Conway

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… A figure stood there, a man, his back turned to me. He stood among the ravaged living room. “Don’t move,” I said. “Turn around, hands up.” He moved slowly, and I tensed, waiting. He raised his hands as he did. He was tall, and muscular, his jet-black hair layered back over his ears, his eyes gray and sharp. He was an attractive man, not much older than my own twenty-seven years. He was actually smiling. “Good evening, Detective Hubbard. It is a delight to finally meet you.” “Where’s Sandra Monkton?” I barked. He shrugged. “You tell me and we’ll both know.” “What have you done to her?” “Nothing.” He shook his head. “It looks like we’re both here for the same reason. I knew eventually our paths would cross.” “Put your hands on the back of your head and hit the floor.” “Really? Is all this necessary?” I took out my phone. “I wouldn’t do that,” he cautioned, raising his hands and folding them together on his head. “Why don’t you wait to hear me out before you call anyone? Give me a few minutes, please? I’m not armed.” I closed the door behind me, jumped forward. “Down.” I motioned. He sighed but dropped down to the floor. “On your stomach. Keep your hands where they are.” I waited for him to cooperate, then cautiously I moved forward and hastily patted him down. “This could be kinky if you’d slow down a bit… ”

ALSO BY B Y D. J. MANLY Cherished Displacement Skipping Stones Weeping Roses

WITH A. J. LLEWELLYN Fawnskin Fawnskin, Book II: Frenzied The House of Driscoll, Book I The House of Driscoll, Book II: Precious Blood Island Heat

CONWAY BY D. J. MANLY

AMBER Q UILL PRESS, LLC http://www.AmberQuill.com

CONWAY AN AMBER QUILL PRESS BOOK This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental. Amber Quill Press, LLC http://www.AmberQuill.com All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review. Copyright © 2011 by D. J. Manly ISBN 978-1-61124-188-4 Cover Art © 2011 Trace Edward Zaber

PUBLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

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CHAPTER 1 I’d never seen Captain Harris look so haggard. His steel gray hair was in disarray and the dark circles under his eyes had developed into droopy bags of flesh. “Shut the door, Hubbard,” he told me, “and close the blind at the window.” As I went about closing the blind, blocking out the semi-lit outer office, I heard his desk drawer open. I knew he was taking out the small bottle he kept there. The last time I’d seen him do that was three years ago when we’d lost two of our finest detectives in a drug raid. “You know,” he said, pouring two glasses, “I really thought I’d make it to retirement without something like this happening.” I slumped into the battered chair across from him. He looked at 1

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me with bloodshot eyes and pushed one of the glasses across the desk at me. “We’ll figure it out,” I said, looking down at the smoky liquor. “If you don’t believe it, Ryan,” he muttered, “how do you expect me to?” He took a deep swallow from his glass and wiped off his mouth with the back of his hand. “We’ve looked at this case from every angle. Jason Comings had no criminal record, no known enemies, no suspicious debts or financial windfalls. He was just some poor schmuck out collecting worms for an early morning fishing trip. The killer practically tore him apart yet took nothing, left a wallet full of cash and credit cards, and his car, with the keys still in the bloody ignition. What in hell was the motive? Only a mindless beast kills like that.” I nodded silently. “And that’s not the worst of it.” The captain drained the glass and poured another. No, the worst of it was what the lab results had shown. “How many times have those tests been done? How many fucking different labs have they been done in? The deep gouges on the body look like they were made by an animal and yet… the results showed evidence of both animal and human DNA. No matter how much sleep I lose thinking about it, it doesn’t make sense, none of it.” I lifted the glass in front of me now and took a swig. It burned all the way down and I quickly remembered how much I hated the taste of whiskey. I coughed a little, and pushed the glass away. He grinned at me. “Five years on the job and you’re up to your eyeballs in it, no wife, no children, your life is the job. Watch it, you’ll end up like me.” “I love my job, sir.” 2

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“Yes, I loved it too when I was your age. Now I can’t wait to hang up this badge. All I want is out. And if I leave with this case unresolved, Ryan, it will haunt me for the rest of my life.” I stood. “We’ll catch him, sir. Get some sleep. Things will look better in the morning.” “What about that stuff you were doing this afternoon.” The captain eyed me. “Turn up anything?” “There have been reports about similar cases in other areas of New York and also in Boston.” “Bodies?” He leaned forward. I shook my head. “No bodies, just people claiming they’d been attacked by something they described as… well… they said it looked like a wolf, sir.” “Wolf? The lab results at one point said that the marks on the body were consistent with that of a wolf but… It must have been one hell of a big wolf. Could it have been a man with a wolf?” I sighed and shook my head. I was as baffled as he. “Follow up on those reports. Right now we don’t have much else.” “I… I can’t,” I told him. “Not really.” He looked at me. “The people who’d made the claim that they’d been attacked by this… kind of wolf creature, well… none of those people can be located.” “You mean they’re missing?” He narrowed his eyes and sat up. “Yes. They were reported missing, but when I called the various police departments to ask them to fax me a copy of the file, they seemed to be missing as well.” “So what you’re telling me is, these people who’d claimed they’d been attacked are missing, and there is no record of an 3

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investigation.” “Correct.” “Then what in hell happened to the files?” I shrugged. “I have no idea.” “Track down the families of these people. I want to know every detail of what happened.” “I’ve already started working on that.” “No matter what it takes, find these people. There’s something not right here. I feel it in my gut, and my gut is never wrong.” I nodded. “I want to know as soon as you know.” “Yes, captain,” I left the remainder of the liquor on the desk and bid him goodnight. I walked outside and headed for the parking lot. I shivered a little. It was a chilly late September evening and the leaves from the trees on the front lawn of the station crunched under my feet as I walked. I paused once, thinking I heard something, footsteps behind me. I slid my hand into my jacket to touch the cold, hard steel of my pistol and glanced around. Nothing except the sound of the traffic whizzed by on the city street. I mentally shook myself and got into my car. It wasn’t the first time lately that I’d had the sensation of being watched. I had felt it since this case began. Maybe it was just me, getting the jitters. It was a damn bizarre case, and the more I investigated, the stranger it seemed to get. I locked my car doors after I slipped behind the wheel and adjusted the rearview. I scanned the parking lot behind me for a minute and then started the engine. Instead of driving straight home, I took the highway for a few miles and turned down a little road where Jason Comings body— 4

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or what was left of it—had been discovered. I pulled the car to a stop, and got out to survey the scene. My hair whipped around my face as the cold wind blew, prompting me to do up my hip length leather coat. A small creek lay nearby, and there was an old house off in the field. I walked a little farther down the road to the tree where the victim had been digging for worms that night almost three weeks ago. The small hole he’d dug was still there. I poked it with my foot and watched the worms frantically squirm away. The house, and all the property surrounding it, including the heavily wooded area across the creek, was owned by the Delaney Family. They’d built a little wooden bridge across the water so that they could go and get firewood during the winter. The family had been horrified when they heard about the murder. They’d been on holiday at that time and only learned about it when they’d come back. I shivered as the wind blew stronger now. It was pitch black here; only my headlights provided some illumination. I felt a few sprinkles of cold rain land on my head. We’d combed the woods and found nothing. If it was an animal and it had left tracks, the heavy rain that night had washed them all away. The mail truck had come across poor Mr. Comings the following morning, just lying there under that tree, his chest half torn open, and covered in his own blood. The plastic bucket he’d been putting his worms into was propped up against the tree, and his car sat a few feet away, the battery dead. I breathed in some cool air and stood there a moment. The quiet was deafening. The rain started to come down a little harder. Slowly, I walked back to my car and got in. I sat there for a while, just waiting, waiting—for what, I wasn’t sure. The clock on my 5

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dashboard said it was two A.M. It looked like I wasn’t going to get much sleep tonight either. I drove back to my small apartment, abusing the speed limit some, and gratefully dropped into bed. I tossed and turned and searched my mind over and over for something that would make sense. No answer was forthcoming. I’d made detective last year. I’d worked very hard to get here, and I was very pleased with the promotion. I’d always wanted to be a cop, especially homicide. I was a curious kid and loved it whenever my uncle came by. He’d been a cop for thirty-five years—twenty of those he spent as a detective. He always had great stories to tell. Uncle Charles had forgotten to tell me about the sleepless nights and the frustration of dead ends though. *

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In the morning, I was exhausted. My body fueled on raunchy coffee, I arrived back at the precinct a half hour early. Members of the task force working on the case wanted to know if I’d turned up anything the day before. Sam Dunkin, the team leader, a guy who thought he was the reincarnation of Sherlock Holmes, jumped on me before I’d even finished my coffee. “Hubbard, why are you wasting your fucking time looking at cold cases?” “Good morning Dunkin, and how are you today?” I sneered at him. He was in his forties, and the job had made him bitter. Not to mention, he had two ex-wives and four kids, two in college. “You might as well beat a dead horse,” he muttered. “Captain’s orders,” I said tightly, as I scribbled down the addresses of the people I could possibly try to track down today. 6

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“Captain is grasping at straws, too. I think the key lies with that old man.” I looked at him. “We’ve already gone that route. He was clean. There was no motive. The crime had nothing to with the victim. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. It’s a dead end, leading nowhere.” “Crazy people claim to see mystical creatures every day, Hubbard,” Dunkin scoffed, slouching at his desk across from mine. “We don’t usually interview those people as critical witnesses. We commit them.” “I didn’t say anything about mystical creatures. They said they were attacked by something that looked like a wolf.” “A wolf.” He shook his head, biting on his pencil. “A big wolf.” He made a face and started to laugh. “Did they see Little Red Riding Hood, too?” There was laughter in the squad room. “Very funny,” I told him. “You shouldn’t waste your time here. A career in stand-up is waiting for you.” “I hear these people aren’t even locatable. They’ve fucking disappeared, probably a bunch of druggies.” “There’s a connection between these people.” “Yeah, they’re all missing.” He laughed, looking around to see if his audience was still listening. “More than that, the information about them is missing, too.” “Happens all the time. When you get a few more years of experience under your belt like me,” he pointed out, “you’ll learn to ignore nonsense.” “Right,” I muttered. “I’ll keep that in mind.” “For me, I think it’s some psycho playing a game with us. He’s probably laughing his head off.” 7

