Carnal

by Stone, Piper

  I shifted from one foot to the other, remaining silent.

  “Imagine my surprise when Captain Drake Walters of the DPD called me directly, letting me know that one of our agents might have information in a murder case and could prove to be very helpful given his level of... expertise.” Sheila’s words were laced with criticism. She slanted her hardened gaze in my direction. “Care to explain?”

  “I was in the right place at the right time, Director Finley. Just searching for Mr. Miller. Nothing more,” I said with no inflection.

  “Without your partner,” she said, half laughing. “Well, funny how Captain Walters credits you with saving one of his detectives’ life. I would think that was worth mentioning this morning at our usual meeting. Wouldn’t you?” She rose to a standing position, disgust crossing her face. “Is there more you need to tell me about this case? Some animal mauling people?”

  I felt Logan’s heated gaze. “There’s nothing to tell. Three horrific murders. I don’t know anything else. I’m not certain how I can help them.”

  “That murder in the park last night? Why the hell didn’t you call me?” Logan insisted.

  “You were checking out another lead,” I answered, even though I’d lied to him about where I was going, and I was miles away from where I was supposed to be.

  She shook her head. “Well, it would appear that Captain Walters has friends in high places. Even the mayor called me this morning. As it was explained to me, this case isn’t something they want the press to get ahold of in an election year. It also wouldn’t be good for my personal aspirations. So, here we are.” She tapped her fingers on the desk. “What else reeks of interesting coincidence? Oh, yes. The lead detective’s partner is going out on medical leave for an extended period of time. Funny how that works so neatly together,” she huffed as she walked around her desk, sitting on the edge and handing me a signed piece of paper. “I’m releasing you to work with them, Cordero. For now. Keep in mind, I don’t like being pressured. By anyone. If I find out you engineered this, I’ll have your badge.”

  “I had nothing to do with getting assigned to this case, but I’ll do what I can,” I answered, uncertain how the hell Kathleen would react. However, working closely with her was optimal. Adrenaline rushed through my entire system, creating a wave of energy. Suddenly, all I could do was think about her.

  “You’ll damn well do more than that. Keep your nose clean and find this bestial killer. I don’t want a single blowback on our department. You got it?” Sheila looked from one of us to the other. “Now, get the hell out of here.”

  Logan backed away, offering a respectful nod as he reached for the door. When we were outside, he shot me a look. “This wouldn’t happen to be the same girl you might or might not have a hot date with, would it?”

  “Just a detective in need of a helping hand,” I snarked. “Nothing more. Nothing less.”

  “Uh-huh. You’re hiding something. I can smell it on you, partner. We’re going to need to work on our communication. Have fun with the boys in blue. Who knows. Maybe I’ll run into you in my undercover assignment.” Logan shook his head as he walked away. Hell, who hadn’t I alienated over the last few months?

  But this time, maybe karma was working in my favor.

  * * *

  As I headed down the road toward Roselake, the snowcapped mountains looming in the background, I realized my hands were shaking. When I’d left the community a few years before, it was under the understanding that I’d return, using my training as a specialized police officer to protect our two thousand inhabitants. After I’d left, I’d refused to take my place at my father’s side, angering the entire city council. To be stuck in a life with no real connection to outsiders held no appeal, no matter the circumstances.

  I’d remained close out of respect to my father and the way of life, at least by way of telephone and email. I’d offered advice, even breaking up a few skirmishes in town here and there, but I’d refused to live on site. I would protect my pack, if only from afar, something a huge majority of our people had never given me credit for. To many of the elders, I was an outcast, incapable of leading the pack.

  Lead.

  “One day you will be king.”

  How many times had my father issued those words when kissing me goodnight as a child? After my mother’s death, he’d done everything he could to provide a normal life, just as my human mother had begged as her dying wish. I shuddered merely thinking about her. She’d been such a rare exception to our world, my father breaking rules he’d rallied behind his entire life.

  Everyone in the pack had looked the other way at his disobedience.

  Not with me. I was the black sheep of our world.

  I’d balked at the lineage for years and while there would always be an alpha male leading, there hadn’t been a king in centuries. We weren’t some warring organization, preparing to take over humans. We were another species coexisting in peace.

  “But the time is near, the ancient prophecies indicating a new coming.”

  How many times had I heard that line before as well?

  I had to give our ancestors credit. They had been wise in their actions, buying up parcels of land long before Denver was built. Even the design of Roselake had been strategically done, providing for maximum protection from all sides.

  Especially since the well-established city backed up to the mountains.

  As I drove into the far edge of town, the scent was strong, much more so than I remembered. Dozens of children had been born recently. New blood. New life. From what I’d heard, there was significant happiness amongst the ranks. Maybe a part of me was longing to settle down. Sadly, if the murders were connected to the Wolfen, the lingering pall would alter their lives.

  My grip on the steering wheel became tighter as I headed toward my father’s expansive ranch. He owned a huge parcel, a beautiful house with several barns and an exquisite view. It had been an incredible place to grow up.

  I even owned a smaller piece of property at the bank of the mountains, a quiet place that I used to love. I’d even spent countless hours renovating the log cabin to be exactly the way I envisioned.

