Skin Deep (A DarkWorld Novel - Book 1) (The DarkWorld Series)

by Ayer, T. G.

  "We'll know more once the autopsy is done, but they’ll figure out something’s different. We have the animal inside us. It’ll be in our genes. They'll do the blood tests, find the anomalies and then—"

  "Then they'll search the city, ripping it wide open until they find every one of you people." He'd remained silent until now. Samuel Collins leaned against a wall at the back of the crowd, one foot against the wall. He casually cleaned his fingernails with the blade of a small knife, head down, face hidden by a fall of oily black hair. If I hadn't recognized the voice, it would’ve seemed like he hadn’t spoken.

  "They don't know anything yet. We may be able to avoid it by being careful. And by looking out for each other." Anjelo's last words held a hard edge, a message to Samuel—his opinion was not the only one that counted.

  "I've always said something like this would happen. These abominations will be our ruin." Samuel's rant began to take on an evangelical quality as he faced the crowd and spewed his thoughts. His position at the rear of the crowd had been deliberate. The whole group had turned to him when he spoke. The entire gathering now focused on him instead of Anjelo.

  Samuel, one of the more abrasive clan members, often vocalized his distrust of paranormals, including the Walkers. Scarier yet was the fact he had scored a few followers. They stood at the front of the group, amen-ing his claims as he spoke, staring at his face twisted with an enraged fervor, which seemed to incite any underlying prejudices the listeners may have. Samuel had been one of the oldest homeless people taken in by Storm and despite his dislike of paranormals, had remained with City Deep, probably for the comfort and security Storm provided. He liked to stir trouble when the opportunity presented itself.

  Usually Storm quelled his rages. I looked at him on the other side of Anjelo.

  He eyed Samuel beneath a fringe of thick lashes, as if contemplating the heated words, yet allowed the man to pour out the venom. My fear was Collins would infect other susceptible members, but Storm seemed unconcerned. In fact, most of the crowd now seemed not to react much to Samuel's voice or his words, as if they barely heard the words at all.

  I watched Storm and my skin tingled as a premonitory feeling filled me. I was about to witness something strange and amazing. Storm turned to me when Samuel's voice came to a sudden stop, as if he ran out of breath and things to say all at once. Storm smiled a knowing expression. I wanted to ask him what he'd done, but it wasn't the time or the place.

  Anjelo began fielding questions from the chattering group, while I succumbed to my thoughts. Samuel's words rang in my head. From blood tests and the unique gene capable of identifying the Walkers and whatever hematological studies those blood samples would undergo, to the frightening possibility of what may lie in store for Walkers should the news of our existence become public knowledge.

  My heart knocked against my chest, the sound vibrating though my ribs. My blood would also be among those samples sent to the labs.

  They'd soon figure out the identity of the second person who’d been shot on the scene and Agent Westin would be knocking on my door. I wondered how I'd feel about seeing him again. The twist in my heart confirmed the hurt was still raw.

  I wondered if his team would figure it out. Come straight for me. I feared their treatment of me. Humans were not known for their compassion for things they didn’t understand. They'd been afraid of Magyk—so afraid they burned people they feared possessed such abominable power. What would they do if they knew Walkers existed? I refused to think about it and focused on the room and the people clamoring for answers to their questions.

  ***

  The crowd dispersed quickly and soon only Anjelo, Lily and myself remained. I stayed on the aluminum seat, giving the couple some privacy as they stood near the platforms edge, expecting them to leave with the rest.

  "I hope you’re happy now." Lily's sharp words jarred my reverie. I'd been thinking about obsidian eyes and electric touches.

  "What?"

  "All you think about is yourself. Did you even stop to think you may be endangering Anjelo?" Lily closed the distance between us and jabbed her finger at my chest. She was dangerously close to getting herself knocked on her ass. One look at Anjelo confirmed he knew exactly what would happen if she didn't get out of my face. Soon. He gripped her arm and tugged her back.

  "Lily. Shut up before you say something that gets you in trouble."