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“Maybe,” I said, “but since we don’t seem to have any leads in this case, I’m going to check out everything I come across.” “You do that and the rest of us will actually do some police work and try to find a killer.” I ignored him. Whether I was wasting my time or not, I decided to follow my gut. It had worked for the captain. I figured I’d give it a try. I didn’t know where else to go and the captain had told me to investigate this trail. So, I contacted the first person on my list, a woman called Bernice Avendale, in Manhattan, and asked to speak to her about her daughter. Bernice ran a bridal boutique downtown and she was very anxious to speak with me. She took me into the back room, leaving her salesclerk to fuss over some gigantic woman’s wedding dress, and offered me a cappuccino. “No thanks,” I said, taking out a notepad as we stood in cramped quarters. I’d already drunk enough coffee to fill a tanker truck. I brought my knees up a little as I perched on the stool and she gave me a sympathetic smile. “Sorry, my office is being renovated.” “It’s okay, Mrs. Avendale—” “Bernice.” “Bernice, when was the last time you heard from Abbey?” “Two years ago this month,” she said. “My daughter and I were estranged. We didn’t get along, especially after her father died. Abbey is my stepdaughter. She was always a handful, rebellious, you know.” “I see. You wrote on your Facebook page that Abbey told you she was attacked by some kind of a wolf?” “Well… not a wolf exactly… She said it looked like a wolf, 8

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but it… Well, she said it looked like a man, too. That’s what I told the police. I can understand why they didn’t take it too seriously.” “She said the wolf looked like a man?” “Yeah.” She nodded. “I didn’t take her seriously myself. I asked her if she was taking drugs.” “Did she have a drug problem?” “I really don’t know. I don’t think she did any serious drugs, pot probably, all the kids did that. What could I say when she told me that? It sounded crazy, you know. She got angry when I didn’t believe her, said she wasn’t doing drugs.” “Did you see the wounds, or did she describe them to you?” “Neither. When I reported her missing, I pointed out the blogs she’d written.” “Blogs?” “Yes, she blogged about the attack. She told me to go read it because apparently there were others who commented, saying they, too, saw this… whatever it was, man wolf thing.” “Man wolf,” I said to myself. “Do you know if she sought medical attention after the attack?” “I have no idea. I told her she should. I didn’t get much of an answer.” “Do you still have the web address of these blogs your stepdaughter wrote?” “That’s just the thing,” she said, “after she disappeared I went to read them again and… they had disappeared, too. Like someone had wiped her stuff right off the Internet.” “Did your daughter have any friends I might talk to, someone who could have seen her before she disappeared, verify these wounds?” “She had a roommate named Sandra. I don’t know if she still 9

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lives in the same place or not. The police questioned her, I think.” “It’s strange because there is no evidence of an investigation ever being done.” “I remember seeing her at the police station. I was there. When I couldn’t reach Abbey, I finally tracked down her friend. They’d been friends since high school. Sandra told me that she hadn’t seen Abbey in days. That’s when I reported her missing.” “Do you have the address of this friend?” “Hold on.” She left and returned with a piece of paper. “This is the last one I have.” I took it and read the address. It was less than a few blocks away from the bridal shop. I stood, relieved to stretch my legs. “Thank you very much. Look, if you remember anything else that could be helpful, call me.” I handed her my card. “Think she’s still alive?” Bernice asked me. “I don’t know,” I said. “One hopes. If I find out anything, I’ll let you know. I’ll be in touch.” *

*

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I woke Sandra Monkton out of a dead sleep and she didn’t seem happy about that. She told me that she worked the night shift as a cleaner in a large nursing home, and asked me if this was going to take long. “I’ll try to be brief,” I said. She made coffee and pulled her robe around her as she sat on the sofa. I stood and waited for her to wake up a little. I knew what it felt like to be half asleep when someone is expecting you to be on the ball. Besides, my legs were numb from being all scrunched up in that back room. 10

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“What did you want to see me about, detective? Have they found Abbey?” she asked. I shook my head. “No, sorry, but I need to ask you some questions about the alleged wolf attack.” She stiffened and put down her coffee. “I don’t know anything about that I’m afraid.” “How did it happen?” She shrugged. “It was some kind of raccoon I guess.” “Raccoon? Abbey wrote in her blog about seeing some kind of a wolf.” “She… was frightened.” “Where did it happen?” “On her way home from work, coming out of the subway. She was working at a video store, trying to save money to go back to school.” “Did she tell you about it when she came home?” “I was at work. She said something about it when I got back.” “Did you see the wounds? What were they like?” She didn’t answer for a minute, then she said, “Scratches, deep, really… strange… and they seem to spread.” “Did she go to the hospital?” “No.” “Why not?” “I don’t know. I told her, too.” “You did go to the police with her to report what had happened?” “Yes.” “It’s strange. The police don’t seem to have record of it. Do you remember the name of the police officer who took the report?” “No.” 11

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“Can you describe him or her?” “I don’t remember. It was a man.” “Did she describe her attacker to you in any detail?” “I think you should leave, detective,” she stood. “I really need to get some sleep.” I narrowed my eyes. “Why are you so afraid?” “I am not afraid,” she raised her voice a little. “Leave it alone.” I moved closer. “If you are afraid of something, I can protect you, but you have to tell me.” She didn’t look at me. “There’s nothing to tell.” “Where did Abbey go, Sandra?” “I really don’t know. Two days after she was attacked, I came home from work, and she was just gone. I haven’t seen her since.” I handed her my card. I knew she was hiding something. “Call me if you can remember anything else.” She took it but I knew she wouldn’t call me. I stood at the door for a moment before leaving. “Sandra, please, help me. I won’t let anyone hurt you, but I can’t protect you if… ” “No,” she shook her head, “you can’t protect me. Now please, detective, leave. I have to sleep.” I stepped out into the hallway and the door closed in my face.

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CHAPTER 2 Later that day I sat in a coffee shop, aimlessly scrawling some things on a napkin, pieces of information that didn’t make any sense. I’d interviewed three other people that day. None of them knew anything about the person in their family who’d disappeared, but they all confirmed that the missing family member had claimed they were attacked by some kind of wolf creature. My mind kept returning to Sandra Monkton. I had to talk to her again, and it wasn’t going to keep until tomorrow. I crumbled up the napkin and jumped up from my seat. I drove to Peaceful Meadows Nursing Home and parked my car in the parking lot. I was met at the door by a gray haired woman in a white smock. “May I help you?” she asked. “I’m Detective Hubbard,” I said, flashing my badge. “I’d like 13

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to talk to Sandra Monkton for just a few minutes. It’s urgent.” “Sandra didn’t show up for work tonight,” she said. “Do you— ” I didn’t hear the rest. I turned and ran down the path to my car. I threw the siren up onto the roof of the car and drove like a mad man back to Sandra Monkton’s tiny apartment. I took my gun out when I reached her floor and inched along the wall cautiously, listening for any sound. The door to her apartment stood ajar. I feared the worst. I quickly jackknifed to the other side and peered around the corner. A figure stood there, a man, his back turned to me. He stood among the ravaged living room. “Don’t move,” I said. “Turn around, hands up.” He moved slowly, and I tensed, waiting. He raised his hands as he did. He was tall, and muscular, his jet-black hair layered back over his ears, his eyes gray and sharp. He was an attractive man, not much older than my own twenty-seven years. He was actually smiling. “Good evening, Detective Hubbard. It is a delight to finally meet you.” “Where’s Sandra Monkton?” I barked. He shrugged. “You tell me and we’ll both know.” “What have you done to her?” “Nothing.” He shook his head. “It looks like we’re both here for the same reason. I knew eventually our paths would cross.” “Put your hands on the back of your head and hit the floor.” “Really? Is all this necessary?” I took out my phone. “I wouldn’t do that,” he cautioned, raising his hands and folding them together on his head. “Why don’t you wait to hear me 14

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out before you call anyone? Give me a few minutes, please? I’m not armed.” I closed the door behind me, jumped forward. “Down.” I motioned. He sighed but dropped down to the floor. “On your stomach. Keep your hands where they are.” I waited for him to cooperate, then cautiously I moved forward and hastily patted him down. “This could be kinky if you’d slow down a bit.” “Get up,” I told him, ignoring his comment. “Slowly.” I grabbed his arm and dragged him around the place while I checked each room. No sign of the woman, but there had definitely been some sort of a struggle in the living room. “Now,” I pulled him back into the living room, “sit down.” I gave him a push toward the sofa and he landed on it hard. “A little pushy, but I like fire in my men.” “Stop the bullshit. Who are you and what are you doing here?” “My name is Conway.” “Conway, last name, or first?” “Last and first actually.” He smiled. “My parents lacked imagination.” “Stop fucking around.” I moved closer with the pistol. “How do you know Sandra Monkton? What do you want with her?” “I don’t know Sandra Monkton, but he does.” I paused, narrowed my eyes. “Who is he?” “The one we’re both looking for.” “Are you a cop?” He contemplated that. “You could say that.” “Who do you work for?” “No one you’d know.” 15

