Riley Jensen 03 - Tempting Evil Part 24

She grunted-a sound that was strained and angry all at once. The fear, if it had been fear I'd seen, was gone. And that in itself suggested this woman was more than what she was pretending. Anyone with any sense feared a werewolf when they were angry. That she didn't meant she could defend herself when she wanted-or she had other sources of protection I wasn't aware of.

Even as the thought crossed my mind, awareness tingled across my senses. I ducked instantly, and a fist the size of a shovel skimmed across the top of my head. I squeezed Nerida's neck harder, making her gasp, even as I lashed out backward with a bare foot. I connected with flesh, felt the blow sink deep enough to hit bone, and got a grunt in response.

"I'll break her f.u.c.king neck if you don't stop, Berna. I swear to G.o.d I will."

"Release her, then." Berna's words were as quiet as mine, but filled with the restrained promise of violence.

"Release someone who's just killed at least ten people? I hardly think so."

I twisted around to check on Berna, but didn't ease the force of my grip around Nerida's neck. The werefox was huffing, her face darkening with her battle to breathe, but I didn't d.a.m.n well care. Everything I'd smelled, everything I'd felt, when I first walked up to the blast area had come back with a rush, and the dead and dying who'd filled me with their pain wanted revenge.

And my fingers-my whole arm-was shaking with the effort not to squeeze that little bit tighter. To kill her, and let the dead have her.

Berna's brown eyes narrowed a little. Bear-s.h.i.+fters might have the rep for honesty, but I had a feeling I'd be getting anything but that from this bear-s.h.i.+fter. At least for the immediate future.

"Don't speak rubbish, wolf. She was with one of the people from the arena for hours, then she came here. She didn't have anything to do with that explosion."

"Hard to believe when she was actually spotted not once, but twice. And if you don't step back this instant, she's one dead werefox." I squeezed a little harder, just to emphasize my seriousness, and Nerida made an odd gargling sound. I eased up immediately. I didn't actually want to kill her, no matter what the remnants of the dead might be urging.

Berna raised her hands and stepped back. "Okay, okay, just let her breathe."

I loosened my grip a little more, and Nerida's entire body shook as she sucked in great gulps of air. Guilt ran through me, but the dead were having none of that and quickly swatted it away.

And the fact that I could feel them, knew that they were all around me, demanding revenge, was terrifying. Empathy was one thing-but empathy with the dead? What the h.e.l.l kind of talent was that?

Not one that I wanted, that was for sure.

"Now, just let her go," Berna continued, in that same quiet tone. Like she was dealing with a psycho ready to explode. And if that impression meant they were less likely to try a concerted attack, then I was happy to keep reinforcing it. "And we'll talk about this like civilized human beings."

"Which none of us are." I shook Nerida a little. "Why did you blow up the kitchen area?"

"I didn-"

"You were seen," I cut in. "In your fox form, twice, by guards."

"There are tons of foxes running wild," Berna said patiently. "That doesn't mean squat."

I let the handkerchief unfold and held it up so both could see. "How many foxes run around with a gray and white hanky in their pockets? A handkerchief that held a feminine scent the match of Nerida's-at least until the guard holding it was caught in the explosion."

Berna swore. Nerida didn't say anything, just stared at me with small green eyes that spoke of death. I snorted softly. "I don't fear the death you're threatening, fox, because the dead are all around us. And they are demanding satisfaction."

That got a reaction. Finally, something more than anger sparked in those beady green eyes. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, unless you start telling the truth, I'm going to give the dead what they want. You."

"You can't-"

"I can. Or I could report you to the guards and let them give you to those blue things in the arena."

She shuddered. "No. Please, I'll talk."

"I want truth, not lies." I glanced back at Berna. "I want to know why you're both here and why you blasted the kitchen."

"Then what? You'll go to the guards anyway. We lose either way, wolf."

"Not if you tell me the truth."

"And trust the word of a thief?" Berna snorted softly. "I think not."

I glanced at the covered camera, then back to Nerida. "The guards will undoubtedly be here soon to unfoul the camera. It's your choice-trust me, and tell me what is going on, or I'll hand my discoveries over to the guards and let them make of it what they will."

Indecision shone in her eyes. She didn't want to trust me-neither of them did. But we'd all seen what had happened to anyone who went against Starr's rule, and that was far worse than anything I might do.

"Okay, okay," she said, voice hoa.r.s.e.

I glanced at Berna as footsteps echoed in the hallway. "And you?"

"I will talk."

"And not attack?"

She grinned. It wasn't a pleasant grin. "Not immediately. But I would suggest you sleep lightly."

