Force of Nature Series Boxed Set (Books 1 - 4) (53 page)

He was still reading over the file when his parents left. And when his turn came to see Holly again he took it with him. She was awake now and sitting up in bed. He showed her what his parents had brought him and waited while she read it over before he asked what he’d wanted to earlier.

“The driver of the car, do you think he was set to bring you in and it got out of hand, or was he there to kill you?” He told her what the guy from earlier had said. “The guy that I touched had a very low opinion of his boss. He has only worked for him for several months but feels that he works for a goon, his words not mine.”

“I don’t know who he is. I’ve heard of some underground group that works for the same area of the government that I do, but no one has ever seen them.” She lay back on the bed and said nothing for several minutes. When she spoke again, he knew she’d been putting pieces of the puzzle together. “So this guy, Blair, was there to offer up condolences because he didn’t know I’d survived. Why? Because he had contact with Adams, I’m betting. Then there was the other guy with Connor.” She grinned and Phil was suddenly sure she knew who he was. “Big guy with hair down his shoulders, black as night, with one blue and one silver eye?”

“Yes. Who is he? He looked like he was taking Blair out to tear him to ribbons and your brother was going to eat a big bowl of popcorn while he did it.”

“Connor hates popcorn. And he does know him. He’s one of Connor’s snitches. His name is Randy Stout and he wouldn’t hurt a flea. About a year ago, this guy came forward to tell Connor he’d been bitten by a wolf. The wolf happened to be Alexis’s ex-brother-in-law Paddy. They’d been in a ring together. Randy didn’t turn, which is a good thing. The guy wouldn’t have survived after the first change. He’s terrified of wolves.”

Phil watched her to see if she was kidding, and when he realized she wasn’t, he raised a brow. “Then how is he friends with a pack? I mean, your brother Connor is a big fucking wolf.”

“Yes, he is, but he’s more afraid of CJ. She threatened him within an inch of his life if he didn’t go back to school and get an education. Apparently, she’d heard he’d dropped out of school when he’d been sixteen. When she realized he wasn’t all that smart, she told him he’d either get a good job or she’d find one for him. He’s been Connor’s muscle since.”

Phil laughed, the first real, true laugh he’d had in a long while. They were still laughing together when the nurse came in to say that her new doctor, Doctor Clint Burris, was releasing her to go home. Phil had a name now, but it still did him little good without anything to go with it. There was something about the man that made Phil think he wasn’t to be trusted, and the hatred he’d gotten from the other man still made him shudder. Burris was a walking time bomb when it came to vampires, he was sure of it.

He added his name to the list that was growing for the Trustees to look into.

Chapter 13

She was bored. Theresa watched the humans walk around in the rain and wondered if she walked out there and killed one of them by ripping out their throat if somebody would stop to watch. Smiling, she was nearly ready to find out when she felt a presence behind her. Without turning, she spoke to the woman.

“You should know by now that you can’t sneak up on me. I’m a lot smarter than you think I am. I wasn’t born yesterday, you know.” The woman growled, but Theresa ignored it for the most part. “What brings you to my part of the world?”

“They have your real name. I told you to not keep any part of you. Once they had that, all your information was there for them to find. That nosey bastard Phil has all he needs now to take you out. Then what happens to your merry little band of idiots?”

Theresa didn’t say anything to her. What would be the point? She was supposed to be helping her, not giving out information like it was her job. Glancing behind her, she looked out at the humans again before she decided that she wouldn’t have time to have fun, and turned to deal with the intruder.

“Weren’t you supposed to keep them from finding me? I thought that was the deal. It’s your duty to keep me safe, not help that old fool.” Theresa sat on the couch and glared at the woman. “As my mother, aren’t you supposed to have some sort of need to keep your baby safe? You didn’t do much when I was a kid, don’t you think you should be better at it now?”

Theresa hated that this woman was her mom. She’d disappeared right after Theresa had been born and everyone, including her, had thought she was dead. Theresa now wished she was, too. Her mom was also her sister, thanks to Suzanna Reeves, the woman that she’d accidentally killed that day long ago. She was the maker of them both.

“I had left your father after you were born. I didn’t want to be your mother then, what the fuck makes you think I want to be now? I’m not going to help you any longer. You are on your own—” Before she could move out of the room where they’d been talking Theresa had the woman pinned to the wall.

“You’ll do as I told you or else. You know as well as I do that I’m stronger and much better at this killing fun than you. You either keep them off my butt or so help me, I’ll make sure everyone finds out who and what you are.” She dropped the woman, stepped over her, then stopped and turned back to her. “That cushy job you have will only be there for you as long as I keep my mouth shut, Mom, so I’d be nicer to me if I was you.”

