Nevermore: Crossbreed series book 6

by Dannika Dark

  I turned the bottle in a circle. Something had been weighing on my mind, and I wanted my father’s take on it. “Christian saved me from the fire.”

  “That’s what partners do, isn’t it?”

  I slowly looked up. “No. He saved me from the fire that killed my mother.”

  A thunderstruck silence followed. His eyes were wide and unblinking. “What the hell was he doing there?” Crush growled.

  “It’s not like that. Christian had nothing to do with the fire. He was outside and had intended to keep walking until he heard me crying for help. I was standing in the window, and I remember a crowd of people watching from below. He ran through fire to get to me. The floor was ready to collapse, and if I’d stayed in there any longer, I’d be dead.”

  Crush closed his eyes for a long time. I couldn’t read the emotions playing on his face. Neither of us liked talking about that night. My memories were too vivid, and he’d never wanted the full picture painted of what I’d survived and what my mother had not. Crush leaned to the left and stroked his goatee several times.

  I took a deep breath. “Finding that out changed everything. He’s an immortal who’s seen his fair share of death, and you know how most of them feel about humans. He could have kept walking that night, but he didn’t. When my maker erased those memories, Christian and I had to start over with our relationship.”

  “Your maker did what?”

  “That’s a long story, and I don’t want to get sidetracked. When I lost that memory of Christian telling me about our connection, something always felt like it was missing. Learning about the fire really changed the way I saw him. Not just because of the selfless act, but there’s this debt of gratitude every survivor carries when someone saves their life. It never goes away. And what makes it worse is I don’t know if that’s the reason I love him.”

  “Maybe it just made it easier.” Crush sighed. “I can’t tell you how to feel. I can’t even explain how love works. And I sure as hell can’t tell you what the right thing to do is. It’s your life, Raven. You gotta follow your own heart and do whatever makes sense.”

  “Nothing makes sense.”

  “If what you say is true, then I owe him. It doesn’t mean I’ll freely give him my approval if he ever grows the balls to ask, but maybe I owe him the benefit of the doubt. The only thing I don’t want to see is you giving up on yourself. I love you, Cookie, but you don’t belong here anymore. You need to be out there doing superhero shit and saving the world.”

  I climbed to my feet and gave him a heartfelt hug. Crush tightened his arms the way he always did when he meant it.

  “Can I borrow your gun?” I asked.

  He chuckled and let go. “What Breed is she?”

  I straightened up. “It’s not for Lenore. I’ll deal with her later.”

  “So why do you want a pistol?”

  “I need to get General his money to keep him out of our hair until I get the rest. I don’t trust meeting him unarmed, not after the stunts he pulled on you and Switch.”

  “Bedroom closet.”

  I snorted and collapsed on the sofa. “Well, I’m not about to get mauled by Switch’s wolf, so it’ll have to wait until morning.”

  Crush lifted the remote and switched on the television. “What’s a few hours? Gunsmoke is running a marathon. When the sun comes up, I’ll make Pop-Tarts and juice, just like old times. Then I’ll give you a box of bullets so you can blast a few holes in those sons of bitches.”

  “I love you, Daddy.”

  He winked. “What’s not to love?”

  I tossed a pillow at him and laughed as we settled in to watch old Westerns for the next two hours.

  CHAPTER 20

  “Do you want some coffee?” I called out from the kitchen.

  After watching Gunsmoke reruns, Crush had made my breakfast before writing down General’s contact information on a napkin. He was getting around a little easier, but I could tell he was still sore. Sleep was a lost cause, so after eating, I’d gone into the kitchen and put on a pot of coffee, hoping the aroma would wake Switch up.

  “Daddy?”

  I peered around the wall and caught sight of him fast asleep in his recliner. After taking the remote control from his hand, I covered him up with a blanket and switched off the corner lamp. The curtains were drawn, making it dim enough for him to enjoy a long nap. The poor guy needed it. I collected his breakfast plate and carried it to the sink, deciding to wash the dishes later on so I wouldn’t wake him up. I veered into the laundry room and grabbed a change of clothes from the dryer. With a wide yawn, I crossed the hall into the bathroom, draped the clothes over the sink, and then stripped down to my underwear.

