Shifter Wars (35 page)

“Unfortunately, only guests may enter the casino.” I turned toward the voice, surprised to find a man standing right next to me.

“No problem. I’m just waiting for Mr. Francis.”

He nodded and sauntered away, as if walking quickly in this establishment was frowned upon. How did the guy know I wasn’t a guest, anyway?

My thoughts were interrupted when Bob came toward me. “Kyle. Glad to see you could make it.”

“Mr. Francis. Thank you for meeting with me. I’m sorry if I wasn’t supposed to come through the front lobby.”

“No worries. I didn’t give you any specifics last night. This will give you a chance to see more of the hotel.” He gestured toward the back of the lobby. “Follow me.”

We walked down a hall, our shoes not making a sound on the plush carpet. Modern sconces decorated the brushed gray walls every few feet. “Are these guest rooms?” I asked.

“No, there are no suites on the first floor. We’re in the office section of the hotel. The first floor houses one of our restaurants, as well as the casino and gym area. We also have a private pool and sauna area along the south side of the property.”

“So, we’re in the back of the building?”

He looked over his shoulder and smiled. “It can get a bit confusing once you’re inside, but yes. We’re in the back north corner. Here’s my office.”

We stepped into a good-sized office with cherry wood furniture and blue-striped walls. “Very nice,” I murmured.

He smiled. “Yes, since I’m the first impression for our prospective candidates, Mr. Chambers felt my office should give a good one. Have a seat.”

I sat in the guest chair, while Bob walked around and sat behind the desk. “Would you like anything to drink?”

“No, thank you.”

“All right then, let’s get started.” He flipped up the lid on his laptop and typed. “I need to ask a few basic questions first, though. I’m ashamed to say I don’t know your last name.”

“It’s McKinley.” I had decided to tell the truth on the name, since it was a good bet his next question would be whether I had a work card.

He typed my name into the computer. “And your address?”

“Right now, I’m staying in a hotel off the strip.” He frowned, and I rushed on. “But I’m in the process of looking for an apartment.”

He nodded and sat back. “Do you have a work card?”

“Yes. I got it when I was working at the CasaBlanca Casino in Mesquite.” I took the card out of my wallet and handed it to him.

“Okay, last night you mentioned you’re a dealer.”

“Yes, I’ve dealt Five Card, Hold ’Em, and Blackjack.”

“And what makes you a cut above the rest of the out-of-work dealers in Vegas?”

“Because I know when someone is cheating. I was hired at the CasaBlanca after I uncovered a dealer who was working with a customer to scam the casino.”

Bob steepled his fingers. “The Casino is a premier gaming establishment. We do not have the same sort of trouble the other casinos do.”

“Just because someone has money doesn’t mean they’re trustworthy,” I argued. “As The Casino becomes better known, the temptation will be even greater for scammers.”

Bob looked like he agreed. “Even though we’ve been lucky so far, Mr. Chambers has already anticipated we may run into future difficulties. We have what I like to call a ‘brain trust’ on staff.”

“And what do they do, exactly?”

“They study and anticipate ways The Casino could be breached by human or technological means.”

“Very interesting.” What I wanted to ask was what they were really doing—like building shifter weapons—but I held my tongue.

I spent another ten minutes answering asinine questions, everything from where did I see myself in five years to what were my strengths and opportunities for improvement. I tried to answer the questions so I would sound genuinely interested in a job. But with Misha giggling in my ear, I had to exert great willpower to avoid rolling my eyes and stomping out of the room.

Finally, Bob’s questions seemed to run out, and he sat quietly for a moment before standing up. “Ms. McKinley, I would like you to meet with one of our casino floor managers. Do you have time now?”

“Absolutely.”

“Wonderful, we’ll go to another office for the next part of the interview.”

We walked down the hall and then down a flight of stairs. “You have offices in the basement?” I asked, trying to clue in the team to where the hell I was going.

“Yes, our training center and employee lounge are downstairs. We also have several offices as well.”

A voice sounded in my ear. “We’ve got you,
ma petite
.”

We went into a conference room with a large table and several leather chairs. “If you’ll take a seat, I’ll go check if Walter is ready to see you.”

I sat down noisily, the leather squeaking as I settled on the seat. This was going well. Maybe I’d be able to convince Walter to give me a tour of the building.

Bob came back into the room moments later smiling broadly. “Ms. McKinley, I have a surprise for you.”

Alarm bells sounded in my head, and I stood. “What type of surprise?”

“Mr. Chambers has asked to meet you personally. He would like to hear more about your security skills.”

I smiled, even though I had Griffin yelling in my ear to get out of the room. “Awesome. Is there any way I could use the restroom first?”

A voice came from the doorway. “I’ll take over now, Robert.”

Chambers walked into the room. He was short, but striking in a regal sort of way—dark brown hair and haughty brown eyes. His suit and shoes cost more than I would make in a month.

“Of course, sir.” Bob walked out of the room and shut the door. With the click of the door latch, my com piece screeched in my ear, and I jerked.

“I must apologize for the reverb of your earpiece, I know it can be painful. Once the door is shut, this room is designed to block any type of communication device. I’ll take it, please.” He held out his hand, and I gawked at him, poleaxed for a moment, before pulling the piece out of my ear and placing it in his palm. “And your tracking mechanism?”

My heart sputtered rapidly, and I glared at him while I removed the tracker I had stashed in my bra. The other one Talia had insisted on was still hidden.

“Now your team is unable to hear you. I’m sure I only have a few minutes before they come storming in.”

“How did you find out about me?”