Theresa was still laughing as she walked into the rain. Humans were ignorant and she loved playing with them. They also served as a way to stop thinking about the problems that Anye had just laid at her doorstep. Throwing back her head and laughing, Theresa thought about what the old vamp would think if he knew that the very person he was working for was also trying to have him killed.

Theresa didn’t know why he didn’t kill her at the crime scene. He’d had the opportunity. Well, he would have if he hadn’t tried to save that stupid cop. She skipped along the sidewalk and thought about him and the woman. She’d found out just last night that the other woman was a wolf. Theresa giggled at that. Who would have thought there were werewolves, much less vampires?

Theresa knew she was stronger than either of the people from that night. First of all, she fed well when all they did was play at feedings. She thought about what the woman’s blood would taste like and felt herself grow moist from the thought. Reaching between her legs, she lifted her skirt and slid her fingers into her slit. Leaning against the building nearest to her, she began masturbating.

People stopped to stare at her, especially men. She didn’t care. In fact, she loved it. She watched as a man stopped and rubbed his hardening cock while he licked his lips.

“Show me your titties,” he told her softly. He didn’t come any closer, but he did reach into his pants. “Show me them. I want to see you play with them while you get yourself off.”

She wanted him closer to her, but knew if she told him to that he would only come without her. She’d only had sex once before she’d been made a vampire, and after that night had figured out that the men of this time would have sex with about anything. Doing as he asked, she lifted her shirt up and began squeezing her boobs. Before long, there was a crowd of people around them, all of them doing pretty much what she and the man were.

“Come for me, little girl. Come on, come. Comeoncomeoncomeon.” She hated when men or women told her what to do, but she needed the relief that only sex and killing gave her. Before he could ruin it completely for her, she came, then watched as those around her did as well. The man had his cock out and was squirting all over himself and the people next to him.

Theresa honestly didn’t understand sex. It was fun for a few minutes, but after that who cared? She’d been with one person who had wanted to hold her after and pet her. Theresa had killed him for that. Grinning, she changed her thought. Okay, she’d not killed him only for that, but also for being near her when she’d been hungry; but that wasn’t her fault either. Theresa had not asked to be a vampire. Even though she loved it, she hadn’t asked for it.

She was moving toward the sidewalk again when she caught a scent she’d smelled before…of the older vampire, if she wasn’t mistaken. Theresa looked across the street and saw the cop, the one from the hotel. Smiling, she was about to cross the street when she saw another person going toward him. Stopping by a tree about twenty yards away she listened to them talk.

“…to the other side of the market.” The new guy, who smelled really pretty, looked around before continuing. “You have to stay off the streets. She will know who you are now and that’s not going to go well for you. Come back to the pack house with me and we’ll do everything in our power to make sure you aren’t dinner for some ass with fangs.”

Theresa nearly stepped to him and killed him, but didn’t. Instead she saw some of her gang that had managed to work up enough money, or she supposed steal what they needed, to come with her. With a wave of her hand she motioned for them to stay where they were. All she needed for them to do now was move in for the kill before she got what she needed. They backed away and she nearly smiled. Theresa loved being a bad person. After a moment she turned back to the two men when she realized she’d missed something. Something important, she just knew it. But she couldn’t think what it was.

“Okay. I’ll do that. She won’t know what hit her when it goes down.” Then she watched as the two of them walked away and the pretty guy laughed before he continued. “Then when that happens, maybe I’ll think about changing you to wolf. I think you’ll make a phenomenal were.”

She started to follow them when it hit her what he’d said. Changing someone to a wolf; the man was a wolf. She wondered if he knew the female, and decided that in a town this size there was probably a good chance. She turned back to follow and lost them.

“Damn it.” She tilted her head and tried to scent the air when she was grabbed from behind. One of the men from the sidewalk held her.

“Come to me, little girl. I need some more of what you was giving away, and you’ll give it to me.” She cringed when he licked her throat. “Oh yeah, some of that pussy will feel real good right about now.”

She didn’t even think. Turning in his arms, she showed him her fangs. The terror on his face made her laugh as she struck him. Hot, spicy blood filled her mouth from his cheek as he screamed. When she reached behind him and felt her claws rip from her fingernails, she moved her mouth down his neck to his rapidly beating pulse. By the time she sank her fangs into his vein, she’d already ripped his heart out from his chest and held it in her hand as it continued to beat for several seconds.

