Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Composite Sketch

Psycho

After we parked the SUV, I told Wizard to mass text everyone we were having church. I led Nera to Rumble and we headed inside. Strife was already behind the bar, doing liquor bottle inventory and setting up for the night. I was glad I had a reliable guy with so much brewery and bar knowledge running the place. I trusted him implicitly.

"Hey," he greeted.

"What's up?" I asked. "Need to place an order?"

He shook his head. "No, we're well stocked. You want a drink, boss?"

"No, I'm good." I looked at Nera. "Do you want one?"

"No, thank you," she replied.

I looked into her eyes. "Are you sure? Might take the edge off."

She seemed to be debating with herself. "Okay."

"Great, what would ya like?" Strife asked.

"Surprise me," she quipped.

"I know just the thing, darlin'." He threw her a wink and went to work.

"Are you okay?" I asked her once he moved down the bar to get something.

She nodded, but her thoughts seemed to be far away. "I'll live."

"I should have left you here."

"It's not like I could have drawn you a map." She blinked wide eyes up at me.

I didn't know what to say to that, because it was true. Still, I could tell by her demeanor that going on that little outing today had made some part of her regress to that scared woman we'd picked up just days ago.

"Here you go, Nera!" Strife said with a proud smile.

"What is it?" she asked.

"It's a Ranch Water. You'll like it," he encouraged.

She picked it up and took a sip, then made a little bit of a face.

"Not a fan?" I asked, chuckling.

"What's in it?" she asked Strife.

"It's like a margarita, just a little more sour than sweet. I can add some margarita mix if you want. Or some juice."

She shook her head. "No, actually, I think this will grow on me. Thanks, Strife."

He winked and smacked his palm on the bar. "No problem, darlin'."

We made our way over to the stage area and most everyone had filed in already. I told Nera to take the seat between Wizard and Menace.

I walked up to the stage and stood at the podium.

"This will be quick, I just have to give you a couple of updates. Firstly, Trigger is still out. We anticipate he'll be waking up soon, based on some biological movements and responses he's been showing. You'll be the first to know when he wakes. Second, today's search and seizure was a bust. The vamps had moved out of where they'd been holding Nera. We assume after she and the other two humans escaped, that they wised up and packed it in. They're in the wind now."

I looked out over the crowd, where a few wolves were scowling and making noises of disappointment. They were all good men and women so I valued their opinion.

"So I'm going to take a vote, because we have three choices. Number one: Who agrees we need to call Viper and get the Nighthawks involved? Not hand it to them, just get their assistance."

About five hands went up. That wasn't much in a room of over thirty.

"Number two: Who agrees we should just handle this ourselves with the help of Wizard and possibly outside help. We could try to get names for these assholes, then we go after them."

About twenty hands went up.

"Lastly, who agrees we should wash our hands of this and give the entire case over to the Nighthawks?"

About three hands went up.

I already knew they'd mostly be in favor of handling this ourselves. It wasn't like we weren't capable. Most wolves wanted nothing to do with vamps, and the fact that the minority vote for the other two issues came mostly from the humans in the group, wasn't surprising.

"Okay, we handle this shit ourselves. That being said, I'm obligated to notify the 'hawks since these are vamps in their territory. They would be obligated to do the same if they ran into some rogue wolves."

"Before you do, we should get Chaos to draw mugshots of the other vamps if the girl can ID them," Cutter suggested. "Since Wizard already did a computer one of the main guy."

I agreed. "Her name is Nera, and yes, I suppose we could."

Chaos was an excellent artist and had done some of the murals around the compound, and also had designed our club tattoo and a few other people's tattoos. He even did the tattoos himself—when he felt like it. Chaos was a bit of a free spirit with his too-long hair and devil may care attitude.

"I got you," Chaos said, pulling a toothpick from his mouth and smiling with his bright white teeth.

"Anyone have anything else?" I asked.

"What's the plan if we find these assholes?" Menace asked.

"Sun or stake," I growled.

"Nice." He smiled, the scar across his face stretching.

"It's Friday so the bar needs to get ready to open. Feel free to stay and hang out," I said. "Meeting adjourned." I pounded the gavel and exited the stage.

I indicated to Nera she should head toward the door.

"How was your drink?" I asked, pointing at it.

She shrugged. "It was okay. Not in the mood to drink."

"Totally get it," I replied.

We walked outside and I squinted as the late afternoon sun blinded me for a second. Once we reached the clubhouse, I opened the door and indicated she go ahead of me.

She pulled her new cell from her pocket and flipped it around in her hand.

"Did you call your people yet?" I asked.

She shook her head. "No, because when I do, they'll expect me to come home. They won't understand—especially the witches. They'll pitch a fit to find out I'm staying with wolves. In a motorcycle gang." She offered me a brittle smile.

"We're a club, not a gang," I corrected.

"I know." She patted my arm.

"You should still call them, tell them you're okay. Maybe tell them you're working with people to try to catch the guys. It's not a lie," I suggested.

