by Sydney Addae
“Didn’t accuse you of anything, just told you to back off in a way you related to. Most people stop with questions when they’re pulled into them.” She shrugged and finished the water in her glass.
Rita placed the cake in front of her and a bag. “Your rolls.”
“Thank you, my compliments to the chef, everything was delicious,” Mia said.
Rita smiled at her as she left with the remaining dishes.
“Did I cause any damage to your truck?” she asked and then took a bite of cake. Moaning, she inhaled. “So damn good.”
“No, you didn’t hit us,” Ryder said. “You’re so sexy when you eat. Never seen anything like it.”
Mia’s eyes flew open. Slack-jawed, she met Ryder’s hot gaze. “What?”
“You didn’t hit our truck,” Ryan said, drawing her attention.
Perhaps she misheard, although she knew she hadn’t. She would go along for now. “Good.” She patted her lips and glanced up as what she considered to be a giant strode inside, looked around and headed toward them.
Definitely, dual-natured, she thought wide-eyed. He had to be at least 6’5” or more with a barrel chest, thick muscular arms and legs, and long dark hair. But it was his metallic gray eyes that pinned her to the seat like a bug beneath a microscope. For the life of her, she couldn’t move or look away. He tried to pry into her mind. She slapped at him.
His eyes went remarkably darker as he stood at the table, staring down at her. “Who are you?” his deep voice filled the space.
“Mia Haddon.”
He tilted his head and tried to enter her mind again, harder this time and he wasn’t alone. She slapped them both and continued to meet his gaze.
“That’s rude,” she said when he frowned at her.
“What?” Ryder said.
She finished her cake and hoped she’d get another glass of water when she noticed her empty glass.
“You can have mine.” Ryder slid his untouched glass of water to her.
“Thanks. That was delicious.” She drank half the glass and looked toward the front where Rita and a man wearing a chef hat stood watching them. “Can I have a slice of that cake to go as well?”
Rita glanced at the tall man standing at their table and then nodded. “Sure.”
Mia noticed everyone had left and they were the only patrons inside. “Thanks.” She patted her mouth and looked at the twins who stared at her as if she were some unknown species. “What? Something on my face? Teeth?”
Ryan laughed. “No. Not at all.” He looked up. “Pull up a chair, Theron. She’s going to be leaving soon if you have questions go ahead and ask.”
Mia frowned. “I told you I can’t discuss the investigation.” She looked at Theron. “Do you have information regarding the death of Nathaniel Green?”
“No. I’ve nothing to do with that, can’t be involved.” He inhaled and released it slowly. “What are you?”
Mia’s brow rose. “Beg your pardon?”
He scowled. “Don’t play games with me or mine. You’re more than human and I need to know what and how much more?”
She opened her mouth and closed it tight.
Theron leaned forward, with his clasped hands on the table. “See, I’m thinking you know what I am, what we all are, and it doesn’t bother you. You’ve been honest with everything you’ve said and done. No deceit. But there’s more to you, can’t deny that.”
“Is that a problem?” she asked meeting his gaze. There was something, no someone else just behind his eyes watching her.
“Could be, but not necessarily,” he said.
She shook her head. “I cannot say, as I’m sure you cannot or you would have already. But I will say this. I am here to investigate the death of Nathaniel Green and that is all.”
A few moments later he nodded. “Okay, Mia Haddon. I have no other questions for you, but that does not mean there will be no further questions. It’s important to me and others to know of any and all kinds of people in the States. We don’t know you or yours.”
Understanding, she nodded, pulled out her wallet and tossed several $20’s on the table. “No problem. We’re hoping to get a break in this case before —”
“Before the next one,” Ryan said watching her.
She didn’t respond. Standing she grabbed her to-go bags, inhaled again and released it slowly. “Thanks, guys, I needed this break of normalcy and good food. Now, I’ve got to get back to work.” She pushed back her chair.
“What if we helped?” Ryan offered.
