I pointed at Wayne. “This isn’t some twisted version of Stockholm syndrome or something, is it?”
“It’s not. Lycanthropes enjoy when their partners do elaborate things to stake their claims. Usually, we discourage actual kidnapping, but in this case, the CDC wanted help encouraging you to mingle with other lycanthropes, and Wayne is the only male who has been able to approach you without you having really negative reactions. As I said, you’ve been monitored, both by the FBI and the CDC.”
“Wayne said the FBI might be able to help find the asshole who attacked me.”
“The CDC has an active investigation into the case, and they have requested FBI assistance. They have kept this quiet, as they want you to be able to settle into your life. But it’s been apparent you haven’t been able to adjust. You have no known family life, and you haven’t integrated with any packs. Add in that Wayne is the only lycanthrope with any ability to get close to you at all, and the CDC reached out to see what the FBI was willing to do about the situation. Since you have had some known problems sniffing around your turf, which were noticed during monitoring, we decided to solve multiple problems at one time.”
“Why now?” I asked.
“Opportunity. We knew Wayne wanted your apartment so he could move forward with a business plan of his. We were aware he was making contact with you. As he made contact with you recently, we decided to put in a bounty offer to see if you’d move on it. You did, so here we are. Fortunately, because you’re so closely monitored, had Marlando made a move, we would have known about it immediately. We were not expecting him to hit your car, nor we were expecting his up-front assaults, but it works out well. We’ll have a team at the hotel for the rest of the night, and your new room will be on a upper floor so we can better protect you. Tomorrow, you’ll have an unmarked FBI vehicle available at your disposal so we can track you. Wayne knows how to activate the beacons in the vehicle should there be any trouble, help can arrive quickly. You’ll be followed by two pairs, who will be able to get to you within five minutes at all times.”
Wayne sighed. “So much for a nice vacation.”
“You’ll survive,” his boss promised.
“Where do you want me to take him?”
“Wherever you want, Joyce. He’s yours to do with as you please. Just be aware that Marlando is a lot like his brother, and now that you’ve stung his pride, he’ll make another move. He won’t make another move tonight, not with so many agents and cops camping out here, but as soon as he thinks he can get away with it, he’ll be after you. Why? It could be to give you to his brother, it could be for a hundred and one different reasons. All we do know for certain is that you’re very likely the only woman who has survived an attack by Eugene Marlando, and that makes you a target. I only question why you weren’t targeted sooner.”
I scowled. “You know how I don’t take kill bounties, Mr. Lenny?”
“Just call me Lenny, please. My last name is Haslet, and truth be told, I think about changing it every damned day. But yes, I’m aware.”
“Okay, Lenny. If you were to offer me a kill bounty for a penny to take out the fucker who attacked me in an alley, I’d accept while smiling. Don’t get me wrong. I’m grateful my wolf has done so much for me, but she gets guilty about it, and she deserves better.”
My wolf stilled, listening and waiting.
“I think we can pay you a little better than a penny for such a bounty.”
“Well, I’d accept a bounty for that asshole, especially if he targeted other women.”
“Right now, he’s suspected to have murdered at least twenty-five women and six men, all roughly in the same fashion. He hasn’t been declared a serial killer yet for a few reasons.”
“What are those reasons?”
“We can’t figure out how the killings are connected, and we can’t call someone who attacks people in alleys a serial killer solely on the grounds he attacks people in alleys. There are other criterial he needs to meet.”
“Like what?”
“Technically, he needs a month between killings for three or more killings to technically qualify, but the FBI has expanded the definition to only include killers who have a methodology to their slayings plus a connection between the killings. It turned out if the rules were limited to only people who killed three people with a gap of a month between killings, we had a lot of serial killers around. We mostly treat those people as standard murderers. Serial killers are a different breed of cat. They’re more deliberate in their killings. So, the FBI quantifies them by people who have a deliberate approach to their multiple killings. It’s gray territory. We, being the general branches of law enforcement, generally do agree there is a significant psychological difference between a serial killer and someone who is a repeat offender murderer. The repeat offender might just have a temper and kills someone in a moment of passion versus the serial killer, who will take their time carefully planning the murder and using the same method each time. I’m of the opinion Eugene Marlando is a serial killer. He has a methodology. His killings are exceptionally brutal. Your attack definitely fit into the exceptionally brutal category. But, you were his last victim, and that is concerning.”
I went cold. “You don’t think he’s finished with me.”
“That’s exactly what I’m afraid of. What I don’t understand is the why.”
“He’s a single male lycanthrope,” Wayne said. “And she has his virus. The why of it seems simplistic enough to me. Her virus has thoroughly rejected him, but does his virus know that? Probably not. So his virus would want her, especially if he’s aware she survived. We’ve seen this before.”
The bitterness in Wayne’s voice worried me even more than the prospect of facing off against a serial killer. “And if I were to decide to no longer be single?”
Wayne chuckled. “I’d be really happy with that development. It would also mean I’d go right for Marlando’s throat with zero care of the consequences.”
“I’m going to do you a favor, Wayne,” his boss muttered. “I’m going to add your name to the list of people permitted to claim his kill bounty with a notation that you are courting her, and that Marlando is probably the originating source of her virus. That will give you the most legal protections. However, if she wishes you to leave her territory, you will do so at her request.”
“If I wish for him to remain in my territory, can I use restraints?” I asked.
“You can use whatever tools you have at your disposal. You do have legal rights because of the bounty on him to restrain him at your leisure, especially as the bounty has been vetted for a live capture. Frankly, Miss Gray, I don’t care what you do with Wayne, just return him in tolerable condition. According to your records, prior to infection, you were a rather skilled practitioner. If you’re rusty with your practitioner skills, get in some practice time. Frankly spoken, we only need Marlando’s body intact enough to identify.”
My wolf perked up at that. “You want me to use practitioner magic on him?”
