chapter 8

[Jeremiah Moran]

    I was having dinner with my sweet, beautiful Callie and a couple of our friends. Callie and Jenny had worked hard on a meal with some new recipes they’d been trying to perfect. The smiles on their faces were huge as Leif and I raved while eating. I’d do anything for her smile. Her happiness was delicious. It wasn’t one of the desires in my bloodline, but it would flavor her energy when we made love later. And I couldn’t wait.

    My phone started ringing as Jenny was telling the story of how she’d accidentally used condensed milk instead of evaporated milk in the soup the first time she made it. Leif had eaten it with a strained look on his face, which she mimicked hilariously. He was insisting he thought it was supposed to be that sweet and was trying to be supportive, which made us laugh even harder.

    I didn’t recognize the number, but really hoped something hadn’t fallen apart at work. I was on call for the weekend and would have to go in if the system shat itself.

    “Hello?” I answered.

    A raspy voice replied. “Sköll, Fenrir left.”

    I looked at the time. It was only about nine. He should have been about half a bottle in and starting to lose the good sense that was stopping him from sleeping with those nasty women.

    “Already? That’s strange. Hang on.” I said quietly and put the phone on mute.

    I looked up at Callie and our friends, smiling apologetically.

    “Something came up. I’m gonna see if I can walk them through it, but I may have to go in. I’ll head to my office. Just keep eating. You know how it can be.” I sighed.

    “We understand, babe. Go deal with your techie stuff.” Callie smiled and waved me off.

    I headed down the hall to the room where my home office was and locked the door as I entered. The room was soundproofed and I could talk there without worrying about anyone hearing.

    Before picking up the phone again, I closed the blinds and took off my shirt so I could let my wings out for a while. I just thought better when I was natural. Lowering my pants on my hips and tightening the belt so they’d stay up, I let my tail out, too.

    Nothing in the world was better than letting my extras out. If Callie knew, she’d dump me in seconds. I knew it deep down. She hated incubi, because many had joined the government as trackers. Even though she was human, her belief in what was right and fair overshadowed the difference in species. I didn’t think the fact that I wasn’t a traitor would save our relationship, though.

    I turned on my computer to see where Rao had sent Ford for the evening. Perry’s Saloon. It was one of his favorites, no one ever reported him there, not even after the fact. Most of the patrons were supernaturals or supernatural sympathizers, which helped. I took the phone off mute.

    “Okay, I can talk more freely. What happened?” I asked.

    “He came in and sat at his usual table. Two older halfie sluts came out and sat next to him. Typical old pros. Tried to get him to buy them drinks. Felt him up. The usual.” Terry said.

    “Right.”

    “Tonight, there were these two girls in the bar, younger, hot, smelled human. A brunette and a redhead. From what I heard, Red was out looking for a good time and the other was just keepin’ an eye on her. The one that wanted attention wasn’t gettin’ it, though. She went off somewhere and Ford came in. Brunette gets two whiskeys and a refill for Red, then goes to sit with him. Like she didn’t care who he was or anything. Made him laugh. The old pros were pissed.

Red comes back and sits with them. They talk more, the girls go dance. They got real hot and heavy. He sent the pros away and, when the girls come back, Red sits in his lap and starts cuddlin’ with him. Then they all get up and leave together.” Terry explained. “I’m sendin’ you some pictures.”

    “Damn. Sounds like they were specifically targeting him. Ford only pulls women like the first two. Thanks, Terry. I’ll figure out where he went.” I hung up.

    It sounded like a trap. Ford wasn’t usually easy to track because we only sent him to safe bars and he was always on the look out for suspicious things. It would figure his dick would get him into trouble. I had to call Raoul.

    “Hello?” Rao answered. He sounded distracted.

    “Did I interrupt you?” I asked.

    “Yeah, but it’s okay. You usually don’t call unless there’s a reason. What do you need?” He asked.

    “I need the info for the GPS on Ford’s motorcycle. He got picked up by two girls at the bar and I want to be sure he’s safe.” I explained.

    “Why wouldn’t he be safe? He’s had two women at the same time before.” Rao chuckled.

