by Dannika Dark
“I don’t know his name,” Shepherd said, barely recognizing his own voice.
She touched his hand. “The fates brought him back into your life for a reason. Maybe it’s so you can get your revenge, but maybe it’s not. We still have a little baby out there whose life depends on us.”
That brought Shepherd down to earth.
Gem rested her head across his arm and smiled at him. She batted her lashes in that endearing and playful way that was all Gem. “Please help us find the baby.”
Shepherd nodded, suddenly feeling embarrassed about his outburst. He didn’t like people thinking he didn’t have things under control. “If anyone asks, just tell them I was mad I missed breakfast.”
She patted his hand and stood up. “There’s plenty left over. I’ll just tell Raven to heat up the sauce.”
His lips twitched. “Sauce?”
Chapter 12
Niko pinned me against the mat. “You’re losing focus.”
Exhausted, I simply lay there while he stood up and wiped his face and chest with a towel. After Shepherd’s meltdown, I had decided to extend my morning session with Niko. I enjoyed our time together even if we spent most of it knocking each other down. When working out, he had me focusing on upper-arm strength by climbing the rope or doing pull-ups. But during our one-on-one sessions, he taught me how to fight. It wasn’t that I didn’t know how to protect myself, but I fought dirty. Niko wanted to demonstrate actual maneuvers, which would probably take me centuries to perfect. He said that relying heavily on Mage energy could be a weakness, and only a true warrior could fight without it.
He tossed me a bottle of water, and I caught it in my hand before sitting up.
“What was that about upstairs?” I asked, unscrewing the lid.
“Do you mean with Shepherd?” Niko heaved a sigh and hiked up his loose black pants so he could sit down in front of me. “He’s never spoken about his past or personal life. I’ve never known him to lose control.”
“How are we supposed to help him if he won’t let us in?”
Niko swept back a wayward piece of hair and tucked it through the elastic band holding his hair in a knot. “We must leave it up to Viktor. If he’s too unstable to work on this case, Viktor will pull him out.”
I gulped my water down and set the bottle aside. “Has this ever happened before?”
Niko’s blue eyes looked through me. “Shepherd has always been emotionally stable, and I’m good at reading energy. He has a unique relationship with Wyatt because they’re partners, but he’s always gotten along better with Christian. Perhaps they enjoy each other’s company because they are more alike than not.”
I leaned on my arm. “Maybe Viktor’s taking a big risk hiring a team of secret agents who have the kind of criminal record we do.”
“If Viktor didn’t give us a chance, who would? He’s giving us an opportunity to start over. Where would you be now if he hadn’t come along? Here we can forget our past and rebuild our lives.”
I stood up and straightened my tank top. “We might be done with the past, but the past isn’t done with us. Ever think of that? Maybe the only way to move forward isn’t to shove all our skeletons into a closet and pretend they never existed. The closet’s still there, Niko. And the next time you open it, all that shit’s going to fall on top of you.”
He slowly rose to his feet and cocked his head to the side. “You’re not talking about Viktor anymore. What are you contemplating?”
“Nothing.”
He narrowed his eyes, and I knew he could read my lie.
My father was an unresolved issue, and no matter how perfect my new life seemed, if I didn’t close that door once and for all, it was going to haunt me worse than any of Wyatt’s spooks. I might end up like Shepherd with mood swings and outbursts of rage.
I turned on my heel and headed toward the door. “I need to shower.”
“Raven!”
He followed behind me, and when I realized he wasn’t going to let it go, I flashed up the stairs and across the mansion.
After several flights of stairs, I reached my room on the third floor and closed the heavy door behind me. I liked Niko, but not enough to confide something that could make me look bad in front of Viktor. While we each shared the same tattoo, Niko was loyal to Viktor first and foremost. My plans had nothing to do with Keystone, and no one had any right interfering.
I’d stripped out of my shorts and was grabbing a clean pair of panties and some clothes from my armoire when all of a sudden, Niko burst into the room.
“Why did you run from me?” The door closed behind him, and his gaze followed my energy trail until he found me by the bed.
I stood there in nothing but a pair of panties. Could he see my nudity? My guess was no when he didn’t flinch or look away.
His eyebrows sank into an angry slash. “Everyone has secrets, but if you’re planning to do something that’ll hurt this organization, I can’t allow that to happen. Your energy flickered back there. Guilt.” He closed the distance between us. “It is not my job to protect you. Everyone must make their own decisions. But don’t waste our time. If you have a choice, then you need to make the right one.”
“Like you ignoring those guys who follow you around?”
His jaw set.
“You’re good at reading people’s light. Don’t tell me you haven’t spotted them once or twice when we’ve gone out. They sure as hell noticed you. And whoever that guy is, he’s not going anywhere. Ignore the past all you want, Niko, but eventually it’s going to make you pay attention. Why not face it on your own terms instead of waiting for it to destroy you? Don’t misinterpret my actions. I want to stay here. I want to start a new life and be a better person, whatever that means.”
