Chapter 14

Blake

Blake wanted to bang his head against the wall. He was bored and restless. Not a good combination for a dragon. In the past five days, they had learned nothing more than what they already knew. Nikki refused to summon the empousai until she had confirmation that the Tribe was behind everything. That made it even harder to track the magic. Lincoln had lost all contact with Jada, and a bear shifter had turned up dead on the side of a back road. Fortunately, Lincoln's team had a relationship with the local authorities and could hide that from the public.

And he was not very happy about their plan. Dragons do not allow themselves to be captured.

To make matters worse, he only talked briefly with Angela. He was furious with Tristan when he found out Doyle was now protecting Angela. His brother may have trusted him, but Blake knew nothing about him except that he worked for whoever paid him the most. Tristan had been unavailable every time he called.

He was very uncomfortable with Benji being with his grandparents. Ultimately, Benji was Angela's son, but having them separated didn't feel right. Then she told him about going to Camp David. He hadn't been there yet, so he knew nothing about the layout or current security measures. She assured him they had taken every precaution, but he wouldn't feel relaxed until he was in charge of her safety again.

He slammed back the rest of his stale coffee and crushed the Styrofoam cup. "There has to be another plan, a better plan. I thought wolves were great at this sort of thing."

"We have worked through every other idea," Lincoln said. "We don't know what happened to Jada, so we can't count on her. Our best bet is to have an inside person." He pointed to a cluster of photos pinned to a corkboard. "Six shifters from around town have gone missing in the last three months."

"Then why couldn't it be one of your people?"

Washington said, "It could be, but with your public notoriety, it would be a big deal to have you as part of the hunt."

Blake let the front legs of his chair hit the floor. "Or they could not want anything to do with me. I've been all over town for several days, and no one has tried to do anything."

"Well, there were those two blonde hotties who wanted your autograph," Ford said.

Blake ignored him.

"Look, there's some big country fair thing in town. The plan is to go and make ourselves very well known," Lincoln said.

Blake gave him a dirty look. "Dragons don't like fairs of any kind, and a country fair sounds like hell on earth."

"Ah, come on, Big Guy," Maddison said. "I bet you'd look very hot in a cowboy hat. The local women will be all over you."

"Oh, that's been my plan all along," Blake said. "Find a local woman and run away to make baby dragons."

"Can a human and a dragon make baby dragons?" Ford said.

Washington bounced an empty can off Ford's head. "Are you ever serious?"

Ford rubbed his head. "What the hell, Man? That hurt."

Blake did not understand how this motley crew functioned. Lincoln claimed to be the alpha, but Blake had never seen an alpha with no control over his pack. When Blake asked him about it, he explained that the team may look dysfunctional, but they excelled in a crisis.

"Once we know the Tribe is behind this, I will do what I need to," Nikki said.

Blake couldn't help but notice her slight eye tick. She wasn't telling them the whole truth.

"Are you sure you can do it?" Lincoln asked.

Nikki shrugged. "I've never done it before, but from what my grandmother told me, it's an innate ability that will kick in when needed."

"We hope it'll kick in." Reagan gave Nikki a skeptical look.

There was a story between them. They acted like long-lost friends when they arrived, but that didn't last long.

"I can be counted on in a crisis." Nikki leaned on the table in front of Reagan. "Can you?"

Reagan bounced from the chair and leaned closer to Nikki. "I'm not the one who changes her mind without telling anyone, assuming she's capable of taking care of everything herself."

The room grew tensely quiet, and no one moved. Both women let their animals come to the surface.

Washington clapped his hands. "Hey, knock it off, you two. Whatever beef you have between each other, get over it now. There isn't time for this type of foolishness."

Blake hated to admit that he was disappointed Washington had stopped them. He kinda wanted to watch them fight. He'd never seen an alicorn in animal form but knew they were large. A wolf was smaller and probably more agile, though.

Lincoln glanced at him. "Are you going to keep her in line?"

