by LS Anders
The last time she’d come upon him, he’d been in his dream with a dark haired woman. She hadn’t gotten a very good look at the girl, but the two had vanished as soon as Sevin had spotted her. She got the feeling that he was evading her. But, why would he do that? Did he not want to be found?
After she’d passed the information onto to Lucian and Vex, they weren’t any more relieved than they had been before. Vex had cursed about irresponsible puppy’s while Lucian just sunk deeper into disquiet.
Alea fell somewhere between the two. Still convinced he was with the girl she’d seen at the hospital, her instincts told her he was safe, but how long would he stay that way?
If he’d actually shifted while in her care, then what? She could be ready to call Letterman and have him on as the next feature.
There wasn’t a time that she knew of when other species were found that it hadn’t turned out to be anything less than a sideshow freak or a science experiment that ended in dismemberment and death.
She just wished all this mess with Sevin and Jason was behind them. It was selfish of her, but she was so ready to focus all her energy on her relationship with Vex.
He reached for her every night and as powerful as their love making was, there was always a shadow that surrounded them. A gloomy cloud that dimmed the sunshine of their happy new relationship.
Both of them were holding back. Words she wanted to say on the verge but never spoken aloud. Her demon didn't look ready to hear what she had to confess, so caught up in the turmoil of Sevin’s disappearance. And, the still unresolved issue with Jason had everyone antsy for a conclusion.
They had about an hour before they closed, so she started her nightly closing early knowing they’d want to hightail it to the hospital as soon as the closed sign was illuminated.
It had been ten days since Jason and Evana had been attacked. And, nine days since Sevin went missing.
She’d begun to worry if Jason would ever regain consciousness even though when she touched his hand, she was instantly reassured that he was on the mend. A deep healing sleep was what he needed, but the lengthy sleep still scared the shit out of her.
A flash of black in the far corner of the shop’s glass front had her swinging her eyes away from the receipts she was pushing into the zipper pouch.
Pausing, she scanned the windows. Nothing but the usual foot traffic of people passing by on the sidewalk outside. Some in a hurry, others content to meander at a leisurely pace. Cars sitting bumper to bumper.
Must have been nothing—
That purebred’s head popped back around the corner. The one with the downcast eyes that always brought up the rear of the pack was peering into the shop, his eyes sharp as he scanned the environs.
As his eyes shifted to hers, his lids peeled wide and he was gone in an instant.
Dropping the pouch, receipts that hadn't made it inside fluttered to her feet as she took off out the door. Vex’s surprised curse trailed behind her until it was cut off by the door easing shut behind her.
Swinging a hard right, the purebred was just up ahead. Walking at a fast clip, his shoulders were hunched and hands stuffed in his pockets, he kept up a constant glance over one shoulder behind himself.
As the male spotted her following, he began to sprint away. She barely caught sight of him as he tried to lose her by veering off into an alley.
Running to the mouth of the alley where he disappeared, she would have given her last dime to be wearing her sneakers and not the high heels she was already struggling in. That didn’t slow her wobbly progress as she continued to chase after the much faster shifter. Rapidly losing ground, this might be their one chance to get crucial information about Sevin, and she knew those assholes had something to do with him getting hit by that car.
“Wait! Stop, please.” Damn, the male could move. He was already down at the end of the alley and about to turn another corner. She couldn’t lose him. “Please, I just want to talk to you.”
When her pleading didn’t work, she brought out the big guns. “Don’t go to sleep, shifter!” she hollered at his retreating back. “Because as soon as you do, I’ll find you and you will never be the same.”
That slapped the breaks on. Still running full speed ahead, she didn’t slow as the shifter stopped and turned to her as he waited for her to reach him.
Before she could get her first question out between panting breaths, he asked, “I was just checking to see if Sevin was alright?”
That had her taking a step back. “We’re not sure. Do you know where he is?”
“I saw him get hit by a car”—his admission flooded her eyes with tears—“but, there was nothing I could do.”
“I knew you and your gang of bullies had something to do with him disappearing.”
“Micah made us chase him. The car came out of nowhere—”
If there was ever a time she wanted to kick somebody’s ass, it was now.
“We’re in New York City! There are always cars on the streets. It didn’t just come out of nowhere, asshole,” she shouted.
The shifter paled, but there was no help for the outrage that was boiling out of her. “So, you left him there? In the fucking street? He’s one of you. How could you just leave him there? What will happen if the Homo sapiens find out they aren’t the only thing walking around on two legs?”
“There was nothing I could do!” he defended. “Once I ditched the others, I went back to check on him and—”
“Why? To gloat, or did you go back to get a selfie, you useless prick!” she accused.
“No.” He took a step back and then another, holding his hands palms up as if to keep her at bay. “I went back to help, but he had already taken off.”
“How's that possible? He just got up and ran away?” she asked, incredulous.
“Yeah, he did. I tracked him—” The shifter jerked in surprise as his back came up against the solid mass of her pissed off demon.
“To where?” The shifter jumped and spun around as the wall suddenly had a voice. “Where, motherfucker?”