Frowning, she stopped and looked down at him. “Helped? You don’t have information.”
“We could help you find information,” Ryan said. “We know this area.”
She searched his gaze. They wanted someone to tag along with her team to find out more information about them, not the investigation. Maybe this would work.
“I can’t authorize that. Thomas is team leader. When I inform him of our lunch, I’ll tell him about your offer.”
“He’s here? In Littleton?” Theron asked.
“Yes. I’m going to meet with him in a bit.”
“You have to meet them to communicate?” Theron pressed.
We don’t mind-speak, she thought and wondered if it was a skill they could acquire. It would certainly be helpful. Frowning, she nodded. “Of course.”
Ryder pushed the bills back to her. “We invited you, we pay.”
She smiled without picking them up. “I ate, and I pay my own way. Company policy.” She strode out of the restaurant with a quick wave to Rita and the chef.
Inside the car, she did a quick energy scan of the vehicle, stepped out, removed the tracker from behind her license plate and another from the wheel well of the left tire. She walked around it again for good measure and slid behind the driver’s side. When she drove a few miles, she turned into a shopping center, removed the last tracker and placed it on a parked tow-truck before heading back into town.
CHAPTER 10
SILAS KNIGHT, LA PATRON and Alpha of the Wolf Nation sat at his desk staring at the pretty, young, curly-haired woman eating cake as if it was the most important thing in her world.
A hint of a smile crept on his face. Maybe it was. Theron, Alpha of Texas had reached out to him slightly before his son Tyrone had, with the same question. “What is Mia Haddon?”
Ryan believed she knew what they were, but never let on. Her energy levels were off the charts, it was no wonder she ate huge quantities of food. She registered human when she had to be more. For one thing, he and his Alphas could access most human minds with no trouble.
Neither he nor Theron had been able to read her thoughts and had received an energy slap for their trouble. She knew they’d tried, probably knew what they were but never let down her guard. The petite woman sat in a room full of wolves eating as though totally oblivious to the danger. At his or Theron’s order, Ryan, Ryder or Rita would’ve snapped her neck, tossed her in the back of the truck and sent her body where it would never be discovered.
The fact she didn't fear that scenario caused them all to pause. He would ask the Goddess but needed more information. Was she a new, different breed? Of course, she was, but of what? Her human form held and molded energy, but for what purpose? He sensed no malice from her, neither did Theron but there was more going on.
“Tell her you’ll assist in the investigation, that seems to be what’s driving her now. Once you meet the rest of her team, ask direct questions,” Silas told his grandson, Ryan.
“Thomas is the person we should talk to,” said Tyrone, his son and Ryan and Ryder’s father. The twins had reached out to Tyrone while on the side of the road when they noticed her energy and unique scent.
Silas didn’t feel this woman was an enemy which was the only reason he agreed for Tyrone to go to Littleton, Texas to meet with Thomas. Once they had answers, knew and understood what breed of humans they were, Silas would catalog the information for future use if necessary and leave them alone. But t
here was no way a new breed of human could appear in this country and he not investigate.
“Fly down and meet with Thomas. Find out what they are, how they came to be, what else they do besides masquerade as law officials and how long they’ll be in Texas.”
“Will do. I’ll take Rose and the girls. We’ll stay with the boys at their ranch for a nice visit. Haven’t seen them since the wedding. We’ll leave in a couple hours,” Tyrone said.
“Make sure you see your mom before you leave,” Silas said thinking of his mate, Jasmine. “She may want to send something to the boys, they’ll expect it.”
Tyrone laughed. “Amazing how spoiled they are when it comes to mom.”
“She loves spoiling them,” Silas said as he watched Mia leave the restaurant, wave to the staff and leave the building.
“What does she do outside?” Silas asked Theron as the Alpha and the others moved to watch.
He was disappointed when she slid into the front seat without checking the vehicle. When she stepped out, removed two of the three he smiled. “She’s got skills similar to Asia,” he said thinking of his wife’s best friend and his lead defender.