  Then I’d left, hiring a caretaker to look after the place from time to time.

  A moment of fresh guilt slipped into my system as I pulled down my father’s long driveway. I honestly couldn’t remember the last time I’d been here. Too long. Everything appeared the same, including the broken stairs on the front porch I’d promised to fix at least four times.

  My father had taken me at my word.

  I eased out of the truck, rubbing my hands down the front of my jeans. Michael Cordero, known by everyone as Blackhawk, was a formidable man. He’d been strict, doling out punishment for the slightest infraction. He’d been the reason I’d wanted to go into law enforcement in the first place.

  Honor.

  Integrity.

  Respect.

  That had been ingrained into me. I took a deep whiff of the air, delighting in the scent of the hundreds of cattle he’d continued to run through the ranch. He adored what he did, refusing to retire, a true leader for our pack. As I walked onto the porch, the creaking sound of the old timber shoved another round of guilt into me. I would fix the damn stairs within the week.

  I hesitated before knocking. This was no longer my house. I’d give up that right the day I moved out.

  I heard the thunderous sound of his heavy boots, smiling from the memories it produced.

  The moment he opened the doors, his dark eyes lit up. “Son. It’s good to see you.”

  “Hey, Pops.” I held out my hand, rolling my eyes when he pulled me in for a bear hug. “Sorry I haven’t been here in such a long time.”

  “Did the precinct teach you to forget your family, to dishonor your ancestors?”

  “No. Just...” I couldn’t finish my sentence.

  His eyes twinkled once again, a teasing look on his face as he pulled back. “I know how much you love your job, son. I gue
ss an old man can just miss his only living relative. I went by your place the other day. Johnny’s doing a great job keeping it in order. Looks pristine.”

  My father had always known when to yank on the heartstrings. “Sorry, Pops. I’ve been busy.”

  He backed away, ushering me inside and immediately walking toward the bar. “I was actually prepared for your visit. I even purchased your favorite bottle of bourbon. Might be a little early but what the hell.”

  His Cherokee heritage made him one of the most powerful Wolfen in the entire world, and he’d rightly been deemed the alpha years before. He held certain abilities that were much greater than almost any other wolf. I’d been told I had the same gifts, although I rarely used them.

  Until recently.

  Sighing, I stole a glance around the place. Maybe the expansive timber home had lost some of its luster, but it would always be grandiose in my eyes. “I take it that you heard about the murders.”

  He poured two tumblers half full of bourbon before answering, his expression more of a grimace as he turned around. “I’ve heard about them and I’ve sensed them. The blood. The violence. The hunger. This is serious, son, and very bad for our pack. I’m sure that’s why you’re here.”

  “They were done by a damn wolf, a fucking rogue.”

  “That’s what I was afraid of. How was this confirmed?”

  I rubbed my brow, reliving the fight in my mind. “Because I wrestled with another wolf who reeked of human blood.”

  Blackhawk hesitated, tipping his head in my direction. “Very brave of you and potentially very stupid.”

  “I’m an officer of the law, Pops. I can’t allow some goddamn wolf to kill humans in a city park.”

  He walked closer. “You were protecting someone.”

  “Absolutely. That’s my job.”

  “And you do it well, Max. I only wish you’d make certain that doesn’t happen here.”

  “Does that mean there have been any attacks in Roselake?”

  “No, but the scent of death lingers in the air. Others have smelled it. They taste the blood. That’s not good for our people.” My father kept his voice even, but I could tell he was worried and angry.

  “Which means that the killer lives in our community and not another pack,” I groused, my heart racing.

  He smiled in a knowing manner. “Perhaps.” He offered me a drink, his eyes darting back and forth. He was searching mine.

  If one of our own was the murderer, I would kill him with my bare hands. His curt answer meant my father had much more of a handle on what was going on than he wanted to tell me.

  I accepted the drink, swirling the liquid before taking a sip. My nerves remained on edge. “I have to catch this bastard. There is no other choice.”

  “Yes, you do. You need to lead your pack out of danger.”

  “That’s not my job, Pops.” I almost hated saying the words. “But of course, I’m going to protect the pack. That is my... requirement.”

  “Then you must use your skills, son, and I’m not talking about your police training.” He studied me as I thought about what he was saying. “Learn from this monster. Understand his needs. Hone in on his desires. This is the beginning of a new phase.”

  “I’ve already learned from the bastard. You knew that would occur, didn’t you, Father?”

  He chuckled, his dark eyes more like the blackness of my very soul. “I could only hope. You are special, Max, much more so than you are aware of. Your gifts will be called into this battle.”

  “Battle. I don’t like to be used.”

  “This is your destiny and one you can no longer run from. Now, tell me what you saw, what you gathered from your meeting with him.”

  I took my time before answering, frustrated about my own heritage. “When we were fighting, I could feel his anger, could almost see through his eyes from minutes before during the attack on the victim. He’s rational, or at least that’s what I gathered from our connection.”

  “The sight, my son. You are gaining more of the sight once again. I’m very pleased.”

