Midnight Hour (Shadow Falls: After Dark #4)(6)

As powerful of a shape-shifter as Caleb was—though not quite as powerful as Perry—the asswipe had more brawn than brains. And whoever was

passing down the orders was a Big Mac short of a meat patty. Because this was their second bank job this week, and Caleb let it slip that two

other groups were hitting banks and even some retail stores in different towns in Texas. This wasn’t just a one-man show. Nevertheless, sooner

or later the fact that the robbers could disappear without being seen was going to be a red flag to officials and the FRU would be called in.

Perry saw the girl’s hands tremble. “Just put the money in the bag and we’ll go,” Perry assured her.

Another shot rang out behind him. The girl let out a low whimper that gave Perry another wave of regret. He looked back and saw Caleb standing

in the middle of the bank lobby, his gun pointing at the ceiling. “Anyone hit an alarm and the next bullet will end up in their head.”

The guy, his bright gold eyes peering out of his werewolf mask, locked on Perry. Or maybe not at him, but at the girl standing behind him. And

that was even worse.

“Well, well, what do we have here?” Caleb asked.

Perry’s heart raced when the man started strutting over. His cold eyes turned colder.

“How did you score the pretty one?” Caleb asked, leering at the girl as if she were a toy he had the right to play with.

Emotion rose in Perry’s chest. No one is playing with anyone!

“Put the money in the bag,” Perry told the girl, motioning to the black backpack, and wanting to get out of there before things got out of

hand.

She did as Perry ordered, scooping stack after stack of bills out of her drawer and dropping them in the opened backpack.

Caleb moved closer. “You are a sight for sore eyes, aren’t you, sweetheart?”

The girl’s gaze widened with more fear and she cut her pleading eyes to Perry as if begging him to help her.

Caleb pointed his gun at her and motioned it to the left. “Why don’t you come around here and let me see all of you.”

The girl made another whimper. When she didn’t move, he pointed the gun at her. “Come on, be a good girl.”

Perry shot forward right in front of the gun. “No. We have to go before the cops get here.”

Through the mask, Perry saw the man’s eyes change colors again. Anger did that to a shape-shifter. And it was never a good sign.

“This won’t take long,” Caleb bit out and attempted to push Perry aside. His tone, his implication was so disgusting, Perry’s own anger

ratcheted up a notch. His skin started to burn, a sign that his emotions were heightening to dangerous levels and if he couldn’t control them,

he’d shift. Shift into something bigger, meaner, and right here in front of about ten humans. And that was not acceptable. But neither was

what Caleb planned to do to the girl.

Perry stood solid, staring through his own mask, and refused to budge. Through the corner of his vision, he saw the girl watching as

Frankenstein and a werewolf faced off. He hoped like hell that was all she was going to see. Concentrating, he found that internal switch

inside him that allowed his anger to exist without awaking an unwanted beast.

“I said no. The cops have to be on the way by now.” Perry felt his eyes brighten, a sign that his switch hadn’t been completely turned off.

“Since when do you call the shots, kid?” Dislike hung on the man’s words, but Perry didn’t give a damn. Soon the * would really

dislike him. The plan was already set in motion.

Perry took in a noseful of air, hoping to compose himself. Finding that calm and controlling his shifts had been something he’d only mastered

in the last year. And occasionally he still failed at it.

“Since I don’t want to get arrested!” he told Caleb, tightening his jaw.

“What’s wrong?” Perry’s dad shot over holding his own backpack filled to the max with money.

“Your kid thinks he’s in charge.” Caleb put his gun to Perry’s chest. “Now step back before your daddy has to see you die!”

Perry’s breath caught in his chest. Not so much from fear, but from waiting to see his father’s reaction. Would his father defend him against

his partner in crime? Silence filled the bank. The hostages seemed to hold their breath. His dad didn’t speak, but Perry saw a flicker of

something in his eyes. Something that told Perry he might actually give a shit.

It shouldn’t have mattered. It was too late. But for some damn reason it did.

It mattered.

“I just want to leave before the cops get here,” Perry said, unsure if that flicker of emotion in his father’s eyes was enough to count on.

Unsure if it actually meant anything. Right then his heart took an emotional U-turn. Suddenly he wished he hadn’t seen it, because it was just

going to make this harder.

“And I want to spend a few minutes with our pretty new friend here,” Caleb hissed and cut his eyes briefly at the girl, then back at Perry.

“Don’t worry, I’ll give you a few minutes with her, too.”

Perry’s skin started to tingle with fury. How could his father befriend someone with such low morals? Perry inhaled again, and prayed he could