before checking who was at the other end of her barrel.
“You’re out of your jurisdiction, Officer. He’s one of mine, and I’m taking him in.”
Sully snickered at her predicament and narrowed his eyes in contempt. “It seems you have a choice to make, fairy. What’s it going to be?” He held out the crystal in the palm of his hand. “You want it, come take it.”
Her resolve tightened as her barely held-in-check temper was tested. Touching that crystal without the proper gloves was suicide. With just a touch, her fairy powers would be transferred and held captive in the shiny surface. She’d stuffed gloves in her jacket for just this purpose but if she reached for them, the cop might view the move as a threat.
“I’m an investigator for the Paranormal Investigations and Tactics Squad.” Her normally calm temperament started to wane. She slowly lifted the badge from beneath her shirt and flashed it at Mr. Yummy before letting it fall against her chest.
Sully made a slight, yet sudden, shift, and she cocked the trigger. “Don’t even think about it. You won’t survive my bullet.”
She pulled silver cuffs from her back pocket and tossed them at the male officer. “I’ll cover you while you cuff him, and then we’ll work the rest of this out.”
Mr. Yummy’s brows dipped as he pointed his gun at Sully. “Down on your knees, asshole, and put your hands behind your head.”
To Parker’s disbelief, Sully grinned and complied by dropping to his knees. He tossed the crystal on the ground and laced his fingers behind his head.
The officer glanced at her and winked.
Of all of the arrogant, self-centered… Where the hell was her backup? She adjusted the hold on her gun.
Parker rolled her eyes and motioned for him to hurry up, ready to jump into action should Sully try anything stupid. The cop placed Sully in handcuffs. Yummy reached down to where Sully had dropped the stone, and Parker didn’t have time to think, only time to react. Officer Hottie leaned over to pick up the stone just as Parker lunged to stop him. Her reaction time wasn’t quick enough, not today. She saw the transfer of powers from the stone to the human. The rainbow aura moved to his fingers and up his arm and settled in the middle of his chest, making his body and clothes glow as the power burrowed beneath his skin, settling around his heart. He stumbled with a dazed expression before dropping to his knees. She reached for him, cradling him in her arms. His unsure gaze held hers before his eyes closed. His body sagged against hers as she struggled to keep the dead weight from meeting a quick fate on the asphalt. The fairy powers that had been stored inside the stone were now firmly in place in his human body. She quickly checked the cops pulse.
“It’s not possible. He should be dead.”
She pressed the button to the comm in her ear. “I’m going to need medics and transport, at my location.”
“I can’t believe he was right,” Sully mumbled before tossing his head back and laughing. “What are you going to do now, fairy?”
Her eyes narrowed, threats of spells and blobs and images of how to make him pay flashing in her mind. “Shut it, demon.”
Sully staggered to his feet. “Make me, you bitch.”
The last straw holding her patience in check snapped. Parker gently laid the cop down on the ground and stalked up to Sully, who loomed a foot above her. She grabbed his shoulders and jerked her knee up between his legs, making contact with his jewels in between.
He inhaled sharply and doubled over in pain, unable to cup his tender nuts because of the handcuffs holding him in place. “Happy Nut Day, asshole.”
She grabbed a fistful of his hair with her left hand and lifted his head. Without warning or hesitation, she cocked her fist back and swung. Her knuckles made contact with his nose, and the sound of crushing bone improved her mood until the blood splatter landed on her boots, her new, not even broken-in, expensive boots. “Just perfect.”
Sully collapsed down to his knees right into a puddle before falling over on his side in a fetal position. “I’ll kill you, you bitch,” he threatened. His voice, now an octave or two higher, held less of a threat than previously.
“You can try.” She squatted in front of him. “Men a lot stronger then you have already tried and failed, but I don’t mind adding you to my list.”
“McKenna, isn’t it?”
She cocked her head.
“You’re as clueless as he said you’d be. You have no idea who’s pulling your strings or why, do you, Parker?”
Wait What? How the hell did this street thug even know her name? Parker’s internal alarm blared, even if a little late. She’d show no fear to this demon, just like she’d show no mercy. She stood and ran her fingers through her blond strands, now windblown and wet.
“Why don’t you enlighten me, Sully? Sully Masterson, isn’t it?” She took several long, deep breaths to calm her nerves before reaching for the cherry lip-gloss in her pocket and rubbing it into her lips. She pressed them together. The familiar soothing motion almost instantly calmed her anger. “The same Sully Masterson who lives in Chesterfield and likes to frequent the strip clubs in our fair town.”
“I see my reputation precedes me.”
“It’s my job to keep an eye on scumbags like you.” She smirked and tilted her head. “Although, I would have pegged you for being a tad smarter. You can’t possibly believe that, even if someone had a master plan and was pulling strings, they’d share their plans with you. You’re nothing more than a low-level demon that was probably hired to do the grunt work.”
“Stealing the stone and getting away with it was never my mission.” He nodded toward the unconscious human. “I’ve fulfilled my obligation.”
