BirthStone Page 19

  Silas had forgot about the bleeding. “Yes, he has some questions for you, answer him honestly and completely.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  Jacques stepped from the door and told Asia about the children’s sickness. Stunned, Silas tamped down the anger choking him at the frank discussion. What was Jacques up to? He glanced at his friend, their eyes met for a moment before Jacques asked Asia a question.

  “Have you heard of anything like this happening before?”

  “No… no, I have not. I wonder how the transmission was made.”

  Silas spoke up. “Transmission?”

  She nodded. “It sounds like poison. Poison administered in a way that you wouldn’t notice, something commonplace. Also, why not David? Think back to the day before the illness, was his behavior different than the others? How? That will give you a clue how the poison was delivered. It has to be something so simple it was overlooked, that’s how and why they have been so successful.”

  Silas thought back to the day of the christening, nothing jumped out at him. Jacques stepped back to the door and signaled he was done.

  “Thanks, Asia. How are you feeling?”

  She smiled and it was genuine. “Each day I remember more and more. Some things I hope to forget. I’ve done some really bad things to people.” She paused. “Thank you for giving me my life back, Sir.”

  “You are welcome. Thank the Goddess as well,” he said, leaving her space.

  “Every day, Sir, I thank her.”

  When he stepped outside, Jacques motioned him closer. “David refused to allow me and Mark to hold him.”

  Silas stared at Jacques while trying to place the statement into some sort of context.

  “Sir,” Matt said, walking toward them at a fast clip. “La Patron, Sir, I must talk to you. It’s extremely important.” He stopped next to Jacques, breathing hard.

  Silas pointed at Jacques and introduced the two men. “What is it?” He gazed at Matt but his mind was stuck on David not allowing himself to be held by the men.

  “I found something in the blood work. It was so well hidden I missed it the first few times, but I knew it had to be there. This time I found it,” Matt said in a rush.

  “Asia?”

  Matt frowned. “No, your pups. I found a trace of poison. Very subtle and disruptive over time. It wasn’t administered directly on them, otherwise this conversation would be very different. They received traces or got it second-hand.”

  Silas’ heart plummeted as his worse fears were confirmed. He moved the conversation to an empty room. “Slow down, Matt. Tell me exactly what you discovered and what you think happened.”

  “It’s sneaky. The first set of tests did not show the poison, I can show them to you to prove it. We looked but it didn’t show up.”

  “I’m not blaming you or your team of anything, Matt. Calm down and tell me what’s going on with my pups.”

  Matt exhaled and swallowed. “I’ll say this plain, without all the scientific jargon.”

  “I appreciate that,” Silas said, wishing the man would just get on with it.

  “The poison entered the bloodstream through the skin. I don’t think it’d work if it was ingested, but we are working on duplicating the formula so we can test it and create an antidote.” He waved his hand. “I’m getting ahead of myself. Bottom line, your pups were poisoned through touch. Someone had something on their hands and then held your pups. There was transference at that point. It’s slow-acting and not meant to be noticed immediately. It’s a great way to destroy someone slowly and from a distance.”

  “Not so great,” Silas growled, thinking of the suffering his pups were going through.

  “I apologize, Sir,” Matt stammered.

  Silas waved him off. “Lotions, creams, perfume, cologne, aftershave, soap…could the poison have been in any of those?”

  “Yes, Sir. To affect your pups, they would have come in direct contact with the affected area. Perfume, cologne, or creams on the face, hands, neck or legs would allow for a transfer of the chemical.”

  “What…what other side effects would this poison have?” Jacques asked slowly, a frown marring his brow. “I mean if an adult took it over time?”

  Matt released a breath and squinted. “Our testing is not complete yet, but we have identified two of the toxins used. Nausea, fevers, chills, body shakes, aches, that type thing.”

  “Could it be fatal?” Silas asked.

  “Yes, Sir. If taken in a high enough dose, death would occur. But I don’t think you have to worry about that, Sir.”

  Silas gazed at the red-faced man. “Why not?”

