Darkness Read online

  “I ordered them to stand by and we didn’t come to hurt you.”

  “That was nice of you. What was the plan? Grab me while I slept?” She hated that they could have done just that if Missy didn’t have odd habits to fight her insomnia.

  “You’re in danger.”

  “No shit.” She tightened her grip on the gun. “You put me in it.”

  “Not from us. We came to make sure you were safe and take you back to Homeland where our security is much better.”

  “Who am I in danger from then? I’m dying to hear this.”

  “Robert Mason is the brother-in-law of Jerry Boris. That is their connection. Your boss is the brother of Boris’ deceased wife.”

  “Okay. Who is Jerry Boris? What’s the deal with him?”

  “I’ll tell you if you lower the weapon.”

  She knew it was a reasonable request. “Fine but you stay there or it goes back up, am I clear? I will shoot you in the leg.” She lowered it to her side but was ready to lift it if he tried to rush up the stairs. She didn’t trust him anymore and resented it. “Talk.”

  “Jerry Boris was the director of Homeland when it opened.”

  “I thought he wasn’t a New Species.”

  “He’s human. We didn’t run Homeland at first. They did until we took over.”

  That was information she hadn’t known. “Okay. Go on.”

  “He was removed. He didn’t like Species and made trouble for a few of them.”

  “Not exactly a job he should have had from the sound of it. So you arrested him for being an asshole?”

  “He was offered a job running Fuller Prison.”

  She remembered her boss mentioning that place. “What is that?”

  “It’s where we send humans who have done us harm. Most of them are ex-Mercile employees we hunted down. Boris was good for that job since it made him responsible for humans only. Someone thought it would be a perfect place to put him. It was a political move to make sure he stayed silent.”

  “Got it. He couldn’t bitch to the press if he still technically had a job. Why aren’t those jerks in a regular prison?”

  “Your justice system is flawed.”

  She couldn’t exactly disagree. “Go on.”

  “It’s a long story.”

  “And the night isn’t getting any younger, nor is this gun in my hand getting any lighter.”

  Darkness growled.

  “Don’t you dare. You’re the one who broke into my house.”

  “Boris had undetected access to our computer systems at Homeland and he used information from the tip line we set up to recover lost Species. Some of them were stolen from Mercile facilities after the first raid. It was televised and gave others warning, allowing them to escape and take Species with them. We hunt for the ones taken. He gathered information from the tip line, verified the solid leads and then erased the messages. He forced the NSO to pay him to obtain the locations of missing Species.”

  “That’s all kinds of fucked-up.”

  Darkness put his foot on the step. “I’m coming up.”

  Kat raised her gun. “Stay put.”

  He stepped back. “We learned what he was doing after he tried to set up a human to take the blame for his crimes. He was arrested and we are holding him at Homeland.”

  “Got it. So Mason wanted him sprung because they are related. That is so unprofessional. What a dick.”

  “We believe Robert Mason might have been working with Jerry Boris. It’s possible he was aware of his activities and tried to use his position with the FBI to protect him. That female Boris tried to blame was at Homeland and FBI agents tried to take her from us. She was the only one who could identify Boris on sight. He was using a false name.”

  She never had liked her boss or thought much of him. To hear he might be involved with something so low didn’t come as a shock. “Mason really has issues when it comes to New Species.”

  “He could hurt you.”

  She shook her head. “No way.”

  “What were your orders going into Homeland?”

  She debated answering but she believed Darkness. Her boss was a lowlife. “He wanted some intel and for me to look for Jerry Boris. I knew it was personal. He made it sound like you guys were a bunch of thugs who were kidnapping innocent people when you weren’t drugging and raping women.”

  Darkness’ mouth dropped open.

  “I didn’t believe that. I was under orders to go so I thought I’d make the best of it. I’d have a little fun, relax, and I liked running the classes. I never searched for Jerry Boris or tried to dig up dirt on the NSO.”

  “What did you put in your report?” He looked pissed.

  “I didn’t file one. I also didn’t exactly let Mason know when I left Homeland. I wasn’t ready to deal with him yet. I planned to go in on Monday and write about how boring everything was.” She shrugged. “You know, how I never left the guest cottage except to teach the classes and that I didn’t learn anything important. He would have been pissed but he calls me a set of tits and thinks I’m doing girls. He’s not my favorite person.”

  “Doing girls?”

  “He thinks I’m into women. I don’t need to tell you I’m not. I pretty much hoped this would blow up in his face. I don’t know how he got his position. He’s kind of a tool but orders were orders. My ass got sent to Homeland. I had to go. How did you figure out I was FBI?”

  “Your false identity was flawed. Our males didn’t make a mistake. I told you that to make you think we bought your story.”

  “Understandable. I wanted to believe that you believed. Game well played. You did drop some hints though.”

  “So did you.” He sneezed.

  “Are you okay?”

  “I smell perfume. It bothers me.”

  “My roommate sprayed some on before she left earlier.” They stared at each other. “I didn’t agree with why I was sent in. Mason is an ass.”

  “Why?”

  “You should hear his theory on dogs sometimes. I’m not repeating it. It was bad enough the first time I heard it, especially since I have one. I’m guessing that he skipped sensitivity training.”

  “Your boss could want to hurt you to keep you quiet once it comes out that we have linked him to Boris.”

  “He sent in other agents too. What do you think? He’s going to turn ninja assassin and take us all out? They didn’t get far but I’m guessing they had orders similar to mine. He’s not going to try to silence that many agents.”

  Darkness turned his head and murmured something she couldn’t hear. Her grip on her gun tightened. She frowned when he looked back up at her.

  “Is your team getting antsy? Why don’t you tell them to get out of my house? I’d also like to suggest you call next time if you want to talk instead pulling this shit. It’s rude.”

  Glass broke somewhere behind her and she spun, startled. Movement caught her eye and she jerked back. Darkness leapt, moving faster than her vision could track. He grabbed her and tore the gun out of her hand. It hit the floor and he lifted her off her feet, slamming her back against the wall.

  “You son of a bitch.”

  “I warned you I could do that. It’s not my fault if you forgot I didn’t have to walk up each step to reach you.”

  “Put me down!” She grabbed his shoulders.

  “I’m taking you to Homeland, Kat. It would make everything simpler if you just complied.”

  “Nothing about you is simple, Darkness.”

  “I know. I want to make sure you’re safe. I’m taking you in and keeping you there for as long as I feel it’s necessary.”

  “Mason isn’t going to come after me. He’ll be too busy protecting his own ass if everything you’ve said is solid. I need to go to work on Monday.”

  “You could work for the NSO.”

  “Doing what?”

  He shrugged. “We’ll figure something out.”

  “You can’t replace the years I have already put in or m