Before she could press further, a noise at the end of the alley alerted Parker to another presence. She sniffed the air and recognized the scent. Finally her backup had arrived.
The chief rounded the corner. “Nice job, McKenna.”
Parker steadied herself with a hand against the wall and lifted her foot. “Bastard ruined my new boots.”
Her boss, Needles, as they liked to call him, moved to the unconscious police officer’s side and placed his fingers on his pulse. “Who’s the human, and what did you do to him?”
Well, if that wasn’t a loaded question. Even though Needles wasn’t human either, she braced herself for the fallout. “He’s a cop, and the fairy stone knocked him on his ass.”
Needles looked up in disbelief. “How in hades did you let that happen?” He shook his head. “Never mind, you can tell me all about it at the office.”
He clicked his comm. “Where the hell is McKenna’s transport!” Needles hefted the unconscious cop over his shoulder and nodded to where the empty stone lay at her feet. “Get the stone, McKenna, and make sure Sully gets medical attention before you haul his ass in.”
Chapter 2
“Word on the street is that you nailed Sully,” Devlin St. Claire said as she
appeared in front of Parker’s desk and held out a cup of steaming coffee.
Parker grinned and took it, knowing the gesture wasn’t one she’d see again anytime soon. “Nice of you to join us.”
The unit was one big open floor plan. The minions, as the chief liked to call all of his officers, had desks staged throughout the area. Whoever designed the area had never taken into account whether the paranormals paired near each other would get along. It was expected, or you would find your ass out the door and out of a job. Along the far walls were rooms, some conference rooms and some offices. The chief’s office was the biggest in the building, followed in a close second by his secretary, Jane’s. Even though officers were advised against bringing personal items to work, there were a few witches, wizards, and shifters who had their little areas decorated with plastic plants or candles and even a ball of twine. Damn cats.
Devlin plopped down in a vacant chair across from her. Her best friend brought a whole new meaning and level to the word kickass. She wouldn’t be caught dead in anything pink and frilly only black and leather for her. In a measly attempt to tame her red hair, she’d pulled it back into a messy ponytail. The deep auburn color hinted at the fiery personality lurking beneath. Devlin was dressed in her usual attire of black leather and ass-kicking boots, as evident when she lifted her booted feet and propped them on the corner of the scared wood, crossing her ankles as she leaned back in the chair on two legs. “I was busy. Besides, you didn’t need me. The student has now become the master. My work here is done.”
Their coworker, Ben Remington, the sexy-ass tiger shifter snickered as he walked by. “She may need to take more classes, St. Claire. A human got the drop on her.”
“Oh bite me, tiger.”
He reached for her shoulders and gave a delicious press to her tensed muscles. He leaned down and whispered, his hot breath tickling her ear, “I’ve already sampled the goods, and if my memory isn’t mistaken, you enjoyed every minute of it.”
Parker shrugged and rested her head against his stomach while glancing up at him. “It wasn’t personal, kitty. It was just sex. I was overdue, you were there, and it was a win/win situation. A way to scratch an itch without the awkward morning after.
“You’re sounding more like Devlin every day.” Ben nipped her ear. “You fairies fascinate me, Parker. There is no courting before satisfying your sexual nature. You see something you like and you jump, literally. No flowers or confessions of love for you bunch.”
He grinned before abandoning her shoulders and moving to sit behind his desk. He grinned and winked. “Whenever you’re feeling frisky, you know where to find me.”
Devlin pushed out her bottom lip. “Are you overdue for a scratch behind the ears, Benny?” She dropped her booted feet from the desk and held out her arms. “Why don’t you come over here? I’ll make that itch go away.”
“Sorry, St. Claire. I don’t have a death wish.”
Parker leaned back in her chair and took a sip of her coffee. “Quit teasing Ben. We all know your wolf doesn’t like to share. Speaking of which, where is your partner?”
“McKenna!” The chief’s yell bounced off the station walls. “Get your ass in here.”
Parker pulled opened her desk drawer, grabbed her gloss, swiped some on her lips, and pressed them together. Strawberry.
She stood, smoothing her wet blond strands into place. A shiver skirted down her spine at the thought of a reprimand. She’d never been called into the chief’s office before, not like this. An unfamiliar foreboding settled in her gut. Devlin was the troublemaker, not Parker.
Devlin stood and placed her palms on Parker’s shoulders. “Chin up, don’t show fear, and maintain eye contact. This is your first offense, so he’ll probably go easy on you.”
Parker nodded, lifted her chin, and strolled toward the chief’s office. She poked her head in. “You wanted to see me, sir.”
He motioned toward the chair. “Shut the door and have a seat.”
She stepped in and turned in the doorway, looking out to all of the minions silently watching her call to the gallows. Her gaze met Devlin’s sympathetic look before Parker slowly shut the door, blocking out the rest of the officers and their questioning gazes. She swallowed around the lump in her throat as she moved to take her seat.
She cleared her throat. “Sir…”
He gave a slight shake of his head. She snapped her mouth closed.