  “They would be dead already if the dose was high enough to kill. You shut down all contact which prevented additional exposure. If your pups had been in continued contact with the poison… we would be having a different conversation. The base poisons utilized were outlawed when certain third world countries used them in chemical warfare. Seeing the full impact of what this poison does is not pretty.”

  Silas jaw tightened. “The cure?”

  “There is none, not yet. It’s going to take some time, right now, all I can say is let it run its course. Your energy dilutes it but you can’t over do it. You said you and the Mistress were feeding them healing energy every four hours, keep to that, if you do it more often it could have an adverse affect. We’ll continue the research and eventually create an antidote for it.” He paused, glanced at Silas and then gazed at a point over Silas’ shoulder. “This… this is parallel to the bombs, Sir. Putting this poison in lotions and creams is a very subtle way of killing groups of people. That issue has to be addressed as well.”

  Silas had been thinking of that. “I thought the poison was outlawed, is it easy to get?”

  Matt shook his head slowly. “It is very difficult to secure the components I’ve identified so far. I had to use my clearance just to get information and answer a lot of questions.”

  “So mass production isn’t a real threat right now?”

  Matt released a breath and met Silas’ gaze. “You’re right, Sir. The way the government doled out bits and pieces of information, I’d say only those able to pull some serious strings could access the poisons.”

  “Yet, the poisons are here in my den.” Silas pressed his finger against his lip. “Is the person who transmitted the poison affected?”

  “Yes, Sir. The poison is killing them,” Matt said.

  Puzzled, Silas gazed at Jacques. “No one in the five appeared to be dying.”

  “No, Sir,” Jacques said quietly.

  “This doesn’t make sense,” Silas said to no one in particular.

  “No, Sir, it doesn’t,” Jacques said.

  Chapter 23

  “This is the place?” Leon asked Tyrese as he pulled into the driveway of a large two-story home in a moderately priced subdivision.

  Tyrese turned off the ignition and replaced his sunglasses on his face. “Yes.” He pulled out two pistols. One held darts with a knockout drug and the other held bullets. Whichever he used would be up to Ms. Griggs. He glanced at Leon, who checked his ammunition as well.

  “We go in, ask a few questions, and she leaves with us one way or the other.”

  “Aw man, don’t tell me we have to play nice with the lady that killed Julie,” Leon said with a feral grin.

  “At first.” Tyrese stepped out the car and inhaled. There were at least five bodies nearby, three humans, two breeds. Leon mimicked his actions and then grinned.

  When they reached the door, it was opened by a large breed who had the appearance of a short Schwarzenegger. “May I help you?”

  “Are you Corrina Griggs?” Tyrese asked, staring the man down.

  “No.”

  “Well then...” Tyrese brushed the man aside and walked in. Leon entered behind him.

  “Hey,” the male who opened the door yelled as he ran behind them. “You can’t just walk in here.”

  Tyrese looked around and then gazed at the young pup.
“Corrina Griggs.”

  “She’s not available.”

  “Yes, she is,” Tyrese said. “Go tell her she has company.”

  The pup stared at him and growled.

  Leon laughed at the puny sound. Tyrese shook his head.

  “Did you hear that?” Leon asked while watching the pup turn red. "You sound like a wet cat, man. Seriously, you should get that checked.”

  The pup stepped up to Leon, who continued to smile. “Fuck you.”

  Leon reached out so fast it was a blur and caught the pup by the neck, lifting him from the floor. He shook the hapless male twice while the pup tried in vain to remove Leon’s hand from his neck. “I don’t play that way. But if you ask nicely, I’ll consider ramming my cock up your ass.”

  He released the pup.

  “Andrew, I told you not to engage them.” A woman walked into the room and touched the young pup's throat. “Go into the kitchen, get some warm tea and ice for your throat. It’ll be okay.”

  Tyrese watched the woman and knew she was not Corrina Griggs. He wasn’t sure how he knew but he did. The brunette looked at Leon and then at Tyrese. “I’m Corrina, what can I do for you?”

