Cloaked in Secrecy Read online

  A pile of wooden crates lay near, and it reeked of cabbage.

  From our shaded area, concealed by a ledge above us, I stared out into a courtyard empty of guards. A spotlight from the police building swept in a semicircular motion across the yard, which was at least double the size of the great circus tent. Directly across from us stood a small concrete block with no windows, only two doors. A metal one in the center and a wooden one directly across from us.

  A discomforting feeling churned in my gut. I rarely shied away from breaking rules, but when it involved the possibility of turning into a wulfkin in front of humans in order to save us, I had a problem with it, especially since there would be cameras around. That single action provided the Varlac with the right to execute wulfkin, whether I was their family or not, and I was pretty attached to my head.

  “What’s the plan?” I whispered.

  She inched forward, taking a peek up at the structure behind us. “As I thought. No one’s there.” She tugged her hood lower over her head. “Only one camera. I don’t think there are any in the cells from what I saw,” she whispered. “I’m going to break into the storeroom. I’ve done some research, and someone online said he used to work there when he was an inmate. It’s connected to the cells. Plus, there’s apparently no security alarm on the door.”

  “Apparently? You’re basing this on what a dubious ex-con said online?”

  Her gaze met mine, and her whisper was louder than it should have been. “It’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

  “Maybe we should work on this some more and return tomorrow?”

  Refusing to acknowledge my suggestion, she hurried toward the wall. When the spotlight finished spraying light on this side of the courtyard, she bolted straight down to the other side, vanishing into a location too far for the light to reach.

  My turn came. I lunged ahead and limped to Alena, who huddled in the shadowy corner. Our sides pressed tightly together.

  I whispered, “What’s the plan now?”

  She dug into her pocket and retrieved several lock-picking tools.

  “Seriously?” I asked.

  “Trust me. Father used to get me to unlock old trailers. He’d buy them cheap after they were dumped by their owners. He’s a closet junk collector.”

  I scanned the yard and counted the seconds when the sweeping light steered away from the storage entrance.

  “You have about eight seconds to open the door.”

  When the moment came, Alena pounced forward and hunched over in front of the lock. The beam returned, and her head jerked up. She sprinted back, crashing into my side.

  “Might take me a couple more tries.”

  After her fourth attempt, she said in between rushed breaths, “I think I almost got it.”

  My insides jittered. I hobbled toward the entrance and threw my shoulder into the wooden door. It groaned and snapped, but it didn’t open.

  “What are you doing?” Alena prodded my back. The floodlight was returning.

  “I’m helping,” I said.

  The sound of voices and jangling keys reached us from within the police office across the courtyard from us, silencing Alena’s words.

  My pulse pounded beneath my skin. I pitched my weight once more into the door. I stumbled inside as a metal piece of the lock clanked to the ground.

  Then the rear door to the police station across the courtyard flung open.

  I snatched Alena’s wrist, hauled her in, and shut us inside. The broken lock meant the door against my back wouldn’t stay closed on its own. Pitch-darkness surrounded us, and the stale funk of rotting vegetables fouled the air.

  Only a thin sliver of illumination filtered into the room through the gap under the door every few seconds.

  Listening to the footsteps in the yard, I tried to imagine where the police were headed. If they chose the door I was leaning against, we’d be caught. Then what? Take them out and make a getaway? My stomach refused to settle, and adrenaline pumped so quickly, my wolf threatened to pour out of me any second.

  A loud crack drew my attention into the dark room. “Alena?”

  Light flashed across the floor from outside, revealing Alena’s legs dashing into another room. “Alena, we have to leave,” I whispered.

  No response.

  If I went after her, the door I was holding shut would swing open, revealing us to the police. Fuck. What now?

  On the other side of the door, the footfalls on concrete receded, but their voices didn’t disappear completely. They were loitering in the courtyard by the sound of it. We’d wait until the guards left the yard, unless, of course, Alena turned up with her brother and set off alarms. I hoped that wasn’t the case.

  Where did Alena intend to stash her brother anyway?