  Crush didn’t own a hamper. Never had. He just tossed his dirties into the washer and turned it on whenever it got full. So I rushed back to the laundry room, stepped out of my panties, and dropped all my clothes into the washer. I contemplated a shower but didn’t want to waste time when I had important things to do. Since Crush lacked storage space, I’d put all the clothes he’d bought me on the dryer, neatly folded. I slipped on a pair of the white panties he’d picked out and couldn’t help but laugh at how big they were. When I crossed the hall toward the bathroom, I bumped into Switch.

  A very naked Switch.

  His tousled hair hung sexily around his face as he pinned me against the wall with his smoldering brown eyes. He bit his bottom lip slowly, and as he stepped nearer, his cock began to swell.

  “You saved me,” he said, his voice husky and amorous.

  “You were bleeding on the porch. All I did was drag you inside. Ren’s the one who got you to shift.”

  He drew closer but didn’t touch. His body heat bounced off me as he anchored his arm against the wall. It reminded me that I was topless, but my black hair modestly covered my breasts. Switch pinched my chin and tilted it up. He leaned in close as if to kiss me, his lips wanton and gaze ravenous.

  My whole body flushed as I prepared for a sultry kiss. It was exactly what I needed as revenge after what I’d witnessed last night between Christian and Lenore.

  Suddenly things weren’t so grim.

  I had options.

  My hand flew up to his chest. “Wait.”

  He tilted his head to the side, eyes hooded. “I’ve waited long enough.”

  Knowing that this connection between us could be as permanent or temporary as I wanted, I realized my heart was still tethered to Christian’s in a way that couldn’t be undone.

  “I don’t want this,” I admitted.

  He backed up a step, his arousal retreating in solidarity. “Now or ever?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know, Switch. I can’t plan forever. I can’t even plan my day. You’re a sexy guy, no doubt about it. In another life, I would have been a lucky girl.”

  “I’m not just offering sex.”

  “We’re different people. I saw the look in your eyes when I told you I was a killer. I relish what I do, and there’s no giving it up. I need a man who can accept me completely—past, present, and future.”

  “Look around. I’m the only one here at present. Are you still stuck on the one who’s in the past?”

  I shoved my way around him and shut the bathroom door so I could get dressed.

  “Raven, I’m sorry,” he said outside the door.

  I put on a white cotton shirt with long black sleeves. “I don’t have time for distractions. I have a thug to pay off before he burns down my father’s trailer.”

  “Want company?”

  I buttoned my jeans. “Don’t you have a job?”

  “The kids can wait. Your life can’t.”

  After I flipped my hair out from beneath my collar, I opened the door.

  Switch glanced down at my shirt, and his lips twitched. “I prefer the drummer?”

  I decided not to explain. “Why didn’t you shift last night? I mean during the fight, when General showed up.”

  He rubbed his head. “Five lions against one wolf.
Who do you think wins?”

  “Your wolf can outrun lions, can’t it?”

  “Maybe. But that would have meant leaving Crush to fend for himself.”

  “They could have killed you.”

  “I can outsmart them in human form, or run inside to get a weapon.” He dipped his chin. “I never got that far.”

  The memory of him lying on the steps flashed in my mind, and I got chills. “Can you do me a favor and call Wizard? Ask if he’s coming over to finish up repairs. If not, see if you can find something for them to do. I don’t want to leave Crush alone, and not just because he’s conked out in his chair.”

  “You got it.”

  When I went into the bedroom, I tossed Switch’s pants into the hall so he could get dressed.

  When I caught sight of the sleeping pills on the bedside table, I screwed the lid back on and hid them in the drawer. I didn’t think he’d be taking any more after last night, but maybe I needed to put the addictive stuff out of sight. Aspirin tablets were scattered everywhere, so I gathered them up and funneled them back into the bottle.

