“She was just trying to get by. Working as much as she could while keeping her dream alive.”
“We’ll make them regret it.”
“Fucking aye.”
The apartment building was in South Durham. It had two parking lots— one in the front, and a smaller one in the back.
“Let’s take the back,” I decided.
A couple of suspicious characters exchanged small packets near the dumpsters behind the buildings.
“Hey ladies,” one of them whistled. “Why don’t you come party with us?”
“Fuck off before I make you eat pavement,” I said, and the one on the left cupped his crotch.
“You too scared to handle this, baby?”
A low, threatening growl sounded, and I shivered. Both men froze as they stared at Kyla. Her lips were pulled back from her teeth, her eyes had lightened eerily, and the growl was coming from her throat.
“What the fuck, what the fuck, that’s a she-wolf!”
“They don’t exist, dumbass. Hey bitch, you wanna growl some more, I’ll– fuck!”
Kyla had stepped closer to the building. The sun was setting, but one of the outside lights highlighted her feral expression, lengthened canines, and glowing eyes.
“She’s hungry,” I said mildly. “I suggest you get gone.”
They took off.
“She’s hungry?” Kyla said as we stepped into the small, dank space that passed as the building’s lobby.
“I mean, you usually are, right?” She laughed and I glanced at her. “I heard it’s difficult to partial shift like that.”
“It is for most wolves. Well, difficult to do it and not shift all the way. It’s a control thing. I’ve never had an issue. Go me. We need the third floor.”
The elevator was broken, so we took the stairs. The pungent smell of urine hit me and Kyla cursed under her breath as we clomped up to the second floor. “I’ve got Riona’s scent.”
My pulse quickened. “You sure?”
She narrowed her eyes at me as we swung around the corner and started up the stairs to the third floor. “As sure as I can tell you this building should be condemned.”
“Even I’m sure of that.”
A baby wailed like it was being tortured in the apartment across from Troy’s as we examined the flimsy door of the apartment. “You want me to kick it in?” Kyla whispered.
Even I could kick it in. The door looked like it would fall apart if we knocked on it too hard.
“I don’t want to piss off the neighbors. The cops show up here, we’ll be trespassing. Give me a second.”
I pulled out the small case of tools I’d slipped into my new utility belt and crouched in front of the door. The lock was stiff, but I channeled patience and the door swung open a few minutes later.
“You wanna tell me how you know how to do that?” Kyla asked.
“I’m naturally skilled.”
I pulled my Colt, gesturing for Kyla to follow me in. She gave me an unhappy look but fell into step behind me. Sure, wolves were tougher than humans, but I wasn’t getting her killed three days into working for me.
Troy Burker didn’t live well. The living room boasted a single, sagging gray sofa and a scarred coffee table. He’d hung old sheets up in front of the windows in a useless attempt to block out the light.