  My insides twisted, and there was still no sign of Alena. I didn’t function well with waiting. You might say patience wasn’t one of my virtues. It was get in, do the job, and get out. Or attack, if needed. But my hunting skills didn’t apply to humans.

  The police hadn’t returned inside either, and their stomping boots marched and shuffled outside at regular intervals. With each passing second, my nerves intensified. The wolf rumbled in my chest, whimpering for release, and I contemplated transforming. It’d make for a swift escape, but what were the chances of not being caught on video footage in my wolf form? Should I risk it? It was insane, and I couldn’t leave Alena behind.

  A siren blared.

  I jumped, my whole body shuddering, and my heart stuck in my throat. They’d found us.

  Outside, the stampede of boots escalated. Holy shit. Alena?

  Two options: turn and run, or dash into the prison and attempt to find her.

  The slapping of shoes echoed from within the building. Were the guards coming?

  The other door inside the storeroom creaked open. You better be Alena. My breath accelerated, and I fisted my hands.

  Movement closed in, then crashed into me.

  Alena’s scent hit me like a brick wall.

  “Crap, crap, crap.” Her voice trembled. “We need to get out. Now.”

  “Where’s your brother?”

  Behind her, more stomping feet.

  “I couldn’t get him.”

  I snatched her wrist and ripped open the door just as the strobe light flashed our way. Fantastic.

  Gaze low, I hustled Alena toward the wall where we’d entered.

  “Stop!” Two officers with guns pointed approached from across the courtyard.

  My wolf was already pressing for escape. Terrible timing.

  In one rapid motion, I grabbed Alena by the waist. “Jump.” I pitched her up. She latched onto the wall and carpet and scrambled over it with no problem.

  A bullet whizzed past my ear, the cold rush of wind raising the hair down my arms. Way too close. No time to think about it.

  More voices.

  I leapt onto the wobbly crates with my good leg and jumped up with all my wulfkin strength. With my torso across the carpet, I pushed forward in a roll. Another bullet whizzed past my backside. Barbed wire caught on my jeans and tore the fabric along with flesh. I tumbled down, landing on my side. A whimper flashed past my throat. Fuckin’ hell, it stung. Every part of me was inflamed.

  Alena was there, pulling my arm, dragging me away. No time for pain. I’d suffer later.

  Together, we hurried down the alley, my leg and hip on fire. On the street, I spotted officers pouring out of the station, one of them yelling for us to halt.

  Alena glanced at me, shadows smearing her delicate features. “Start unbuttoning your shirt and pants.”

  Didn’t take her for the kinky kind, but then again she wore those gloves. “Really? You want to do this here?”

  She offered a scowl as she hauled me by the hand across the road. I cringed each time I put pressure on my leg. Stars danced in my vision from the pain lancing through me.

  Police ran after us.

  Sirens howled in the night, and we burst into a side stre
et as Alena’s plan fell to shit. I drew on my wulfkin strength, ready to transform, well aware I’d pay for it later.

  CHAPTER NINE

  ALENA

  Enre and I ducked into a dark alleyway overshadowed by tall buildings. The sound of my boots clicking on the asphalt sent bolts of terror through my body. Police sirens and voices escalated around us, and my heart somersaulted. Father would kill me if he found out I’d attempted to break Nicolai out of jail.

  “This way.” Enre snatched my wrist, yanking me into a lane surrounded by looming buildings, murkier than the last. It carried the ripe stench of rubbish. We huddled behind a dumpster. I gagged and pressed my hand over my mouth. A wall, icy on my back, sent shivers up my spine.

  Two police officers turned down our alley, and I prayed they wouldn’t spot us. Enre drew me under his arm, his body tense, as if he’d strike out at anyone who threatened me. The scuffle of shoes grew louder. I froze.

  Enre inched forward, ready to fight the police. My muscles tightened. This wasn’t going to end well.

