Shift Work (Carus #4) (30 page)

This left a lot of unanswered questions; a ton of maybes, what ifs and if onlys would have to sit on the backburner, including how the Pharaoh learned about the raid. I needed to take care of another loose end. One I’d been putting off because there’d been no need to act on it.

Until now.

I thumped my fist against Lucus Klug’s solid wood door on his polished Richmond house. With Ben and his denmates still with the Elders, I had no other Witch connections. Klug in German meant clever or smart. Sid had warned me of this fact a few months ago when he’d first given me the Witch’s name.

“Comin’!” a high-pitched male voice wailed.

Lucus had caught one of the Kappa victims and kept him in his “love den” for who-knew-how-long. The information Lucus had given me led to my discovery of the Kappa’s identity. I kind of owed him, but he didn’t know that.

The door swung open to reveal a forty-something bald-headed man with a slight beer belly. Around five and a half feet, he stood shorter than me, and the glare he cast over his large hooked nose indicated he wasn’t pleased.

“Well, now. Just who are you?”

“My name is Andy McNeilly.” I held my hand out, but soon dropped it when it became apparent Lucus had no interest in a handshake. “We spoke on the phone a while ago regarding the previously possessed man you held in your love den?”

Lucus narrowed his eyes.

I held both my hands up, palms out before he could whip a curse at me. “I’m not here about that. I need your help.”

“Mmmhmm. And just what do you think you can give me in return?” He cocked a hip and placed his hand on it.

“Well, I’m not sure. Doesn’t the task kind of dictate the price?”

“Good point. Sugar, why don’t you tell me what you want, so I can go back to my business?” He pronounced it “bidness.”

“I need to locate a Kappa named Tamotsu. I don’t have any possessions of his.”

“A Kappa? He the same one that used my Billy?”

“Is Billy the man…”
Well, crap. How should I phrase this?

“In my love den? Mmmhmm. He still couldn’t remember his name, so I gave him one.” He leaned on his door frame.

“Is he still… Never mind. Not my bidne… business. Yes, it’s the same Kappa.”

“Who do you work for again? The SRD?”

“I used to work for them. We had a few differences. Now I’m with the VPD.”

Lucus nodded his head, as if answering a silent question. He peered up at me one last time before stepping back and swinging the door open. “I’ll do a locator spell for you. But, sugar? You need to look into the SRD for me. I think they have my sister.”

My eyes widened. “Couldn’t you do a locator spell for her?”

“Mmmhmm. Blocked every time. Only a few Witches have that kind of power, and most work for the SRD. My sister, Veronika? Well, she be a bit special. And knowing the SRD…”

“They retrieved her for their lab.”

Lucus snarled.

“I’ll look into it for you.” I stepped into Lucus’ home, and he closed the door behind me.

****

Lucus had been swift and proficient with his locator spell and promptly booted me out of the house after making me repeat my promise to him. I didn’t get to see the love den. What the hell?

Without a personal object, Lucus used Tamotsu’s psionic energy to track him. There was only one Kappa in the area, and I’d bet my entire stash of mini-marshmallows it was Tamotsu.

I’d asked why he hadn’t searched for Tamotsu this way when the Kappa had been on a wild rampage a few months ago. If looks could harm, the saying “curiosity killed the cat,” would’ve spontaneously come true. After giving me the best pissy diva face I’d ever received, which said a lot, Lucus not-so-patiently explained he had to know the culprit was a Kappa in addition to a psionic energy user. And at the time, of course, he hadn’t known that. Now did he? Mmmhmm.

This mutant turtle still managed to be a giant pain in my ass. When I’d captured Tamotsu months ago, I’d given him the order to flee if anything happened at Lucien’s, and then find me. He followed directions for the first part well enough, but totally bombed the second. Why hadn’t he sought me out?

If I controlled him, he should’ve found me by now. I hadn’t moved.

Was he even under my control?

If he wasn’t, though, why’d he stay with Lucien where he was undoubtedly treated like a slave? And if I didn’t control him, who did? This left a whole gaggle of questions needing answers.

One thing I did know: Tamotsu and I needed to chat.

With a racing heartbeat and raw nerves, I tramped through the Alaksen National Wildlife Area, south of Steveston. Lucus couldn’t pinpoint Tamotsu’s exact location, but he identified the general area, and technically, that’s all my Shifter nose needed.