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“I know all branches of law enforcement. It’s easy to check.” “Not really.” He smiled. “Ryan,” he sobered, “you’re in danger now. You’re too close. You need to back off and let me handle this before someone gets hurt.” “It’s Hubbard, Detective Hubbard.” The way he’d said my first name sounded a little too familiar, like we’d just spent three days together in some cheesy motel. “Sorry, it feels like I know you, or I should know you. I’d like to know you.” He smiled again. “Listen, you’re going to start giving me some answers or I’m hauling your ass down to the station.” “That would be a bad idea.” He sobered. I reached for him; he put up his hand. “Wait. Okay, we’ll talk.” I perched on the edge of the sofa, my gun aimed on him. “We’re on the same side. We both want to stop the killing.” “Then you know who the killer is?” “Yes, I know who it is. He’s a renegade and he will be punished, but not by you.” “You’re a vigilante.” He laughed. “You keep coming up with labels, Detective Hubbard, and although they are all true to some extent, you will never find out what I am because you don’t have the language.” I narrowed my eyes. “In our world, we have our own laws, and we also have those who enforce the law. I am one of those enforcers. I’ve been tracking our friend for some time. He’s fast, smart and thirsty for blood. Often he doesn’t manage to finish his victims and he leaves them, alone and terrified, not knowing what’s happening to them at the next full moon. He must have missed Sandra last time around, but you led him right to her.” 16

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“You’re saying this killer has been following me around?” “Well, of course he has. Everything he could want to know, he finds out through you. It’s not your fault. You don’t operate on the same plane.” “And what fucking plane are you operating on, Conway? Mars?” “I don’t expect you to believe me, and if you did, you’d never be safe again. I’d be responsible for your life, and although it has its appeal”—he gave me an appreciative look—“I’d rather not implicate you. So, please, leave this to us.” “Whoever this us is,” I said between clenched teeth, “if we were to attribute all those people missing to this killer you’re tracking, I would say us could use some help.” “Are you offering, detective?” He raised an eyebrow. “If you tell me everything… maybe.” “Can you suspend your disbelief for five minutes, step outside of that empirical human world you live in, and really listen?” “Since this empirical human world isn’t telling me shit, I’ll give it a try.” “Your killer is a werewolf.” I just looked at him. “He’s no ordinary werewolf. He was not a nice man when he was turned. He was already wanted on assault and I suspect he’d killed a few people before the transformation. He’s gone savage, no human instinct remains, and he doesn’t give a shit about the code. He can change at will whenever the moon is out. It doesn’t even have to be full. The pack doesn’t believe he can be reformed and now with all the publicity we’re getting, they have sent me to take him out. I’m not the first hunter who has tracked him. The other two failed.” 17

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I sat there staring at him. I heard the words he spoke but, damn, they weren’t easy to take in. “And you, what are you then? A werewolf, too?” It sounded utterly ridiculous and I started to laugh. He smiled. “I think you already know the answer to that question.” I stiffened, stood. I tightened the hold on my gun. “Then you’re a killer as well?” “Well, yes, you’re right. I am a killer, but not of humans. I’m a wolf killer, a hired assassin. I’m commissioned to kill my own.” “You don’t drink blood?” “I think you have us confused with vampires.” “Vampires now? And those exist, too, I suppose?” I muttered. He smirked. “The two species don’t usually socialize, but I’ve run into one or two on occasion. They keep a low profile.” “Of course,” I sneered, “the sunlight. Then you don’t drink blood?” “Not human blood. And ah,” he stood and pushed the butt of my gun to the side, “putting a bullet in me won’t kill me, detective. Although, it would really piss me off.” His expression darkened. “Now, if we can put aside this nonsense, maybe I can find Sandra Monkton before it’s too late.” “You know where he is?” “I can track him. I know he’s been here but your scent is diluting his. We’re wasting valuable time playing good cop, bad cop.” “Okay,” I urged, “let’s go. And if you do anything stupid… I’ll—” He came close to me and inhaled me like I was a piece of meat. “You smell good, you look good.” He winked at me. “And as much as I’d enjoy your company, detective, you can’t come with 18

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me. You’d be a distraction and you’d slow me down.” “If you think I’m going to let you just walk out of here… ” I met his gaze. “That’s exactly what I’m thinking. That is, if you ever want to see Sandra Monkton alive again.” I kept my gun poised on him as he moved to the door. “Is that a threat?” “No, it’s rather a prediction.” “I’m sorry, Conway, you talk the good talk but if you take one more step, I’m going to have to shoot you.” “Please don’t.” He sighed. “You’d be wasting your bullet and it does rather sting.” He took another step to the door and I fired off one shot. It hit him square in the back of the shoulder. The impact would have forced any normal man to his knees. Conway grunted, paused for a second and muttered something that sounded like a curse, then was gone. My jaw dropped, and by some miracle I was able to recover from my shock fast enough to spring into action. With my gun still drawn, I raced down the hallway, stopping at the top of steps. Cautiously, I peered over the rail to the landing below. There was no sight of him. “Fuck!” I raced down two flights of stairs and slammed through the front door, which led to the street. Breathless, I stood there on the stoop, my chest heaving, scanning the street for any movement that might have been his. “Damn it, you bastard, where in fuck did you go?” I re-holstered my gun and tried to digest what the man had told me. Werewolf. Was it possible such things existed? Damn it, he’d hardly flinched when I shot him at close range… and he did 19

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disappear impossibly fast. How did he scale two flights of stairs that frigging fast? But a werewolf? Slowly I walked down the front steps of the building, looking for traces of blood. I didn’t see any but I knew damn well that I’d wounded him. I let out a roar of frustration. Where in the hell are you, Conway? I wasn’t ready to give up so easily. I drove around the block several times, and up and down the side streets. I searched alleys and found no trace of him. Eventually I went back to Sandra Monkton’s apartment block and parked outside. The door on the passenger side suddenly opened and Conway slipped in. “Miss me?” I automatically went for my gun, but his hand reached out and caught mine. “Don’t,” he said, meeting my gaze. “Being shot once tonight is enough. Give me a break. You can shoot me again tomorrow night if you’re so inclined, but you do know what they say about men who are obsessed with guns?”

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CHAPTER 3 “Where in hell is Sandra Monkton?” Conway settled back into the seat. “Nice car.” “I asked you a question.” “And I heard your question. I have excellent hearing. You know, you’re very demanding. Are you like that in bed?” My mouth opened. I couldn’t believe he’d said that. “Never mind what I’m like in bed. Answer me.” “She’s safe and sound now. He’d stashed her in a hiding place for later and took off.” “He’ll come back there then.” Conway shook his head. “No, my scent is all over the place. He’ll know I’ve been there and won’t return.” I just stared at him. “You don’t smell… that bad.” 21

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He laughed. “It’s a wolf thing. You can’t smell me but he can.” “You really believe this stuff. Take me there.” “Won’t do any good.” “Where is Sandra Monkton?” “I told you, safe. Unfortunately, he scratched her, but if she’s contained tonight and doesn’t feed, maybe she won’t turn. She needs protection though. He won’t rest now until he finds her.” “Where is she?” I insisted, trying to sort through everything he’d just said. “With the Pack. They’ll take care of her tonight.” “The Pack? You mean there’s a whole bunch of these… people who think they’re werewolves.” “They don’t think they’re werewolves, Ryan.” He studied me. “They are werewolves.” I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. “We’re no threat to anyone… except if one of us goes rabid like this asshole. Then we have to put him down.” “You need to take me to Sandra Monkton.” “I’d rather just take you,” he said with a smile. “Piss off, Conway.” He shook his head. “Pity. We could have been so good together.” He laughed. I didn’t join him. “Enough of your bullshit. Let me see your shoulder.” “Just my shoulder?” He raised an eyebrow. “I could show you far more interesting parts of my anatomy.” “Just your shoulder,” I emphasized each word. He opened his jacket and shrugged it off one arm, then pulled his T-shirt down. My eyes widened. There was a definite indication that something had wounded him but the wound was 22

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healed and it had crusted a little with blood. “Holy fuck,” I muttered. He shrugged and put his clothes in order. “I need to point out that even though it might look okay, it still hurts like hell.” “Good,” I said, starting the engine. “Now take me to her.” “I can’t just take you there. It’s a sanctuary.” “Why is everything so complicated with you?” He smiled. “I’m a complicated guy, but I’m so worth it.” “Yeah, right.” I grunted. “Are you going to take me to her, or do I haul your ass downtown?” Conway crossed his arms and lifted an eyebrow. “Our existence depends on secrecy. If I take you to the sanctuary, I will have to vouch for you, tell Wayne that I’m responsible if any harm comes to the Pack.” “So, do it.” “I don’t know if I can trust you. I have to have your word that after you see her, you’ll go away and you won’t bring the authorities there.” “If she is okay, I won’t.” He seemed to consider this for a long time and then he got this expression on his face. I don’t how to describe it. It looked downright deviant. “Fair enough, but I have to make a phone call first. And I have to be the one to drive. I think I have a blindfold somewhere.” He searched his pockets. “Blindfold? You’re serious.” “Very. Oh, here it is.” He pulled a red silk scarf out of his pocket. I narrowed my eyes. “In case of an emergency.” He grinned. “A red silk scarf?” 23

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“Don’t know the nature of the emergency. Sexy, isn’t it?” I sighed. “Give me your phone, please.” “What for?” “Told you, I have to make a phone call.” I handed him my cell phone reluctantly. “Don’t you have a phone?” He didn’t answer, just walked away and spoke on the phone a few minutes. “Get in the car,” he said on the way back, pointing to the passenger side. “Don’t wreck my car. You can drive, can’t you?” He slipped behind the wheel as I got in. “Barely.” I watched him put my phone in the glove compartment. “Hey, what are you doing there?” “You can have it back later.” He held out his hand. “Gun please.” “Get stuffed.” “Maybe if you’re doing the stuffing. How big are you?” His gaze traveled to my groin. I wanted to cover it.” You are not getting my gun.” “Then I won’t take you to the sanctuary. Those are the rules, sweetheart. I’ll give it back later. Come on, trust me.” I took my gun out of the holster, removed the bullets, and handed it to him. I slipped the bullets into my pocket. “You’re a smart cookie. I like you,” he said, stuffing my gun down under the seat. “Now, the blindfold.” He dangled it in front of me. “Get out of here with that. I’ll close my eyes.” “No.” He shook his head. “I’ll catch hell for that. Move 24

