Emerald: Rare Gems Series - Billionaire Wolf Shapeshifter Romance (4 page)

Sitting down on the only chair, he leaned his head against the table. It had been an amazing rush, but it was short lived. He’d wanted to play and the man had interrupted it. As he sat there, he heard the sirens screaming down the street and knew that they were going to be extremely disappointed that they’d wasted the gas to get there. Both of them were dead. He’d bet his next climax on it.

Standing up, he staggered to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water. Draining it, he reached for a second one and drank from it as he made his way to the living room. He pulled on his underwear as he walked. Sitting on the couch, he thought about the bitch and pulled his notebook out from between the cushions.

Nolan prided himself on being a different kind of murderer. He knew what he was and embraced the sanity of it. He wasn’t crazy by any stretch of the imagination, but he was having a good time. Flipping through the pictures, he found the bitch that he’d shot.

“Margo Winter.” He put a mark over her picture and then wrote how he had shot her in the head. He also gave her only one star. She couldn’t have four stars as he usually gave one of his murders because she’d not gotten him off…the man had. Stuffing it back between the cushions, he leaned back.

He supposed he should have gotten his wound cleaned up, but he was too exhausted after that amazing climax. Smiling to himself, he heard another siren going by his place and wondered if they would do a door to door search. That made him sit up. He’d have to clean up if he was going to have his moment. Going to his bedroom, he pulled out his first aid kit and began working on cleaning himself up.

It took him nearly twenty minutes to get it cleaned up, and another ten to find a bandage that would fit over it. By the time he was finished, he was sweating and sick to his stomach. Instead of going back to the couch, he went to his kitchen and pulled out the array of painkillers he’d gotten over his span as a killer.

His job as a cable installer had allowed him entrance into the best places to steal things. Mostly he only took small things—drugs for instance. Then there was the occasional wad of cash. To his way of thinking, if you left it out, then it was his. And being that he loved this part of his job, he was always very careful of what he took and what he might leave behind when he did.

He pulled out some oxycodone and took two of them. He knew it was a lot, but he was hurting now and figured a nice nap would do him so much good. Going back to the living room, he put a pillow over the small stain of blood and then lay down again. But before sleep could claim him, he picked up his notebook and placed it under the floorboards where it was always stored. No one would ever find it there.

He had no idea how long he slept, but it was dark out and he was sore when he woke. Getting up, he went to the bathroom and noticed that his bandage was soaked through, so he peeled it off and replaced it. He was still buzzing from the drugs earlier and didn’t take more now, tempting though it might be. He was in the living room again, dressed now, when someone knocked on his door.

Peeking through the eye hole, he grinned. It was time to be the helpful neighbor again. In his neighborhood, this was more common than not having the police coming to your door. He pulled the chain off and looked around once before opening. Tossing his coat to the couch, he covered the new stain and smiled as he widened the opening of the door.

“Officer?” The cop nodded once as he looked over Nolan’s shoulder. “Can I help you? It’s kind of late for you guys to be collecting for the policemen’s thing, don’t you think?”

“We’re going around talking to all your neighbors to see if you’ve heard anything in the last couple of hours.” Nolan wondered how long it had actually been but shook his head. “Nothing out of the ordinary?”

“I just woke up. I’ve been fighting a cold off and on for the past few days, and have been taking some night time stuff. Knocks me right out.” The officer looked over his shoulder again. “Would you like to come in? I assure you that I’m not harboring any kind of bad element.”

“No. We have a good description of the guy. Won’t be long before we apprehend him. People like that don’t last long on the streets.” Nolan nodded, but his mind was racing. “We have an artist on the job right now, and will have something to bring around later. I’m assuming you’re going to be around?”

Nolan nodded. “I don’t know how much help I can be. I’ve been here, as I’ve said.” He knew that his smile was tight, he could feel it, but he wasn’t sure what to make of this new development.