“She missed one,” Theron said.
Silas frowned for a few seconds. “If she did, it was deliberate. Be prepared for the last tracker to go off in wild directions. She’s smart, held her cool in the midst of the pack, ate without fear. Refueling would be my guess, and not once did I sense anxiety or guile.”
“I agree, Alpha,” Theron said. “Different but not a threat is my take.”
Silas thought about it a few moments longer. “Agreed but I’m sending Tyrone to get more information. I need to know what they are.”
“Yes, Sir. It’ll be good to see him again.”
Silas sat back in his chair and allowed his thoughts to wander. Her thoughts had been locked down tighter than a vault, it was different, he’d never come across anything like it before. Her confidence and good-natured personality reminded him of his mate. She liked the twins but wasn’t interested in them other than cordial friends, so mating wasn’t an issue. Thank the Goddess for that. Working for the government she would know how to draw those lines.
She hadn’t pumped them for information, hadn’t mentioned any of the specifics. Tyrone had given Ryan the information that he spouted regarding the dead librarian. She hadn’t seemed surprised, not even when Rita mentioned the twins ordering the rolls, she didn’t blink.
The more he thought about what he saw and heard, his certainty grew. She knew about wolf-shifters. Knew about the pack, Alphas and minimally how they operated. He contacted Tyrone.
“When you meet with Thomas, tell him enough about us for him to feel comfortable sharing their information.”
“You think they already know?”
“Positive they do,” Silas said. “Open up, lay it on the table, explain why you’re meeting with him. We can’t make them talk, can’t do anything to them without violating the rules set in place by the Goddess, but we can befriend them. Share information to prime the pump, let’s see what happens. If that doesn’t work I’ll reach out to my contacts in the Pentagon.”
“Yes, Sir.”
CHAPTER 11
THAT EVENING MIA SAT at the small round table in Thomas’ room watching him pace. It had been a long day. They hadn’t come up with any hate groups in the area. Tip hadn’t picked up anything new at the house or inside the van.
There was no sign of any guns, bullets, altercations, nothing that would imply the victim fought for his life or was in the van when he died. In short, they had nothing. Meeting the twin wolf-shifters was the highlight of her day, she refused to think about Noah.
The clock was ticking.
“Good job, Mia. The way you played it at the restaurant was perfect. I’ll be meeting with Tyrone Bennett, La Patron’s son, no less, first thing in the morning. He pushed to meet tonight but I need to know what you and Noah discover later tonight.” He glanced at her.
“She’s going to be okay,” Mia said in a soft voice, thinking of Lizzy.
Thomas stopped pacing and stared at her. “You don’t know that,” he snapped. “We don’t know when we’ll burn out, and die. None of us do.” He waved at her.
“No, we don’t. So we live each day as if it could be our last. Do things we won’t be ashamed of and be the best we can be,” she said, leaning forward. “We’ve lived longer than most, seen the world change, experienced the unexplainable. Life’s been a gift, to me anyway. When my time comes don’t grieve or try to keep me beyond my expiration date.”
“I’m not...” Thomas inhaled and exhaled slowly before sitting. “We’re dying. I don’t know what to do. How to help. It’s killing me to watch.” He didn’t meet her gaze. The words hung in the air for several moments.
“Or we’re changing,” Mia said softly. “Lately my appetite has been off the charts. I see and hear keener than ever before. I pick up, and manipulate energy faster with better accuracy, than ever before.” She looked at Thomas. “I smell it. Things are changing and that scares me more than dying. Death is a given, a time of rest before meeting my maker.” She nodded. “That I understand. But change. Noticing different things inside of me? That’s seriously scary stuff.”
“When did you notice this?” Thomas asked a few seconds later.
She thought back. “Since I’ve been here, dream-walking especially.”
“I haven’t noticed any changes, but you’ve picked up things I missed. You caught them before they hit my radar.”
“Are you off because you’re worried about Lizzy?” she asked.