  “You really made a mess in here,” I muttered, picking up all the stuffing from a pillow Switch’s wolf had shredded.

  Once I tidied the room, I slid open the closet door and gaped at Crush’s gun rack on the left side. A shotgun seemed excessive, so I grabbed one of his pistols and found the magazines that went with it. The gun was solid black with a grip safety.

  “Can you rack the slide on that?” Switch asked from the doorway.

  “Huh?”

  He put on his shirt. “Please tell me you’ve shot a gun before.”

  “I’m a knife girl.”

  He came up behind me and squatted. “Put in your magazine like this. Hold the grip, finger off the trigger. Keep it close to your body, angled to the side. Put your palm against the slide, like this.” Switch wrapped his arms around me to position my hands. “Now grip it with all fingers and pull it back, but use your back muscles.”

  “Fucking hell,” I grunted. “Doesn’t he just have a gun that shoots?”

  “If you can’t even rack the slide, don’t use it. Not without practice at a gun range. Only carry weapons you’re comfortable using. What about the revolver? That’s pretty old school.”

  “I refuse to walk up looking like Dirty Harry.”

  “Might be a good look. Show me the magazine release.”

  Frustrated, I stood up. “Why don’t you take the handgun and I’ll take the shotgun?”

  “Works for me.”

  “Hold the phone…” I reached in the back and discovered a leather sheath. When I pulled the handle and revealed a machete, a smile touched my lips.

  Switch gripped my shoulder. “It’s definitely you.”

  WHEN I CALLED GENERAL, he agreed to meet us near Arrowhead Bridge. I was familiar with that area since it wasn’t too far from the Bricks. It was the same bridge where I’d struck a bargain with Houdini not that long ago. Instead of taking my truck, Switch insisted on driving us on his motorcycle. It was a good plan. If anything went down and we had to make a quick escape, the bike gave us more options.

  The leather sheath for my machete had loops to secure it on a belt, but since I didn’t have a belt, I had to dig in Crush’s closet for the smallest one I could find. Cognito had a lot of interesting open carry laws when it came to weapons, so it made it easier to get around in the human district.

  I nuzzled against Switch, my face warm inside the helmet as he hugged the turns while racing to our destination. It was another bleak day, and the weatherman on the television this morning mentioned the possibility of snow later in the week.

  Switch reached a picnic area by the water and slowed his bike. Since he’d lent me his helmet, I’d given him one of Crush’s black beanie hats that he sometimes wore in the dead of winter and a pair of sunglasses. I had to admit that Switch looked like a well-built assassin.

  Especially with the dark shades and the gun strapped to his waist.

  He deliberately put distance between General’s men and us as he parked his bike. General was leaning against the red pickup, arms folded and his long hair tucked beneath a black hat similar to Switch’s. My teeth chattered from an icy wind that skated across the river and cooled my neck as I took off the helmet.

  I dismounted the bike and set my helmet down before Switch had a chance to shut off the engine.

  Three of General’s brothers were sitting on the edge of the truck bed. They looked like a bunch of guys waiting for a long summer day to end and didn’t concern me as much as the one wandering off to the side. His eyes were shifty and his hands were in his pockets.

  Switch crossed in front of me and stood to my left, creating a buffer between Shifty Eyes and me. He drew his gun but aimed it at the ground.

  General settled his eyes on Switch and sneered. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”

  The plastic bag with the money swung from my left hand, but General’s eyes were on the machete secured to my hip.

  I gripped the handle. “I’ve got your down payment. Are you going to back off while I get the rest of your money? Because if you kill me, you won’t get a dime.”

  “Who said I planned to kill you?”

  “If you kill anyone in my life, I’ll hunt you down. Don’t underestimate me for a second. I can be your worst nightmare.”

  A grin hovered on his lips as if he welcomed the challenge.

