Dead Shifter Walking (8 page)

Lumbering down the stairs, I paused before I
turned left to enter the den where I heard Kass and Darren
speaking, eavesdropping isn’t something I typically engaged in, but
I did it now.

“Now isn’t the best time,” Kass’s voice reached
me.

“We cannot keep doing this; that women saved my
daughter’s life.” Darren’s ice clinked in his glass. “I won’t lie
to her, Kass,” he affirmed.

As I turned the corner, I saw that Kass had her
head tucked underneath Darren’s chin, and he was gently rocking
her, which ceased when he saw me.

Moving quickly away, Kass tried for an
explanation. “Olie, this isn’t what it looks like.”

“Save it,” I said, putting a hand up. “I want
the next words out of your mouth to be the truth.”

Darren pulled Kass close to him, exuding
protection; I wouldn’t have expected that from the glorified
self-proclaimed manwhore. I was reluctantly impressed.

“Same deal goes for you,” I said, taking a seat
in one of the insanely expensive and uncomfortable high-backed
chairs, settling in for the long haul.

“Olie, I never expected this to happen,” Kass
began, pulling free of Darren’s embrace to lean towards me.

“Um, I’m going to need a little more
clarification,” I said, trying to ease the tension and annoyance
out of my voice.

Kass looked to Darren; he gave a small nod, and
she took a long breath. “We have been seeing each other for three
months,” she said, returning her attention to me. “I didn’t know; I
swear,” she said, tearing up.

“Didn’t know what?” I asked perplexed.

Kass and Darren shared another look. “About
Hannah,” she said, as though that would explain everything.

“You didn’t know she was part succubus?” I asked
for clarification.

Kass nodded, tears in her exotic brown eyes.
“I’m a little confused why you would,” I said, adjusting as my ass
went numb.

“But you knew instantly,” said Darren, his
surfer blond locks disheveled.

“Yeah, I can also identify most supernaturals at
a glance and at least two different ways to kill them; it’s part of
my job description,” I said, shrugging and pulling a strand of
dingy blonde hair to twirl around my index finger.

Kass shook her head, still upset, looking at her
clasped hands.

“What is really going on here? You have never
been so distraught about not being able to identify a supernatural
before?” I asked planting both my feet on the ground and moving
forward in my chair, analyzing Kass.

She looked up with a remorseful expression,
shrugging. “I’m pregnant,” she whispered. “What if I fail my own
child?”

I sat back hard in my chair, for a full-blown
succubus to conceive was difficult if not damn impossible. Silence
stretched out as I contemplated this news: a baby, a
shifter/succubus baby.

Kass looked at me expectantly. I smiled. “You’ll
be fine,” I said, charging it with contentment. “You’ll be an
amazing mother and if your child blooms, you’ll be the first to
know and deal with it perfectly.”

“How can you know? How long has it been since
this happened?” she asked, fully sobbing now.

I moved off the chair on my knees in front of
her smiling. “Too long,” I whispered. “You are never alone, Kass;
you have me and an entire clan behind you.”

She lifted her head. “You’re not upset?”

I laughed. “No, I’m excited!”

She smiled and threw her arms around me, crying
tears of joy. I returned her hug, mentally checking off all the
things I needed Kass to get done before the baby arrived: a will, a
power of attorney, medical instructions, living arrangements,
etc.

“We are getting married, Olie,” Kass whispered
into my ear.

Okay, now I was mildly upset. “Married?” I
asked. Oh, marriage had a whole host of problems for me and I
desperately wanted to talk her out of it, but the hope and love in
her eyes killed the arguments before they ever reached my lips.

“Wow, that’s a lot to take in,” I said, sitting
back into the uncomfortable chair.

“What’s wrong with married, Olivia?” asked
Darren, his earlier joy replaced by concern.

“It makes my job complicated; Hannah and Kass
are my top priority if something should happen, but being married
puts the responsibility for both of them squarely on your
shoulders, and I…” I looked away from my clasped hands to him, “am
the executioner if anything happens to them.”

Darren shifted uncomfortably, and Kass’s olive
skin paled. “You mean like what almost happened with Hannah?” she
asked.

