“Tess, we’re going back to my hotel room. We’re going to plan the operation from there. I’m sorry to put you through this; I know you don’t feel comfortable keeping this from the others. But it has to be this way, at least for now.”
“It’s OK, I understand,” I said, looking back at him, doing my best to show my allegiance and my sincerity.
“Thank you. I appreciate your help on this,” said Elias.
“So, what exactly is the plan then?” I asked.
I still had no idea what Elias’s mind was up to in this regard. In a lot of ways, I felt that I was almost as much in the dark as Dr. Geiss and Agent Henderson.
“Tess, before I tell you. I just want you to be prepared. What I have in mind is going to require a lot from you.”
“Like what?”
Elias looked over at me, choosing his next words carefully. Just when he was about to speak I saw him hesitate and look out the window.
“We’ll talk about it back at the hotel,” he said gruffly, as he looked away from me.
We spent the remainder of the ride in silence. I wondered to myself what Elias could possibly have planned that had him so obviously shaken—that had him dreading the act of even telling me the details of the operation. He wanted these abductions to stop at all costs; did that mean that we’d be putting ourselves in danger? It had to be something pretty extreme if he wasn’t telling the rest of the task force.
By the time we got to the hotel, I’d worked up the scheme so much in my own head that I was practically shaking; my hand trembled as I reached to open the door of the car and get out. Just as I was about to, a valet pulled it open for me and helped me out onto the curb.
I followed Elias through the hotel lobby and into the elevator. Finally, he spoke for the first time since we’d gotten into the car.
“We’ll order room service. We’re going to be working up here for the next few hours.”
“OK,” I said.
He still wasn’t telling me anything just yet and it only increased my nervousness. How could something like room service matter at a time like this?
Like the car ride, the rest of our time in the elevator was draped in silence. I was starting to wonder just how much I trusted Elias. What exactly did I even know about him? Not that much when I came to think of it. I had a lot of respect for him, but that didn’t change the fact that he was basically a mystery to me, someone beyond comprehension.
And yet, despite my misgivings, there was something about him that required my unquestioning allegiance. I would do whatever he asked, perhaps against my better judgment. I was bound by something, some supernatural force—or perhaps just my own unspoken desire.
—Elias—
Elias didn’t know how to tell Tess that within the next few hours she would be risking her life. Normally, he was very articulate, but right now words escaped him. Was it perhaps his own misgivings? No, he knew this was what had to be done. Besides, he would be watching over her, protecting her every second. But he needed her trust, and despite his attempts to read her thoughts, he wasn’t quite sure how she would ultimately react to his scheme. He decided it was best to wait until they reached the hotel room.
He looked over at her now as the elevator ascended the many floors up to his room, a nice little suite up on the eleventh floor. It was a comfortable room, perfect for a romantic getaway. It was a shame they weren’t here under better circumstances, he thought.
He could sense fear in Tess. It wasn’t surprising. She didn’t know what her future entailed, and yet she was here, ready to be of service to both himself and the case. She’d already proven to him her intelligence and cunning. It was she, after all, who’d made the connection between Arturo’s and 41X, the very connection that had formed the basis of the operation to follow. So yes, she had the cunning. But did she have the courage to complete the task he’d set in store for her? Elias thought so, but he knew that time could only tell.
The elevator doors opened and Elias realized he only had a few more minutes to collect his thoughts. He needed Tess to be completely onboard for the operation to work. The sooner they put their plan into action, the sooner the disappearances would stop. Elias didn’t even want to consider the possibility of another girl going missing.
CHAPTER 12
———
—Tess—
I sat on one of the beds in the hotel suite. With the receiver of the phone nestled next to my ear, I dialed the front desk of the hotel. It was a little after lunchtime and I was ordering for the both of us. Elias was on his cell phone on the balcony, providing an update to Dr. Geiss and Agent Henderson. An update on what? Nothing had happened yet. And as far as they knew, we were out interviewing people at 41X, which was obviously not in line with the reality of things.
I sighed as I waited for someone to take my order. How did I feel about this? I didn’t know. Part of me was excited, realizing I was about to be part of something big. But beside this intrigue was fear, a sense of the extreme danger to come. Elias hadn’t told me any specifics, but the tone of this voice, his utter solemnness and seeming unwillingness to describe the operation in any detail had set me on edge.
But these emotions were what I felt around Elias more generally. I was always excited to be near him, but also scared. There was something dark in him, some hidden secret that I could only barely formulate, something that reached into the very depths of his being. Did others feel like this when they were around him? I didn’t know. Maybe my mind was just playing tricks on me. But no, there was definitely something different about him, something that warranted my fear and reserve.
I was lost in thought when I heard a voice on the other end of the phone.
“Ma’am? Ma’am? Are you there? Is anyone there? Hello?”
“Yes, yes. I’m sorry. Um… I’d like to order room service for room eleven-sixteen.”
“Yes, ma’am. What would you like?”
