Page 1 of Feral Attraction
Chapter One
Scath, Present Day
“What the fuck do you mean?”asked Conall, popping his boots off the desk.
Dax, head of the Division of Aeternal Management or Nullification, sat behind his desk chewing on a big-ass cigar.The acronym, DAMN, chosen by him, was proof that vampires had a warped sense of humor.
No answer to Con’s question.Just the vamp stare-down that was supposed to intimidate him.Well, wolf shifters didn’t get the heebie-jeebies when they faced a bloodsucker, even a snarly beefed-up one like Dax.
Unfortunately, Nace, Con’s Firebrand commander from the North Shelter stronghold, had lent him to the vampire for a mission.The jaguar shifter’s last words had been, “Play nice.”Wolves did get the heebie-jeebies when facing a big cat who pushed four hundred and fifty pounds.Add to that his ginormous claws, long, sharp teeth, and Con’s three-hundred-pound beast was no match in a straight-up fight.So, he listened when Nace talked.
Conall took a deep breath.“There’s gotta be someone else you can send to Earth.”
Dax chewed some more on his cigar.Then, he took it out of his mouth to hold it between his thumb and forefinger.“Probably is, but I heard you have a knack for solving problems.”
“Humans don’t like me.”Conall growled, exhibiting his canines.“Guess I’m too snarly.”
Dax smiled, showing off his pearly white, sharp fangs, as if to say,See mine?“They feel the same way about me.Well, except for my mate Chiara.First she liked me, but then she didn’t.I had to win her back with my charm and wit.”
Con was skeptical, never having seen those sides of Dax.
“Look at it this way.The sooner you get to Earth, the sooner you solve the problem and the faster you return.All cozy in your wolf den on Scath.”
“I don’t live in a den.I have a huge log cabin in North Shelter—wood floors, comfy furniture, and plenty of hunting grounds in the forest.”
“Sounds great.Unfortunately, some Earther had the audacity to get dead.Worse, an overly excited Aeternal may have done the deed.Evidence points to a vampire or predatory shifter.Could be a human with a dull blade.Could be a berserker with big-ass teeth.Ask me if I give a shit.I don’t, but I do hate bad press because the blowback interferes with my time for Chiara and the kid.”
“What do you expect me to do?Play police dick?”
“See.I knew you were right for the job.If it’s one of ours, you’re gonna have to find the asshole, bring them to justice, and smooth some feathers.”
“Have you ever met a diplomatic wolf?”
“No, but don’t fuck this up.My rep’s on the line ...oh, wait.I don’t care about my rep.But I do care about my mate, and she asked for DAMN’s help.”
“Why?”Con didn’t like how this was playing out.
“Some friend she knows contacted her.”
Conall was right.This assignment had all signs of becoming a shitstorm.“You do know I’m not warm and fuzzy.My usual missions call for how-dead-do-you-want-them.”
“I’ve heard, but I asked for Nace’s smartest Firebrand warrior, the one most likely to solve a complex problem.He mentioned you were the deadliest, too.In my book, that’s a plus.”He stuck the cigar back in his mouth and talked around it.“Just don’t eat any humans while you’re there.Makes us look bad.Fuck.If you gotta, hide the bodies.”
Dax had once been a Firebrand and still bore the mark of the Phoenix, but that was before he was promoted.Given his past rep, Con figured he knew a lot about disappearing the bodies.“I don’t like their taste.More likely I’d rip out their throats if they piss me off.”
“Again.Hide the bodies.”
Conall gave in to his fate.He jacked his boots back on the desk, put his hands behind his neck, and leaned into the chair.“Give me one of those damn cigars and a light.”
Dax riffled through a drawer and came up with smoke.He offered it to Con.
After a light and a few deep drags, Con relaxed, allowing acceptance to creep into his bones.He removed the cigar from his mouth.“Where am I going?”
“New York City.”
“Fuck.Crowds of humans.”Could it get any worse?The smell of flesh.The timid eyes of prey.He jammed the cigar between his teeth.Puff.Puff.“I’ll get a little aggressive around that many Earthers.I know.Hide the bodies.Isn’t that kinda ironic since I’ll be going there because of a body?”
“Yeah.It’s not lost on me, but Nace said you’re the best.I’d start with the dead guy at the morgue.Then, here’s your contact.”Dax handed him a slip of paper.
