The tall, skinny guy rolls the bike near us and puts the kickstand down, staggering a little under the bike's weight. He wobbles as he gets off and Grizz gets tense like he's going to run and catch his bike before it crashes to the pavement. I put my hand on his back to soothe him as the ungainly rider manages to extricate himself from Grizz's bike and walk away with the Harley upright.
"He got it here safe and sound," Parker says smoothly. He's got a lighter out and is flicking it on and off.
"Besides," Declan adds, speaking around the unlit cigarette. "He has his own helmet."
The thin guy named Laurie heads our way, he removes his glasses, pulls off the helmet and replaces the glasses. His hair sticks out everywhere. I swallow a giggle. These guys are like the Three Stooges, only they're all skinny. And shifters. But strange shifters-I can't tell what species they are, and each one is different.
"Here." Grizz tosses something to Parker, who catches it without looking. "Take the truck, clean it up and ditch it. Plates in the back. Wipe the prints."
"Yeah, yeah," Declan mutters. "We know the drill. Weren't born yesterday."
"You mentioned another bit of business?" Parker asks.
"Yeah." Grizz still has his eyes on the bike. He dips his head, whispers, "Get the burgers," to me and gives me a push. I'll have to walk away from Grizz, back to the truck. Part of me wants to stick close to him.
Grizz looks down and sees this.
"You'll be okay," he murmurs. "I've got you."
Grizz
RELUCTANTLY, Jordy turns and trots to the truck. I keep my eyes on her as I tell Declan, Parker and Laurie, "I need info."
"Who's that?" Parker asks after a cursory glance. He's smart enough not to gawk at Jordy while I'm present.
Declan isn't so circumspect. "She looks like Anne of Green Gables."
"How would you know?" Parker asks.
"I saw the movie." The Irishman shrugs. "It was on cable."
"You're a dork." Parker shakes his head.
"Feck ya. It's a classic."
"Guys," I interject before they start fighting. Fucking weirdo shifters. But they have ears everywhere. And I need them. "Focus. I've got a job for you, and I'll pay."
Jordy returns with the giant white bags.
"Thank you, baby," I say and she glows.
I hold up the bag of burgers.
"Jackpot," Declan whoops. Laurie reaches for the bag and I hold it out of range. "First, we discuss terms."
"You can't buy us with burgers," Parker says.
I hand over the burgers to Laurie, who retreats behind his two friends. "There's payment in it too. Couple grand. Maybe more, if I get what I want."
"And what's that?"
"Vampires are grabbing shifters, using them for food. I want to know who's supplying them, and why."
"Is that all?" Declan scoffs. "Why not ask for the moon?"
"Frangelico know about this?" Parker asks, his eyes narrowing.
"Frangelico sanctioned my search. I'm digging into the vampires. I need help. Everything and anything you know about the slavers."
"You want us to talk to the shifters," Parker says. He catches on quick. "And you know none of them will talk to you. Not after you sided with the vampires."
"I didn't side with the vampires-"
"The hell ya didnae," Declan snaps, his accent coming out thick.
"You need more than our help talking to shifters. If you're gonna be poking around here, you need amnesty. Time to go to Garrett and grovel," Parker says.
My answer is a growl.
"Come on, Grizz," Declan says. "You walked into wolf territory and pissed them off. They hate that. And even a big strong grizzly can't take on a whole wolf pack. Even if you do have vampire friends."
"Vampires aren't my friends."
"Just your employer," Parker points out.
"So I work with Frangelico," I shrug. "So what? I'm a fighter. I'm allowed to moonlight."
Parker shakes his head. "War is coming. You gotta pick a side. Wolves or vampires."
"Neither."
"Waste of a good fighter." Parker shakes his head.
"Look, I don't have time for this."
"Yeah, you're too busy doing the vampire king's bidding," Declan mutters.
I glare at him. I'm going to have to spill more than I want to. "I want to stop the deaths."
"The druggie deaths? The humans?" Parker asks.
"I think the vampires are involved in those as well as the shifter snatching."
"We know they are." Declan crosses his arms over his chest. "So what?"
"So something's up. Frangelico wants them stopped."
"He's gonna send you after his own people?"
"He already has. They're breaking the rules. Leaving out dead bodies. Kidnapping and keeping shifters for some reason. I'm gonna find out, if you help me, I'll find out faster. And we'll stop them."
"You think the shifter snatching and the humans' deaths are related?" Parker asks. "Why?"
I shrug. "Just got a feeling. I think the vamps were addicted to human sweetbloods and now they're switching to shifters. I wanna know why. Humans are easier prey. Why switch to shifters?"
"Who knows why vampires do anything?" Declan shakes his head.
Parker flicks his lighter thoughtfully. "Maybe shifter blood's more potent." His gaze focuses on Jordy. "Is this one of the shifter sweetbloods?"
I snarl and move in front of Jordy, blocking Parker and Declan's view of her. "Leave her out of this."
The two misfit shifters exchange glances, but say nothing. I don't like it. Motioning to Jordy, I pull her in front of me, presenting her to the guys.
"This is Kit," I say. I don't want to use her real name and put her at risk. "She's under my protection."
"You claiming her?" Declan asks. Jordy sucks in a breath.
"As far as you or any other shifter is concerned, yes. When she's here, she's with me. When she's not, forget she exists. Understand?"
They both mumble that they understand, but they don't look happy.