Death in the Shadows - 9. Chapter 9: Occupational Opportunity

Clutching his keys, Dirk headed for his truck. Sleepy. Tierney taking away my magic energy must’ve caused it. Either that, or my bear leaving. Man, this sucks! Can’t eat as much, can’t hear, see, smell or taste as well.

And then Vincent drops that damned bomb-shell! He’s been the celestial puppet for the past few months and now Aliz hits him up. Tells me to be patient. For what? Recalling the debate with the alphas and Ingle, they tried to deduce what the goddess of destiny meant. Be patient. For my bear to return? Sarah to rise from the dead? He shook his head. Whatever. I don’t care.

Before opening the driver’s side door, something landed on his shoulder. He jerked backward and readied a fist.

Tierney held his hands up in defense. “Easy! Sorry, didn’t mean to sneak up on you.”

“It’s okay. I didn’t hear you.”

“Stop that. Have some damned faith your bear’ll come back.”

Dirk took a deep breath. “Right. What’s up, Alpha?”

“You’re coming home with me.”

Despite all of his arguing, Dirk was unable to sway Tierney. Adamant, the lycan demanded his presence. They let Mason and Vincent know Dirk’s truck would remain in the driveway overnight, and left in the MKX.

Just like Dirk, Tierney did not anticipate the sudden birth of magic. “So much for having a full year of meditation.”

“Maybe something happened when I went feral.”

“That’s probably the reason. Yakob wouldn’t have thought of a shifter’s intense emotions. Regardless, you need to learn the basics pronto! Can’t have you burning down your house while you’re sleeping.”

Dirk rolled his eyes. “I set one tree on fire…”

“And that’s why we’re doing this tonight. Fire magic operates on the most volatile emotions. Anger, excitement, angst.”

“So that’s why my vision went red.”

Tierney’s head snapped to face him. “You saw red? Fuck me, you must’ve been pissed. Fire mages’ vision only changes like that when they’re fuming.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, but it also makes their magic volatile. You expend energy like a fire hydrant; it goes everywhere and with a lot of force. I’ve only used it like that once, and that was during my dance when I took New York.”

“I heard about that. Didn’t you summon lava or something?”

The alpha snickered. “Had to pay for new dirt at the stadium. Lesson learned. Don’t do it unless you want to torch everything in sight.”

Dirk sighed. “So what’s first?”

“Learning to separate your emotions from your magic. It’s both weird and difficult. You need to create a different side for each triggering emotion. There’s anger, then there’s energetic anger. That make sense?”

“Sort of. I’ll try it when we get to your place.”

Arriving at Tierney’s, they went to the backyard. Dirk was instructed to think of something that irritated him. Entitlement. The moment he pictured a random person trying to claim they were owed respect, he felt his hands getting warmer. “So even the slightest emotion fires it up?”

“Correct. It’s important to learn to control yourself. You feel your stomach acid bubbling? Maintain that anger, but breathe through your nose until you sense your energy subsiding.”

Following the instruction, he noticed his hands’ temperature going down. And my stomach’s calm now. He relayed the results to Tierney.

“Excellent. You’re controlling your magic now. Breathing is the key. Stop breathing, and your energy will come out in full force. Slow your breathing. That’s how you measure the power.”

Got it. Dirk grinned. “So I shouldn’t worry about it when I sleep right?”

Tierney laughed. “With how you snore, probably not! Still, I want you to sit there and practice scaling your energy. Start small, then pump it slowly until a flame appears in your hand, then bring it back down.”

Understanding the assignment, Dirk sat cross-legged and held out his palm. Taking a deep breath, he focused. “How long do I need to do this?”

The alpha took a seat in front of him. “Until I say so.”

***

Days passed, and Cyrus was finding a rhythm in his schedule. With Sundays and Wednesdays to spend with Kaplan, each day was fairly monotonous with conference calls. Mornings were reserved for the different human-held offices. Silly for them to need so many meetings, but far be it for me to suggest how they run their lives.

