Читать книгу The Texas Shifter's Mate - Karen Whiddon - Страница 11
ОглавлениеShayla watched him go, her fingers and arm still tingling. Damned if there wasn’t something about that man. “Now we’ve done it,” she told Maddie. “We’ve got to make this work. That man is pinning his last hope on us.”
“And rightly so.” Maddie’s confidence made Shayla smile. “I’m a damn good police dispatcher, though I’m ready to do something else. A paranormal private investigation agency would be perfect, especially since I grew up with one, even though my family dealt with humans. I know the ins and outs of human law enforcement in this city. Plus, I have contacts. All of that’s got to count for something, right?”
Shayla nodded. “It’s interesting that I just said I wouldn’t mind finding something else to occupy my time. I’ll need to do some research. I know next to nothing about private investigators. We need to look into rates so we know what to charge. Do we need to get licensed?”
“Only if we plan on working with humans.” Maddie grinned. “Since we don’t, I think we’ll be okay without one.”
“True.” Shayla grinned back. “We’re also going to need a name. Something catchy.”
“I’ve got that covered. I already know what we’ll call ourselves,” Maddie said. “Perfect for a paranormal private investigation firm.” She gave a dramatic pause.
Crossing her arms, Shayla waited her out.
Finally, Maddie made her pronouncement. “We’ll call ourselves the Shadow Agency. Since so many of us operate in the Shadows.”
“I like that,” a sultry voice said. Carmen Vargas had come up to their table unnoticed. It was one of the more unnerving skills Vampires had. She pulled out a seat and smiled at them. “Especially since Shadows are a huge part of my life. Even more so than yours.” With her blond, spiky short hair and bright blue eyes, Carmen looked like anything but the Vampire she was. “So what exactly are you two up to now?”
Maddie told her. “And we already have our first client.”
“I want in.” Carmen leaned forward, her long silver earrings catching and reflecting the dim light. “Who better to work in the Shadows than a Vamp?”
Shayla considered her. “What about your job?” Carmen worked nights as a government researcher and scientist.
“It won’t be a problem. I set my own hours. I’d love to help you two get this business off the ground.”
Maddie nodded. “We just came up with the idea a few minutes ago. But if Shayla agrees, I think the three of us would make great partners.”
“Yes.” Shayla’s answer came immediately. “Let’s talk specifics.”
Over the next several hours, with Maddie taking notes, they hammered out all the details they could think of for their new business, the Shadow Agency. Since they wouldn’t be dealing with humans at all, they decided not to incorporate or worry about insurance. Shifters, Merfolk and Vampires weren’t the type to sue if something went wrong—they’d just get even.
“We need to decide on rates,” Maddie said next. “Since we’ll be splitting the payment three ways.”
“Not necessarily,” Shayla said. “I think the initial fee should go to the company. Each of us will be paid by the company depending on how much work we put in to each case. For example, this missing Mermaid. If I do a lot of underwater investigating, then I would bill the Shadow Agency for my time. Ditto on any time either of you devote to it. All of our payments come from the company rather than the client.”
“That makes sense.” Carmen flashed her white teeth in a smile. “I think this calls for another round of drinks.” She signaled Johnny, who dipped his head in acknowledgment.
“I think we need to get busy,” Maddie started to protest. “Time matters when someone has been abducted.”
“True,” Carmen agreed. “But Shayla can’t exactly jump into the ocean right now, so it’s going to have to wait until morning.”
Maddie looked from one to the other. “One more drink,” she finally agreed. “And then I want to go home and get started on the computer at least. I’ll start calling my contacts in the morning.”
“What are you drinking?” Shayla asked. Broken Chains kept a wide variety of exotic blood for its Vampire clientele, along with usual bar beverages, both alcoholic and non.
“This is European Farmer,” Carmen said, draining her wineglass. “First time I’ve tried it. Pretty good, too.”
Shayla shuddered. “I’ll just stick with my wine,” she told her friends.
“Me, too.” Maddie raised her nearly empty glass. “Beer is better than blood, at least for me.”
“I beg to differ.” When she took another sip, Carmen deliberately flashed her fangs. As she’d known it would, this made the other two laugh.
Though Maddie had to be at work the next morning, the three of them ended up staying until last call. Shayla had switched from alcohol to seawater, though Maddie had continued to drink beer. She claimed her Shifter metabolism gave her a higher tolerance. This seemed true, since in all the time Shayla had known her, she’d never seen Maddie even tipsy.
