Authors: Dixie Lynn Dwyer
She still wasn’t sure of the other sensation that had engulfed her back in the warehouse. It was something she had never experienced before. She had connected with that victim during their final moments before death. She almost felt as if she helped her to relax before she died. Dani shook her head. She was losing it. She needed sleep, and she needed to catch this piece of shit.
She was a street cop for years in New York City. She learned fast to always be aware of her surroundings and never turn her back on the enemy. Her gut instinct saved her more than a handful of times.
Someone or something was watching her.
She couldn’t help the uncomfortable feeling she had. It was almost like a fight-or-flight instinct. She needed to run. Exercise, especially running, helped to calm her mind and bring her peace, but tonight it would only make her antsy.
She closed the trunk, and there by the driver-side door was a very tall, distinguished-looking man staring at her. She wondered if he had seen her strip her shirt off and she was grateful for the sports bra that remained in place and the very bad lighting.
“Who are you?” she asked as she stood in her position a few feet away.
* * * *
Zespian Fagan took in the sight of the gorgeous young woman before him. When he’d identified himself as Special Investigations Commander to the sergeant in charge of the current crime scene, he was directed to go talk with the witness. Making his way through the crowd of human law enforcement, he noticed a few other weres amongst those investigating, and he was pleased. They would know what to do. They would ensure that the investigation didn’t leave any questions or concerns to the human police. This was a job for werewolves. The firefighters had entered and soaked down the majority of the blood with their water hoses. That would help, too.
“Yes, miss, my name is Commander Zespian Fagan.” He reached out his hand and she looked at him suspiciously. She wasn’t fearful. He could sense her emotions, and if anything, she seemed on the defensive and ready for a fight.
“It’s Detective Lynch, Commander Fagan,” she replied with attitude but reached to shake his offered hand.
“Pleasure to meet you, Detective. I understand that you’re a witness to tonight’s events?”
“I’m not a witness. I was trying to catch the killer,” she stated as she opened her car door and leaned over the top frame of it. “You said Commander Fagan. Commander of what?” she asked, looking him over.
She was tough, for a human.
“Commander of Special Investigations.”
She raised her eyebrows. It seemed Detective Lynch knew of the unit.
“And what brings you around here, Commander? I mean usually your associates in the Special Investigations Unit don’t visit crime scenes. Is this connected to something you’re working on?”
He looked her over, unsure why he had even come over here to meet her face-to-face in the first place, but there was something interesting about her scent. It wasn’t an attraction or sexual pull but a familiarity. He needed to find out more about her and her bloodline, her family history. Something inside him pulled to full attention. It was a part of him he never talked about or revealed. Why did this woman remind him of this well-hidden part of himself? He would need help to investigate her. The department computer he’d accessed through his phone didn’t turn up shit.
“This is an interesting enough case, don’t you think, Detective?” he asked her, and she looked pissed off. She was obsessed with this case. He knew it, could tell right away how possessive she was and how determined she was to find the killer. Considering she was human, that might cause a bit of a problem.
“The case is mine, Commander. I mean no disrespect, but I’ve been busting my rear trying to find this thing.”
“This thing?” he asked.
She shook her head and lowered her eyes.
What exactly had she seen? The rogue wolf had shown its face to a human? He must have thought he would kill her but she escaped.
“Forget it. I’m tired and I’ve been up all night. I’m really not in the mood.” She glanced at her watch. He could smell the metallic scent of blood on her body and saw the stains on her wrists. That would irritate a wolf with such keen senses but not a human. She would wash it off in the shower and be done.
He needed to know what she saw and why the beast released her.
“Before you go, Detective, tell me what you saw,” he stated firmly. She looked up from the forearm she rested her chin on and stared at him a moment.
“I didn’t see shit.”
With that she got into her sports car, closed the door, and took off.
Zespian pulled out his cell as he watched her black Mustang. This was a job for the family. He needed his nephews’ help.
“Fagan, I have a potential situation. You and your brothers need to meet me, now.”
He closed up his cell and glanced around the area. His lupine senses were in overdrive. It was near. It was still in the vicinity, watching. He looked around, using his wolf night vision to see through the trees. Detective Lynch’s Mustang had just pulled past the police perimeter set up to secure the crime scene. The left blinker indicated she was turning onto Price Street. There, there in the shadow of darkness it stood in the form of a man.
Zespian wanted to take off after it. He couldn’t see clearly, just the image of a male, its face turned sideways, giving him the profile of something caught between wolf and man, almost a half shift. That was possible but took a well-trained wolf to do. He was more than wolf and man. But its merciless killing spree could potentially cause major problems. This thing wasn’t thinking clearly. It was crazy or some kind of hybrid. Zespian wasn’t certain. It was speculation at this point. It was a freak of the supernatural world that needed to be caught and killed. He hurried toward his car as the thing headed in the same direction as the detective.