“I have a contact in Ohio who has been keeping me apprised of your team’s activities. You were supposed to be in Switzerland.” He stepped around me slowly. “When Robert entered your name in my computer, I could scarcely believe you’d had the audacity to simply waltz in here. My first thought was to kill you and disappear, but now that I’ve gotten a whiff of you, I think you’re more valuable alive for the time being.” He stopped in front of me, and I stiffened.

“What the hell do you want?” I asked.

He ignored my question, running his fingers along the wooden table. “When I designed this hotel, I created this room for many purposes. The storage closet in the back of the room has a hidden door which leads to a tunnel. You and I will be leaving shortly, as soon as my men arrive.”

“Why are you doing this to Griffin and the pack?”

He tensed at the sound of Griffin’s name. “Seamus is not worthy to lead them. Someone needs to step up and take over before he completely destroys everything.”

The door opened, and a guard walked in. I shoved a leather chair at him, slamming him in the middle, then darted around him and almost made it out the door before another shifter stood in my way. He made a grab for me, and I kneed him in the balls. He grunted but didn’t let go of my shoulders. A sharp pain radiated in my arm, and I looked down at a syringe sticking out of it. My legs buckled, and I went down hard on the carpet.

My earlier words echoed in my ears as my eyelids drooped shut.
What could happen to me in a crowded casino?
I would never live those words down. If I survived at all.

Chapter 44

My head jostled against something soft, and I opened my eyes slowly. I was propped up on a seat in a moving SUV. The desert whizzed by outside the window.

I would bide my time until we slowed down, when I might be able to find a way to escape. I looked down. My clothes and shoes were still intact. If they hadn’t found the other tracking device, my team would be able to find me, and I would owe Talia a pint of AB negative for insisting I wear a second one.

Lucas turned in his seat to look at me. “Don’t try anything, I know you’re awake.”

“Where are we?” I asked.

“Heading to a safe place.”

“They know who you are now. You won’t get away with this.”

He shook his head. “You didn’t stop my plans by finding me. I just had to move them up a bit.”

“And your plans are to take over the packs?”

“Yes.”

“But why the subterfuge? You were working with poachers.”

Lucas smiled, and my skin crawled. “Simply a means to an end. What better way to hide my true motive than to use them as scapegoats?”

“And your own people. Simon killed himself for you.”

He shrugged. “Sacrifices must be made during times of war.”

My holy shit meter went off. This guy was crazy, and sporting a God-complex to boot. “And how exactly do I fit into your plan?”

“You were a bit of a surprise. When I was informed about you, I couldn’t believe Seamus would be fucking a human, and yet I smell him on you.”

“Your mole has been busy.”

“And I will use you as insurance to get what I want. Seamus’s head on a pike.”

I rolled my eyes, although my stomach knotted in fear. “You’re a real drama queen, aren’t you?”

Lucas bared his teeth, his eyes sparking. “And you’re an opinionated bitch who needs to be taught her place.”

“If I had a dollar for every time I heard that from some egomaniacal supe sporting a Napoleon complex, I would be rich.”

He laughed, but the humor did not reach his eyes. “Don’t think your taunts will get me to kill you sooner. I want Seamus to suffer while you die.”

“I don’t have as much power over him as you think I do.”

“Let’s find out.” He handed me a cell phone. “Call him.”

“No.”

He glared at me. “Do it, or I’ll have my guards kill the next person we meet on the road.”

I clenched my fists. “That’s on your head, not mine.”

He turned to the driver. “Find the nearest playground.”

“Give me the phone.”

He handed it to me and told me what to say. I dialed the phone, and it rang once before Griffin answered it.

“Hello?”

“Griffin, it’s me.”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Listen. Lucas wants to meet you tonight at 7 p.m. He’ll follow up with the location closer to the meet. If you don’t come alone, he’s going to kill me.”

“I’m sorry, Kyle.”

I clicked off the phone and handed it to Lucas. “It’s done.”

His eyes roamed over my body. “You follow directions well.”

I directed him with a few choice hand signals.

* * *

Forty-five minutes later, we arrived at a large hacienda-style home. The SUV stopped, and two shifters came out the front door just as we reached the end of the long driveway. One opened the passenger side and jerked me out of the vehicle.

I didn’t get much time to take in the surroundings while I was shoved down a long hallway and into a bedroom. The room itself was bare of everything but a bed and a chair. Chambers walked in behind me and stood while the guard pushed me into the chair.

“I’ve had the room stripped so you can’t use anything as a weapon. The door there leads into a bathroom. I’d suggest you freshen up; you’re looking a little worse for wear.”

“Why are you doing this? Griffin has done nothing to you.”

His smug face reddened. “Seamus is the reason why I am here and not in my rightful place as leader. No matter what lies he’s told you about me, he’s not innocent.”

I stared at him for a moment until my brain finally processed what should have been obvious. “You’re William.”

He stalked over and backhanded me, pain shooting through my jaw.

“You do not have the right to call me by my first name.”

I sucked in a breath to stop the tears. “You’re supposed to be dead.”

“The rumors of my passing have been greatly exaggerated.”

“Why are you going to war, then? If you’re alive, you should already be the rightful leader.”

“Griffin stole everything from me. He worked with the Council to remove me from power. But he underestimated me—then, and now.”

I shook my head. “Option number two in this scenario is Griffin relieved you of power because you did something truly slimy. After spending time with you, I vote for slimy.”

He glared at me before opening the door. “There are guards posted outside. Don’t do anything stupid.” He stormed out of the room with his guards in tow, and when the door closed my knees gave out. I slumped back against the chair and took deep breaths.