I glanced over the list of names and ages. “Were any of them in your pack?”
“One. Ruth died months ago, and the Relic said it was a defective heart. She didn’t have a mate or kids, but it was still hard on the pack. Ruth was only two hundred. She mated into the pack, but her mate died during a scuffle we had a few years back with some Vampires. They hadn’t been together but a few months. Damn shame.”
“Was it a personal conflict with the Vampires? Do you think they might have come after her too?”
“Nothing like that. It was a fluke run-in, and things got out of hand.” Ren flicked the ash from his cigarette into an ashtray. “Maybe it seems like I’m overreacting, but I don’t feel right not looking into it.”
“Did they all die in the same way?”
He shrugged. “No accidents. No injuries.”
Christian clasped his hands together and sat forward. “You think it’s something more insidious, don’t you?”
Ren took another long drag and steadied his eyes on Christian. He blew out a cloud of smoke. “You tell me.”
I noticed children on the list, and as tragic as that was, it made sense. Kids were more vulnerable since they weren’t impervious to sickness or injuries. Adults could heal, so the idea of a mutation wiping them out was unsettling. Additional surnames were scribbled beside some of them—presumably their pack or other animal group. I turned to Christian and quietly said, “I think Blue needs to be in on this. If we have to talk to some of these people, they’ll trust her more than they will us.”
“Aye. But do you think it’s worth the trouble? Viktor isn’t a fan of mysteries.”
“I’ll make it worth his time,” Ren said, stubbing out his cigarette. “A few of my boys pooled money for the bounty hunters, but this one’s coming out of my pocket. Nobody knows we’re talking. I’ve already exhausted my resources for the year, so if it turns out to be nothing, I guess I’m the fool. But these are crazy times.”
“I’ll talk to Viktor, but I can’t guarantee anything.” I tucked the paper back in the envelope. “If he accepts the job, I’ll have to bring on another teammate or two. I know you don’t like outsiders in your business, but we’re Keystone. We work with partners.”
Ren stood. “I want you to know I respect what you did, busting that ring and saving my kind. We hear about raids all the time, but we don’t always get the details.”
Rolling my eyes, I got up, and Christian followed my cue. “I’m sure Crush gave you more than enough details. He’s not supposed to talk about my business, but I guess he can’t help himself.”
Ren chuckled. “He’s a good man. I’ve known him since we served together.”
I tapped the envelope against my palm and tipped my head to the side. I was curious about Ren and what made him tick. “Why would a Shifter serve in the military?”
“In times of combat, you do what’s right. It’s good for alphas and betas to have experience as either a bounty hunter or a soldier. That’s the type of training you need to run a pack.”
I snorted. “Yeah. I’ve seen how toddlers can get out of hand.”
Ren lifted a bottle with two fingers and snapped off the lid. “How much have you learned about Shifters? We form groups for protection—not just from other Breeds but territorial disputes. People are land hungry. I’ve seen entire packs wiped out.” After guzzling down half the bottle, Ren swaggered toward the door. “I’ll call you after I talk to your boss. Crush gave me his number, but I wanted to talk to you first and make sure you were on board. Just so you know, if he wants to assign someone else to the case, I’ll back out. I want you in charge or no one at all.”
“If Viktor gives us the green light, set up a meeting with the Relic. I want to pick his brain and see what he thinks about this whole thing.”
“You’ll have to be discreet.”
“Didn’t Crush tell you that was my middle name?”
He gave me a tight-lipped grin. “Mind if we chat in private?”
Christian inclined his head before leaving the room.
Ren looked me up and down but not in a lewd way. “You grew up, Raven. We haven’t really had a chance to talk since you reappeared.”
I’d shared a few words with Ren during a party at Crush’s house, but he clearly had questions he didn’t want to ask in front of his pack.
He tipped his head toward the door. “They’re soundproof, so your friend can’t hear us.” Ren swaggered back to the sofa and took a seat. “Crush mentioned you’re dating that Vamp. You and Crush have always been family, so what I’m going to say to you is what I’d say to anyone in my own pack.” Ren coolly rotated the silver lighter between his fingers. “If the Irishman ever lays a finger on you, come see me. If you need to make him disappear, I’ll take care of it. No questions asked.”
Ren would have said that to me whether I was human or Breed. My father and his friends didn’t show their love the way most people did. Actions always spoke louder than words.
“Thanks, Ren. I appreciate the offer, but I’m a girl who takes care of her own problems. For what it’s worth, Christian’s good to me. I used to hate Vamps. I still mostly do. But I trust him with my life. He also knows not to cross me. If you have any concerns about his involvement in this case, don’t. He may be the biggest fanghole in Cognito, but he gets the job done.”
“I won’t lie—he makes me nervous. All that power they have. Wouldn’t take much to crush your skull if things got heated between you two. Maybe you should settle down with another Mage—someone with equal power.”
I gave him an oblique smile. “I have more power than you give me credit for.”
“That I don’t doubt.”
Chapter 6
“I bought something for you,” I said, handing Christian a wedge of watermelon.
He smiled up at me from his grassy spot on the hill overlooking Keystone estates. “You remembered.”
I sat down beside him. “You told me about how much you love watermelon, but we never have any in the house. They’re in season, so I bought a few. I was going to leave one on your bed as a surprise, but I didn’t think you’d eat it.”
He took a bite while staring at Matteo’s campfire in the distance. “And exactly what do you think I might do with a large melon?”
“Toss it out the window?”
“’Twould be a shame if it struck you in the head,” he mused before taking another juicy bite. “We’d have to bury you in a watermelon patch.”
“My ghost would be a hideous sight. Like the headless horseman, only a watermelon for a head instead of a pumpkin.”
He chortled. “I’d pay good money to see the look on Spooky’s face.” After finishing his melon, he stared at the rind. “Half the fun was choking on the black seeds.”
“They’re genetically modified now.”
“Like you.” Christian hurled the melon into the darkness.
I jerked my head back. “Are you possessed?”