A wildlife area? Really? The ocean and the mouth of the Fraser River surrounded me and filled my nose with water scents, and other, less pleasant ones. As a part of the Fraser River delta, this area acted as a wintering location and important stop-over for a large assortment of birds, which meant lots of bird poop.

When I landed and shifted to human, the estuaries, wetlands, and riparian forest created a mosaic of lush greens with vibrant blues. Despite the surrounding urbanization, the area smelled mostly fresh and earthy, with the exception of the tangy bird poop.

Why would a Kappa hide here? Last I checked, Tamotsu fed off energy, not flying chickens.

The quiet marshland sent a slice of ice up my spine. Surrounded by nature, it shouldn’t be this quiet. A bird sanctuary usually filled the air with squawks, chirping and other annoying bird calls.

My falcon screeched in my head.

Yes, like that.

I rubbed the bridge of my nose. Tamotsu had to be here. Nature understood predators, even the supernatural kind. I needed to find him fast before he tra-la-la skipped out of here and disappeared in the big blue.

My head fell back as I opened my senses to the environment. Tamotsu’s scent blended in with the ocean, but not enough I couldn’t pluck it out. Ocean and seaweed, infused with his otherness, wound in the other smells in the wind. I shifted to the mountain lion and loped through the marshland. I followed my nose like some perverse cereal commercial.

There.

Submerged in a murky pond, tainted green with algae and other photosynthetic microorganisms, the turtle shell protruded from the surface to bask in the limited sunlight.

As if he sensed my presence, most likely from my supernatural energy, his shell shook and what could only be described as a humanoid turtle, straightened from his amateur hiding place. Tamotsu stood around six feet tall and nearly as wide. No fat, just a muscular, circular body shape. Slicked with a sheen of slime, the brown outline of his shell peeked around his body. With feet and hands more similar to those of turtles, only man-sized, he looked unnatural and uncomfortable when he walked upright.

“I expected you sooner,” his raspy voice slithered to close the distance between us.

I shifted back to human before replying. “Why didn’t you find me?”

His head tilted, but he remained silent. In that one action, he answered my unspoken question. He wasn’t under my control. My muscles tensed. My fingers itched as claws threatened to push through the tender flesh. How’d that happen? Was Tamotsu ever under my compulsion? Had he been faking it this entire time? Why?

My muscles tensed as Tamotsu’s body jerked, and he shuffle-walked toward me.

Did the whys matter?

This meeting wasn’t exactly going to end in a handshake. I needed something more powerful than a cougar to fight the mutant turtle.

Tamotsu lunged for me as I reached for the beast. She ripped through my essence, barrelling passed her cage to assume control. My bones cracked, and my skin ripped as the Kappa’s body slammed into me. We flew through the air, and my shift completed. The impact of the marsh floor and the large supe’s body landing on top of me barely registered. I flung him off, sending him sailing through the mist-filled air. He twisted and landed belly first in the brambles.

After I straightened and stretched the kinks out of my beast form, I turned to where Tamotsu’s body fell.

He didn’t move.

A roar ripped through my dry throat.

I trudged to the fallen Kappa, gripped his scaly shoulder and flung him to the side. A large stick, more the size of a young tree protruded from his chest. It didn’t go all the way through—the Kappa’s shell prevented that—but it didn’t need to.

Ah fuck. There went my answers.

Tamotsu gurgled. His eyes opened and failed to focus on my beast face.

“How did you shake my control?” I demanded, my voice rumbled low.

“Never yours,” he wheezed.

How was that possible? He bowed. I filled his
sara
with water. Legend said he was mine to control, and he confirmed it. Unless…unless, someone had already filled his
sara
. Then he’d belong to them and it wouldn’t have mattered how many times I splashed water at this supe. “Who controls you?”

Tamotsu hacked and coughed.

Even if he wanted to answer that, he probably couldn’t. “Why did you pretend I controlled you?”

“My job… Kill you or infi…infiltrate Lucien’s horde.”

His breathing stuttered and his body shook.

“Why didn’t you just give yourself to Lucien, then? Why the charade?”

“Had to…had to look good.”

Well, the Kappa got an A plus for theatrics. I still cringed when I thought how close he’d come to besting me.

“Who controls you?” I asked again.