"I thought about it. I just wonder why they didn't do a locator spell on me to find me." She looked down.

Did she really think her people, her family, didn't care and hadn't tried to look for her? I didn't know her family, obviously, but that sounded harsh.

"At least call Amanda?" I suggested.

"I'm thinking about it."

"Come on," I said, grabbing her hand. "Let's go into my office for more privacy."

It seemed like she wanted to call, but needed a little push. I would never understand what she went through, but I could admit to being a little baffled by her hesitancy to call them and let them know she was all right. She had only wanted a bus or plane ticket to Tampa when we first got her. She never asked to use the phone. It was odd to say the least but it was also none of my business unless she made it so.

We climbed the stairs and I closed the door behind us. I squeezed her hand. "Go ahead. Call."

Since we used the same provider she had before, the guy at the cell phone store had been able to restore everything from her old phone to this new one—including her contacts. But, Nera had opted to get a new phone number.

Nera looked at me with doubt her lavender eyes. "What am I going to say?"

I gently pried the phone from her hands and scrolled through the contacts until I found Amanda's number. I hit the call icon and put it on speaker.

Nera's eyes went wide, but she didn't say anything. I asked for Amanda's last name and she supplied it.

"Hello?"

"Is this Amanda Pierce?" I asked.

"Yes, who's this?"

"My name is Sheppard. I have someone here who wants to talk to you."

"Who?" Amanda asked, sounding nervous. I heard people talking in the background and the sounds of metal clanging. I heard seagulls. She must be on a Navy ship or near one.

I looked at Nera and nodded encouragingly.

"A-Amanda?"

It was quiet for just a few long seconds before Amanda's voice broke. "Nera?"

"It's me," she said.

The woman started audibly crying. "Nera, where have you been? God, everyone's so worried! Do you need me to come get you?"

Nera shook her head, her eyes filling with tears. "No, nothing like that. I was… kidnapped by a bunch of assholes. But I got away. I went to your cousin for help like you said."

"Duke? Oh, my God. Is he there so I can thank him?" she asked.

"No, their, ah, club couldn't keep me. Not sure why. They had another club come get me. I'm with them now. And before you worry, they have been more than accommodating and helpful. They're going to help me catch these bastards."

We heard a loud male voice yelling, and Amanda said, "Shit, I have to go, it's time for inspections and I'll be in a shitload of trouble if I'm caught on the phone instead of in formation. Is this your new number?"

"Yes," Nera replied.

"I'll call you tonight. I have so many questions."

"Okay, I'd like that," Nera responded.

"Love you. Bye." Amanda ended the call.

I handed her back the phone, which she pocketed. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I really do feel better. Thank you for making me do that."

I shrugged. "I didn't make you do anything. Just gave you a little nudge is all."

She launched herself into my chest and I enveloped her in a tight hug. She felt so perfect against me, like her body was molded to fit mine.

"I'm so scared, Shep," she whispered, her tears staining my white T-shirt.

"I know, larkspur. I know. Nothing is going to happen to you."

She looked up at me. "I'm scared for the girls who were left behind. How bad were they punished for me and the other two girls leaving? We begged them to come, but they were too scared of getting caught, of being punished."

"That's not surprising," I replied, not alarmed that Nera was that sensitive to be concerned for their wellbeing and wondering what happened to them.

"Where do you think they moved to?" she asked with my arms wrapped around her.

"I don't know, but the sooner you can get those sketches done, the better. I'll send them over to the Nighthawks, maybe we can get an ID on at least one."

"Okay, but I don't think they're from around here," she commented, shaking her head.

"Sit," I said, leading her to a chair while I sat at mine behind the desk. I glanced at the screen and saw I had a shitload of emails waiting for me but I ignored it. "Why do you say that?"

"One of them had an accent like he was from another country. Don't ask me which one. The other three, they didn't speak like they were from the South at all, especially not New Orleans."

I picked up my cell and dialed Chaos. "My office," I said after he answered.

I set the phone down. "I want those composite sketches done ASAP if that's okay with you. Before you start to forget."

She nodded, and there was a knock on the door.

"Boss," Chaos said, poking his head in.

"You busy?" I asked, not that I cared because he was going to drop whatever he was doing to help me.

"Nah. You ready for those drawings?" he asked.

"Yeah, go get some paper and whatever other shit you need and come back here."

"You got it," he replied, disappearing behind the door.

"Don't be nervous," I told her, watching her wring her hands. When she didn't say anything, I added, "I sometimes forget you're a witch. You're not all crazy like the other ones I've met."

Her head whipped up and she bit back a smile. "That's not nice. I mean, it's true, but still."

I grinned. "Too bad you didn't have anything of theirs, you could do, a… what did you call it? A locator spell?"

"Yeah, that would be nice. But I don't have any of my equipment here anyway."

"Do you need your equipment? There's a store in the Quarter run by a real witch who sells all kinds of hoodoo shit," I told her.

Just then, Chaos walked in with a large sketchpad and colored pencils. "You ready to do this?" He smiled wide at Nera.