Carmen stood, drawing several men’s eyes. Tall and slender, her vivid good looks matched her personality. No one, upon first meeting her, ever suspected her to be a Vampire. She delighted in this and exploited it whenever she could.
“I’ll walk you two out,” Carmen said, showing her teeth. Due to the obscure location of Broken Chains, they had to walk through some sketchy areas of Galveston before they could even catch sight of a cab. And Shayla refused to set foot on the bus. Something about going around the island driven by a complete stranger while packed into a bus with other total strangers made her entire body feel out of tune. Plus, the buses stopped running at eleven thirty. Since tourist season had started, there would be tons of cabs the closer they got to Broadway.
Shayla and Maddie nodded. Carmen knew how much they appreciated her help. More than once they’d been accosted by a human male with bad intent. Though Shayla had taken to carrying a pistol with her, using it would draw more attention than she wanted to deal with. Ditto with Maddie shape-shifting into a Wolf.
Carmen, on the other hand, had no objection to getting a little fresh blood if she had to. Self-defense, she called it. She never took enough to mortally wound anyone, just to weaken them. She’d explained to her friends that not everyone bitten by her would automatically become a Vampire. She had to consciously choose that path, releasing an enzyme when she bit. So far, she’d never made another Vampire. She claimed she wasn’t sure if she ever would.
Which explained why there weren’t a lot more Vampires running around Houston and areas south of there.
Of the three of them, naturally Carmen felt most at home with the dark alleys and empty warehouses. She glided through the shadows, making Shayla realize her friend was a perfect fit for the Shadow Agency. They each had their own set of skills to bring to the table.
Maddie strode along confidently, too. Only Shayla felt off. Not exactly in the moment, somehow. She was conscious of the distant pull of the harbor and the need to soon slip into the water. Land was fun, but it never would be her true home.
Despite the late hour, the other two women were still energized with excitement. Maddie wanted to get started searching immediately and Shayla agreed with her. Carmen, on the other hand, seemed more focused on getting their business up and running. There were, after all, a hundred things that needed to be done. Flyers and business cards made and printed. A mission statement written. Rates and fees for various services agreed upon. She and Maddie chatted back and forth, assigned each other numerous tasks, though Maddie clearly was itching to leave and get busy. Shayla listened, still feeling a bit detached. She wanted to focus on the case at hand first, even though, of the three of them, she had more spare time. Carmen and Maddie, each with their jobs and other activities, would have to parcel out slots of time for this new venture. Maddie also let them know she’d decided to wait before quitting her job, at least until she could be certain her salary would be enough. She had bills to pay.
Since both Shayla and Carmen could set their own hours, neither would be impacted as severely as Maddie if the Shadow Agency failed.
“But it won’t,” Carmen declared, her sultry voice ringing with certainty. “Because we’ve found a niche with a need. As long as we provide good customer service and fulfill that need, we’re a shoo-in for success.”
Shayla nodded, still lost in her thoughts. Maddie noticed.
“You’re awfully quiet.” She elbowed Shayla in the side. “What’s wrong?”
“I can’t stop thinking about that poor missing Mermaid,” Shayla admitted. “Nantha. She’s young. The young ones are often overconfident and reckless. I have a feeling that there’s a lot more to this story than Zach realizes.”
“Or maybe more than he’s letting on,” Maddie interjected.
“No, that wouldn’t make sense,” Shayla argued. “His number one priority is finding his sister. Why would he hide anything, especially if it might be helpful?”
“True,” Carmen said thoughtfully. “I admire the way you’re so focused on this case.”
“She’s also pretty focused on him,” Maddie pointed out.
Carmen’s brows rose. “Really?” she drawled. “I’m guessing he must be easy on the eyes then. So tell me, Shayla. Was he sexy?”
Maddie laughed. Shayla blushed. “Maybe,” she allowed. “He’s Shifter. I’d definitely call him hot. Tall, dark blond hair cut short in one of those deliberately messy styles and light gray eyes. Rugged features, which match his muscles.” She stopped when she realized both her friends were staring at her.
“What?” she asked, her face heating. “You asked if he was sexy. I was just describing him for you.”
The other two women broke out laughing.
“If you think he’s sexy, then he must be to die for,” Carmen teased. “You hardly even notice when I try to put some really gorgeous Vampire men in front of you.”
“Same here,” Maddie interjected. “I’ve made it a habit to have a few of my unattached Shifter friends stop by our table over the last few months, and you didn’t react to any of them.”
Shayla’s blush had become an outright burn. “Well, maybe that’s because this one is different,” she said, flustered.