Dropping his dead body at her feet, she put his heart to her mouth and bit it. The blood was still hot and she savored it. When it started to chill, she dropped it to lie on his inert body. Stepping over him, she laughed as someone noticed what had happened and started to yell, like she’d stop when a measly human told her to. Finally, she was getting a reaction from the humans. Laughing harder, Theresa walked along the street, thinking she’d need to find herself another quad of humans and kill them. She only hoped that she could manage it so the vampire and his friend the wolf was in it too.

~~~

Holly sat on the couch and watched the housekeeper fuss around the room. Glancing over at Phil’s dad again, she wondered, not for the first time, how he could simply sit there and have someone wait on him hand and foot.

“You get used to it,” Phil said as he sat beside her. “Dad and Mom are from a different time and this was the norm for them rather than the unusual. Besides, Sophie’s family has been caring for them and our family for generations. How you feeling?”

Holly ignored his question about her health every time he asked her, or anyone asked her for that matter. As she moved to the corner of the couch, he moved down closer to her. She was going to have to murder him if she didn’t get out soon. Holly needed the outdoors as much as she needed to breathe.

“Holly has been reading over the files with me. She is very good at intel. You should bring her up to speed on that woman. I think there is something off in this entire investigation.” His dad stood and handed the files to him. “Besides, I think I need to find your mother. Holly here looks like she could use a good run, don’t you, dear?”

Mr. Campbell left the room with a chuckle. Holly looked at Phil when he laughed. “You do know that I could have been out of this house three days ago, right? I’m going to murder you in your sleep if you don’t let me out of here. Even your mother is tired of me pacing.”

“That’s what I’m here for, to take you to the woods and to take you on a run. There are things that I want to do to you and I want to have a lot of room to do it in.” He stood up, and she did as well. “How long do you need to shift?”

She took off her robe and dropped it to the floor. She was her wolf before the robe settled. Phil growled and she moved toward the door and whined a little. She needed out more than she needed him right now.

“You have to stay close, do you understand? I have guards all over the perimeter and I don’t want one of them to get startled and shoot you. They know you’re here, but I didn’t…you’re a very big wolf, aren’t you?”

She had never thought of her size before now. She knew that in comparison to her brothers, she was actually tiny. Her wolf, dark as midnight, weighed about two hundred and twenty-five pounds, about fifty more than a natural wolf. Austin outweighed her by over a hundred pounds, and Dallas only a few pounds less than that. Even though they were the same being, her wolf and her, her wolf weighed almost twice her weight. Austin had told her once that it was because the wolf in her form had more muscle mass, which weighed more than fat.

Holly sat down and looked at Phil. He was large but not fat. He was tall too, towering over her five-foot-nine by a good seven inches. His dark hair, long and straight, hung down his back in a ponytail that she had always thought of as sexy. When he moved, it was like watching a wave coming from far offshore, moving in a steady yet smooth motion until it was on top of you.

His laughter caught her off guard. “You do know that I can hear you, right? Sexy, huh? Hum, I think you’re sexy too. Very much so.”

Are you going to shift or watch me run?
She’d never asked him if he could shift. She’d heard once that he could move in mist, but never had an occasion to find out about his abilities.

“I can shift, though I’ve never been a wolf. I usually stick to animals that are my size or bigger. I was a cat once.” She growled at him. “Not my choice of animals either, but it was that or a snake. I prefer to walk rather than slide along my belly.”

And you needed to be one of those why
? His blush told her that she’d be digging deeper for that story if he didn’t tell her. She laughed at him when he changed the subject.

I’m not going to run with you tonight. I want to keep an eye on you. I’ll be in the sky or perched in a tree. When you’ve had enough, howl. I’ll come back here and meet you.

She was disappointed, but not enough to not go on the run. She was excited and when he opened the door for her, she shot out into the night quickly. She was prancing in the moonlight when she felt him shifting. Looking to where he’d been she was amazed to see him shift into a beautiful bird, a large owl as a matter of fact.

Go. I don’t like knowing that you’re naked beneath that fur and there are any number of animals running around here that might see you. Including a few dozen humans.
She took off running for the forest line and heard him laugh again
. You would go to the darkest part of the back yard. It’s a good thing I can smell you.

Holly ran for over an hour. Careful as she was, she only encountered one human on the property and gave him a wide berth. Watching a deer, she heard the low cry of another wolf, but knew better than to chase after it. Holly didn’t want to piss off Phil, and she knew that if the male was close enough to her, Phil would more than likely kill him.

As she was starting back to the house she heard him hoot. Stopping, she dropped down and waited.

The human moved close by her. Holly didn’t recognize the scent, but she knew he was someone that Phil knew. Otherwise, he would be dead if he wasn’t invited. She watched the man walk past her and saw him headed toward one of the guards she’d just passed.