Unquenchable Desire

by Lynde Lakes

  She heard another sound. “Oh, God. The killer werewolf might still be in the building.” She lifted the flashlight and saw movement in the shadows. “There he is. Let’s get him!”

  Brian grabbed her arm. “No,” he whispered in a low commanding voice. “Let’s make him come to us.” He thrust her into the nearest office and drew her inside. Quickly he dialed 911. “We need the police on this one.” After reporting the murder, he dialed Damon. “We’re at the foundation. He’s here. I called the police. We might need the team. Tell your mom not to bring Kindra.”

  ****

  At the mansion, Damon and Hugh ran to Hugh’s truck. Damon alerted Rick but left him behind to watch over Kindra and the women.

  “Blast it,’ Hugh said, looking at his slit tires. Rick’s motorcycle tires were slashed, too. There was no time to waste. Damon opened the garage. The tires on all the vehicles were slit. He called his office. “Get the chopper here now!”

  He and Hugh shifted from foot to foot until they saw the glint of silver and heard the hum of propellers as the craft lowered into the yard. They climbed aboard. “Lift off.”

  ****

  Hugging Kindra close, Angela watched the craft rise quickly into the air. Her stomach, a jumble of knots.

  “What’s going on,” Victoria asked.

  “They found the foundation nightwatchman with his throat ripped out. They think Reeves is still in the building. Your Dad and Uncle are attempting to corner him.”

  “What about Rick?”

  “Your dad left him here to protect us.”

  Victoria raked her thickening hair. “Did anyone call the police?”

  “Yes, but that worries me, too. What if under stress, Brian and Hugh morph into

  wolves? Brian did last time he faced Reeves. The police will think he or Hugh killed the nightwatchman.”

  She turned to face her daughter and her heart lurched. Victoria’s fingernails were growing into daggers. “Don’t do this, Victoria. Not now.”

  ****

  “Damn you, Brain. I resent being jerked around and treated like a dumb blonde incapable of making decisions for myself. So quit playing boss. I make the decisions in this off—”

  Brian put his hand over her mouth. “Quiet,” he whispered. “ I hear ticking coming from the vents.”

  She listened and heard nothing. Without her wolf hearing, she had to trust his. She yanked his hand away from her mouth. “We’d better check it out.” They were both whispering now.

  Brian shook his head. “It might only be a trap like a clock placed near the vents to bring us to him.”

  In the quiet of the small room their whispers sounded like shouts. “There’s too much at risk to ignore it, “she said.

  “Nothing is that important. If we investigate, we might be risking out lives.”

  “Stay or go, either way is a risk. What if he expects us to run, and he’s waiting outside to jump us?” She glared at him. “If it’ll make you feel better, I’ll call for professional backup.” She dial 911 and requested a bomb squad. “Now, let’s check it out. We won’t touch anything. We’ll just locate it for the bomb squad.”

  “Let me get you out of here. That way, at least we won’t be sitting ducks in a building with a ticking bomb.”

  “Leave if you want to. I’m going to see if there really is a bomb.”

  “Damn it. I don’t want you going down there without me. And I can’t leave you here unprotected. At least stay behind me.”

  ****

  Brian’s tension rose. Fear for her safety made him go against his best judgement. Valerie interfered when he tried to take the serum. Why? Did she think he couldn’t handle it? Her lack of belief in him was a blow to his ego. Could he trust her now to believe he’d keep her safe? Probably not. If he didn’t follow through and locate the ticking, she’d go alone.

  She handed him a flashlight from a drawer. Now both armed with light and letter

  openers, they tiptoed to the stairwell landing. The narrow, concrete stairway wound downward like a corkscrew. “Let’s take off our shoes,” he said. Even barefoot, muted sound echoed down the stairs.

  At the bend in the stairwell, the ticking grew louder.

  “It sounds like it’s coming from inside that vent,”she whispered.

  “No. I still think it’s coming from the basement,” he said softly.

