Page 14 of Tangled in Red

Matias stood under the wide branches of an old tree, the farmhouse just past the worn fence. The slats leaned with gaps where time had loosened the nails, one post missing by the open gate. The white paint on the fence was cracked and peeling, a shadow of its former self.

He didn’t move forward. The house loomed with its dark windows and shadowed porch. An unsettling silence hung over the land. The still air, heavy with summer heat, clung to his skin, making his neck damp.

Why were these places always near a border?

The warehouse had been close to cheetah territory.

Now this one was near the bears’.

Matias tilted his head, sniffing the air. Damp earth and tree bark filled his nostrils, along with a faint hint of old smoke, but no sign of hyenas.

“You sure this is the right place?” Santiago asked, scanning the area.

“I can’t smell hyenas either,” Tomas said from beside his motorcycle. “Creepy fucking place though. Perfect for a Halloween bash.”

Matias considered the idea. Tomas had a point, but it depended on what they found inside the house. Dot had claimed she’d seen lights on in the house while driving past, and Matias trusted her. He’d known the waitress at Lizard’s Diner for years, and she was reliable.

Headlights swung onto the packed earth, a black pickup approaching. Matias bristled. No alpha wanted another in their territory, especially a different species.

The truck eased to a slow stop, headlights flicking off just as an owl hooted.

Behind Matias, Santiago and Tomas growled low, edging closer to him.

The truck door opened, heavy boots hit the ground. Boone McCade approached with a relaxed stride, like he had all the time in the world. He was a big son of a bitch, not like Santiago or Diablo, but still an undeniable presence.

“Appreciate the call.” He nodded at Matias, midnight-blue eyes scanning the land. Matias’s wolf growled at the bear shifter’s scent.

“You’ve let Diablo cross your territory annually,” Matias said, eyeing the dark windows. “Just returning the favor.”

“Boys.” Boone acknowledged Santiago and Tomas, dismissing their growls. “Man’s got parents to visit.” Boone shrugged. “You don’t get in the way of family.” He gestured at the house. “Ready to rip some hyenas apart?”

Matias caught the threat but let it slide. He didn’t have a beef with the bears. Honestly, he liked Boone. His wolf didn’t. Stepping over the low fence, he headed toward the front door, eyes on their surroundings. As he stepped onto the porch, he drew his gun from his waistband, listening carefully. Santiago had moved to the side door with Boone, while Tomas stood behind him. Matias slowly eased the door open. At least this one didn’t give him away like the one at the warehouse.

The interior smelled musty, like it had been shut for too long. The stagnant air felt oppressive in the heat. Sweat trickled down his back as he and Tomas checked the living room, opening closet doors. The house was empty, devoid of furniture. Dust covered every surface, except the floor, which had been recently swept.

When Santiago and Boone entered, Matias used his fingers to gesture from his eyes to the floor then motioned for them to check the basement. He and Tomas moved quietly up the stairs, trying to avoid creaking floorboards as they climbed to the second floor. Tomas had been right. This place was unsettling, and Matias wasn’t easily spooked. But the eerie stillness was unnerving. His wolf was on edge, growling low as Matias and Tomas cleared the first room.

Before returning to the hallway, Matias paused with two fingers raised, convinced he heard the creak of a floorboard. He stepped back, and Tomas mirrored him, pulling out his own gun. Matias aimed his weapon at the door. “Show yourself.”

“I-I don’t feel so good,” came a faint whisper. “Please don’t hurt me.”

Matias frowned but kept his gun raised. “Show. Yourself. Now.”

A red sneaker appeared in the doorway, and Matias was tempted to shoot. But he didn’t. The damn thing was too small to belong to a ruthless hyena. Technically, it could, but there was no scent of them in the house.

Next a hand appeared, moving as if wiping invisible glass. Not a kid. The hand was small but definitely adult.

“I’m not in the habit of repeating myself,” Matias snarled.

Tomas raised his palm, silently asking permission to investigate.

Matias’s jaw tightened, his agitation growing in the unnerving house. Exhaling heavily through his nose, he eased his finger back from where it rested close to the trigger. “If it’s a trick, he’s eating every fucking bullet in my gun,” he warned.

Tomas tucked his gun away and moved cautiously toward the door, grabbing the arm and jerking the stranger into the room. Definitely human, but that didn’t calm Matias’s twitchy trigger finger. He needed to get out of this goddamn place. It was making him want to shoot anything that moved.

His brow lifted when the stranger cried out then attacked Tomas, fists and feet flailing. The short shit looked like a mosquito trying to fight an ox.

“Knock it off!” Tomas restrained him from behind, pinning the blond’s arms. The human squirmed like a baby seal, kicking Tomas in the shin. “Son of a bitch! That hurt!”

---