Bonded (18 page)

“Damn, you’re
smooth,” Al complimented her.

She shrugged and
massaged her throbbing temples. “It’s what I’m paid to do.”

“Yeah, but the way
you schmooze with those guys makes a listener think you’re in
cahoots with them.”

“You do your
part.”

“I just do the
background work. You’re the one they listen to.”

“All part of the
show, Al. You know that. If I were belligerent and demanding, they
wouldn’t agree to the planned cover story. I’d end up spending
several weeks in the area trying to act as if I actually like them.
This way, I go in, do my thing, and in a few days it’s all over and
done with. Then I can go back to Headquarters and try to forget
that packs like Bronte’s exist.” Brandi wiggled her jaw back and
forth, trying to loosen the tight muscles. The sympathetic smile
she’d kept pasted on her lips for the past few hours had made her
face ache.

“Until the next
time.” Al added.

“There won’t be a
next time. I told you, I’m moving to another division.”

“That’s what you
keep saying, yet every time there’s an opening you seem to find a
reason not to go. I’ve bought more farewell gifts for you than I
have for all my girlfriends combined.”

Brandi rolled her
eyes at his comment, but continued to try to explain her position.
“I don’t find reasons. They find me. There’s always another last
minute case and administration says I’m the only one who can
effectively handle the situation. By time the situation is under
control, the new position I wanted is filled.”

“That’s your
story, but if you really wanted to go—”

Brandi stood up
straight and took off her jacket and tossed it in the back seat.
“Al, get in the car before I leave you here in this godforsaken
place.”

“It’s not
godforsaken. Kinda pretty, actually.” Al looked around and Brandi
had to admit that the sun filtering through the Spanish moss and
then reflecting on the water was picturesque.

“True. But there
are also mosquitoes and I don’t want to be on the dinner menu.” She
swatted at one of the annoying insects that was buzzing about her
head. “Now get in the car.”

Al complied and
promptly settled back in his seat to nap. Brandi knew he wasn’t
about to drop the subject of herself and Reno, but at least she’d
have an hour or two reprieve before he started in on her again. The
man had it in his mind that she purposely found reasons not to
leave. It was all based on a drunken confession after a
particularly stressful case. He knew she had a history, however
brief, with Reno and seemed to believe that’s what kept her from
leaving.

Well it wasn’t
true, as he’d soon find out. She was leaving this time for good.
This job was getting too stressful and she wanted into the less
intense Casual Incidents crew. The situations were less critical
and the clients were simply Lycans who had made a mistake. A few
months there and she’d be up for her own territory.

Rumour had it that
two senior DC officers were planning on retiring soon. With her own
territory, she’d be working out of a satellite office away from
Lycan Link
and
away from Reno Smith.

This isn’t a
good idea
, her wolf murmured.
We need to stay near him. He
is ours
.

He doesn’t know
that, she countered. And there’s my career to think about. Besides,
Reno’s annoying.

Strong.

“And
pig-headed—”

He’d be a good
provider.

“And a rule
breaker—”

He haunts our
dreams. We can sense him. The connection has been started, if you’d
just—

“No!”

“Brandi, what are
you muttering about under your breath?” Al poked her in the side
with his elbow.

Brandi glanced
sideways and saw him frowning at her. Darn, she’d thought the man
was asleep.

“Just arguing with
my wolf. It wants to go for a run tonight.” The lie slipped easily
from her lips and she grimaced. Professional hazard.

“In that case, I
agree with you. Going for a night run isn’t a good idea in the
bayou. I was listening to some of the locals talk and they have
snakes and ’gators this big.” He stretched his arms out to show her
and Brandi swatted at him.

“Get your arm
down. You’re blocking my view of the road.”

“Sorry.” He
rummaged around in a tote at his feet and pulled out a bag of
liquorice. “Want some?”

“No. God, how can
you eat so much junk and still stay so slim?”

“Good genetics.”
He grinned around the liquorice whip he had partially shoved in his
mouth. “If your wolf insists on running tonight make sure you take
someone with you. I’m sure Reno would go along if you asked.”

“As if I’d ever
ask a favour of him.”