  Whatever happened in the next few minutes, he had to regain her trust in him as a man and protector. Caring for Valerie had thrust him completely out of his comfort zone and into unfamiliar mine fields. Dammit, he couldn’t let his fear for her safety weaken his strengh and determination. There was more at stake than their survival. Any error in his action or responses, even if they lived through the day, could mean disaster for them. Her belief in him was a stake.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Damon pointed out the foundation building to the chopper pilot and told him to set down onto the far edge of the parking lot for safety’s sake and wait there. The three acre site had only two cars in the lot, a 1980 Cressida with faded blue paint and the foundation station wagon. Both vehicles were parked just outside the rear entrance. He assumed the aged Cressida belonged to the night watchman. He and Hugh jumped out of the chopper, ducked under the still revolving rotor blades, and ran low and swiftly across the paved area. “Brian didn’t give much information to go on,” Damon said as they approached the building. “He and Valerie found the watchman’s body and reported the murder to the police. He believes Reeves is still in the building and might need us to close off his escape.”

  “Obviously that’s why Reeves slashed our tires so we’d be out of commission,” Hugh said.

  Damon dialed Valerie’s cell phone. “We need a plan of action, but first we need to know what’s going on inside.” Her cell rang and rang then went to a message box. “She’s not answering. We’ll have to go in blind.”

  At that moment three police cruisers skidded into the lot and parked askew. “I wished the kids had waited before calling those guys. I have a reputation for finding dead bodies and they always suspect me first.”

  “What about me? With too much stress I could morph,” Hugh said.

  Damon’s stomach knotted tighter. When he recognized the officers, his stress escalated another notch and he broke out in a sweat. Haywood swaggered toward him, his round face smug. His partner, Officer Montoya, a lean more amenable man, merely nodded.

  Haywood lowered his dark, impenetrable aviator sunglasses, and with narrowed brown eyes he glared at Damon. “I’ll be damned. You again? It seems whenever there’s trouble with wolves in this community you’re Johnny-on-the-spot. What do you know about all this?”

  “My daughter, CEO of this foundation, called me when she found the nightwatchman with his throat ripped out.” Damon, gratified he could hold his voice steady, met the officer’s piercing gaze.

  Haywood shifted his weight. “Her nameValerie Lamont?” The officer didn’t wait for an answer. “Your daughter requested a bomb squad. What’s that all about?”

  “She has good reason to believe there’s a bomb inside.”

  “And she’s still in there? Are all of you Lamonts nuts? Never mind. I’ll talk to her. Wait here.” He got out a megaphone and put it to his lips. “Ms. Lamont, this is Officer Haywood. I need you to come out and give me some information.”

  Damon shook his head. Was it the bomb threat that kept Haywood from immediately entering and checking out the situation and victim himself? And why didn’t he issue orders to search the building and possibly corner the killer? He looked old enough to be a retirement age. Was he being prudent or chicken?

  Suddenly, Damon heard the siren and a fire engine pulled onto the site. Men in protective gear ran toward them.

  They ordered Damon, Hugh, and the officers to wait outside.

  Damon shifted, aching to follow them. “My daughter’s in there!”

  “We’ll send her out. Just stay put.”

  “I’m Damon Lamont and I own
this building.”

  “We’ll let you know when it’s safe to enter,” the squad leader barked. Then he and his men disappeared inside the building.

  The bomb squad could tromp all over any evidence left by the killer. Damon turned to Officer Haywood, his heart pounding like a jack hammer. “My daughter and her assistant both think the killer is still in the building. I have to get to her.”

  Haywood wrinkled his brow. “Do you think this is a hostage situation?”

  “How would I know?” From dealing with Haywood in the past he knew the cop was a vindictive, inflexible, and unswayable block wall. “I just want to get my daughter and her assistant out of there before it becomes one or worse.”

  “Professionals are on the job,” Haywood growled in a superior tone. “Together, we’ll handle it.”

  Damon’s jaw muscle hardened and throbbed. He thought about pushing past the police. He turned to Hugh for support. But Hugh had disappeared.

  ****

  Valerie heard a helicopter, the swish of rotors beating the air, and then the thud of wheels touching down. “I think Dad and Uncle Hugh are here. Seconds later, she heard the sound of tires skidding into the lot and then the rumble of a fire engine. “More help’s here, yea.”

