A helicopter’s rotors split the rain-filled night, and a beam of light poured down from a police helicopter.
“Shit.” Bear started the bike and roared toward what looked like a trail.
Daire followed suit, his head down to avoid the rain.
The light swept to and from, and he tried to keep to the tree line. Garrett Kayrs had better have gotten clear before the cops showed up.
Red and blue swirled through the clouds, and the screech of vehicles stopping competed with the helicopter noise. Gunfire pinged through the air.
Shit. Who was shooting? Pyro had completely lost it. If Daire could get him alone, he might be able to finally get a line on both the distributor and manufacturer of Apollo. Or maybe it was time to just torture the club leader for information.
Daire followed Bear down a narrow path, ducking several times to avoid tree branches. Wind whipped into him, and the rain traced a chilly path down his neck and underneath his cut. He thought about using fire to warm up, but the helicopter might see the flames and investigate. Adrenaline flowed through his veins, and the need to get back home to Cee Cee compressed his lungs. Instinct bellowed for him to return and shield her.
The path wound around trees and bushes for several miles, finally ending up at a logging road halfway up a mountain.
An SUV blocked the road, and Detective Alexandra Monzelle leaned against the passenger side door, gun out and pointed at them. Rain matted her no-nonsense blond hair to her head, and her eyes glowed a dark blue through the darkness. She was small and lean . . . and knew how to shoot. She was also mated to Kellach, but that didn’t guarantee any cooperation, unfortunately. She’d shot him a couple of times, Daire was fairly certain.
Bear rolled to a stop first, and Daire followed suit, both cutting their engines.
“Welcome back,” Daire drawled, twisting his neck to look inside the vehicle. Empty. Good. She’d come alone and not with any other cops. “How was Ireland?”
“Lovely. Your aunt sends her love.” Alexandra jerked her head. “Want to tell me what’s going on?”
Bear rested his arms on his handlebars. “Want to tell me how you even know this road exists?”
She eyed him. “I memorized every escape road within miles when I was investigating you.”
Bear grinned, flashing a dimple. “I think you’re still crushing on me, Detective.”
Daire rolled his eyes. “Bear, now isn’t the time to set yourself up for a death match with Kellach.”
“Ah, but she’d be worth it.” Bear winked.
Alexandra tightened her hold on the gun. “I’d prefer not to shoot you, Bear.”
“Sounds like foreplay to me,” the bear retorted.
Man, he really wanted to get shot. Weren’t most bears a honey pot away from insanity? Daire shook his head. The woman was as close to a sister-in-law as possible in his world, and while he had enough to deal with, he still felt concern. Though she’d mated Kellach, and her chromosomal pairs would increase to those of a mate and grant immortality, that took time. Right now, she was vulnerable. “Alexandra, you were shot way too recently. How are you?”
“Already healed,” she said.
Good. Daire cleared his throat. “You should have a partner or backup.”
She sniffed. “If I had backup, I’d be cuffing you and putting you in the back of the SUV. This way we can have a nice chat, and you can try to convince me not to cuff your asses.” She smiled, her aim staying true. “Give it a shot.”
“You can do whatever you want with my ass.” Bear chuckled. “I think I love you.”
Aye. Bear was nuts. Daire dug deep for patience yet once again. “Does Kellach know you’re out here alone?”
She released the safety on the gun.
Daire bit back a sharp retort. Something caught his eye. He twisted his head. “Is that a diamond?”
She blushed. “Yes.”
He smiled. “You’re engaged.”
“Yes. So please don’t make me shoot you.” She held out her left hand and turned it to reveal a diamond surrounded by emeralds.
Man, she was tough. He nodded. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you,” she huffed.
Bear winced. “I think you could do better.”
Daire reached over and punched him in the arm. He could let his friend get away with only so much. “Stop hitting on my brother’s woman.”
“Your brother’s what?” Alexandra hissed.
Shit. He’d forgotten the cop didn’t like archaic language and was just fine with shooting members of his family. Or Bear. She’d even shot Bear at one time. Daire had forgotten that fact. “You know what I meant.”
Bear grinned and shook his shaggy hair. “No, Daire. Tell the lady with the gun what you meant.”
That was it. He was going to have to kill Bear. “Alexandra, I have to get back to the penthouse, and it’s life or death.”
“It’s always life or death, and you’re not going anywhere until you both explain what’s going on,” she said, not moving an inch.
Daire glared at the barrel. Though a bullet wouldn’t kill him, it would hurt like hell and slow him down. He could leap over the handlebars and take the weapon, but that would just make Kellach mad. “Fine. Logan was with one of Bear’s members before disappearing, and I made the colossal mistake of showing the picture of the pretty redhead to Pyro. He figured it was time to avenge his nephew and wage war.”
“Kellach said that Logan had disappeared, and that’s why I headed down to the station early. But there wasn’t any information about missing prospects or anything interesting that happened around the bar where he disappeared.” Alexandra frowned. “Why is Pyro attacking now? Bear didn’t have anything to do with Duck’s murder.”
“I know, but Pyro is not thinking clearly.” Daire eyed his cell phone. “I really have to go.”
“Wait a minute. You said the woman with Logan had red hair.” Alexandra asked slowly, “What does the woman look like?”
Bear stiffened. “Why do you ask?”
“We have a head with red hair at the morgue. I just checked in and was assigned the case immediately,” she responded.
Daire brought up the picture and handed the phone over the front of his bike. “You’ve only been back a couple of hours.”
“It’s my job, and I’m good at it.” She glanced down, made the picture brighter, and sighed. “We have a redhead in the morgue.” She grimaced. “I’m sorry, Bear. We actually have her head but haven’t recovered the body yet. It’s definitely her.”
Bear growled, losing every inch of his teasing persona and showing the predator he usually kept veiled. “Where was her head discovered?”
“It was found in a garbage can outside of a restaurant on the north side. All the way across the city from the bar where she and Logan disappeared.” She shook her head. “I’m so sorry.”
“Time of death?” Bear asked.
“We don’t know yet.” Alexandra handed back the phone and holstered her weapon.
Bear rubbed rain from his face. “Was her head ripped off or cut off?”
“Cut off with a blade. Surgical precision and immortal strength,” Alexandra returned, all business. But sadness glimmered in her eyes, and once again, Daire could see what had taken his brother to his knees. The woman was tough and sweet, and Kell hadn’t stood a chance.
Bear half turned toward Daire. “Tasha was one of mine, Daire. Not a warrior, not a soldier, but a nice kid who probably was just hooking up with Garrett for fun. She didn’t deserve to die, and she doesn’t have any other family to avenge her death. If you know who did this, I want in.”
“I know who did this,” Daire said. The phone buzzed, and Sam’s face came up on the screen. “Sam?” he asked.
Sam coughed hard. “We, ah, were attacked.” He erupted in a fit of more coughing. “Smoke and drugs,” he gasped.