He headed into the kitchen, only to see the tiled floor, empty table, appliances neat and in order on the counter, and everything spick and span. Nothing was out of place. It was as he remembered it the evening he had come over for dinner.
But the scent was in here as well.
Reno went through the apartment again, having a clue to work with. He was grateful the scent was absent where his mate slept. The bedroom was clean, the bed made, but the odor wasn’t in the room.
When Reno stepped back into the living room, the owner of that niggling scent came to mind and he knew who had been here. His muscles grew rigid as his jaw tightened.
Johnson.
From the light scent, Reno knew that the cop had visited Baker before he had started stalking him. He was hours late. His eyes darted over to the white blinds covering the window and saw the color spectrum of red, pink, and orange cutting across the sky as the sun began to set. Just how long ago had he taken Baker, and where?
Johnson could have stashed Reno’s mate anywhere before coming after him. The cop was as evil as a poisonous snake, and Reno planned on cutting the damn serpent’s head off if he harmed Baker in any manner.
Knowing he was in way over his head, Reno only knew of one thing to do. He pulled the black cell phone from his pocket and dialed the one man he knew could help him.
“Maverick.”
“This is Reno Davis.” Reno gritted his teeth at having to ask anyone for help, but he knew he had to find Baker before Johnson sought his revenge. He wouldn’t put it past the man to use Baker against him.
“I know who you are,” Maverick said. “I know everyone in my town. What can I do for you?”
That was the million-dollar question.
Chapter Ten
Maverick hung up the phone and then settled back in his chair. From what Reno had just told him, there was more going on than the coyote was aware of. Maverick had his suspicions about what Officer Johnson was really up to.
Johnson was the same officer who had confronted him outside of the hospital when Randy was leaving with his mate Priest. He had given Maverick a hard time.
It seemed Kenyon Corporation was determined to find out anything they could about Brac Village, and now that Kenyon had his sights set on Reno, Maverick knew the head Vampire Hunter had discovered that shifters existed.
Picking the phone back up, Maverick dialed Christian. “We need to gather the Ultionem.”
“Done.” The line went dead.
Maverick had protested the super-secret club, and still did to anyone listening. But in the back of his mind he saw the intelligence behind the decision to make the leaders of the paranormal world one strong head. They were still working out all the details as far as the new laws that would govern the paranormal world, though. He had no clue all the things that had to be taken into account. Customs, beliefs, eating and hunting habits, those were just a few they had to consider.
If the decision was solely up to Maverick, he would make one rule that fit every species and breed. Don’t be a fucking idiot. That summed it up.
Unfortunately, things needed to be spelled out for most.
Driving his Softail into the city, Maverick smiled to himself. It had been a long while since he had gotten out and just ridden. The sun had already set, and the city was well lit and alive. Although he loved the small town he had established over two hundred years ago, the city offered a racier time, a thrum through the veins that Maverick welcomed on occasion.
The streets were filled with life as he navigated toward The Manacle. He could have easily had Carter pop him into Christian’s office, but Maverick liked feeling the adrenaline rushing through him, the pulsing of nightlife washing over him, and it didn’t hurt his ego when a few ladies of the night called out to him, telling Maverick what a hot-looking man he was.
Yeah, they were just trying to get into his wallet, but a man’s ego was so easily rubbed. Cecil did one hell of a job letting Maverick know he still had it, but it still felt good when a stranger backed that claim up.
Front tire bumping the curb as he turned into the parking lot, Maverick saw the crowd standing outside the nightclub, the line almost wrapping around to the alley. Christian had given Maverick a key to get in the back way, but the front would do just fine tonight. The loud, electro-funk music spilled from the doorway as Harley waved a couple past him.
Passing the vampire bouncer, Harley gave Maverick a nod as he walked right on by. Sweat, perfume, cologne, and pot wafting off of clothing from people passing by assailed his senses, the neon lights that slashed over the crowd bright. It helped that Maverick towered over the throng of partiers. He could see where he was going without having to strain his neck.
He glanced toward the stage to see the new DJ Christian had hired. It seemed the crowd loved having a DJ because the swarm of partiers had doubled since Christian had hired the guy. He had also hired a live band, but it was the DJ who was here tonight.
Christo appeared at Maverick’s side, his dark hair fanning over his shoulders as he waved toward the hallway leading to Christian’s office. “Everyone is here and waiting on you.”
“How’d Zeus get here so quickly?” Maverick lifted his arms when a female around the age of twenty bumped into him, her laughter more like a giggle as she stared