After the cop left, telling him that he’d be back in a bit, Nolan sat down on the edge of his couch and tried to think. A description? Was it possible that the woman wasn’t dead? No, he was sure the bullet had gone into her skull, and at the temple as well. The man he’d shot in the chest, twice for sure, but he had to think where it had been. Where the fuck was the heart anyway?

Standing up, he pretended to do the pledge he’d done in school a long time ago, and had trouble even remembering what hand he’d put where. Finally, he put his finger over his pulse at his throat and wondered if it was faster the closer it got to the heart. But he was at a loss. Mother fuck, maybe he’d shot him in the wrong side of his body. Was it even possible at that range that the fucker was still alive?

“Nobody was alive when I left.” He was sure of it. But the more he thought of it, the less sure he was becoming. Pacing around, he decided to go down to the scene and see what was going on. Surely someone there would know something.

It took him fifteen minutes to make his way through the crowd. Nolan had to make himself not tell anyone this was his handiwork, but it was difficult when everyone he passed was running their mouth about who it might have been. There were six cruisers there, and even two ambulances. Christ, he might just get off from that alone. But as he made his way to the front of the line, he could hear what the others were saying, and none of it was terribly helpful.

“She was shot in the head but could live.” “They said the man shot her because it was a lover’s quarrel or something.” He looked at the person talking and wondered how the hell they had come to that. But the rumors were more violent the closer he got to the tape. “He was raping her when this other guy came up and wanted to join them. Shot them both.” “A spray of a machine gun nearly took their heads off. Hard to believe they’re still alive.” That was the dumbest thing he’d heard so far.

The officer that was manning the yellow tape was watching the crowd but said little. Mostly he told the crowd to stand back, or even to go on home, there was little to see. A woman asked him if they were both dead and he shook his head. That didn’t help Nolan at all. Both of them had seen him, and even if one of them talked, he was so fucked up. Finally the sea of blue uniforms parted and he could see the stain on the alley. There wasn’t as much as he’d hoped from the man and the woman…he saw nothing as someone closed the gap almost as quickly as it had parted.

“She was shot in the shoulder.” He looked at the man standing next to him. “The woman, somebody shot her in the shoulder. The man was shot in the chest, but they said it was nothing major, that he’d be all right in a few days. They were damned lucky, they were. Someone called the cops almost as soon as the guy was running his fucking ass away from them.”

“How did you find out? I thought they were not saying much.” The man showed him a small device a little larger than a cell phone. “What is that?”

“It’s a scanner. Got it real cheap a few days ago, and can hear them talking to each other.” He let him hear the next message that came through. It was about a robbery on Englewood Avenue. “I can avoid the cops by knowing just about where they’re gonna be. And if I need me a little excitement—too much of that nowadays, if you ask me—I just mosey on down to a crime scene and have me a look see.”

Nolan wanted one. Not just to hear where they were going to be, but what transpired after he finished with his fun. Christ, he was hard just thinking about it. As the man held it to his ear, Nolan made his way out of the crowd and to the electronics store a few blocks from where he lived. He figured he’d pay just about any price just to have himself a way to get off more than once.

It cost him forty-one dollars and ten cents. Of course he’d needed the head phones that were a must, as well as the charger. He was nearly out the door with his new toys when he looked over at one of the television sets they had running. He watched it as the bitch he’d shot was talking to a news anchor.

“He just shot me. I didn’t even know who he was, not until he said that we were going to finish something we’d started.” The anchor woman asked her what that might be. “I have no idea. He looks like some jerk I met in a bar once, but that never went anywhere. And that poor man who tried to help. Is he going to be all right?”

Nolan was bumped from behind and moved so the old biddy could get out of the store. By the time he looked at the set again, they were running a thing for tampons or some shit he didn’t care about. Nolan had no idea if the woman had answered his bitch or not.

