Wanted: Undead or Alive

Her cheeks grew warm. “We always strip before shifting. It’s no big deal.” She’d done it in front of others for years, but she suddenly felt self-conscious with Phineas watching her so closely. She removed her shirt and dropped it on the chair. “You want to come with me? There are a whole bunch of trees out there you could punch.”

“Very funny. I have some investigating to do, but I’ll come back for you in, what—two hours?”

She reached behind her back to unhook her bra. “I don’t know how long I’ll be gone. I won’t be wearing a watch, you know.” She slipped the bra off and dropped it on top of her shirt.

He sucked in a breath of air.

She blushed.

“Hello, ladies.”

She laughed, thankful her shyness was short-lived, and strode toward the door. “I’ll see you later, big boy.”

He glanced down at his jeans. “It is that obvious?”

She grinned as she stepped outside onto the porch. The cool air chilled her skin, but soon she’d be warm in a thick fur coat.

“Didn’t you forget something?” Phineas said from the doorway.

She wiggled out of her panties, then tossed them back at him over her shoulder. “Keep those for me, will you?”

He caught them, his eyes gleaming red.

She ran down the steps and into the grassy meadow. At last! The full moon shone down on her, and she lifted her arms, surrendering to the inner wolf.

The surge of power was orgasmic, so strong and overwhelming she didn’t feel the pain of bones shifting or fur sprouting. Within seconds, she was the wolf.

She was free.

Chapter Seventeen

“Be safe, sweetheart,” Phineas whispered as he watched Brynley trot into the woods.

Her father and ex-fiancé didn’t know she had returned to Wyoming, so she should be safe roaming about for a few hours. The national forest was over a million acres and filled with animals, so finding her would be like finding the proverbial needle in a haystack. Hopefully, Rhett Bleddyn would remain in the vicinity of his ranch. As for her father and his minions, they would be miles away at his ranch in Montana, busy celebrating their big monthly hunt.

Still, Phineas tensed with worry when Brynley disappeared from view. You have to trust her, he chided himself. She’d been shifting since she was a teenager. She knew how to handle herself in the woods. And it was important for her to have this last night at home.

He strode into the stable and found Zoltan whispering to Molly as he filled her manger with hay. “What’s up?”

Zoltan glanced at him with the hint of a smile. “It appears you are not the only one here in love.”

“What? Who?”

Zoltan tilted his head toward Molly. “The mare. She is smitten with a wild white stallion.”

Phineas’s eyes widened. “You can communicate with her?”

“Yes. By the way, she approves of you and Brynley. The gelding does as well.”

“Oh, that’s a relief. I’d hate to leave them off the invitation list.”

“Then you plan to marry soon?”

“I was joking.” He winced. Not really.

Zoltan gave him a knowing look.

“Well.” Phineas headed back out the stable door. “Let’s get some work done, okay?” The sooner they completed their mission, the sooner he could get back here for Brynley.

Zoltan accompanied him to the cabin. “You believe Corky is hiding at the ranch owned by Rhett Bleddyn?”

“It’s possible. We know for sure he’s a werewolf. An Alpha.” And the one Brynley’s father had wanted her to marry. Phineas gritted his teeth. Bleddyn was probably still hoping to marry her. He might have bought a nearby ranch so he’d have a reason to stay in the area and pursue her if she ever returned.

“He’ll be shifting tonight.”

“Yeah.” Phineas mounted the steps to the front porch. “He and his pack will be off hunting, so we should be able to sneak into his house. Hopefully, we’ll find Corky there.”

Zoltan smiled as he followed Phineas inside the cabin. “While the wolves are away, the Vamps will play. I like it.”

“Bleddyn’s ranch is next to Nate Carson’s place,” Phineas continued. “We’ll teleport to Nate’s house and ask him to call Bleddyn’s ranch. Then we listen in and teleport straight into Bleddyn’s house.”

“Excellent. Corky will never know we’re coming.”

“We need the element of surprise.” Phineas checked his sidearm. “She may not be alone. Dimitri could be with her.”

Zoltan tucked a pistol under his belt, close to his sheathed sword. “We should knock her unconscious to make sure she doesn’t escape. Then we can teleport her straight to Romatech and put her in the silver room.”

“Got it.” Phineas checked the knives concealed in his boots. “I teleported on Nate’s driveway before, so that’s probably where we’ll land.”

“Let’s do it.” Zoltan looped an arm around Phineas’s shoulders to hitch a ride.

They arrived and quickly looked about. The full moon gleamed off the smooth white concrete of the circular driveway. It was quiet, except for the howl of a wolf far in the distance. A werewolf most probably. Phineas tensed. He should have stayed by Brynley’s side.

But it was the perfect night to hunt for Corky. Her werewolf allies would all be busy.

“Nice house,” Zoltan murmured.

“Yeah.” Phineas strode to the entrance and rang the doorbell.

Footsteps ran toward them and the door jerked open.

“Thank God!” John Brighton shouted. His hopeful expression quickly crumpled into one of confusion and disappointment. “I thought you were the paramedics.” He pushed past them and ran into the driveway. “Where’s the blasted ambulance? I called ten minutes ago.”

“What’s wrong?” Phineas asked.

“It’s Nathan! Dear Lord, if they don’t hurry, he could die!” John dashed back into the house, headed for Nate’s office.

“What happened?” Phineas followed with Zoltan close behind.

“That damned brother of his. He brought a monster into the house.” John stopped by the office doorway, where a maid stood, crying into a handkerchief. “Bring more towels. Hurry!”

She scurried away, and John ran into the office.

Phineas paused at the doorway, surprised by the level of destruction. The floor was littered with papers. Chairs overturned and broken. Holes punched in the walls. Nate’s mangled wheelchair was resting on its side. And Nate lay in a bloody heap on the floor.

“You have to apply pressure.” John grabbed the bloody towel from Nate’s limp hand and pressed it against the gaping wounds across his chest and abdomen.

“Too . . . weak,” Nate whispered.

“What happened?” Phineas zoomed toward them at vampire speed and knelt beside Nate.

John was too focused on Nate to notice. “Kyle and Mr. Bleddyn came to see him. I heard them shouting and crashing furniture. I rushed inside and . . .”

“What?” Phineas asked.

John grimaced. “Bleddyn had turned into a monster! His head was human and he was shouting, but his arms