  "Do you seriously think I'm afraid of your goody-two-shoes Alpha princess?" She threw his arm off and déjà vu struck. I'd done the very same to Logan last night. Lily turned on me again. "Just because you're an Alpha doesn't give you the right to traipse around, endangering other people. Who do you think you are?"

  "Lily, get a hold of yourself. You're beginning to sound crazy. Who does Kailin think she is? You really want to know?" He rounded on her, not bothering to wait for her to response. "Kailin is my Alpha."

  Lily face paled. But only for a few seconds.

  "So what? You aren't in your clan any more. She has no right to endanger you like this. Just because she always gets her pampered way doesn't mean you need to be at her beck and call." Garish splotches of color dotted her pale face.

  Usually an attractive blond, Lily’s stress showed. Sure, Anjelo had been in a tiny bit of danger while helping me, but I'd called him after and he sounded fine. My heart still tap-danced in my throat, and I recognized the familiar stab of disappointment beneath my layers of emotional armor. I wasn't easily liked. I didn't make friends quickly, either.

  Grow up. Not everyone has to like you.

  Still, no sense in denying my disappointment. Involving Anjelo in my mess could jeopardize his relationship. Regardless of Lily hating my guts, I wouldn't dare cause Anjelo any pain.

  I turned and left. Confrontation usually got me in terrific trouble. I'd had the pleasure of providing a couple of bullying schoolmates with well-deserved bloody noses. Now, the platform behind me lay silent. At least Lily’s venom ran its course for the moment. I understood her fear well enough. She was protecting someone she cared for, and for a scary second, I envied Anjelo.

  I gritted my teeth as emotion burned in my throat. Going home alone again. Guess it was Fate.

  ***

  Chapter 16

  Logan sighed as he finished reading the lab reports. The dining table of Omega's Chicago apartment was littered with reports and photographs.

  Jess said, "Yes, I believe I felt a similar frustration to you when I read the report."

  "It's strange. Why would the bullets match? This means the shooters who left the body in the garden are the same ones who shot at Kailin. Are they trying to kill her or frighten her off?" Logan rubbed his forehead and scraped his fingers through his hair.

  "Do you think Miss Odel was the target all along and perhaps she is lying to you about not being in the garden when the body was dumped?" Jess's face gave away nothing of her own opinion.

  "It's very likely." Logan nodded. "What if she witnessed the body being left in the garden and the killers saw her and tried to get rid of her? She'd hardly be inclined to share that information with us would she?"

  "And the second shooting would no doubt mean she knows she is a target and-"

  "And that means she's even less likely to share information with me." Logan groaned. Interacting with the enigmatic Kailin Odel wasn't all fun and games. She was a decidedly frustrating woman. And she was hiding something from him. Whatever it was he meant to find out.

  Logan leaned forward and scanned the paperwork. The initial tests had found a drug in the victim's blood, that much they knew already. The toxicology report had finally arrived. Results confirmed. Neurotoxins capable of affecting brain function in a Walker regardless of species.

  A drug in the system of the dead Skinwalker meant a substance on the streets that could drug a Walker. Something their background checks had claimed was not possible. No known drug had ever been able to knock out a Walker of any clan. Now they had proof such a drug existed and was infil
trating the streets. The papers Logan held in his hand were quite clear - the drug was instantaneously addictive.

  Logan rubbed his eyes. "But I thought there were no drugs on the market capable of affecting a Walker."

  "Apparently not. We have this." Jess held out another file. "Murdoch has pulled some files for us. Word on the street is there is a drug invading the clubs."

  Logan flipped through the file. "Well, we can't know if the victim used the drug for pleasure or if the killer used it to subdue the victim. Whatever the drug is, it wasn't in the victim's blood for very long. So either it's something the killer gave him to knock him out. Or the victim had taken the drug and been abducted very soon after." He sighed again, frustrated. Then he spoke almost to himself. "A drug that's addictive to a Walker… That’s huge."

  "So far it has just been rumor, but it seems to fit."