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closer.” I sighed. “Is all this cloak and dagger stuff really necessary?” “Yes,” he said and turned my body toward him. I felt him put the scarf around my eyes and then tie it. “There,” he said. “Um, very sexy.” He stroked my hair a moment. “Will you wear it for me later?” “I don’t intend to be anywhere near you later.” “Ouch, that’s cruel, but a man who knows his own mind is a real turn on for me. I like a man who can challenge me, even a little naked wrestling.” “Don’t like it too much,” I warned, “you sick fuck.” He laughed. “Okay, now, time to get serious.” “It’s kind of hard for me to get serious with a silk scarf around my head, but give it your best shot.” “I should warn you, they may insist on making you an honorary member of the Pack.” “And honorary member of what? What in hell is this shit now?” “Nothing much, really.” “So I suppose it’s like those ceremonies cults have. Do we hold hands and howl at the moon?” “Not exactly,” he said. “I’m going to tell Wayne that I’ve marked you as a mate.” I chocked. “I beg your pardon.” “Oh, come on, Ryan, I’m not that bad.” “Forget this mate shit.” “We are allowed to take human mates, but they have to become a member of the society, and they are sworn to secrecy. Since they are in love with one of us, they are not a threat. They can be trusted.” 25

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“There’s a problem with this picture. I am not in love with you, so how is this going to work?” “Wayne doesn’t need to know that,” he said. “Fake it.” The car moved forward. I wasn’t sure how to respond to that. I sat in stunned silence. “It is the easiest way to get you out of there safely.” “Don’t push your luck, Conway. I am not going to pretend to be your mate.” “I’m just saying… they may give you a hard time if you don’t.” I decided that this conversation needed to end. “Tell me about yourself, detective. Why is a handsome man like you without a body to keep you warm in the middle of the night?” The car jerked a little as Conway slammed on the brakes. “What in the hell are you doing?” He laughed. “Just teasing. And they’re going to want to know how we met. How about we say that this case drew us together and it was love at first sight? At least it was for me.” “No.” He laughed again as the car drove smoothly along, albeit a little too fast. “We have to tell them something. You got a better story?” I sighed. “Please stop talking. You’re giving me a headache.” “I was reluctant a little. I know you work nights, very frustrating for a lover. At least it would be for me, because if you were mine I’d want to fuck you all the time.” What in hell could I say to that? I forgot all about trying to concentrate on where we were, listening for sounds and traffic. If his goal was to distract me, he was doing a bang up job. “So,” I cleared my throat when I’d recovered from that declaration, “tell me more about this Pack?” 26

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“I can’t do that, sweetheart. If I told you too much before you were sworn in, I’d have to kill you, and that would be a shame. God, you’re such a hunk, and that blindfold is firing my imagination.” “I thought you said you didn’t kill humans.” “I don’t… as a habit, but my job is to protect the Pack. I told you, our existence depends on people not knowing about us. That’s why this renegade wolf is such a problem. He is drawing too much attention to us.” “Who is this guy? How did he get that way?” “He was bitten, of course.” “Okay, so… by another renegade wolf?” “Not exactly. We only know that our renegade was in a prison for the criminally insane. The night he was attacked, he was being pursued by the police. He was running through the woods behind the institution with a knife. He’d already killed two prison guards. “He surprised one of the Pack who was feeding on a deer. The wolf smelt the blood, felt threatened. Our criminal went to stab the wolf and the wolf bit him in self-defense. The police were close behind and when the wolf heard the approach, he ran away.” “Leaving the man.” “Yes. Our renegade hid until the police passed and the rest is history. He’s been on the run ever since, killing indiscriminately.” “Does this happen often?” The car turned the corner and hit gravel. “No, thank goodness. It would really cramp my lifestyle.” “Couldn’t have that,” I muttered under my breath. “Too many pretty boys out there… except now that I’ve seen you, I’ve decided to reform and settle down.” “Yippee, lucky me.” 27

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“You are so callous, but pretty boys often are. You’re going to break my heart, I swear. Give me your phone again.” “Why?” “I need to warn Wayne we’re here and that I’m bringing you. He doesn’t like surprises.” I felt blindly for the glove compartment and took out my phone. Conway pulled it out of my hand. “Get your own phone, will you?” “No use for those things.” “Looks like it.” I snorted. “But let me guess… they cramp your style, too.” He laughed. “You’re smart as well as hot… be still my cock… ah… my heart. You’re right, can’t have all those desperate boys calling me every minute of the day. I wouldn’t have time to hit on the next one.” “Please.” I rolled my eyes as I heard him punch in the numbers. “Wayne,” he said after a few seconds, “it’s Conway. I’m bringing the cop. No, no, he’s been blindfolded. He needs to see Sandra. We can trust him. Listen, he’s the one. We’re in love. He’s ready to join us.” “Don’t be so sure,” I muttered under my breath. Conway reached over and pulled off the blindfold. He handed me the phone. “Watch what you say, our hearing is really acute. Put it back in the glove compartment, please.” I did as he said. It wouldn’t help me out here anyway. I had no frigging idea where I was. “Wayne has no reason to distrust my instincts, but you might have to look like you like me a little.” I blinked and looked around as he pulled the car to the side of the country road. “That won’t be easy,” I hissed under my breath. 28

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There in the somber darkness were six men all standing around. Their eyes glowed, cutting through the blackness like tiny lights. I shuddered. “Where in the hell are we anyway?” “Somewhere safe,” he said, getting out of the car. I slowly got out myself. One of the men stepped forward. Conway came around and flung an arm round my shoulders. I stiffened. “Wayne,” Conway announced to the taller man who’d come forward, “this is Ryan. Ryan, Wayne, our Alpha… our leader.” I nodded, looking at him curiously. He nodded back. “Where is she, the woman?” He turned and started walking up the road. Not exactly the warmest of fellows. The others followed him. I did as well, Conway at my side still hugging me, which I found annoying. There was a large house sitting in the field, beside it a huge red barn. I broke away from Conway and tramped through the high grass until we got to the structure. One of the other men opened the barn door and a light went on. I gasped. There was Sandra Monkton, naked and asleep on the floor in an iron cage. “Jesus Christ,” I said, “why is she in a cage? Where are her clothes?” The one called Wayne looked at me. I could see him clearly now, his sharp features, big blue eyes. “She will change tonight, and she’ll want to hunt. We can’t let her wander loose. If we can prevent her from attacking someone, these changes may only be temporary.” “You don’t really believe that she is… ” 29

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Conway took my arm, squeezed it. “What my lover means is… you’ve made a wise decision.” Wayne nodded at me. Conway pulled me away from the barn door. “Listen,” he said softly, “I brought you here. Don’t show disrespect. Wayne trusts me. You are treading on dangerous ground. Just follow my lead.” I was about to say something when I heard the strangest sound behind me. I turned to see Sandra Monkton stretching out in the cage as she got up on her hands and knees. Everyone froze and then I saw the nails on her hands growing into lethal looking claws. I heard the cracking of bone, and the breaking of skin as thick brown fur began to materialize on her skin. Her screams made my blood run cold and I couldn’t look away. “Fuck, what’s happening to her? You got to help her.” I tried to push forward but Conway held me back. “There’s nothing we can do for her now,” he said. “She’s changing. Hopefully it will be the one and only time, but we can never tell with these things. She’ll have to be watched until the next full moon. Come on.” He took my arm and pulled me forward. “Conway,” a voice boomed. It was Wayne. He paused, glanced back, “Yes?” “The ceremony, we do it tonight, now.” “Of course.” Conway nodded. “Are you sure he is the one you want as a mate?” Wayne came closer, seeming to inhale me. “Isn’t he beautiful?” Conway touched my hair. I watched the one called Wayne closely. “Yes, he’s beautiful enough, but we’ve never had a cop 30

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before.” Wayne looked at the others. “He could be useful.” He looked back at me. “You go through the ceremony and we vote. If the vote is favorable, you are in. If we vote no, you die.” He met my gaze. “Take off your clothes.” “What?” I clipped. “It’s okay,” Conway said. “Wayne, he’s a little modest. Let him keep his clothes on. He only likes to strip for me.” Wayne seemed to consider that. “Usually it’s done naked.” Oh great! I turned and glared at Conway. “Give us a few minutes, will you, Wayne?” Conway suggested. “I want to talk to him alone.” “We’ll wait inside.” Wayne began walking toward the house and the others followed. Suddenly I heard the strangest howling noise coming from the barn. I shivered. “Jesus, Conway.” Conway gave me a sympathetic smile. “Don’t worry. You’re in like Flynn.” “In like Flynn? He said if I didn’t pass, they’d kill me. And what did he want me to undress for? I’m not taking off my clothes.” “He’s a little kinky. Don’t worry. I fixed that. He’ll be okay with it.” “He better be. What does this ceremony entail anyway? What do I have to do?” “Well… first you have to make love to me and make me come in front of them.” My eyes widened. “Kidding.” He laughed. “It was worth a try.” “Get serious. This is my life here.” “I won’t let anything happen to you, Ryan. You have to take 31

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the oath, swearing never to betray our secret outside the Pack, and you have to convince them that you are totally devoted to me. That’s all.” “That’s bullshit.” “Basically, yeah, but everyone has to do it.” He lowered his voice. “I’m very good in bed, say that.” He winked. “I can’t believe this,” I said between clenched teeth. “You insisted I bring you here to see Sandra. If you could have just trusted me, you wouldn’t be in this mess.” “You could have told me I might not make it out of here alive. You think this is all a big joke.” “What can I say? I’m a sucker for a great looking man, especially when the potential for mind blowing sex is involved.” I glared at him. “Get real. There is no potential for any mind blowing anything. You’re a freak. You’re all freaks.” “We are. Now, you’ll be one, too. Ready? They’re waiting. And don’t worry, be frank, you won’t make me blush.” “I think I’m going to kick your ass when we get out of here.” “I’d rather you do something more pleasurable to my ass but… I accept that. I probably deserve it. Please just don’t shoot me again, okay?” I was fuming all the way to the house. I felt as if I had the starring role in some kind of a bizarre movie. Just before Conway led me through the door, I heard that howling again. “Don’t worry,” Conway told me as I froze. “She can’t escape.” “Right.” I nodded but it was damn unnerving. The six men all sat around in a circle on the floor. The man called Wayne motioned to me. “Sit in the middle, Ryan.” I did what he said, looking around. If somehow I didn’t pass this stupid test, I doubted I could take them all on. I was doomed. 32

