Authors: Crissy Smith
Pack Alpha (21 page)
Although he wasn’t picky about who or what he captured, his first choice was always shifters. Other than Remy, who’d been one of his work partners for the last several years, Kieran hated all shifters.
If possible, he’d wipe every single one of them off the face of the earth. Unfortunately, as part of the Organization, his job was to protect innocents. It didn’t matter if they were human, shifter or like him. Unless they’d committed a crime, they were off limits to him. He really hated that rule.
Kieran had gone through hell when a pack of shifters had captured him after seeing him feed. They’d tortured, experimented on and almost killed him as they’d imprisoned him for over ten years. If it weren’t for the Organization getting wind of the lab that had become the only home he could remember, and rescuing him, Kieran knew he wouldn’t have made it much longer. Rescue had come but without anywhere to go, he’d been taken in by the people who’d saved him. Although Kieran didn’t have the bloodline, like those who were normally chosen to serve as one of the Organization’s agents, he’d volunteered to join anyway.
Caspar, the only man who Kieran had trusted for a long time, had put him through training until Kieran had been ready to join the ranks. That was when he’d become partners with Angel, another Day Walker like him, and Remy, the wolf shifter who’d became his best friend. His life had changed due to the Organization, even if everyone other than his boss and two partners thought him crazy. Because of course, he was.
Not only was he a Day Walker that drank blood and fought evil on a daily basis but Kieran was also afraid of the dark, doctors and anything he couldn’t control.
All in all, Kieran didn’t mind being the psycho of the good guys. He was the monster that parents used in stories to scare their kids into behaving. Only he was very real.
If he hadn’t become one of the good guys, there was no telling what he’d have done. So it was a good thing that Caspar had decided he was worth keeping around. Because Kieran would make a really good bad guy, and he knew it.
There were times like tonight when Kieran knew he was standing on the edge between doing the right thing and letting the darkness inside him finally come out. He was barely hanging on to the little sanity he had so he’d gone out hunting for trouble even though he was supposed to be on vacation.
However, after two hours of stalking the streets, Kieran hadn’t run into any trouble or even seen another supernatural creature. A few humans were scattered around—most appeared homeless and down on their luck, but there was nothing that required his talents.
Resigned to another night of hanging around the smoky casino floor instead of having any fun, Kieran took the next left at the corner and headed back toward his temporary home. Could a hotel be considered a home? He guessed it didn’t really matter. Kieran didn’t especially want to be anywhere, so this was as good a place as any. His boss had suggested Las Vegas as one of his vacation spots, thinking that Kieran wouldn’t stand out as much here as he normally did. Not that it was Kieran’s fault. If they’d wanted him to behave, they shouldn’t have sent him on vacation. He didn’t care if his partners needed time off. Kieran was lost when he didn’t have a purpose.
A scream pierced the quiet night and Kieran froze. He concentrated on the sound to narrow down where it had come from. The empty streets and alleys could cause noise to echo. But Kieran was good at what he did. He took off, using his super-speed to close the distance between him and whoever needed his help. He skidded around an old brick building, which led him into a dark alley. With his excellent night vision, Kieran didn’t have any trouble spotting the young couple, a male and female, backed into a wall while three hulking figures closed in on them.
The female screamed again while the attackers laughed at her.
“Hey.” Kieran barely raised his voice. If these guys were supernatural, he wouldn’t need to. Just as he’d expected, they turned toward him while still keeping their prey in their sights. “Having a party?” Kieran asked with his friendliest tone.
The biggest of the three, an ugly mountain of a man, snarled at him.
Kieran sniffed. It was shifters he’d deal with tonight, oh goody. Kieran could scent the animal part of them clearly. They smelled like wet cat, so feline shifters were on the menu. Depending on what species they were, Kieran could probably figure on a pretty damn good fight. He rubbed his hands together in anticipation.
“Get lost,” Mountain Man warned him. He was scenting Kieran and frowning. The shifter wouldn’t be able to figure out why Kieran didn’t carry any smell except for what he’d picked up from his environment. It was also fun when his opposition had no idea what he was. “Now,” the man grumbled.
“I can’t do that,” Kieran replied with cheer. “I don’t think your friends wanted an invite but I do.”
“Mind your own business,” a second man, small, face like a rat, demanded.
Kieran laughed. “Damn, I don’t think I’ve seen three uglier men in my life. And I’ve lived a pretty long time.” He was giving them hints that he wasn’t just another human. With witnesses he couldn’t reveal his true nature. His kind wasn’t well known and there was a reason for that.
The youngest looking, who had chocolate puppy-dog eyes, was the only one who appeared wary of him. Kieran moved forward slowly the entire time he taunted the shifters, and the youngest was stepping back. Now he was only about six feet away. He glanced over at the couple who were watching him with wide eyes. He waved his hand to them. “Come here,” he ordered.
The woman started toward him but the rat man stepped in front of her. “I don’t think so. They’re ours.”
“Not anymore,” Kieran said. He leaped up and over the heads of the attackers. He knew he’d taken them by surprise when he was able to shove the rat man forward, sending him flying. Puppy Dog was the first to move but instead of coming at Kieran, he jumped back. Kieran grinned. “I’d get out of here if you don’t want to get really hurt,” Kieran advised.