That threat could at least be dealt with later. I released Nerida and she collapsed to the ground, alternatively coughing and sucking in air. I stepped past her, past Berna, and into the other stall, slipping the handkerchief under my towel before quickly turning on the water. As I stepped under it, I switched on the com-link. The door opened and the guard stepped in, I put on my best confused expression as I stepped out of the water and grabbed my towel.

"What the h.e.l.l is going on?" The scowling guard looked me up and down, then s.h.i.+fted his gaze to Berna, who hadn't moved.

"Anxiety attack," she said. "Sometimes happens to foxes in enclosed s.p.a.ces."

"Why is that towel up there, then?" He waved irritably at the camera.

"I meant to toss it over the stall door and threw too high." I shrugged.

He grunted, and pointed to Berna. "You, get that down immediately."

Berna obeyed.

"All of you, you've got ten minutes. Finish whatever it is you're doing and get back to your room."

The guard gave us all another once-over, like he suspected there was more going on than what was being said, then grunted and spun on his heel. I waited until he was out of earshot, then crossed my arms and leaned against the doorframe. I couldn't physically see Nerida from where I was standing, but her image was crystal clear in the mirror-which was why I'd chosen this stall.

"You heard the man-we've got ten minutes. Tell me a little story."

Nerida leaned her head back against the tiled wall. The red marks around her neck were very evident, and this time not even the dead could hold back the guilt.

"I didn't mean for the explosion to be so big."

"You put gas and flame together, and the end result is usually a big explosion."

She grimaced and ran a hand through her damp hair. "Yeah. But I didn't mean for it to bring down the floors above. I just wanted it to be big enough to kill a man."

"What man?" But even as I asked the question, I knew.

"Leo Moss." She spat the name like it was a curse, and even though I was viewing her through a mirror, it was very evident that the complete and utter hatred she had for the man verged on madness.

"Why?"

"Because he and Merle killed my father and destroyed my family." Her gaze met mine in the mirror. "I will kill them both. Have no doubt of that."

I didn't doubt her vow. I just didn't think she had the strength to do it. I glanced at Berna. "And your part in this whole little revenge scheme?"

The bear-s.h.i.+fter shrugged. "I came here in the hope of keeping her alive. We've been friends a long time."

"If these are those two women you asked me about," Jack said, voice like a scratch of anger in my ear-was I ever going to get a dressing down when this mission was over!-"prelim searches have revealed they had military time together, in the ranger division. Left four years ago, and the trail runs a little cold after that."

"Friends don't usually go to such lengths-unless they've sworn an oath to protect each other." Or were lovers. I paused, then aimed the second question at both Jack and Berna. "How far would you go?"

"Until we know more about these two," Jack said, "you say nothing of your reasons for being there."

Which was going to be d.a.m.n difficult, considering they already had their suspicions about my ident.i.ty after I'd challenged them both over the bed.

"She saved my lire." Berna hesitated, then added, "and I will go as far as I am required to uphold my vow and return the favor."

Which was a very military sentiment. It also explained why they'd moved as one when they'd threatened me earlier. "How did Moss and Merle wipe out your family, Nerida, and how did you uncover information about this place? It's not exactly on any known map."

The bear-s.h.i.+fter's eyes narrowed slightly. "What do either of those matter to a thief?"

I smiled coldly. "I have my own reasons for being here, and they aren't so very different from yours."

"I knew you weren't what you were pretending to be," Nerida muttered, as she pushed to her feet.

I straightened a little, watching them both warily. "Answer the question."

"My family ran a s.h.i.+pping business. When my father refused to sell, Merle arranged to have him arrested. Moss then killed my mother and my sister." She paused. Her gaze became haunted, and her struggle with a grief that was obviously still too raw, too close to the surface, was evident. I wondered how long ago it had all happened. "He has the aura of a were and a taste for pain.

He used my family until their injuries were too great, and then he left them to die. Only they didn't die soon enough, and I found them. That's how I know who it was. That's when I made my vow."

I glanced at Berna to confirm the statement, and it was in that moment Nerida attacked. She was fast, with the skills of a fully trained soldier to back her up, and for several seconds it was all I could do to simply block and survive, let alone counterattack.

Granted, she was no Gautier, but then, this wasn't a wide arena but a shower stall with next to no room to move. And I was in it while she wasn't.

I ducked several whistle-fast blows, caught another in my fist, and missed the one aimed at my stomach. Her fist sunk deep and my breath left in a whoosh. I had no choice but to ignore the burning sensation in my gut as I ducked and weaved and was gradually driven back farther into the stall.

