Finding The Texas Wolf

Chapter 4

Carmen hid her surprise when Rick took her to the pier. Once the shrimp boats came in, sometimes the men would get together and drink and play cards or dice. An occasional prostitute worked one corner. Mostly, both tourists and locals avoided this place. It was nothing like Pier 21 with its popular restaurants and fish markets, close to The Strand. It wasn’t even like Pier 19 or 20, with Sampson and Sons and Katie’s selling seafood right off the boat.

No, this was further down, past a few abandoned, dilapidated buildings with cracked sidewalks and weeds. An overall sense of decay permeated the place. Once, smugglers had hung out here, with illegal gambling and gin joints and a whorehouse or two. Now, most of that was only a memory, though Carmen had been here once or twice during its heyday.

These days, this was where men went when they wanted to do things in secret, where the dim lighting and sense of anonymity made them feel at ease. It was an area she sometimes frequented when the craving for fresh, warm blood grew too strong. She’d become quite a pro at extracting just enough to make her target pass out, but without serious harm.

“Here.” Rick’s gravelly voice brought her back to the present. “In a moment, there’s going to be an explosion. It will bring the rats scurrying from their holes.”

She swung around and stared. “Why?”

“It’s something I promised to do, as a sign of good faith. There’s an illegal shipment of guns in one of these buildings. The Sons of Darkness needed a distraction so they could get them out. This will be a big one.” He got out his phone and prepared to punch in a number. “Are you ready?”

“Sure.” This got more interesting by the minute.

“Here we go.” He dialed a number. A second later, a loud boom sounded and the ground shook. Someone screamed and someone else swore. Several people staggered toward them, some of them drunk, others in shock.

“I’m calling 911,” Rick told them, holding up his phone. She watched, wondering if he really would since he didn’t appear to be in any hurry to punch in the numbers. Maximizing time for the distraction, she guessed.

Someone else must have called, though, because sirens sounded in the distance, getting closer. The occasional straggler came down the sidewalk, one or two of them appearing shell shocked. Thick black smoke billowed from somewhere behind them, appearing to almost follow them as they fled.

“Do you think there were any injuries?” she asked.

“No one was seriously hurt,” Rick assured her, sounding positive even though she didn’t see how he could be certain. “The bomb was in a locked warehouse where we stacked some dry hay and bundled newspaper. Just enough to start a good fire with possible building collapse. It’s far enough from the warehouse with the guns that no one will spot the crew moving the cargo. A perfect plan, if I do say so myself.”

Since he sounded so pleased with himself, she felt the need to point out what seemed to her an obvious flaw. “But you destroyed a building. Most likely a historical one.”

His jaw tightened. “That kind of collateral damage is better than people. Millions are at risk unless we do our job and get inside this group. I hope you understand that.”

“I do.” Before she could say anything else, the sirens grew closer. Lights flashing, two patrol cars pulled up the next street over. A moment later, a fire engine and ambulance arrived. Along with a growing crowd of people, they watched as Galveston PD cordoned off the street and sidewalk.

Soon a KHOU 11 news van arrived, which seemed awfully quick since they were out of Houston. They set up a reporter with her back to the mayhem, handed her a microphone and began filming.

“You do know in a few minutes that reporter is going to start asking people what they saw?” she said drily.

“That’s good. We want to be seen. How else can I make sure Sons of Darkness know I was there?”

“You seem to have thought of everything.” She shook her head.

“That’s my job,” he countered. “And I’m damn good at it.”

Before long a couple of the other news stations sent their own crews. The crowd of onlookers continued to swell. News cameras panned the area. Rick grabbed Carmen’s arm and made sure they were front and center, virtually guaranteeing them a spot on one, if not all, of the stations’ evening news programs.

Since she’d spent most of her long, long life avoiding the spotlight, Carmen struggled with this. While she managed to keep her outward appearance cool, calm and collected, inside she battled the urge to step back and disappear into the large group.

But Rick’s plan, she concluded reluctantly, actually made sense. If this was what was needed for them to gain entrance into that group, so be it. The idea that she—Carmen Vargas, Vampire—could make a difference in this world intrigued her. Plus, if she were totally honest, as she always was, she ached to get her hands on a microscope and take a close look at this new virus. Because of her expertise, the CDC had even contacted her several times, wanting her to come to Atlanta and work with them. She’d been tempted, but she’d come to value her friends and life here in Galveston, so she’d declined. Since they were no doubt involved closely in this case, she had a feeling that was how her name had been mentioned. For that, she considered herself lucky.

“Okay,” Rick said, tightening his grip on her arm. “Time to go.”

This time, she let him pull her away without questioning. He led her through the thick throng of people, up the sidewalk and to the still-crowded Pier 21 area. A couple had just gotten up from a bench along the walkway, and he hurried them to it.