“Who knows? I
think he’s interested. Maybe he’s just waiting for you to sweeten
up a bit—”

“I’ve already been
‘sweet’ to Reno. Twice. It didn’t work out.”

Al chewed on his
liquorice and Brandi knew he was just gathering his thoughts for
his next ‘you and Reno belong together’ lecture.

Her fingers
tightened on the steering wheel. It was going to be a long
drive.

Surprisingly, Al
didn’t rag on her about Reno and they made it to the first stop
still on speaking terms. The refugee bus was pulled off to the side
of the motel—one owned by a Lycan couple—and the halves were safely
ensconced in the rooms she’d pre-booked.

“I’ll go register
us,” she told Al. “You check if anyone needs anything.”

Al nodded and
strolled off to carry out his job. Brandi stood beside her car
stretching and watching her partner. He really was a nice guy.
Friendly, eager to assist, always ready to listen and supportive of
her ideas. She sighed wishing she could find a spark of interest
between the two of them, but there was nothing. It was a shame,
too, since Al was good looking. Sandy blond hair, soft brown eyes,
and an easy, friendly smile ensured he got a second glance. All the
females at Lycan Link felt he was quite a catch and she agreed with
them whole-heartedly; he just wasn’t the catch she wanted.

Shrugging, she
turned away and headed to the front office to collect the room
keys. Farida and Badru—the couple that owned the motel—had helped
her out several times before with various cases and she knew they
would have made sure the rooms contained some ‘extras’ for the now
homeless halves. After working with the likes of Bronte it was a
pleasant change to deal with nice ordinary Lycans.

Sometimes Brandi
feared that her job left her with a skewed view of her people.
Always seeing the bad could make her forget that most Lycans were
exemplary citizens with a high degree of concern for their
packmates and the world around them. Most just wanted to live
normal lives and blend in with the human population.

See, she told
herself as she pulled open the door to the office, yet another
reason to leave Critical Incidents. She was getting way too cynical
constantly dealing with the scum of the earth.

“Brandi!” Farida
slipped around the check-in counter and enveloped her in a
welcoming hug. “So good to see you. And Al? Is he here too?” The
dark-skinned woman peered towards the door looking for her partner.
Farida had it in her head that Brandi and Al would make a perfect
couple and didn’t miss an opportunity to point out the fact despite
both of their protests.

“He’s checking on
the others.” Brandi barely stifled a yawn and then smiled
apologetically. “Sorry, long day.”

“Then I won’t keep
you. We can talk in the morning. I’ve convinced Badru to make a
large buffet for everyone tomorrow.”

“You don’t need to
do that,” Brandi protested.

“It’s our wish. A
celebration for the Lycans who are starting a journey to freedom.
Besides, it’s good for him to keep in practise. One day he wants to
build a large restaurant on the other side of the parking lot.”
Badru was a trained chef, though for the time being he was confined
to making small meals for travellers staying at the motel.

Brandi glanced
through the window to the piece of land Farida was speaking of.
Presently it served as a small playground with several trees, a
swing set, sandbox, and teeter-totters.

“We’ll move the
playground equipment over there...”

Brandi didn’t hear
the rest of what Farida was saying. It was almost dusk, yet in the
fading light her attention was caught by the sight of Reno playing
with the refugee children. He was giving a little girl gentle
pushes on the swing while talking earnestly to a young boy who had
a suspiciously new looking bucket and shovel in his hand. That’s
strange, she mused. Sand buckets weren’t on the list of supplies
she’d authorized nor were the bubble wands, toy trucks, and
skipping ropes she saw being used a few feet away. She had a
sneaking suspicion where they’d come from and wondered how Reno
would justify them on his expense account.

After a few
minutes, he lifted the girl from the swing and balanced her on one
hip allowing the young boy to lead him by the hand to the sandpit.
Once there, he proceeded to help the child build a mighty
sandcastle.

A soft chuckle
escaped her at the incongruous picture it made. The tough Enforcer
that made unlawful Lycans quake in their boots was hunkered down
digging in the dirt with a purple plastic shovel. Soon two other
youngsters came to join them and somehow a wrestling match evolved.
Reno was chasing the children and they were screaming with delight
when he caught them and swung them about. A wistful smile played at
the edge of her lips as she envisioned him playing with his own
pups,
her
pups. He’d be indulgent yet firm and she’d...