  A radio crackled, and an officer answered it, mumbling about spotting someone on another street. They retreated from our alley. When I exhaled, I realized how long I’d been holding my breath. Enre and I waited a few minutes before stripping out of our clothes. It was the fastest I’d ever undressed, despite the nerves crawling under my skin.

  Enre’s chest heaved with each inhale as he gawked at me.

  “You going to keep staring?” Despite the dread pressing my insides, facing a naked Enre had my pulse racing to an entirely different beat.

  He didn’t respond.

  Thank goodness for the darkened lane, or there would be no way I’d be able to control my gaze from roving everywhere south of his waist. The silvery aura of moonlight bouncing off his shoulders was enough to reveal his sculpted arms, firm pecs, and toned stomach. My fingers burned with the need to touch. He appeared larger, even taller, in the nude, if that was possible.

  “Like what you see?” he whispered, his voice suddenly caressing my skin.

  My eyes narrowed and met his shameless smile. I swallowed the thickness in my throat, unable to find my voice.

  He grabbed our clothes and disposed of them in the dumpster, careful not to make a sound as he set the lid down.

  Inside, my defenses crumbled, but I lifted my chin, determined to show him I wasn’t a pushover.

  “Follow my lead. I’ll get us out of this.” Without another thought, I called to my inner wolf, giving her what she’d desired for the last few weeks. The ripples from the transformation vibrated across my flesh, and the freedom of unleashing her washed over me.

  I convulsed and fell to my hands and knees, my limbs stretching and contorting. A thick fur coat of white and gray sprouted from my body, and the recent heaviness I’d harbored from keeping my wolf at bay for weeks vanished. It was the most stupendous sensation in the world … Okay, maybe not the ultimate feeling, because the idea of Enre bringing me to orgasm pulsed through my veins. What was wrong with me? This was no time to get hot and steamy.

  The world appeared different. Muted colors, clearer sounds, and sharper smells telling me we were near an Italian restaurant.

  Enre had also transformed and was shaking his back leg. Probably feeling pain from his wound. The faint moonlight gleamed off his brindled, gray pelt and whitish ears.

  Voices drifted our way from a side street. We lunged back behind the garbage bins, our bodies pinned together. I peered out and spotted two officers vanish in the direction of the police station.

  A howl was dying to roll free. Not the time for that either.

  Next to me, Enre brushed his head along my ribs. My whole body buzzed.

  He trotted out from behind the bin toward the alleyway.

  I hurried and sidled up to him, his heat pouring into me. He glanced over momentarily with his huge, blue wolf eyes, and my legs weakened. With his fur touching mine, I leaned into him, sniffing his musky scent, tempted to affectionately nip his ear.

  The street in front of us was clear of humans, so I bounded out of the alley and entered another road. Enre darted ahead of me. We passed more tall buildings.

  When I spotted three policemen scanning the area ahead, I suppressed a growl. Enre halted several paces in front of me. Thankfully, they hadn’t looked our way … yet.

  I retraced my steps. Enre followed. We hurried past an auto repair shop on the edge of town and entered a residential part of the city. Single-story houses with tiny front yards lined the road, along with the occasional tree and streetlight. The air was still foul with oil and grease. I hurried forward, nails scraping the road.

  Wind combed through my fur. My pulse accelerated. An engine groaned behind us. White, red, and blue lights flashed in our direction.

  Enre snarled. I turned as he leapt over a brick wall, and I followed, clearing the barricade. Together, we huddled against the inside of the wall. Enre laid his chin on the nape of my neck, partly concealing me. His heavy breaths parted the fur on my face, and his muskiness filled my nostrils.

  I wiped away that foolish idea as the patrol car drove past us, prompting several dogs from neighboring homes to bark. Were they barking at the car sounds or the scent of us on the air? The porch lights at the house behind us switched on, and a feminine squeal instinctively made us both leap over the fence. We bolted down the street, past parked cars and trash cans, and jumped into the shrubs at the end of the road.

  We emerged on the other side of the bushes just as a train rattled past. Its blasting air collided with us, pushing us back a few steps into the hedge. My adrenaline galloped too fast, and for those few seconds, I lost my sense of direction toward home. Everything happened too fast.