Oh, you didn't just question me, Fucker.

Blake's eyes turned ink-black, and he summoned just enough energy to dominate the room, standing. "I'm not sure I understand what you're insinuating."

Lincoln stepped close to Blake and summoned enough energy to challenge Blake without shifting.

Oh, you want to play doggie?

Washington stepped between them, placing a hand on their chests and pushing them apart. "This isn't accomplishing anything." He turned his head to Lincoln. "You know better." Then he turned to Blake. "I don't know you very well, but I'd like to think if you're guarding the President, you know how to behave as well."

Blake shook his head, ran a hand through his hair, and stomped outside.

The first stars twinkled in the sky, but the sun hadn't fully set. The fall breeze helped cool his temper. There was no reason to lose his cool like that. He was better than that.

Nikki stepped through the door and walked over to him. "You okay?"

Blake didn't say anything.

Nikki continued. "Reagan and I go back a long way. She knows exactly how to get under my skin. It's a kink for her, trust me. Most of the time, I can deal with it, but sitting in this room after a week and not accomplishing anything is making me crazy."

He picked up a rock and threw it into the air, catching it in his hand. "Tell me about it." He threw the rock and caught it again.

"Going to the fair is a great idea. It's a great chance for max exposure."

"Yeah, maybe. The problem is we don't even know if the right people will be at this fair. I don't even like fairs."

Nikki smiled. "I don't either, but I have a feeling about this one."

"Every trail we've followed has ended with nothing. It just feels like we're spinning our wheels."

"I guess you could see it that way."

"What other way is there?" He tossed the rock and caught it again.

Nikki reached over and caught the rock when he threw it up again. She dropped it on the ground. "Do you have any patience?"

Blake grimaced. "Not really."

"You and the Director are exactly alike."

Blake growled. "I am nothing like my brother."

Nikki rolled her eyes and leaned her neck to both sides, cracking the joints. "Um, okay."

Blake crossed his arms over his chest, tucking his hands under his armpits. "If you know of a reason the fair will work out, please share your insight."

"I don't know if it will work out. But I know you've been preening all over town, and more than just the two blondes have noticed. The people here don't like you. It doesn't matter that you are protecting the President. They don't trust you. That's obvious by the looks you get when we're out."

"I don't fucking care what the people in this town think of me. I want to get this done and get back to DC."

Nikki put her hands in her pockets. "You mean you want to get back to the President."

Blake started to answer her but changed his mind.

"Everyone can see how much in love you are." Nikki glanced up to the sky. "I had a chance to be happy once."

"What happened?"

Nikki looked back over her shoulder. "I let a poker game get in the way."

Before Blake could ask any more questions, Lincoln stuck his head out the door and said, "Unless you two have come up with something new and brilliant, we're leaving in half an hour. There are clothes in here for you."

Blake looked down at his clothes. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"Tactical pants and boots don't exactly say yee-haw," Lincoln said.

Blake didn't like it, but he agreed. He held open the door for Nikki.

"I have to get a picture of you dressed up," Nikki said.

Blake pointed at her. "Do and die. There will be no evidence of me in a cowboy hat."

Nikki gave him a half smile. "Yeah, okay."

He hated this plan.

"I'm going to get a beer," Lincoln said after they got to the fairgrounds. He checked his watch. "Spread out, and let's meet back in an hour."

Reagan walked over to Blake. "Nikki and I should go with you."

Nikki furrowed her forehead. "Why?"

"A man walking around with one woman is on a date. No one will pay attention to that. But a man walking around with two women is more than likely looking out for them."

"Since when are you the expert on men?" Nikki asked.

Reagan clicked her tongue. "Not an expert on men, but I know people." She tapped a finger on her temple. "It's not just a hat rack."

Blake interrupted Nikki before she could say anything else. "Fine. I'm hungry. I bet there'll be corndogs or hot dogs around here somewhere."

