Fur, Cloak and Dagger (Team Greywolf Series Book 4)

by Eva Gordon

  Nik flinched, but remained in control.

  Nexus whined and paced in her cage. Emma quirked her brow. “She’s obviously upset too.”

  Bolton scratched his neck. “Males can shift back to human form at will.” He sighed.

  Nik asked, “About the female monkeys, at least the ones that survived, did they shift back to their monkey form?”

  “The two that survived turned back into monkey form in a few hours.”

  “The reaction might take longer with females,” said Emma. “How long can a male werewolf stay in monster form?”

  “No more than an hour.”

  “Pretty short time for the monster mash,” said Emma. All the men she’d witnessed turn werewolf only remained in monster form for less than ten minutes. Bolton must have told the truth. Did something happen to them after an hour?

  Nik furrowed his brow. “An hour doesn’t give your super soldiers much time to complete a mission.”

  “They go in as men and, when they are ready, they shift and do the job. Simple as that,” said Bolton.

  “I suppose it doesn’t take much time to do damage.” She watched Nexus finally settle down for a nap. “So they automatically shift back in an hour?”

  Bolton evaded her answer. “Let’s just say it’s necessary.” Hmm. What would happen if they didn’t? Remain as werewolves?

  Nik smiled. “Look, Nexus is sleeping.”

  Emma stared. “And shimmering.”

  Nik said, “She’s shifting.”

  Seconds later, Nexus’s pale naked body lay still asleep inside the cage.

  Bolton shouted to his assistants, “Get her out.”

  Two men opened the cage, put her on a gurney and covered her with a sheet. Bolton gently patted her cheek. “Nexus, wake up.”

  Nexus growled and sat up. She glared at him. “You said I would turn into a werewolf, not a floppy-eared wolf.”

  Bolton smiled. “Congratulations on being the first woman to shift.”

  Nexus turned her attention to Nik. “You!”

  Shit. She must have sniffed his real identity.

  Nik met her eyes and then put his hands out in surrender. “You remember me, Boris, from the dinner?”

  She blinked. “Oh, yeah. What are you doing here?”

  Emma released a breath. Nik smiled. “I was invited.” For reasons unknown, Nexus had succumbed to his mind control. He’d even communicated with her while she was in wolf form. Why couldn’t the males be mind controlled?

  Bolton answered, “Boris plans to join our werewolf forces.”

  Nexus frowned at him. “I guess turning into a wolf is kind of cool, but not as cool as werewolf form.”

  “How do you feel?” Bolton asked.

  “In the beginning, the shift was painful, but then I felt great. Then I worried I’d never be able to turn on my laptop again.”

  Bolton folded his arms and regarded Nexus. “Well, you finally willed yourself back. When did you realize you could?”

  Nexus glanced at Nik and then shook her head. “I guess it just came to me.”

  Bolton signaled for a lab assistant. “Take her vitals.”

  Nik sensed her confusion about shifting. She needed to be taught, unlike the male soldiers who could change at will. Why the males only remained as werewolves for an hour, he was not sure, but that was something they needed to find out. If he could control Nexus, why couldn’t he control the men? Perhaps if they were in werewolf form, they would succumb to his mind control.

  Bolton turned to his armed men. “Take them back to their quarters.” He smiled at Nik. “Boris, we’ll see you back here later for the injection.”

  “And if I change my mind?” Nik asked.

  Bolton frowned. “Too late. No turning back now.” He narrowed his eyes at Nik. “Try any hero bullshit and my men will go werewolf and kill Emma.”

  Emma frowned. “Why me?”

  Bolton smiled. “We have our female wolf shifter. It appears you are now expendable.”

  “Leave her alone and I’ll do as you say,” said Nik. Until I have the chance to rip out your throat.

  The men escorted them back into the elevator. He had to act quickly. Kill them before they changed and then get Emma out of there.

  Emma looked at one of the men, who had his weapon trained on her. “You know it’s impolite to point as well as bad gun safety.”

  Nik spoke to her in Russian. “Get behind me as soon as I change.”

  She answered in Russian. “Nyet. We need to be stealthier. Once we are in our room, I have a plan.”

