“What next then? I was sure Calum would give us some information on which way to go on Boris, but now. Do you think he will say something to him and let him know we are looking at him?” Raven asked.
Caz shook his head. “No. He may be Calum’s friend, but he wouldn’t put us in harm's way.”
“Thank you for believing in me, brother.” Calum stood at the kitchen door. “Raven, I know you don’t trust me yet, but believe this, I would never do anything to get you hurt. Sometimes we think we know people, but really, we don’t know them at all. I’m still holding out my judgement against my old friend until you tell me otherwise.
“But be careful. Boris Connor is a very wise and strong vampire. He would not have stayed alive this long if he wasn’t. Forgive me, but I’m having such a hard time believing he is involved in something this horrible. To do this to shifters isn’t like him, but to do this to his own people...it’s, it’s almost inconceivable to believe. I pray you are wrong. But what can I help you with?”
“We need to know who we’re dealing with. His background, his family, why he would be in business with billionaire Wyatt Benjamin and why that human has purchased land here in New Hope,” Caz answered.
Calum’s head twisted to the side. “Now that is unusual. What would he want here in New Hope? I know Wyatt, even had some business dealings with him, but he is more of a city man. That is very unusual. But Boris would love it here. He hates the city. Boris has been on this earth for a very long time. His mate was killed two years ago. Nobody knows exactly what happened and Boris will not talk about it.”
“Do you think that could have something to do with this?” Raven asked.
“Not sure. Boris said she was killed in a car crash, but never gave any details. He said the car caught on fire. He was out of town on business.” Calum sat at the table and stared out the window. “Boris loves shifters and his people. He is always on the side of caution when disciplining his own kind. Even shifters. None of this makes any sense.”
Raven leaned forward and put her hand on Calum’s shoulder. “Maybe he’s not. Maybe Archie is wrong or trying to set him up. I don’t know, but, Calum, I will do my job no matter who he is.”
“That’s what I like about you, Raven. Straight to the point. You always tell it like it is. I respect that about you.”
“Where would you start, Calum? If you were us and you needed to see if Boris is involved. Finding out information without setting up red flags?” Caz asked.
Calum smiled. “Using someone who is close to Boris. Someone who wouldn’t set any flags up by asking questions.”
Caz and Raven both smiled. “Thank you, Calum.”
“Family, my dear. There is nothing more important than family.”
Raven parked in front of the pack house. Before she could pull the door handle, Caz was opening her door. “I know how to get out of my truck.”
“Just being nice, Raven. Look, let's talk. I’ve been thinking about something.”
Didn’t he know how hard it was for her to be around him? It was getting harder by the minute. Why? This shifter got on her every nerve. She couldn’t stop being such a bitch around him. But he smelled so good. Peaches, why did he have to smell like peaches?
She followed him into the woods. “Where are we going?”
“To the pond. I don’t want everyone hearing this.”
As they made it to the water, he sat on the rocks. “I need to know before we go any further if you can learn to trust me, Raven. Trust is important to my animal and to the human side. Without it…well, we might as well talk to the alpha. Every hunter I’ve spoken with has told me the same thing--”
“What?”
“That you would protect me with your life. They were all shocked at how you are treating me.”
Raven’s eyes widened. “How am I treating you? How about how you treat me?”
“The moment we met, you became defensive toward me.” Caz held up his finger. “Let me finish. I tried to joke with you, but again you became defensive, a total bitch.”
It was as if the breath was knocked out of her. Her eyes even started watering. She turned and took in a deep breath. Lord, why was she acting like this?
“Hey, are you okay.” The small touch to her shoulder almost brought the sob she was feeling up her throat, but she held it in. The kindness he was showing her was like all the hunters. They all cared for each other, and yes, she would protect him with her life. He was a hunter after all.
“Sure. I’m fine. I’m not a bitch either. I didn’t know you and you were walking freely on our land. Nobody felt the need to tell me about you, and to be honest, it pissed me off. Even Leo knew and he neglected to say anything to me.”
Moving back to the rock, Caz moved his hand through the water. “It’s so beautiful here. This is what sold me to come live here and not stay with my sister. This feels like home to me. For the first time in such a long time, this place, even these people, made me feel like I mattered. I have certain skills that would be useless out there, but in here, I feel alive.”
Caz glanced up at her. “I’m sorry nobody told you. I guess it was a shock to see an unknown shifter walk up to you. I would like to start over if you are willing. A fresh start because to solve this case we need to work together and share all information we get together or separate. What do you say?”
What could she say? He was right. “Okay. But right now, you know everything I know,” Raven said. Her lips turned up slightly.
Smiling back at her, Caz got up and pushed his hand out to her. “I’m Caz Milton, tiger shifter, and a new member to the Death Hunters.”
Raven bit her bottom lip and knew this would probably be the worst mistake of her life, but she couldn’t help it. Taking his hand, a soft current moved up her arm, making her heart beat faster. “Hey, I’m Raven Verdes, bear shifter, an old member of the Death Hunter.”
“Now, let’s go find out about this Wyatt Benjamin.”
Chapter Seven
Raven pushed her laptop so Caz could read the information she had found on the billionaire. “Does he have a family?”
“No, not that it says. Wait...It says that his wife and child were killed in a car accident two years ago.” Caz jerked his gaze up. “Same as Boris. That can’t be a coincidence.”
“Yeah, I don’t think so either. Does it say where it happened?” Raven asked.
Caz read farther then shook his head, “No, but I find it hard to believe that both of these men had a family killed two years ago and there is nothing in here to show where it happened. With the media the way it is, somebody had to find out where it happened. I’ll send Calum a text and let him know. Keep searching. There has to be something we’re missing.”
He moved toward the back door and sent a text to Calum. The man had a way of finding out anything. This should be a piece of cake. Closing his phone, he watched as Raven typed on the laptop. Did she know how beautiful she was? How could she not. Her black hair fell across her face. It looked like silk glittering in the light. Didn’t she see her beauty? But the more he watched her, he didn’t think she did. She had tons of self-confidence in being a hunter but just like Riley, she had none in her beauty.