by Crissy Smith
In the old days, he’d be going up and down the streets and alleys, hoping to come across a paranormal creating trouble. Now there was a lot more investigating than there’d ever been before. Kieran was still hunting late at night or when no one else knew. Actually, both Remy and Dakota probably knew Kieran didn’t just come across the situations that led him to call for a car to pick up suspects he’d taken down. Neither said anything to him, and he didn’t think they would unless he got hurt. And that wasn’t going to happen.
Remy pulled off to the side of the road and Kieran peered down at the drainage ditch and tunnels beyond. There didn’t seem to be anyone around, but he was still cautious when it came to his partner.
“Ready?” Remy asked.
“Where you meeting this guy?” Kieran questioned as he climbed out of the SUV.
“At the entrance. He’s sort of nervous about talking to me.”
“He should be,” Kieran muttered. He really didn’t like this. His gut was screaming at him that he and Remy were walking into a trap.
“Just go.” Remy waved him on.
The shadows deepened the closer Kieran and Remy got to the entrance of the tunnels. When Kieran had first arrived in Las Vegas, he’d had no idea there was an entire underground community beneath the city. Now he was more familiar with the area, he knew the dangers that lurked around him. He’d only been there once before, when he’d been tracking a thief who was a shifter and hiding out. The residents had been wary of him, but when Kieran had only taken his suspect and left them alone, they’d disappeared without trying to stop him. Kieran was thankful for that. He might be an asshole, but he never hurt innocents.
Still, coming down here again made Kieran nervous. Sure, most of the homeless people were harmless, but not all of them. There would always be an element of society that would abuse and take advantage of the less fortunate. Those types thrived in this environment.
“Are you sure about this contact?” Kieran asked his partner. Remy had great instincts when it came to investigating cases, which was why he was always the one to communicate with witnesses or potential suspects. In the past, when they’d worked with Angel as their third partner, Kieran hadn’t been brought in until Remy and Angel were ready to take down the bad guy.
But with the recent changes, he and Remy were now working in a new city, under a new boss, and Kieran served as Remy’s backup all the time. It wasn’t how Kieran liked to work, but for the moment he was playing nice. Or, at least, making it appear so. If his little prank earlier didn’t get him on Sparro’s shit list, Kieran didn’t know what would.
He was pressing his luck, but he needed to know how Sparro would handle him. Plus, he really did want the building Remy and Dakota worked in to be safe. He would not let anything happen to the two of them. So, while he was having some fun, there was a purpose behind it. He didn’t trust their safety to anyone but himself.
Kieran had trust issues, but after ten years of torture at the hands of shifters, that had to be expected. The other agents in the Organization avoided him at all costs, but Remy and Dakota had his back. Them, he trusted. Sparro and the others had yet to prove themselves to Kieran.
“Remy! Are you sure your contact is coming?” Kieran was getting a really bad feeling.
Remy shrugged, which really didn’t make Kieran feel any better. “He called the local Alpha, who passed on the message to us. The only time he could meet with us tonight was now. He’s a shifter also, so he should want to help us.”
Kieran grunted in response. He couldn’t tell Remy they’d probably be better off with fewer shifters in general. As much as he hated shifters, he found himself caring about a few of them, and that was fucking with his head.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Remy claimed as he waved a finger in Kieran’s face.
“Stop it.” Kieran smacked Remy’s hand away.
“Damn, I can’t believe you’re still so grumpy. I would have guessed getting laid regularly improved your disposition,” Remy bitched.
Instead of answering, Kieran peered around him. It was best not to encourage Remy when he brought up Dakota. Kieran’s partner loved the fact that after years of attempting to forget shifters even existed, Kieran was now living with one. Better to just focus on what had brought them out here in the middle of the night.
He could just make out the opening to the two tunnels that were supposed to be empty. This time of night, when the creatures came out to hunt, the tunnel people had worked out a safety program to watch out for one another. Kieran had discreetly kept an eye on them and found the people who lived there were very smart. So Kieran knew they were deep back, protected by traps they’d set. But even though Kieran expected them to be hidden, there was still an eerie feel around him.
It was weird how quiet it was. Even with his superior hearing, Kieran didn’t pick up the usual sounds that would echo around the abandoned area. He motioned to Remy, so his partner would stop giving him a hard time and pay attention. Remy did a little stutter step before nodding. Maybe Kieran wasn’t the only one feeling uneasy.
When Remy tilted his head up and sniffed, Kieran swiftly moved to press back to back with him. Years of having worked together in dangerous situations made it easy for him to anticipate what his partner would need. In the event Remy needed to shift, Kieran literally had his back.
“Something’s coming,” Remy whispered.
Kieran already knew that, so he didn’t bother to respond. He’d just picked up the faint sound of footsteps. He turned his head then narrowed his eyes and concentrated his gaze on the entrance to the right tunnel. The echoes seemed to be loud in the quiet, dark night, but Kieran knew very few would be able to pick them up like he and Remy could.
He took a deep breath, but all he could smell was the stink of body odor and old blood. Remy was already growling, which made the hair on the back of Kieran’s neck stand up.
“Do we attack?” Remy asked in a low murmur.
