If we even made it that far.
Chapter 12
Earlier that same day.
Blue parked her Mustang in front of a jaw-dropping white mansion that looked like something out of Beverly Hills. The iron gates by the road should have tipped her off, but this was beyond anything she’d ever seen. Most Shifters who lived in the country liked the rustic look—it blended in with the woods around them. But some families were loaded, and they liked to flaunt their wealth by constructing modern homes that rivaled anything out of an architectural magazine for billionaires.
“Keep your guard up, amigo. I don’t like the looks of this.”
Niko unbuckled his seat belt. “Is that not what you said about our last stop?”
“I didn’t like the looks of that either. I still don’t. Where the hell were all the women? I only saw three in that whole pack. But I sure saw a lot of kids. Mostly girls.”
“Yes,” Niko murmured. “I noticed deception in their light, but that could have been for any reason, including having strangers in their home.”
Blue scoffed. “A run-down warehouse is hardly a home.”
“What is it about this house you don’t trust?”
“This isn’t a house—it’s a compound.” She flung open the door and got out.
This assignment hadn’t opened her eyes to the crap going on with some Shifters—it just reminded her of it. The vast majority of animal groups were decent, but there were far too many who weren’t. Wolves weren’t any worse than lions or horses or cougars. She’d seen her fair share of immoral behavior even in a herd of deer.
The sun glinted off the electric-blue paint on her Mustang. Wyatt said she should have purchased a classic, but Blue liked the power in her newer engine. She didn’t drive it much—a falcon has little need for a car. But if she was going to own a vehicle, why not drive something with a little kick?
Her attention wandered around. Instead of gravel, a paved driveway led up to the house. Concrete covered the entire front except for a circular patch of grass and topiary in the center. Most people would have put a fountain there, but she liked their design better. The driveway branched to the left and disappeared, likely to an underground garage. She cast her gaze to the three-story mansion. The levels weren’t stacked neatly on top of each other but were set backward, creating ample patio space. She thought she heard splashing water—probably one of those fancy infinity pools.
Niko rounded the car and joined her side. “Everyone’s inside. That’s unusual.”
“Not really. They’ve probably got a bowling alley and movie theater inside this place. You should see how many windows there are.”
He clasped his hands behind his back. “Perhaps you shouldn’t judge a man until you’ve been inside his home. Forgive my bluntness, but your opinions of people are highly subjective.”
Blue couldn’t deny it. It wasn’t easy for her to trust people, especially those with power.
“Well, let’s get this show on the road,” she said, offering Niko her arm.
Blue was used to guiding her partner around in unfamiliar places. He was quite adept at learning the layout of a club, restaurant, and even the sidewalks outside their regular haunts. But while Niko could see energy and avoid colliding with people, animals, or even plant life, inanimate objects rarely gave off energy. Not unless they’d been recently touched or were made of certain stones. Sometimes he could simply follow someone’s energy trail, but it wouldn’t always point out stairs, chairs, or other obstacles.
“Three steps,” she said as they approached the front door.
He followed her movement, and when they reached the top, she let go, signaling there was nothing more to guide him through.
Blue looked for a door knocker or doorbell but only saw a speaker box. She pushed the button and waited patiently.
“State your business,” a woman said.
“Blue and Niko to see Sambah Freeman.”
They waited another moment before the massive door opened. An older woman with a colorful wrap on her head that matched her ankle-length blue dress greeted them with a long look before stepping aside. “Come this way. He’s expecting you.”
When Blue noticed the lady was barefoot, she reached down to unlace her boots. Then she tapped Niko’s leg to signal he needed to take off his shoes.
The marble floors gleamed, pulling in light from all the windows. They passed a group of children gathered on a massive brown shag rug. Two older women were styling the children’s hair while keeping an eye on the others who played.
Niko followed her energy trail without touching her. Sometimes it drew attention when she led him around, so he was always cognizant about how much assistance he took from her in front of watchful eyes.
She glanced up at the lofty ceilings. The art was resplendent, including a gorgeous painting of lions walking through a golden field toward a ruby sunset. The other pieces were images of Africa, elephants, and a few abstracts. There were also masks, woven blankets, spears. She couldn’t take her eyes off each one as they approached the curved staircase.
“Beautiful stairs,” she said, gripping the metal railing. “I like the way they curve upward.” That was her discreet way of warning Niko. There was no danger of him falling since glass siding ran all the way up.
Once they reached the top floor, the woman led them through a large gym filled with expensive equipment. Two men lifting weights didn’t give them a second glance, but she had a feeling they were Sambah’s bodyguards. When they reached the windows, two glass doors automatically opened.
Blue lifted her toes when she stepped onto the hot concrete. Lucky Niko. He could adjust his internal body temperature and make his feet a few degrees cooler to counter the burn. They veered right toward a swimming pool that went around the corner of the house.
“He will see you when he is ready,” the woman said before taking her leave.
The splashing grew louder as a man appeared from around the corner and swam toward them. The smell of chlorine hung in the air as he made long arm strokes, his head only surfacing when he took a breath from the side. Once the man neared the edge of the pool, he disappeared beneath the water. A few seconds later, he emerged and ascended the wide pool steps.
The water glistened on his dark skin, and admiring his body was unavoidable. Her eyes strayed down to his white Speedos, which looked painted on. She could probably wash laundry on his sculpted abs.
He lifted a towel off a nearby chair and dried his face. “You are early, are you not?”
Blue shifted her weight to her other foot. “We agreed on a later time, but our last stop went pretty quick.”
The man wrapped the towel around his waist and approached. “I am Sambah Freeman,” he said, bowing. “You must be Blue and Niko. Come, let us sit in the shade.”
Sambah led them to a patio set on the opposite side of the pool. A blue-and-white rug blanketed the hard concrete, and a white umbrella shaded the glass table, blue sofa, and wicker chairs. Sambah gestured for them to take the sofa, and he sat in the chair to their left.
Blue had barely gotten her butt in the seat before a man appeared with drinks. He set the frosty glasses on the table, each with a lemon wedge and sugar on the rim.