Nic

by Jordan Summers

  “Sorry, gentleman, but I’m not going to allow my client to participate in a fishing expedition,” the attorney said. “Mr. La Croix has been more than cooperative, especially since the coroner hasn’t had time to determine the cause of death yet. If you have any further questions for Mr. La Croix, please direct them to me.” The attorney glanced at Nic. “Let’s go.”

  Daniels scowled at the lawyer. Markinson didn’t look at all surprised.

  “We’ll be in touch,” Markinson said. “In the meantime, don’t leave town.”

  “Hadn’t planned to,” Nic said. He was still trying to process what he’d been told. In the end, all that mattered to him was that Mindy was still alive.

  Nic and his attorney returned to the estate. The interrogation had taken two hours. Two hours that were better spent checking on Mindy. The need to rush to her side was almost unbearable. The attorney ushered him into Aidan’s office.

  “Take a seat,” Aidan said, then glanced at the attorney. “What happened?”

  “Marco Faretti was murdered, or at least that’s what they suspect right now,” the lawyer said.

  “Do they have any proof?” Aidan asked.

  The attorney shook his head.

  “Then why did they think you did it?” Aidan asked Nic.

  “I guess I’m the most obvious suspect.” Nic scrubbed a hand over his face. Mindy must be scared out of her mind. “Can I have my phone back?”

  “What for?” Aidan asked.

  “I want to call Mindy,” he said. “Make sure she’s okay.”

  “No!” Aidan snapped. “I don’t want you talking to her. I don’t want you anywhere near her until we know what’s going on.”

  “She’s my mate,” Nic ground out. “That’s not going to happen.”

  Aidan sat back, eyeing him closely. “I know there’s been some tension between us. I hope that doesn’t have anything to do with this current situation.”

  “It doesn’t,” Nic said.

  “I take it your new mate is human,” Aidan said. The answer was obvious, since no Kin would call in the human authorities over the death of one of their own.

  Nic’s jaw clenched.

  “Does she know what you are?” Aidan asked.

  “No,” Nic said.

  “That could be a problem,” Aidan said.

  “It wasn’t for your mate,” Nic snarled and glared at Aidan in direct challenge.

  Aidan’s amber eyes glowed until they were molten gold, and his incisors lengthened. He growled deep in his chest and rose to his feet. As he stared at Nic, the sound grew louder.

  Nic didn’t want to challenge the Alpha for his position. He wasn’t interested in leading the pack. The only thing he wanted was to get to his mate’s side to protect her. Nic forced his gaze down until he stared at the beige carpet.

  Aidan continued to growl, then slowly sat back down. “You only get one pass,” he said. “The next time you do that, I’ll rip your throat out.”

  Nic swallowed hard. “Understood, Alpha.”

  Aidan clasped his hands together. “Now, I’m going to ask you one time and one time only,” he said. “Did you kill the pup?”

  Nic looked him in the eye. “No.”

  “Do you know who did?” Aidan asked.

  “No idea,” Nic said.

  “Did they say how he was killed?” Aidan asked.

  “No.” Nic shook his head. “They were pretty tight-lipped about the details. Didn’t give much out.”

  Aidan crossed his arms over his wide chest. “I should be getting a call from the coroner soon,” he said. It paid to have wolves in the right positions. “Until I do, can you handle this situation on your own or do I need to step in?”

  Nic’s eyes flared.

  Aidan snarled.

  The attorney took a step back so he was no longer next to them.

  “I’ll handle it,” Nic said. “Let me know what they find out.” He had to get out of Aidan’s office before his wolf got them into more trouble. On his way out, Nic ran into Jenna.

  “Is it true that there’s been a murder?” she asked.

  “According to the police.”

  Her face paled. “Do we know who it is?”

  “Marco Faretti,” he said.

  Her pale brow furrowed. “I don’t think I know him.”

  “He doesn’t live in town,” Nic said.

  Jenna stared at him, tilting her head from side to side. “You look different,” she said.

  Some of the rage seeped out of him. “I am different,” Nic said softly.