I looked down at the menu. My mind had been sidetracked by Elias, so I hadn’t even thought about what I was going to order. Elias hadn’t said anything to me either. Quickly, I scanned the menu and picked out the first few items that looked good to me.
“I’ll have a turkey club with a side salad,” I said, pausing slightly, debating what Elias would want.
“OK.”
“And can I get the Gruyère cheeseburger and French fries?”
“Yes, ma’am. Of course. Any drinks? We have a variety of liquors, liqueurs, wines, champagnes…”
I smirked to myself. A drink was exactly what I needed right now to calm my nerves. Too bad we had an operation to plan.
“No, no thank you. Can you bring us a few bottles of water? Maybe some coffee and sodas, too,” I said politely.
“Yes, ma’am. We should be up within 45 minutes.”
“Great, thank you.”
As I got off the phone, Elias came back into the room from the balcony.
“Did you order?”
“Yeah, I got you some kind of cheeseburger. I hope that’s OK,” I said politely, almost deferentially.
I was nervous about what was to come. I wished he’d just come out and say it so I could judge his plan on its own merits.
“Yeah, that’s fine. Let’s eat, then I’ll let you know what I’m thinking,” said Elias.
“OK.”
He came and sat down next to me on the bed and took my hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze. He looked deeply into my eyes. For a split second, the thought crossed my mind that he was about to kiss me. But clearly I’d misread the situation based on his next words.
“It’s going to be risky, Tess. But I think it will be worth it.”
After we ate, Elias gave me that serious look again, that one that let me know he was finally going to reveal his plan to me.
“We’re going to 41X tonight,” said Elias.
“And? That’s the master plan, interview the owner and the bartenders? I thought you said they wouldn’t allow us to look around without
a warrant.”
“They won’t. That’s why we’re going undercover.”
“So we’re just going to the club? I don’t get what you think that’s going to accomplish.”
“We’re going to see if we can draw them into making a move.”
“And how do we do that?”
“Well, you’ll go in and deliberately try to attract their attention.”
“How, exactly, am I supposed to do that?”
“Just order a drink at the bar. Hang around awhile, chat with people. If my hypothesis is correct, and these guys are behind the abductions, you should get their attention pretty quickly.”
“But how does that help us? How will we get any evidence?”
“I’ll be watching the whole time, documenting the interaction. And… you’ll be wearing a wire of course,” said Elias, a slight grimace coming across his face, as if it pained him to even ask for my help in this aspect.
“So you want me to string them along, hoping they’ll do something incriminating.”
“Yes,” replied Elias.
“You’re using me as bait,” I said bluntly. “Don’t sugar-coat it for me.”
Elias looked away for a second, seemingly unsure of how to answer me.
“I’d never let anything happen to you, Tess. I’ll be watching the whole time.”
“Are you using me as bait?” I asked again, wanting a straight-forward answer.
“Tess, if we don’t do this, more girls could be abducted. You’re free to back out, no one is forcing you to do this. But until these guys are behind bars, no woman in this city is safe, and that includes you.”
“Elias, just answer me honestly. Are you using me as bait?” I asked.
He hesitated once more, then turned and looked directly into my eyes.
“Yes,” he said quietly.
“OK. That’s all I wanted to know. I’ll do it. I just wanted to hear you say it.”
Elias went on to cover the plan in more detail. The operation would be taking place just after midnight, and we’d stay in the hotel until about an hour or so before then. Elias had arranged for a black car to pick us up at 10:30 PM. First we’d go to my apartment so I could change into more appropriate nightwear. Elias would wait for me in the car, keeping guard over the front of the apartment.
After I had changed, we’d head to the club. Once we arrived, we would part ways. Elias would stay in the car as I headed into the club, or, given its enormous popularity, wait in line as the bouncers admitted people. Elias would have the driver circle the block a few times, keeping an eye on my progress in the line. Then he’d be dropped off a block away and walk over and join the line himself.
These precautions seemed excessive, but Elias demanded them, citing their absolute necessity to the sound execution of his plan. It was crucial that I appear to be alone. If whoever was engaging in these abductions saw me with Elias, they would most likely back off and refrain from making any moves.
Once inside the club, the plan was simple: I’d head to the bar, order a drink, and wait. We didn’t know what exactly we were looking for, but Elias said that was the nature of an operation like this. It would require me to improvise, modifying my behavior and interactions based on whatever new information was forthcoming. If I did this well, there was at least a small chance that someone involved in the abductions would reveal themselves.
CHAPTER 13
———
I emerged from my apartment in the sexiest dress I could find, a tight suede jacket draped over my shoulders to fight off the cold air of autumn. The black car was waiting outside, its polished body shining in the light of the streetlamp hovering directly above. Shocked by the icy feel of the metal door handle, I opened the car door and slid inside.
When Elias saw me his eyes grew wide.
“What?” I asked playfully.
“Nothing. Nothing.”
“No, it’s not nothing. What was that look for?”
“You… you look very nice tonight.”