  Logan nodded. "Yeah, not likely for a Walker to go to the police and complain about drugs that suddenly have the power to waste them. But if it's already known there is a drug in supply, then this tox report may link the drug to the killer." Then he went silent for moment. "What we need is an undercover Walker."

  "Someone to infiltrate the clubs?" asked Jess.

  "Yeah, someone to flush out the dealers." Logan felt adrenalin surge through his veins. This was something they could actually do, as opposed to just reviewing lab reports and banking on rumors "Do we even have Walkers in Omega? I haven't met any yet."

  "We do." Jess nodded. "But not many. They don't trust humans easily. So they like to keep their interaction to the minimum. I will see if we can bring one in." Jess was already pulling her phone out to make the call.

  Logan rose and grabbed his jacket from the stand behind the door. "I'm going to pay our target a little visit."

  ***

  Logan poked at the doorbell. It barely rang before the door opened.

  Kailin gave him a cool smile. "Agent Westin. What can I do for you today?"

  He raised an eyebrow at the formality, but then recalled his abrupt departure from his last visit. "I never did get that signature."

  "Must have been the exploding tires and flying bullets that distracted you," Kailin said as she opened the door wider and waved him in. For a moment Logan stood inside the door, unsure of how much he should say. "Please come in and have a seat. Maybe you can have that something hot you declined the other day?"

  "I'd love that." Logan saw a flash of something in her eyes as he spoke. Had she been disappointed he hadn’t stayed last time? His stomach clenched with the memory of that night. He'd wanted to stay. Really wanted to. But she was possibly witness to a crime. The last thing he needed was to blur the lines between work and emotion.

  He grabbed a stool at the kitchen counter and waited while she pottered about making coffee.

  "So where do I sign?" Kailin asked as she set his steaming mug on the table in front of him.

  Logan drew a rolled up file from his jacket pocket and removed a sheet of paper. He slid it across to her and fished inside his pocket again for a pen. "Take your time and read it again if you like."

  When Kailin picked up the pen and leaned forward to sign the statement Logan said, "Are you sure there's nothing in there that you want to change?"

  Kailin's head shot up and her shoulders went stiff. Her eyes narrowed, tension fairly radiated off her. "What do you mean? I told you everything I knew."

  "I just want to be sure. New evidence has come to light that makes me consider you a possible target. You may be in danger."

  "What do you mean 'new evidence'?"

  "We've had the bullet test results back. We also compared the bullets from the garden to the ones from the day you were shot at." Logan swallowed, keeping his eyes on Kailin’s face as the blood drained from it. He'd give anything to know what she was thinking. "The bullets match. We can confirm that at least one of the shooters from both nights is the same person. Is there anything you need to tell me?"

  She hesitated, fear tightening her features. "No. No, I told you everything I know."

  "Kailin, we have proof that the people who tried to kill you are the same as from the night of the body dump." Logan leaned forward and asked softly, "Were they shooting at you?"

  "No, of course not." She threw her shoulders back, an air of confidence slipped over her face, controlled and calm. She looked down at the statement and scribbled her signature without the slightest hesitation. Logan had to give her credit for getting herself back under control.

  "Well if you do want to make any changes to the statement you can always call me." He laid a card on the table. He'd given her one already but he knew people rarely hung on to them unless they were already of the mind to contact him.

  She picked it up and frowned. "So what exactly is this 'Omega'? Sounds a bit ominous, like FBI or CIA but stranger."

  Logan wanted to smile. She was pretty astute. Although the card didn't use the word 'paranormal' the very name lent itself to the unusual. "You’re close. You could say we’re like the FBI for the strange."

  "For strange what?" She scowled as she asked the question.

  "Strange, unusual happenings. Weird things that go bump in the night."

  Kailin laughed but she couldn’t hide the strident pitch of the sound that said he'd touched a nerve. She knew more than she was telling and her reaction made him fairly certain she wasn't one of the totally blind humans who had no idea Paranormals even existed.

  "Strange, unusual and weird. Doesn't seem like that's much of a job," she said, looking down at the card again. Then she placed it beside the telephone on the counter.

