Devin's Mercy [Shifters of Mystery 4] (13 page)

pulled the other man closer, resting his chin on Devin’s head as

Mercy prayed tonight’s events hadn’t screwed Devin up to the point

he would never be okay.

* * * *

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Lynn Hagen

“If Devin wasn’t the one who leaked out the information that we

were going to be gone, who did?” Sage asked as he sat at the dining

room table.

“There is only one among us who didn’t grow up with us or

become a mate,” York reminded them as he pointed toward the floor.

“Kell?” Sage asked in a whisper.

“Well, it was either him or one of the mates. Do you want me to

start with William? I know I can get the information out of him.”

Sage growled. “One of these days, York.”

“Then stop acting stupid,” York retorted. “Of course I was

referring to the nutty-ass doctor.”

“I have seen the way Devin glares at the man when no one knows

I’m watching,” Pat interjected. “Like Kell is an abomination. I even

heard Kell say something to Devin about gaining his freedom. If you

ask me, it wasn’t too friendly either.”

Sage sat back, taking in what he was hearing. “Do you think

Devin sees Kell’s true colors?”

“There is only one way to find out,” Monterey added. “We let it

slip that we are going after Martin and see if Kell squeals to the

alpha.”

“It sure as shit wasn’t blind luck that they attacked the same time

we were gone,” Isaac spat. “It had to be Kell.”

“I don’t want Devin to hear one word about us supposedly

leaving. That way, we know for certain that it’s Kell,” Sage said, even

though he hated to say those words. He was a blind fool for thinking

Devin had anything to do with Martin. He had seen the fear in the

man’s blue-grey eyes and chose to ignore it.

He had a lot of making up to do with Devin.

“You still think he is the traitor?” Sylvester asked heatedly.

“No,” Sage admitted. “But if he doesn’t know, then our proof of

Kell being the guilty party is irrefutable.”

“I still don’t like hiding things from Devin,” Sylvester grumbled.

“Got a new buddy?” Pat asked.

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89

“I understand him,” Sylvester argued. “He’s a nice guy who is

totally misunderstood.”

Sage had a feeling there was something going on with Devin, but

he hadn’t pried. There was a tortured pain in the guy’s eyes. He blew

out a long breath, resting his elbows on the table as he rubbed his

face. “I’ve been such a shit.”

William placed his hand on Sage’s shoulder. Sage took comfort in

his mate’s touch. “No, you were protecting us. None of us were sure

if Devin was a spy or if he was really just a pawn.”

“Thanks,” Sage said as he leaned to the side, kissing William on

the cheek.

“It’s my job to make sure you don’t beat yourself up.” William

patted him gently. “Now, how are you going to—get rid of the bloody

mess in the backyard?”

Sage glanced up at William’s abrupt change in conversation to see

Kell coming into the dining room.

“Burn the bodies,” Kell offered. “Then you have no trace

whatsoever.”

Sage wanted to rip the man’s face off, but instead, forced a polite

smile to appear on his face. “Thanks, Doc.”

Kell nodded. “I’ve been trying to figure out what killed that poor

man in the cage.”

Sage just bet the man was. He knew for certain now that the good

old doc had killed the man to silence him. He just didn’t have proof

right now to accuse him of the crime.

“Someone’s here,” Jeremiah said as he stood. Sage did the same.

They walked from the dining room into the living room, looking out

of the window.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” Jeremiah said. “What do you think he

wants?”

Just great.
This was something Sage really didn’t need right now.

Letting go of the curtain, he walked to the front door, opening it and

stepping out onto the front porch.

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Lynn Hagen

“Sheriff.”

Sheriff Samuel Reese nodded at Sage as he climbed out of his

patrol car. He was the sheriff for Mayfield County, but wandered

toward Mystery once in a while. Sage had thought for a moment there

that Sam and Pat had something going, but then Sam had seen

Sylvester shift into his lycan form and Sam hadn’t taken that so well.

Now Pat was being a pain in the ass, more than likely hurt by

Sam’s reaction and obvious rejection.

“What can I do for you?” Sage asked as he walked down the

steps, meeting the sheriff at his car. If he was here to start some shit,

Sage didn’t want Pat involved. The man was already feeling rejected

enough as it was.

“I…uh…” Sam glanced toward the house.

“Come to eat a fucking barrel of crow?” Sage asked, crossing his

arms over his chest.

Sam had been a cocky man when they first met, as if trying to

prove he could hold his own. Sage wasn’t sure why the man had been

that way. Maybe it had been his age. Sam was pretty young to be a

sheriff. But now, Sage could give a shit less why the man had acted

that way. Just as long as he didn’t hurt Pat again, they were all good.

Sam kicked the toe of his boot into the dirt, glancing down at the

ground as he shrugged his shoulders. “Yeah.” And then he looked up.

“Does Pat hate me?”

Sage unfolded his arms. “That’s not for me to answer. Maybe you

should ask Pat.”

Sam nodded. “Can you ask him to come outside?”

An evil chuckle vibrated in Sage’s chest. “Hell no. You’re going

to apologize to Pat inside.”

“You aren’t going to make this easy, are you?” Sam pulled his

Stetson off, wiping his brows.

“Not in the least.”

Sage turned, heading back toward the house when he saw Pat

standing at the living room window, pain and anger marring his face.

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91

“I hope you are wearing a jockstrap,” Sage said as he walked inside,

“because I think Pat is about to rip your balls off.”

“Shit,” Sam cursed under his breath.

Sage left the sheriff standing in the doorway. As much as he

would like to see the man get his ass handed to him, this really wasn’t

any of his business. Besides, he had a trap to set.

