Emerald Eyes (5 page)

Part of him wished Luc was here to help. Luc was so much better than he was at the whole burgling thing. Still, it wouldn’t be his first time. He would go in, get what he needed, and get out.

Yves switched gears, researching Silvia’s holdings.

Where would Silvia keep the pieces? They’d need care and security, but you wouldn’t want them where there was any real contact. They tingled. That was why Yves had several stored in a safe deposit box. The more of them you put in one place, the more they hummed.

Somewhere with a vault, then. Somewhere secure...

There.

He found an address on the old side of town, somewhere that had been prosperous thirty years ago, but now was a ghost town. An unlikely spot, but the blueprints were... fascinating. There had to be all sorts of false rooms, and the underground section had been permitted two years ago for renovation.

That was it. He memorized the map and the fastest way there and back. In and out, that was the way.

He sent a sideways look at the sleeping Reuben, one wolf ear twitching madly. That ear seemed to have a permanent itch. How did he ditch his babysitter?

Maybe the best answer was to just go. Now, before there was a chance to think.

He slipped his laptop into its bag, then grabbed his duffel. Yves would get a locker for them somewhere so he could go in light at Silvia’s place. He wished he could leave them with Reuben, but he knew better.

Reuben would find him again. Yves just needed some time. Somehow he didn’t think the pup would be willing to break into a protected building in order to raise the dead.

He grinned, excitement building. Yves did love an adventure.

He slipped into the bathroom, managing to wiggle out of the high window and be on the road before Reuben woke.

Maybe his pup would sleep until he got back. Unlikely, but he liked Reuben enough to hope it happened. He needed some downers to slip in Reuben’s water in case another situation like this sprang up.

Oh, that would be fun. Of course, the thought gave him a niggling bit of guilt, too.

Guilt was not something he wallowed in. Unless it came to Girard. Okay, so he swam in that.

Drowned in it, occasionally.

He zigzagged across town and then ended at the bus station, finding a locker for his things before heading to the industrial area. Now he needed to be more careful, because he would stand out if seen. For all he knew, Silvia’s people knew what he looked like, thanks to Luc.

He hid his hair beneath a hat and slipped a pair of dark brown contacts in. Those were his most recognizable features, and he wasn’t Luc. He didn’t change on a dime.

Once he got to Silvia’s building, he took the time to study the guard patterns, see what kind of security system the place had. He’d already poured over the schematics and he’d explored his entry possibilities -- low would be easiest, but going in high would be safest.

Yves pursed his lips. Yeah. High, for sure. He circled to the side of the building, knowing there would be less security where there was no obvious entry.

He found the darkest shadow and leapt, reaching for the ledge that separated the stories. He hit it just right, his inner cat helping boost his human body. He needed those opposable thumbs too much to shift.

He gauged his next move, fingers finding a spot where he could dig in, start his climb. He needed to gain four more floors and he needed to do it quickly.

Yves found a rhythm -- scramble, rest, scramble, rest. When he reached the safety of a floor out of view from the street, he began to search for a way in.

There’d been a window... where was it? Poorly mortared brick showed itself and he began to work one rectangle out.

God, this was going to take forever.

He’d have better luck on the roof. Yves calculated the leap. He could do it. No cat body needed.

Faster, easier, and fucking quieter. He gathered the energy and jumped, but his foot slipped at the last second and instead of hitting the top of the roof ledge, his fingertips grabbed the edge.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.”

The words burst out of him when he yanked himself over the ledge, and he hoped no one had heard his desperate struggle.

Seriously? He was totally out of practice at this whole nefarious sneaking thing. Too many months spent digging in random temples in Columbia, feeling more akin to a mole than a jaguar.

He rolled his eyes at himself. God, he was a giant dipshit.
Get to work
.

The way in proved to be a vent shaft next to a huge, noisy turban fan. Perfect. So vulnerable and unguarded.

And slipping down into tiny holes he didn’t belong in was sort of his superpower.

Yves actually grinned, feeling like the Grinch sliding through a fireplace, about to steal Who Christmas.

If he was lucky, he’d be able to tie one on after with Reuben and call the pup Max.

***

Reuben knew the moment Yves left the building.

After a short debate, he stayed in wolf form so he could follow his nose in case he lost the visual. He made a note of what bus station Yves hid his bags in as well, wishing he’d called Deke and filled him in.

Silly pussycat, thinking he was going to sleep through all that. Seriously? Reuben might have to bite him.

Mmm. Biting.

His heart almost stopped when they reached Yves’ destination and the fool man began leaping from ledge to ledge. He only relaxed when Yves made it to the roof.

Crazy little bouncy motherfucker.

And there were two of them. He couldn’t imagine someone’s mom dealing with that. Then again, maybe cat moms weren’t as involved as wolf ones...

He wished he could see what Yves was doing up there, but it was impossible, so he waited, wishing there was a place to hide a cell phone in a wolf body. A pocket near the butt like a kangaroo, but with less goo.

Snorting, he found a safe spot and flopped down, head on his paws.

The scent of pack hit him, then Deke landed beside him with a huff. Seriously? He rolled his head to one side, glaring at his boss. He could do his job, damn it. He didn’t need a nanny wolf.

Deke waggled his eyebrows and gave him a shit-eating, wolfy grin, not the least bit chastised. He’d have to ask later. For now they would just watch for trouble and wait for Yves to come back out.

Yves was going to come back out.

Reuben refused to lose a primary on his watch. If nothing else, Deke would chew his ass, which sucked. And hey, if he was too fond of that crazy kitty already, so be it.

It wasn’t like the boss could bitch.