“No matter what happens,” he told her sotto voce, “show no expression. Just go along with it.”

“No worries. I’m a master at that.”

They sat. He put his arm around her shoulder, drawing her close. She let herself relax into the curve of his arm, liking the solidness of his muscular body. They pretended to be people watching. Despite the commotion going on a few blocks over, most of the ones strolling by her were fixated on having a good time.

“Mind if I join you?” The tall man wore a baseball cap pulled low over his eyes. Carmen eyed him coolly but didn’t speak.

“Sure,” Rick said, pulling Carmen closer to him so there was additional room on the bench. “Have a seat.”

The stranger sat, staring straight ahead and ignoring him. Every sense alert, Carmen pretended not to be hyperconscious of him.

“Are you the biologist?” he finally asked, low-voiced.

Widening her eyes, Carmen nodded. “I am. Actually, I’m an infectious disease specialist. And this is my husband, Rick.” The instant she spoke, she realized she hadn’t asked if they were using assumed names or not. Most likely not, at least for her, since these people no doubt had wanted to verify her credentials.

“Rick.” The man nodded, his gaze skittering from her to Rick and back again. “I’m Landers. The shipment was moved without a hitch. Thank you for your help.”

“No problem.” Rich shrugged, both his demeanor and his voice casual. “I did what you requested, and here we are. Are we in?”

“You’re in.” Landers stood, glancing left and then right. Finally, he focused on Rick and grinned. “Just so you know, we have several other guys who can do what you can do, but only one other biologist in our employ. Your wife is infinitely more valuable to us than you could ever be.”

Carmen exhaled, recognizing the tactic. Divide and conquer. Except she knew this wouldn’t work, not this time. “It’s okay,” she said, her tone lofty. “He likes that I make so much more money than he does. He jokes about being a kept man.”

“Really?” Landers shook his head. “Well, there’s none of that around here. Every single one of us has to earn our keep.”

“And I will, I swear.” Shooting Carmen a cross look, Rick shifted his weight from foot to foot. “You won’t regret hiring me, I promise you.”

“We’d better not.” Was that a flash of pleasure across Landers’s face? Carmen thought so, which meant she’d been correct. For whatever reason, Landers wanted to put a wedge in between her and Rick.

If that’s what he wanted, she’d speak to Rick privately and make sure that’s what he got.

“He follows orders well,” she drawled, just for the hell of it. “Ask me how I know.”

Rick flushed but didn’t respond. This prompted another snorting laugh from Landers. “I’ll bet he does,” he sneered, leering at her.

“Now, can we possibly get out of here?” she asked, pretending to be uneasy with their location. “There are too many people around. If someone hears, they might have questions. Questions for which we will not have answers. I prefer to avoid collateral damage whenever possible.”

Landers stared. “As if you’ve done this sort of thing before,” he scoffed.

For an answer, she only lifted one perfectly shaped eyebrow.

Instantly, the other man’s demeanor changed. “If you’ll come with me,” Landers said, “I’ll take you both to meet the others.”

“Lead the way,” Carmen pronounced. “I’m looking forward to getting started.”

* * *

Keeping his arm around Carmen, Rick followed Landers to a black Escalade with dark tinted windows. With shiny chrome accents everywhere, it was not the most inconspicuous vehicle. Who knew? Maybe they wanted it that way.

As they approached, the driver stepped out and opened the back door, motioning for Carmen to get in first. Moving with her usual fluid grace, she climbed inside. Rick followed her, trying unsuccessfully to avoid staring at the gleaming length of shapely leg her short skirt displayed.

Once the door closed, Landers got up front, riding shotgun. “It’s about a thirty-minute ride, depending on traffic,” he said.

“Off-island?” Carmen asked, frowning.

“Not too far, but yes. La Marque.”

This surprised her, Rick knew. Surprised him, too. La Marque was a small town. Building a quality lab and running an operation of that size without attracting unwanted attention would be more difficult in a place like that.

As they drove, Landers turned around several times, making innocuous comments about the passing landscape. His frank stare assessed Carmen, as if weighing what options he had as far as trusting her.

Feeling the need to reassert the fact that he and Carmen were a team, Rick took her hand and clasped it firmly. Though he felt her briefly tense, her expression remained smooth and unruffled. And beautiful. He couldn’t blame Landers for repeatedly checking her out. Hell, even Rick fought a constant battle to keep from staring at her.

Finally, they exited 45 and turned left, passing under the freeway and by the single motel, eventually leaving pavement for a gravel road. The houses here were small frame structures, and the flat landscape and sparse vegetation made everything visible.

For the first time, Rick wondered what they’d gotten into. He squeezed Carmen’s hand, telling her silently to be ready in case this was some sort of trick. She squeezed back, cutting her gaze to connect with his to let him know she’d thought the same thing.

