Page 56 of Reclaiming Quinn
Prickles ran up Deke’s back. “What do you mean?”
“When they caught me, the men were sniffing like they had allergies. Then when I got here, I noticed everyone had their noses all over us. It wasn’t overt, but I did notice. And no way those rangy things are so strong unless they’re using some kind of drugs or something, but I didn’t see any signs of use. And then, of course, we have that discussion about making me into a steak. Not something one typically hears. So I ask again, what are you?”
There were rules about interactions with humans. At least there had been when Deke was growing up. Humans were to be avoided, and never, ever allow one to know your secrets. Ryker had killed people. Klein too. So who was more to be avoided? The wolves who routinely took people off the streets and sold or ate them, or the cop who was, as far as Deke could tell, a decent person? Still, no way would he accept there were beings who could shift from human to wolf.
“Zach, I—”
“Let me guess. Werewolf.”
Deke gasped and widened his eyes. “What? That’s insane.” His heart was hammering. “Why would you say that?”
Zach pointed to the sling that hadn’t even gotten mussed when he tussled with Klein’s guy. “This was yours, but when you gave it to me you said you were fine. Now I don’t know how long you wore it, but it seems to me you must have healed pretty damn fast. Then there’s the fact you could hear the little girl and her mother, even though this place is pretty solid.”
“There’s no such thing as—”
Zach held up a hand. “Don’t. Really, just don’t. Am I way off base? Possibly. I mean, I know how it sounds, and if I’m wrong, well, I’m gonna be one embarrassed SOB.” He sat back, a smug look on his face. “But you’re not normal, and that’s a fact. So I ask again; what are you?”
Tell him you’re human. Say it.“There aren’t werewolves. We…. We call ourselves shifters.”
Surely the admission would freak Zach out. Deke peered up and found Zach smiling at him.
“See? Honesty is the basis for a good friendship.”
None of this made any sense. “How can you just accept this? You should be screaming or something.”
Zach reached out and put a hand atop Deke’s. “I’ve been a cop for ten years. I’ve seen things that have no explanation. We’ve gone to accident scenes where the tops were sheared off cars and the rest of the body was a mangled heap. There was no way someone survived it, but then we’d find people alive in it. I’ve watched as someone who was dead got brought back to life. I don’t believe in a God or Goddess, miracles, or anything like that. I believe in the things I can see, touch, and smell. My instincts haven’t ever let me down, and they told me that there was more to you than what was on the surface.”
“But werewolf?”
A one-shoulder shrug. “The sniffing thing started me thinking. When I was a kid, we had a dog named Buster. He was forever sticking his nose somewhere to get a good whiff, and these guys reminded me of him, only not as cute and cuddly. What clinched it was the steak comment. There’s been an uptick of missing person’s reports filed. When we located the body, it was torn open, with organs missing. In each case, the medical examiner concluded it was an animal attack, but I always believed there was more to it than that. Whatever took those people down did so hard and fast. Their throats were ripped out and their bodies torn open, but it didn’t look animalistic. It was like whoever—whatever—did it was after certain parts. I told myself I was crazy, but still found myself going to the library to research animals who hunted in packs. Top of the chain? Wolves.” He chuckled. “And I may have read a few shifter romances in my life.”
Gareth and Lyram would freak if they found out Zach knew about shifters. “You can’t tell anyone. It’s not safe as it is.”
Zach held up a hand. “You have my word I will never speak of this to anyone other than you.”
That led to another concern. What would Gareth or Lyram have to say about a human knowing their secret?
“My Alpha will want to speak with you. He’s… well, Gareth’s in charge of our people, and Lyram is my direct Alpha now.” He shook his head. “I can’t believe you’re handling this so well.”
“I had a drug dealer shoot me once.” He pointed to his shoulder. “The bullet passed clean through, and I was sidelined for a couple of weeks.”
Deke frowned. “I don’t understand.”
“I judge people by their actions, not by their race, gender, sexual preference, or, in your case, species.” He nodded toward the door. “Those guys out there? Yeah, them I don’t like. You? I could see us going out for a beer and shooting the shit like old buddies.” He squeezed Deke’s hand. “And by the time we’re done here, I get the feeling that’s what we’ll be.”
With all the traveling Deke did, he didn’t have many friends, and he decided it would be nice to have Zach as one of them.
“HOW AREyou feeling, Quinn?”
Anxious, unsettled, angry. “I’m fine.”
They’d been in the room nearly an hour. With jasmine and lavender oils in the diffusers and the lights down low, Quinn knew that Sean and Rupert were in a light doze. Quinn envied that level of relaxation.
“You are aware I know you’re lying, right?”
Naturally Sean would call him out on it.
“You’re still trying to reach Deke, aren’t you?”
