In this Night We Own (The Commander Book 6) Read Online Free

letters, and other paperwork in Frasier’s room and in the hallway.  False evidence.  Wandering Shade had given them false evidence to distribute, to, in his words, ‘to plant the seeds of distrust and paranoia in the bitches’ minds.  He hadn’t appreciated Enkidu’s counterproposal, to rape the Focus live on national television.
    Focus Frasier’s Transforms did as instructed.  They now gave off the odor of pain and misery, not that Enkidu cared.  One of the normals who accompanied Frasier’s household tried to take the Focus from Enkidu’s grasp, earning himself a growl and a cuff.  He tried to flee, but Cleo snagged him with a free hand.
    “None of this.  We’re taking you to a more secure facility.”
    The normal gave up his fight and followed Enkidu and Focus Frasier.  They led the entire mess out of the Clinic and into the bus.  To Enkidu’s surprise, not one of Frasier’s Transforms attempted to flee.  Four of the normal companions of the Transforms tried to get on the bus as well, but Gwen and Enkidu tossed them back off, along with the normal Cleo had snagged, as soon as the crew of Transforms was settled.  Enkidu’s pack had as many normal slaves as he could support, and none of this crew appeared to be keepers anyway.
    “In and out in less than fifteen minutes,” Cleo said, when they were on their way back home.  She scanned the checklist and marked off the last item.  “Clean.”
    Enkidu licked his lips and took another sniff of the Focus.  “Bah.  I’m not sure why we bothered.”  She smelled as bad as a normal.
     
    ---
     
    “Very good, very good,” Wandering Shade said.  The late afternoon sun scorched the wide expanse of the Illinois cornfields as he paced in front of the hog-tied Focus and her hog-tied Transforms, dressed as he had been for months as a high-ranking officer of the Illinois State Police.  “Dispose of the bus.”
    The exchange point was down a narrow dirt road at the edge of Odin’s territory.  They gathered among the daisies, goldenrod and thistle that filled the gap between corn and road.  The fresh scent of wildflowers in the warm sun might have even been pleasant, except for the overwhelming odor of Hunter, Monster, and prey.  Odin, in his half-beast form, paced anxiously across the invisible territorial line that snaked across the farmland west of Romeoville, a dozen feet from the cluster of cowering captive Transforms.
    “Master, the kidnapping worked as you planned,” Enkidu said, enjoying the warmth of the sun on his broad shoulders. Too much heat for a combat, but perfect for the post-combat celebration of victory.
    “It will always work as I plan, if my plans are carried out correctly,” Wandering Shade said.  “Your understanding isn’t needed to obey orders.”  He paused and sneered at Enkidu.  “Bring out the surprise.”
    Four of Odin’s pack Gals dragged a tiny wisp of a man out of Odin’s semi-truck.  They pushed him over the invisible territory line, where he stumbled and then fell with a clank of chains at Enkidu’s feet.  Enkidu’s eyebrows shot up.  “A Crow?  Master, you’re giving me a Crow ?”
    “I thought it fitting, given your incessant prattling about how you’d like to have that bastard, Gilgamesh,” Wandering Shade said.  Enkidu wasn’t sure what changed, but Gilgamesh had done something to move him from being the butt of Wandering Shade’s jokes to the top of Wandering Shade’s shit list.  He fully expected the Shade to parade Gilgamesh in similar chains someday.  “It took me far too long to figure out the right method to alter the Law to grab a Crow slave’s mind, but I’ve finally got it.  This one’s yours, but his real loyalty is to the Hunter Empire.”  Wandering Shade’s voice turned soft and low.  “Name him and figure out how to use him, Enkidu.  Someday he’ll be a legend among the Crows, the object lesson for why the tricky minded Crows must cooperate with us…or