Page 27 of Mortal Mate (Shadow Shifter)

“Victim is in here,” Colton called.

They joined Colton in the modern kitchen. An athletic dark-haired man in black dress pants and a white cotton shirt lay on the ground. His shirt collar absorbed blood from the wound at his neck. Ragged pieces of flesh hung from his esophagus.

Dannika turned away. It wasn’t the gruesome nature of the kill; it was the enticing aroma that hung in the air. The beautiful blood that crept along the white marble tile.

Raine knelt down, pulling back the man’s collar so he could access the wound. “The reaper attempted to hide this behind an animal attack. The throat is torn open, but the doors are locked. I will encourage the police that this relates to the terrorist attack at the soccer field.”

Colton knelt beside the dead man. “You possess the power of suggestion. That is a rare gift.”

“It’s useful for diverting the human authorities from our existence. I have never used it on my shadow brethren.”

Sirens blared closer. Dannika and the men turned towards the front door.

“We’ve run out of time. Check the apartment. Let’s see if we can determine why this man was targeted,” Raine said.

Dannika frowned. “Why do you suspect he was targeted?”

Colton glanced around the apartment. “It’s too well lit. There was only one shadow pathway available. The reaper didn’t have a simple task of accessing this prey. In fact, the apartment is too well lit. Perhaps the owner had a phobia. I’ve seen it in humans before.”

“Fear of the dark. It’s pretty common. Considering what I know about the shadows now, it’s more justified than ever.” Dannika read the first bill in the stack of mail. She shuffled to the next one, before turning to the men. “His name is Charles Raymond. What are the chances of him and Steele having the same last name?”

Raine stood, leaning over her shoulder to look at the mail. “I don’t believe in coincidences.”

Colton gently turned the man’s face toward him. “He has the same bone structure as Steele. Charles must be a relative of Steele’s. I would guess a grandson.”

Dannika flipped through the rest of the letters. “Why would the reapers kill Steele’s ancestors if he is working with them, or protecting Killian?”

Colton stood. “This raises more questions but doesn’t answer any. We don’t know if Steele knew about Charles.”

Raine took a letter from Dannika’s hand, then passed it to Colton. “Are you sure?”

Colton glanced at the letter. “Saffron Enterprises. It’s the name of Steele’s company. He works for Steele. There’s no way he didn’t know about Charles.”

Dannika glanced at the dead man. “Are you sure he isn’t a direct descendant of Killian when he was human? When he was Reid?”

“I don’t know anything about Killian’s human life. Either way, Steele was not only protecting him. He was supporting Charles.”

Dannika glanced at the shadow in the corner. The one they used to travel from the archive. “We had a hard time finding anything on Steele’s family. Do you think he removed the evidence from his family’s past? Like you said, it was a different time. He missed a couple of files, the ones that were added to the microfilm.”

Raine rubbed his chin. “That would explain why we can’t find anything on Reid. Does Steele have any other descendants? Could he be protecting them?”

Colton nodded. “Steele had a wife and six children. If they all survived, then he has many great-grandchildren. But why would Killian target them now?”

Dannika put the papers on the table as blue-and-red lights flickered through the window. “I have no idea, but I think it’s time we ask him.”

CHAPTER12

Raine held onto Dannika as they exited the dark pathway. The stars twinkled through the branches of Steele’s tree house, and this time, the transition from the shadows was smooth. Their footsteps creaked on the boards of his wraparound deck. The construction and design was similar to Colton’s.

Steele opened the door with an inviting smile. “Come in.”

His eyes dropped to Raine’s arm as it circled Dannika’s waist, but he said nothing.

They entered his living room, though none of them sat, the mood oppressive and strained. Colton stood like a statue, with his limbs tight and his fingers curled into fists.

Steele appraised his son. “You are angry. I understand the alliance is causing—”

“This has nothing to do with the alliance. You lied to the clan. To me.”

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