  He no longer felt anything for Jenna beyond friendly affection and abiding respect. How could he have believed that she was meant for him? He should’ve listened to his wolf. It knew all along.

  “I have to go,” he said. “My mate needs me.”

  Nic heard her swift intake of breath as he strode down the hall to the front door.

  * * * * *

  Chapter Sixteen

  Mindy skipped class, but decided to go to work. She couldn’t bring herself to stay around the house all day knowing that Marco’s body had been lying outside at the bottom of her front steps.

  She left out her back door and walked around the house. There was a crimson stain on the sidewalk where Marco had been. Her stomach soured as she climbed into her car.

  She turned the key and the engine hummed smoothly. The lack of a ping reminded her that Nic had been there only a few hours earlier and they’d shared one of the best nights of her life.

  Sadness rose inside of her. Where was Nic and what was he doing? Had the police contacted him yet? Had they arrested him? Would he ever forgive her if they had?

  Mindy thought about Izzy’s cryptic warning. She’d thought for sure her sister had been talking about Marco, but now...

  She backed out of her driveway and drove into town. By the time Mindy reached Breakbend, her eyes were rimmed with red and her face was blotchy from crying. She parked behind the clinic and let herself inside. The cheerful light blue walls and photographs of satisfied customers did little to ease her pain.

  Celina took one look at her and jumped out of her seat. “What happened? What’s wrong? Did Nic do this?” she asked. “Is Izzy okay?”

  Mindy sniffled and more tears appeared. “It’s Marco.”

  Celina drew back in confusion. “Marco? What about Marco? I thought you didn’t want anything to do with him. I told you that he was bad news.”

  Celina’s face swam before Mindy’s eyes. “He’s dead,” Mindy said. “I found his body on my sidewalk.”

  “What!” Celina shouted. “What happened?”

  Mindy shook her head. “He was killed. Torn apart by something or someone. It was awful.”

  Celina’s eyes widened. “When?”

  “Sometime last night,” she said. “I didn’t hear anything.”

  “How?” Celina asked.

  “I don’t know,” Mindy said. “He had to have been killed somewhere else and dumped in front of my house. Who would do that?”

  Celina paled. “Oh, honey, are you okay?” She pulled Mindy into her arms and hugged her tight.

  Mindy sniffed. “I don’t know. I think I’m still in shock.”

  Celina reached for the box of tissues on her desk and handed them to Mindy. “I know you’re scared, but why are you crying? This is Marco we’re talking about. He was a jerk, remember?”

  “I know, but I didn’t want him dead,” Mindy wailed.

  “Did Nic spend the night?” Celina asked.

  Mindy shook her head.

  “Did you call him to let him know about Marco?” Celina asked.

  “I can’t,” Mindy sobbed.

  “Why not?” Celina asked.

  “Because I had to tell the police about him and Marco getting into a fight the other night,” Mindy said.

  Celina pulled back. “Do you think Nic hurt Marco?”

  Tears flowed down Mindy’s cheeks. “Izzy called to warn me this morning. She was totally freaking out
.”

  “To warn you about what?” Celina asked.

  “Danger being nearby,” Mindy said. “I don’t know what to think anymore.”

  * * * * *

  Celina studied her friend’s blotchy face and tear-stained cheeks. She didn’t look injured. Her gaze wandered lower until it reached a dark, angry smudge on the side of Mindy’s neck.

  At first she couldn’t figure out what she was looking at. “What happened to your neck?” Celina moved Mindy’s shirt aside to get a better look.

  Mindy’s hand shot up and covered the spot, but not before Celina saw the teeth marks in the wound.

  “Nic got carried away last night and gave me a hickey,” she said.

  Celina’s heart dropped. “Is that what he said it was?”

  “What else would it be?” Mindy asked.

  What else indeed...

  In Celina’s experience, wolves didn’t get carried away. There were no accidents when it came to marking a female. They took mating very seriously and they never bit a neck without it meaning something.