“She has to be taken care of.” He moved out of the store when the clerk looked at him oddly. He also had to make arrangements to see about the man. It was stupid of him to have left without checking them, he knew that now, but what was done was done. Now he had to clean up his mess. Nolan was going to finish the business with the woman if it was all he got done.

Going back to his apartment, he pulled out his notebook and went to the page where the bitch was. He’d have to either mess up his system or complete the job as soon as possible. He opted for completing the job. Turning on his new scanner, he smiled when he heard about the robbery turned shooting on Englewood. This was much better than having a television with porn on it all the time.

Yes, he thought, this was going to be so much fun. As the radio blasted out another issue, he sat down and freed his cock. He was jerking off to a carjacking, and laughed at the way it sounded when said aloud. Nolan was in heaven. And now that he had his little toys, he was going to be in heaven every chance he got.

Chapter 4

Emerald had an hour to go before she was finished for the weekend. Her body was tired and she wanted to take a nap so desperately that she’d nearly fallen asleep in the teachers’ lounge earlier. But as soon as she left here, there was the trip to her sister’s, something she was looking forward to and dreading at the same time. She loved her family…very much so, but they were just too much for her right now. Not that she didn’t enjoy playing with little Carter. He was a hoot, but the rest of them were forever asking her about her life. Her personal life.

When one of the students raised their hand, Emerald nodded to him just as her sister Jade touched her mind.

Thought you’d like to know that we have a couple of people staying with us. A guy who has been shot and his mom. She’s wonderful. He’s this guy who looks like he is slightly overwhelmed by all of us.
Emerald laughed with her sister as her student asked to go to the bathroom.
You’re still coming over tonight, right? I have big plans for us.

I’m leaving here and coming straight there. I have about three loads of laundry to finish up, but I’m sure that Sapphire won’t mind if I do them there.
Jade just laughed.
I’m trying to be independent. It’s hard, you know. And the laundry place where I’m living is out of order again.

It wasn’t, but she was a little afraid to go down there alone. Nolan had been standing outside her apartment building this morning, and when she’d taken the kids out on the playground after lunch, she was sure he’d been lurking about then too. The man was going to get himself killed if he didn’t fucking leave her alone.

I guess. I can’t wait until you find your own mate and can be as happy as the rest of us are.
Emerald felt the pain her heart. She wanted to ask her sister what made her think she wasn’t happy now, but didn’t.
Also, I’m supposed to remind you that we have that ball thing next weekend, and Sapphire and Grandmother are counting on you to be there. Dressed to kill, they said.

She’d forgotten about that. It was a charity thing her grandmother had started last year to raise money for the children in the pack, as well as some of the townspeople too. Some of the kids had only a single parent, and a few of them were living with their grandparents. Most of them had come from a pack that Blair had taken over a few years ago.

I’ll be there this weekend. Do you think you can loan me a dress for this ball? I have that blue one, but Sapphire said if I wear it to a function again, she’ll buy me something and I won’t like it.
Jade told her she thought she had one she could use.
Oh, and so you know, there is some buzz going around about the two empty buildings downtown. Did you or anyone there put a bid on them? The one that was the old school might be good for an office building. Tell Blair if he buys them, I want to rent one from him.

For what?
Before she could tell her sister it was none of her business, Jade cut herself off.
I have to go. There’s a bear in the woods.

It wasn’t a metaphor for her sister. Jade worked for the parks department for the state, and literally chased bears and other creatures off when necessary. Mostly she worked at home or with Quentin, but she did help out the parks department when they really needed her to. Her husband, Quentin, didn’t care for it much, but he knew she could handle herself.

After closing the connection to her sister, she started working on the papers that had been turned in. Her volunteer had not shown up today either, but her mind kept drifting to the building. She wanted to see if she could change it into small shops, like a consignment place for some of the locals. It was a silly idea but Emerald thought it would be a way for her to make some money as well as for some of the people around town to save some.