  “Shut the fuck up,” said Ed.

  “No problem, just a private Russian language lesson.”

  The elevator opened and they entered their quarters. They didn’t seem to mind they shared the adjoining rooms. Nonetheless the door mechanism clicked locked.

  Nik turned to her. “Now what?”

  “We need help. When we leave, we need to take Nexus with us.”

  “You forget she is the enemy and cannot be trusted.”

  “But you compelled her to obey.”

  “True, but first we’ll get you out of here, then I’ll come back for her.”

  “Actually, taking her might give us an advantage. She could help us find transportation.”

  He wrinkled his brow. “That is true.”

  “And one more thing.”

  “What?”

  “About last night.”

  “What about it?”

  She winked. “From now on, we’ll behave like we are nothing more than comrades.”

  Bullshit. Nik narrowed his eyes. “You may be a professional spy and master of disguise, but you cannot lie to me.”

  “I admit I want more, but honestly, I don’t want to be another conquest. A one-night stand.”

  “You are not a one-night stand. You are more. I want you to be my…”

  Emma put a finger on his lip. “No. Don’t say it. You know as well as I do an alpha can only take a human as a pet, never a mate.”

  He gripped her finger. “There are exceptions.”

  “If you are referring to the enforcer’s mate Mia, remember she is a Stallo woman, like Svetlana.”

  “You too are special. Our most important connection to human intelligence.”

  “If we survive, you can have a bevy of hot werewolf women who will swipe right on the Hot Den dating app.”

  He quirked a brow. “There is such a thing?”

  “Cricket told me.”

  He laughed. “She’s bullshitting you.”

  “You can let go of my finger now.”

  He did, but then captured her mouth. Kissing away any more nonsense about one-night stands.

  Emma wrapped her leg around his ass and returned her own passion. Nik knew she was more than into him. She wanted him as her mate, human or not.

  Nik released her and kissed the nape of her neck. Gentle at first and then, driven by wolfish passion, bit the side of her neck. Claiming her. The sound of a helicopter landing on the roof interrupted his wolf.

  “Oh, Nik. Don’t stop.”

  A familiar scent brought him back to reality and he let go, almost throwing her to the floor.

  Emma fingered her werewolf hickey. “Don’t worry, I know you didn’t mean to…”

  “It’s her.”

  “Huh?”

  “Saskia just arrived.”

  “The helicopter?”

  “Yes.”

  “Which means your cover is gone,” said Emma.

  “More than cover, my life will be, as you Americans say, thrown out the window.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Emma dug out a hairpin from her purse and worked on the lock. “Let’s get out of here.”

  Nik folded his arms and smiled. “By all means try, although, it is foolproof.”

  She pressed her head against the door. “Dang it, I think you are right.”

  Nik tugged her back. “Too late.”

  “Huh?”

  “Saskia is
headed our way.”

  Shit. “Not that it matters, but does she hate you as much as you hate her?”

  “Saskia escaped before she found out I wanted to kill her. Actually, it’s complicated.”

  “How so?”

  Nik snorted. “She thinks we are mates.”

  “As in destined to be or…?”

  “While I was held prisoner, she drugged me and,” He averted his gaze, “we had sex.”

  Must have been a powerful drug. Emma pressed a hand on his arm. “You were manipulated. Not your fault.”

  Nik narrowed his eyes. “The bitch wants no one but me.”

  “Maybe if you charm her into thinking you are her mate, our chance of escape will be better.”

  “Not easy to charm a psychopath.”

  A howl reverberated through the hallway. “Sounds like a happy howl, right?”

  “Or I-just-found-good-prey howl,” said Nik.

  Outside their door, Saskia shouted, “Open it!”

  The door banged open and there she stood. A tall, gorgeous, woman with flaming red hair. She looked more like a cover model than a serial killer. What red-blooded werewolf wouldn’t find her desirable, at least physically? Behind her stood armed guards, four of Bolton’s men. She recognized the big-barreled weapons, wolfsbane rifles, designed to kill lycans. Had they brought them from the Keep?