  “Take a seat,” she said. “I’m going to get you a cup of tea, then I want you to start from the beginning and tell me everything. Okay?”

  Mindy nodded. “Okay.”

  Celina’s hands shook as she walked into the small kitchenette to make Mindy a cup of tea. That wasn’t a hickey on her neck. A hickey wouldn’t have broken the skin. It also wouldn’t have teeth marks. Mindy was too naïve to know otherwise.

  Nic had marked her. His wolf had marked her. In the eyes of the pack, Mindy was now one of them. How could this have happened? He’d only known her for a few days.

  Resentment roiled inside Celina. Such a waste. The idiot didn’t understand the significance of the mark. Couldn’t appreciate the honor that had been bestowed upon her because she didn’t know that the Moonlight Kin existed.

  Celina tossed the ceramic cup into the sink, shattering it. She gripped the side of the sink and stared at the broken shards. It wasn’t fair.

  “Are you okay?” Mindy asked.

  Celina bit the inside of her mouth, using the pain to focus her. “I’m fine,” she said. “Just clumsy. I’ll be right out with your tea.”

  If Slade hadn’t made her promise not to tell Mindy the truth, she’d march into the other room right this instant and set her straight. But he had, so she couldn’t.

  Celina picked up another cup and put in a tea bag. While the tea steeped, she thought about Slade. He’d been hinting at marking her, but had put the act off repeatedly.

  She had tried to be patient, tried to give him the time and space he needed, but seeing Mindy’s mark brought clarity to her mind that hadn’t existed before. Celina was done waiting.

  Tonight, she’d push Slade for a commitment. If he balked, she’d tell him about Mindy’s mark and ask him to move out.

  Mind made up, Celina picked up the cup of tea and took it to Mindy. “This should make you feel better,” she said, but her thoughts had already returned to Slade and the upcoming discussion they would have.

  * * * * *

  Chapter Seventeen

  The only reason anyone would leave a dead body lying on someone’s front lawn was if they meant to send a message.

  The question was, who was the warning for? Him? Or Mindy?

  It seemed more likely the warning had been meant for him, but Nic couldn’t rule out the chance that it was meant for her. What could anyone possibly warn Mindy about?

  He sped to her house, determined to check on her and make sure she was okay. Once he assured himself that she was unharmed, he’d sniff around to see what he could pick up. The cops were good, but their noses couldn’t match one of the Kin’s.

  Nic was surprised to find Mindy’s car gone when he arrived. Where could she be? He hadn’t seen her at the police station. He didn’t think she’d go to school or work, not after finding a body.

  Mindy’s car wasn’t the only thing missing. The police were gone, too, but the crime-scene tape still surrounded the area near her front porch.

  Nic rolled down his window and sniffed the air. He needed to make sure he was alone before he pulled over. Other than a few deer in the distance, he didn’t detect anything of size. He guided the truck over to the side of the road and put it in park, then slipped out of the cab.

  He listened to the sound of the wind. Nic stood perfectly still while the woods whispered their secrets. As soon as he was sure it was safe, he loped over to Mindy’s yard and scented the area.

  Death hit him instantly. It clung to the grass and soiled the dirt with its foul odor. The coppery scent of blood followed on death’s heels. Marco may have been a pain in the ass, but he didn’t deserve to die.

  Nic slowly circled the area, sniffing every few feet to make sure he didn’t miss anything. As he moved further out, he caught the elusive scent that had bothered him before. It was all over the yard. The strongest concentration hung in the air where the body had been. His wolf bristled. Nic followed the odor toward the woods.

  Before he could reach the trees, Nic came across an odd stain. He circled the spot, smelling every inch of the diameter. The stain wasn’t blood. Wasn’t chemical. And it definitely wasn’t man made.

  Nic crouched down to examine the spot. He dipped a finger into the residue. The second the ashy substance hit his skin, it burned like acid. Nic ignored the pain long enough to sniff his finger. The stench of magic filled his nostrils and he stumbled back, landing on his butt.

  It wasn’t possible. Couldn’t be. They were myth. Legends created to scare children into behaving.