“Is he now?” In true Carmen fashion, the Vamp wasn’t going to let this go. “Interesting. Very interesting indeed.”
“I agree.” Maddie and Carmen exchanged looks. “Sounds like that’s settled then,” Maddie said. She seemed so satisfied. If she’d been a feline Shifter she would have purred.
Confused, Shayla glanced from one to the other. Her two best friends appeared to find this massively amusing, whatever this might be. Finally, she just had to ask.
“What’s settled?”
“You called dibs!” Both Maddie and Carmen spoke at once, grinning from ear to ear. “Finally. We’re so happy for you. It’s about time.” They high-fived.
Shayla opened her mouth to protest and then closed it. She could tell the more she spoke, the deeper a hole she’d dig. Let them think what they wanted. Zach Cantrell was attractive. She was female, so of course she’d noticed. End of story. Her friends knew better than anyone that she had no intentions of getting involved with a man right now. Not for a long, long time, if ever. Her fiancé had died and she never wanted to feel that kind of pain again.
Later that night, once she’d let herself into her house, she went out on the back deck, the side that overlooked the water. The sounds of the waves lapping up against the shore always comforted her and tonight was no exception.
When she’d first made the impulsive, heartbroken decision to abandon the sea for land, she’d gone upstate, to a small town between Houston and Dallas. The town sat near a large, freshwater lake. She hadn’t realized lakes wouldn’t work the same as the sea, and it had taken her becoming seriously ill for her to understand she’d need to live close to the ocean. So she’d moved to Galveston Island. She’d rented for six months, just long enough to see if she liked it. She did.
Her business procuring and selling rare artifacts found on the ocean floor made more than enough money for her to purchase a single-family home right on the water—a steal at less than a million dollars. From her house, she could not only see the water, but swim in it from her own small, private beach. This brought her peace and no shortage of happiness. And since the house came with a small boat slip, whenever she needed to go under the sea, she simply took the boat out and anchored it before letting her tail grow back.
Perfect solution. She’d truly come to love Galveston Island, even though in the spring and summer it became crowded with tourists. For her, it was the perfect compromise between her new life on land and her old one under the sea.
Maddie lived on the island too, though farther inland, close to The Strand. She shared a small apartment with another woman, also a Shifter. As for Carmen, when anyone asked where she resided, she simply answered in a warning tone that they didn’t really want to know. Shayla assumed that meant a cemetery crypt, but who knew? These days, the Vamps had gotten away from their traditional dwellings. It could be entirely possible that Carmen might have a luxury house or condo near the bay. She had that well-groomed look that money brought.
* * *
The next morning, after her breakfast of kippers and eggs, Shayla went out in her boat. Her body had already begun to let her know she’d stayed away from her natural habitat too long, and, even though Zach Cantrell hadn’t signed a contract yet, she planned to do some investigating while she was under the water. While she didn’t know Ion or his missing daughter, Nantha—just like on land, the Merfolk had numerous cities with thousands of residents—she could still ask around. The news that a Mermaid had gone missing would travel like a tidal wave among her people. For all she knew, it might already have.
The weather couldn’t have been more perfect. Overcast and slightly chilly, the steady mist that fell ensured she’d have privacy on her swim. She motored past Stewart Park, the beach where most of the tourists swam in the late spring and early summer. Since it was late March, a few weeks after spring break, she knew the beach would be mostly deserted, and it was.
She moored her boat about two hundred yards out, in the area where she’d once seen someone conducting a scuba diving class. Dropping her anchor, she slipped out of her raincoat and shirt, leaving only her bikini top. Brightly colored swimsuit tops had become popular among Mermaids, especially since so many of them enjoyed spending time appearing human. With the sea calling her, she slipped over the edge of the boat, beginning the change from legs to tail as soon as her skin hit the icy water.
The first shock of the cold had her sucking in her breath, but then as she slipped under the waves, her Mermaid nature took over, joyfully reuniting with her still-beloved sea. In her grief after losing her fiancé Richard, she’d had to forgive the very nature of the thing that was part of her essence. The marriage had been arranged, true, but the two of them had hit it off immediately, minutes into their first meeting. Sometimes, she’d thought, you meet someone and you just know. They’d both felt that way.
The wedding would unite two separate kingdoms. The celebrations had started immediately. Though they’d met several times in the weeks that followed, they hadn’t yet gotten around to discussing where they would live. Even though she’d known she’d have to move to his kingdom where he would someday rule, she’d been so blinded by love that it hadn’t mattered.