  Saskia smiled. “Nikolay, finally I see you again.” She stepped up and planted her hands on his face. “Lover.” She kissed him on the lips. Nik stiffened. She might as well have been kissing a dead fish. He grabbed her wrists and pushed her. “You left your bloody tracks all over Europe and who knows where else.”

  Emma wanted to signal him to chill and pretend he was happy to see her. His wounds were apparently too deep for acting. Even if it meant an opportunity to escape.

  Saskia pouted. “Is that any way to talk to your mate?”

  Nik glared. “I’m not your mate. I was kept prisoner and almost brain-washed by your Nazi uncle, remember?”

  “You and I were meant for one another, darling.” She tried to touch his face, but he flinched.

  “You were delusional. I was never drawn to you.”

  Saskia narrowed her eyes, and then turned her attention to Emma. She sniffed at Emma and smirked. “What is she, your pet?”

  Emma smiled. “I hired Nik as my guide.”

  “Lying bitch, I smell him on you.” Saskia cocked her head and stared at her neck. “That is more than a love bite.” She scowled at Emma. “A werewolf bite.”

  “Nik a werewolf?” Emma shook her head in fake disbelief. “No way.”

  “Don’t try to lie.” She turned to Nik. “Explain.”

  Nik smirked. “What can I say? Women can’t resist me. Especially, human women.”

  Emma nodded. “Yeah, what he said.”

  “I don’t like you, little human, but I do like the smell of your blood.”

  Nik stepped in front of Emma. “Leave her be. It’s me you want.”

  The men aimed their weapons at Nik.

  Saskia smiled. “You are already mine and if you disagree, need I remind you that we have wolfsbane rifles pointed at you?”

  Bolton and Svetlana arrived. Bolton spoke to Saskia, “I don’t think we’ve met.”

  Svetlana smiled. “This is Saskia, my new asset.”

  “I’m Charles Bolton, Mr. Boss. I see you’ve met the newest recruits to our pack.”

  Saskia turned to him and laughed. “Are you serious?”

  “Boris volunteered,” said Bolton.

  Saskia rolled her eyes. “His name is not Boris, but Nikolai Sokolov.”

  Bolton scowled at him. “Nikolai, eh?”

  Saskia sighed. “Nik has no need to take the wolf drug. He’s already a werewolf. Just like me.”

  Bolton’s eyebrows pinched as he turned to her. “Why can’t I smell his nature?”

  Saskia scoffed. “Apparently, in human form you don’t have our superior senses.”

  Emma remained silent, assessing the situation. Nik’s cover was blown. Before they link me with the LIA, better think of something soon or we are screwed..

  Bolton raised a brow. “Is he a member of your secret lycan society?”

  “Not mine, but yes, he is.” Saskia glared at Nik. “A lycan who lives in the shadows as my uncle and his pack once did.”

  Svetlana stepped up. “He killed my werewolf husband and sons.”

  Nik smirked. “That wasn’t me.”

  “No, it was Team Greywolf led by that bitch Rylee.”

  “Who?” Nik asked.

  “Don’t act dumb. Team Greywolf blew up our base in South America. The pack you ran off with,” snapped Saskia.

  Nik scratched his head. “Actually, after my memory returned, I was back in Russia.”

  “If only I would have known,” cooed Saskia. “We could have continued where we left off.”

  “Like what Americans call a hook up?”

  Saskia slapped Nik, her long nails leaving an ugly gash across his cheek. “More, you bastard!”

  Nik touched his cheek and shrugged. “I see your point.” His slash bled, but immediately fresh skin replaced the wound.

  Bolton gaped at Nik. “Your wound, it’s…healing,” then he stared at Saskia, “and you’re a werewolf.”

  The tension in the room felt suffocating, as if the place had been robbed of air and warmth. Did Saskia even know Nik hunted her for her heinous crimes? The entire time she’d evaded capture, she remained delusional that her long lost mate still pined for her somewhere out there. Get over it.

  Saskia laughed at Bolton. “This so-called chimera lycan smells more like omega bitch than a super soldier.”

  Svetlana placated Saskia. “Darling, it’s a start to creating our pack.”

  Bolton turned to Svetlana. “So you brought her to replace me?”

  “Yes, who better to start a new superior pack of human wolf chimeras than a fertile female, who is a natural werewolf?”

