by Lauren Dawes
“Speaking to your uncle and—Neve! Where are you going?”
She was already out the office door when she called over her shoulder, “I’m going to help, dammit.” There was no way she could sit around idly while her cousin was out there. Snagging her coat from the hook by the door, she palmed the keys of her 1980 F-150 and strode out the door. The sound of the Dyson trailed out after her, cutting off as she slammed the door of her truck. She drove as fast as she dared, taking the turns much quicker than her truck could really handle and gunning it to her cousin’s house.
She tore up the driveway, gravel pinging against the undercarriage, the rear tires losing traction and sliding into a fishtail as she took the curved driveway with too much gas. She slammed on the brakes at the apex, narrowly missing a black Escalade already parked there. She threw the truck into park, left the keys in the ignition, and ran up to the front door.
“Neve?” her aunt Celeste asked when Neve barged through the door without so much as knocking. Her aunt stepped out of the kitchen to her left, her hands clutching a dishtowel too tightly. With the light shining behind her head, it was like looking at an older version of Katie, and a crushing sadness fell over Neve. What if Katie never made it to middle age? What if her life was destined to be cut short now?
Neve shook her head and cleared her throat, her lungs working overtime to get more oxygen in. “Have you heard anything?”
“Nothing.”
The little flare of hope that had sprung to life in her chest guttered and died just as quickly as it had formed. She tilted her head in the direction of her uncle’s study at the low rumble of two voices—one that belonged to her uncle Peter and another that sounded like crushed glass—raw and sharp and dangerous.
“Who’s that with Uncle Peter? One of the Shadows?”
Celeste shook her head. “The captain of the Revenant.”
Neve’s eyes widened, her heart lurching in her chest. “The Revenant are involved?” she asked in a whisper.
“I don’t know what’s going on. The Phantom Unit captain was here, talking to your uncle, but as soon as the other male arrived, he was dismissed.” Aunt Celeste worried at the dishtowel in her hand again, her knuckles white. Clearly the idea of having one of the most lethal shifters ever known in her house was terrifying. “He said he’s come to help at your father’s request.”
Bile bit the back of her throat. If the Trinity sent the Revenant, Katie’s disappearance couldn’t be an isolated event. They were taking this very, very seriously. Her hand slipped into her pocket, and she touched the head of the screw.
Determination flooded her body. She was going to find her cousin, terrifying male or not. Walking down the hall, she stepped into the study without knocking, her desperation for information overriding her basic need to be polite. As soon as her foot hit the expensive NASIRI rug, she stopped and fought the urge to recoil from the giant male sitting in front of her uncle. Despite having his back to her, she felt the weight of his stare even without having his attention on her.
Her uncle Peter looked up, his expression a reflection of her own. He hadn’t slept, but she couldn’t blame him. Katie was his only daughter, and male cats were very possessive of their females.
“Neve.” Her name was barely out of his mouth before he was out of his chair and rounding the desk, wrapping his arms around her. She hugged him back, clutching at his shoulders as she sensed the grief rolling off him in waves.
Pulling away, she said, “We’ll get her back. I’ll get her back. I swear it.”
Her uncle turned around then, motioning to the mountain of a man sharing the same air as them. “Neve, this is Drake, the leader of the Revenant.”
Drake rose to his full height, and Neve’s gaze went up, up, up. Fuck, he was tall. And big. And lethal-looking. She eyed the breadth of his shoulders and the way his body tapered down to his narrow hips before flaring out to muscular thighs. Her gaze made its way back up his body, settling on his harsh face and cutting citrine-yellow eyes.
He was watching her too, his gaze licking down her body before coming back to her face. As their eyes met, she could’ve sworn a blast of heat came off his body.
“Drake, this is Neve—Katie’s cousin—and also the last person to see her last night.”
His eyes narrowed on her, and she shifted uncomfortably, not knowing what to do with her hands. She settled for folding her arms, closing herself off to his scrutiny.
“You saw Katie last?” Drake asked, his voice a rolling bass.
Neve nodded and let out a breath. “Yeah, she had dinner at my place, and we watched a movie.”
“What time did she leave?”
Feeling her legs go weak, she sat on the couch against the wall. “It was probably around midnight.”
“And did she say anything about going somewhere else before going home?”
She shook her head. “No, and Katie wasn’t the kind of female who’d take off without telling someone.”
Drake peered over his shoulder at her uncle. “Would you mind giving us a minute?”
Her uncle left without hesitation, and when the door was shut behind him, Drake pinned her in place with a hard stare. “Neve? Does Katie have a male she’s seeing?”
She stared at him. “A male? Like a boyfriend?”
“Or a lover. Do you think she would’ve gone to see him?”
“No,” she replied quietly. Craning her head back, she looked into his eyes and said more firmly, “No. Katie wasn’t dating anyone. And she’d never have a casual lover.” Her hands balled into fists. “Ever.”
He began to pace. “You’re sure about that?”
“One hundred percent. I know my cousin.”
“How do you know she wasn’t keeping this from you?”
Irrationally, her anger flared. “Why are you so brutally cynical?”