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“Do you realize what your life will be like loving a man like Conway?” Wayne asked. “Ah, I’m beginning to,” I said, giving Conway an indulgent smile. He stood outside the circle, leaning against the wall. He blew me a kiss. “He can control the change but it is especially strong during the full moon,” Wayne announced. “Of course,” I said. “Everyone goes a little nuts then. I once got drunk during a full moon and ended up in the parking lot of a Safeway store.” I laughed but it didn’t go over well so I fell quiet. “You will always be safe during the full moon. He will mark you. But Conway needs to be in a wooded area where he can hunt. A human companion can be useful. He will be naked when he changes. You can bring him his clothing when the sun comes up, make the transformation easier.” “Um,” I said, not sure how to respond to that. Frankly, it didn’t sound that exciting, getting up at dawn once a month, and tramping through the woods to bring someone a wardrobe change. “Conway is a hunter. You can be his partner in many ways. We recommend you quit the human police force and become an enforcer in our world.” I blinked, looked at Conway. “Remember, we discussed that, darling,” Conway said with an indulgent smile. “The pay is good. Only you will be hunting supernatural beings that have lost their way. Enforcing the laws of our world has reverted to werewolves in this century. Have you encountered a vampire yet?” I cleared my throat. “Ah, can’t say I’ve had that pleasure.” “Succubus?” 33

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“Damn, missed those, too.” “What about a demon?” “Listen,” I sighed, “I think this is a bunch of… ” Conway was suddenly behind me, he reached down and wrapped his arms around my chest, rocking me back and forth like one would a cherished child. His hand moved over my face and clamped onto my mouth. “I’m sorry, Wayne,” he was still rocking the hell out of me as I struggled, “I just love him so much, can’t seem to control myself when he’s nearby.” Conway was kissing my hair frantically, his lips moving in my ear. “What he meant to say is that I have a lot to teach him, darling. Right, sweet, sweet, angel of mine? This is new to him, Wayne. I haven’t given him the tour yet.” He released me and I wanted to kick his ass, but I understood that I was probably failing this damn test. No matter what these people believed, my best bet was to play along. “Yes, ah, I’m new to this. I’ll get the hang of it eventually after I, ah… meet some vampires and fairies and stuff.” Wayne gave me a severe look. “We don’t deal with fairies. They have their own laws.” “Oh.” “Conway, get out of the circle,” Wayne said. “Going.” Conway went back to where he was standing before. “That Conway,” I laughed, “he’s all over me all the time. He has some libido. Can’t keep up. Wow… and good in bed, too.” Wayne grinned. “Werewolves all have that talent.” “Oh, great,” I replied. “We will require your complete devotion to the Pack if you wish to be with Conway. We’re not sure you are the best choice, 34

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but you’re his problem now. We assume that at least you’ll be of some use. Please stand.” Everyone stood. “Conway, step into the circle with your mate. We’ll do the ceremony that unites you at the same time. You do realize, Ryan, that weres mate for life.” Conway came and stood on my left. I gave Wayne a tense smile. “Really? Lovely.” “Infidelity outside the Pack is not tolerated, although I, as Alpha, may on occasion request your sexual servitude.” I raised an eyebrow. “Oh. How nice.” “Take Conway’s hand in yours and raise your right hand. Repeat after me,” Wayne instructed. I raised my right hand as Conway grabbed my left. “I swear devotion and service not only to my mate but to this Pack.” I repeated the words. “I swear devotion to my mate, to make him happy and service his every emotional and sexual need.” I almost choked on those words but managed to get them out. Conway squeezed my hand and beamed at me. “I swear never to reveal the secrets of this society. I will be willing to sacrifice my very life to protect it and will now and forever obey the commands of the Pack leader.” I finished saying the oath between clenched teeth. “Fine, you may kiss your mate,” Wayne said. Conway yanked me to him and kissed me hard-on the mouth. I kept my mouth sealed shut. The others clapped and howled around us. “The vote is unanimous. You are a member of this Pack. Now,” 35

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Wayne said, “I expect the two of you to find our renegade.” The others patted us on the back as Conway pulled me out of the circle toward the front door. “Time to go,” he said. “Remember,” Wayne called out, “you are on probation, Ryan.” I looked back at him uncertainly and Conway kept pulling me forward. I was happy to be seated behind the wheel of my car. I searched under the seat and located my gun. I was loading it when Conway got in the passenger side. He eyed me. “Not going to shoot me again, are you?” “I might.” I sneered. A loud, plaintive howling suddenly split the night again. “Jesus.” I swallowed hard. I re-holstered my gun and started the engine. I was confused, and disturbed by everything that had just happened. I had left a victim back there in a cage with those weird men and she seemed to be turning into some kind of a monster. And I had the distinct impression that Conway and I were just married in some kind of a bizarre ceremony! “What’s going to happen to her?” “They’ll take care of her. She’s in the best place she can be,” he said assuredly. “Will she be all right, really?” “Don’t worry. You got more critical worries than Sandra Monkton. I just put my ass on the line for you, so you better follow through with what you promised.” I hit the gas. “I am not sleeping with you, Conway. Get it out of that dirty mind of yours, and I’m not becoming some kind of supernatural bounty hunter either.” “Listen, handsome, you’d better prove your worth and help me find this crazy wolf, or you and I will both end up in deep shit.” 36

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I kept my eyes on the road. “Where do I drop you?” I asked as we reached the city. “Honey, I’m not leaving your side, so anywhere you lay your head is just fine with me.” My eyes widened. “What?” He grinned. “We’re mated for life, remember? Where thou goeth, I goeth… so let’s goeth to your place.”

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CHAPTER 4 “Nice place,” Conway said, lounging on my sofa. “We may need something bigger once the babies come.” I scowled at him. He laughed. “Kidding. Where’s the bedroom?” “Get used to the sofa, because that’s where you’ll be sleeping.” “You’ll regret it when you wake up with a hard-on. And don’t forget… you promised.” “Jesus Christ,” I muttered. “Hey, I saved your ass tonight; the least you can do is let me borrow it for awhile. And it is our wedding night.” I opened up the cupboard and took down a pillow and a blanket. I walked over and dumped them onto his lap. “I don’t like this, you staying here, but if you can help me find this crazy man 38

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then—” “If we can help each other,” he corrected, patting the pillow that sat on his lap. “Whatever. And when we find him, I’m taking him in.” He laughed. “Why did you laugh? Don’t think I’m going to join you in this vigilante business of yours.” “Let’s just cross that bridge when we come to it, shall we?” He lifted an eyebrow. “Now come over here and give me a little kiss.” “I can’t have this conversation with you now.” I walked into the bathroom and shut the door. I was exhausted. I needed to sleep, and with this guy around, I think it was going to be with one eye open. I pulled off my clothes and began to brush my teeth. Then I remembered I wasn’t alone. I couldn’t walk out of the bathroom stark naked. I spit out the toothpaste in the sink and bent over to pick up my clothes. I was holding them in front of me when the door swung opened. “Oh,” he said as he took his time looking me up and down, “I thought you were finished, got to pee. Very nice by the way.” He winked at me. “You work out.” I held the clothes tighter to my groin. “Don’t you believe in knocking?” I snapped. “Usually I do believe in knocking, except when I think it just might be to my advantage… and I was right. It was. I’m relieved by the way. I did take quite a risk, taking on a mate with a guy I’d never even seen naked before. It’s like buying a used car and not looking under the hood before you put down the cash.” I stared at him. 39

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“Come on, sweetie. Is this any way to treat your hubby on his wedding night?” “It is not our wedding night and you are not my hubby. You’re just a goddamned pervert,” I hissed, brushing by him. “It’s in my nature I guess. I see a great looking guy with a hard, tight body and I get… let’s say… a little crazy.” “Pervert,” I muttered. I reached out and slammed the door on him. I heard him laughing as I crawled into bed. I wished I had a lock on my door. A few minutes later it got quiet. I guess he went and lay down on the sofa. I wondered what I’d do if he walked into my room and crawled onto the bed. He was a madman, and I wasn’t sure what he was all about, but he was damn good-looking, and in spite of his lewdness, he was somewhat charming. Too bad he was a fruitcake. It had been a long time since I’d shared my bed with anyone. My last boyfriend was an on and off kind of guy, and he hated the fact that I was a cop. The last time I’d had sex was over two months ago with a stranger who picked me up at a gas station. It seemed longer. “Sweet dreams, handsome,” Conway called out suddenly. “Go to sleep,” I called back and rolled onto my side. “If you need me for anything, don’t hesitate to let me know, I’m a light sleeper, and, unlike some people, I take my vows seriously. You will need to put out sooner or later!” “Stop talking!” I yelled at him. He didn’t answer, thank heavens. It took me a while to get to sleep. I was trying to digest everything I’d seen tonight, like the Monkton woman turning into some kind of an animal. I couldn’t deny my own eyes. I just wasn’t sure how to process it or what in hell to do about it. 40

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*

*

*

I woke up to find Conway sitting on the edge of my bed. He’d showered and dressed and was drinking something out of one of my mugs. And he was wearing my T-shirt. “You wake up with one hell of a hard-on, baby.” He grinned, his gaze moving down over the length of me. I lifted my head to look at myself and gasped, struggling to retrieve the blanket at the bottom of the bed. Somewhere in the night, I’d manage to kick off the blanket and the sheet and I was lying there stark naked with my cock standing at attention. Conway put his cup on the nightstand, leaned down over me, and pinned my shoulder to the mattress with one hand. His other hand slid over my left thigh, and quite aggressively pushed aside the blanket, then coveted my erection. I sucked in some air as his eyes looked down into mine. He began to stroke my cock. My first instinct was to resist, but for some reason my tongue darted out to lick my lips as my hips lifted off the mattress in a wanton display of invitation. Conway’s mouth lowered to mine and he kissed my lips tortuously slow, teasing my tongue as his grip tightened around my shaft. “I want you,” he said, his voice thick with passion. The lips moved down my throat to my chest where he lazily tongued one nipple and again gave my throbbing cock a gentle squeeze. My mind screamed. What in fuck are you doing, Ryan? You don’t even know him… and he’s… weird… he actually believes he’s a… But I’d seen it. I’d seen that poor woman and heard her howling like an animal. My ability to form rational thought began to fade as strong 41

