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didn’t know who my fiancé was and I didn’t have a clue Anthony was a werewolf,” Jewel stated in a firm voice. “It wasn’t until we mated that I told him about Anthony. So, if you’re going to blame anyone for that, blame me.”

      Quinn had the courtesy to look slightly chastised and Kat gave her a discrete thumbs-up.

      Jewel leaned back against the bar and started chewing on her bottom lip again. Standing up to Steven’s older brother, the alpha of the cougar tribe, had given her a little bit of a scare.

      She looked over at Steven and relaxed when she saw the pride shining in his eyes for her. Something inside of her softened and she fought like hell to build the protective wall back up around it. Her heart beat faster and she wondered if she was falling in love with him.

      â€œAnthony Valachi has been under suspicion for a while now,” Chad spoke up. “The police force has reason to believe he’s involved in not only human smuggling, but slavery as well. Rumor has it that his men have been picking up prostitutes, kidnapping them and selling them as sex slaves, too.”

      â€œWhy haven’t the police done anything about it then?” Kat asked.

      â€œWe were told to stay out of it because the FBI had taken control of the investigation.” Chad answered. “Unfortunately, when the FBI shows up, we have no jurisdiction and can’t do anything but stay out of their way unless we want to wind up in jail beside the bad guys.”

      Steven nodded figuring it was time to tell them all of it. “Jewel’s father was investigated by the FBI here a while back. It was the reason Jewel was engaged to Anthony in the first place.” He gave Jewel a soft smile before turning back to the group.

      â€œHer father was the manager of the Palm Springs Resort and Anthony wasn’t happy about the search warrant they had or that Arthur allowed them to roam the property. Realizing his mistake, Arthur killed the agent and was arrested for murder. In order for Arthur to save his own skin, he handed Jewel over to Anthony as payment for getting him out of the murder wrap.”

      â€œHe’s the one that killed my father. I’m sure of it,” Jewel said clenching her fist at her side. “So, when can we go after him?”

      â€œWe don’t have to go after him,” Chad informed her. “We will form a plan, and then make it known that you are under the Wilder’s protection. When he makes a move… we’ll get him.”

      â€œI think this may be a bit above the law,” Trevor corrected. “Keep Jewel a secret for a couple more days and let me and Zackary make sure the FBI doesn’t come in and turn everything into a clusterfuck.”

      â€œWhy would they interfere?” Kat asked. “You’re part of that paranormal organization… aren’t they above the FBI?”

      â€œOnly in certain areas,” Trevor answered. “Most of the FBI hasn’t a clue we even exist. Hell, the president of the United States doesn’t even know about us. We go way above their heads, and for that, we have to have proof that something paranormal is going on.”

      â€œDoes that mean that at least a part of the government knows about us?” Nick asked not liking the uneasy feeling that came with the knowledge.

      Trevor shook his head, “Not specifically each one of you… but they are aware of the more… unusual. You are protected the same as the humans are… maybe even more so and with more lenient rules and by a small but powerful government within and above the government.” He scratched his head hoping everyone could follow that vague version of the truth.

      â€œMy worry is the FBI digging more into it and finding out too late that they’re dealing with werewolves, not humans,” Chad frowned understanding and not liking what Trevor had just said. Was he to understand the paranormal had more rights then the humans? Maybe he was a bit biased but he was one of those lesser humans.

      Trevor shook his head, “The mob isn’t going to go all furry and attack the FBI. Besides, if the world found out about werewolves, they’d be next in line to become extinct and the werewolves know that. The last time they outed themselves, they were almost hunted to extinction.”

      â€œLet me make a couple of calls and see if we have full jurisdiction over the Valachi case,” Zackary offered. “If we do, then we have free rein and can recruit anyone we think is qualified.” He glanced around at the group knowing that would cover almost everyone in the room and give them immunity no matter how things turned out.

      â€œDoes anyone know what Micah was driving the day he vanished?” Chad asked. “I can run a trace from my patrol car and put out an APB for it.”

      â€œHis motorcycle,” Alicia chimed in then her eyes widened as she remembered telling Warren she’d road that same motorcycle in last night’s storm. Glancing over at him, she breathed a sigh in relief when he simply winked at her.

      Nick added his two cents, “I’m all for staying away from Misery, but the vampires are breeding for her and we can’t have that.”

      â€œEveryone’s on pest control duty,” Warren agreed.

      â€œNot everyone I hope,” Trevor looked toward Envy.

      Zackary discretely stepped in front of Trevor to block the heated stare Devon was giving his friend. “I think it’s also time for us to call in a couple favors and get more of the team in this area.”

      â€œYou mean there’s more of you running around?” Steven asked.

      Zachary shoved his hands into his pockets and tilted his head slightly. The soft glow from the lights shown on his blond, spiked hair as he smirked, “Sorry to disappoint you, but there’s only one of me. I’ve been wanting to clone myself but fearful leader over here won’t let me,” he finished by jerking his thumb at Trevor.

      â€œShut the hell up and make those calls,” Trevor exclaimed. “If there was another you running around, Angelica would kill it just to say she’d finally succeeded.”

      Zachary’s expression took on a glazed quality. “Oh, to be stomped by those wonderful Doc Martin’s she keeps hidden in her closet.”

      Trevor took an agitated step toward his teammate and Zachary immediately ran across the bar area to hide behind Kane.

      â€œIs there a reason why you’re using me as a shield?” Kane asked.

      â€œYeah,” Zachary exclaimed. “Give me a minute and I’ll think of one.”

      Kane smirked, “Give me a minute and I’ll go home long enough to find my Doc Martins.”

      Zachary backpedaled away from Kane with his hands held up. “Whoa there, I’m straight.”

      â€œZachary!” Trevor yelled.

      â€œOkay, okay,” Zachary said and took out his cell phone. “Geez, surrounded by people with no sense of humor… Angelica’s gonna love this bunch.”

      Chapter 4

      Kane leaned against the cross several feet behind Michael and gazed out over the city wondering where Misery was hiding or if she was even still in the city. There was a whole world out there for her to terrorize, but karma was a bitch and so were the instincts that were telling him she hadn’t gone very far.

      He made a face imagining her walking down the sidewalk as a rotting corpse then stifled a shiver at the image of the freaky little girl and decided the corpse was less creepy. Over the centuries he’d seen moments when adult vampires had turned children.

      What many of them never learned was children often were more

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