Primal Law (Alpha Pack #1)(51)

"But they didn't?"

"Nope. Two men were comin' from the woods when I got to the van." He frowned. "One had blood on his hands and I thought maybe they'd been hunting, but they didn't have guns. The other man had a shovel. I asked what they were doin', he swung it at my head, and that's the last I knew."

So the kid hadn't done in the old man. Who had and why, and why was the Necromancer investigating the killing?

"Henry, can you describe the men?"

"Oh, middle-aged white fellas. In good shape, I guess. The one with the bloody hands was average-looking with dark brown hair. The one with the shovel had sandy hair."

Not much help.

"Can you recall anything about how they were dressed?"

"Nah. Except one had on a blue polo shirt with something stitched above the pocket in white thread."

"What was it? Think, Henry."

"Uh, letters."

"Like initials?"

"Yes. With a logo," he recalled. "Three letters and under those, two hands holding a heart."

"What were the letters?"

"Don't know. Can't remember."

The young man blew out a breath. "Can you remember anything else, Henry? Anything at all?"

"No." Henry looked at him, expression blank. "Can I go now? Tina's expecting me for dinner."

Jesus, it creeped Jaxon out how the dead man kept repeating stuff, and he felt sorry for the poor victim's confusion, as though he couldn't grasp his situation. Apparently it affected the Necromancer the same way, because he was looking at Henry in sympathy, his caring for the man's plight etched on his face.

"Yes, Henry, you can go. And thank you."

Black waved a hand, murmured a few words in a different language, and a translucent green smoke drifted toward Henry, swirled around him. The old man stiffened, and then mechanically lowered himself through the seam in the grave, bit by bit until he'd disappeared from sight. The kid repeated the procedure over the grave and more green mist shrouded the ground. Once again, tremors shook the earth and the dirt began to push inward, filling the seam, and in moments, the scar was repaired and nobody would be able to tell such an amazing thing had ever taken place.

Holy shit, I've never seen anything like that in my entire life.

Considering some of the shit Ryon had seen, that was saying a lot.

"Rest well, old man." Pushing to his feet, Black brushed the dirt off the knees of his jeans and then suddenly turned without reaching for his backpack, his posture deceptively relaxed with his hands at his sides, and gazed directly at the spot where Jaxon and the other wolves were hidden in the darkness.

Or so they believed.

"Did you enjoy the show? Afraid I'll find out who you are and why you murdered poor Henry? Or maybe you were just passing through the graveyard in the middle of the night, out on a romantic stroll." The words were tossed as a challenge, laced with a touch of sarcasm. One thing was for sure-the kid wasn't one bit afraid of who he might face.

Come on, let's see what he thinks about taking on a pack of wolves.

As a unit, they emerged from the trees and padded forward, fanning out some in an attempt to surround him. Careful not to make any abrupt moves, they made their way toward him as he studied them in return, fists clenching and unclenching as though revving up his magic to hurl at them if necessary. His expression was hard, those green eyes glittering like cold jewels, none of the warmth or caring that he'd shown with Henry in evidence.

When they were within about twenty yards, Jaxon, Zan, and Hammer in front of him, Aric and Ryon to each side, the Necromancer held up a hand. "Far enough," he ordered. "Now I think it would be wise of you all to change, shifters, and tell me what the f**k you want."

Jaxon gaped in astonishment as a ripple of shock went through them all. The kid had to have known they weren't exactly human when they came out of the trees after he acknowledged them, but to call them exactly what they were-shifters-without batting an eye?

They might be in deeper trouble than they'd thought.

Jaxon half-expected the man to at least make a crack about their state of undress, especially given his youth, but when they shifted and stood, he didn't smile. Didn't so much as blink. He simply let his gaze travel over each of them as though memorizing details that might be useful later.

Jaxon got the heart-to-heart rolling. "Kalen Black? Why did you raise Henry Ward and question him about his murder?"

"What's it to you?" he challenged, pinning Jaxon with a cool stare.

"Not a damned thing. But it'll matter to Sheriff Deveraux, since he's the one who asked us to see why you've been hanging around." Indirectly, but he didn't need to get into the particulars.

"That ass**le?" The kid gave a humorless laugh. "He couldn't find his dick with both hands and a tube of K-Y."

Now that sounded more like a young dude.

"Be that as it may, we need an acceptable answer or you're going to come with us for a more private chat." He glanced at his brothers. "Might not be a bad idea anyways."

"Second the motion," said Aric. The others agreed.

"Forget it. Deveraux doesn't have any grounds to arrest me if he called in the canine squad, and what I'm doing here is nobody's business. I left everything the way I found it."