Dire Warning WC0.5 (7 page)

Chapter Twelve

Jinx’s Brother Wolf knew the Were was coming seconds before Jinx did. It gave him enough time to shove Marley out of the way and face the window himself, the broken glass flying all around him.

Brother Wolf ached to fight and shift and Jinx tensed for battle. He was so glad Bill wasn’t here to see this.

Although Marley’s first instinct was to press herself to the wall, Jinx grabbed the camera off the desk without turning around and smashed it before she could think about filming anything. Hopefully, it would show the Were he wasn’t interested in being part of any kind of video.

Jinx took a step backward and the Were remained in place. A quick look toward Marley and he noted she was shaking. In shock.

The Were looked between him and Marley and advanced slightly. Whether it knew it was in front of a Dire or not, it didn’t seem to care. Maybe it figured it would save them the trouble of killing the humans who could out them all.

Jinx faced the Were down, bared his teeth with his back to Marley, blocking her view.

You don’t want to do this
, his Brother Wolf reasoned with the Were.
I will fucking rip your throat out.

That last part was thrown in just in case the Were didn’t like reason. Which it appeared he didn’t because there was blood on his muzzle. Jinx scented more than just the Were in front of him—he smelled Cyd and Sam mixed with the blood scent and his heart nearly stopped.

If he hurt Cyd . . . fuck.

Kyle, come on . . . this can’t end well.

Kyle growled.

I won’t let you past me.

But the Were was too far gone. Jinx knew it, yelled for Marley to get the hell out of there, barely waited for the door to close before he prepared to lunge at the Were, planned on pinning him to the ground.

All it would take was a firm grip on either side of the Were’s head to break its neck. Even in human form, a Were was no match for a Dire.

But before Jinx could do anything, Cyd jumped through the window behind the Were and relief washed over Jinx. He’d shifted and he easily took down the feral wolf—hard, fast. Effectively and cleanly, the way he’d been taught.

Kyle’s eyes barely registered surprise, or anything at all.

He wanted to die
, Brother Wolf said, and Cyd had obliged.

“Shift back,” he told Cyd quietly, touched the fur on the Were’s back and in a few seconds, a naked Cyd stood before him, both surveying the dead wolf.

The Were was dead. The threat of exposure wasn’t.

“Marley, stay in the kitchen—don’t come out until I tell you to,” Jinx called to her and got a small whimper in response. Then he hugged the young wolf briefly. “Fuck, I thought . . .” He didn’t finish his sentence.

“I thought you’d be pissed. Sam’s dead,” Cyd said flatly. “I was helping him and Kyle got past me.”

“It’s okay, kid.” Jinx gave his shoulder a small shake. “It’s hard scenting this close to the full moon.”

“Fuck.” Cyd had a heavy burden as an alpha. If he couldn’t get past his moon craze, the Dires had an obligation to put him down. Jinx had no intention of doing so, and the fact that Cyd was able to pull himself together and help Jinx proved Jinx’s instinct with Cyd was right.

“Stop. Just do better next time.” Jinx gave him a light push and Cyd gathered up the Were in his arms. “Go put the bodies in the truck. We’ll bring them to their pack to deal with.”

Cyd nodded his thanks and ran swiftly in human form with the body toward the woods. He’d shift as soon as he could, in order to hide the grief of not being able to help a fellow Were.

Jinx had told the kid many times before that some weren’t able to be saved, that some weren’t worth it, but Cyd would have to come to that conclusion all on his own.

Now, he quickly changed out of his old clothes and into new ones swiftly, washed up in case there was any telltale blood on him, more for Marley’s sake than his own, and stared at himself in the mirror above the bathroom sink.

The good thing was that they were now in possession of the real tape—and Vice texted him exactly what happened on it. They all knew there couldn’t be just a single copy. Bill Sumner was too smart for that.

According to Stray and Vice, this was one hell of a love triangle. Vice told them that Paula and Kyle had been, in his words, hot as anything together.

“He shifted for her—she asked him to,” Stray explained. “But she didn’t know anyone was watching.”

“Dude, it’s like X-rated,” Vice interjected. “Except they used the L word. A lot.”

Jinx laughed a little for the first time in what felt like days as Vice continued. “What if Paula set Kyle up? She and Bill had a thing, figured Paula could seduce Kyle, Bill would get it on tape. And maybe Bill wanted to cut Paula out of the deal, so he killed her.”

“But according to Sam, Paula wanted to mate with the Were. I get that they’re not as well developed instinctually, but could this human have been good enough to fool an entire pack?” Jinx didn’t think so. “I think Bill’s the killer—and I know how to get him to admit it.”

“Keep us posted,” Vice said before they cut the line. Jinx made a quick call to Rifter and then dealt with Marley, who was going nowhere fast.

Rifter saw the emergency text from Jinx and gladly excused himself from Bill. The man didn’t really need him anyway, was simply repeating the same things over and over again, scribbling down the different offers on a paper napkin.

