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As full darkness fell, he drove back toward Harborside Drive. Across from the cruise ship terminals, there were various parking lots as well as commercial businesses and warehouses. Some of the older buildings hadn’t been repaired since Hurricane Ike tore through and were still boarded up. Broken Chains was hidden down an alley between two such buildings. Most humans viewed the area as dangerous and stayed away. The bar’s Vampire and Shifter employees made sure to clear the alley before opening for business each night.
As he made his way toward the alley, he glanced around before making that last right turn. There, the sign with no letters, swinging in the night breeze. If any human chanced upon it, they’d definitely believe it a remnant from the time before the hurricane.
Zach stopped, inhaling deeply, waiting before he actually tapped the code out on the door. He’d always loved the moment before entering. The atmospheric setup—the dead-end alley, towering medieval door. The precise number of knocks in a certain cadence, and the vetting before one was allowed in. He wondered what happened if a human accidentally made it this far and tapped on the door. He wasn’t sure, though he knew for certain they would not be allowed inside. Broken Chains was for paranormal entities only. Among the entire world owned by humans, this place was theirs alone. A safe haven.
Once he’d made it in, he stood still and scanned the premises, a peace settling over his weary body. The muted lighting, the clinking of glasses and dishes, the sound of the band tuning their instruments and the hum of quiet conversation. For whatever reason, the bar was even more crowded on this Wednesday night than it had been the evening before. Mid-week point, perhaps? The pleasant buzz of noise made him feel welcome, at home.
Once again, as Zach made his way through the crowd, he was glad the bar didn’t allow smoking. Shifters had sensitive noses, and a room full of cigarette smoke made most of them feel nauseous. The last time Zach had visited a human bar, the smoke had been so thick he hadn’t even ordered a drink before turning around and walking right back out. These days, the humans had become health conscious, and more and more establishments banned smoking.
Shayla and Maddie had said they’d meet him here at eight. He’d arrived half an hour early, and judging from the lack of places to sit, he hoped they’d gotten here even earlier. If not, they’d all be standing and circling the room like hawks until someone actually got up and vacated their table.
The band continued to warm up. There were five of them. A different group from the night before. Broken Chains constantly rotated their musical act. Zach had heard everyone wanted to play there, and competition was so tight that they were booked months in advance. He liked the fact they changed up the music. Something for everyone that way. From the sound of their warm-up, this band sounded like they played eighties music. He shrugged, continuing to wade through elbow-to-elbow people in search of the two women.
He reached the back edge of the bar and turned to go down the other side. Nothing, though every single table was full. A few other Shifters whom he’d spoken with previously waved. He waved back, though he didn’t stop to talk.
Once he’d made a complete circuit of the packed room, he climbed the narrow staircase to check the second floor.
There weren’t as many people up here. He felt like he could breathe. There they were. They’d taken a table near the back, as far away from the balcony railing to below as possible. He approved of their choice, where it would be quieter.
Shayla and Maddie spotted him. Shayla waved. As he made his way toward them, dodging a waiter with a tray of drinks, he realized a third woman had joined them. A blonde with short, spiky hair and too-perfect alabaster skin. He stopped in his tracks. Something about her... Then he knew. The hair on his arms rose, and he pushed back the urge to growl. Vampire. His entire family had been blessed—or cursed—with the ability to instantly recognize a Vampire, even one who blended well with the human population. Though Shifters and Vamps had long ago forged a truce and these days the two got along, he couldn’t help his initial visceral reaction. Hopefully he’d been far enough away that no one at the table would have noticed.
Resuming his progress, he inclined his head toward the newcomer before pulling out the remaining empty chair. From the cold way the Vampire regarded him, he guessed she felt the same way he did. Inherent enemies couldn’t help their initial reaction. It was in their DNA.
Still standing, he kept one hand on the back of the chair. He really wanted to know what she was doing here. This was to have been a private meeting between him and the Shadow Agency.
“Evening,” he said as a greeting, including all three of them in his glance, though he slid his gaze away from the Vampire as quickly as possible without appearing rude.
