Bailey Bradford - Southwestern Shifters 08 - Revenge by Bailey Bradford

cut out. Who would do something like this? I thought everyone that sick was dead.”
“No, Nathan. Evil flourishes as surely as good does. This could be anyone who hates me, or no one who does. It could be Little Joe himself who was hated, although that doesn’t explain why the murderer sent the pictures to Keegan.” Marcus flipped to the third picture and went so still Nathan couldn’t even feel him in his head. He understood the why of it when he looked at the picture. There, carved into the brutalised skin of Little Joe’s back, was a message for Marcus. Challenge.
“You see it.” Keegan got up and touched Nathan’s arm. “There’s more.”
“I don’t understand this. Why not just issue the challenge to Marcus?” Nathan whispered around tight throat muscles.
“Because whoever did this hates me, like the ones who’ve tried to kill me before. They want me to hurt, to be angry, to be afraid, even, but I’m not. A coward does this,” Marcus said, touching the screen where the backs of Little Joe’s legs were inscribed with My date and My time.
The fourth and fifth picture were more images of Little Joe alive and being tortured, then the final one sent a spike of fear through Nathan. It was also the most grotesque, with entrails and blood used to emphasise the words written on a large white surface. Your rule will end on my terms. Your life, under my power, my hands, my paws, my teeth.
“Who has your number, Keegan?” Marcus asked, still holding the phone.
“Only you and Nathan have this one. I have the other line for everyone else.” Keegan moved back to the couch and sat again. “I swear to you, I’ve never given the number out to anyone else.”
“The clothes,” Nathan murmured. “Marcus, back up to the second picture.”
Marcus did and Nathan pointed to a shirt sleeve just at the edge of the frame. “Look. That’s the shirt that went missing.”
“It is,” Marcus agreed.
Keegan was back beside him, staring. “I missed that. I’m sorry, I was just—”
Marcus put a hand on Keegan’s shoulder. “Keegan, it’s understandable. Little Joe wasn’t fighting in a battle, defending our home or species. He likely had just gone for a run, and this bastard tortured him, used him to hurt us. It isn’t the same as the other deaths you’ve seen. It’s okay to be upset and scared.”
Keegan ran his fingers through his hair and gave it a tug. “It doesn’t feel like it is. I’m so angry, and how, how did this fucker get my number? Who is it?”
Marcus began forwarding the pictures to his own phone as he answered. “Anger is good, but don’t let it make you careless. Whoever this is will come for me, and I think that will happen when he thinks I’m at my weakest.” He looked at Keegan. “You will not let Nathan out of your sight.”
“Now wait a minute,” Nathan began as Keegan nodded. “I don’t need a keeper.”
Marcus arched a brow at him. “I plan on having a guard with me at all times except when you and I are having sex. Then we will have our guards at the door. Does that make it any better?”
Nathan was surprised at the concession, but yes, it did help and he nodded.
Marcus gave him a chaste kiss before speaking again. “I would imagine a decent hacker could access phone records.”
“We don’t shred our bills,” Nathan murmured, the stupidity of that failure hitting him like a smack to the head. “The trash, even when we have burn piles, there’s still some that’s hauled to the dump. Gods, that’s stupid!”
“It’s a mistake,” Marcus conceded, “one we are rectifying as of this moment. Keegan, take care of it. I want some coffee, then we are going to sit down and go over these pictures in detail, see if we can figure out where this occurred.”
“Somewhere close, I’d imagine. There’re plenty of caves in the mountains.” Nathan shuddered, remembering when he’d first found Marcus, chained and starved in a cave in New Mexico.
“Go ahead, Keegan, get someone