  Booted feet pounded toward them from the front entrance. A hoarse man’s voice called, “Anyone in here?”

  Before she could answer, Brian stiffened and clamped his hand over her mouth again. “Don’t say anything. I hear and smell a feral animal inside moving toward us.”

  When he removed his hand, she asked,“Reeves?”

  “Can’t tell.” Brian shoved her against the wall and crouched low with his letter opener ready to attack. His face tightened in determination.

  Valerie shallowed her breathing. Would Brian actually kill the wolf? She touched the filigree cross he’d placed around her neck. Would his morals let him deal the first blow? God, if he hesitates, please, please protect him.

  A black werewolf, in an erect, ape-like stance lumbered along the fringes of the room’s darkness. Brian’s hand closed tighter around the dagger letter opener.

  Then the wolf stepped out of the shadows. “Wait!” she cried. “It’s Uncle Hugh.”

  Brian’s face paled. Sweat broke out on his upper lip. “Oh, my God!”

  Her knees felt weak. She pressed past the emotional backlash. “We have to get my uncle outta here before the authorities see him. They’ll think he killed the watchman.”

  “I’ll handle it,” Brian said.

  She watched stunned as he used a hard Karate jab to the head to immobilize and knock her uncle down. “What the devil are you doing?”

  Without hesitation or bothering to answer, Brian rolled her unconscious uncle into a carpet. He hoisted Uncle Hugh and the heavy carpet over his shoulder. “Now,” he asked, can we get the hell out of here and leave the bomb and murder to the experts?”

  ****

  Reeves headed back to the safety of the dorm, growling inside his head. Valerie was proving to be more of a challenge then he’d first thought. She made quick and decisive decisions that fouled him. And that lightweight alpha was sticking to her like glue. He slipped into the shadows, vowing that next time he’d find a way to get inside the mansion. Again, he thought of Kyle. Valerie seemed to like and trust Kyle. It appeared everyone did. Now all he had to do was find the man’s Achilles’ heel.

  ****

  Damon’s mouth dropped open. Valerie and Brian were running from the side entrance of the building. Brian carried a rolled up carpet. Whatever they were up to didn’t matter—she and Brian were safely out of the building and heading for the chopper.

  He had to distract the police. He started into the building. Haywood grabbed him by the arm. “Where do you think you’re going?”

  “Didn’t you hear it? I think the bomb squad leader called us.”

  Haywood pushed him outside and hesitantly entered. Morales and the others watched, looking ready to join Haywood if needed. Damon took a deep breath. “Since you guys won’t let me in, I’m going home.”

  Distracted by their concern about what might be going on in the building, they didn’t even glance at him. Damon ran across the parking lot and met Brian and Valerie, wondering how much trouble he’d caused for himself. “What’s up, kids?” He tried to play it cool while his heart thundered in his ears.

  “Uncle Hugh is rolled up inside the carpet. We had to get him out of there—he has morphed into a werewolf.”

  “Quick, get into the chopper,” Damon ordered. “And—”

  “You all go,” Valerie said, folding her arms and lifting her chin high. “I called the authorities and as your responsible CEO, I have to stay and face the music. The police are inside looking for me and Brian, perhaps suspecting that it might be a hostage situation. Leaving would be a careless, unsafe thing to do. Especailly for the dedicated men inside searching for us while

  fearing a bomb might be ticking inside.

  Damon’s jaw tightened. “Dammit, you can dance your be responsible tune another time. There’s no way I’m leaving you behind.” With a groan, he grabbed the carpet and its contents from Brian and tossed it into the chopper.” He met Brian’s gaze. “Get her.”

  Before she could run, Brian grabbed Valerie and threw her over his shoulder.

  She pounded his back. “You’ll both regret this,” she said. “If you force me to leave, there will be repercussions not only from me but worse yet, from the police.”

  Brian grabbed a grip bar, and with a hard boost from Damon pulled himself and his captive into the craft.

  Damon followed. “Good man,” he said.