One more turn and they found themselves surrounded by pasture. Cattle grazed and vultures circled in the cloudless sky above. They continued on until they reached a black wrought-iron gate, which was closed. The driver punched a code into a keypad and the gates swung slowly open.

After turning in, they continued on to a low-slung stone ranch house. Nearby were several outbuildings, one of them a well-constructed barn that appeared to be new. There were black burglar bars over the windows.

Which meant that had to be the lab.

As they rolled to a stop in front of the house, two armed men stepped outside to greet them. Though inside Rick tensed up, he kept his posture and expression relaxed.

Again, the driver jumped out and opened the door, this time on Carmen’s side so she could get out first. And she did, with an impressive display of leg. Her sky-high heels made her look both dangerous and sexy. Exactly his kind of woman, except for her being a Vampire. Too bad.

Head high, expression cool, she looked both of the newcomers up and down. Rick hid his smile.

Landers came around and told them to follow him. Once they’d gone up the steps onto the porch, someone pushed open the screen door and stepped out of the way. Rick reached for Carmen’s hand as they went inside.

The small room had been sparsely furnished. Three men looked up as they approached, though they all remained seated. Eyeing them, Rick wondered which of the three was the leader. Landers made the introductions in a clipped voice. The short, wiry man with the long white beard was Tommy. The bald guy who looked like a linebacker gone to seed was called Holt. And the thin, pale dude with the flat dark eyes was Gus.

They all dipped their chins in greeting. If Landers found it odd that no one spoke, he didn’t show it. He motioned that Rick and Carmen should sit, so they took the empty spot at one end of the soiled couch.

“We got the shipment,” Landers announced, filling the others in on the explosion Rick had engineered as a diversion. They listened carefully. Rick couldn’t help but notice the way their gazes continually went to Carmen, as if they hadn’t seen a woman in too long. For the first time since meeting her, he was glad she was a Vampire. At least he knew she could defend herself against any human male’s unwanted attention.

“She’s the biologist,” Landers finally said, gesturing at Carmen.

“I’m thinking Sheldon’s not gonna be real happy about her,” Holt said, scratching his double chin.

“Maybe not,” Landers replied. “But he could use the help. And look at her. What red-blooded man could stay mad in the face of such beauty?”

Though Rick’s stomach twisted hearing this, he pretended not to care.

Carmen, however, apparently had heard enough. “I’m right here,” she said, her voice clear and hard. “I can hear you, you know.”

While Tommy and Holt fidgeted, each appearing embarrassed, Gus simply continued to stare. The hair on the back of Rick’s neck lifted. Something was off with that one. He bore watching, in case he turned out to be especially dangerous.

Landers laughed. “True. I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’ll try to do better.”

“I’m not your sweetheart.” Yanking her hand free from Rick’s, Carmen pushed to her feet, eyeing them with clear disdain. “I’ve changed my mind about helping. I don’t see anything here that makes me think you could actually pull off engineering something as complicated as a new virus.”

Damn. What the hell was she doing? Did she really think these people were going to just let them go? Not likely, especially since they’d now seen their hideout.

“And,” she continued, “even if this Sheldon person is some kind of biology genius, I fail to see how you could use something like this to your benefit. Thanks, but no thanks.”

Though he had to tamp down his alarm, Rick stood, too. He hoped Carmen knew what she was doing. “Well, the boss has spoken,” he drawled, while keeping his eye on the others to gauge their reactions. “I guess this means we’re out.”

“Not so fast.” Landers placed himself squarely between them and the door. “It’s too late. You can’t quit now. You know where we are and you’ve seen all of our faces.”

Rick decided he’d take a chance. “Maybe so, but none of that matters. We haven’t laid eyes on your boss, so I’m thinking we’re good to go. If you’d just pay me for the explosion, we can call it even.”

Landers narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean, you haven’t seen the boss? You’ve been dealing with me all along.”

Unsure whether to laugh or take the other man seriously, Rick realized it would be prudent to play it safe. “You’re in charge here?”

Immediately, Landers nodded.

“No, he’s not,” Carmen put in, her voice cool. “It’s the quiet one, Gus. He’s the leader here.”

Landers froze. Judging by the panicked look he shot Gus, Carmen was right. Good instincts.

“Grab her,” Gus ordered, his tone bored though his expression seemed furious. “Put her in my bedroom. It’s time she and I had a private, one-on-one chat.”

Rick stiffened, ready for whatever might happen next. To his relief, Carmen allowed Landers and Tommy to manhandle her, leading her from the room. The glint in her eyes told Rick she was actually enjoying this.