“Ms. E, do you think it would be okay if I stayed here tonight?” She looked at the little boy, Connor Shoot, and noticed, not for the first time, the bruises on his throat and arms. “I like it here. It’s real quiet, and there is that big rug over there I can sleep on.”

“I know you do, honey, but there are rules. Where is your daddy this week? Is he home again?” Connor nodded and looked around the room as if he expected him to be right there. Her heart broke a little for him. “I’m really sorry, Connor, but you know that you can’t do that. What if there was a fire or something? How would you get out?”

He didn’t answer her, but she could see the sadness in his eyes, and the terror. There was very little she could do to help him other than to report it to the school nurse. Very little legally anyway. But she could try and do something with the help of her family.

All the kids in her room were from, for the most part, harsh homes. Even little Shayla, whose father had put up the big stink during parent/teacher conferences, had a rough life. Her dad was working now, but for most of the year he was home, and his temper wasn’t all that good even under the best of circumstances. Emerald had no idea if he hit the child. She’d never seen any marks on her, but he did knock the wife around. Not that it was any better, but she hated abuse of any kind to children.

“Let me see what I can do for you.” She opened her top drawer and pulled out the bag of candy bars that she’d brought in that morning. “Why don’t you do me a favor and pass these around? My sister gave them to me, and she knows that I’m dieting.”

Grinning, he took them to the other students. It was a lie. She could eat several bags of candy a day and not gain an ounce. Her metabolism was very high, and her being a wolf helped too. She knew that most of these kids only got the meal provided to them by the state, and rarely had a treat such as a candy bar. As they munched quietly on their treat, she reached for Sloan.

I have a situation that I need you to help me with.
He laughed and asked her if she knew it was the middle of the afternoon
. Sure, but this way I know you’re alone and not in bed with my sister.

Ah. So you think?
She felt herself flush when he laughed
. You know that I would do most anything for my favorite sister-in-law. You need only to give me a list of who you want murdered and I’ll see to it.

Emerald thought of the one person she would love to have murdered. Well, maybe not murdered, but hurt badly. Nolan was going to have to be dealt with, and soon. It was becoming a real problem for her, and she was getting sick of leaving by the bathroom door. It was the only way she’d made it to work on time. Things had to get better or she was—

Emerald? What is it? I can feel your anxiety.
She let out a long breath before answering him, but he was worried now and she could tell.
Emerald?

I’m fine. I swear it, but I have a student that I’m concerned for. The poor little boy is being abused. He’s afraid to go home, and wants to stay here over the weekend. I can’t do that, as you know, but I hate that he’s that afraid that he’d stay in a locked building rather than go home.
He told her most kids hated to be home and asked her how this one was different.
His dad beats the shit out of him, and I’m pretty sure that his sister might be in the same boat.

That got his attention apparently
. Who is his father, and where might I find him? You know how much I hate the abuse of little ones. And with my own child on the way, it’s been harder and harder for me to turn my back on them.

I know that. And I wouldn’t ask, but the little boy has a mark around his neck that smells like hemp. I think he’s tying the little guy up. Why would anyone do that to such a little person? Have they no compassion?
She felt his explosive anger and almost regretted telling him.
I don’t want you to kill him, Sloan. Just show him the errors of his ways.

Oh, I plan to do that.
She told him the address and the little boy’s name when he asked her again.
This child, does he have all he needs? You think that he will need some items to get him through the rest of the summer? I will make sure before I leave them that he is well taken care of. His sister too, if need be.

I honestly don’t know. I get him the school supplies he needs. Most of the kids in this school have very little to get by on, but I supply what I can. Lunches are free for most of them, but it doesn’t fill the void for the entire day.
She felt the tears and had to pick up a book to hide them from the children.
I want to take them all home with me and care for them. I know I can’t, but I want to. Why do people do this to their own children?