“Hey there, Zach.” Shayla’s wide smile made him catch his breath. Tonight she wore her silky black hair pulled back in her trademark complicated braid. The hairstyle showed off her high cheekbones, sensual lips and striking eyes. She was, he thought, absolutely stunning. Even his inner Wolf sat up and took notice.
She gestured gracefully toward the Vampire. “This is Carmen Vargas. I’m sorry you haven’t had a chance to meet her before now. She’s the third partner in the Shadow Agency.”
Third partner? This was new. Privately, he wondered how wise that decision might be, but as an about-to-be client, he figured the Vampire could go places neither he nor the others could. Beggars couldn’t be choosers. Right now, he could use all the help he could get locating his sister. If a Vamp could help find Nantha, he’d let her.
He finally lowered himself into the chair, directly across from the now-glowering Vampire. Shayla glanced from him to Carmen and back again. “What?” she asked, spreading her hands, showing off her bright blue nail polish. “I’m picking up a strange vibe. Do you two know each other?”
“No,” Zach answered. He forced himself to relax, aware the other Shifter, Maddie, had gone into full alert. Seemed his inner Wolf wasn’t the only one paying attention. “We don’t.”
“It’s okay,” Carmen interjected, finally taking her gaze off him. “Sometimes age-old instinct trumps common sense.”
In the interest of getting along, he let that comment go. After a second of startled consideration, Maddie laughed. “Don’t worry, Zach. The same thing happened to me the first time I met her.”
Of course it had. Despite Zach’s dislike, Carmen had a point. Age-old instinct could be difficult to overcome. Still, it would help if he tried to make a start. He forced himself to meet the Vampire’s gaze. “You’re right, I’m wrong. My apologies.” He took a deep breath and continued. “I know lots of Vamps, and this hasn’t happened to me in a long time. I’m not sure why I let myself get caught up in it this time.”
For whatever reason, his remark made Carmen laugh.
Shayla touched his arm. “I think it might be because Carmen is the most emphatic Vampire I know. Though most can’t see past her beauty, once you get to know her, you’ll wonder how you didn’t notice. She’s very, very Vampiric.”
Shaking her head, Carmen only laughed harder. “Thank you,” she finally managed. “I guess.”
“You’re welcome.” Shayla pulled a manila folder from her bag, fixing each of them with a stern look. “Now shall we get down to business?”
Zach nodded, glad to have Shayla to distract him from his lingering animosity. “Definitely.”
“Um, drinks first?” Carmen protested, arching one perfectly shaped brow. “We waited for you,” she told Zach. “And I’m thirsty. I need some refreshment before we discuss business.”
“Sounds good to me,” Maddie agreed, lifting her hand to signal a waitress. Instantly, a short woman with purple-and-pink hair appeared at their table. Shayla ordered white wine, Maddie, a wheat beer, and Carmen asked for a glass of an Argentinian weaver’s blood, straight up. For himself, he went with dark beer, earning an approving look from Maddie.
Shayla slid a manila folder across the table. “Our contract,” she said. “Take your time reading it.”
Tuning out the noise from the bar downstairs, he read over the contract. It seemed straightforward, so he went ahead and signed. Since he’d had no idea what kind of retainer they might ask for, he’d made sure to bring a thousand dollars in cash, ten one-hundred-dollar bills neatly folded inside his wallet. If that wasn’t enough, he’d negotiate, or find an ATM.
Turned out, one thousand dollars was exactly what they asked him to put down. The contract had also spelled out other fees, but to his surprise the document said if they weren’t able to accomplish their goal for whatever reason, they’d refund his money. All of it.
In other words, they guaranteed success or their services were free.
Chapter 4
“I like your confidence,” he said, palming the money and handing it over so that no one else could see. Shayla took similar care, closing her hand over it and lowering it into her purse. He was glad she hadn’t decided to make a production out of counting it on top of the table. The bar might be full of other Shifter, Vamps and Merfolk, but that much cash might prove too big a temptation for some.
Underscoring everything, he felt the buzz of his attraction to Shayla, making him hyperaware of her.
Their drinks arrived and Shayla asked them all to do a toast. He felt a little uncomfortable clinking glasses with a female Vampire holding a glass full of blood, but he managed to keep his revulsion hidden, he thought.
Once they’d all taken sips from their assorted drinks, he leaned in. “Now tell me your plan. I want to know what steps you’re going to take to find my stepsister.”