  I slung the bag over to his feet. “There’s a hundred grand in there. Feel free to count it.”

  He bent over and removed one stack at a time, thumbing through the bills. “Large bills? How am I supposed to spend this?”

  “That’s not my problem. Take it to your banker. You didn’t specify denominations, but I’d be more than happy to make the next payment in quarters.”

  He shoved the money back in the bag and let it swing from his hand as he approached. Ten feet separated us, then five.

  “That’s far enough,” Switch ordered, gun in hand. “And don’t think I brought this just for show.”

  I looked at him and lowered my voice. “Just don’t shoot the truck.”

  General tugged his hat over his ears. “When do I get the rest?”

  “I don’t know exactly, but probably this week. It’s contingent on something.”

  “That’s what they all say.”

  “What do you care? A delay just means more money in your pocket.”

  General gripped his jaw with one hand and held the back of his head with the other before cracking his neck. When he finished, he stretched his neck both ways and looked between us. “I want an answer within the week.”

  “And you’ll leave me alone until then?”

  “Of course.”

  I narrowed my eyes after spotting the loophole. “And you’ll leave my family and friends alone until then?”

  “Now where’s the fun in that? Everyone needs a little motivation.”

  Switch suddenly fired the gun, and General’s brother hopped back. “Do you think that’s enough motivation for your clan to back off while we’re talking business?”

  General glared over his shoulder and swung the bag at his brother. “Get inside, Major.”

  His brother peered in the bag before walking around and climbing back into the driver’s seat.

  General dared to step closer. “I don’t like it when people give me ultimatums, so here’s yours: If you don’t give me a pay date within the week, I’ll set that trailer on fire. And if I don’t have the rest of my money—including interest—in my hand by Saint Patty’s Day, that no-good father of yours will become nothing more than DNA evidence.”

  Panic set in. Saint Patrick’s Day was right around the corner, and I was going to need the luck of the Irish if the next auction wasn’t for at least three more weeks. I’d have to come up with another plan if that one fell through.

  “Fine. You’ll have your money by Saint Patty’s.”

  He gave me a cocksure grin. “Let’s round
it off to a cool million.”

  This added a whole new level of fuckery to the situation. “That’s not the deal.”

  “The deal is what I say the deal is. I’ve been running after that no-good father of yours for long enough.”

  I brandished the machete and held the sharp blade to his neck. “Call him no-good one more time. I dare you.”

  He leaned into the blade. “One. Million. Dollars. If you can come up with a hundred that fast, a million isn’t impossible. I have no doubt you’re a resourceful hustler.”

  Blood dribbled down his throat, but he didn’t back away.

  It was pointless cutting deals with a man like this. He’d only continue upping the stakes. “Fine. One million by Saint Patrick’s Day. But stay away from us until then.” I inched forward, my voice tight. “And I want my daddy’s truck back as part of the deal.”

  “No.”

  “It’s just a truck.”

  “Keep cutting deals and we’ll make it two million.”

  This wasn’t in the brochure.

  I lowered the blade. “Fine.”

  He wiped his neck and then looked at the blood on his fingertips, a sardonic smile widening on his face. “You got balls, I’ll give you that.” General swaggered back to the truck and opened the door. “Hope you find that pot of gold in time.”

  His brothers cackled as they sped off.

  I reached for the gun and tried to wrestle it from Switch’s hand. “Give it to me!”

  He held it high out of reach. “Let it go, Raven. You’ll just make it worse.”

  “Dammit!” I kicked the ground, clumps of dirt and dead grass flying.

  “I thought you had a plan.”

  “I don’t know how long that plan will take to execute. And one million? Where the hell did he come up with that number?”

  “He’s a shark. Their eyes roll back when they smell blood in the water. Or in this case, money.”

  “If they don’t have an auction scheduled within the next three weeks, I’m screwed. The black market won’t pay as much for what I’m selling. In fact, I don’t even think they’d buy it.”