  Tyrese thought of all the problems Corrina Griggs had set loose on his family, the deaths and unnecessary heartache he’d read in her file, and decided to set the tone immediately. Without another word, he stepped up to the woman, grabbed the front of her dress and ripped it.

  She screamed and tried to cover her naked flat chest.

  “You’re a man in women’s clothing.” Tyrese’s hand circled the male’s neck and pressed.

  “Please…” the man whispered.

  “Corrina Griggs?” Tyrese stared into the man’s eyes and read fear. He squeezed tighter.

  “Mistress?” the man whispered as water filled his eyes.

  Tyrese smelled her before she appeared. Her scent had been on some of Jennings’ belongings. He waited for his raging anger to abate.

  “I’m Corrina Griggs, what do you want?” Her imperious tone grated on Tyrese’ nerves. He was too close to the edge to play nice with the woman. But Silas knew that. If he'd wanted this woman treated kindly, he would’ve sent Tyrone. When she walked in, he activated his pocket scanner, she was clean.

  Tyrese squeezed again and then threw the male backward. No one spoke at the loud crack that accompanied the impact of the hit to the wall. Tyrese turned to meet the woman who would kill his Alpha.

  Her eyes widened as her gaze landed on his face and traveled the length of his body. She was taller than his mom, with a curvy figure that bordered on chubby. Her pale skin could use a day at the beach. Wintry blue eyes narrowed at him from a thin face. Life had not been kind to Ms. Griggs, if the pockmarks on her skin were any indication.

  “What the hell did you kill him for?” she snapped.

  “Why did you kill Lieutenant Jennings?” Tyrese asked, stepping closer to her.

  She didn’t bat an eye. “I do not know who you are talking about.”

  Tyrese spoke over his shoulder to Leon. “Bring somebody else out here.”

  She eyed him curiously before taking a seat on the couch. “You plan to kill all of them?”

  “Before or after?”

  Her brows furrowed. “Before or after?”

  “Before or after I kill you?” Tyrese asked, staring down at her.

  She waved him down. “Oh, you’re not going to kill me, young Bennett. You want information, you think I’ll talk, but I won’t and then you’ll tell that bastard you work for that you failed.” She grinned. “He failed. At everything.”

  Tyrese stared at the woman and then grinned slowly. Silas had given him a prize. “Thank you,” he whispered. He read her uncertainty before she masked it.

  “De nada,” she quipped. Her expression darkened as Leon brought in a large human dressed in a g-string. The man probably doubled as security as well as lover.

  “Here’s someone willing to die for the cause,” Leon said right before he hit the man in the stomach. Corrina's hand flew to her mouth but her eyes gleamed in excitement. She got off on this stuff.

  “Throw him on top of her,” Tyrese told Leon. The next second the almost nude male sailed through the air and toppled over the sofa.

  “Get off me, asshole.” A loud smacking sound rent the air. “Get off me Biff, I mean it.” Corrina yelled. There was no sound from Biff. “I need some help here.” She sounded desperate, but no one would be assisting her today.

  “Go get someone else,” he told Leon. Grinning, Leon left the room. Tyrese crossed his arms, listening to her curse as she struggled to break free from the dead weight of her lover and the sofa.

  “I am not going to talk to you. As a matter of fact, get the hell out of my house before I call the police. You murdered my servant… you’re a murderer,” she yelled.

  “So are you. You murdered a cop… so go ahead, call the cops.”

  A moment later she pushed the sofa out of the way and stepped in front of it. Red-faced, with one hand on her hip, she pointed at him with the other. “I did no such thing. I told you I don’t know the man. But I have witnesses of your murder.”

  “You’re a liar.”

  She jerked as if slapped. “What did you call me?”

  Tyrese was enjoying the game. “A liar. You Corrina Griggs are a murdering liar, just like your son Robert. He was a contract killer you sent to kill Silas Knight, and then cried like a baby when the bitch died on the job.” He shrugged at her reddening face.

  “You…you, asshole,” she screamed as she lunged at him. Tyrese waited until she was close and stepped aside. She landed on the floor, jumped up and wiped the hair from her face.