Mountain Man growled and lunged at him. Kieran evaded his meaty hand and kicked out, catching his attacker in the knee. The big man went down. That was when the others came at him at the same time. Guess Puppy Dog had grown balls or at least enough to team up with Rat Man. Kieran’s training took over. He yelled for the couple to run while he blocked, punched and fought until he was the only one standing. Breathing heavily, he rested his hands on his knees as he stood over his three fallen foes.
That had been fun. He pulled out his phone and hit the pre-dialed number for dispatch. “Clean up on aisle two,” he said when the call connected.
“Damn it, Kieran,” Lettie Sanchez muttered in his ear. “You’re supposed to be on vacation.”
“I am on vacation,” he argued. “It’s not my fault this time.”
Lettie snorted. “Trouble just finds you? More like you go looking for it.”
It was scary how well Lettie and his other friends knew him. He didn’t respond since he really couldn’t deny her claim without lying, and he always tried to tell the truth no matter what the circumstances were. He had enough negative traits without adding being a liar as well.
“I’ve traced the GPS on your phone and am calling in the local agents. Are the suspects secured?” Lettie questioned.
Kieran nudged the ribs of Mountain Man with the toe of his black combat book. “I don’t think they’re going to be a problem.”
“They’re not dead, are they?”
He chuckled. “No, there’s too much paperwork for dead bodies.” And wasn’t that the truth. He could remember when the Organization hadn’t been so picky about how he took care of threats. But now, they’d gone all politically correct and shit. He suspected that the new views had something to do with the fact that the shifters had gone public and now everyone knew about them. That wasn’t something that he worried too much about, though. Above his pay grade.
“How many?” Lettie asked.
“Three,” he said with some pride. Kieran might be one of the oldest agents, even if he appeared to be in his early thirties, but he still had it. He could still throw down with the best of them.
Lettie sighed heavily. “When is Angel returning from her honeymoon? She’s the only one who can deal with your crazy ass.”
“Not for another two weeks,” Kieran answered. “Guess you’re stuck with me until then.”
“Where’s Remy?” Lettie questioned. “Sometimes he can be a good influence.” Which was sort of true. Mostly, though, Kieran ended up getting both him and Remy in trouble.
“We’re on vacation,” Kieran reminded her. “He’s home with his pack. I’m spending all my money at the tables.”
“If that was the case, you wouldn’t be calling me to clean up another one of your messes,” Lettie pointed out.
Kieran strolled away from the men, who were out cold and who would no doubt remain that way until others arrived. He jumped up and landed on the edge of a graffiti-painted concrete wall before he sat to wait. “You could come down and keep me company.”
“Oh, what a wonderful offer. Not,” Lettie teased. “I haven’t done anything to deserve that kind of punishment.”
The banter between them was familiar and finished out his night pretty well. Lettie had been around about half the time he had but they’d connected from the start. She loved electronics as much as he did and was always showing him new inventions she’d come up with. Kieran always took them out to the field and tested them for her. All without their boss knowing because he wouldn’t be happy.
“I hear a vehicle approaching,” he said. “I’ll catch you later, babe.” He hung up before she could respond but that was usual for him and he secretly thought Lettie enjoyed his antics.
Kieran stayed where he was, high on the fence, hidden in the dark. A black SUV with heavily tinted windows rolled into the alley. With the headlights bright into the small space, the bodies would be easily seen. Both doors opened, the driver male and passenger female exiting.
“Fuck,” the man cursed. When he moved away from the open door, he had his weapon drawn. He was staring at the three men laid out.
Kieran had to smile. He’d enjoy fucking with this agent.
The woman was more cautious. She slowly walked to the front of the vehicle but her eyes were darting around the alley. She wasn’t looking at the attackers but instead for who had taken them down. He respected that vigilance. It was what he would do.
He silently rose as he watched. They hadn’t spotted him yet. The man was human but the woman was a shifter. It was hard not to snarl at her but he managed. Kieran bent his knees before he leaped down. He landed between them with a loud thud. He ducked slightly when both weapons were pointed at his head. He held up his hands. “Don’t shoot,” he mocked.
“Kieran Smith.” The man lowered his weapon. “I’ve heard about you, been warned really.”
About the Author
Crissy Smith lives in Texas with her husband, daughter, and three Labrador retrievers. The three dogs love to curl up under her computer desk and nap while she writes. It doesn’t leave a lot of room for her but what’s a woman to do?
When not writing or reading, she enjoys hunting, camping and shooting. But she has a girly side too and is addicted to pedicures and coffee.
She has been writing since she was a teenager and still loves everything to do with the paranormal. Her stories and characters all have a place in her heart. She loves the Alpha male, the dominant werewolf, and the Master vampire, which find their way in most of her books.
Learn more about the characters she has created at her website where they have their very own page. It will be updated from time to time to let you know what's going on with them. Also you can find out who will be in the next book.
Email:
[email protected]
Crissy loves to hear from readers. You can find her contact information, website and author biography at
http://www.totallybound.com
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Also by Crissy Smith
Were Chronicles: Pack Territory
Were Chronicles: Pack Community
Were Chronicles: Pack Daughter
Were Chronicles: Pack Security
Were Chronicles: Pack Investigator
Corporate Wolves: Losing Control
Secrets: The Shifter and the Dreamer
Shifter Chronicles: Birds of Prey
Shifter Chronicles: Eye of the Tiger
Shifter Chronicles: Coyote’s Kiss
Caught in the Middle: Magical Ménage
Summer Seductions: Summers’ Girl