“No,” I said, trying to stay diplomatic. “That
was beyond his control and understanding. I don’t punish for what
others don’t know; however, now that you are both aware what Hannah
is, there are policies in place that must be followed.” I rubbed
the back of my neck; I had written those when I was eighteen, the
first legal document I put into effect with my hand-chosen leader.
“Some of those items are not going to make sense, but each is for a
very specific reason and must be adhered to.”

“Or what?” asked Darren.

It was my turn to shift uncomfortably. “The law
has been amended since its inception to allow for wiggle room, but
the end result is the same: I assume responsibility for all the
succubi in the house and relieve you of your head.”

I spread my hands wide. “So you see why I’m
concerned.” I met Darren’s stormy brown eyes. “I don’t really want
to kill you.”

They both let go of the breath they were
holding. Yep, I have that effect on people; the title executioner
should pretty much explain it.

“That’s a relief,” Darren said, sitting back in
the sofa. “I would never do anything to harm Kass or Hannah or…” he
smiled at Kass, placing his hand over her stomach, “the new baby.”
He returned his attention back to me. “I understand your position,
and while I am sure I will make mistakes, I will do everything in
my power to keep them safe.”

His demeanor may have seemed relaxed, but I
didn’t mistake the determination or sheer will power he was kicking
out in protecting his family.

I nodded. “First order of business: you need to
acquire a home not in your brother’s name. Until that time, we will
put you up in a safe house. Be ready to move Friday night. Second,
you will all be assigned new cell phones.” I stood up, stretching.
“I’m not taking any chances.”

Kass and Darren stood as well, walking me out.
Darren started to say, “This house and all assets of
representatives of the Clan belong to the Clan. I…” He paused,
correcting himself. “we”―he smiled lovingly at Kass―“will
undoubtedly catch grief for this breech of protocol.”

I nodded. “I can see that, but―”

Darren raised his hand, stopping me. “I
understand, Olivia; the first priority must be my family, and if
something does happen to me, I wouldn’t want them homeless,” he
said, taking my concerns seriously.

I nodded, reaching the door. “I’m glad we’re in
agreement about that.”

“Olie,” Kass said, taking my hands, “one more
thing…”

I mentally was screaming what now?

“Will you be my bridesmaid?” she asked
hopefully.

My mouth opened; I squeaked. Then I closed it
and tried a second time. “What? Kass, you have so many friends…” I
trailed off, “who would be far more qualified in the girlie
arena.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah that’s why I’m not
asking you to be my maid of honor. Just think about it, okay?” she
said, opening the door. “It would mean a great deal to both of
us.”

I walked through the door, glancing at the happy
couple, shocked out of my comfort zone. “Yeah, I will.” I sighed.
“So this means I’m back on as the replacement at Kitten?”

She smiled. “Yep. Good news is, the doctor
cleared me for another week or so, since my body is already used to
the constant dancing.”

I nodded, making my way to the car. “Bye!” Kass
yelled from the door. I lifted my hand in farewell, still not sure
how I felt about everything.

Chapter 5

The really awesome and kick-ass feature about
having a driver is that I could process everything that had just
happened without having to also concentrate on my surroundings. It
was less than two weeks of being spoiled by Jerry and, already, I
considered him vital to my survival in the city.

I sighed, changing the radio station to the
local country one, smiling as I thought about Mercer listening to
the same. Rolling my shoulders, I shifted my mind back to the
murders. There were so many unanswered questions, and I wasn’t much
of a stealthy detective. I was more the kind of girl who started
pounding on doors and getting into others’ dirty laundry while they
were hog-tied. Part of my job as the executioner was to determine
complete guilt before I killed. Did I need it personally? Nope,
sure didn’t; however, running around murdering anyone who I had a
slight dislike for did not boost morale. It was a fine line,
leading by fear.

Kass and Darren seemed so happy, overjoyed by
the new addition and the survival of Hannah. I was jealous of their
life; while they certainly had challenges to overcome, they would
do it together, fight by each other’s side, and raise two little
angels. For only a moment, I let my mind question if I didn’t have
to be this way: a violent, short-tempered dancer. What would I be?
Normal? Could I have a steady uneventful job with no threat on my
life and coworkers who were not mortally terrified of me?