Trapped between her and Vex, the purebred turned chalk white as he swung back and forth between the two, clearly trying to figure a way out of his present situation.
“Are you gonna start talking on your own or do you need my fist to get you jump started?” Vex made a show of cracking his knuckles.
“He took off towards Broome Street and cut in behind the pawn shop on the corner,” the shifter’s words shaky as he rushed to explain. “There's a narrow path where that building and the one behind it don't quite meet, but it opens up into a courtyard. It looked like he stopped there and shifted into human form. He made another right and kept going until he came on Delancey Street again. That's where his trail ended.”
“How could it just end?” she questioned.
“Or, did you just lose his scent?” Vex growled.
“No! No, I didn't lose his scent,” the shifter spoke rapidly. “He paused on the sidewalk. There was a human scent concentrated in that area. He must have gotten into a car, because there's nothing after that.”
“How can there be nothing? You lost his scent, because you're a shitty tracker.” Vex got up close to the purebred, backing him into the building. “Sevin wouldn't have lost the scent. He could track the car. You're gonna show me the exact path he took after he was hit.”
“I will on one condition.”
Vex bathed the male in a red glow. The alley becoming illuminated as if someone had flipped on a neon sign. Alea took a quick look around to make sure no one was witnessing her demon’s inner lightshow.
“You're in no position to be making deals.” Vex wrapped his thick fingers around the male's throat.
The male grabbed onto the massive hand gripping his throat that was dangerously close to ending his life. She hoped for all their sakes the next words that came out of the purebred’s mouth didn't send her demon over the edge. He was a witness to what happened to Sevin and could show them where he had b
een last before he’d disappeared.
“I broke…away...from my…pack,” the purebred wheezed. His attempts to loosen Vex's hold on his throat were futile. “I…need…protection.”
“What makes you think I would help you? Maybe I should just kill you right now.”
“Go…ahead.” The purebred dropped his hands to his sides. “I…can't help…you find him…if I'm…dead.”
Vex’s eyes burned brighter as he slammed the male against the wall before dangling his feet above the ground by his neck. The purebred’s face turning a horrid shade of purple before she stepped in to talk her demon down.
“Vex, let him go.” She touched his shoulder to gain his attention. “We need him. He can help us find Sevin.”
Briefly turning his attention to her and then back at the meat he had in a death grip, Vex seemed to be pondering her logic. Dropping the purebred with a nasty curse, he stepped away as the male crumpled around her demon’s boots.
Crouching down to the purebred, she gave him a moment as he learned how to breathe again. “What's your name?”
“K…,” he coughed. “Kane.”
“Alright, Kane.” She kept her voice even, calm. “Why do you need protection?”
“I can’t be around those males any longer,” he coughed. “They’re like wild animals. Once they figure out I’m not coming back, the pack will stalk me relentlessly until they eventually kill me. But, they won't fuck with beings from the Realm of the Dead.”
“We’ll protect you from the others, but you have to tell us everything you know about the night Sevin got hit,” she said through gritted teeth. Not buying into his bullshit, she was ready to do some strangling of her own, not liking having to strike a deal with this piece of shit any more than Vex.
“I will. I promise.” The purebred’s eyes turned thankful.
“And, why should we believe anything you say?” Vex shoved his face in front of Kane’s. His face contorted with malice.
“Because, I’m telling the truth.”
“Lucian can get the truth from him?” She looked to her demon for an answer.
“Yeah, he can.” Vex grabbed a fistful of the shifter’s shirt, lifting him easily from the ground. “You’re coming with us.”
Vex wasn't giving the purebred a choice but to come back to the shop with him and Alea.
His heart had stopped in his chest when she'd taken off out the front door leaving no explanation. Ready to wipe down the tattoo he'd completed when his fairy had bolted, he’d dropped the cloth and gone after her, leaving his client behind.
Lucian would handle things in his sudden absence. Knowing the angel like he did, he knew the male would cover for him.
At the end of the alley, he dragged the bag of shit around the corner taking them back towards the shop behind the row of buildings where they could access the back door into the shop. It might not be good for business if he was seen manhandling this douche through the front door. After all, they had to keep up appearances.
Lucian had his face pressed to the glass of the front door, no doubt waiting for them to return, when Vex used the purebred’s shoulder to shove open the back door.
“Gonna need your help when you get a minute, hippie,” he called out.
Shoving the male into the first chair he came to, he stuck a finger in Kane’s face. “Stay, dog.”
“I’ll go see if everyone’s gone,” Alea said, heading directly to the front.
“Oh, shit,” Lucian uttered. “How’d you get ahold of him? Where’s the rest of them?”
“Claims he defected. Wanna put your skills to good use and see if he’s telling the truth?”
“Why would he jump ship?” Lucian was looking at the purebred as if he were a rare specimen ready to be placed under a microscope.
“Says he’s done with them. He wants to help us find Sevin,” he answered for the shifter who remained quiet. Kicking Kane’s booted foot to get his attention. “This is not a good time to get all shy, shifter. Start yapping before we call your dogs to come get you.”