  Side by side, we darted beside the rail line, away from the platform and police, and stayed in the shadows.

  Running free with the cold air in my face, I refused to consider my messed-up life and focused instead on how liberating it was to be in my wolf form. Exhilaration seeped into my veins. We were headed along the train tracks, houses on either side of us, but they were far enough that we’d be nothing more than a shadow if someone spotted us. I stopped and finally released the howl from deep within my throat.

  Enre did the same. The moment was perfect. This was how wulfkin should live—in freedom, not trapped amongst humans. And this was why our pack had to move to Transylvania sooner rather than later.

  When Enre nipped playfully at my leg, I pounced on him, but he recoiled and ran. His back leg buckled each time he landed on it. I’d offer him more healing once we arrived at the circus.

  Taking the bait, I gave chase, my gaze on his rump. If it was a race he wanted, he got it. Adrenaline raced through my veins, and the sense of freedom pushed forward, every other worry tucked to the back of my mind. Not now, not in wolf form. I only cared about being a wolf, nothing else.

  My paws pounded into the soil as I passed him, leaping away from his snapping mouth. He played dirty, the scoundrel. Houses, trees, and metal fences on either side of us flew past in a blur, and a concoction of humans, rubbish, and earthy scents flooded my senses.

  The next station loomed ahead. We slipped into the shrubs near the tracks each time a train approached. Seven platforms later, I’d barely caught my breath, though the familiar smells of Ruse filled me: burning wood from nearby homes, smog from the trucks heading out of town, and the faint but distinct waft of wet dog fur.

  After waiting for Enre to catch up, I burst left into a line of bushes and emerged into a blackened street; I recognized it by the grand oak trees lining the road. We weren’t far from the circus.

  Enre tore out of the bushes several paces from me. Scampering onward, I swung left into an alley between two houses with high wooden fences and mailboxes, and even a cat sprinted out of our way. At the end of the lane, I crossed a path and entered the unkempt empty lot behind the circus.

  I plunged forward and blended into the overgrown grass with the halo of the circus in the distance.r />
  Enre crashed into my side, my legs collapsing from his weight. Each breath thundered fast and heavy. He slumped down alongside me, panting for air.

  It’d been a long time since I’d run in wolf form to the point of exhaustion. Lying there in the earth’s embrace, caressed by moonlight, and cooled by the breeze, life somehow seemed to stand still. The strange sensation of being in Enre’s company was familiar and offered me the kind of safety I’d only previously sensed with my pack.

  At that moment, I didn’t want to leave my perfect cocoon and deal with pack issues, Nicolai in prison, the police searching for us, or how I’d keep this a secret from Father. Those problems were a world away, at least for those few seconds when my wolf reveled in the way Enre’s body pressed against mine, warmth radiating off him, and the soft brush of the breeze in my fur.

  Utter bliss and silence surrounded us. Then another screech of brakes flooded the quiet and brought with it reality. Police were probably still watching the front of the circus. We were safe from view for now, and with that single notion, I transformed into my human form with the ease of ripping off a coat. A gust of wind struck, making me tense as the freezing cold sunk its fangs deep into my flesh.

  A rumble of disappointment rolled from Enre’s throat, but he changed too.

  Sitting upright, I hugged my knees to my chest, and Enre sat so close, the scorching fire of his skin leapt onto me. I welcomed the warmth.

  Enre tucked his legs close to his chest, arms draped across his knees. My gaze dipped to the blushing bullet wound in his thigh. It wasn’t bleeding, which was a healthy indication of healing.

  “That looks painful. After all that running, I probably owe you lots of healing.”

  “That would be nice.” He smirked his stupid smile. Strange how it was growing on me.

  “You know, I never expected a Varlac to help anyone but himself. You surprise me.”

  He shrugged, moonlight gleaming off his stormy blue eyes. “Maybe we’re not all the same. So, why is your healing so powerful?”