Rick started after her, but Holt, moving surprisingly fast for such a large man, blocked his way. “You wait with me. The boss will let us know when he’s finished.”

* * *

There was nothing Carmen loved better than taking down a power-hungry idiot who thought he could dominate her. While she knew she had to be careful so she didn’t blow this important mission, there was no way in Hades she’d let this Gus person push her around.

His two henchmen shoved her into a large bedroom, dominated by an ornate four-poster bed. She pretended to stumble, but pivoted on her feet, ready to face the leader of the Sons of Darkness. As if. If only they had an idea of what a real son of darkness could be. Silly humans. They had no clue, nor would they ever.

Gus strode into the room and gestured at the other men to leave. Once the door closed behind him, he crossed his arms, his flat gaze hard. “Why are you here?” he demanded.

Since this line of questioning was not at all what she’d expected, she took a moment to choose her reply. “For money,” she said. “As I’m sure you’re aware, I was let go from my job.”

He continued to glare at her, as if by the force of his gaze he thought he could compel her to be truthful. Such a stunt might work on humans, but since she was a Vampire, she had to suppress the urge to laugh in his face.

“That’s what I’ve been told, but I don’t believe it.” There was the slightest hint of a challenge in his even tone. “I’ve looked up your credentials,” he continued. “You’re one of the top three leading biologists in the United States.”

In the world, she thought, but didn’t say it. “I didn’t believe it, either,” she said, her voice sullen. “They accused me of stealing narcotics.” Spur of the moment, but she thought it sounded realistic. “Among other things,” she added, just in case. “None of it is true. I’m a damn good biologist.” After all, she’d had centuries to hone her skills.

Looking her up and down, he grimaced. His flat eyes reminded her of some really ancient Vampires she’d met once. But this one was only human; she could smell the coppery scent of his blood and hear the steady thump of his heart.

As the silence stretched on, he continued to stare at her, no doubt trying to make her uncomfortable, but she refused to allow this. Instead, she stared right back and waited.

“Do you know what we’re developing here?” he asked.

This time she didn’t have to feign her interest. “Yes. A new virus. I admit, I find that fascinating. I’d love to be part of research like that.”

“It’s not research,” he corrected her. “We plan to use it if we have to. Unless we receive what we want from the US Government.”

Now they were on tricky ground. Rick hadn’t told her how much of this she was supposed to know. “What do you want?” she asked, even though she already knew the answer.

“War with West Latvia,” he immediately said. “I want that country’s trade wiped off the map.”

“But why?” And this truly was the part she didn’t understand. “What are your reasons?”

“Russia.” He spoke the name as if saying it should be enough. Still, she waited, not sure what he meant.

He sighed at her lack of reaction. “Russia trades heavily with them. It’s a way to buy myself power.”

“But why would you want power with Russia?”

This time, he laughed. “How about you just stick to biology? I don’t have time to explain the intricate nature of politics to you.”

His condescending tone had her clenching her teeth. But she kept her annoyance in check, aware the stakes were far too high for her to blow it on something so trivial.

“Money can buy power,” she finally said. “I’m guessing you’re aware of how much something like this would fetch on the international market?”

“We’re exploring all options.” He waved his hand in dismissal. “I can see how someone like you might be valuable to my organization. Your husband, though—I’m not sure I need him.”

Alarm prickled along her spine, though she took care to show no reaction. Straightening, she tilted her head and eyed him the way one would look at a particularly noxious rodent. “My husband and I are a team. You can’t have me without him.”

He laughed. “You’re not running things here, sweetheart.”

This human was damn lucky she’d had centuries to learn how to control her anger. Even so, she felt that familiar flash of rage and wanted to crush him. Which she easily could, right here and right now, without blinking an eye.

“Again, I’m not your sweetheart,” she drawled. “It’s me and Rick or neither of us. Now, do we have a deal or not?” Bracing herself for Gus’s reaction to her declaration, she knew she had to come up with a quick plan in case he decided to simply kill them. He had no idea he couldn’t—the only thing that would end Rick was a silver bullet or fire. As for her, a stake through the heart. Beyond that, they were invincible. They could be hurt, true. But Rick’s kind had supernaturally fast healing powers. She couldn’t bleed if she hadn’t been fed enough blood.

Instead of yet another staring contest, Gus laughed again. She detected a slight note of unease hidden in his pretend mirth. “You’re a tough one,” he said. “I will agree to take both of you—on one condition.”

She nodded.

“No drug use while you’re in my employ. Either of you. If I find out you indulged, I will kill you.”

Finally, something that actually made sense. “Agreed,” she replied. “As long as you leave my husband to me. I will need him at the lab, working as my assistant. He follows my orders really, really well. If he doesn’t...” She lifted one shoulder delicately, letting her meaning sink in. “There are consequences to pay.”

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