Coyote's Kiss (3 page)

“Yep,” he answered Calvin.

“I do love the blondes,” Calvin said happily.

Luca laughed. Calvin was worse than he was. Luca didn’t set out to pick up a girl every time he went out. Calvin, on the other hand, called the night a failure if he didn’t get laid.

Rosalinda dropped off their drinks before continuing on to the ladies. Luca watched out of the corner of his eye as the three women accepted their offering before standing. Oh, he was so getting some tonight.

The redhead slipped to Luca’s side and put her hand on his arm. “Thank you for the drink,” she murmured seductively.

“You’re very welcome,” Luca told her. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. There would be no question about what he wanted.

Calvin was already talking to the two blondes so Luca didn’t feel rude for not striking up a conversation with them. “I’m Luca Perez.”

“Beth Williams,” she said while running her palm up the front of his shirt. He might be smaller than most of the shifters he was surrounded by on a daily basis, but Luca worked out hard and had nice muscles to show for it. He captured Beth’s hand, pressing it against his heart. “And what are you up to this evening?”

“Just looking for a little fun,” she told him boldly.

He smiled, picked up his shot and drank it quickly. “Me too.”

Chapter Two

Jade Adams watched the video of the joint Coalition and ATF task force from the night before. As a behavior analyst with the FBI she couldn’t deny her interest in how the two very different agencies were working together. Even more so when her supervisor had informed her that the FBI would also like to add a few agents into the fold. Jade had quickly volunteered her and her partner for the job.

While she was pure human, she had been teamed up with a wolf shifter named Cole Babcock since she’d transferred into the Lake Worth office. Cole had ten years’ experience on her and she’d learned a lot in the six months they’d been working side by side.

This opportunity was a chance for Cole to see how the Coalition worked. Jade was looking forward to learning more about the shifters and their behaviors.

From the beginning when she’d found out that some human beings could transform, she’d been drawn in. So much made sense now that she was able to connect someone’s personality and shifting ability.

Turned out her brother was married to a fox shifter. Jimmy had known but had kept it from his family to protect his wife. Now Alice and Jade could openly mention Alice’s other form. Jade had noticed a big difference in their relationship. Alice had confided in Jade that instead of feeling like an outsider who had always had secrets, she was comfortable around the entire Adams family.

Jade had grown closer to Jimmy as well. Since Jimmy’s entire family had welcomed Alice with open arms when they’d discovered her secrets, Jimmy came around more often than he had been. Guilt had kept her brother from attending a lot of dinners and holidays. Jade felt as though she had her brother back. And she loved that.

Soon after Jade had learned of her brother’s mate she had been asked to consult on a case with some agents from the Lake Worth office. Cole had strolled into the large conference room and announced that he was a wolf shifter. He was also heading up the team and if anyone had a problem with him they were free to leave.

She had been shocked when three agents had actually walked out of the door.

It wasn’t until later when she’d been partnered with Cole for a month that he’d told her he’d been getting threats and taunts almost daily from agents who didn’t like his shifter status. Even people who had once been his friends had turned their backs.

Pissed off on his behalf, she’d assured him that she had no issues at all. Cole had simply nodded before turning away.

Jade didn’t take it personally, though. While it was taking longer than she wished, Cole was slowly opening up to her.

“You’re watching that again?”

She turned her head to peer at her partner as he walked into her office. “We’re meeting these guys today. I just want to make sure I’m ready.”

Cole leaned on the side of her desk to look over her shoulder at her monitor. “You’re a good agent. You don’t have anything to worry about.”

Pleased with the compliment, she grinned. “Thanks but they’re all shifters. I can’t compete with that.” It was her biggest fear. She wasn’t able to run as fast, see as well, and she didn’t have superior hearing.

“You’ll probably be the smartest one in the room. And if they give you a hard time I’ll take care of it.”