    “These were two younger, human girls. Not two experienced half or quarter shifters like usual. Terry was concerned enough to call.”

    Rao’s voice stiffened. “I’ll send it to you. I can go with to get him.”

    “No. Val and I can take care of it. She’s not busy tonight, lives in town, and can be ready to go much faster.”

    “Let me know. I don’t like how that sounds.” He ordered.

    “Will do, Rao.” I replied and hung up.

    A few moments later, my phone chimed with the app information, the pictures came through at the same time. I called Val and she said she’d have to get a sitter, but she could be ready in about an hour. I knew she’d be a better choice than Rao. If this was a hunter trap, it would be better if one of our leaders didn’t get caught in it.

    I pulled in my tail and wings, then readjusted my clothes and grabbed my work bag, packing a black hoodie, my mask, and my gun. Val would have the tools for doors and she was often packing an arsenal. Even though she wasn’t a large woman, she managed to have a large assortment on her when we worked.

    After loading up the app and headed back to tell Callie I was leaving. She seemed a little upset, but understood. I hated lying to her about who and what I really was. Even if she wouldn’t have left me, it wasn’t safe for her to know.

    It took two hours to find him. The first was getting to Val and waiting on her to be ready. The girl who watched her kids wasn’t busy, so it hadn’t taken long to get her over. I gave her an extra twenty for coming in on short notice. While I was waiting, Benny came out and pulled on my shirt. I knelt down. He was about five years old with dark hair and light eyes. Val said his hair was the same color as his father’s.

    Her mate was taken by trackers a month before she found out she was pregnant. Tony brought her into the Helvegr. She was one of the last bears who wasn’t in the camps. We offered to help her leave the state, but she said she wouldn’t leave until her mark faded. If her mate was alive, then she wouldn’t abandon him.

    I envied that connection. There was a mate out there for me, maybe. Most incubi never found their mates. I wasn’t going to hold my breath. With my luck, she’d been killed by the hunters or trackers, or died in a camp, or hated incubi like Callie did.

    “Tonight is when it all starts.” He whispered before heading back to his room.

    Val walked out of her room a few moments later. She had jeans and a t-shirt on. We’d told the babysitter I was taking Val to a late movie. Her other stuff was in a duffle hidden in a locked box in her storage area near the parking lot of her apartment. We stopped to grab it. She would change and load up in the car.

    “Benny told me ‘tonight is when it all starts’. Any ideas?” I asked.

    “He’s been a little weird lately. I wish Winston were here. I’m sure that boy is a seer, but he’s always vague. It’s not great in the hands of a four-year-old.” She sighed.

    “They all start out like that, don’t they?”

    “Maybe? Winston never was. Though, he had some really strange visions sometimes. Where are we heading?” Val asked.

    I checked the locator app for the most recent location. It was fading in and out near the warehouse district. I was worried. If something happened to Ford, we’d lose a lot of support and Rao wouldn’t be able to cope with the loss.

    We drove around the warehouse district for the next hour looking for any signs of Ford. The app was bouncing all over the map in the area. He had to be in one of the warehouses. It was the only possibility.

    “I don’t like this at all, Val. He’s never done something this stupid. They could be hunters. He could be dying or on his way to a camp.” I sighed.

    I’d left my mask off while driving, but it was in reach for when we found the spot. My blond hair was mussed further every time I ran my fingers through it. I wasn’t normally this high strung. I just don’t do well with heavy stress.

    “Raoul still can’t reach him on the phone?” She asked, checking her guns and adjusting her mask. Her short brown hair was tucked completely under the wolf’s head mask, leaving only the lower part of her face uncovered.

    “No answer still. Let me check my messages, maybe he had luck with the GPS in the phone.” I stopped and pulled out my phone.

    There was a message with a picture on it. It was the pinpoint location for Ford’s phone. Thank the goddess.

    “You guys are going to feel like asses if he’s just getting laid. You know that, right?” Val snorted.

    “From what Terry said, it was like a honey trap. One assessed him, the other grabbed his attention. She was a redhead. You know how he is about them. I don’t know how they found out. None of the women he usually sleeps with are redheads for exactly that reason. Here,” I swiped through the pictures on my phone to show her the girls. “these are the girls. Do you honestly think girls like these would be interested in Ford?”

