Chosen by Sin by Virna Depaul Page A

especially when the killer’s blood coursed
through his own veins. As it was, Dex had already waited decades to get his
revenge.
    “Just remember, this might not be a quick and easy assignment. Despite
your confidence, I have no doubt you’ll meet resistance from these foreign
shape-shifters. If you’re going to be distracted because of this revenge, or
even your arrangement with Lucy—”
    “I’ll get you the information you need, Mahone.”
    Mahone nodded. “Good. Because frankly, I’ll be a little too busy
dealing with other matters.”
    “Like?”
    “Like filling the holes in the Para-Ops team that Caleb and Wraith have
made. Like trying to track Knox’s brother and see what he’s managed to find out
about the Quorum. Like trying to convince Knox that Felicia is better protected
in our hands than solely in his.”
    Dex didn’t even bother snorting at that one. So long as there was a
remote chance that the Quorum was still after Felicia, Knox wouldn’t let her
out of his sight.
    It did pose a problem, however, given that the Para-Ops team was now
down four of its six members. Strangely, as hostile as their initial team
meeting had been, Dex wasn’t keen on bringing strangers into the fold. “You’re
not replacing any of them permanently are you?”
    Mahone ran a hand through his dark hair. “No. At least, I don’t think
so. Wraith says she’s done, but I bet with time she’ll change her mind. Still,
it’s a good sign that the President’s willing to up the team members. We’re
making a good impression on him.”
    “So why the troubled expression? You worrying about something I need to
know about?”
    Mahone looked tempted, as if he wanted to unload a huge burden from his
shoulders. But then he, like Dex had moments ago, affected indifference with a
shrug. “Worrying? That’s part of the job, worrying what kind of surprises you
guys are going to be throwing at me next.”
    “There’s no surprise where I’m concerned. I just want what you’ve
promised, Mahone. You owe me.”
    “You never let me forget, Hunt. None of you do. I have a feeling the
same will be true of my new recruits.” Mahone said it with an edge of amusement
that rubbed Dex the wrong way.
    Gritting his teeth and trying to play nice, mainly because he was
curious, Dex asked, “Who are these new recruits you’re targeting?”
    Mahone’s smile was self-satisfied. “Classified information for the
moment.”
    “Right.” Annoyance warred with his own sense of humor. He supposed
Mahone had to get his jollies somewhere. Lord knows the band of misfits he’d
assembled gave him enough grief without any of them trying. Dex wouldn’t want
Mahone’s job for all the money and fame in the world. “You’ll keep an eye on
Lucy?”
    “Lucy’s perfectly able to keep an eye on herself. She’ll be fine. Or do
you have some reason to worry that she won’t be? Has she been—I don’t
know— ill that you’re aware of?”
    What did Mahone mean about Lucy having been ill? Dex didn’t know why,
but he suddenly felt like he was playing a game he didn’t know the rules to.
“She’s pretty shaken up by all that stuff that went down with the felines. But
as far as I know, her health is normal.”
    Mahone nodded, but he still looked slightly troubled. Even so, he
reassured Dex, saying, “She’ll be doing some intel, same as you, only here in
the States. Talk to the shape-shifters. Find out what’s got them turning
against one another. Get back here as soon as you can with the information we
need and we’ll be able to set our course of action.”
    “Right.” But just as Dex turned, Mahone called out.
    “And Hunt?”
    Dex cocked a brow at the human.
    “Watch yourself. I’ve got a bad feeling about this. Something’s coming.
Something none of us are prepared for. At least not yet.”
    Dex frowned. Again, that feeling of being manipulated. Or at the very
least, kept in the dark. But what else was new with Mahone. If the guy