few dogs.”
“They have to have something to catch shifters, though,” Jonas spoke up. “Tim’s people are good. They wouldn’t have fallen into a trap. If all of them were taken, it means this facility has something shifters can’t get away from. Something they wouldn’t see when sneaking close.”
“The question is, is that something going to affect non-shifters?” The Boss looked at Charles. “I’m giving you a week. After that, we’re coming in after you. I want you calling every few hours if you can. Feed us information as you get it. You have the maps?”
“Yes. The cottage is cleaned out of humans?” Charles opened his door as Jonas walked around the other side of the car. Time to go.
“It was already empty. The man who owns it is elderly. He used to use it as a summer cabin years ago. He has no family to pass the cabin on to, so we’ve established ourselves as his next of kin. His estate will be a nice source of income in a few years.”
“Probably shouldn’t tell Sasha all that.” Charles climbed into the plush, leather seat.
“She’s okay as long as the person in question doesn’t have kids.” The Boss stepped away. “We have to keep funding our operation somehow…”
Jonas turned the ignition and the vehicle roared to life. Charles gave a salute and closed the door. As the Hummer pulled away, Jonas said, “So… it was good, but now it’s fucking with your mind?”
Charles knew exactly what he was talking about. Who he was talking about. And he didn’t want to discuss it. “Focused on the job.”
Jonas snorted. “Time to put on your big boy pants. Your balls are dropping, finally. Couldn’t pick better, either. She’s a solid female who would rip someone’s throat out to keep her pack safe. That’s good people, even if she has a terrible sense of humor.”
“That makes two of you.”
Jonas snorted again, and thankfully let it lie. There were other things to be worried about. Like a lab that was snatching shifters.
The question was, did they only catch shifters, or were they welcoming to all…
Chapter Five
C harles pulled up at the shifter compound, a bunch of bungalows in the woods, and rolled down his window. They had another place located nearer the city but, from what Charles could gather, this acted as more of a headquarters.
A few people stood near the main facility where the long gravel driveway ended. Ann had a big duffle bag lying on the ground as she faced Tim. Charles couldn’t hear what she said, but he saw her shrug, and get a warm hug.
Charles glanced off to the side as a strange, violent reaction coursed through him. It must’ve been Ann’s blood.
From the corner of his eye, he saw her hug someone else, then another, saying goodbye to her pack-mates. A few minutes later, the passenger door opened.
“Hey.” Ann climbed in as the trunk opened. Tim put her duffle in the back.
“Hi.”
“New wheels?”
Tim appeared on Charles’ side with a stern face and hard eyes. Charles rolled down the window and lifted his eyebrows. He’d never been stand-offish with the bear alpha before, but…
It had to be Ann’s blood. It was really distracting.
“Stay safe,” Tim said. “If anything looks wrong, get out of there. We want to get a feeling of what we’re up against, not lose two more.”
“If they take us, there’ll be a pissed-off mage in the height of crazy pregnancy hormones showing up at their door. I wouldn’t wish that on anybody.”
Tim smirked and nodded, stepping away. “Not to mention an angry Kodiak. Good luck.”
Charles turned the car around, and headed out, pulling out the map and resting it on Ann’s knees. “Got everything?”
“Yeah. You?”
“Yup.”
“You leave that horrible excuse for a wrap behind?”
“I did.” Charles pulled out onto the main road. “Instead, I brought the makings of a dog blanket. I figured it would work for an overgrown kitty-cat, as well.”
“Why didn’t you just say cat
“They have to have something to catch shifters, though,” Jonas spoke up. “Tim’s people are good. They wouldn’t have fallen into a trap. If all of them were taken, it means this facility has something shifters can’t get away from. Something they wouldn’t see when sneaking close.”
“The question is, is that something going to affect non-shifters?” The Boss looked at Charles. “I’m giving you a week. After that, we’re coming in after you. I want you calling every few hours if you can. Feed us information as you get it. You have the maps?”
“Yes. The cottage is cleaned out of humans?” Charles opened his door as Jonas walked around the other side of the car. Time to go.
“It was already empty. The man who owns it is elderly. He used to use it as a summer cabin years ago. He has no family to pass the cabin on to, so we’ve established ourselves as his next of kin. His estate will be a nice source of income in a few years.”
“Probably shouldn’t tell Sasha all that.” Charles climbed into the plush, leather seat.
“She’s okay as long as the person in question doesn’t have kids.” The Boss stepped away. “We have to keep funding our operation somehow…”
Jonas turned the ignition and the vehicle roared to life. Charles gave a salute and closed the door. As the Hummer pulled away, Jonas said, “So… it was good, but now it’s fucking with your mind?”
Charles knew exactly what he was talking about. Who he was talking about. And he didn’t want to discuss it. “Focused on the job.”
Jonas snorted. “Time to put on your big boy pants. Your balls are dropping, finally. Couldn’t pick better, either. She’s a solid female who would rip someone’s throat out to keep her pack safe. That’s good people, even if she has a terrible sense of humor.”
“That makes two of you.”
Jonas snorted again, and thankfully let it lie. There were other things to be worried about. Like a lab that was snatching shifters.
The question was, did they only catch shifters, or were they welcoming to all…
Chapter Five
C harles pulled up at the shifter compound, a bunch of bungalows in the woods, and rolled down his window. They had another place located nearer the city but, from what Charles could gather, this acted as more of a headquarters.
A few people stood near the main facility where the long gravel driveway ended. Ann had a big duffle bag lying on the ground as she faced Tim. Charles couldn’t hear what she said, but he saw her shrug, and get a warm hug.
Charles glanced off to the side as a strange, violent reaction coursed through him. It must’ve been Ann’s blood.
From the corner of his eye, he saw her hug someone else, then another, saying goodbye to her pack-mates. A few minutes later, the passenger door opened.
“Hey.” Ann climbed in as the trunk opened. Tim put her duffle in the back.
“Hi.”
“New wheels?”
Tim appeared on Charles’ side with a stern face and hard eyes. Charles rolled down the window and lifted his eyebrows. He’d never been stand-offish with the bear alpha before, but…
It had to be Ann’s blood. It was really distracting.
“Stay safe,” Tim said. “If anything looks wrong, get out of there. We want to get a feeling of what we’re up against, not lose two more.”
“If they take us, there’ll be a pissed-off mage in the height of crazy pregnancy hormones showing up at their door. I wouldn’t wish that on anybody.”
Tim smirked and nodded, stepping away. “Not to mention an angry Kodiak. Good luck.”
Charles turned the car around, and headed out, pulling out the map and resting it on Ann’s knees. “Got everything?”
“Yeah. You?”
“Yup.”
“You leave that horrible excuse for a wrap behind?”
“I did.” Charles pulled out onto the main road. “Instead, I brought the makings of a dog blanket. I figured it would work for an overgrown kitty-cat, as well.”
“Why didn’t you just say cat
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