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hands parted my thighs and he licked the length of my shaft. My entire body trembled involuntarily. “Conway.” I sucked in some breath. He lifted his head and looked at me. “Don’t worry, beautiful, I don’t bite”—he grinned—“much.” The head lowered again. My response was a moan as my cock sank into his mouth. I thrashed a little as I felt my sex tunneled in the back of his throat. The tension built as he expertly took control, sucking and licking my cock. I felt the pressure pulse and then I shot. “Shiittt!” Conway reared back, and sat up on his knees. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. When I could breathe normally again, I struggled up onto my elbows and studied him. He was still fully dressed, his hair in disarray, but he looked absolutely irresistible. “Am I in trouble?” he asked, a smile forming on his lips. “Yeah,” I grunted, “you’re in a shit load of trouble.” I reached out for him, clutched the front of his T-shirt and pulled him in for a kiss. He fell on top of me. We rolled around on the bed and I yanked the T-shirt up over his head and pulled it off. “That’s my T-shirt by the way.” He grabbed it and threw it on the floor, then lifted to his knees again as he began to undo his jeans. “Share and share alike, baby.” I wrestled him down and yanked at the pants. Conway kicked the jeans away and got his underwear to his knees. I moved my fingers over his cock. “Um, nice and big, thick… ” My mouth took over for the verbal worship as I kissed his shaft, and sucked it all the way down. He uttered a little sound in his throat as I parted his thighs. I 42

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looked at him. “You don’t deserve this, thief!” “I intend to steal more than your T-shirts before I’m through,” he told me, his eyes meeting mine. “Right,” I scoffed, not sure how to interpret that. I began to pay some serious attention to that fat cock of his and Conway grabbed a handful of my hair. “Oh ye of little faith, detective.” He made a face as I ran my tongue around the head of his cock. “Faith,” I echoed, reaching under him and searching for that special space, “let’s talk about faith then, Conway.” I flirted around his anus with my finger. Conway sucked in some air. “Are you telling me I’m about to get religion?” He grunted. “And how.” I hissed, again licking the head of his cock as I drove my finger up inside him and hooked it to the knuckle. “Oh yeah,” he cried out and lay back, widening his legs so that I could go deeper with my finger. “Pray, Conway,” I urged, finding his prostate, “pray.” Conway did a lot more than pray. He yelled like a banshee and enjoyed the ride. And I rode him. I got the lube and worked another finger up inside his ass as I sucked his cock and his balls. “Fuck me.” His request came on bated breath and sounded quite desperate. I loved it. I was so turned on, I plunged my cock into his ass like a torpedo. He let out a howl and reached up and stroked my cheek as I slowed my pace. We were both sweating and on the brink of orgasm, and just as I was about to come, he clutched me around the neck and brought himself up into my arms, his legs wound around my hips. We came almost at the same time, with short jerky movements 43

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that climaxed in one long shuddering moan, our breathing hard and erratic. We sat there looking into each other’s eyes and the intimacy suddenly jarred me. Had I taken complete leave of my senses? This wasn’t right. It was too soon. He was the wrong choice. And yet, it had never felt better. Conway didn’t let me move away. He stroked my hair, gently kissed my mouth. “You’re good at that,” he said softly, kissing my ear. “You, too.” I smiled. “I didn’t do it alone.” He laughed. “I don’t want to move.” I looked at him. “I’m afraid if I do, it will never be like this for us again.” “Why?” “You might be pissed at me… for a few reasons. Are you afraid of what I am, Ryan?” “I don’t really know what you are.” “Stop saying that!” There was anger in his voice. “I’ve shown you, made us vulnerable so that you’d see, and you still deny it.” He did move away then. I wasn’t sure what to say. I sighed and lay my head on the pillow. The last thing I wanted to do was fight, when the impression of his body still lingered on mine. “It’s not easy for me to”—I looked at him—“to believe. I’m a cop. I’m taught to find scientific evidence, not stuff out of horror movies.” “You saw it with your own eyes. You saw Sandra Monkton change. How much more science do you want? You want to see me change?” “So you can bite off my head, no thanks,” I said. “I could never hurt you. I have your scent now, and your scent 44

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would only make me”—he grinned—“hard. I might want to fuck you all night, that’s the worst.” Didn’t sound so bad to me. “So what are the other things?” “What do you mean?” He came and sat on the edge of my bed. “You said there were a few reasons I might be pissed at you.” I waited for an explanation. “I stole your T-shirt.” He grinned. “Um, and?” I was looking right at him. “Well, that stuff last night.” “What do you mean by stuff?” I didn’t move a muscle. “Like you didn’t really believe that ceremony, did you?” He smirked. My eyes widened. “You mean all that bullshit I had to repeat?” I tried not to lose it. “You’re not telling me what I think you are, are you? That all that time I thought maybe these guys would kill me if I wasn’t… convincing enough… all of it was fake?” He grinned and shrugged. “Most of it, except the mating part. We are mated for life. If you fuck another guy, I’ll have to kill you.” He laughed. “Hey, they trust me, anyone I bring in I’m responsible for. They wouldn’t actually make anyone do stupid stuff like… ” “You son of a… ” I doubled up my fist and let it fly. I hit him square in the jaw with enough force to knock him off the bed. He was sitting on the floor, feeling his jaw, but he was grinning. I couldn’t believe it. I put my hands on my hips and glared at him. “I was shitting my pants last night.” “Naw, you were pretty calm.” “You prick!” He got up off the floor. “You pack a mean punch, babe.” He rubbed his jaw again. 45

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“Get out! Get out of my room! Get out of my house before I kick your ass!” “Ah, I kind of can’t,” he said, cocking his head, his lips pursed. He did take a step back when I moved toward him. He put up a hand. “We do have to find this wolf or I’ll be in shit for that. You see, I did say you could help me. And you are my mate.” The anger filled me like a tidal wave. “Do you think you could help me find out some more stuff about our escaped mental patient? I have a little bit of trouble gaining access to records. Don’t have the badge.” He waited but took a few steps back when he noticed my mood was not changing. I let out a yell of frustration. “Fine. I’ll let you cool off, okay, baby, sweetheart, honey?” I gave him a murderous look. “We’ll find this guy but just don’t… don’t… talk to me anymore!” “Okay, but does that include fucking, because we can do that without talking… no problem for me. I can gag you or—” I picked up the lamp that lay on the nightstand and threw it at him.

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CHAPTER 5 “Still mad?” Conway asked me for the twentieth time as I drove out toward the State Hospital for the Criminally Insane. “You could have really hurt me with that lamp. You missed my head by inches. I didn’t know you had a violent streak when I took you as a life mate.” I didn’t speak. “Hey, come on. You still can’t be mad?” “Keep asking me, Conway, and I swear I’ll have you committed while we’re up here. All I have to do is tell them you think you’re a werewolf.” He chuckled. “But I am a werewolf… and you’d miss me.” I glanced at him. “You think? Are you willing to put money on that one?” 47

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He was laughing as I fumed. “Don’t you feel guilty at all?” “For what am I supposed to feel guilty for, darling?” “For making an idiot out of me last night?” “Oh, come on, Ryan, lighten up. I admit Wayne went a little too far with scaring you. He doesn’t like cops much. I didn’t tell him to go that far. I just wanted to see you without your clothes on.” “You are… unbelievable!” “Thank you.” “And do you really think what you did was fair? I didn’t have any choice in the matter.” “You’ll learn to love me.” I groaned. “Have some compassion for me, baby. I’m supposedly mated to a man who doesn’t even want to talk to me anymore, let alone fuck me. Not to mention, you’ve shot me and tried to kill me with a lamp.” “Poor baby. My heart bleeds. Isn’t there such a thing as an annulment in your cult?” “Nope.” He grinned when I glanced over at him. “Guess you’re stuck with me until death do we part.” He beamed, popping a piece of gum into his mouth. “Just because you follow this scripture doesn’t mean I have to.” “I… it’s not a scripture.” His voice held a serious tone now. “I won’t be able to ever take another if you deny our union.” “You got to be kidding.” I looked at him, almost going off the road. He redirected the steering wheel. “Dead serious, I’m afraid.” “Why in hell would you do something that serious with a man 48

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you’d only known a few hours?” He shrugged. “I’m spontaneous.” “That’s not spontaneity, that’s insanity.” He sobered. “I knew the minute I saw you that I wanted you for the rest of my life.” I sighed. He wasn’t joking. “Look, let’s just concentrate on finding this loose cannon and then we can work out all the personal stuff later. Maybe we can go back to Wayne and say we made a mistake.” “Can’t.” “Why not?” “Wayne sanctioned it and Wayne cannot be seen as making a mistake. He doesn’t make mistakes.” “Everyone makes mistakes.” “It would undermine his authority. The other stuff was a joke, everyone knew that, but… not the mating. If it’s any consolation,” he added, “Wayne asked me over the phone last night if I was nuts… when I said I wanted to mate with you.” “Did he know I was not exactly in with this little plan?” “No. I didn’t tell him that.” “So, that’s it,” I said, “once he knows I was not willing to be your… whatever… mate… he’ll wave a stick and it will be over.” “Can’t.” “Damn it, stop saying that word. I hate that word.” “Sorry.” Conway began to take the wrapper off a chocolate bar. “Want some?” I shook my head. Dare I even think it in my head? I was mated for the rest of my days to a… a… man who thought he was a werewolf! “This it is,” Conway pointed out suddenly. 49