Shayla nodded. She reached into her purse and pulled out several sheets of paper and a pen. “I need you to fill out this questionnaire. Once I know more about Nantha—where she lived, went to school, worked and who her friends are, I can go back under and start asking questions.”
“Why all the focus underwater when Nantha disappeared on land?” Maddie wanted to know.
“Good point,” he agreed. “I’m thinking that’s what her father is doing also.”
“Maybe, but how many young people are going to reveal any secrets Nantha might have had to her father?” Shayla smiled gently. “You know how that is. I feel much more confident they’d be willing to talk to me. And the more we can learn about her life undersea, the more we can look for clues as to who might gave grabbed her and why.”
She had a point. Sort of. “Unless her abductor is human.”
“And that’s where I come in,” Maddie interjected smoothly. “Carmen is assisting me. We’re exploring the human possibilities, among others.”
He nodded and began writing down the answer to the questions. Luckily, Nantha had confided in him. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have had a clue.
As he wrote, Shayla leaned over, trying to decipher his handwriting upside down. “Good,” she commented. “I’m glad to see she’s from Coral. That’s my hometown, and I know it like the back of my hand.”
Carmen watched silently, continuing to sip on her drink. Maddie checked her phone. “My brother just texted me. He’s a Pack Protector. I filled him in on all this. He says there’s already an investigation open.”
Relieved, he nodded. “I contacted them, and they said they’d look into it. They didn’t seem really concerned.”
“Yeah.” Maddie looked down, clearly not sure if she should finish speaking. When she raised her head and met his gaze, he saw determination in the set of her chin. “He says since you didn’t get a ransom note and there’s no indication whatsoever that Nantha is in danger, we have to consider the possibility that she might simply have run off on her own.”
“No.” Zach focused his attention back on the questions. “The human police said something similar when I reported her missing. But Nantha’s not like that. She’d never do anything to worry her family. If she wanted some time away, she would have at the very least left us a note.”
Maddie nodded. Shayla simply watched him, the compassion in her lovely eyes making his throat close up.
“Are you sure?” Carmen asked. “Because just about everyone has secrets they don’t want their family to know.”
His instinctive response—to snarl at her—he pushed back down. Instead, he mentally counted to five, taking slow and steady breaths before answering. “I’m sure. Nantha is one of my best friends.”
“I’m sorry, I have to ask this.” Color high, Shayla cleared her throat, though she didn’t look away. “Were you and Nantha romantically involved?”
“What?” He couldn’t believe her question. The supposition made him feel nauseous. “Of course not. She’s my sister, for hound’s sake.”
“Stepsister,” Carmen drawled. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but there’s no blood relation there at all. And from what I can tell, this Nantha is one hot babe.”
“She’s pretty.” Brotherly pride mixed with revulsion made him swallow hard. “And, yes, I do have to beat back human suitors when she’s visiting on land. But all Merfolk are blessed with good looks.” He jerked his head toward Shayla. “You all know that.”
“I’m sorry.” Shayla sounded genuinely regretful. And, he thought, a tiny bit relieved. “But it’s something we had to ask.”
Not we. She. Did she really think so low of him to even consider the possibility that he and his baby sister were having an illicit love affair?
“I can see from the look on your face that the idea repulses you.” Carmen again, detached and observant. “So we’ll put that possibility to rest. Please, go ahead and fill out the rest of the questionnaire. We’re especially interested in knowing about any boyfriends Nantha might have or have had. Past ones would be of special interest.”
Boyfriends. Question sixteen. He paused, taking a moment to think. Nantha always had a crush on someone, but it seemed to change every couple of weeks. He knew she dated, but she’d never mentioned anything serious.
All three women nodded when he passed this information on. “I’ll look into it when I go back to Coral,” Shayla said. The low thrum of her voice reached deep inside of him, sparking arousal. To hide this, he swallowed hard and focused on the questionnaire.
Once he’d answered all the questions to the best of his ability, he slid the paper across the table. Shayla took it and began reading. She asked for clarification on one of two things—he’d listed a few odd jobs where Nantha had worked, but only a couple of places where he thought she might hang out. As for hobbies, the only one that came to mind was reading.