He let Nikki and Reagan walk slightly in front of him. It gave him the chance to watch them while scoping out the people walking around them. The kids ran around screaming and laughing while their parents chased after them or yelled something about not running. Young lovebirds walked around holding hands with silly, sappy smiles on their faces. A few of the men were already drunk and flexed their muscles at the various carnival games. But most people ignored them. A couple of women watched them as they walked by, but that was it.

They stood in line for food and beer, finding a picnic table on the side of the seating area.

Reagan took a drink of beer and then said, "My family worked carnivals most of my life. I'm pretty sure my two brothers still do."

"You don't know?" Nikki said.

"I haven't talked to my family since before I went to prison."

Blake said, "Can I ask you something?"

Reagan eyed him and pressed her lips together. "You can ask, but I won't guarantee an answer."

"Fair enough. How did all of you get out of prison?"

Reagan exchanged looks with Nikki and then looked away. She waited several moments before she said, "I'm not sure. I wasn't the most cooperative prisoner."

"Really? You don't say," Nikki interrupted her.

Reagan narrowed her eyes to Nikki for an extended moment. There was something unspoken exchanged, and Blake didn't know if it was something good or something that would stir up trouble.

"I spent a lot of days in solitary. That was better than Gen Pop, anyway. I grew up in a large family, constantly surrounded by an even bigger family of carnies. Not much of a chance to be alone. After the first couple of times I was sent to solitary, I started doing shit on purpose. I could breathe when I was alone. The guards were nicer in solitary, too. Maybe because they only had to tell me once what to do. The only drawback was only getting one hour a day outside."

"Did they treat you any differently?" Blake asked.

"You mean because I was a shifter?"

Blake nodded his head once.

"I got special permission to shift once a month for twelve hours. That was the worst part of being in prison. I missed running in wolf form."

Nikki put a hand on Reagan's hand, and the two women looked at each other. Nikki let go.

"I was in wolf form one night when Lincoln came to visit. I have no idea how he managed to do this, but he joined me in the yard, and we paced the one strip of land for almost two hours. My human side loved solitude, but it wasn't until that moment that I realized my wolf needed a pack." She lifted her eyes to the stars. "The next day, I was released, and Lincoln was waiting for me on the other side of the gate."

"What landed you in prison?" Blake asked.

Reagan gave him a smile that consumed her face, and she winked. "I can con the Christmas out of Santa if I want to."

A male's voice distracted them. "Ahh, come on, Honey. I know you've been looking at me all night."

Two women sat at a picnic table, eating. Two men stood next to the table.

"We aren't interested," one of the women said. She turned her back to the man talking.

Blake shook his head. Stupid humans.

"How long ago was that?" he asked Reagan.

"Three years," Nikki answered for her.

Reagan nodded. "Did you keep tabs on me?"

Nikki pushed out a quick breath and stared at her food. "Maybe."

"If you knew where I was, why didn't you call me?"

Before Nikki could answer, they were interrupted by the men again. "You can't expect me to ignore a pretty little thing like you. If you didn't want the attention, why did you wear a short skirt like that?"

Nikki groaned. "Why can't men understand consent doesn't come from a woman's clothing?"

Reagan and Nikki fist-bumped. "That is a question for the ages."

The three watched the two women verbally spar with the men.

"Should we help?" Nikki asked.

"Maybe," Blake said.

"They seem to be doing pretty good on their own," Reagan said.

One of the women stood up from the bench. "Billy Joe, just leave us alone."

The other woman stood, and the two walked away.

Reagan jutted her chin in their direction. "See, they didn't need our help."

Blake watched the two men follow the women. "Are you sure about that?"

The four disappeared around a cluster of tents.

Nikki got up and stepped toward them.

"You aren't leaving me behind. I want in on this fun." Reagan got up and followed her.

Blake had a bad feeling about this but followed.

It didn't take long to reach the tents. They turned, took three steps down a makeshift aisle lined with tents and two trailers, and stopped.