Pack relations soaked up his afternoons. Every day of the week focused on specific departments, such as tourism, commerce, and finances. The bear scoffed. How did Tierney operate with all of these on a daily basis? It's less stressful to just assign days for the betas and deltas to present on.

Ending the call with Beta Holman, he sighed. Done! Glancing at the kitchen window, he noticed the sun setting behind the buildings across the city. Beautiful. I hope the new home will have such a view. Cyrus closed the laptop and reclined on the loveseat. He gave himself ten minutes of silent peace before going to the bedroom. Boxes were neatly stacked in the corner as he opened the closet. He grabbed several of his suit-bags and laid them carefully on the bed. I really should sort through the ones I don't wear often.

No, like clothes!

Oh, please. This burnt orange one? We've had it for what, six years? Have we even worn it?

EC Gala, two year ago.

Cyrus giggled. Was that the evening we caught the beta falcon staring at us with a pencil in his pants?

Yes. No like bird.

Agreed. He did have a peculiar glint in his eye though, but he was much too forward. No class at all! All right then, we'll keep the suit for now, but if we don't wear it within the next year, I'm selling it.

Fair. No get rid of blue though.

He gasped. How could you suggest such a thing? That's my favorite one! Along with the burgundy…

His bear clicked its tongue in his mind. Yes. Good suit.

Cyrus placed the bags on top of the sealed boxes, then dug further in the closet. While folding some dress shirts, he heard his phone ring in the living room. That might be Kaplan on his way home. Grinning ear-to-ear, he went to retrieve it.

Seeing a different name on the screen slightly disappointed him, but was eager to answer. "Mason, how are things?"

"Not too bad. I didn’t catch you at a bad time, did I?”

“I just finished for the day. Besides, I’ll always have time for my friends. You sound less chipper than usual. Is everything all right?”

Mason sighed. “Yes and no. Hell, I don’t know anymore. I’m calling because I need an opinion, and I think yours is going to be the best. A lot’s been going on here in Owensville, and we got it all handled, but… Vincent's been thinking about working for the EC.”

The statement shocked Cyrus. “And you want my thoughts on my former employer?”

“If you don’t mind, Cyrus. I’m just freaking out about him getting hurt.”

“Hurt?” He deemed Mason’s fear ridiculous. “I’m rather surprised with you, and I’m almost disappointed.”

“What?” The lycan’s tone was lower, showing irritation.

Opening the fridge for a water bottle, Cyrus rolled his eyes. “I’d like to speak to you, alpha to alpha. No holding back.”

“I… Go ahead?”

“I understand the concern for your mate, but have you lost all faith in Vincent’s capabilities? You and I both watched him beat Dirk in a spar. He single-handedly took down two alphas in your neighboring territories. He has been given three affinities by the Seven themselves.” The bear took a speedy sip, then leaned against the counter. “I’m confident he could handle anything the EC would throw his way.”

Cyrus waited patiently. He knew he struck a sensitive nerve, but there was no time to mince words. Mason should know better. Even though I’m more seasoned than him, Vincent could give me a run for my money in a tussle.

Shadow tricky.

And once he latches on, I have no way of dispelling him. A breath from the phone’s speaker diverted his attention. “I didn’t want to hurt your feelings, Mason. I needed you to open your wolf’s eyes. It’s natural to want to protect your mate, but Vincent is an alpha himself. He’s not some beta or omega that can’t fight back.”

“You’re right. Ever since Dirk lost Sarah, I’ve been really protective of him. Aliz got ahold of him recently, saying he can’t be pushing off his destiny with Stefan.”

Cyrus palmed his head, reminding him to shave the stubble soon. “Kaplan told me about Dirk losing his destined. I’m not one for dedicated faith, but I believe patience will cure all ailments. As for this possession, this makes three, correct?”

“Yep.”

Mason’s lack of enthusiasm sparked Cyrus’. “Don’t you think having three deities watching over your mate is a sign? If it were Kaplan, I would sleep easier at night knowing that. If Aliz is keeping Vincent on track to duel Gregoro, I doubt anything else would take down your mate.”

