Shifting Love's Hunger

by Jeff D Ellis

  Chloe came back in. “Wayne has everything under control here. We should get moving.”

  Mark nodded. “It’s going to be a long night.”

  They headed back down to The Second Circle.

  “Hey Onyx, you can let Greta know the nightclub is fully under our control again. It’s time for us to hit the underground back to your place.”

  “Are you going to change back for the trip?”

  Chloe nodded.

  “Let me walk you out and collect the clothes. I don’t want my spare dress left sitting on the ground.”

  Chloe grinned. “You just want to see Mark naked again.”

  “Who, me?”

  Mark started undressing the moment they entered the unground area and handed each piece of clothing to Onyx. Mark shifted to his coyote form as soon as he handed her the last of the clothes.

  Onyx tried to hide her smile with her hand. “I don’t think I could ever get tired of watching Mark strip. It’s over too soon.”

  Chloe handed her the dress. “He takes his time on things that matter.” Chloe then shifted and they took off at a run.

  Mark let Chloe take the lead on the path back through the underground. One passage had the scent of death and some unknown predator. Mark made a mental note to take a team down to see what was going on. The last thing he needed was to get ambushed by some monster while in a fight with the Pack.

  Their clothes were the same as they had left them. Mark shifted back and got dressed while watching Chloe do the same.

  He looked at his phone. “Sam left me a message asking why our people got sent home. He is going to quickly know something is up.”

  “Let him wonder. Once we have given Greta the all clear tonight, he will know for sure.”

  “Right, we better hurry.”

  ***

  Chloe drove as Mark looked over the plans on her laptop. At this time of night, there was no traffic, so they were quickly approaching B&K.

  “Chloe, drive by and then come back around and park down the street. I want to make sure nobody is watching the place.”

  After doing the drive by, she turned off her headlights and headed past again and found a place to park down the street. She was still amazed at how quiet her electric BMW i3 was. Mark gave her the all-clear and they walked up to the building.

  Roger met them at the door and waved them in.

  “Any trouble?”

  Roger shook his head. “Everything looks fine. I did what you said and we seem secure.”

  Mark followed Roger back to the security closet.

  Mark scowled.

  “Mark, what is it?”

  “I can’t believe they did not follow orders to keep these places independent of the control center. This one also is connected back. Sam is going to know for sure when this one goes offline like the nightclub.”

  “Roger, tell Anita to be extra watchful tonight and don’t open the door for anybody. I’m going to get things disconnected and do the malware scan.”

  Chloe pulled out her phone. “I’ll call Adam and tell them we will be over soon.”

  Chloe moved to the hallway to make the call. She did not want to bother the guys while they were working.

  “Adam, what is your status?”

  “Everything is under control. We had a couple of stragglers on a self-guided tour of the sets, but we cleared them out and we are secure.”

  “Who were they?”

  “Some Humans that had visitor badges. We tossed them out after making sure they were not stealing anything.”

  “I want you to run another sweep, starting with the phone closet and security room. Be on the lookout. The Pack is going to know something is up as we take each location offline. Don’t open the door for anybody but us tonight. Was there any Pack security there when you arrived?”

  “That is the strange part. Everything was locked down but we did not see any security guys.”

  “Lock one person in the security room and the other two stick together. I don’t want anybody left alone in the open.”

  “Andy and Joe are doing separate patrol sweeps right now.”

  “Regroup now. Call me back as soon as you are together. If I don’t hear from you, I will send backup.”

  Chloe rushed back in to the security room. “Mark, I have a bad feeling about the studio. Adam found a couple of Human stragglers but no Pack security.”

  “That does seem off. My plan was for at least a two-man team for that building at night. Maybe Sam was just saving money, but he could be taking advantage of the studio being a big place with lots of places to hide in. We don’t have any motion sensors inside with cameras for the common areas.”

  “You about done?”

  “I am done with the scan and it found a backdoor. I removed it and it’s rebooting now. Adam, I want you to disconnect this wire here when we call you, or if you have not heard from us, do it in one hour. That way you should go offline with the control center about the time we shut down the connection at the studio.”

  “Got it, boss.”

  Once they were back on the road, Mark tried Adam again.

  “Adam didn’t answer. I am going to call Erica for some backup.”

  Chloe glanced at her speed. “I will get us there as fast as I can.”

  “Erica, it’s Mark. I have a bad feeling about the studio … have some people meet us there and bring me a spare weapon … see you soon.”

  He hung up. “Okay, backup should get there just after we do.”

  “Should we call the police or something?”

  “If it’s the Pack, we need to handle this on our own. I expect it’s nothing, but I want to be safe. The extra people will also help to make sure the building is secure.”

  “You asked for a gun?”

  “Guns are just going to piss off a Vukodlak, but are better than nothing. They will work against any Pack looking to cause trouble.”

  “Are you going to be able to shoot people you grew up with?”

  “Only if I have to.”

  ***

  When they pulled into the studio parking lot, Mark tried to call Adam again with no answer. The backup hadn’t arrived yet.