The wedding plans had gone into full gear. It would be an elaborate ceremony with dignitaries attending from seas all over the world. Her dress had been chosen and fitted, the sea anemones ordered and the invitations mailed out.
And then everything had changed in the flip of a fin. Richard had been out celebrating with his friends. He’d been drinking, and was clearly inebriated when he’d run into the massive great white shark in an isolated area.
Shayla often hoped the substantial amount of alcohol meant he hadn’t suffered as much pain.
The shark had later been hunted down and killed, far too late.
The kingdoms had also been stunned. His family went into mourning. Her family did, as well. As for Shayla, her grief turned into rage. She’d gone crazy, acting out, hurting the ones who’d only sought to comfort her. At least as long as she filled herself with fury, she had no room for the pain.
But once this had burned through her, she felt hollow and empty. She became a shadow of her former self, taking comfort in the gray numbness, glad she couldn’t seem to remember how to think, how to feel.
She’d sworn off the sea and tried to turn her back on the ocean. Coming ashore on South Padre Island, she’d headed north, inland, hoping to put as much distance between herself and the water as she could. She’d even managed to convince herself the tales of a Mermaid needing to be around water were old wives’ tales without a single kernel of truth in them.
Now she knew better. She needed the sea as much as she needed air to breathe when she was in her human form.
For its part, the ocean recognized her, too. Just like the land, the sea was a living, breathing organism, and as such, the instant she touched its surface, Shayla became an integral part of it. Joy flooded through her, joy and wonder and a tiny bit of aching grief that she pushed away.
Time to swim. She dove under. As usual, a few minutes passed before her eyes adjusted to the murky depths, but as she swam away from land, gradually going deeper, the entire seascape changed.
Use of sonar by humans to discover shipwrecks had made life more difficult for the Merfolk to keep their cities hidden. But in the deeper parts of the ocean, there were mountains and valleys, just as there were on land, and it was in those valleys where their civilizations had grown. In all of the history of humans, there had only been a few documented instances of them being able to travel so deep, though they’d started using unmanned probes, which Merfolk had taken to destroying if one came too close.
Shayla would have to swim for at least an hour to reach her former home. She’d have to assume that Ion and Nantha had come from the same city, as it was closest to the Gulf coastline of the southern United States and Mexico. Though there were several other possibilities, most farther south, though she knew of at least one settlement northeast near Florida.
In her search for the missing Mermaid, her family’s home seemed like the perfect place to start.
During the long swim, several sea creatures came to say hello. Fish of all kinds, small schools of striped bass, winter flounders, shad and drums, and so many others she stopped trying to identify them. Dolphins, a huge eel and then some sharks, including one ancient great white shark that she carefully avoided. Most times the sharks left Merfolk alone, as they recognized them as fish too large to be taken without a fight. In Richard’s instance, he’d cut himself on some coral. Drunk, disoriented and bleeding, he’d been easy prey for a huge shark.
Pain knifed through her. No. She wouldn’t think of this. Not today. Again, she focused on her surroundings and kinder, gentler creatures. A small group of lined seahorses swam up and gently kissed her before swimming away in search of food. Several species of whale that usually swam just a bit farther south of here surrounded her, vocalizing in the deep peaceful tones of their kind. The sound resonated, echoing off the ocean itself, filling Shayla with peace, easing the last lingering remnants of her grief.
This would always be her true home. On land, she occasionally managed to forget how much she loved the underwater world. Once here, she wondered how she ever stayed away.
Finally, she reached the outskirts of her home, a city known among her people as Coral. She swam under a natural rock archway, and as usual, the first glimpse of Coral had her heart skipping a beat.
The city glowed softly, appearing as if it had been constructed from the most precious essence of oysters, the pearl. Muted white, intermingled with bright flashes of color from the live coral gardens, from a distance her home had a mysterious, ancient air. She could only imagine what the humans would make of it if they happened to send an undetected probe close enough to photograph it.
The nearer she drew, the more the place vibrated with life. Fish as bright as the deep-water coral swam up to greet her, escorting her around the protective shield and into one of several unmarked entrances.
Inside, the city teemed with life. Merfolk, as graceful as the fish, swam in the streets, going about their daily lives. Noticing her, several greeted her and waved, others shouted hello, the sound traveling as waves through the water, tickling her skin. This made her smile. These days, sometimes she could come home and forget about her past pain.