  I was half Cherokee. The ‘sight’ as he called it was one of the gifts; an attribute that I’d explored as a child but had seemed to grow out of. The ugly truth was that I’d shoved them aside, loathing being different than the other boys. I wrung my hands, still able to see a partial vision, although the details were fuzzy. “I don’t know how remembering what few details I do is going to help me or my ability to catch him.”

  “Nurture the sight and trust in your instincts. Feed off everything you learned. In time, you will see two distinct visions at the same time. What occurred and what is. That will guide you to him.” Blackhawk patted me on the shoulder, obviously a proud man. “You will become our hero as you should be.”

  Hero. I almost laughed at the notion.

  “Any idea who it could be?”

  “Son, we have almost twenty-five hundred people living in our little town. While I try and keep up with basic politics and social news, I can’t any longer. There have been discussions on the council, but no evidence found.”

  In other words, the rogue wolf could be anyone, including people who were closest to the upper echelon of the pack.

  “While that may be true, if you can see two different visions at all times, then why can’t you tell who it is?” I asked, grinning afterwards. The challenge was one I knew he’d relish.

  “Because I’m an old man,” he said, laughing, then his expression turned serious. “The sight only works for a period of time. Hours, maybe a full day, but no more. The visions fade. That allows for protection of those with the gift given they have no memory of what they saw in their mind.”

  “That means this fucking killer could have dinner with you after twenty-four hours and you wouldn’t be the wiser as to the fact he has blood on his hands,” I huffed, my thoughts drifting to Stone. He had his own reasons for wanting revenge on the Wolfen. “We need to hunt this fucker down.”

  “Unfortunately, you are correct and there is also something else. Certain wolves have the ability to mask their own actions within seconds. They are very powerful in mind and spirit, their capabilities endless. You have that ability, Max. You must use it wisely.”

  Another gift I didn’t realize I’d inherited. I sighed, my heart and mind heavy. “From what I could tell, the wolf I fought didn’t have this extraordinary ability. I was able to see far too many horrible fucking things, including horrific visions from his past crimes. The bastard enjoyed every moment of the kills.”

  “Then try and remember every detail,” he advised. “When a wolf is in a killing mode, it is much harder for them to hide behind the mask.”

  “Does anyone else within our community know about this ability?”

  He took another sip of his drink. “The councilmembers as well as a few other high-ranking officials.”

  Fantastic. If the wolf was simply a killer, he could know how to hide.

  “You truly believe the disease is no longer dormant,” I countered.

  “That is a possibility to consider and another reason why we need your help and leadership. There is growing fear amongst our people, fabrications beginning to shift throughout social circles. We can’t have that,” he continued.

  “There’s no cure for this disease?”

  “If there had been a cure thousands, even hundreds of years ago, do you not believe our scientists wouldn’t have altered our DNA?”

  My father had a point. “Understood.”

  “However, you can’t be certain that’s what we’re dealing with. If this wolf is from another pack, they do not have the same desire to maintain their full humanity, but you are correct. We need to hunt the wolf quickly and only you have the capabilities of leading that cause without drawing unneeded attention to our people and our city. You must return home to Roselake and take your rightful place,” he commanded.

  “Let’s not start this, Pops. I have a life and a career I love. However, I’ve been assigned to
work with the Denver police to help find the murderer. That will allow me to work closely on this.”

  “That might not be good enough.” Blackhawk lifted his head, inhaling as he walked closer. “It would seem you also have a woman that has become special to you.” He snarled, baring his teeth.

  “My personal life is not why I haven’t returned home, and you know it,” I snapped, instantly regretting the harsh tone. He knew I’d avoided any concept of a personal relationship my entire life. “Look, I have a job to perform. If there is a rogue Wolfen, he will be brought to justice one way or the other. I promise you that.”

  “Justice,” he said as he glanced up and down. “The wolf needs to be absolved of his sins.”

  I knew the code of honor within our pack. We handled our own indiscretions. The wolf would need to be killed in a manner where his spirit animal couldn’t find another host—at least according to my father’s beliefs. The truth was that every Wolfen was terrified of the disease, necessitating the burning of the body after its execution. Bile formed in my throat at the thought. “The pack must be careful with this case unless you want the police department to learn of our special skills. We also don’t need to anger the Nightwalker pack with accusations. You know how volatile they can be.”

  “You are correct, the Nightwalker pack is also a concern, Max, as it would appear they hunger for more control.”

  “Stone Keeler is challenging the Wolfen?” I spit out laughter until I noticed the change in his eyes. “You’re serious.”

  “Yes, although they do not have the numbers at this point to be able to challenge us.”

  At this point. “Have you spoken with their leader?” I should have known Stone was up to something.

  He closed the distance, moving around me in a complete circle and I could tell he’d gathered even more of Kathleen’s scent covering every inch of my body.

  “I have had no occasion to talk with Mr. Keeler because there has been no solid evidence they are involved, but I am aware that you have spoken with Stone recently.” He gave me a knowing grin.

  “I can’t put anything past you,” I said, laughing softly. “Yes, a former human friend of his remains a fugitive.”