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Stretched out before us around the curve were the huge, manicured lawns of the State Institute for the Criminally Insane. I turned the car down onto the unpaved road and drove straight to the high electric fence. A guard came out of his house. I rolled down my window and flashed my badge at him. “Detective Hubbard, NYPD. I spoke to the warden this morning. We have an appointment to see him at one o’clock.” The guard checked the identification and then his rooster. “Yes, that’s fine. You’re on the list.” A few minutes later the gates opened and I drove on through. “Wow, look at all the trees over there behind the hospital,” Conway said, “perfect hunting grounds.” I wrinkled my nose. “Are you developing the urge?” “Not yet,” he replied. “Made me think of our prey… I mean… suspect… ” “What do you people, ah… hunt anyway?” “Deer, small game.” “Doesn’t it gross you out?” “It used to, but I don’t have to hunt unless I want to. I can just confine myself and wait it out.” I pulled into the visitor’s parking lot and turned off the engine. “And so… how did you get to be a… ” “Werewolf?” “Right.” He laughed a little. “You still don’t believe it, do you?” “I’m trying.” “I’ll tell you about it one day.” He opened the door and got out. I followed suit and we walked across the parking lot. My cell phone rang just before we got to the main door. “Just a minute, it’s the captain,” I told him. “I have to take it.” I walked a 50

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few feet away. “Hello, captain.” “Ryan, where are you exactly?” “I’m at the State Institute for the CI, sir, following up on a lead I got.” “Yeah, well, we got another victim, same MO. A woman this time out walking her dog around midnight. Found her mangled body in the Hudson. Dog was torn in two. I want this bastard.” “Yes, sir. Me, too.” I looked at Conway. “How long you gonna be?” “An hour, tops.” “Get back in here as soon as you finish.” “Yes, sir,” I said and closed my phone. “He murdered her out of rage,” Conway said. “What?” I looked at him. “That woman and her dog. He was pissed off that Sandra got away.” “How do you… ” “I heard,” he said. “I told you, I have excellent hearing. And, Ryan”—he placed a hand on his arm—“I’m going to let you go talk to the warden on your own.” “Why?” I asked curiously. “I prefer not to say at the moment. Don’t want to freak you out.” “I’m way beyond freaked out already, so tell me.” “I will,” he said, “after you finish. I’m going to go for a walk in those woods.” “Feeling the call of the wild?” I quipped. “Something like that,” he said and walked off in the direction of the trees. I sighed. Could this guy get any weirder? 51

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Warden Douglas Von Heinricke was a tall, gaunt man in his fifties who looked like he should be in a treatment center for anorexia instead of running a prison. Fine blue veins stood out in his hands and were visible under the pale skin of his cheeks. He was white, really white. I held out my hand to him but he didn’t take it. He just walked into his office and I followed. When he spoke, his voice was low but matter of fact. He had a hint of an accent. I suspected German or Hungarian maybe. “We have no idea how he managed to overcome those two guards,” he said. “We pride ourselves on our security here. Mr. Grover’s escape was a grave disappointment.” I jotted down a few notes as he spoke. “Tell me more about the night he escaped.” “It was like any other night here. We were not short of staff. All systems were up and go. We suspect that Mr. Grover was not swallowing his meds. Some of our inmates have trouble sleeping and we medicate them at night.” “And Grover was one of those inmates?” “Yes, at night he tended to get agitated.” “Especially where there was a full moon,” I said, tongue-incheek. I wanted to laugh. I think maybe I was in the early stages of losing my mind. Von Heinricke raised an eyebrow, then said without humor, “Precisely.” My eyes widened a little. Was everyone nuts? As if reading my mind, he went on, “Are you familiar with the theories concerning the full moon and the escalation of violence?” I looked up at the warden from my notebook. “I’ve read 52

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reports, yes. We joke about that sometimes down at the precinct.” “There has been some empirical evidence supporting the correlation between the full moon and the escalation of blood lust.” “Blood lust?” “Violence.” “Yes, well… ” I smiled. “Grover has the heart of a killer,” the warden said almost whimsically. “Do you have any idea where Grover might have taken refuge?” “We suspect he escaped into the woods. He was pursued for quite some time but never found. I wouldn’t have a clue where he’s gone now. I hear he’s killed again.” “We think we can link him to recent homicides, yes.” I stood. “Is there anything else I might help you with, detective?” “I’d like to see his records.” “Naughty boy, detective.” The warden walked around his desk and drew very close to me. “You know you have to have a subpoena for that. Do you have a subpoena, detective?” A shiver ran up my spine. I could really see those blue veins now and it seemed the irises around his steel gray eyes held a tinge of red. I snapped my notebook shut and smiled uneasily. I took a step back and shoved my hand out in front of me. “Thank you for your time, warden.” His hand was shockingly cold. He held mine in his a long time and my fingers felt as if they were going numb. I was happy when he released it. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help.” He stood in the doorway of his office as I hurried out into the hallway. “That 53

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companion of yours however,” he called out as I got to the main door, “is your best bet. If anyone can track Grover, he can.” I glanced back at him and he’d disappeared from the hallway. How did he know I had someone with me? He must have seen us standing in the parking lot from his window. When I got to the car, Conway was sitting in the passenger seat. I rubbed my cold hand and muttered, “That warden should be in the hospital. He looks like he’s dying.” “Oh, he’s way past that.” I looked at him. “Don’t say what I think you’re going to say.” “Okay. I won’t. Did he tell you anything?” “Some crap about the full moon and Grover not taking his meds. He called me a naughty boy.” Conway laughed out loud. “Oh, he liked you.” “Great.” I started the car. “I seem to attract the oddest people.’ Conway placed a hand on mine for a second. “At least my hands are warm.” That I knew. “So,” I said to change the subject as I drove off down the road, “how was your run in the woods?” “He was there. I saw markers. He’s been back at least once. He feels safe there during the change. He’d stay there if it wasn’t human prey he craved.” “I hear wheels turning in your head.” “Um. I have an idea but you wouldn’t like it.” “Why not?” “Because you’ll think it dangerous for the human.” “We are not, and I repeat, not using Sandra Monkton as bait.” “Don’t worry. From what I saw last night, I doubt she’s still human. She won’t be any good to us. He’ll stop hunting her if she’s changed.” 54

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I glanced at him as we approached the gate. “You told me she’d be all right. That Wayne guy said… ” The guard poked his head in. “I need to check the backseat and the trunk.” “No problem,” I said, popping the trunk for him. He did a quick inspection, slammed the trunk down and waved. The gates opened. I drove through. “Okay, so,” I insisted, “tell me more about the Monkton woman. That Wayne guy seemed to think… ” “Wayne’s an optimist, but me… I’m a realist. That woman is one of us now, I’d put money on it.” “Great. How do I explain that to my captain when she’s reported missing?” “You don’t.” “Right. What about me?” “What about you?” “I could be the bait.” Conway seemed to consider this. “Um. Not bad except he’d probably smell a rat. He knows you’ve teamed up with me. No, it would have to be a fresh one. We could ask the warden to leave one of his blood donors in the woods.” “Blood donors?” “Um. Obviously he feeds off his inmates?” “That’s not right.” Conway shrugged. “It may not be right but it’s convenient.” “And how do we get him to do that?” “I can tell him to. I have authority, kind of.” “I thought you didn’t mix.” “We don’t go to cocktail parties together, if that’s what you mean, but vamps do recognize the law enforcers. It will be their 55

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turn next century.” “Why didn’t you want to go in with me?” “I would have been a distraction.” “Oh. He knew who you were.” “Of course he did. Give me your phone, sweetheart.” I handed him my phone. “We need a cell phone plan, you know, two for one?” He lifted an eyebrow. He played with the phone and I pulled into a diner along the highway. “I thought you said they’d cramp your style.” “That’s all over now. I’m a married man.” “Lord, I need coffee. What are you looking for?” “The warden’s number. It is in here, isn’t it?” I took the phone and clicked in the number. “It’s ringing.” I handed it back. “I hope you know what you’re doing.” He grinned. I waited. “Hello, warden… Conway here. Sorry I missed the meeting. I have a request of a law enforcement nature. I need to borrow a blood slave, preferably one with a fresh wound. Don’t bother sealing it. Yes, tonight. I’ll meet you there in the woods, say, two? I’ll do my best,” he said and hung up. “What did he say?” He wasn’t thrilled but he agreed. “Well, you can go back to whatever else you were doing.” “What do you mean? I’m coming with you.” “No. You’re not.” “Yes, I am. This blood slave is a human and in need of protection… and I’m bringing in this killer.” “You can’t, Ryan. You can’t arrest a werewolf. Forget it. I’ll 56

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deal with him.” “So what about my case? This goes under unsolved crimes?” “You’ll know it’s solved. Maybe it won’t give you a promotion but it will give you peace of mind.” He got out of the car. I jumped out after him. “Where are you going now?” “I have preparations to do. You get your coffee and go on to work like a good little boy.” He reached over and patted my cheek. “Keep the bed warm for me.” He winked. “Conway!” He wasn’t listening. He just kept walking. “Conway. You’re not getting away with this. This is my case!” I chased after him for a bit but he disappeared behind the diner and before I could turn the corner, he was nowhere to be seen. “Stop doing that!” *

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*

I was in a foul mood when I got back to the precinct. The captain asked me all kinds of questions about my interview, and I had little to tell him. Was I supposed to tell him? Oh, yeah, captain, see, the warden is a vampire, and the werewolf cop that I had somehow promised my sexual services to until death do we part asked the vampire to donate a blood slave to attract the suspect. Oh, and… by the way, the suspect is also a werewolf. Yep, that would go over real well. The team was still working on leads that I knew were going nowhere and I sat at my desk and fumed. I was not going to let Conway have my suspect. I was going to be in those woods tonight, come hell or high water. And I needed to know. I needed to know if what I’d seen happen in that cage 57