  “Chloe, wait here for the backup. I am going to sniff around. You will feel it if I get into trouble and can bring help. I should only be a few minutes. Make sure no one takes a shot at me.”

  “Why would they…”

  Mark started taking his clothes off.

  “Got it, hurry back.”

  Mark shifted into a Coyote and took off running. He let his nose guide him as he circled the building from a distance. He wasn’t getting any fresh wolf scents. He did catch a sniff of something strange on the wind, but it was not coming from anywhere close by. Then he smelled fear. A couple of cats and a dog in the area sensed a predator that scared them enough to run from the area. The fur on his back started to stand on end. He could tell he was being watched from a distance. He pretended he hadn’t noticed but if they could see well enough, his fur would give him away.

  When Mark turned the corner, the smell of death hit him hard. He slowly moved up and found Adam dead with a bullet through his heart. It would be hard even for a Vampire to heal quickly when a high-caliber round destroyed their heart.

  Mark forced himself to keep looking for other victims. He finished his trip around the building and went back to the parking area. He could see Chloe and Erica talking with a few other of her people milling around. Mark shifted back as he approached.

  “Adam is dead. I didn’t scent any other bodies around the building.”

  Erica’s mouth hung open. “Dead? How can he be dead?”

  “A high-caliber rifle round though the heart. It destroyed it completely. I expect it was a .338 Lapua Magnum. An expert sniper would have been able to take him out from a thousand meters with that round. I expect it was the same shooter that took out the Pack Alpha.”

  “How can we be safe from that?”

  “Not even Type IV milita
ry body armor will stop that bullet. I smelled a predator off in the distance that would have had an angle on where I found Adam. I don’t think he could have been more than one hundred meters out. I expect he is hanging around to see how we react.”

  Chloe tried to hand Mark his clothes, but he waved her off. No one seemed to have even noticed he was naked.

  “We need to secure the building. Your best bet is speed. Erica, are you up for running to the door and getting it open for us?”

  “Sure thing.”

  “What weapons did you bring?”

  Erica went to her SUV and handed Mark what was a long knife or a short sword. “Here, take this RMJ Wyvern short sword. I am going to use the same. Max is going to use a tactical tomahawk.”

  Mark looked the sword over. “I guess we can bring a knife to a gun fight. If you are facing a Vukodlak, you better take its head off with it. For some reason, I thought we would be packing pistols or light rifles. What about radios or body armor?”

  Erica handed each of them a radio and ear piece. “Sorry, no body armor, since we would normally wouldn’t need such a thing. At least we can stay in touch.”

  Mark handed the sword back to Erica. “Hold my gear for me. I think it’s best if I run the distance as a coyote. Does anybody have an extra pack for my clothes? I will need them after we secure the building.”

  Erica rummaged around the SUV and came back with a drawstring bag he could use. Mark placed his clothes inside and handed the bag to Chloe.

  “Here’s the plan: Erica uses her access card to open the door and keeps it open for the rest of us to rush into the building. Chloe, you go second, then Max. I’ll go last. Once I’m through, lock the doors and stay away from any windows. Our first objective is to find Adam’s people. If they are smart, they should be holed up in the security room. I want silence until we hit the security room, then we will take stock and go over next steps. Ready?”

  Everybody nodded. Mark pointed at Erica and then the door. She moved like a blur across the parking lot and through the door. Mark signed for Chloe to go. He tapped Max when Chloe was halfway there. Mark then shifted and ran for the door.

  The sound of the door closing and locking broke the silence. Mark shifted back to his Human form and got dressed. Max and Erica maintained defensive positions to the sides of the door into the back area. Mark strapped the short sword to his belt and approached the door. He listened and then gave a thumbs up. He should have gone over the tactics with the team before now. It was hard to work as a unit when you weren’t on the same page. He mimed for Erica to use the access card while Max pulled open the door. He signaled he would go through first, then Erica, Chloe, and Max would take the rear-guard position. Mark gave a sign to go. As the door opened, Mark went through and to the right and watched as they each came through, taking up positions on either side.

  They would need to clear several more areas before getting to the security room. Mark motioned that he wanted Max and Chloe to stay in the hallway while he and Erica checked each room along their path. When they made it to the security room, the door was opened by Andy inside.

  Andy and Joe were waiting for them.

  Mark looked them over. “Report.”

  Andy swallowed. “I told Adam not to go out there alone. He said our orders were to stick together and wait for you, but he thought it was all nothing.”

  “Did you see what happened?”

  “There was a flash of light and Adam went down and didn’t move.”

  “Why didn’t you call for help?”

  “The land line isn’t working and my cell was dead. Joe forgot his tonight in the rush to get out the door.”

  “Have you seen anything on the interior cameras and how far did you get on clearing the studio?”

  “The video has been all clear, other than you guys coming in. We think the studio is empty.”

  “It’s okay. Did you guys bring guns?”

  Andy pointed. “They are locked in the file cabinet over there.”

  Mark shook his head. Maybe it was for the best. These guys didn’t seem to be smart enough to be trusted with them. “Give them to me.”