Cyrus grinned during the pause. When Mason huffed, the panda knew his side of the argument won. “Makes a lot of sense. I think I just got blown away by everything, and Vinnie’s idea was the plunger. Thanks, Cyrus.”

“Anytime, my friend. Did you still want to learn more about working for the EC?”

“No, I actually don’t.”

The answer was a surprise. “Really?”

“Yeah. I’m putting faith in my little Vinnie. Like you said; he can take whatever they throw at him.”

Cyrus giggled. “I’ll take my payment in bourbon, please.”

Mason’s laugh was contagious. “What kind of mash bill do you like?”

“I was merely joking, but I prefer a wheat bill.”

“The sweet stuff, huh? I’ll send some Bernheim seven-year.”

The name seemed familiar. “I believe I’ve had that one. I’ll be looking forward to it. As a matter of fact, have Vincent drop by later this evening. I can talk to him about the EC’s expectations before I give Marlo a call to recommend Vincent for a job.”

“You’d do that?”

“Of course! It was Vincent who clued them on Stuerm’s misbehavings, so it’s only fair to help get his foot in the door, should he want a position that is.”

“I’ll send Vinnie a text. He’s at work, but I’m sure you’ll see him around six o’clock.”

Cyrus made a mental note to himself. “Seven here. I’ll be expecting him.”

“Thanks again, Cyrus. You really helped me.”

“Like I said, anytime. I’ll see you at the summit?”

“Hell yeah! Any tips for this year’s game?”

“Ta-ta, Alpha Wilson!” Hanging up, he chuckled to himself. It’s so tempting to hand out hints and secrets. But then again, the big reveal turns more heads. He checked the time. Kaplan should be home any minute. I’ll wait to see what he would like for dinner. Returning to his closet, he grabbed a few more suits.

When he heard the front door open, Cyrus grinned as he smelled his mate. Before he could leave the bedroom, the shower started. Oh, must’ve been a rough day! He doesn’t go for the shower immediately unless something goes sour. Perhaps a nice dinner date is due. Finding the bathroom door ajar, he saw Kaplan shirtless and unbuckling his belt. Just as his eyes glowed emerald, the lycan looked up. “I’d offer to run you a bath, but we’re not in our new home yet.”

Kaplan slumped his shoulders and huffed. “A bath sounds so good right now.”

“Long day, my pup?” Cyrus moved closer and caressed the smaller man’s hips.

“Not really. Traffic was awful, the judge presiding didn't know what a recess was, and I didn’t get to eat much.”

“Then you should shower quickly. What would you like for dinner? My bear’s been craving a cheeseburger for some reason.”

Cyrus curled his lip as his mate’s eyes rolled backwards. “A big, juicy cheeseburger with everything on it. Sold!” The beta rushed to remove the rest of his clothes. The panda growled as he watched Kaplan enter the walk-in shower. “Maybe after we get back, my bear.”

It was rare he felt impatient, but he respected the decision. Maybe a surprise is in store. He returned to the bedroom and plotted. After much deliberation, he decided to don the burnt orange suit. By the time he picked out a baby-blue tie, Kaplan came in with hungry eyes. “I thought you said after dinner?”

“R-right!” The lycan’s cheeks were flushed as he turned away and opened a dresser drawer.

“Don’t worry, we’ll make tonight one we both won’t forget.”

Not wanting to go far, the couple walked down the street to All Stars Bar & Grill. Both agreed they didn’t want to go somewhere fancy. Sitting, he checked the time and texted Vincent where they were. He explained to Kaplan the call with Mason and Vincent's ambition to work for the EC. Kaplan was supportive, but shared Mason's initial worries. Cyrus hummed and leaned on the table. "I thought I was the protective one in our mating."

"I'm still allowed to be worried about you. You haven't had Moore hang around us like Tierney did with Dirk."

"Perhaps you're right. I should have my enforcer be around more often. I'm just worried my bear might get riled up having someone else around you."

"He's your head enforcer. It's part of us having a working-relationship. Besides, it's not fair to him if you're preventing him from doing a portion of his job. If you ever need me to go on a business trip with you, he'll need to know how to do parts of our jobs until we get back."