Any of the bosses, but Jonny especially. The thought made him chuff, his tongue lolling.

Deke leaned over, gnawed on his ear.

Reuben nipped at Deke’s muzzle. No playing. Work.

Deke laughed at him, then turned to guard again. Jerk. Such a puppy sometimes. How could a wolf be so happy when he was mated with a vampire?

Hell, how could a wolf be so fascinated with green eyes and a slinky black body? Kitty. Lord. He watched the windows, wondering how much time had passed. That sucked sometimes, as time moved differently in his wolf body.

It wasn’t long though before Deke started wriggling, moving from side to side.

Yeah. This was supposed to be an in and out, right? Thievery. So where was his cat?

He stood, shaking his fur. It was turning dark. Already. Time to sniff around, see what was what.

They needed to figure out what was up with Yves.

***

Damn it.

Yves’ head rocked back on his neck, his head cracking against the brick wall for the fortieth time.

Silvia’s men were stupid as fuck, but Yves would give them points for stamina. Also, if he figured out who the fuck set up the security system, he wanted to pick their brains. Possibly with his claws.

The roof had seemed so vulnerable. Ha. He’d made it maybe five steps into the building before he’d been flanked, unable to turn back or go forward.

Now Silvia -- who was this surprisingly vampiric-looking suave little fucker -- kept screaming about the stones. Asshole.

“I know you have them, Luc! I know you hid them from me.” Silvia waved his arms, pacing back and forth. His saving grace; the man thought Yves was his brother.

He simply stared. He was vastly better at silent than his twin. Stillness was not Luc’s skill.

“Hit him again,” Silvia snarled.

Goodie.

He felt his cheekbone crack this time, and damn, that stung. Blood trickled down his lower lip to his jaw, then trailed down his neck. In his head, Yves followed the path, straining to be Zen.

Honestly, death wasn’t a good option for him and, if they’d just take say, possibly a fifteen-minute break he could be out of this cuffs.

“I want those emeralds. I have the fucking ritual. Where are they?”

See, this was why he let people talk without replying. They gave away all their information.

Maybe if he asked for a time out they’d listen.

Someone smacked him again, maybe just for shits and giggles since Silvia didn’t order it. Ohh. Ordering. He’d take a large anchovy and extra cheese with white sauce, please.

Also, a beer. Or that interesting concoction he’d shared with a pair of shaman -- shamans? -- during a trip along the Amazon. Yoko something? A nut with lots of caffeine.

“Wake him up, boys. I need him paying attention.”

Icy cold water splashed against him and he snarled. He hated that shit. He didn’t mind a hot tub, or even a nice skinny dip, but water torture? So Cold War.

“Where are the emeralds, you stupid shit?”

“Emeralds?” Yves widened his eyes as far as he could. “I’m not a geologist. Aren’t they... is Zales a country?”

Silvia came forward now and hit him, getting those manicured hands dirty. “Are you the same asshole? You sure don’t act like him.”

He grunted, the whole beating thing getting old fast. Still, if Silvia was beginning to doubt he was Luc, that boded ill for his brother. He just had to...

To what?

Get beaten to death?

This was not a plan. Plan. Right. A plan. He needed them to leave him alone. So...

He lifted his head, staring Silvia right in the eye. “The only asshole here is you, you gaping, diseased fuck opening.”

This time when Silvia’s fist flew toward his face, Yves leaned into the punch so he could slump gracefully into unconsciousness.

***

Reuben rose, the ground getting cold now that full dark was on them. Something was wrong, and he couldn’t wait for Yves to come out. Now, how he was gonna get in there as a wolf, even with Deke’s help, he had no idea.

A long, dark Caddy pulled up, and Deke barked, jumping up on the side of the driver door.

“Seriously? I just had her washed. Get in here, both of you, and put some clothes on.” Kasey’s clipped British voice held that note of fond annoyance he and Deke so often heard.

Not that Reuben was going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Deke had shifted to human by the time Reuben hopped in the car, and damn, that heavy, hard body was ripped. He took a moment to admire, which made Kasey tsk at him.

“Not for you, hmm? I can’t blame you for admiring, though. Get dressed. Your primary is in trouble.”

“Did you bring us weapons?”

Kasey turned to stare at him over the backseat, those unnatural blue eyes gleaming in the gloom. “Don’t be any more stupid than you must be.”

“Right. Sorry.” He tugged on clothes, loving that Kasey had the whole size thing down. There was precious little worse than having to insert yourself in a shit situation with boots two sizes too small.

“Guns, ammo, communication devices. Nice, baby.” Deke slid into clothes. “Have you got any intel on the building?”

“I hacked into Yves’ computer and got us blueprints. He’s not a stupid kitty; I’ll give him that.”

“My brainy vamp.” Deke snapped a clip into a Glock handgun. “Point me and shoot me, then.”

“Just don’t shoot the primary, huh? We have to have a chat, the two of us.” A long, bitey, probably naked chat.

“Mmm. I think we need to have a long meeting with him,” Kasey said. “He’s a naughty boy.”

“You keep that naughty stuff off my kit. I’ll deal with that.” He couldn’t stop the growl. Damn it.

“Possessive bastard.” Deke punched his arm. “Gear up. We need to get in there.”

“10-4.” He was all over that. It didn’t take them five minutes to get to a side door, Kasey overriding the security.

The vamp was damned handy to have around.

They didn’t bother to hide their presence. Hell, if there were guards on Yves, they hoped to draw them out and dispose of them.

The lights and the scent of blood drew him to the stairs, up a floor where the sound of electricity crackling made his hackles rise.

Reuben put on a burst of speed, Deke right on his heels. They’d waited too damned long.