Scarlet (4 page)

Anthony perked up. "Yeah, that, too."

Red's eyes narrowed. "Next." She typed in the standard rejection by his name.

"Bitch," Anthony spat.

A growl rumbled out of Red's chest before she could stop it. She wasn't sure who was more surprised, her or Anthony. His blue eyes widened with fear and his head lowered. The room grew deathly quiet.

Red straightened her shoulders. She could feel everyone's eyes on her, waiting to see if she'd snap and shift. She pushed the wolf back into the darkness of her mind, then glared at Anthony. "I said next. I suggest you leave while you still can," she said with more force than she'd intended.

Anthony left quickly out the front door, glancing back every now and then to make sure she wasn't following. The urge to give chase caused her to twitch, but she kept the impulse in check.

A shadow passed over her, blocking out the overhead light. Red looked up and up until she met a pair of piercing amber eyes. She cleared her throat.

"Are you here to be interviewed for the team?"

He nodded.

"Then please take a seat."

He draped himself over the chair, flipping his long black hair gracefully away from his face. Red couldn't tell how long it was, but it fell well past his broad shoulders.

"Name?" she asked, trying not to react to his unflinching regard. This was the type of man the new team needed— strong, forceful, self-assured, and dominant. He hadn't even opened his mouth yet and he'd shown more presence and intelligence than all the other applicants combined.

"Takeo Alan Yakamura." He threw open the coat he wore and dust floated through the air.

"Long trip?" she asked.

"Very," he said without expanding his answer.

Red watched the material settle around him, mesmerized by his movements. "Current occupation?" She placed her fingers on the keys, prepared to type.

"Botanist."

Her head jerked up and she stared at him. "Did you say botanist?"

His lips twitched and something in his eyes glittered. "Not what you expected?"

"Uh, actually no," she said. "May I ask why you're interested in joining the NTT?"

"Do I not look capable?" He stood and did a slow turn so Red could get a good look at him.

She swallowed hard as her eyes took in his lean muscular form. He looked more than capable. She inhaled, whether from habit or curiosity she didn't know. His scent was a mix of musk and a spicy floral aroma. Yet in no way could it be described as feminine. Definitely different from the other applicants. Different from anyone she'd ever encountered. The wolf inside her perked with interest and Red quickly leashed it.

"What are you, Mr. Yakamura?" Red sat back and crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't sense wolf in you." She still hadn't perfected detecting the Other in individuals. Some people projected their power, while others kept it hidden.

"No, you wouldn't, but I can sense it in you. Rich, lush, and dare I say, inviting." A smile split his sensual lips, causing his eyes to slant even further. Red's breath caught in her throat. She prayed he hadn't noticed her reaction, but from the subtle change in his expression, she bet he had.

She cleared her throat. "We weren't discussing me. We were talking about you, and you still haven't answered my question."

"I am something very rare." He leaned over the desk until only inches separated them. "Do you really want to know?"

His sweet breath fanned over her face, the heat of it doing strange things to her insides, while at the same time, making her light-headed. Something wasn't right. Red's hand instinctively moved to her pistol. She drew the weapon and brought it up under his chin so fast he didn't have time to move, much less think.

"Yes," she said. "I really want to know."

His golden eyes narrowed dangerously and his pupils went from a circle to a slit. "You shouldn't have done that. It feels threatened."

"That's funny, so do I." Before Red could ask what he was talking about, a snake with diamond patterns on its head and back sprang out from under his coat and came straight for her face, fangs extended and hissing.

"What the hell!" Red shouted as her left hand caught it around the neck midstrike. It was warm and slick to the touch utterly foreign. She held on tight, making sure her laser pistol didn't budge an inch.

"I warned you," he said.

The snake twisted and coiled in an attempt to break free. Red refused to release the scaly creature as it continued to his and snap. Takeo, she noted, hadn't moved. Smart man. "I'm going to ask you one more time," she said in an overly calm voice. "What are you?"

A look of admiration crossed his features before he carefully schooled his expression. "I'm a chimera. If you let me go," he glanced at the hand holding the snake, "I'll put away my toys ."

"One wrong move and I'll blow its head off, then yours." Red released the snake and watched it recede back under the coat . It was already morphing, the color fading from its diamond-patterned skin. By the time it disappeared beneath the fabric, it was flesh colored. "Neat trick," she said, holstering her weapon and sitting once more. "I don't want to know what I was just holding."

His lips quirked. "You're fast," he said. "Faster than I expected. I'd heard rumors, but they were hard to believe."

"You sound surprised, which makes you dumb. Dumber than I expected."

He grinned. "More like pleasantly pleased."

Red stared at him, but didn't respond. What could she say? She'd always had fast reflexes, but they'd never been that fast before. It was the wolf again, exerting its presence in her waking state. Why now? Why not when she was trying to change? She looked at Takeo.