Then lights went out. Berna, probably. And though she was undoubtedly trying to stop the monitoring guards from seeing what was going on, she'd unknowingly given me an advantage. Night was my friend, not theirs. I switched to infrared, dropped underneath another one-two series of blows, then came up fast and pushed her backward, as hard as I could. As the werefox staggered backward and tried to catch her balance, I wrapped the shadows around myself then leapt upward. Wolves could leap extremely high-vampires even higher. I had the skills of both at my call, and landed with little effort on the thin edge of the stall wall. I took a moment to balance, then quietly stepped onto the top of the next stall, then the next, before easing lightly back down to the floor.

"Where the f.u.c.k has she gone?" There was a thump and a rattle as Nerida's fist hit the wail. "She's disappeared."

"That's impossible. She's probably just cowering in a corner." Exasperation edged Berna's voice. Maybe she was getting a little tired of her friend's actions.

And I had to wonder why they were wasting time thumping the walls rather than using their olfactory senses-h.e.l.l, given I'd been with Kade in the hay and had then been surrounded in smoke and death, I'd have to be leaving one h.e.l.l of a scent trail.

But I wasn't about to give either of them time to remember that option. Nor did I have much time left to contain them, as the scowling guard was probably already on his way back down.Berna bent over and peered into the stall. I padded over, shook off the shadows, then grabbed a fistful of her short hair, yanking her back and up before thrusting her hard into the stall. She collided with Nerida and both hit the back wall, and there was a crack loud enough to suggest broken bones. They went down in a heap and stayed there. But the heated looks being flung my way suggested it wasn't because they were too hurt to move, but rather because any good soldier knows when to retreat in order to fight another day.

I crossed my arms and resumed questioning. "How did you set the gas off?"

Nerida swore as pulled her leg out from under Berna's rump. "Small incendiary device we snuck in."

I wasn't going to ask how they'd managed that, because given all the bags had been thoroughly searched, there was really only one place they could have hidden it. And I was mighty surprised Starr hadn't brought in measures to cater for such occurrences.

h.e.l.l, I knew for a fact many of the cartel employed female a.s.sa.s.sins. A good amount of Directorate time was spent hunting down the b.i.t.c.hes after they'd completed their b.l.o.o.d.y deeds.

"And you didn't ever stop to consider who else might be in the way of the explosion?"

Nerida's gaze met mine. "Not once I saw Moss."

Insane with revenge and blind because of it. Great. "And have you ever stopped to consider that the picture is way bigger than the piece you're concentrating on?"

"No."

"Then I suggest you f.u.c.king start, before you end up on the wrong end of someone else's revenge." I flicked on the light. "Moss, Merle, and Starr have destroyed more lives than you could ever imagine. Stop being so blinkered, start seeing what is really going on, and for G.o.d's sake don't blow anything else up. Or I'll have you taken out so fast your heads will spin."

I glanced down the corridor to see the guard headed our way again. And he looked even unhappier than he had the last time.

I leaned forward and grabbed my towel, soap, and the handkerchief. "Now, if you don't mind, ladies, I need to complete my shower."

I flung the towel over my shoulder and headed for the shower stall Nerida had originally used. It had a good line of sight via the mirrors, and while I needed to get clean, I wasn't fool enough to turn my back on either of them.

The guard stalked in as I stepped under the water. "What the h.e.l.l is going on here?"

"Just a little disagreement," Berna muttered. "Nothing to worry about."

"It is when I'm wasting time coming down here to sort it out. You two, back to the rooms now. And you in the shower, hurry up."

Though the heat of the water did a lot to wash the smell of death from my skin, I didn't want to linger too long. That would only p.i.s.s off the guard more and maybe bring our little scuffle to the attention of those higher up. So I washed and dried and meekly made my way back to my bed.

"No more," the guard said from the doorway, once I was settled, "or I'll report all of you."

I resisted the impulse to snap that we weren't kiddies-mainly because that impression was far better than the real reasons for the fight.

I waited until the guard had gone, then reached my hand under my wet towel and grabbed the handkerchief. "You dropped this earlier," I said, and tossed the sc.r.a.p of cloth across to Nerida. "Don't do it again.""Oh, I won't. You can be sure of that."

Meaning next time she would ensure there was no telltale signs were left behind. I blew out a breath and laced my fingers across my belly. After a while, their breathing grew slower-or in Berna's case, noisier-indicating they were slipping into sleep.

Whether they actually were, or whether they were foxing, I couldn't say. But I wasn't about to let the desire to sleep overwhelm me, not with Berna's threat hanging over my head.

I flipped off the sheets and headed out the door.

Voices and the growl of machinery rode the night, and lights now lit the far end of the house. Starr wasn't wasting time getting down to repairs, it seemed.