14. Fourteen

fourteen

The plan was to wait in the van until the last possible moment, and then join Kendal as she walked into the building.

As soon as I heard her gasp and smelled three unfamiliar scents I was out the door and in front of her, my hackles raised. Kragen was on my heels, taking a similar position on her other side.

"What the actual fuck?"

The creatures stepped back, pulling guns from wherever they'd been hidden. Seeing them put me on higher alert. I growled a low warning. Our hybrid DNA made us impervious to most weapons. Bullet wounds would heal, but they still hurt.

Before I knew what she was doing, Kendal slipped between us and marched toward the other three.

"Hey! Put that shit away. I was invited!"

The one in the middle cracked a smile. "So you were. Kendal McPherson, I presume?"

She crossed her arms over her chest and nodded. I didn't like her so close to them, so I snaked a hand around her waist and pulled her back. The creature kept speaking.

"My name is Reinar Hilbertson. I own Superhuman Security." He waved a hand around to indicate the building. "I'm also a werewolf. These are my colleagues," he swung his hand to his left, "Vital Benoit, werebear," his hand swung right, "and Alexi Makarovich, also a werebear. We most often go by our code names." He pointed to himself, then at each bear in turn. "Zeus, Behemoth, and Russia."

My ears pinned back to my head and my growl got louder. I shoved Kendal behind me despite her humph of protest.

Kragen moved in front of both of us, closing half the distance between us and the others. "Kragen and Drym, wyrfangs."

"Wyrfangs? I've never heard of your species."

Kragen dipped his head. "We're new."

The one called Behemoth cocked his head. "Crossbreed?"

"Created," Kragen answered.

The three gave each other shocked looks.

"Should I be worried for my people's safety?"

He was clever to ask.

"Not unless you plan to attack us. We seek only answers, not bloodshed."

"Right," the werewolf said. "I think we should take this upstairs where we can sit down."

He led us through a thick steel door and my anxiety ramped up. Kragen and I could probably break through it, but the effort would leave Kendal open to attack. I felt much better when we entered an open space.

One of the bears walked toward another metal door, but the wolf—clearly the leader—stopped him with a chuckle. He looked up at our horns. "I think it best if we took the stairs."

A series of steps swept in an arc and carried us to an upper level. The walls were made of an abundance of glass, and Kragen and I pressed ourselves against the one solid wall. The odds a human walking by would see us on the second floor were low, but not zero.

The were-creatures had moved into another glass room. This one contained a long table and large screens on two walls. When he noticed we hadn't followed, he turned.

"It's one way glass." He nodded toward the outside walls. "We can see out, but no one can see in. It's necessary when working with Society clients." He moved back into the room. "Please have a seat. I have many questions."

Kragen cautiously moved to the far end of the table and I followed, keeping Kendal behind me despite her snorts of protest. I managed to sit in the offered chair. It was plush and the back didn't reach the seat, giving me a place to put my tail. It rolled and I shoved my claws into the floor to anchor myself.

I pulled Kendal into my lap and curled around her as best I could.

Kragen followed suit and settled into the chair next to mine. "We have questions as well."

"Me too!" Kendal shouted, her voice muffled behind my arms.

The wolf looked at the bear on his right and said, "Maybe you should ask Gaelynn to come. Seeing how we protect all mates might make them feel more at ease."

"Mate?" Kendal's voice was high-pitched and she started pushing against me in earnest.

I relented and loosened my arms enough for her to poke her head out before she hurt herself.

I heard the bear mutter, "Fuck no," in response to his superior.

If even these creatures saw nothing but monsters when they looked at us, where did we belong? Would we be shunned by all societies, human and supernatural alike? We would survive, but Kendal didn't deserve a life like that.

Her voice snapped me back to the present.

"What do you mean, mate?"

Kragen snapped his teeth together, the clack getting her attention. "Perhaps your questions can wait?"

A flush crept up her cheeks. "Right, right. Sorry."

For a long moment, we merely stared at each other. I didn't see any hostility in their body language, and their scents were neutral, but the bear's reluctance to bring his female wore on my mind.

Kragen broke the silence. "You're the supernatural's representative, Reinar?"

"Call me Zeus, the others do. And yes, I'm the Society council representative for this region."

"Society council? You also represent human society?"

"Ah, no. Society includes all supernatural individuals. We call humans ‘normals.'" He shrugged. "Terminology that's easier to say than ‘supernatural individuals' each time, since our numbers are vast and our forms varied."

Kragen nodded. "I understand. This council acts as a governing body over our kind? Separate from the normal's government?"

"That's correct. Only…" He tilted his head and ran his fingers through his hair. "I've never heard of your kind. Wyrfang, you said?"

"I'm not surprised you haven't heard of us. Our number is small. We asked Kendal to inquire about other Society in the hopes you could help us."

Zeus was nodding. "I'll do my best. What is it you need help with?"

Anger waved from Kragen like an oppressive heat. I found my own joining it.

"Finding the remaining members of the company that created us. And destroying them."