I’m sorry, honey, but I know you do. And I hurt for you as well as the little children. Does Blair or the rest of them know that you’re paying for things that should be supplied?
She told him no, but it was none of their business anyway.
You know that it is. If you need help with this, we’d be more than glad to help out. You shouldn’t be doing this alone. I could make sure your class has everything they need, and it won’t be a hardship on us at all.

It’s no hardship on me at all. I love what I do, Sloan. I just wish I could do more.
He said he understood and would take care of this for her.

When she closed the connection, she went to the ladies’ room and splashed water on her face. As she made her way back to her room, she saw someone lurking outside on the playground. It was Nolan.

As she moved back against the wall, she tried to think what to do. Going to the classroom was out because if he got in, she didn’t want the children to be hurt. Just as she was going to shift and go out and kick his ass, another teacher came around the corner and startled her.

“There’s a man out there.” She pointed to Nolan as he moved to another door to try and open it by jerking on it as hard as he could. “Are all the doors secure?”

“I’ll be calling the police even if they are.” He pulled out his cell and made the call. “You go on and get to your room. Tell those other two teachers to lock down. The intercom here don’t work so good no more.”

Emerald nodded and went to the first room. The teacher was in the middle of reading a book to her class, and Emerald walked up to her to give her the news. She was less than gracious.

“I guess this means we’ll have to wait around for the police, then fill out paperwork again. This really fucks up my day. Christ, this school sucks. If I could find another one that would take me, I’d be there in a second.” She told the kids to get into their positions, then looked at her again. “I suppose you want me to show you what to do? Or are you expecting me to do it for you? You get them kids hurt and it’ll be your ass that’ll be paying up, not mine. Go away.”

Emerald didn’t bother saying anything to her, but left. She got a much better welcome for the news from the next teacher. As she was leaving, however, she asked her if she thought the police would come into her room.

“Why?” The woman looked around, then went to her desk. Emerald looked as well and couldn’t believe what she saw there. “Is that marijuana? Are you actually smoking that on school grounds?”

The teacher shrugged as if it shouldn’t matter to anyone. “There are days when I need it.” Emerald backed out of her room. “You’re not going to tell on me, are you? I mean, you scratch my back and I’ll do yours.”

Emerald entered her classroom and smiled at the kids. “Class, we’re going to have a drill. You remember what to do in lockdown? I may need you guys to give me a refresher on how to do this, okay?”

Each child simply went to their assigned positions. As chairs were shoved against the doors, some of them started lining up to go into the closets. In less than five minutes her class was ready for whatever happened. Just as she closed herself in with them, she heard the sirens coming closer, and then the explosion of glass being broken. The shit had just hit the fan. Then Nolan yelled for her, and she knew that someone was going to get hurt. She just hoped it was him and not the children.

“Emerald, where the fuck are you?” She closed her eyes and calmed her wolf as Nolan screamed for her. “Come out here and talk to me. I know this is your room. Where the fuck are you? Get your ass on out here right now.”

A small hand entered hers, and she held it tightly. Then as the children tightened around her, she knelt down and tried to push them behind her. The door to the closet would only stand so much pounding, as he was doing now, before it caved in. And two punches with something heavy later, he was staring at her with a bat in his hand. He’d broken through the door and was now right in front of her.

The crash of the door to her room happened about the same time Nolan reached into the broken door and touched her. He scraped her face with his nails but didn’t touch the children. He turned and ran off when the police entered the room. Emerald hoped they killed the bastard.

~~~

“She’s just fine, they said.” Jul watched the family as they huddled together and worried over the youngest sister. “Mark said that he’d bring her here personally. She’s too upset to drive anyway.” He’d just found out that one of the police that had been called to the scene worked for Blair. Or something like that. Jul was having a hard time figuring out what else Blair did that would have hundreds of men and women working for him.

Blair had been the one that received the call from the police about ten minutes ago. Apparently Emerald had been attacked at the school. Jul had missed most of the details, but apparently a boyfriend had gotten upset with her when she’d broken it off and had come to reason with her at the school. A reasoning that had gone bad.