* * * *

Pat stood guarded in the living room, looking out of the window

instead of at the man he had been falling in love with, and still had

feelings for—even if he wanted to rip the man’s nuts off and feed

them to him.

“Why are you here?” Pat asked. “Do you want to twist the knife in

my heart a few more times?”

“That’s not fair, Pat,” Sam said as he walked into the living room

with a confidence that only pissed Pat off. Sam should be sniffling at

his feet, begging Pat to forgive him, not walking in here like he

owned the place. “You have to admit, what you guys told me, and

what I saw, was some pretty heavy shit. For fuck’s sake, Pat. I

watched a guy turn into a—” Sam shook his head. “I didn’t come here

to fight with you.”

Pat stormed over to Sam, getting into his face. “What did you

expect? That I would jump with joy because you finally came around?

Well, fuck you, Sam. You could have called. You could have let me

know you were still alive. We could have worked through this, even if

we ended up as friends. You didn’t have to leave me hanging.”

“Pat—”

“No,” Pat nearly shouted as he held a hand up. “I don’t want to

hear it. Now it’s my turn to brood.”

“Brood?” Sam choked out. “You think I was brooding this whole

time?”

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Lynn Hagen

“Well, you sure as shit weren’t over here eating my cooking, now

were you?”

Sam grinned and Pat wanted to scratch the bastard’s eyes out. “It

isn’t funny, asshole.”

Before Pat could stop him, Sam yanked Pat into his arms and laid

a bruising kiss on his lips. Pat’s mind fragmented, his arms

immediately going around Sam’s neck, taking the kiss even deeper.

“Learn when to stop fighting,” Sam said against Pat’s lips.

“This doesn’t mean I like you,” Pat replied.

Sam nipped Pat’s jaw, sending shocks of electricity through Pat’s

body.

“Yes, you do.” Sam took his mouth again, this time a little slower,

more gently. Pat was becoming putty in Sam’s arms. He knew Sam

had a lot to think about as far as coming to terms with the fact that

lycans existed, but the man shouldn’t have taken so long to get back

to Pat.

But as much as Pat wanted to give the man a piece of his mind,

Sam was stealing it with the sweetest kiss Pat had ever received. He

groaned when Sam’s hands slid down his back, cupping his ass.

Oh, yeah.

“You want to go upstairs?”

The brakes on Pat’s libido came to a screeching halt. “No. What

did you think would happen, Sam? That you would kiss me, I would

fall prey to your charms, and then you could fuck me?”

“Well, yeah.”

Pat balled his hands at his sides as he moved away from the

handsome sheriff. “Get out, Sam.”

“You confuse the shit out of me, Pat.”

“No, I’m the same person as before. You are the one who is not

acting yourself.” Pat walked to the door and opened it, pointing

toward the outside. “Get out.”

Because if Sam didn’t, Pat just might sleep with the man. And that

was the problem. Never before had Pat felt this way about anyone in

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93

his life, and he wasn’t going to allow Sam to treat him like a cheap

piece of ass. “Come see me when you learn how to treat a guy.”

“Are you always this hotheaded or is it because you can change

into a dog?” Sam snarled at him.

Pat stopped the pain of Sam’s words from ripping his heart out,

but he didn’t stop himself from picking up a pair of boots by the door

and throwing them at Sam. “Get out!”

Pat slammed the front door closed and screamed at the top of his

lungs in frustration.
Damn that man!
No matter how much Pat cared

for the guy, he was going to rip the bastard’s balls off the next time

Sam came around.

* * * *

Sam cursed his stupidity. He had to go and let his temper get the

better of him. There was no way he had wanted to hurt Pat, but it

seemed his foot was not only lodged in his mouth, but so far down his

throat that his toes were dangling out of his ass.

How had it turned ugly after the best kiss of his life? He wanted to

march right back inside and apologize to Pat, maybe even eat that

barrel of crow Sage had been talking about.

Damn it!

Knowing there was nothing more he could do but let Pat cool off,

Sam climbed into his cruiser and pulled away from the house, turning

onto Highway 114.

As he drove back to Mayfield County, Sam spotted a car up

ahead, pulled over on the side of the road, the hood up.

He pulled the patrol car off to the side, getting out. Walking to the

front of the car, Sam tipped his hat. “Need help?”

The man turned toward him, a smile on his face, but his blue eyes

were filled with such hatred that Sam took a step back, his hand going

to his sidearm.

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Lynn Hagen

“Now, Sheriff, you wouldn’t want to shoot old Martin, would

you?”

Sam fought to get away when he was grabbed from behind. His

gun was pulled from his holster, and he was shoved into the backseat

of the car. Martin—if that was his real name—dropped the hood and

slid in behind the driver’s seat. Sam shouted, but he felt the prick of a

needle in his arm.

The last thing he remembered was watching as another stranger

climbed into his patrol car and drive off.

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95

Devin felt as if he were coming out of a fog. He lay there, trying

his best to put the pieces together. As they snapped into place, a

strange calmness came over him.

“Morning.”

Devin paused at the thick voice coming from beside him. He was

amazed to see Mercy in his bed. No, wait, he was in Mercy’s bed.

When he felt his skin heat up from embarrassment, Devin realized he

was not only in Mercy’s bed, but naked.

“Don’t worry, I just showered you and put you to bed.”

Devin was afraid to move. He was burrowed under Mercy,

soaking in his body heat, but now that he was awake…

“How do you feel?” Mercy asked as he stroked a strong hand over

Devin’s hair. The innocent touch was doing something to Devin’s

body, making it hard and hurting for relief. He wanted to move away,

and didn’t want to ever move again.

The emotions were conflicting as hell.

“I killed a man,” he said in a whisper.