“Brandi. Brandi?
Did you hear a word I said?” Farida waved a hand in front of her
face and Brandi gave a start.

“Sorry, I didn’t
mean to ignore you. I was just watching the children playing.”

“The children...or
the man with them?” Farida slid a sideways look her way. “He’s a
fine looking Lycan. Well built, with an air of command about him.
Very polite when he arrived, and good with pups...”

“Farida, if you’re
thinking of matchmaking—”

“I’m not, I’m
not.” She held up her hands in mock surrender. “I was just pointing
out what I’ve observed. And since you requested separate rooms for
yourself and Al
yet again
, I figured perhaps your interest
lies in a different direction.”

“Well, it doesn’t
lie with Al, that’s for certain. The man is more like a brother
than a potential lover.” Brandi conceded. “And as for Reno...” She
sighed. “We don’t get along very well.”

“Sometimes that’s
how the best relationships start,” Farida nodded wisely. “A spark
that seems to be animosity is really just two individuals fighting
against fate rather than each other. That’s how it was for Badru
and me. Did you know his name means ‘born at full moon’? I’d tease
him and say the full moon made him crazy like one of those fake
Hollywood werewolves and—”

Brandi shook her
head. “That’s not the case between us. Besides, he’s an Enforcer
through and through and we all know what they’re like.” She
hardened her heart and spoke the words even though her wolf
protested the injustice. “A rogue by any other name is still a
rogue.”

“For some,” the
woman conceded. “But not all. Sometimes I think the whole rogue
mystique is just propaganda put out there to make the Enforcers
seem more fierce and formidable. I mean, just look at him with the
children. A true rogue wouldn’t be bothered. And you should have
seen how concerned he was for the parents. That’s not typical
behaviour either. I know from experience how a rogue can be.
They’ve stayed here before and you can see it in their eyes.” She
nodded towards Reno. “That one isn’t unsalvageable, not if the
right woman was willing to undertake the project.”

Brandi gave a
small smile and turned away. Listening to people point out Reno’s
good qualities did nothing to help the turmoil inside her. Part of
her wanted to be the she-wolf who tamed him; however, the other
part of her was too nervous, too afraid of how he’d react and of
the possible consequences. Besides, her career was important to
her. Settling down wasn’t at the top of her list. She forced
another yawn and extended her hand. “Farida, can I have those keys?
I really am tired and I need to get some sleep.”

“Hiding doesn’t
change facts,” the woman pointed out as she dropped the keys into
Brandi’s hand. “If you’re interested in the man—and I can tell you
are—then you need to go for it. Staring at the man from a distance
will only give you eye-strain.”

Brandi didn’t
answer her, merely murmuring a good night. With one last wistful
look in Reno’s direction, she headed for her room.

Chapter
11

A week after the
Bronte case, Reno sat in his office glumly dealing with the piles
of paperwork that had mysteriously appeared on his desk during his
absence. The pile hadn’t been
that
big when he’d left on
Friday, he was sure of it. Maybe Damien had somehow snuck in and
shifted some of the work over. Nah, the kid wouldn’t do that to
him...would he?

He narrowed his
eyes and stared across the room at the clear surface of Damien’s
desk. How had his partner managed to deal with all the work and
still have time to head out for a long weekend? A low growl sounded
in his chest; the kid must have bamboozled him! Reno decided to
have a long talk with the boy when he got back which—he glanced at
the clock—should have been two hours ago as it was almost eleven
now. He rubbed his chin and frowned. Captain Fielding would be
pissed off if he found out. The old man was a stickler when it came
to rules. Well, if Damien got caught it would serve him right for
leaving all the paperwork to his partner.

Reno shook his
head and returned to his own work grabbing the top file from the
pile. He scanned the heading—budgets—and rolled his eyes. Turning
on his computer, he brought up the appropriate form and settled
down to work. A reluctant smile played about the corners of his
mouth as he glanced one last time at his partner’s empty desk. He
could never stay angry at him for too long. Damien’s stunt was one
he’d have pulled himself when he was younger. And damned if Damien
didn’t have more luck than any Lycan deserved. The kid would
probably manage to slip in late and Fielding would be none the
wiser.