  The police, obviously hearing the commotion, glanced toward them with puzzled expressions. Then, Morales and another cop were running toward them. “Stop!” Morales shouted.

  Damon gave the thumb-up lift off signal to the pilot. “We’ll pretend we didn’t hear them. We can straighten this all out with the authorities later.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Reeves paced the floor of the dorm. Damn her. Valerie wasn’t the same girl since her sister left the nest. Now she was more of a challenge than Victoria. Her quick, decisive decisions had proven that. And that lightweight alpha was a big pain in the ass. Doubt constricted Reeves’ chest like a straightjacket. He didn’t know if he could switch bodies. If that failed, his next hope was that the lovable Kyle was corruptible. Most men were greedy and had an Achilles’ heel.

  Reeves poured a shot of moon-poppy extract he’d learned to make while in Dr. Simon L Lazar’s body. He mixed the spinach flavored extract with bourbon to kill the taste. The extract should keep him under control until he was ready to attempt jumping from one body to another. He held his glass high and toasted. “Here’s to success!” He snickered. “And a lot of help from my buddy, the Devil.”

  ****

  While in flight Dad and Brian unrolled Uncle Hugh from the carpet and tried to revive him. Valerie got the smelling salts from the medical kit, drew his head onto her lap, and held the salts close to his nose. He jerked and then sank back into unconsciousness.

  As usual, Dad took control. He’d called ahead and when they set down, help was waiting. He and Brian lifted Uncle Hugh out of the craft, carried him inside, and laid him on the couch.

  Valerie watched the scene unfolding in the mansion living room while still seething about her forced removal from the foundation grounds.

  Mom handed Victoria an ice-pack. Victoria pulled Uncle Hugh’s head onto her lap and placed the ice-pack on his forehead. His eyes blinked open. “Uncle Hugh, I made you a jug of tea with moon poppy herbs.”

  “I don’t like tea,” he muttered.

  “Drink it! It’ll help you let go of the stress that caused you to morph. Drink it down as fast as you can and mentally reverse your morphing process.”

  Uncle Hugh still looked dazed. “Are you kidding me?” In spite of his apparent doubt, he drank down the moon poppy tea thirstily.

  He glanced up a a
t Brian. “Say, Buddy, you wield a mean punch. I saw stars and then nothing. Then, I got a jolt of smelling salts. But it wasn’t until I got a whiff of Victoria’s womanly scent that I completely snapped back to life.”

  Rick, who was leaning against the nearby wall, laughed. “Yeah, her fragrance is superior to smelling salts and defintely engages all a guy’s senses.

  Valerie frowned. What’s wrong with my scent? The joking was obviously a man thing to reduce tension, but she wasn’t ready to let hers go. She glared at Brian. “Uncle Hugh better be all right.”

  “I didn’t mean to hit him so hard,” Brian said. “But I needed to knock him out to speed things up. I was under a lot of stress and was afraid I’d morph, too. Then I couldn’t have gotten us out of there.”

  “You went entirely too far, Brian.” She regreted her bitchiness, but not enough to back off. “I don’t dig the man-handling, rough stuff. And I’m really burned that you and Dad treated me like a…a…bubble-headed blonde rather than a responsible CEO of the New Beginnings Foundation.”

  Brian stared at her wide-eyed. “I’ve never thought of you as anything but terrific and totally capable. But being aware of the double edged sword—morphing any minute and the fact that I didn’t know where Reeves was—there was no way I could leave you there.”

  Uncle Hugh raised up from Victoria’s lap, his lupine features smoothing out and looking more human. “Reeves wasn’t still in the building. I sniffed out the whole place. I found the bomb in the basement with enough explosives to take out half of the block and any passing cars. Inspite of the extensive construction knowledge and implosion experience I gain while running my construction business, my clawed hands made the touchy operation sheer insanity. Still, with only seconds left on the clock, I had to chance it and disconnect the wires and disengage the triggering device. But I’m glad you called the bomb squad. They’ll dispose of the bomb properly.

  Valerie felt a shudder flutter through her. “You saved a lot of lives, Uncle Hugh. You’re a hero.”