“Wait,” Kieran cautioned. While the situation didn’t feel normal, they couldn’t risk the chance of whoever was exiting the tunnels being human.
It didn’t take long for the shape of a man to appear, but Kieran knew right away this wasn’t a normal human. Neither was the person the figure was carrying.
“Stop!” Kieran ordered in his most commanding voice.
The figure stopped just outside the tunnel entrance. It was easier to see it was a young man, even with the black hoodie over his head and clenched tight around his face. But enough was visible. In his arms was the body of a small woman. Kieran couldn’t determine age, but he could see the female was at least still breathing.
“Put her down,” Kieran shouted. “Now!”
“I can’t,” the younger shifter called back. “I have to take them another one.”
“Keep his attention,” Remy whispered. “I’ll try to edge closer.”
“Be careful,” Kieran murmured. “He’s a bear shifter.”
“He’s also scared to death,” Remy replied. “He doesn’t want to hurt anyone.”
“We can help you,” Kieran told the bear shifter. “Just put her down and let us help you.”
“No,” the newcomer cried. “No one can. I’m in too deep now.”
Kieran relaxed his stance, certain, even though he didn’t know exactly what this kid was talking about, they could take care of this without violence. The more the bear shifter spoke, the more Kieran was certain he was young, no more than twenty, and Remy was right—he was scared. Kieran was sure this guy was involved with the missing shifters.
“Listen to me,” Kieran ordered. “It’s not too late.”
The kid laughed then. Threw his head back and howled. “Too late? It is for me and now for you too. We’re all screwed.”
A growl came from behind him and Kieran spun right before he was knocked back. He caught his balance then launched himself at his two attackers. They were shifters and one smelt like a feline, but Kieran couldn’t place the other right
away. It didn’t matter though. A Day Walker going up against shifters? The Walker would win every time, even if the two teamed up, which only the smart did. It would take at least four to bring him down. He took them both to the ground, but the feline was instantly back up.
The feline’s eyes widened as Kieran bared his teeth. He actually took a step back. Yeah, they hadn’t known he was a Walker. Probably pegged him as just being human. That had been a mistake.
Instead of giving up like Kieran had hoped, the feline crouched then leapt.
Kieran didn’t have time to check on Remy, but he could hear the battle going on behind him, and his partner’s grunt. Oh, this was fucking bullshit. They’d either been set up or had gotten lucky enough to see a shifter snatching up close and personal. Either way, these assholes were not going to get away with another victim.
“Fucker,” Kieran snarled when the feline managed to land a hard punch to Kieran’s jaw. Kieran drew back his arm and landed three quick jabs to the man’s temple, which took him out. He turned then crouched as the other shifter jumped at him. Kieran caught him by his neck and held him up with his legs dangling. Damn, a horse shifter. That species was strong, but they were also slow.
“Who are you working for?” Kieran asked as he tightened his grip.
“Not telling you!” the horse shifter spat.
Kieran yanked him close and let his eyes glow. Anyone who knew anything about Walkers would know about feeding.
“Shit! Get off me, you freak.” The horse shifter tried to claw at Kieran’s hand.
“Who are you working for?” Kieran repeated.
“You’ll find out soon enough,” the horse shifter replied. He grinned then kicked Kieran in the nuts.
“Fuck!” Kieran roared as his grip on his opponent loosened and he dropped to his knees. Yep, no matter the species of man, a solid kick in the balls was a good move. Kieran was used to real fighters and not elementary antics.
Before Kieran could recover, his feet were swept out from under him and he fell, hard. As he landed, his suspect leapt over him and ran toward the other fight involving Remy. Kieran rolled up onto his feet as he searched for the horse.
Remy was holding his own against what appeared to be yet another shifter. At least the bear shifter seemed to be down and the woman safely tucked into the entrance of the tunnels.
“Rem!” Kieran called in warning.
His partner ducked just in time to avoid a blow to the back of his head. Kieran yelled before he launched himself toward the group. The shifters scrambled away and started to run. Instead of following after them, Kieran went to his partner’s aid. Remy’s head was bleeding pretty badly. Kieran had no trouble fighting his urge for the liquid his body craved. When it came to his partner, the sight of Remy’s blood was enough to make him feel sick.
“I’m okay.” Remy waved him off. “Go check on the girl.”
Kieran made sure Remy’s wound was already closing up before he agreed. “All right, stay here.” He patted Remy on the back before he rushed to the tunnel entrance. Kieran wasn’t surprised when Remy pushed himself up off the ground and started to follow him.
The woman, an owl shifter by her scent, was still knocked out. Kieran bent and sniffed. They must have given her something to put her to sleep. He could pick up the faint trace of metal and saline. An odor that threatened to finish off his stomach and have him vomiting.
The memories, dark and scary, that went along with that scent had his head spinning and Kieran had to clench his teeth to fight to remain in control. As he breathed deeply, he kept his eyes open. He was afraid if he closed them, flashes from his past would assault him.
Once the sensation passed, Kieran laid the woman flat on her back and took her wrist to monitor her pulse. “We need to call for an ambulance.”