  Andy unlocked the cabinet and placed three 9mm pistols in holsters and three spare magazines on the desk in front of the monitors. Mark attached a holster and magazine carrier to his belt and handed the others to Erica and Max.

  “I want you two to stay here with Chloe while we clear the building. She is in charge until we get back.”

  Mark looked at Erica and Max. “You seem to know what you are doing. Max, like before, you will open the doors and guard our backs. Erica, you and I will trade off who enters first depending on which side the door opens. I will take point as we move down the halls. We clear?” Erica and Max nodded.

  Mark had trained in doing this with a SWAT team, but they always used four-man teams carrying smoke and flash bang grenades. This was not optimal, but he couldn’t trust one of those two clods to back them up, and Chloe was not trained for this. Mark was happy she would stay safe in the security room on overwatch and not risking herself out with them.

  “Let’s move out.”

  It took them two hours to clear all of the spaces. Mark had worried over nothing. He would need Will to make sure nothing had been messed with in the morning. It was getting late but he still needed to check out the security console.

  “Chloe, can you call Roger and see when he disconnected the DSL at the B&K?”

  Mark found the computer had the same connection back to the Pack control center and the backdoor on the computer.

  “We are good to go here. We can let Greta know it’s safe to cancel the contract. I have a feeling they already know it’s coming. We also need someone to take care of Adam’s remains.”

  “Mark, Roger pulled the wire after an hour as instructed.”

  “Thanks for checking, Chloe. Erica, can I talk to you outside for a moment?”

  Mark took her out of earshot of the room. “Can you leave Max here until Will takes over in the morning?”

  “Sure thing, boss.”

  “Andy and Joe need supervision. I hope our other guys are not so green.”

  “We have a few like them. I didn’t have a lot to pick from when you put out the request for people.”

  “I’ll need a report listing each person’s level of training by lunch tomorrow. Can you do that for me?”

  “No problem, boss.”

  “Erica, you did a great job tonight and you are my second in command on tactical issues. Chloe will be my second on administrative needs.”

  Erica smiled. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

  “Next time I ask for weapons, I want guns as well as knives. We can go over our weapons inventory tomorrow.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Room with a view

  CHLOE LOOKED OVER at Mark and could see the day had taken a lot out of him. His nap after this spirit journey couldn’t have been enough for all of tonight’s work. It was time to find sleep. Then she realized they had left the access cards and information about John’s Seattle penthouse with Onyx when they returned the clothes. She called The Second Circle knowing it would be staffed twenty-four hours a day. Onyx had gone home, but had left everything with the nightclub security guys and they would run it out to her car when Chloe got there.

  After a quick stop by the nightclub, they soon arrived at parking garage of a high-rise apartment building. They found the elevator from the instructions and it took them all the way to the penthouse. They walked into a large apartment. The exterior walls were all glass and it seemed she could see all of Seattle from here. It had an ultra-modern look that was not at all like John’s personality. It must be why he never stayed here. This must be how the rich lived.

  Chloe gasped. “This is amazing, Mark.”

  “If you want to live in a fishbowl. We need to get our own place soon. I don’t like being up so high.”

  “Have you seen the kitchen? I love all the granite counter
s. The fireplace in the living room looks so cozy to be sitting by after a long night.”

  Mark shook his head. “All I want to see is the bed. I feel like someone unplugged me and tomorrow is going to be a busy day. I can imagine the sun coming through these windows in a few hours.”

  “Come, my tired puppy, and I will find you a place to put your head.”

  Chloe quickly found the master bedroom and got Mark tucked away. He was asleep the moment his head hit the pillow. She looked around at the window and found a knob. She turned it and the window darkened. At least he would be able to sleep past dawn now. She was a little frustrated. After getting Mark back, she felt a strong hunger for sex. She checked the closet and only found robes. They were amazingly soft, but would not do as work clothes. That was not totally true, they could work in the brothel or on a porn set. Shopping would need to be a priority tomorrow. She was tired of wearing things from Onyx’s closet and missed her clothes from home. Based on what she had seen in Mark’s closet, he was not the type to enjoy shopping for clothes. She dreaded the thought of spending all day in planning meetings. She liked her job, but she needed a life outside of work.

  Enough of that, she needed to at least try to get some sleep. She slipped into bed beside him. His naked, hard body called out to her. She could only hope he was up to for sex in the morning, but from past experience, he was not a morning person and evenings were the time he wanted to have fun.

  ***

  Mark was lying on his back and enjoying the view of Chloe riding him. Their lovemaking always astounded him and was continually getting better. He could draw on their connection to better understand what pleased her. He sucked on her nipple as she brought him wave after wave of pleasure. Something kept tickling his hip and it was taking his mind off the pleasure he was feeling. He tried to look and see what it was but his head didn’t want to move. The vision of Chloe was changing. It was becoming more grayscale than color until he lost the image all together, but the sensation kept on. That was when he woke up to Chloe giving him the blowjob of his life. His body jerked as he climaxed into her warm mouth. He hair brushing his hip was the source of the ticklish feeling from his dream. He looked around and remembered where he was.