“I would have expected this from St. Claire…hell, even Remington has had his moments.” He laced his fingers together and laid them against his desk. “An innocent almost died on your sting.”
The muscles in his jaw twitched. His stare drilled into her, holding her in place. He pierced her with a fiery, angered look that was unfamiliar to her but still had the intended effect. She was in some seriously deep shit.
“Not just any innocent, but a fucking cop.”
The chief leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers in front of him.
“Sir…”
He held up his hand, effectively dismissing her. His expression tightened as did the muscle in his jaw. She was screwed. The cop had gotten to the stone before she could. A mere accident, wasn’t it?
“It’s a miracle, Officer…” He leaned forward and looked down at an open file on his desk. “…Quinn Montgomery survived the transfer of powers from the Devic stone. The fact that he’s not dead leads me to believe that he’s something more than human.”
She leaned forward in her chair. “Sir, Sully indicated that the human was his objective.”
“Quinn Montgomery.”
She nodded, acknowledging the human’s name. “He indicated it had been some grand plan that both Officer Montgomery and I were in that alley.” She slid closer to the edge of her seat. “I think there might be more going on than a quick snatch and grab. Do you know who called and warned about the theft?”
“I read your report, and we’re looking into it. After your screw-up today, Remington is now in charge of the investigation and interrogation.”
“But, sir—” Her protest died on the air.
He shook his head. “You’ve got a new assignment.” The chief flipped the file closed and slid it across the desk. “Congratulations, McKenna, you are now assigned to babysitting detail.”
“Sir—”
He held up his hand.
Crap, crap, crap. She couldn’t babysit and solve this case.
“An unconscious Officer Montgomery was transported directly to a safe house after the incident. Your brother has already examined the patient and taken blood for analysis. Hopefully by the time Montgomery wakes up, we’ll have a better understanding of what we’re dealing with. It’s obvious he has some fairy blood in him, or he would have died instantly. It’s your job to teach him about whatever gifts you little winged creatures possess until we can figure out how to remove the powers and get them back in the crystal.”
“A simple touch to the crystal and the powers should automatically revert back into the chasm.”
The chief pinched the bridge of his nose. “We’ve already tried that.” He clenched his eyes closed. “It didn’t work.”
He sighed. “We’re having to consult with the elders, and you know how much I enjoy that.” His voice was hoarse and laced with irritation. “Consider yourself joined at the hip with Montgomery as of 0800 hours tomorrow. You will be relieving Rachel at the address in the file. Now get the hell out of my sight.”
Parker picked up the file from the desk, stood, and pulled the door open.
“Oh and, McKenna, you might want to pack for a long stay.”
Long stay... long stay…who would watch Remi? Her pooch was finicky. He didn’t just like everyone. Being gone long wasn’t going to be an option; and what about her poor plants? No, no, no, this would never work….
She nodded. “Yes, sir.”
Parker scanned the room for Devlin and came up empty. Devlin would know what to do, at least she would know whose ass needed kicking to
start searching for the answers. Babysitting and investigating her case at the same time was going to prove a challenge. Parker was no one’s puppet, no matter what Sully had implied. She’d finish her case if it killed her.
A big, hulking, unconscious man would slow her down. Parker clutched the file to her chest as she grabbed her purse and car keys from her desk. She needed a plan, and there was only one person smart enough, tough enough, and devious enough who could help her concoct it. She had to find Devlin.
****
Parker McKenna pushed through the doors of O’Leary’s Bar and scanned through the thick cloud of smoke. The sweaty smell of werewolves clung heavily to in the air, along with the faint scent of something smoldering she couldn’t identify. She sniffed again, confirming her suspicions. Devlin was nearby, along with the heavy, acrid smell of blood. Bingo.
The door clicked closed behind Parker, and that’s when she spotted her partner. Devlin sat bellied up to the bar with her back to the overbearing, loud crowd. Broken furniture littered the floor three feet behind her. Two weres were staring daggers at Devlin’s back from a table behind her. Sneers contorted their face, or were their expressions the result of forming lumps from the ass-kicking they’d received. Parker wasn’t surprised by the scene. She’d seen it a million times, and on an occasion or two, she’d even participated. Parker let out a long sigh and sidled up to the bar, carefully stepping over the broken wood in her path.
She leaned her elbow on the bar, never turning her back on the evil threats of promised retribution. Dark brown eyes encased within black-and-blue purpling flesh moved from Devlin to Parker. The bigger of the two guys licked his grotesque, busted-up bottom lip still oozing with blood as his gaze scanned from her black boots up her body, stopping on her chest. The lines of his face hardened with lust.
“I see I missed all the fun.”
Devlin let out a huff. Threw back her head and slammed the shot of vodka before letting the empty glass dangle between her fingers. She glanced at Parker. “Shouldn’t you be interrogating a demon about now? What are you doing here?”
Not My Shifter/ Sinfully Cursed (Shifter Paradise) (Volume 1) Page 12