Rifter had eaten four burgers and that many orders of fries and was working on his third milkshake. “What’s up, Jinx?”

“Kyle’s dead.”

“You killed him?”

“He was gone, Rift. There was nothing left but feral beast,” Jinx told. “It was like suicide by Were.”

Rifter paused. “Cyd killed him defending you, then?”

Jinx didn’t deny it and Rifter continued. “He was looking for Bill, wasn’t he?”

“Yeah, because he didn’t give Marley a second glance and she was right there. Confirms what we’ve been thinking—she’s innocent.”

“She might be, but she saw Kyle in wolf form. What are you going to do about that?”

“I have a plan. Just give me a little more time.”

Rifter glanced over at Bill. “Not a problem—he’s still babbling about the TV offers.”

“One more thing—check your email—there’s a download of the tape and an email with Vice and Stray’s theories,” Jinx said. “Right now, I’m thinking they’re one hundred percent correct.”

Rifter hung up and watched the download as everything fell into place. For a long moment, he stared into space, trying to figure out the next step in the plan. And once it came to him, Brother Wolf howled in agreement.

He went back and sat across from Bill. “Someone tried to break into the PNR Center. Marley’s safe and Jinx took care of it before he got very far, but the guy got away.”

“Dammit. I’ve got to check on the tape,” Bill said, starting to stand. Rifter didn’t try to stop him. “Did the break-in happen on the first floor?”

“Yes. No one got upstairs,” Rifter reassured him. “Actually, Jinx thinks it’s just teenagers drawn in by all the publicity.” They got into the van and drove in silence for a few minutes, until he said, “I think I know what your next step should be.”

“What’s that?” Bill asked absently.

“Why don’t you have a séance and contact Paula? You could film it as the pilot for your show. Bring more to the table—and get more money,” Rifter said, and Bill stared at him.

“You know, that’s not a bad idea.”

“Maybe she’ll tell you who killed her,” Rifter said.

“Maybe,” Bill said.

“Stranger things have happened,” Rifter murmured.

“I don’t see why we still have to do this,” Vice grumbled.

“Rifter said so. And Cyd and Cain are helping Rifter deal with the dead Were,” Stray reminded him. “We have to plant this tape soon.”

“Explain why we’re involved in a human soap opera?” Vice asked as he held up the wolf suit.

“Because we’ve got a rogue wolf and the possibility of being outed,” Stray told him. “Now get shifted and I’ll dress you and film.”

“Why do I have to shift?”

“Because it has to look semi realistic and it’ll be better if you’re on four legs in the suit,” Stray said patiently.

“I’d much rather do that. This is ridiculous,” Vice muttered.

“You can’t work the camera,” Stray pointed out.

“I’m old fashioned. I prefer radio,” Vice sniffed.

“You’re just fucking old,” Stray told him. “Can you just do it the way we practiced?”

“Okay, fine.” Vice reluctantly pulled the wolf suit on. Cyd found it at a costume store in town and it was close enough in color to what Bill had described. From far enough away, with Vice’s natural gait, it would be semi-real. On closer inspection, it would be easy to see it was a fake.

Vice let his Brother Wolf out, who was cursing him in fluent growl.

Dude, I will so make this up to you
, Vice promised, but Brother Wolf barely let Stray put the costume on him.

Smells like human
, Brother Wolf told him.
You will so pay.

“I always do,” he told his wolf. “I always do.”

Chapter Thirteen

When he was sure he’d covered all the bases, Jinx finally called for Marley to come out of the kitchen.

“You’re safe,” he assured her as her head peeked out. Her eyes were red and puffy and she was still breathing fast. The fact that she’d been in shock was helpful—she probably hadn’t realized how much time had passed.

Granted, only twenty minutes had gone by since the Were broke through the window. Felt more like forever, Jinx mused as he swept the broken glass up and tossed it into the trash. “I’ll need some heavy duty garbage bags for tonight. I’ll have it replaced first thing in the morning.”

“What the hell is going on here?” she demanded, the fear still there but mixed with anger. “You can’t just act like nothing happened. I saw the wolf. It looked just like the one on the tape.”

Jinx turned to her, chose his words carefully. “You can’t tell Bill about what you saw.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“I’m not. You need to trust me—I haven’t steered you wrong so far.”

“This is huge—it confirms what Bill taped. That’s Paula’s killer!” She was starting to get hysterical and he wanted to show her the full tape but he couldn’t. Not yet.

“Give me twenty-four hours to show you it wasn’t,” he persisted. “Please. You saw Paula and so did I, but Bill didn’t—you know that’s important.”

He knew she could take what she’d just seen and make a name for herself in the PNR community, but Jinx didn’t think she’d do that. Not after breaking through with Paula, which had to happen soon or Jinx would kill the ghost.

Which technically couldn’t happen, but the intent was there.

Marley still looked half panicked. Jinx took her hand and did the only thing left—a slight threat to keep her from blabbing. “You’re safe, hear? Safe for now
only
if you don’t say anything.”