Niko shook his head. “Keystone isn’t about angels and sinners. We help people, but your hands won’t be clean. Sometimes we have to turn a blind eye, and sometimes we have to kill. If you imagined yourself a monster before, don’t assume getting paid will change anything.”
“I thought that was the whole point of joining Keystone. To clean up our act.”
He took a few steps toward me. “It’s easy to lose yourself when you’re alone. Viktor uses our talents and keeps us from crossing the line. Otherwise, we would become no different from the men we hunt. We’re ideal for this job because we have nothing to lose, but that also makes us a danger to ourselves.”
“Viktor can’t control our lives.”
When I veered left to go through the open doorway to my bathroom, I felt his fingers swipe my bare back as if he were grabbing for my shirt.
Niko inclined his head when he realized I was naked. “Apologies.”
I sighed, not at all upset with him. “If Shepherd’s gone off the deep end and he does something to bring this organization down, then I’m with you. But… I also think we’re entitled to free will when it comes to personal matters. What I want isn’t going to hurt Viktor or the team.”
He turned away and strolled toward the window. “It’s not just about what could bring down Keystone. Viktor’s rules also protect us. Desire makes you weak, whether that desire is for love, revenge, or material things.” Niko moved around to the desk, feeling some of the objects on it. “It would be a shame to lose you, Raven. I’ve come to enjoy our private conversations.”
“That’s not a threat, is it?”
“You needn’t worry. This conversation is between us. But like Christian and Shepherd, I can see you’re still struggling with letting go. Those men who follow me are inconsequential. I have the power to walk away, whereas before Keystone, I didn’t. This is my life now, and I no longer entertain ghosts.” He furrowed his brow and held up the stainless-steel box. “Did you solve this yet?”
I shook my head. “It’s a cube for decoration. It has neat little etchings on the sides. Can you feel them?”
It danced on the tips of his fingers. “It’s a puzzle box. Didn’t you know?”
I strode around the bed
and looked at it. “Gem translated the symbols, but she didn’t say it was… What exactly is a puzzle box?”
He began attempting to twist and push at it. “They’re a novelty. Usually there’s a hidden compartment, and the only way to access it is by solving the puzzle. You press the pieces or slide them in a specific order.” He finally held it out for me to take. “I’m afraid it’s not mine to solve.”
I gripped the cube and set it on the bed. “Are we good? I don’t want you to leave on a bad note. I’m not planning anything devious to undermine Viktor. It’s—”
“Personal,” he finished. “The most difficult decision you’ll ever make is to let go of the thing you want most. If this is a test, the fates will punish you for making the wrong choice, even if it might seem like the right one.”
“The fates gave up on me the day I was made. They don’t care about me anymore. Please don’t mention this to Viktor. I don’t want him doubting my intentions.”
Niko bowed. “As you wish.” When he reached the door, he stood still for a frozen moment. “I won’t enter your room again without knocking. I had no right to disrespect your privacy.”
I laughed. “You’re the only person in this house I don’t mind seeing me naked.”
“That’s because I’m blind.”
“Exactly.”
“Some blessings are a curse,” he said, quietly leaving the room.
Since Shepherd was still unfit for public appearances, Christian and I volunteered to head over to Club Nine and search for his keys. If we couldn’t find them, Christian knew a locksmith. I could probably start the car with a little Mage power, but I’d never done it before and didn’t want to risk blowing up his engine.
It was late afternoon, and the snowfall was finally tapering off. I peered inside my trench coat while Christian turned into the parking lot.
“That’s the third time you’ve looked in there,” he said. “Did you lose your breasts?”
“No. I’m just wondering if I can hide a few daggers in here. I’ve always had to carry the big one strapped to my leg, but that’s not practical when I’m wearing jeans. The push daggers are fine; I like them close to my body for easy access.”
“When Shepherd comes out of his cave, maybe he’ll take a look. He’s clever with modifications.”
I put my foot on his dash and retied my shoelaces. “What do you think is wrong with him?”
Christian removed his sunglasses and squinted at the bright snow. “Probably what’s wrong with all of us. We’re fecking loons. Get your foot off my dash.”
I dropped my leg and unbuckled my seat belt. “I thought you guys were best buddies.”
“I’m not having this discussion again. Now quit flapping your gums, and let’s get this over with.”
“Enjoy your reprieve,” I said playfully. “When you get back, you’ll be staring at a computer screen for the rest of the night.”
He shut off the engine. “On that note, there are some sick bastards in this world.”
I got out of the car and met up with him next to the building. “Why? What did you see?”
“Last night, there were pets going up for sale.”
“Pets?”
“Aye. Some of those humans you love so much have an infatuation with Shifters. They volunteer to become their pets. Leather collars and everything.”
I snorted. “Do they wear a leash?”
“The higher authority frowns upon that kind of thing, but it’s entirely legal. The demand for pets is higher than the supply, so some of them coordinate with marketeers to find the highest bidder. That way the human gets a little something out of it in addition to fulfilling whatever sexual fantasy they’re searching for.”
“So it’s a sex thing?”
We rounded the corner.