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with Sandra Monkton was real. Was Conway really what he claimed? Was the man I was chasing one as well? A half hour later, I was trying to find the way back to the place Conway had taken me. I needed to see that woman, make sure she was all right. Whatever condition had afflicted her, she needed a doctor. A few hours later, I was pounding my fists into my steering wheel. I’d failed in trying to find that road. I was going in circles. “Conway, where in fuck are you?” I hollered. I drove back out to the institution and parked my car on a side road a mile away. I’d stopped for coffee and filled a thermos with it. I sat there drinking it, waiting until darkness fell. My thoughts were racing. Everything that had happened seemed surreal. I had to find out or soon I’d be howling at the damn moon myself. I walked up the quiet road until I reached the woods, glancing up once at the moon that lit my way. It wasn’t full but it was close enough. I held my gun tightly in my hand, recalling the way Conway’s bullet wound had healed over. That thought didn’t reassure me. The branches crackled under my feet and hoot owls made ungodly sounds in the still night. I swallowed my fear and pushed on. It was cold in the woods and I told myself that if I headed straight, I wouldn’t get lost. I couldn’t see the lights of the institution yet and I anxiously pressed on, yearning for some sign that I wasn’t wandering in circles for the second time tonight. When I heard the howling, my blood froze. I gasped and huddled against a tree, waiting. Sounds echoed all around me, branches broke underfoot as something came thundering in my direction. 58

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Frantically, I looked all around me. Whatever it was had frozen, like me. I heard a shuffling sound and there, in the distance, not more than ten feet away, stood what looked like a very tall… wolf. Its eyes were glowing, its chest heaving as it looked around, sniffing the air. It went down on all fours and came closer. I held out my gun but something kept me back. The fear gripped me as the large animal sniffed at my leg, then I felt it rub against me much like a cat would do. I was unable to move, shaking like a leaf as those eyes looked up at me. Then it backed away slowly. The face was terrifying in its own way, a face like I’d never seen on any wolf before, part animal and part… human, with huge razor teeth that could rip me in two in a heartbeat. Suddenly, the animal turned and howled, standing on its two back legs, its shadow completely dwarfing me. A low growl began deep in its chest and I wanted to run, but it backed up a few feet, so close its fur brushed the back of my hand. Another howl sounded in the night and the wolf creature in front of me stood its ground. I tilted my head to the side to see around it, and swallowed hard. There was another one, also on its hind legs, edging ever closer. A series of growls and snarls were exchanged and then the creature in front of me lunged for its opponent. I took my opportunity to move quickly around the tree, my breathing coming fast and hard. I watched with disbelief as these two creatures tore at one another with their teeth and claws. Cries of pain and anguish mingled with masterful growls of threat as the fighting ensued. When I heard other noise rustling behind me, I turned quickly, only to find Wayne and two of the men I’d seen the other night. 59

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“What are you doing out here, Ryan?” Wayne asked me. “Shit,” I muttered, “do something.” “Conway is holding his own,” he said. “Conway?” Suddenly, another howl and a few high-pitched yelps pierced the night. I looked to see one of the creatures lying on its side, the other standing guard over it. “There,” Wayne said, walking into the clearing, “it’s done.” Before my eyes, the creature on the ground began to slowly conform to the shape of a human male. “My God,” I gasped. The wolf creature at its side went running off in the other direction. Wayne and the other two men walked over to examine the body. “Wait,” I said, “I have to… I mean… that’s my suspect. Is he dead?” I went over to inspect the body. Wayne just looked at me. “We’ll take him. There’s a special burial rite for weres.” “He’s dead. There’s no evidence of what he was now, is there?” Suddenly, a voice said, “Let him have the body, Wayne. It can’t be linked to us. It will help him wrap up his case.” I turned to see Conway coming toward us. He was shirtless but was wearing a pair of jeans and running shoes. He was bleeding. I went up to him. “Are you all right?” “I’ll heal,” he said. “Thanks for your concern.” “He was a were,” Wayne said to Conway. “It’s our way.” “He forfeited that right when he went renegade,” Conway pointed out. “I vote we let the cop have him.” Wayne slowly nodded. “All right. It will save us the trouble. 60

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He’s all yours, Hubbard. Come on, boys.” “Wait,” I said. “Where is Sandra Monkton?” “She’s part of the Pack now,” Conway said, placing a hand on my shoulder. Wayne and the others were already out of sight. “And the blood slave that was provided?” “Vamp already has her. She’s fine.” “Is he holding her against her will?” “Are you kidding, this girl loves it. Kinky.” Conway looked down at the body. “You took a big risk coming out here tonight.” “I had to see for myself.” I noticed the deep scratches on his back. I came up behind him and touched my fingers to his shoulder. “You protected me tonight.” He turned and smiled. “Of course I did. I always will. You’re my mate.” I smiled. “Hey, finally you didn’t scowl at me.” “You need medical attention.” “I need some loving.” He kissed my mouth tenderly. “That’s all I need. Now”—he stood back—“what do you want to do about this guy?” “I’ll make a phone call. I’ll tell them that I got the suspect.” “You’ll have to make up a good one.” I nodded. “I will. Thanks.” “No problem.” “So, you never did tell me how you became a werewolf,” I said. He looked at me, smiled. “Some beautiful man picked me up in a bar and made me his slave. After he got done fucking me, he gave me a gift.” 61

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I felt a wave of jealously. “Wayne?” He shook his head. “No. He’s gone, babe. No worries.” “I’m not worried, I’m… ” I trailed off. He pulled me close. “There is no one for me but you.” He kissed me in those woods and I opened my mouth to his and gave him the kiss he wanted. When he released me, he said. “Oh yeah, that’s it, lover.” I laughed. “Glad you approve.” “Hope there’s more of that later.” I winked. “I guess I better not be around when all the guys with the bells and whistles show up.” “No. I guess you better not.” “Don’t wait in the woods, darling,” he said. “You never know what kind of creatures you might meet in these woods.” I laughed. “Right.” “See you later.” He blew me a kiss and faded out of sight.

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EPILOGUE Needless to say, I got a promotion for bringing the killer to justice, although there were still a lot of unanswered questions. I owed it all to Conway… not that he let me ever forget it. But personally, I didn’t mind having to make it up to him because Conway always had real imaginative suggestions as to how I might do that. I didn’t go to work for Conway’s organization because the Pack decided it would be nice to have someone with connections in the human world. I knew Conway and I would work together again when the time came, but for now I was just as content working with Conway in other, more intimate ways. Tonight when I came back from work, Conway was lying 63

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naked on my bed. He’d been stroking his cock and it was hard and ready. He seemed to always be that way, but hell… I wasn’t one to complain. When I walked into the room, he put up a hand, placed a finger to his lips and motioned for me to come closer. “Take off your clothes, officer.” I smiled and shrugged off my jacket. I took my gun out of its holster and laid it on the bureau as I undid my shirt. “Um, very, very nice. I’ve never regretted my choice.” I laughed, remembering his reference to the used car. “Now, undo the pants and show me the gun I really get hard for.” I unzipped my jeans, getting a little impatient. “Slow, slow, oh, honey, you’re breaking my heart.” I kicked off my shoes, bent down to take off my socks and finally kicked the jeans away from me. “On your knees on the bed, stud.” He scrambled up behind me and placed those warm hands all over me. I licked my lips and let my head go back on his broad chest. He fondled my cock, cupped my balls, slapped my ass and tweaked my nipples with wild abandon. and I was his. “I plan on fucking you hard tonight, my beautiful cop.” He bit my earlobe and pushed me on all fours. Fingers already smeared with lube reached up inside of me and began to open me. He teased me, tormented me and then possessed me with his cock. I had made a vow when I couldn’t bring myself to believe what Conway was, a vow that now I held sacred. For all of my life, Conway and I would love and protect one another. Conway was my mate, my partner in solving crime, my 64

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love, and yes… my wolf. I believed now in things I couldn’t believe in before. I’d visited the demon bars and hobnobbed with vampires. I’d waited in the cold dawn to bring my lover his clothes after he’d tramped down a bull and feasted on him in the deep forest. I was one of the privileged few who’d seen their world and had been allowed to survive. As Conway moved inside of my ass now, he howled out his pleasure and I moaned with mine. “Oh yes,” I yelled, “I believe, baby, I believe.”

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D. J. M ANLY

D. J. Manly says, “I write not only for my own pleasure, but for the pleasure of my readers. I can’t remember a time in my life when I haven’t written and told stories. When I’m not writing, I’m dreaming about writing, doing something wild and adventurous, or trying to make the world a better and more open-minded place to live in. I adore beautiful men, and I know I’m not alone in this! Eroticism between consenting adults, in all its many forms, is the icing on the cake of life!” To find out more about D. J., visit the author’s website at http://www.djmanlyfiction.com. *

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Don’t miss Weeping Roses by D. J. Manly, available at AmberAllure.com!

Timing can mean everything, especially when true love is at stake… Madison and his brother Jeff are real estate flippers—they move into houses, renovate them, then sell them for a profit. When Jeff spots Maison St-Pierre on a website that lists abandoned houses, the brothers end up purchasing the enormous estate for a song.

The lavish “fixer-upper” is situated in Quebec, on the American border, has a gothic appearance, even an accompanying graveyard, and is shrouded in folklore and mystery. Not long after the brothers arrive, the sound of someone crying awakens Madison in the middle of the night. This becomes a nightly occurrence, soon leaving Madison jittery and suffering from sleep deprivation. Jeff, however, seems immune to the noises and scoffs at Madison when he mentions the possibility of Maison St-Pierre being haunted. Then one night, Madison sees the ghost of a man, an apparition that begs him to unlock the door of the root cellar and release something—or someone—from its resting place. Believing he can aid the lamenting spirit and solve the mystery of Maison St-Pierre once and for all, Madison agrees to the request, and his world changes forever. Weeping Roses is a saga that sweeps the reader to a time more than one hundred years ago when the old house was first built, and to a torrid love affair that is still thriving and filled with regret… yet somehow holds out new promise…

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