Cyrus palmed his cheek and sighed. "You're correct as always. We can't be an effective council if he's not around. I'll have him accompany me all of next week, then you'll train him on your positions the following. We'll need him to coexist with the other betas as well if you're to come with me to the North American Summit."

"I-I'm going?"

"Of course! You're my mate. I can't have you hiding at home while I'm schmoozing with strangers." The bear played footsies with the wolf under the table. "The summit lasts three days. Three agonizing days, and I don't think I could handle having a bed to myself for that long."

He watched as Kaplan swallowed and smiled bashfully. "Y-you think Moore will be ready in a few months?"

"I think so. We'll only need him active here for a few days. We can work from the summit if need be. I still have conference calls to deal with, so he won't have to handle as much." Movement down the hallway caught his eye, but as he recognized the approaching man, Cyrus giggled. "Vincent, did you just come in from the bathroom?"

The alpha shrugged. "There wasn't a good alleyway to reappear in, so I found the next best thing. No one was in there, so it's a no-brainer. Nice suit, by the way."

"Well thank you. I thought about tossing this one. Come, join us for dinner. I'm sure Mason won't mind us stealing his mate for a meal."

Vincent sat. "He won't. I saw your text and told him he's on his own for food. I think him, Caleb, Dave, and the MPCP council are going to have a guy's night out. Oh, and I left your bourbon on your kitchen counter, if that's all right."

"Not a problem. I'm used to having Teddy pop by unannounced. I'm sure you'll be working with him soon." The confusion on Vincent's face was priceless. "Did Mason not tell you why I asked you here?"

"No, he said it was a secret."

Kaplan reached for Cyrus' hand. "Looks like Mason's learning from you."

"You would think he'd learn from Tierney, considering they're practically neighbors." A waitress came by and provided menus. The trio didn't take long in deciding. Kaplan and Vincent chose generic bacon cheeseburgers, while Cyrus decided to be adventurous with the chimichurri burger. After a glance from the other two, Cyrus shrugged and claimed his bear had a craving for meat.

Once the waitress left, Cyrus turned to Vincent. "Your mate called earlier and asked for an opinion. He told me you were interested in working for the Executive Council?"

The alpha looked flustered and taken aback. "I… I was, but I changed my mind when it upset him."

"I believe he's changed his mind as well. When he asked for my opinion on the matter, I gave some rather blunt advice. You're more than capable, Mr. Bolton. I'll recommend you talk with your mate again about this, but he seems rather supportive of your choice now. Regardless if you desire action in this career opportunity or not, there's plenty to do at the EC. Auditory work, drop-off collecting, surveillance, arresting and custodial transport… I could go on, but you should get the picture. I'll be writing a letter of recommendation. If you decide to seek employment, I can guarantee Councilman Marlo will accept your application.

"However, I warn you, Vincent." Cyrus straightened his posture and glared at the younger man. "The EC will change you, whether you like it or not. They value the mission, and their agents will do anything to protect it and the government's integrity. If you are working surveillance and your targets are performing an act of lawlessness, you may have to overlook it to secure their capture."

"I understand."

Cyrus didn't buy the bravado. "I don't think you do. If you're watching a drug lord and one of his bodyguards hit a passing civilian, are you prepared to ignore that in order to find incriminating evidence on your target?"

"I…"

"A shadow mage in the EC acts like a CIA agent. You will see things and have no choice but to be a bystander. You will be forced to wear emotional masks if you decide to be an auditor. You must follow the rules and procedures set forth to detain criminals. Does your wolf understand that? Both of you won't be following your personal beliefs. You'll be following orders."

Vincent was emitting several emotions, and Cyrus smelled them all. Anger, fear, unease. "I know your discomfort because I was in your shoes the moment the EC found me. I was a young alpha, and I told you the same thing Marlo told me all those years ago. Being both an EC employee and an alpha is a recipe for disaster. Your beliefs and the EC's can be polar opposite, but you'll need to rein in your animal spirit if you wish to succeed."

"How?" Vincent mumbled. Through gritted teeth, he seethed, "How did you do it?"