    Val took the phone. I’d studied the picture well, trying to find anything to tell me who or what the girls were. In the first one, the pale redhead seemed bored while the more casually dressed brunette was being talked to by two men. Neither looked like the type to try to take Ford on. Another picture showed Ford, also looking annoyed while two women, who appeared to be in their late forties or early fifties, but dressed like eighteen-year-old druggie prostitutes, hanged on him. It was a fairly typical night for him at that point.

    The third picture was of the redhead curled in Ford’s lap with her eyes closed and a small, drunken smile on her face, while the brunette said something to Ford. The redhead was resting her hand on his opposite shoulder and Ford’s hand was on her hip. They seemed pretty cozy, but I couldn’t believe a woman like that would actually be into Ford. I loved the man, but he was frightening and his power made even the most benign human nervous.

    “It reminds me of cuddling in my own mate’s lap. This isn’t the look of a girl acting, Moran. You’re going to get your ass kicked by Ford when we bust in on him nailing the redhead.” Val chuckled. “I’m only following orders. You’re stirring up a hornet’s nest.”

    For all that she was a woman and mother, Val really was one of the guys when she was in costume. Her whole image changed once she was in work mode. I loved it. Of course, as an incubus, I loved everything about pretty much any woman. 

    We pulled up to a warehouse in the 600s and pulled out a small bag containing our tools. The lock on the large door was a heavy bolted latch and key. On the smaller door, was a code lock. We didn’t want to make too much noise, so we used the unscrambler and hooked it into the key box.

    A couple minutes later, it showed a numeric code and Val punched it in. The door clicked with a heavy thunk and I pushed it open. A couple small lights lit up the warehouse. It was basically empty except for two cars. Ford’s motorcycle was parked by them. It was like the warehouse was a really huge garage.

    I indicated the stairs and Val took point as we ascended to the office area. The door there was also locked, but it was a simple bolt and handle lock. It only took Val a few moments to get it open. Our eyes were already adjusting to the dark of the warehouse, so they easily acclimated to the office. But it wasn’t an office.

    As we entered, there was a hanging coat rack and a long bench with storage for shoes. Ford’s jacket and boots were there. Val shot me a look. I picked up on it. They could have convinced Ford they were going to sleep with him, but were torturing him somewhere instead.

    I pulled her close and explained. She didn’t look like she believed me. Story of my life.

    The living room of the apartment we found ourselves in had a large, soft looking couch and two recliners around a glass coffee table that held an empty tumbler. I picked it up and sniffed. Scotch and Ford’s saliva, nothing else. The living room opened to a dining room and kitchen. To the right was a door near a table with a mirror over it. To the left was a hallway.

    “Where do you think he is?” I whispered.

    “In bed with the redhead.” Val hissed.

    “This could still be a fake. We don’t know.” I insisted. “Let’s check the door there, then we can move to the hallway.”

    His scent was in the apartment, but not heavy. If he’d spent any time in the living room, it couldn’t have been more than thirty minutes and was well over an hour ago. I focused on his energy, but the apartment was full of it. I’d never seen that before, no scent and a ton of energy.

    Val rolled her eyes hard and crossed to the door, I got on the other side. She reached for the knob and found the door unlocked. Turning it, she pushed the door open and we looked in with guns drawn.

    A small, pale, redhead in only black thigh high stockings with garters, straddled Ford. His hands looked dark as they gripped her hips, moving her back and forth as she moaned his name. She was looking down at his face while he was watching their joining. I couldn’t look away.

    “Madison, you feel so good, baby.” He groaned.

    “Oh stars, Ford! Don’t stop!” She cried as they moved faster.

    Val glared daggers at me. I blushed a bit. She’d been right and I’d messed up. I wouldn’t live this down.

    We slowly moved backward and lightly closed the door, stopping before the latch clicked to avoid being heard. Behind us, I heard two gun hammers pull back. Both of us nearly jumped out of our skin. How had someone snuck up on us?