He bared his too-sharp teeth. “Just answer the question.”
She touched the screw in her pocket, the only clue she had. “Because I know her. There wasn’t anything we didn’t share with one another. We’re closer than cousins. We’re blood.”
Whether it was her tone or her words, Drake rolled to a stop in front of her, his citrine eyes serious. “What’s his name?”
She blinked, trying to keep up with the topic change. “They weren’t a couple,” she blurted. His brows rose, and she cursed. “She had a crush on him. That’s all.”
A pressure started to build in her head, a slash against her skull like claws digging their way in. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly and let out a shaky breath, breathing through the pain. It disappeared just as quickly as it came, and when she opened her eyes again, Drake frowned.
“What’s the kid’s name?”
It was a demand, and it rankled. “I don’t understand what he has to do with it. They weren’t a thing.”
He lowered himself down until his face was level with hers, his eyes hostile and his mouth pulled into a sneer. “You don’t have to understand, sweetheart. You just have to answer my question, or maybe you don’t want to get your cousin back.”
“Of course I do.”
“Then answer my goddamn question.” His words came out in a quiet drawl, but behind them, there was a male who was used to getting his way.
“Charles,” she said. “Although I don’t know what he has to do with any of it.”
“Do you know where he lives?”
“Up on Greenacre Avenue.”
His cunning eyes darting to her pocket. “What’s in there?”
Exhaling sharply, she pulled out the screw and held it out to him on her palm. He studied it like it was a viper about to strike.
“Where did you get that from?”
Her hesitation was met with a growl, and even though she wanted to not tell him a goddamn thing just to spite him, she wasn’t stupid enough to let this opportunity for help to slip past her.
“I found it.”
“Where?”
“I went looking for clues.
I found it where Katie pulled the car over to change the flat.”
“How do you know that’s where she stopped?”
She lifted her chin and squared her shoulders, planning on knocking that mocking smile right off his face. “The smell of engine oil and gas was the strongest there. Plus I smelled Katie.”
Drake gave a barely imperceptible nod like he was impressed with her, then picked up the screw carefully from her palm and brought it to his nose, inhaling. He frowned.
“I couldn’t place the smell either,” she said.
“How many of these did you find?”
She shrugged. “Hundreds. All along the road for a half mile before the spot she stopped.”
His jaw tightened. “Fuck.” Turning on his heel, he left the office.
“Wait!” she called, jumping from her seat. She burst out the front door behind him. “Hey! Where do you think you’re going?”
He wheeled around at the bottom of the porch, his eyes practically glowing. “Stay here.”
“I’m coming with you.”
“No,” he growled. “This is my business now.”
His business. Not Revenant business. “We need to check out the scene of the abduction again. Her car too.”
“Not we, sweetheart. Me.”
Ignoring her, he prowled into the direction of the garage tucked up against the side of the house. Opening the side door, he went straight to where her uncle Peter had parked Katie’s abandoned car. Neve followed, wanting to get a better look at the vehicle, to see if it would reveal any more of its secrets.
Drake glared at her over his shoulder, and she stopped at the door, leaning against the jamb and folding her arms. She watched him open all the doors, including the trunk, and go through it all, using his nose to catalogue the different scents. Finally, he inspected the flat tire, sticking his finger into the hole that the screw had made. Surging to his feet, he left the garage and started down the driveway.
She caught up to him, but only because he let her, and dragged him to a stop—also because he let her. She jerked back when a hiss escaped his lips and his eyes glowed more brightly. Planting her hands on her hips, she said, “Still think it’s Charles?”
“Most victims know their attackers.”
His words sliced at her, and she recoiled, one word echoing around her head.
Victim.
Victim.
Victim.
“Do you think she’s dead?”
“I never said that. I just said if she’s been taken, then she was probably familiar with the person who did it. I didn’t scent blood or any other fluids in the car, which tells me what?”
“She probably wasn’t forced from the car, that she got out willingly.”
He held up the screw, its matte grey surface absorbing what little light was coming from the house. “She got out of the car because she had no choice. This was a deliberate act with an intended victim in mind.”
Neve swallowed past the lump in her throat, realizing who the real victim had meant to be—her. Katie wasn’t the Leo’s daughter, she was. She was definitely the bigger prize.
“If you’re going to speak to Charles now, I’m coming with you.”
A muscle in his jaw feathered. “No.”
“You don’t know where he lives.”
“Sure I do,” he replied in a casual drawl, walking toward the Escalade. “On Greenacre, like you said.”
“Greenacre Avenue is nearly six miles long. Are you going to drive the whole length of it, just randomly knocking on doors until someone named Charles answers?”
He kept walking.
Not even a pause or a Hey! Why didn’t I think of that?
Asshole.
With a small growl of frustration, she jogged ahead of him and put herself in his path, making him jerk to a stop before he ran into her. And judging by the size of him, she would’ve been the only one hurt.
“What are you doing?” Amusement colored his words, making a spark light up his yellow eyes.
Neve squared her shoulders. “Dragging you to my car. I’m driving.”