Chapter 2
“We’ve got another one,” Zespian informed his five nephews as they gathered around the living room in the main headquarters. It was a secret room, set up by a government affiliate for their particular organization. The Special Investigations Unit was an elite force of were packs assigned to cases that threatened to exploit or expose the were community to the humans. It had been in existence for many generations and used the protection of the Secret Order of the Brothers of Were when necessary. Zespian had the feeling that his nephews, Van, Miele, Randolph, Baher, and Bently, were perfect for this particular operation. Zespian needed his closest family members involved with this, especially if this woman turned out to be connected to Zespian in some way. Van and his brothers came to mind immediately after sensing some sort of familiarity to Detective Lynch. Plus, Zespian’s secret needed to remain that—a secret, or his family could suffer from the results of a decision he’d made over a century ago. Through his gut instincts and family heritage, he had always been able to sense when someone was of evil or of good. He could also sense when there was a bond or connection of sorts. He knew that many paths crossed during his thousand years of life and that this ability had helped to achieve success in his position and helped to ensure the sanctity of the were race. Tonight was no different. In fact, tonight seemed to have the undertone of power, importance, and trouble. Detective Lynch needed protection. He had followed her to her apartment, and the wolf had disappeared. It was as if the monster only wanted to know where she resided. It was cunning, intelligent, and had evaded capture for months now. The department needed help.
He saw his nephews enter the room one at a time. They were extra large men, muscle-bound and exuding bad-ass attitudes that scared people and wolves shitless. This monster, out-of-control killer would be somewhat of a challenge for them. It was sneaky and intelligent, but they were the best he had. Their success in Ireland and in Mexico more recently proved their abilities. They were a hell of a team.
* * * *
“Hello, uncle.” Van bowed his head then thrust his large hand forward to shake Zespian’s. Zespian smiled, and then pulled Van into a bear hug. It backfired on him as Van picked him up and squeezed back with half his strength, causing Zespian to lose his breath.
“Son of a bitch, Van. You’re going to squeeze the life outta me.” Van chuckled then lowered his uncle.
“Well, you challenged first,” Van replied then winked, his green eyes sparkling with mischief.
Zespian shook his head as he fixed his shirt.
“So what’s the deal?” Miele, Van’s brother, asked. He was the antsy one, always ready to do the next thing on the agenda. He had light brown hair and hazel eyes like his brother Baher.
“Well, come gather around. This may take some time to go over.”
“That bad, Zespian?” Bently, the most easygoing of the brothers asked.
“Afraid so. I believe we’ve got another rogue wolf on our hands and loose in the city,” Zespian informed them. A series of annoyed growls and curses whispered through the room.
“Who the hell is it?” Van asked.
“Not certain. That’s why I called you guys in. It seems to be a bit different than the others.”
“Different how so?” Baher asked this time. He was the most stubborn of the men. Their brother Randolph spoke the least and still remained silent as he stood by the doorway leaning against the doorframe. His facial expression alone was beyond intimidation. Zespian glanced at each of them. Sporting tattoos, all dressed in black and each over six feet tall, they indeed were the epitome of Alpha wolf.
He began to tell them about the occurrences over the last month and about what he witnessed tonight and his theory about a hybrid.
“Damn,” Bently replied to the information.
“I guess we’ll cut in now and take this case over? Did you inform the brass?” Van asked.
Zespian shook his head.
“I don’t want to do that just yet. There’s a detective working the case and—” Before Zespian could finish his sentence, his cell phone rang. By the tune of the ring, he knew it was important. He answered it, gave a few one-word responses, then covered the receiver.
“There’s a file there on the table. That’s the name of the detective on that sticky note, an address, and more info on the victims killed thus far. I need to take this call and it’s going to be a while. I call you later and explain.” Zespian told them.
“We’ll take care of it.” Van reached for the file.
Their uncle headed out of the room.
* * * *
“So what do you think?” Bently asked Van as he looked over his shoulder at the file.
“You and Miele can question the detective. It’s a guy by the name of Dani Lynch. Randolph, Baher, and I will try to get a scent or some indication of a lead off the crime scene. The cops should have wrapped up hours ago.” Van glanced at his watch. His brothers nodded, and Bently and Miele grabbed the address of the detective and headed out.
* * * *
Dani was achy from the attack last night. Her ribs were sore from where that monster banged into her, but there was no bruising or discoloration. The extra few pounds she couldn’t shed must have provided some cushioning. She pulled on her black pants then clasped the button over the slight swell of her belly. Yeah, she could stand to lose a good five pounds or so. Turning sideways, she looked at her ass. It may be big, but it looked really good in these black pants. Her boobs weren’t too bad either. The extra weight made them more than a handful and from the compliments of past lovers, she was not lacking there either.
Past lovers? Shit, why the hell did I have to think about sex right now? Abstinence for a year…Was it my idea, or Jack’s idea or did both of us get tired of being booty partners?
She grabbed her camisole and then the dark green T-shirt to throw over it. She tucked in the shirt, it was short anyway as she reached for her gun holster. She clipped it to the side of her belt and added the handcuffs and then clipped on her detective shield.