"Why do you want to be part of the NTT?" she asked, as if they'd never had their little altercation.

Takeo smiled. "I wasn't sure I did until now." "Well you certainly seem capable of defending yourself," she said, nodding at his coat.

"As do you," he added, sizing her up. There was something different in his gaze this time, respect.

"Report here at dawn tomorrow morning," she said. "And keep the snake under wraps."

He nodded. "Is there anyplace in town worth staying?"

"The water trader still has plenty of rooms. They're clean, spacious, and come with private cleansing units."

"Thanks, Commander."

Red's eyes widened. "I'm not your commander."

He shrugged. "Sure act like one to me," Takeo said, then strode out of the office.

After the chimera left, she found two more promising recruits. Randall Jones and Keith Olson would make a nice addition to the team. Red was about to take a break when a flash of color caught her eye. She watched as a man came forward covered from head to toe in white protective clothing. At least she thought it was a man, given the size. She couldn't see his eyes yet, but her body tensed as he neared. One more attack and she was done for the day.

He stepped forward and pressed a button on the side of his mask. The plate cleared enough for her to see his face. Dreadlocks fell in long snaking spirals near his jaw. He smiled, causing his velvety black skin to dimple, and she caught a glimpse of fangs. That explained the protective gear.

Most vampires couldn't handle the sun's rays. It hardened their skin, causing them to expand until they exploded into a thousand tiny pieces of shrapnel. You could kill them, but they'd kill you back. A few, like Raphael Vega and Mike Travers, had developed immunity over the years or maybe they'd always been able to tolerate sunlight. This man was obviously not one of the fortunate souls.

"Hi," he said, grinning from ear to ear, his brown eyes sparkling like onyx.

Red tried to remain stern, but found herself smiling back at him. "Please take a seat."

He sat down, his movements graceful despite the suit. The smile hadn't left his face.

"Name?" she asked.

"Demery Wilson." A lilt flavored his smoky voice.

"Origin?"

"Caribbean, mon. In the Republic of Floridian Islands."

Red looked at him. "You're a long way from home."

"My home is wherever I lay my head," he said cheerfully. "I am a traveler of the world."

"Any family?" she asked, straying from her list of questions. She was genuinely curious what had brought the vamp here.

His expression clouded, dimming his chocolate-colored eyes. It could've been a trick of the light, but Red didn't think so.

Demery shifted in his seat and his smile dropped a fraction. "I had—have a sister, but I haven't seen her in a while."

Red moved on quickly. She should've known better than to ask such a personal question. "Current occupation?"

"Bounty hunter." Demery perked up.

"Really?" Red laughed, not expecting that answer. He seemed too jovial to be a bounty hunter. The ones she'd run across on the job had been stoic and antisocial. "Any good?"

"I've been told I'm the best." He winked at her.

"Are we still discussing bounty hunting?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.

He chuckled. "But of course, mon." The sparkle in his gaze told her that he wasn't about to admit otherwise. "No one can hide from me for long. I'm the best when it comes to remote viewing."

Remote viewing was a talent they could definitely use on the team. Developed back in the twentieth century for military use, remote viewing allowed a person to
mentally
find things. The person doing the viewing could be looking for weapons, secret military locations, or missing individuals. Practically anything. The program had been dropped publicly, but experiments and training continued to take place behind the scenes and through private organizations. "If you have such a lucrative talent, then why do you want to join the NTT? There are other positions out there that would pay far more than we can offer."

"Just want to do my part for the cause, mon. And who knows, the team may end up helping me in the long run." The cadence in his accent made his words sound almost melodic. Red found herself tapping her toes to the rhythm.

"Aren't you worried you'll be at a disadvantage?" She nodded to his protective suit. It was a valid question. A member that could be easily dispersed wasn't going to be of help to the rest of the team.

"No, mon. I've had it modified. I can see as well during the day through the mask as I can at night and the material allows me to move quickly. I'm lethal in and out of the suit."

Red eyed him and his smile seemed to widen, if that was even possible. "We'll see," she said. "Be here tomorrow at dawn."

She climbed out from behind her desk, rubbing her back. Red hadn't expected the day to be such a waste. At least she'd found a few good candidates. There would be more interviews tomorrow.
Oh goody.
She strode across the station to Morgan's office and knocked.

"Come in."

The door slid open and Red stepped inside and closed it behind her. Morgan sat at his desk, his hair poking out at all angles like he'd been running his fingers through it.

"That good a day, huh?" she asked.

He looked up at her. "You don't look like you fared any better," he said, beckoning her closer.

Red walked over and sat on the corner of his desk. Morgan reached up and pulled her onto his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he kissed her tenderly.