“Dragging me?” he retorted with a dark chuckle. “Do you think I can’t find out his address? Because I can assure you, I can.”
She snorted. “This would be a lot faster.”
“I work alone, female. You’re not coming with me.”
Female? Neve crossed her arms. “Don’t be a dick. You have no idea where you’re going. And I gave you that screw. Without me, you’d never have found out that the puncture had been caused on purpose.”
“Conjecture,” he retorted. “A truck could’ve dropped a box of screws from its flatbed and the driver didn’t realize.”
“Fact,” she shot back. “That road isn’t used by anyone other than me and Katie. It’s our private route to and from our houses.”
“It doesn’t mean someone else couldn’t have used it. You know, you don’t own the fucking world, sweetheart.”
She bristled. “Why are you fighting me on this? Katie is my cousin. It’s my right to help you.”
His nostrils flared, and his eyes narrowed to slits. “You’re used to getting your own way, aren’t you?”
She gave him a sweet smile, edged with malice. Jerking her head toward her truck, she snapped, “Get in. I’m driving.”
Nothing but silence for a beat before a laugh rumbled out from his chest. “You’re a tough female,” he told her once the laughter had evaporated as quickly as it had started.
Folding her arms over her chest, she shrugged one shoulder. “My father calls me obstinate.”
“I have no doubt.” His words were nothing but a soft murmur. He studied her, almost as if he was sizing her up, but for what?
She turned slowly, her cat’s instincts to not give him her back screaming. He was a threat in every way—his size, the thick ropey muscles covering his bones, the shadow of danger that hung from those broad shoulders.
She resumed her path to her truck, her footsteps the only ones disappearing into the night for a few excruciating seconds. But then she heard him.
Walking.
Following.
Opening up the driver’s side door of the cab, she got in and waited for him to stuff himself inside. When both doors were shut, she felt like she couldn’t breathe. There was so much raw power in him that it pressed against her skin like a lover. Letting out a long breath, she started the engine and performed a three-point turn, before traveling back down the drive and out onto the street.
11
Drake shifted in his seat, trying to ignore the way his body reacted to this female. She shouldn’t be getting to him like this. She shouldn’t be eliciting this reaction from him.
But she was.
She’d challenged his authority and ordered him to her truck. Of course, he could’ve said no and gone back to his own car, but he hadn’t, because this female intrigued not just him, but his cat as well.
He drew in a deep lungful of her scent, and her shoulders tightened. Fear mixed with annoyance tickled his nose, but there was one other scent mixing into the duo, and it was the female flush of arousal.
Long, dark hair fell over her shoulder, and although she was petite for a female, she had all the right curves, as well as some definitions in her arms like she worked out regularly. When he’d first smelled her in her uncle’s office, he’d gotten hard then too, but he beat the bastard back with thoughts of what was happening to these females ghosting from the pride’s territories.
“So, what do you know about old Charlie-Boy?” he asked to distract himself. He’d found out about the call out for the Shadows only a couple of hours ago after Mateo texted him with an update. Drake had had the Trinity’s phones tapped for a while now, gleaning information when necessary, since the ancient bastards could be as tight-lipped as a virgin on her wedding night.
He didn’t give a fuck what they did or said, though. This was something he was taking personally.
Her hands tightened on the wheel, han
ds that would look great wrapped around his cock. “Not a lot—just general female chatter.”
“You say that like you aren’t included in the chatter.”
“I’m not,” she shot back, keeping her pale green eyes on the road. “I’ve got better things to do than listen to gossip.”
He twisted to look at her, jamming one knee up against the door. “What do they say?” He smiled when she rolled her eyes at him.
“He’s one of the pride’s most eligible males.”
“Why?”
She was silent for a moment, her eyes on the darkened road ahead of them. The old truck’s headlights were weak against the pushing blackness, but her cat’s eyes would’ve been picking up the slack. “Honestly? I couldn’t tell you. I think he’s an asshole. He’s arrogant and entitled and—”
“So, not the kind of male you’d go for?” He clamped his mouth shut as soon as the question came out. A) What the fuck was he thinking? And B) why the fuck did he care? It seemed when it came to this female, his brain took a little TO. He glanced over at Neve when he realized she hadn’t answered his question. “Neve?”
Her head jerked toward him, her eyes unfocused for a moment. “Sorry. What was the question?”
He would love to take a peek inside her head, but for some reason, he hadn’t been able to break past her mental shields when he’d tried before. “I asked if Charlie was the kind of guy you’d go for.”
She shook her head. “No. Katie, on the other hand, is a female more after the traditional lifestyle.”
“Traditional, as in…?”
“She wants to get mated and start having kids right away.”
“Jesus,” he muttered. “Is this guy even down for that?”
She shrugged. “They aren’t a couple, so why would it matter? But that’s why I’m sure she wouldn’t have a lover. My cousin isn’t wired for casual sex.”
“Does Charles even know she exists, that she’s interested?”
“They’ve been introduced,” she replied with a shrug, and Drake shook his head. Shifters had a very antiquated way of looking at things. It had a lot to do with the older generation being born in the last century and passing down those ideals and restrictions to their offspring.