I laughed to myself. Nope, couldn’t do it. I
liked the excitement, the thrill of the chase, and the taking of
lives. Something in my makeup was critically wrong; I understood
that. But I had used it constructively, protecting those I
loved.

My phone rang, and I dug into my cross-body
purse for it, while trying my best to also pay attention to the
road. It was a number I didn’t recognize, but I answered,
“What?”

“You have been dodging us, Olivia,” said a voice
I didn’t instantly recognize.

“You are unequivocally going to have to be more
specific than that,” I answered blandly.

The voice sighed. “You know, the manipulation of
emotions to give blood freely at the Supernatural Council meeting,”
said Tate as I now recognized the voice.

“Oh yeah, about that, I’ve been slightly
preoccupied,” I answered, completely missing the black SUV that
rammed my driver’s side, effectively ending the call with Tate. The
door crumpled into my body with my ribs taking the hit. Pain laced
through my left leg, and I knew when I looked, it would have a huge
bloody gash. Fuck. The intensity of first blood boiled beneath the
surface as the precious essence gushed out of my body.

Before the SUV had finished pushing my car, I
redirected by blood lust into action, reaching for my gun and
throwing myself into the backseat. My breathing was labored as my
ribs screamed at the effort. Reaching deep for reserves of
strength, I pulled the strap of my cross body purse out of the
passenger seat and around my head. I slipped onto my stomach,
wincing as my ribs yelled at me yet again, and was soon out the
backseat passenger door and under my demolished car before my
attackers got out to look for me.

I belly crawled, each and every movement driving
sheer blinding pain to my nerves from my ribs. I silently screamed
at myself not to whimper, not to make a sound. Finding an empty car
would only grant me a few minutes’ reprieve. At least it did when I
had been tricked by the move. No one expected a person just rammed
to possess enough mental stamina to block the pain and be able to
move. Thanks to Selena, I could function just fine.

Finally, at the driver’s side underneath the
SUV, I stopped a moment to listen as the shooting pain in my left
side caused me to pant in short, shallow breaths.

“Where the fuck did she go?” I heard along with
the searching of the car.

Perfect. The SUV’s driver’s door was still open
and running. I exhaled another painful breath, climbing in as
quietly as possible, leveling my gun at Steven in the passenger
seat. Well, I really should have seen this one coming as first
blood pounded in my temples, dimming my vision temporarily. My
control was tested and maintained, as I didn’t shoot him on
sight.

Instinctively, he held his hands up. Mother
fucker! I yelled at myself; should have killed him earlier.
Throwing the SUV into reverse, I squealed the tires, pulling a 180
and probably ruining the transmission as I shoved it forcefully
into drive. I kept the gun trained on Steven the entire time.

“Don’t even dream of doing anything but sit
there and look idiotic,” I hissed between labored breaths. I really
wanted to shoot him; taking my eyes off him, I made a hard right
into traffic and screaming horns.

“I don’t think so,” he said, using the momentary
slowing in the turn to jump from the moving vehicle. Fuck, I really
should have shot him first. Was I ever going to learn? Pushing my
head against the headrest, I drove dangerously to my hotel, parking
the SUV in the local river first.

I was glad I didn’t have to obtain a new key
card from the front desk in my current condition, as I slammed the
door closed behind me. My cell was gone and I had no
transportation. I thought to myself as I cut my shirt off and
assessed the blackening bruises on my left side and sickly looking
purple at my ribs. Taking a deep breath, I probed, seeing if
anything was broken; it hurt like hell and I had to sit when my
vision tunneled, threatening to end my rudimentary first aid. But
my luck held; nothing was broken.

Throwing my ruined clothing away, I climbed into
bed naked; my body would heal faster than a normal human, but not
as quickly as a shifter or a vampire. The sting of first blood
would take days to fester out of my system and I would be crankier
than usual; that’s just great.

I drifted to sleep quickly, dreaming of the ways
I was going to kill Steven. I was underestimating him; it wouldn’t
happen again.