“I’m concerned about our future,” Thomas said. “If we lose team members, how do we protect the complex? Granted we work to stay on top of our game, money... finances aren’t an issue because of our investments but we’ve got to stay on top of things....” He shook his head. “People cannot learn how long we live, or about our gifts. Not even the military can know everything. Especially if they think we gained anything from the Liege experiments. They’ll start them up again under some fake banner of helping mankind. I worry about all of that, in addition to Lizzy. She’s like my sister and she’s suffering. I hate it and want to help ease that for her.”
Mia nodded. “Understood.” She did understand and totally agreed with him. They were family as well as team-mates who lived and worked together.
They owned 153 acres in Wyoming with a large home complex, in the middle. The basement was twice the size of the above grade 3,100 sf house. Fortunately, the house was built before records were kept and there was no data of the original owners or floor plan. Every 50 years they changed the names of the heirs for the land and home, rotating within the group. It helped give the illusion that they died out.
When they escaped to America a century ago there had been 23 of them, Mia had barely seen 13 summers when they arrived and headed west. Now they were down to 6 and one of them was dying.
Thomas ran his hand through his hair. “Get some sleep, Mia. Dream and push to see the day Nathaniel Green died. Anything the two of you learn will help.”
She pushed up from her chair and nodded. “I’m sleepy anyway. See you in the morning.” She looked at Thomas. Since wolf-shifters could hear through walls they employed the use of sealed rooms to converse.
“Release the seal so I can leave.”
“Yeah, right. Sorry.”
She left his room, took a right and headed to hers. Inside, she dropped her bag, sealed her room and took a shower. Bone-tired, she pulled on an over-sized tee and fell into bed.
It seemed she had just fallen asleep when she woke. That same weird light illuminated the road and Nathaniel Green’s house. She did a quick scan. No one was around. Her hopes of a productive night dropped.
She rubbed her arms and realized she wore the same tee-shirt she’d worn to bed instead of her work clothes that showed up in the last dream. Intent on finding more clothes, she headed to the house.
“What are you doing here?�
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Mia stopped but didn’t turn at the hostility in Noah’s voice. Boy, could he hold a grudge. A chill swept across her arms and legs. Sensing the mist that followed him, she headed inside to find a sweater, or jacket or long pants.
“Go home, I don’t want you here.” He hadn’t yelled or raised his voice, but the words stabbed her just the same.
Rather than respond to his petty remarks, she entered the house. It was warm, inviting, filled with love and joy. She frowned. Those were new emotions, she hadn’t sensed them the first time she searched the house. In the front coat closet, she pulled out a long, navy, raincoat and put it on. She headed to the kitchen for a drink of water, the sink didn’t work and the refrigerator was empty.
“Better get this over with,” she murmured and headed outside. The mist was thick around the house. She waved her hand. It recoiled and cleared a path for her.
Noah stood in the middle of the road surrounded by the mist, shaking, punching and trying to rid himself of the cloying fog without success. It coiled around him tighter until she barely saw his face.
Mia ran forward. “Get out of here,” she snapped and waved her arms. The mist rolled backward several feet but remained on the sides of the road as if Noah was roadkill it expected to finish off.
She placed her hand on his shoulder. His eyelids fluttered, teeth chattered and his body shook. Surprised, she stared at him for a few seconds before removing her coat and wrapping it around him. She took his hands in hers and rubbed them.
“Be warm.” She thought of heat, a warm cozy fire in a small room. Moments later he stopped shaking. His teeth stopped making that noise and finally, his eyes opened, blinked a few times before he snatched his hands from hers. He stepped backward, looked at the mist and then at her again.
“How do you control it?” he gasped staring down at her. Red-cheeked he remained in the area surrounding her rather than stepping back into the waiting mist.
She grabbed the coat he discarded when he moved and put it back on before looking up at him with a narrowed gaze. Hand on one hip and finger pointed she spoke. “I need answers regarding the death of Nathaniel Green. I want to see the day he died.”