She went directly to her parents’ house, a large free-form structure made of cobalt glass and green coral, shot through with swirling silver accents. Like all of the buildings here in Coral, the shape and color complemented the sea that surrounded them. Her family’s home was larger than the others, due to their royal status. Only the palace, where her brother now resided as king, was bigger and more ornate.
Shayla swam to the door, opening it and going inside without even knocking. Now that her parents were retired from ruling, they occupied their time with various other activities, sometimes together, more often separate. It was fifty-fifty whether she’d even find them at home.
Inside, she headed directly for the kitchen. When her mother saw her, she cried out and swam to give Shayla a hug. “You just barely caught me,” she said. “I was about to leave for afternoon class.”
On alternate days, her mother, Blythe, taught young Merfolk the art of preparing fish. Chef Blythe, the kids called her. After acting as a wise queen for several decades, Blythe had been glad to rid herself of her crown and scepter. Most days, she preferred a more casual style, unless she was teaching a cooking class. She wore her long, inky hair up in a tightly wound bun these days.
“Will you be here later today?” Blythe asked, releasing her.
Though Shayla knew her mom would be disappointed, she told her she couldn’t stay too long. “I’m actually working,” she said.
“On finding artifacts?” Blythe waved her hand in the general direction of the study. “I’m pretty sure your father has several in there waiting for you to pick up.”
“I’ll grab them before I head back,” Shayla said. “I’m actually looking for a missing Mermaid.”
“What?” For a second, Queen Blythe returned. Her mother straightened, lifting her chin and fixing Shayla with a no-nonsense stare. “Explain.”
As succinctly as possible, Shayla did. When she’d finished, Blythe frowned. “And you say her father’s name is Ion? The name sounds familiar, though I can’t place it.”
“If you do, or if you hear any information about Nantha, will you give me a call?” Shayla asked.
“I sure will.” Blythe returned her attention to what she’d been doing when Shayla arrived—packing cooking supplies into a tote. “Right now, though, I’ve got to run.”
“Where’s Dad?” Shayla asked. “Please tell me he’s not up at the castle pestering Merc again.”
“He’s not. Your brother banned him.” Blythe smiled, since they both knew such a ban wasn’t really possible. A sitting king couldn’t forbid a former ruler from visiting the castle. Nor would he really want to. “Since your father had so much difficulty with retirement, he’s gone back to fishing a lot. I tried to get him to volunteer at guppy school, but he refused. Whatever. At least he seems happy.”
“As long as he continues to look for inventory for me, that’s awesome,” Shayla said, even though no one had asked her permission. “He finds the best stuff.”
“You know he and your brother are in a competition to see who can find the most valuable artifact, don’t you?”
Intrigued, Shayla sat on one of the bar stools. Made of coral and glass, they perfectly complemented the stone countertop. “That’s actually pretty awesome,” she said.
“It’s good for you, isn’t it?” Blythe hefted her tote and squared her shoulders. “Who knew humans would pay so dearly for such things?” She smiled, hugging Shayla once more, quickly this time. “I’m sorry I can’t stay and visit, but you’re welcome to come with me and watch the class.”
“I would,” Shayla said. “But I’d planned on going around and seeing if anyone near here has ever heard of Nantha. I wish I’d thought to ask where her family lived. I figure they’re probably from this city, but I have no idea which part.” And since there were thousands of Merfolk living in Coral, she’d need to narrow it down quite a bit.”
“Nantha is an uncommon name,” Blythe mused thoughtfully. “I’ll ask around, too, and let you know if I hear anything.”
“That’d be great.”
“When will you be back?” Blythe asked as she swam toward the front door with Shayla right behind her. Despite being a retired queen, and underwater renowned chef, she’d kept her slender figure. Sometimes when she and Shayla went out together, they were mistaken for sisters. Not a hint of gray touched Blythe’s dark hair, and her face still appeared free of lines or wrinkles. Shayla hoped she’d be as fortunate when she became her mother’s age.
“I’m not sure,” Shayla admitted. “But since I plan to aggressively work this case, I imagine it will be sooner rather than later.”
Blythe cocked her head, studying her daughter. “You look happy,” she mused. “Happier than you’ve been in a long time. I think this new business venture might be agreeing with you.”
Immediately, Shayla thought of Zach. Her entire body heated. Glad her mother couldn’t see, she nodded. “I think so, too.”
With a wave, Blythe swam off. Shayla wandered around the house for a moment, peeking into the study to see what her father had found, before she left to go canvass the part of town closest to her parents’ home. She figured it couldn’t hurt, though she knew she’d do better once she learned where exactly in Coral Ion and his daughter lived.