  There was only one creature Nic had heard of that left that kind of stain behind, and as far as he knew, it wasn’t real.

  The hair on the back of his neck rose, warning him that he was being watched. Nic didn’t react. Instead, he wiped the ash off his finger, ignoring the blisters it had left behind.

  Nic slowly scanned the area with his senses and detected—nothing. He rose to his feet. For the first time in his life, Nic knew what it felt like to be prey. He didn’t like the sensation one bit and neither did his wolf.

  He left the stain and headed toward his truck. Not once did Nic take his eyes off the woods, until he drove away. The idea that the bogeyman might be after Mindy terrified Nic and left him shaken. If he hadn’t been certain about his growing feelings for her before, the deadly threat solidified them.

  What had she gotten herself into? It was more imperative than ever that he find her. If what Nic had discovered was real, then Mindy wasn’t safe. No one was.

  * * * * *

  Mindy nearly fell out of her seat when Nic burst into the animal clinic. Seeing him in person only added to her sense of guilt and confusion. She’d spent the morning at the police station giving them her statement. She’d had no choice but to tell them about Nic. That didn’t mean she felt good about the decision.

  His face was flushed and he was out of breath. His big body tensed when he saw her. She expected him to start yelling any second.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  The question surprised her. Didn’t he want to know why she’d given the police his name?

  Nic’s gaze roamed over her, settling for a breath or two on her hickey before moving on.

  “I’m fine,” she said, finally finding her voice. “I’m sorry. I had no choice. I had to tell them.”

  “Doesn’t matter,” Nic said. “I’m just glad you’re all right. I was so worried when the police stopped by my workplace and told me there’d been a murder. They didn’t tell me who died.” He pulled her into his arms and held her close. “I thought I’d lost you.” Nic’s voice cracked.

  Mindy pushed out of his embrace. “I didn’t want to get you into trouble, but I couldn’t lie.”

  He grabbed her hand, threading his fingers between hers. “There’s nothing to apologize for. You did the right thing.”

  “You’re not mad?” She’d be mad if she were in his shoes.

  Nic smiled. “No
, honey. I’m relieved.”

  She stared at him. “It was horrible.” Her voice quivered.

  “I can imagine. I’m sorry you had to go through something like that alone,” Nic said. “I wish I could’ve been there for you. I should’ve been there. I won’t let you down again.” His body quaked. “If only he had been there when I left.”

  “He wasn’t?” Mindy asked, watching his face closely.

  “No!” Nic frowned. “I would’ve noticed a dead body.”

  He took a deep, exasperated breath and his expression changed. Fury replaced concern. The switch was so abrupt that it left Mindy shaking. Nic gently moved her aside and rushed into the main part of the clinic.

  “What are you doing?” she asked. “Nic, where are you going?” Mindy raced in after him.

  Nic didn’t stop until he reached the recovery area. Only a few animals were currently housed back there—a couple of dogs and two cats.

  The second he entered the room, they all whimpered and clawed to get out of their cages. Nic ignored their reaction and moved deeper into the room. When he reached the largest cage, he crouched next to it.

  “What happened to the animal inside this cage?” he asked. His tone was deadly serious. Mindy took a step back.

  Celina came running into the room. Her eyes widened to the size of saucers when she saw Nic next to the empty cage.

  Nic’s gaze slid from Mindy to her friend. Rage returned, making it look like his blue eyes were glowing. “Where is it?” He pointed at the cage.

  Celina’s tawny face paled and her hand fluttered to her throat. “It’s gone. I took it to a preserve and released it.”

  Mindy glanced at her. Why was Celina lying?

  * * * * *

  Nic could smell the lies emanating from Celina’s skin. The sour odor stank up the room, but this was neither the time nor the place to confront her. Not in front of Mindy.

  He should report to Aidan immediately. And say what? I think the bogeyman is real? Nic snorted. He wasn’t about to present his findings to the Alpha until he had proof. An odd stain and a foul odor weren’t enough. Not after everything that had happened this morning.