“Surely there must be more,” Shayla pressed. “What about exercise, working out? Or fishing? Does she like any sports?”
“No. She’s actually pretty quiet.” He thought for a moment, then sat up straighter. “Music. She loves to sing and dance.”
Nodding, Shayla scribbled that down on the form. “Most Mermaids do,” she commented. Picking up her glass, she drained her wine. He realized both Carmen and Maddie had already finished their drinks, as well.
Eyeing his still mostly full beer, he took a sip. Briefly, he considered slugging it all down, but decided against it, especially since Shayla didn’t seem nearly as affected by him as he was by her.
He slid his own folder across the table. “I had some fliers printed up. I spent the day going around the island having them put up. They’re laminated, so they should do well under water. Feel free to take them with you if you think they might help.”
“Perfect!” Shayla beamed at him, which made his heart skip a beat. “I can definitely use them. I think they’ll really help.”
“I hope someone who knows where she is sees them,” he said, his chest suddenly tight.
Shayla slapped some money on the table. “Drinks are on me,” she said. “I don’t know about ya’ll, but I need to go. It’s been a long day for me.”
The other women stood, as well. Relieved he didn’t feel obligated to sit and make small talk with the others, he pushed back his chair and did the same.
Below, the band played a steady stream of eighties hits. He knew once they got downstairs, it would be damn near impossible to hear anything.
Apparently, Shayla realized this, too.
“We’ll get to work immediately,” she said, holding out her hand. He reached out, and again, the instant their fingers connected he felt a jolt straight to his core. From the way her eyes widened, he had to think she felt it, too.
“You’ve got my cell number.”
“Yes.” After she released him, he shook hands with the other two women, keeping his face expressionless when he touched the Vampire. He knew his feelings were irrational, and while he didn’t completely understand them—after all, he even had a couple of Vampire friends—he didn’t have time to indulge in self-analysis. Getting his sister back was all that mattered.
Leaving his unfinished beer on the table, he followed the women downstairs and out of the bar. Once they reached the end of the alley, the three women went in the opposite direction. At a slight loss, he stood and watched until they disappeared from sight.
Now what? He could get in his car and head home to his place in Texas City, but he knew his mother would still be awake and frantic. Keeping her company would be the best thing to do. Plus, he needed to fill her in on what he’d accomplished today with the fliers, as well as tell her about hiring the Shadow Agency. He also needed to know if his mom had heard anything from Ion.
When Zach arrived back at his mother’s house, she met him at the door. “Don’t you ever check your messages?” she asked, her voice shaking. “I sent texts, too.”
This was so unusual it worried him. Eyeing her, he realized she looked unusually pale. Her blue eyes were red and puffy, as if she’d been crying. And more than her voice shook. Tiny tremors rocked her slender frame.
“I’m sorry,” he said, pulling her close for a quick hug. “I didn’t hear my phone. It’s been a crazy kind of day.” He pulled his cell from his pocket and checked. Four missed calls, an equal number of messages and texts from his mother saying simply, “Call me immediately.”
Dammit. When he raised his gaze to meet his mother’s, he saw tears now streamed down her cheeks.
Dread momentarily paralyzed him. “Nantha?” he asked, hardly able to force the words out past the lump in his throat. “Do you have news? Is she...” He swallowed hard, unable to finish the sentence.
“Oh, no. Not that.” His mom gave him a quick, fierce hug. “It’s okay, honey. She’s still alive,” June said. “Sorry, I should have realized you’d think the worst. Come with me.” And she turned and went toward the kitchen, knowing he’d follow.
Which he did, right on her heels. Oddly enough, his horrified assumption of the worst appeared to have calmed her. Hand steady, she reached for a folded piece of white paper on the counter, and handed it to him. “Take a look. This is crazy.”
“What is this?” he asked, accepting it. “Who’s it from?”
“Read it,” she managed, before turning away. Despite that, he could see that she covered her mouth with one hand in order to muffle her sobs.
Dread coiling low in his gut, he opened the single sheet of paper, noting the way it had been precisely folded into three exact, equal sections. He also noted the high-quality paper; not your ordinary, run-of-the-mill copier paper. Interesting. And then he began to read.