“You’ll see.” His cackle cut off in a gurgle as blood filled his lungs. His body shook again, but this time, his body went limp. His eyes glazed over as I watched his life flee his body.

As much as I wanted Tamotsu to name his master, he didn’t need to. Not if my suspicions were correct. Since the beginning of my involvement with the Vampires, something had been lurking in the shadows. First Ethan’s play for the territory, then the Kappa’s homicidal reign, then Bola’s, now a new drug on the market with a supernatural connection. Too many events back to back, all making Lucien appear weak and vulnerable… Was there a connection to it all? Had one Master played us like marionettes to a screenplay only he knew? If so, it had to be the Pharaoh. And if so, the Pharaoh truly operated at all levels. Did he want more than Lucien’s territory? Or did he have other, more sinister plans?

Chapter Forty

“A good friend helps you move. A great friend helps you move a body.”

~Unknown

The loamy scent of moist forest earth rose to meet me as I landed near Stan’s unmarked cruiser and the folded outfit he left out for me. He’d parked on the side of a rural road that wove through the mountains north of the city. The cold air sliced at my skin, and I quickly pulled the lightweight shorts and tank-top on.

Stan’s call had been cryptic, but one drag of the air and the answers came spiraling in. Even if the remote, isolated location hadn’t given it away, the scent did. Stan and Aahil were down the path. I picked up the bag carrying the unregistered gun Stan had requested and trekked through the forest to find him. The bag had been surprisingly easy to carry in falcon form. A normal peregrine might’ve struggled, but the Glock 42 was light—less than half a kilogram fully loaded—and I had supernatural strength on my side.

It had been a month since the Tancher Pharmaceuticals take-down. My paperwork had finally been approved by the upper brass and shift work with the VPD kept me busy. Though we continued to work together on drug related crimes, I’d expected this particular call of Stan’s weeks ago. When he finally rang me, I dropped everything. Tristan had been disappointed at my quick exit in the middle of a heavy make-out session, which would’ve likely led to more, but this had nothing to do with our relationship.

When I reached the clearing, the bright moonlight and wind bombarded my senses. My falcon-shifted gaze took in all the details. Under the light, early-morning sky, Stan stood tense in the centre near a bound, gagged, and kneeling Aahil. My friend pointed his service pistol at the man’s head. Stan’s gloved hands visibly trembled. But not from nerves.

Stan’s anger carried hot, charred cinnamon to my nose, so strong it almost blocked out the sweat of Aahil’s fear.

“Did you bring it?” Stan asked without turning to me.

“Yes.” I glanced down at Stan’s feet. He’d covered his shoes with plastic booties. I waved a hand at my bare feet. “I don’t want to mess up your scene.”

Stan grunted.

“Did you bring him here in your squad car? There’ll be evidence.”

Stan snorted. “It’s not the first time he’s been in my car. It already has justifiable traces of him.”

I nodded. “Witnesses?”

“I tailed him for days. Picked him up in the empty parking lot when he stumbled out after hours. Fucker thought I was just picking him up for more questioning at the station like all the other times. Just hopped in. No fuss. No witnesses. Even bragged about killing Loretta when I confronted him with the truth. Wouldn’t shut the fuck up about it until he realized we weren’t going to the station.”

No wonder Stan vibrated with anger. “Cell phone?”

“Dismantled and dumped over the bridge on the way here.” Stan holstered his firearm, stalked over to me and held his gloved hand out.

“Are you sure?” I asked as I held the bag open for Stan.

He snatched the unregistered Glock from the bag, actioned the slide and aimed at the drug dealer. Stan’s voice came out gruff, as if shredded with sandpaper. “What do you mean?”

I turned to him and ignored Aahil’s muffled pleading. “I mean, it’s one thing to shoot someone in the line of duty. It’s another to kill one in cold blood. You’ll have to live with—”

Bang!
A loud gunshot exploded. I jumped. My ears rang so loudly, blood probably flowed out of them.

Aahil’s body snapped back, brains and scalp sprayed out from behind his head. His lifeless body flopped to the ground, dead eyes staring at the night sky.

“Damn,” I muttered.

Stan pulled out a rag and wiped down the Glock before ejecting the mag. Kind of pointless since he wore gloves, but I admired his thoroughness. In short successive steps, he dismantled the firearm and placed the parts in the garbage bag I numbly held out.