Interlocking his fingers, Cyrus smiled. "I believed in our government. I may not agree with everything they do, but I believe in them. They've gotten our race this far, haven't they? There's even talk about a new law empowering prey shapeshifters. They do what's correct for the preservation of our existence. That… is how I pushed past their orders. My bear and I put faith in them. Now, take a breath. Your eyes are threatening to glow."

Vincent clenched his eyelids. After a minute, he opened them. "Sorry. That was a new one for me. My wolf wasn't ready to take orders from someone else."

"It's quite all right. It will be important to find ways to mask your missions for your spirit. Surveillance turns into stalking your prey, auditing a pack becomes a game of political chess. You'll find ways to ease your wolf." Glancing away, he saw the approaching food and grinned. "Ah, here it is!"

The meals were sorted and Cyrus was tantalized by his choice. He swiped the chimichurri sauce with a pinky and licked it. Behind his eyelids, he flashed his emerald irises. Oh, the nasty things I'd do to with sauce! Laden with avocado, pepper jack cheese, and jalapeños, the panda was excited for the experience. Careful not to stain his clothes, he bit into it.

He moaned. He couldn't recall the last time he made such a noise from a dish. Ignoring Kaplan and Vincent's chuckles, he savored every bite. The only reason he ate the french fries was to conserve the burger. "Kaplan, we'll be coming here more often."

"Is that a suggestion or an order?"

Cyrus giggled as he licked a finger. "Both. I'm almost tempted to stay at the condo. How far away is the new home?"

"The Platinum on 46th. Still within walking distance if this becomes a weekly date destination."

"Excellent!" As they finished, Cyrus handed the waitress his card before Vincent could argue. "Just a teaser for how to take orders from the EC."

The shorter alpha huffed in resignation. Departing, he gave each of them a hug before returning to the bathroom. With their bill paid, Cyrus led Kaplan out by the hand. "It was nice to see Mr. Bolton again."

"Yeah, it was. I've been thinking. Would Vincent be willing to help us with Snyder?"

Cyrus pursed his lips. "Without a doubt, but let's hold off on that unless necessary. I have faith in Alex. He's gotten us a lead, and that means Harold is beginning to trust my enforcer. I've been meaning to dig deeper into Harold's business ventures, but I can't find the time."

Kaplan swung their latched hands playfully. "How about we spend an hour of our days off and work together on it?"

"Our days off? That defeats their purpose, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, but we'll still be at each other's side. That, and we work well together."

Cyrus caught his mate's faint growl and gave one of his own back. "I love the way you think, my pup. Let's hurry home. I remember why I don't like this suit."

"Why?"

"The pants need to go to a tailor. They get rather tight."

The two scurried home. If one would have passed, Cyrus wasn't opposed to hailing a taxi. Anything to get home quicker. As usual, the elevator lift was the opportune time for foreplay. Having the small frame pinned against the wall became a custom, but Cyrus had other intentions. His tongue danced with Kaplan's as he held the lycan. The temptation to darken his mark was overwhelming. Sliding the keycard and entering the condo, Cyrus was quick to pick his mate up and carry him to the bedroom.

Both of the bear's minds desired skin contact. Cyrus sat on the edge of the mattress with Kaplan's tool poking his stomach. From practice, the wolf had the suit off in record time as Cyrus adored every second. He wants me. So eager to see me and receive my love for him.

Want pup.

Oh, we'll get him.

Naked, Cyrus retreated and laid his head on the pillows. He watched the lust-hungry wolf follow. "Kaplan. I've never seen you like this."

"I really need you, my bear," he whined. Kaplan straddled Cyrus' waist, expertly lining up the panda's prick.

Hearing the man pant was hot. Cyrus let his irises shine as he held Kaplan's hips. "I want you," he muttered as he ground against the lycan's taint.

"But." Pushing slightly on Kaplan's hips, he stared lovingly at the confused face. Once the man was far enough, Cyrus freed his lower half, then pulled his mate closer. With his legs spread and Kaplan's cock rubbing his entrance, Cyrus flashed his eyes once more. "I need you more."