Alterant (Belador #2)(4)

Storm’s fingers curled around her wrists, heating her skin.

She froze at the contact. Her pulse rocked with awareness that excited her . . . and raised nervous hairs along her arms. No matter how strong she’d become in the past five years, some things from her past would haunt her forever.

Without moving a muscle, she met his gaze with her unyielding one. “Don’t.”

He swore softly and released her wrists, muttering, “When are you going to trust me?”

Not in this lifetime.

Storm deserved someone’s trust and had earned a little from her in the past few days, but she didn’t know how to give it freely to men other than Tzader and Quinn who wanted nothing but friendship from her. Her biggest problem with them was when they acted like overprotective brothers.

She couldn’t fault Storm for stirring an unnatural reaction born of hideous memories.

Was she attracted to him? Yes.

Was she comfortable with that attraction? No.

His next words came out as a vexed sound pushed through gritted teeth. “I’m not taking the amulet.”

That ticked her off, and she could deal with anger better than desire. She retied the leather thong, dropped her arms and raised her head until their noses were an inch apart in a battle of wills. “Why not? You could tell Nicole thank you while you’re at it, since this kept you from being seen in public last night as a jaguar.”

“The only reason you want me to take that now is because you think you won’t be coming back after the Tribunal meeting. And, as far as Nicole goes, I sent her flowers and a thank-you note.”

Really? I’ve never gotten flowers. She frowned and backed up two steps before she could stop the reaction, a ridiculous one at that because she appreciated what he’d done for her friend.

Storm missed nothing. Like now, when he studied her as if he’d just noticed something that surprised him.

He had better-developed empathic senses than hers plus the ability to tell a lie from the truth. No point in wasting her time trying to convince him she believed differently about her chances with the Tribunal.

“Okay, fine.” She’d give Tzader the amulet when she saw him at the park. “So why’re you here?”

“Two things. First—do you know about the latest Alterant attacks?”

“No.” Was this her week or what? More attacks would not aid her case one bit.

“One in San Francisco this morning. Three more up the West Coast in Portland yesterday.”

“Four? What the—” She stopped short of cursing, since Brina, the Belador warrior queen, hated for her Beladors to curse and Evalle wanted Brina in an accommodating mood tonight. She would need Brina’s help to swing the Tribunal’s decision in her favor. But what was up with so many Alterant attacks in just twenty-four hours? She’d thought the last two in less than a month had been unusual. “How’d you find out?”

“I talked to a VIPER agent earlier tonight who had caught a few details. He said our agents on the West Coast heard about a family of five found slaughtered around their campsite and the authorities couldn’t figure out what had attacked them, because it hadn’t killed like a bear, a mountain lion or a wolf. They’re waiting on a bad fog to lift before they try tracking.”

Evalle felt sick. An Alterant had killed a family. Anything that murdered deserved to die, but she asked, “Did they capture the Alterants?”

“By the time VIPER’s team found the beasts another group had them surrounded. Five human men in black-ops-type camo gear were closing in on three Alterants. Casper said the beasts attacked the men as if out of their minds.”

“And the men in camo had megaweapons they used to blast the Alterants to pieces,” Evalle finished.

This only got better.

Four more Alterants. Multiple attacks in less than a day.

Storm cocked his head, thinking. “You know who those black ops guys are?”

Sounded like Isak Nyght’s men, but she didn’t want to get into that right now. “Maybe. Have to tell you about it later when I’m not in a hurry. What about the Alterant in San Francisco?”

“Killed a man and his wife on a pier. Authorities have no idea what happened because the only thing they found besides the mutilated and half-eaten couple was the nude body of a man floating in the water nearby. The nude guy had chunks of human flesh in his throat.”

Gross. “So the Alterant maybe fell into the water, drowned and shifted back to his human form?”

“That’s what VIPER thinks. They stole the body and disposed of it. I hate to give you bad news going into this meeting,” Storm said, “but I didn’t want you blindsided either.”

She nodded, noticing the concern behind his words. “Thanks. I’m not in a hurry to face the Tribunal, but I can’t show up late, so what else did you have to tell me?”

“I need you to do something for me,” Storm said.

Was he serious?

But Storm had helped her last night by shifting into a jaguar—a form he hated taking—to track someone for Evalle. He’d also brought an army of Beladors to where the Kujoo had held her captive.

And had rushed into battle, wielding a sword to free her.

She pointed out, “I’m not in a position to be of much use to anyone right now.”

“Hear me out. I left South America six months ago to find someone, and that trail went cold two months back. That’s when I had a vision that you could help me find this person.”