She bit her bottom lip, looked between the broken camera and back up at Jinx. “I guess you wanted to make sure of that.”

“Yes. It’s my job.” Because really, the bodyguard thing was only half bullshit. The Dires were charged with keeping humans safe any way they could.

“Was that . . . wolf coming after me?” she asked.

“Should he?”

“No. I didn’t do anything to Paula. We were friends but I’ve only been here for a month. I had nothing to do with her death.”

“But you know something you’re not telling us,” Jinx said, his voice firm. “That’s what Paula keeps coming around to find out. Come clean, Marley, and stop bullshitting me. Cards on the table.”

She paced in a small circle before looking up at him. “Bill was really upset about Paula’s death,” she started slowly. “I mean, really. For a landlord and boss, it was odd.”

“You think they were dating?”

“No, they never had. It was something I’d asked her about but she said that would put her in a really precarious position with work and her apartment.”

“It sure would,” Jinx muttered.

“Bill liked her. He was always watching her. She admitted to me last week that she found it creepy. She was looking for a new job.”

“Did Bill know?”

“I’m not sure if he found out. But I didn’t tell him.” She paused and then she started. “You really think Bill would have Paula killed and blame it on a wolf?”

“I pretty much know that’s what happened. I just can’t show you, yet. And I need your help.”

“What can I do?” she asked.

“You have to talk to Paula at tomorrow night’s filming,” Jinx said. “Rifter said Bill wants to start filming his own pilot, to show the television shows his vision. According to Rifter, he planted the idea Bill’s taking credit for—his plan is to talk to Paula and get her to talk about the werewolf and how and why he killed her.”

“Suppose I don’t see her then?”

Jinx glanced up at the broken window and saw Paula looking back at them. “You will.”

Rifter refused to let Cyd go alone to Brice and deal with Kyle’s pack. When the Were had gotten both Sam and Kyle’s bodies into the truck, Rifter drove him to the small town and the big house on the hill the alpha owned.

They were a small pack and had never caused any trouble. But they’d gone from zero to sixty very fast.

Rifter had called ahead, and Brice had assembled his pack in preparation, so they were all there, standing down as Rifter and Cyd carried in the bodies and lay them on the floor in between them.

“Cyd would’ve spared Kyle if he could have,” Rifter said after telling them what he knew of the story. “And if Cyd hadn’t killed Kyle, Jinx would have had to. I’d say Kyle and Cyd was far more of a fair fight.”

He studied the pack surrounding him and Cyd, his stance unworried. Brice, the pack alpha, didn’t appear to doubt Rifter at the moment, but Were politics were funny. While Brice couldn’t go after the Dires, they could order that Cyd be put down for his part in the killing.

It was why Jinx insisted Cyd tell Brice that he didn’t kill the Were, but Cyd refused.

“He was protecting his alpha,” Rifter continued. “You have to understand that.”

Brice scrutinized Cyd, who stood stiffly next to Rifter. The young alpha was trapped in an odd position. Many Weres thought he and his twin had gotten a free pass from the Dires. Many Were alphas thought that any of their kind with moon craze were beyond saving.

Rifter had never believed that, certainly not about the twins. He and Jinx had hunted them down and brought them in years earlier, both young Weres dazed and unwilling at best. He’d watched Rogue and Jinx and Vice and Stray take turns talking them down after that and finally, after a week, Cain shifted from Were to young man. He didn’t say a word for the next two days, not until Cyd conceded and shifted back as well.

Now, Cyd stood his ground in front of the alpha. “Sam was on the other side of the field. By the time I heard the attack . . .” He paused. “Sam tried to talk Kyle down. Didn’t want me to hurt him. I can understand that. But he attacked Jinx, who’s one of my alphas. I owed him my loyalty. Kyle put himself in danger of exposing all of our kind by jumping into a house with a human.”

“And you did the same.”

Cyd didn’t deny it.

“The human didn’t see Cyd, only Kyle,” Rifter clarified. Not that it mattered. Rifter would rip Brice’s throat out if he tried to harm Cyd.

“We need retribution, for Sam. For Kyle and his mate to be,” Brice confirmed.

“And you’ll have it. But we don’t kill humans,” Rifter reminded him.

“We also don’t deal in human justice,” another wolf sneered at Rifter. In a matter of seconds, Rifter had that Were pinned to the wall by his neck, the man’s legs dangling helplessly off the floor.

“Right—I deal in wolf justice,” Rifter growled. “Do you want to see it?”

The Were shook his head as much as he could, his eyes bulging. When Rifter dropped him and turned to Brice, the alpha of the pack said, “I apologize for his disrespect. We’re all a little shaken that there’s no word from Linus.”

“I’m sure there will be shortly,” Rifter told him. “For now, hold your pack together and let us deal with the humans.”

Brice nodded after a long moment and Rifter said a small prayer to the Elders for Linus. Because that sinking, shitty feeling was back with a vengeance, and he knew it wouldn’t leave anytime soon.