  “I am going to kill him for this, you hear me?”

  Tyrese crossed his arms and watched her take in huge gulps of air. “You thought the bombs last month was something?” She threw her head back and laughed. It was a creepy, cackling sound that made Tyrese wonder if she were sane.

  “For this…this coming into my home, threatening me and harming mine…” She trailed off as Leon brought in another struggling male, this one was a breed with a filthy vocabulary.

  “Shut up,” Tyrese yelled baring his fangs as he leaned toward the teenager.

  The breed stopped cursing mid-stream and stared wide-eyed at him.

  “I’m surprised you didn’t shoot him,” Tyrese said to Leon as he returned his attention to Griggs.

  “I started to, but you said to bring out the next person.”

  Tyrese shrugged. “But he didn’t have to be alive. If he starts talking that bullshit again, shoot him.”

  “Yes, Sir,” Leon said as he pulled the young pup to an upright position.

  Corrina turned and looked at Tyrese. “You think you can get away with killing all of us?”

  Tyrese nodded. “Does it matter? You’ll be dead.” Maybe it was the absolute certainty in his voice or the fact he hadn’t wavered. Whatever the reason, her next actions surprised him. He’d thought she would release her hormones like Arianna had. He and Leon had brought along masks for that possibility.

  She shook her head. “That’s… that’s…” She sighed. “What do you want?”

  “Did you kill Detective Jennings?” he asked, needing confirmation of her most recent flagrant attack.

  “No. A bomb killed him.” She eyed Tyrese and then sat on the loveseat. “But I ordered the installation of the bomb. So I guess in a way I did.”

  Leon pushed the young pup to the floor and left to get the male who'd answered the door.

  “Why? Why did you kill him?” Tyrese had wondered about the randomness of the murder and couldn’t put the matter to rest.

  “He regained control of his wolf without assistance. For years, Jennings had been a poster child for the movement, when that changed so did his usefulness,” she said in a cold calculating tone. “I could not allow others to see him in his new persona, could I?”

  Sadness welled up in Tyrese. He and Jennings had hung o
ut a few times, the man had been pack. “No, I guess you couldn’t. Just like I had to kill Robert when he tried to carry out your instructions to kill my Alpha, we all do the things we feel are necessary.”

  She jumped up and ran at him. This time he called his wolf and shifted into his hybrid form. She slammed into the wall of his rough chest and fell backward a few feet.

  “Ma’am,” the young pup yelled while scooting over to the moaning woman. Leon walked in with the last occupant as Tyrese returned to normal.

  “I caught this one trying to climb out a window on the top floor. They have quite a collection up there, want me to call it in?”

  “Collection?”

  “Lots of cages. I think they used this place as a holding place for breeds.”

  Fury ripped through Tyrese as he pulled out his gun. “Call it in,” he growled as he shot the two breeds, one after the other, and then Corrina Griggs.

  <<<<>>>>

  “You scanned her?” Silas asked as he walked into the bomb shelter where they held Corrina Griggs.

  “Yes, Sir,” Tyrese said. “Every test, including an x-ray, has been done on her. I think the blood samples we took from her made Matt’s day. She’s the oldest breeder to date, so he’s running all kinds of tests. But unless there’s something really weird going on that we don’t know about, she’s clean.”

  Tyrone entered the room and stared down at the woman under the influence of the anesthesia. “We verify she’s Corrina Griggs?”

  “Yeah, dental records, bloodwork, and fingerprints,” Tyrese said. “Most of it you had in the file, the rest we pulled from the police and federal records.”

  Silas signaled the doctor in the other room. “Any chance she’ll release hormones? Make everyone crazy?” He asked remembering Arianna’s reign of terror and Jacques mental state from that time.

  “Not that we are aware of,” Matt said. “Not all breeders have the same abilities. Arianna was pregnant all the time; I think her mating scent was recycled a bit. But Griggs, she didn’t have the pregnancies. I think it’s a use it or lose it kind of thing. But I plan to do more research into that area.”