Lucian pulled forward a chair, parking it directly in front of the purebred. The male seemed to stiffen, then relax. Whatever mind tricks the angel used starting to kick in.
“Do you know where Sevin is?” Lucian seemed to hold onto his breath.
“No, I don’t, but I want to help find him.” Kane sat forward. “I was there when he got hit by that car.”
He could see the wave of anger rise over the angel’s head just before he made a move to lunge on the male. He grabbed the angel’s shoulder holding him in place. Seemed that little tidbit of information had the same infuriating effect on everyone.
“I want to kill him too, but first we need information,” he said pushing Lucian back into the chair.
“Alright,” Lucian agreed. Blasting out all the air in his lungs, he plowed his hands through his long hair. “I’m good now.”
He let the angel go, but stayed close as the questioning began. Lucian started with the basics and as Alea quietly stepped into the office and shut the door, his mind shut down everything else around him. She was the only thing he saw.
Staying on the sidelines, her eyes shifted to his seeking solace in this time of uncertainty. Her concern for Sevin’s safety matching his own.
The crushing tenderness he felt for her was excruciating in its pureness. With everything going on, he hadn’t found the right moment to tell her—
“—is my brother.”
His head snapped around so fast, his neck popped.
Every molecule of air suddenly sucked out of the room. Kane’s words hanging in the aftermath of everyone’s shocked gasps, finally floated down into a collective disbelief.
“Sevin is your brother?” Alea was the one that found her voice first.
Kane was locked onto Lucian’s hypnotic gaze and didn’t answer until the angel repeated her question.
“Yes. I mean, he’s my half-brother,” Kane said. “We share a sire.”
Vex let out a string of curses. When he’d thought the purebred was part of a pack of thugs hell-bent on harassing a half-breed for sport was bad enough, but to relentlessly go after your own blood was unforgivable.
Normally a male of his word, that offer of protection in exchange for information was looking pretty one-sided. He’d get the info he needed and yank his offer of protection out from under the guy. Fuck him.
“Why would you go after your own brother?” Lucian asked the million dollar question.
“I didn’t want to. I have to follow Micah, he’s my alpha. It was just tracking him, and fucking with him. I never thought he'd ever get seriously hurt.”
“Well, he did and now he's missing,” Lucian seethed.
“That's why I want out of the pack.”
“Where’s your sire?” Lucian asked.
“Dead.” Kane’s voice went flat.
“How?” Lucian demanded, but they already knew the answer. The only way that there would be a change in leadership for a pack of wolf-shifters was a fight to the death.
“Micah challenged him,” Kane said in a thin voice. “I can’t stomach those guys anymore, but I'm dead if I leave unless I have some heavy duty protection.”
Lucian continued with the questions. The more the shifter talked, the more of his story was painted with a life full of cruelty and brutality, first at the hands of his father and now at the hands of the new alpha. This Micah character was worse than the former alpha, which was saying a lot.
It was a wonder Sevin had made it out of that pack alive. Then again, he'd had his back against the wall when he and Lucian had stepped in and saved him, otherwise, he'd probably be dead.
Vex did not want to feel sorry for this male. It was so much easier to hang tight to his hatred for this shifter after everything Sevin had been through at the hands of his pack. To understand the reasons and forgive Kane for what he had no choice in doing was a hell of a lot more difficult to stomach.
Now that he knew the male’s b
ackground, the more misplaced his hatred became. Tugging sharply at his heartstrings, the male was not in a much better situation than Sevin had been. By the looks of the rag-tag shifter and being the runt, just about the only thing he had going for him was his pure blood.
Kane was right to be afraid. If he went against his alpha, that would be seen as a blatant disregard to his leadership and taken as a challenge. The shifter was in no shape to hold his own against someone as strong as Micah. As young as he appeared, maybe a little younger than Sevin, he lacked experience and was scrawny as hell to boot. The pup was definitely in need of a cheeseburger and some self-defense training at the very least, if he had any hopes of staying alive.
It was appalling, the conditions with which the male lived. Last on the chain of the hierarchy, he was just a step above Sevin as a half-breed. Always last to eat, he was only given whatever scraps were leftover by the others. He had to work harder than the rest of his pack. Shit always rolled downhill, so he was the catch-all for all the unwanted tasks that got deferred down the chain and ended with him.
“He can stay with me.” He heard, but didn't believe the words that had just rolled out of his mouth. Apparently, no one else could either as Lucian and Alea were both gawking at him, all bug-eyed.
“That's generous of you, Vex,” Lucian said. “But, I think your apartment is all full up. I'll take him. He can stay at my place.”
“Agreed. You go with Kane and see what you can find out about Sevin’s last whereabouts. Me and Alea will head over to visit our friend, I might need to use my power of persuasion on him,” Vex reasoned.
No need to take Kane with them to the hospital. They needed to keep their business their own.
“Sounds like a plan.” Lucian looked back at the shifter.
Holding the angel’s stare, Kane sagged and then straightened. Wide-eyed as he glanced around, seemingly surprised he had spilled everything that he had.