  "You'd be surprised. Just today we received confirmation of a strange drug that’s infiltrating the Chicago streets."

  "Aren't there always drugs on the street?"

  "Yeah, but remember I deal with the strange and unusual and this drug affects a group of people who throughout history have been known to be unaffected by either drugs or alcohol."

  Kailin's eyes widened. He'd hit a nerve. "I guess you're right then. Those would be pretty strange people. Isn't everyone affected by drugs and alcohol? And even caffeine?" She lifted her mug and took a sip.

  Logan figured he wasn't going to get anything further from her. "In any case, I will make sure you are safe. Call me if you need to go out and I'll send an officer with you."

  She shook her head and came around the counter to stand beside him. She looked about ready to throw him out the door. "That's very generous of you, but I can take care of myself."

  Logan rose to his feet, and was suddenly nearer to her than he'd expected. He hadn't realized she stood so close, but he certainly wasn't complaining.

  ***

  His proximity charged the air between us; my body tensed in response. Energy simmered in the slim space between our bodies. Heat and electricity swirled. Time turned on itself or stood still. I wasn't sure.

  He didn't back away. Why wasn't he backing away? And for that matter, why wasn't I backing away? I hadn't realized how close I'd stood to him. At the time I'd just wanted to get him out of my apartment, my head spinning with matching bullets and strange drugs and my name on someone’s hit list.

  I swallowed hard and would’ve taken a step back, but he curled his hand around my neck. Any resistance I had crumbled into nothing. He lowered his head, incapable as I was of resisting the pull.

  Our lips touched, a brief meeting of the softest flesh and the most heated of breaths. I melted against him. Fire raced through my veins when he deepened the kiss. Our bodies drew closer, fitting so well nothing could get between us. My heart pounded in my chest and I ignored my Panther as it clawed for release.

  Both wanting more, we drew closer. Too close to the edge not to jump. Hot breath mingled and heartbeats thundered between us. And, just as suddenly, white-hot energy surged from his mouth, through my veins, searing me alive. It filled my body, a delicate burn, strong, powerful but gentle as it surged through my veins.

  Then I was pushed back, away
from him, repelled by some invisible energy rush. I frowned. What a strange thing. Like an electric shock but duller and more powerful.

  I should’ve welcomed the abrupt end to our interlude. I didn't need this complication in my life. But what was with the weird heat? My nerves still tingled with the remnants of it.

  He stared at me, his face filled with remorse and regret.

  And fear.

  Great, all I had to do was kiss a guy and he ran for the hills. Nice going, Odel.

  I backed against the wall, hoping I'd reached the door and be able to retain some composure.

  "I'm sorry. That shouldn't have happened." Logan reached for my arm.

  I jerked his hand off me, shaking my head. "No need to be sorry. I'm pretty exhausted after all this excitement. Think I'll get some z's." I injected a little bit of light-and-breezy into my voice hoping he'd assume this incident was nothing I'd get all upset about.

  "I'm not sure what just happened. Did I hurt you?" His face twisted with concern. But I didn't care. It wasn't often I got close to someone, especially in an intimate way. And I'd just been rebuffed. Wonderful. I wanted to crawl into a dark place and lick my wounds. All my wounds. Including the newest one traced across my heart courtesy of Agent Westin.

  Suck it up. It was a mistake. Move on.

  "I'm fine, Logan. And thank you. You saved my life, I won't forget." Chin up, voice clear. I sounded pretty convincing.

  Logan scowled; maybe he still worried about the flare of energy blasting both our bodies' seconds before. I'd rather forget the incident. There wouldn't be a repeat of said activity. Lesson learned.

  My searching fingers found the doorknob and I almost flung it open. "Thank you for coming." He was still standing beside the counter. "Oh, and don't forget your statement."

  He grabbed the paper and shoved it into the file. Then he walked toward me, rolling it up and stuffing it back into his pocket, all the while looking a little uncomfortable, a little lost, and a little afraid. What did he need to be afraid for?

  He paused at the doorway. "Lock up tight. Be careful and don't go anywhere alone." Back to being the professional.