  Emma regarded the dangerous she-wolf and imagined her having pups. She’d most likely eat her own offspring.

  Bolton glared. “It’s my fucking research facility and my fucking bank account.”

  Saskia smiled. “Don’t worry. I’m not interested in your stupid money. And by all means, continue your research.”

  “What do you hope to gain?” Bolton asked.

  “We have more in common than you think. For one, we both agree that having the shifter gene makes us superior to humans. Second, like you, we can eventually rule humans and treat them as the edible cattle they are.” Saskia turned her attention to Emma and smiled. “This little human is the perfect welcoming gift.”

  Nik snarled and met Saskia’s eyes. His fangs emerged and his tone darkened. “Leave her alone or…”

  “Or, what?”

  He released his breath. “Or I won’t agree to be your mate.”

  Saskia laughed. “Why fight it, darling? We are destined to be mates.” She turned to Bolton. “Arrange for a guest quarter for me and then send her over.” She smiled. “Make sure there is a good-sized bath.”

  Nik charged at her, but Svetlana shot him with a dart gun. The dart hit him in the neck and he plummeted to his knees. Emma watched in horror. “Nik!” She knelt by his side and felt his pulse. He was alive. “Nik, talk to me.” He shut his eyes. “What did you do to him?”

  Svetlana smiled. “Wolfsbane.”

  Emma feigned ignorance. “A flower?”

  “Wolf toxin.” Bolton frowned.

  “New formula. Not enough to kill, but enough to knock him out.” Saskia smiled then glowered at Nik’s prone body. “Lock him up and send her to my accommodations.”

  Nik woke. Shit. He had to find Emma. His worst nightmare had come to pass. Saskia planned to bathe in Emma’s blood and then eat her. He found himself in the same cage that had held Nexus before she returned to human form. No guards watching him. No longer caring about hiding his identity, Nik shifted to his monstrous bipedal wer
ewolf form. He crouched as his head hit the ceiling. He gripped the bars and groaned as he pulled at them, but they didn’t bend one bit. What material had they used? Lycans had such metal, and of course, Svetlana would know how to construct it. He rattled the bars and then slammed against them, looking for a weak spot. Nothing.

  A red light on the wall blinked. Good, an alarm. Soon they’ll come in.

  Bolton and three of his men entered the room. So-called Mr. Boss stood in front of the cage, but not within reach of Nik’s clawed hand. “You are bigger than us.”

  Nik roared at them. Enough to rattle them to step back, but not enough to scare them away. Bolton’s men raised their weapons.

  No choice but to speak, Nik returned to human form. Naked, he faced them. “Where is Emma?”

  “She is still in her quarters, while we ready Saskia’s suite.” He sighed. “After a brief tour, Saskia decided she wanted my place.” Bolton’s tone indicated he wasn’t pleased being usurped from power.

  “If you think she will work alongside you, think again. Saskia is insane. When she and Svetlana are done using you, they’ll turn you into dog meat.”

  “Not if I marry her.”

  Nik laughed. “Not when she’s chosen me as her mate.”

  “I have no problem with that. A litter with you and one with me, a new and better race of super humans.”

  “Trust me. Saskia won’t pollute her children with your bastard genes.” The asshole didn’t realize how crazy the bitch was. “Please, let Emma go.”

  “Now you sound crazy. You don’t think she’ll run back to the CIA and reveal our plans and location?”

  “Not if I enthrall her not to.”

  Bolton scratched his head. “Svetlana explained alpha males can make people forget, but it’s not a guarantee. Her memory could come back. Especially if the CIA used a trained hypnotist to bring out her repressed memories.”

  “No one I’ve ever compelled to forget has remembered. I give them a false memory.”

  “Even if I tried, it won’t work.” Bolton sighed. “Saskia wants her. Not to mention the fact Saskia is our best asset.”

  Bolton had no clue. “Saskia is a liability not an asset. She is a serial killer who kills humans to bathe in their blood. Then she eats the remaining evidence. Have Nexus do a search on Saskia’s recent whereabouts and then cross reference with missing people throughout Europe and the United States.” Rage swept over him. “Innocent victims.”