"Where did they go?" Nikki asked.

Reagan turned in a circle. "That's a good question."

Blake sniffed. "It doesn't smell right."

Nikki sniffed. "I don't smell anything, and I should."

"Exactly," Blake said.

"I don't hear anything either," Reagan said.

Blake closed his eyes and opened his dragon senses. His senses had been overloaded before, and now, there was nothing. He couldn't hear the kids or their parents. There were no food smells or bells and whistles from the games. But more telling, there were no people. Where were the four people?

"Do you think they took the women?" Reagan asked.

Nikki held out her hands to the side, palms facing the ground. "I don't sense any kind of struggle. Given the backtalk the women were giving, I don't think they would have gone away peacefully."

Blake opened his eyes. "Then where are they?"

They stood quietly for a heartbeat before Blake felt the hairs on his arms stand on end. Reagan had dropped to all fours and was mid-shift before he could stop her. With two quick bursts of energy, Reagan shifted into a white wolf.

"Well, if we didn't stand out before, we're going to now," Blake said.

There was a high-pitch whine and a dull thump. Reagan whimpered and fell to the ground.

Nikki got to her first. She ran her hands along Reagan's body and lifted her snout to her lap. "What the hell?"

Blake knelt beside them and noticed a glint reflecting on Reagan's shoulder. He pulled out a dart. Reagan started panting, and her eyes rolled up before closing.

They weren't alone, after all.

He smelled the dart. There was no smell whatsoever, which made him think of only one drug.

Carfentanil.

"We need to get out of sight." Nikki stood and hooked her hands under Reagan's front legs.

Blake scanned the area and couldn't find a great place to hide. "Drag her over there." He pointed to one of the trailers. "We can hide under it."

There was only one way into this corridor and one way out. This had been the plan all along.

There wasn't enough space for him to shift, and unlike a wolf, a dragon would be impossible to explain. He could bring forth enough power to fight, though. Sharp claws broke the skin between his knuckles, and his shirt seams ripped as his chest and shoulders grew.

Nikki pushed Reagan under the trailer and stood next to Blake. "Where are they?"

A small canister rolled on the ground and stopped in front of them. With a quick pop, it exploded, and thick smoke engulfed them.

"Get under the trailer," he commanded.

Another high-pitch whine rushed past him, and Nikki fell. He caught her before she hit the ground and started shoving her under the trailer.

He didn't hear a whine but felt a sharp bug-like sting followed by hot pain spreading across his shoulder. The world spun, and he couldn't keep his balance. Darkness filled the edges of his vision. He searched his shoulder, pulled out the dart, and stumbled a step forward.

"I told you that would work," one of the women from before said. "I've never met a shifter who could resist helping a human."

"We were only supposed to bring in the male. He's the dragon they told me about," one of the men said.

"A dragon, huh?" the other man said. "He doesn't look big enough to be a dragon."

"Looks can be deceiving. I mean, I thought you were a good guy when I first saw you," the first woman said.

The man backhanded her. She bent over, grabbing her face. "Care to change that opinion?"

Blake held out his arms, walking toward the man who hit the woman. It felt like he was walking sideways, and everything was blurry.

The second woman put an arm around the first, and they stepped away.

The second man said, "I can't believe this one's still going. He may not be big, but he's strong. There's enough in those darts to bring down a one-ton elephant."

Blake stretched his arm, grabbing for what he thought was the man talking, but he lost his balance and fell against the trailer instead.

The men laughed.

"What's the matter? Having trouble walking?" one of the men said. "Shoot him again, Billy."

The second dart entered Blake's other shoulder.

"Is he the one they wanted?" Billy asked.

"Yep, looks like it."

"Think they'll pay us extra for the other two?" Billy asked.

"If they don't, we'll take care of them like we took care of that bear."

The last thing Blake saw was two sets of boots walking toward him with a long rope.

Damn it. Of course, their stupid plan would work.