“And backup,” Remy agreed as he stood and pulled out his phone. “I don’t know what happened here, but this shit was fucked up. If we hadn’t been here…”
“Yeah,” Kieran replied. Remy didn’t need to finish the thought. Would someone have even reported the young woman missing? If she was living in the tunnels, there was a good chance the answer to that question would have been no. He hadn’t really considered before how many shifters might not have been reported to the police as missing. It looked like their case had just gotten a whole lot more complicated.
He gazed down at the young woman. Her pulse was still steady, so that was good. She couldn’t have been much older than the bear shifter who had tried to take her. What she was doing in the tunnels, he couldn’t guess. Her high-priced jeans and shoes told him she didn’t live down there. On the streets, no way would she have kept those items. If she hadn’t been mugged for them, she could have sold them for money.
There had to be a connection between the tunnels and missing shifters. Kieran just needed to figure out what. He glanced up at his partner when he heard the soft footsteps.
“Backup and ambulance should be here soon,” Remy said. He crouched down while shaking his head. “She’s young, just like the others.”
Kieran peered around. “Now what?” he asked. There was no sign of anyone else, but he could hear a few people had come close to the tunnel entrance.
“Now, we’ll get some agents down here to question potential witnesses,” Remy said.
“No one is going to talk to us.”
“I know. We have to try, though. Once we’re done here, I’ll go see the Alpha and try to get more out of him about this call that brought us down. I have a feeling he didn’t tell me everything.”
“I’m going with you,” Kieran demanded. He might not like dealing with shifters, but this was different.
“Oh no, you’re not.”
Kieran glared. “Yes, I am. He already set you up once.”
“We don’t know that. We’re lucky the Alpha even called us. He doesn’t exactly trust us after what happened with the other agents.”
Kieran couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “And you just made my point. This could be payback.”
“K, trust me.” Remy glanced up so he could meet his gaze. “I need to do this on my own. I can’t have you threatening the Alpha. This is our best chance to get answers on what happened here tonight.”
“I won’t threaten him,” he promised. If it kept his partner safe, then Kieran would maintain a tight hold on his control.
“If I don’t find out what I want, I’ll start taking you with me. A face-to-face between the Alpha and me is all I’m asking for first,” Remy insisted.
Kieran wanted to argue more, but he knew Remy had his mind made up. “You call me before you meet and as soon as you’re done. One hour. If I don’t hear from you in one hour, I will bust into that place and tear apart every shifter there.”
Remy merely lifted a brow at him.
“I mean it,” Kieran declared.
“Okay,” Remy agreed as sirens and lights started to fill up the quiet space.
Kieran turned and saw some of their agents were the first to arrive. “I’m going to start the interviews. You deal with them.” He waved his hand toward the approaching agents.
“Got it, partner.”
Chapter Two
“Stupid, stupid, son of a bitch,” Dakota Reese muttered as she slammed the door to the suite she and her lover were staying in. She dropped her keys onto the long glossy table next to the entry before she stomped to the bedroom. A mere month, thirty days only, was how long the man she was dating had been at the local branch of the Organization and he’d managed to create complete chaos every time her back was turned.
Kieran was such an odd mixture of charming yet sarcastic that he made work more interesting. His harmless insults and pokes at other agents were one thing, but he’d obviously gotten bored and more imaginative tonight.
If she wasn’t almost sure she loved the guy, Dakota would be very tempted to rip out his throat. As hard as she’d tried to figure out why he would pull a stunt like that, she just couldn’t understand.
>
And this was all before she found out he’d been attacked earlier! From what other agents had told her, Kieran and Remy had been investigating the missing shifters and had a meeting with a witness. Then all hell had broken loose and they’d stopped a girl from being abducted. Of course a fight had taken place since it was Kieran. All she could think about was instead of being able to check on him, she’d been sitting in their boss’s office getting reamed out because Kieran had decided to screw with the other agents.
She was furious.
As she reached the threshold of the bedroom, Kieran came out of the bathroom, towel drying his long black hair. Dakota braced her feet shoulder-width apart and fisted her hands on her hips. “Really?” she asked in a tone that would usually put fear into her suspects.
Kieran glanced up and grinned. “You’re home early.”
She narrowed her eyes while pressing her lips together. She would not laugh. Would not give him the satisfaction of knowing he amused her deep down with his childish antics. He could have been seriously hurt while she had been getting screamed at. “And why am I back early?” she drawled.
“Because you missed me?” he asked with innocence lacing his words.
Dakota knew better. “Try again.”
“Something wrong, love?” he inquired, strolling forward.
Thank God Kieran had put on a robe after his shower, was all Dakota could think as he made his way slowly toward her. If he’d been naked, she wouldn’t have been able to resist him at all. How he could be so fucking hot and annoying at the same time was a mystery.
She took a deep breath before pointing a finger at him. “Why?” she asked. “What would you gain from breaking into the office…again?”
Kieran laughed, his bright blue eyes sparkling. “Technically I didn’t break into the office. Plus, I did warn Charlie he should keep a better eye out. It’s not my fault he didn’t see me enter.”
“Sparro’s new vehicle?” she asked because she just had to know why.