Since Cole didn’t give praise very often Jade knew he meant it. But that didn’t help with her nerves. Plus she didn’t want Cole to go into the meeting with aggression. If he felt that he had to protect her, Cole’s alpha personality could make it difficult for the two of them to fit in with the Coalition. She wanted this partnership to work.

Glancing through the windowed wall into the rest of their department, she couldn’t help but be disgusted with the people she worked with. Cole had proven to be experienced, dedicated and smart. He closed cases and put the bad guys behind bars. Yet there were only a handful of agents who sought out his advice. It was a shame.

He didn’t even get support from their boss. Special Agent Jensen ignored them both unless he had a difficult case that he needed to be handled. Jade had noticed that over the last several months, every case that she and Cole were handed was a job that no one else wanted or that had the potential of real danger.

When she’d read about the joint task force through the intranet home page that the agents all shared, she’d submitted hers and Cole’s names without asking their boss or her partner. It wasn’t until they’d made the shortlist that she had come clean and informed Cole about what she’d done.

And hadn’t that been a fun conversation. Not.

Cole hadn’t blown up or anything, but he hadn’t been happy either. Instead of being relieved at getting away from the jerks they shared an office with, Cole had calmly explained to her that he didn’t want to go anywhere. He wanted the other agents to look at his face every day and know what he was.

She tried to understand but couldn’t figure him out. She’d seen Cole turn the other cheek numerous times when someone would mumble under their breath about him being an animal or some other taunt. Cole never blew up or confronted them. Just kept walking like he didn’t hear them. Except Jade knew he did. If
she
could pick up on the rude comments and gestures, Cole
had
to. But he really acted like he couldn’t care less.

Jade wanted to throttle them all.

Instead, she’d worked on talking Cole into accepting the temporary joint task force assignment. She’d practically begged before he’d given in. Now they would finally get to work with others who would accept Cole. She couldn’t wait to see how her partner reacted.

“We better get going if we don’t want to be late,” Cole interrupted her thoughts.

“I’m ready,” she replied. She grabbed the messenger bag she’d packed earlier with notebooks, her laptop, a charger and office supplies.

“You remind me of a little kid getting to go see Santa,” he teased. At least she thought he was just teasing. Sometimes she couldn’t tell with him.

Instead of commenting, she grabbed her suit jacket off the back of her chair and slipped it on, covering her weapon and badge in the process. She’d gone with power gray for her wardrobe that morning. The dark pants and matching jacket were complemented with a light blue silk shirt. Her boots were both comfortable and fashionable and were the same color as her suit.

She pulled her shoulder-length brown hair up into a clip with a few strands flowing loose. She wanted to appear professional but easy to work with. She absolutely didn’t want to come across as eager as she was. Following behind Cole, she locked her office before walking with him to the elevator.

Jade didn’t miss the looks of disgust on a few faces as they passed. Cole walked with his shoulders back, head up and expression clear. She was going to have to learn how he did that. Practice in a mirror or something.

She sighed in relief when the elevator opened immediately for them. She didn’t enjoy feeling her co-worker’s eyes boring into the back of her head.

“Ignore them,” Cole whispered as they both stepped inside.

Jade grinned. “I’m trying. I just want to punch them in the throat.”

Cole snorted out a laugh that was so unexpected that Jade turned to stare at him.

“What?” he groused when he noticed.

“Nothing,” she replied but didn’t stop smiling. Yeah, Cole was coming around. She was even almost certain that he liked her.

“Whatever,” he muttered, but Jade was sure he was keeping himself from smiling too. She didn’t want to push her luck, though, so she remained silent.

“I’ll drive,” he said when the doors opened to the parking garage.

Once again Jade didn’t reply. Like there was any doubt that he would take the wheel. He never let her drive.

He hit the key fob to his department SUV, disarming the alarm and unlocking the doors. She stashed her bag in the back seat. Cole’s backpack was already inside. Maybe he was more excited than he was letting on. Normally he let her handle the paperwork, but if he was bringing his computer he might just surprise her.