“It makes some Shifters feel empowered to have dominion over a human pet. Shifters were once slaves within our world. I guess freedom isn’t enough for some and they want a taste of that power. A pet is a servant.”
“A servant with a collar. Sounds more like a slave. Do they care which animal bids on them? Wolf? Panther? Sheep?” When Christian ignored my remarks, I egged him on. “What about a cow? Do they get to milk them?”
He held the door open and gave me a scathing glance. “My deepest condolences to the woman who dropped you on your head.”
I reached in my pocket and tossed a receipt onto the floor. Without looking back, I knew he’d bent down to pick it up. Just as we reached the bar, I tossed something else from my pocket onto the ground.
Christian slammed his hand on the bar with the scraps of paper beneath it. “Now you’re just goading me.”
Hooper turned and gave Christian a look of annoyance. He licked one of his lip rings and ambled toward us. “Is there something I can get for you?”
Christian lifted his hand, revealing the wadded-up papers. “She’ll be having a trash can.”
“He’ll have world peace,” I said. “Could we trouble you for a minute? A friend of ours left his keys here last night, so we thought we’d come in and look around. Has anyone turned anything in?”
He looked between my mismatched eyes. “I remember you now. Is the car still out there?” he asked with a smile.
“Yep.”
“Must be a jalopy. Most of the keys lost in here never get found, and neither do the cars.”
Theft wasn’t a crime that could land a man in Breed jail, so what would deter someone from taking the Jeep? “Would you mind looking around? Maybe one of the waitresses placed them behind the bar or something and didn’t relay the message. My friend here will check the men’s room.” I patted Christian on the shoulder and he wrenched away, heading toward the restrooms. He didn’t look angry. In fact, his stoic expression made me want to try harder to get a reaction. “Check every stall!” I yelled out.
Hooper winked. “Be right back.”
After he disappeared behind the bar, I plopped down on a stool and spun around to face the club. A few people were hanging out, but it wasn’t as busy as the evening hours. When I crossed my legs, an attractive man with long hair winked at me. He must have liked the no-makeup-and-crazy-hair look.
A familiar face strode by on his way out. “Careful, Butterfly. That one’s a Vampire.”
I stared at the man’s bleached hair and hopped off my stool. “Hey, Chaos. Your little ruse didn’t work.”
“Oh?” he said, not turning around or slowing his pace. “And what trick would that be?”
I followed him out the main door. “My necklace isn’t real. But I can appreciate how much fun that must have been to instigate a fight between me and my partner.”
The man laughed and stopped by the corner, his eyes bright with humor. He had on a grey coat with a high collar, and his hair was messier than I last remembered. Out in the light, I could see a few tiny dark moles on his face. They stood out because it didn’t look like he got much sun.
“Why were you chasing that man last night?” he asked.
“Do you live here?”
He traced a dark eyebrow with his finger. “Your jumping on top of a car seems far more interesting than how often I frequent the club. Was he one of your targets? Or did he make the mistake of asking for your phone number? I might get jealous if you gave it to him.”
I crossed my arms and decided to head back inside where it was warm. “Maybe I’ll see you around.”
“I thought you might want to know that man’s name, but seeing as you’re in a hurry, I’ll bid you a good evening.”
I blinked in surprise as he strode around the corner. “Wait!” I seized his cuff. “What do you know about him?”
His brows arched to his hairline. “I assumed you knew already.”
“What can you tell me?”
“I shouldn’t get involved.”
“Please?”
He reached in his pocket and took out a pen. “Give me your hand.”
I peeled off my fingerless glove. The felt-tip pen tickled my pa
lm as he began scribbling something.
“It’s a dangerous side of the city. I wouldn’t advise going there after dark.”
Maybe getting to know regulars in the clubs wasn’t such a bad idea. I watched my new friend taking his time with his penmanship. His amiable personality made it seem as if we’d known each other for years. Sometimes you just meet people in life who are on the same wavelength.
“What’s your Breed?” I asked.
He let go of my hand and put the cap back on his pen. “I’m like you.”
“A Mage then.” I read the address on my hand. “How do you know where he lives?”
“I know many things.”
My shoulders sagged when I realized that nothing came free. “What do you want in return?”
He leaned in, his mouth close to my ear. “Your fealty.”
I took two steps back. Maybe he was one of those weirdoes who owned people pets.
A smile touched his lips. “See you when I see you.”
I headed back, stoked that I had a lead. Once inside, Hooper shook his head to indicate he hadn’t found our keys. With Christian nowhere in sight, I ventured to the limbo room and tried to retrace Shepherd’s steps as best as I could imagine. I searched beneath the chairs, inside the seat cushions, and especially around the table where we had sat.
Nothing.
Then I crawled on my hands and knees, because maybe they got kicked around and landed somewhere else. I grimaced when I bumped into a familiar pair of legs.
Christian anchored his hands on his hips and looked down at me with a wolfish grin. “Now that’s where I think you belong.”
I stood up and straightened my coat. “Find anything in the potty room?”
“Besides dirty arses? Afraid not. I better call the locksmith.”