TO THE FAMILY OF THE MERMAID KNOWN AS NANTHA, it began. Typed, not handwritten. All in caps. Swallowing hard, he forced himself to continue reading.
SHE IS ALIVE, the missive continued. AND OF NO USE TO US. IF YOU WANT HER BACK, YOU WILL DO WHAT WE SAY. WE ARE WILLING TO EXCHANGE HER FOR TWO OTHER MERMAIDS. BUT THEY MUST BE VIRGINS. MORE INSTRUCTIONS WILL FOLLOW.
And that was all. No way to contact the letter writer, no instructions, other than asking for two virgin Mermaids.
“What the hell?” He read it again to be sure he’d gotten it right. “Is this someone’s idea of a joke?”
But now his mother was crying so hard she couldn’t answer. He hugged her, wondering what kind of son of a bitch would even think of writing such a thing. “Have you told Ion?” he asked gently.
“I’ve asked him to come immediately,” she managed. Communicating with those under the sea could be touch-and-go. Apparently, she’d actually managed to make contact.
A knock on the patio door made him freeze. Zach spun around, ready to do battle. When he realized who it was, relief flooded him. “It’s Ion,” he said, releasing his mother so he could unlock and open the door. “He must have gotten your message.”
“Zach.” Though he only had eyes for his weeping wife, Ion jerked his chin in a quick nod at Zach as he rushed to pull June into his arms. “What is this?” he asked, kissing her forehead. “Speak to me, darling. You said it was urgent. Tell me, what’s happened?”
His questions only made her cry harder. Ion glanced over her shoulder at Zach, one brow raised in question. “Do you know?” he mouthed.
“Yes. She—we got a letter,” Zach responded, unable to keep from reading it one more time. “About Nantha. It’s crazy. It doesn’t even make sense.”
Ion gently steered June to a chair. “Sit, love,” he ordered. “Let me take a look at this.”
Zach handed it over, watching as the Merman silently read it. And then reread it.
“What do you make of it?” Zach asked when Ion raised his gaze from the paper to meet his. “Do you think it’s genuine?”
“Unfortunately, yes. It doesn’t read like a prank. The letter writer is definitely serious.” He read it once more, exhaling sharply when he got to the end. “This isn’t good at all. But, on the plus side, this means my daughter is still alive.”
Zach nodded. “If they’re telling the truth, yes.”
At his words, his mother shot him a teary-eyed glare. “Think positive,” she admonished him. “Nantha is alive. She has to be.”
“Of course she is,” Zach replied, keeping his voice gentle. “I have no doubt about that.”
Reading the missive once more, Ion frowned. “The request for virgin Mermaids has me stymied, I must admit. It sounds like something from ancient legends.”
Zach nodded, aware of what the older man meant, and didn’t dare say out loud within his mother’s hearing. Sacrificial virgins, meant to appease either some mythical god or monster.
Insanity, right? But clearly, the letter writer believed what he or she had written.
“Well?” June demanded, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. She stood, looking from her husband to her son and back again. “What are you going to do about this?”
Again, the two men exchanged silent looks. Zach knew they’d talk later, in private.
“I’ve hired a paranormal private investigation firm to help search,” Zach said. He went on to tell them about the three women, one Mermaid, one Shifter and a Vampire.
His mother recoiled at the last, but didn’t comment.
“I want to meet with them,” Ion declared. “Especially the Mermaid. It would help me tremendously to have someone else helping me under the sea.”
“I want to meet them, too,” June put in, her voice fierce and determined. “Since one of them is a Shifter, she may be able to find a way for me to help.”
“Fine.” Zach didn’t see the harm in setting up a gathering. In fact, it might actually help to have the others see who else was involved. “I’ll see if they’re available to meet tomorrow night at Broken Chains.”
Both Ion and June nodded. Like everyone else in the paranormal community, they’d visited the bar more than once. While there were several others up north in Houston, Broken Chains was the oldest and most well-known.
“I’ve also involved the Pack Protectors,” Zach continued. “They’ve promised to keep an eye out.”
Though June nodded, Ion scowled. “I don’t see how they could help. They can’t search under the sea.”
“We don’t know that’s where she is,” Zach said.