“Thank you,” I said. “But that was part of the plan, wasn’t it?”
“Yes,” Elias laughed. “Of course, of course.”
He reached over and touched my hand and it felt like pure electricity was flowing through my body. There was something in that touch, more than the reassurance of a friend or coworker. I looked up into Elias’s eyes, but couldn’t see much in the dim light of the car interior. Shadows streaked his face, the only source of light coming from outside the car, just barely making its way through the tinted glass of the windows.
But that touch told me everything. I didn’t have to see his face to know that his expression was one of desire, of an unspoken passion that he’d been forced to hide below his surface of professionalism and solemnity.
Knowing that he wanted me made him even more irresistible. It was all I could do to stifle my own desire, to push thoughts of Elias out of my mind and concentrate on the goal at hand: apprehending one of these criminals in the sting at 41X.
We were on our way to the club when Elias turned to me once more.
“Tess, there’s one last thing we need to take care of.”
“What’s that?”
“The wire. We need to hook up your wire.”
“Oh, right. I hope this dress isn’t too tight.”
“It’s a bit on the tight side, but they’ve made huge advances in this type of technology. It’s not like the old spy movies. These are nearly impossible to detect.”
“Alright.”
“Turn around, please.”
I turned around and felt Elias unzip the back of my dress. It felt good having his hands on me, and once again my thoughts drifted in a direction they probably shouldn’t have, given the urgency of the situation at hand.
Easing the dress of my shoulders, Elias gently pulled on my arm to turn me back to face him.
“Can you pull the front of the dress down a bit more? You’re wearing a bra, right? We need something to hook this mic to so that it won’t be visible from outside.”
“Yes, I am,” I said, lowering the neckline, exposing my bra to him.
I felt a slight graze of his fingers on my right breast as he moved to attach the microphone. Then he stopped sharply.
“I’m sorry. Do you want to do this part?” asked Elias, his voice sounding slightly apologetic.
“No, it’s fine. You know what you’re doing.”
“OK.”
I shivered involuntarily as his skin touched mine, lustful thoughts welling up inside of me. What type of man was Elias, that a simple touch could evoke such a complete response from my body?
“Alright, it’s all set. I see it’s registering a signal and I’m getting sound on my phone.”
“It goes to your phone?”
“Yes, which means I can listen in on everything. I’ll be keeping an eye on you physically, and I’ll also be listening in. So you can rest assured that you’ll be safe,” said Elias, pressing my hand once more.
It was almost as if he could sense exactly how I felt. Even though I tried to appear confident, in reality I was incredibly nervous about what lay ahead. Truth be told, I was absolutely dreading the moment I’d be forced to exit the car and queue up in the long line outside the club. Knowing that Elias would be able to listen in while I waited alone gave me some solace. Still, I knew we were playing a game with exceedingly high stakes.
I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and said a silent prayer.
—Elias—
Elias slumped back in his seat as he watched Tess get out of the car and into the long line outside the club. He told the driver to wait, and spent a long moment watching her before finally telling the driver to circle the block once. He kept his eyes trained on her until the car took a corner and put her completely out of sight.
He sighed, thinking of the trials of the night ahead. There was no question that what they were doing was extremely risky; after all, he’d kept it off the books because he knew Dr. Geiss and Agent Hen
derson would never approve. In the end, Tess was being used as bait. But that didn’t mean that she wasn’t the most important thing in the world to Elias right now.
He’d seen it in her face when she’d entered the black car. That look in her eyes. He couldn’t push that image out of his head. She’d always been beautiful to him, but seeing her dressed up like that only kindled the fire of desire within Elias’s heart. He wondered if Tess knew how he felt.
What impressed him most about Tess wasn’t her beauty. That aspect of her was undeniable and certainly played a role in his intense lust. But what really drew him toward her was her spirit, her complete and utter courage in taking on this role. He knew that she wanted to solve this case as much as he did, and she was willing to do anything to get the job done. He respected that sort of bravery and determination. It was what he prized most in his own character and he was always shocked to find those rare humans who could match him in this area; Tess was one of those humans.
His thoughts were interrupted as he heard chatter coming across the wire, chatter that differentiated itself from the white noise of the many people waiting in line to get into the club. Someone had approached Tess directly.
Miss, you can go to the head of the line.
Really? Why?
We need more girls inside.
More girls? There are about fifty girls waiting in line ahead of me.
More girls like you.
Like me?
Yes. Come on inside. Enjoy a few free drinks on Mr. Cipriano.
Elias’s head perked up at that name. Their ruse was working, and apparently a little too well. They hadn’t planned for this and Elias could sense Tess’s thoughts, he could feel her wondering what she should do. He channeled an answer in her direction, telling her to do as the man asked. He couldn’t tell if she’d heard him, until he heard her answer come across the wire.
OK, thank you. Tell Mr. Cipriano I said ‘thank you.’
The Shifter's Conspiracy (Paranormal BBW Werewolf Romance Novella) Page 7