She climbed into the passenger seat. “Have you ever met any of the agents?” she asked him. Out of all of their talks about the Coalition she’d never asked that. He might be more comfortable if he knew the teams already.

“No,” he replied. “From what I gather the Coalition doesn’t get along any better with the FBI than anyone else.”

The way the Feds were treating her partner made Jade feel like the Coalition might have a reason for not getting along with them. “We’ll change their minds,” she said.

Cole shook his head. He pulled out of his parking spot and drove to the exit before he spoke. “Just because this agency is made up of shifters doesn’t mean they’re not assholes,” he warned. “You need to be careful what you tell them until we know we can trust them.”

Jade didn’t like it but she knew her partner was right. “I will. I just want to see how all the different shifter species work together.”

“I’m curious about that myself,” he admitted.

“Really?”

He hummed as he merged with traffic.

Jade waited. Or at least she tried. “Why?” she asked when Cole didn’t continue.

“I watched the video from last night too. Not only do the teams work together but alpha personalities seem to be able to operate together without any problems. I’ve never been around many shifters—my pack and family along with a few other agents—but these are very predatory creatures who function well in their missions.”

“You’re the one that tells me you’re simply a human with special abilities,” she reminded him. “Wouldn’t that reasoning apply to them also?”

“Yes and no. I am human. But I also have a part of me that needs to be in control. The dominant gene that won’t allow me to bow down to anyone who isn’t as strong.”

“Maybe it’s different for wolf shifters?” she offered.

“I don’t think so. One of the teams was made up of my kind. Then you had birds of prey, felines and bears. All aggressive traits. One of the reasons I agreed to this crazy joint unit was to get an inside perspective on how they work. Even if this doesn’t work out in the long run, which I don’t think it will, hopefully I can pick up something that will help me later on down the road.”

She didn’t comment on his insistence that the task force wouldn’t work. He’d been saying that from the beginning. Getting a look at the Coalition and the ATF in training had her believing the opposite. But he did have a point about the other species and their animal parts. She’d been studying shifter behaviors since she’d first been given access. Of course, most of her theories were based on shifters who were criminals, but she still felt strongly that the human shifter did carry over several traits that affected how they handled certain situations.

“Wait— You said you’ve been around other agents who shift. Which ones?” she asked. As far as she knew Cole was the only shifter who worked in the office. Of course the FBI was a huge organization and was everywhere in the United States, but it had a smaller branch in Lake Worth than in other major cities.

“Sorry but I can’t tell you that. If they want to come out I’ll support them—I’ve already let them know—but as long as they want to remain hidden, I will keep their secret,” he said.

Jade leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms. She didn’t like that answer but she knew the tone that Cole was using. He wouldn’t tell her. “You know,” she accused.

He tapped the side of his nose.

“Oh well.” That made sense. Cole could tell whether they were fully human or not without anyone having to say a word. He could scent them. It helped when they were in the field but at that moment it gave him information she didn’t have. That annoyed her.

“You’re about to get your fill of shifters.” Cole glanced over at her. “Stop pouting.”

“I’m not pouting,” she argued. Oh, she was, but she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of agreeing.

“Sure,” he consented.

She punched his arm. He didn’t even act as though her hit affected him. She’d have to work out more. It was only fair, after all, that she was as strong as possible to protect him as much as he did her since they were partners. Not that she would actually say that. Cole would probably just laugh at her if she did. “You’re not worried that they’ll resent us since we’re Feds, are you?” Since the shifters had announced themselves publicly the FBI had actually come out to denounce them. Jade hated that.

“It’s possible. You’re a human FBI agent. I’ll be making sure no one gives you a hard time. Don’t worry,” he said.

She huffed. “I can take care of myself too, you know.”

“You’re a human going into an organization that is full of predators who don’t have a lot of respect for where we come from. Stay by my side and follow my lead,” Cole ordered.

“Yes, sir,” she replied cheekily. He knew her well enough—if someone challenged her she wouldn’t back down.