Kaliope skipped forward to the chapter about Lycans.

Lycans. Part of the Lycanthrope class, a classification shared with werewolves. Unlike werewolves, they have complete control over their transformations and maintain their personalities and intelligence while transformed.

She’d learned as much from Eli, who called werewolves wolf demons.

It’s best you not find out why.

Kaliope peeked up over her cubicle to the top of Gideon’s head. So she was partially right about the grizzly part of her description. Gideon took personal days during the full moon phase. He certainly possessed the build to wolf out, like Ronin and, to a lesser extent, Eli, who ranged on the leaner side. But who’d suspect the amiable man with kind eyes morphed into a wolf demon every thirty days?

Books and their covers.

Kaliope continued with her reading.

Lycans are significantly stronger than werewolves and become more powerful with age. Because of their unmatched prowess, they occupy the top of the Occult social hierarchy, followed by witches and the demon classes: fox demons, werewolves, and chimeras.

The text provided a list of defining Lycan traits, and Ronin ticked several boxes.

Cautious, structured…controlling. Kaliope sniffed and added a few descriptors of her own. Arrogant. Irritating. Cold.

Lycans display inhuman physical strength, speed, reflexes, and agility. Their abilities increase while in their transformed states. Other capabilities include an enhanced sense of smell, sight… 

Kaliope pursed her lips and glanced at the frosted partition of Ronin’s office.

…hearing.

So much for office gossip about the boss behind his back.

Kaliope was diving into the etiquette of Lycan society when the entrance swished open. A man entered, letting in the sounds from the outside for a second before the soundproof barrier closed. 

The newcomer’s shoulders were squared, back straight, his movements smooth and purposeful, conveying a sense of self-assuredness and control. He resembled Ronin in height, the same muscular build, but when he surveyed Kaliope, his caramel-brown sparkled with a mischievous charm, and he actually smiled. A slow, alluring tilt of his lips. It revealed a slight dimple on his left cheek. Of their own accord, Kaliope’s lips mirrored the man’s welcome. The man, whoever he was, could pass for a humanized version of the statue at the helm.

Ugh. Why was she using Ronin as a reference?

“Andreas.” Gideon stood, his smile hesitant. His eyes flicked to Ronin’s office, back to the man. “Why are you here?”

“Why?” Andreas tucked his hands into his pocket, and his crooked smile split into a playful grin. “Did my brother ban me from his office?”

Brother? He could only mean one person. And that meant this man—Andreas—was a Lycan.

How he carried himself. His undiluted confidence and natural air of authority. Oh. And the jawline. The hallmarks of a lycan and a McIntyre to boot.

“He’s—” Gideon regarded the boss’s door again.

Andreas laughed. “Calm down, Gideon. I’m not here to cause trouble.” His attention turned to Kaliope. “I heard we had a new team member.” Andreas approached her desk, and she stood. When he proffered a hand, she shook it. “Andreas McIntyre. You must be Kaliope Barnes.”

“Yes. Nice to meet you.” And it was indeed her greatest delight. Andreas McIntyre wasn’t only pleasing to the eyes but sociable in his demeanor, unlike her boss. His charm, however, wasn’t any less dangerous than his brother’s indomitable aura. One reeled you in for an unknown end, while the other repelled you upfront. Both were trouble. Avoiding trouble was top on Kaliope’s priorities list. She extricated her hand from Andreas’ grasp when he held on a second too long.

“Andreas.” 

A shiver coursed Kaliope’s spine at how Ronin called his brother’s name. Immediately, the office atmosphere changed as the brothers faced each other. It grew oppressive. The tension between the two men, palpable. There were turbulent waters here. Kaliope waded into her corner and hunkered down for the hurricane.

Andreas’ smile remained despite the atmosphere shift, if not with a bit of edge. “Always a pleasure, brother.”

“Ms. Barnes is in the middle of something. I’d appreciate it if you relegated social calls until after work hours.” His eyes passed over Kaliope, and she stilled. A few choice words bubbled up, and she pursed her lips, muffling them.

Andreas’ smile went all wolf. “No need to be mean, brother.” 

Across from her, Gideon shifted uncomfortably. Gale pretended he was working, but the tap-tap-tap of his keyboard ceased. Like two wolves—no, two Lycans, about to claw out each other’s throat, the McIntyre brothers squared off. 

Andreas directed his charm her way. His features softened. “Another time then, Kaliope.”

Ronin watched his brother leave before slashing a glare in Kaliope’s direction. She held his gaze—his challenge—forgetting what she’d read moments before about staring a Lycan straight in the eyes. He broke eye contact first and returned to his office.

“You’re either really brave or inhumanly stupid,” was Gale’s comment before his tap-tap-tap resumed.

Kaliope headed home at the end of her shift, annoyed about her day and being sidelined. She exited the underground subway two blocks from her apartment. Gaze lowered, she avoided the giant billboard across the street and the commercial playing on a loop on the screen. Of all the available spaces, they had to put that there. Kaliope shook her head. After a bad day at work, her sister’s overly cheerful countenance was the last she wanted to see.

Ronin and Andreas flashed in her mind. Sibling rivalries. An unexpected commonality between her and the formidable Ronin McIntyre.

Kaliope’s aimless gaze landed on a sign she’d seen before, though she never paid it any attention. Her day might be taking a turn for the better.

Ah.

“Kelmor Jeweler.”

~

Kelmor Jeweler was a high-end accessories store that served a particular clientele. Kaliope walked by it whenever she used the subway, disinterested in the glittering gems on display through the windows. If Kelmor was part of a case, it had Occult origins or business associations. Kaliope wasn’t assigned to the case, but she hadn’t been banned from poking around. 

Let’s think of it as a proactive learning experience.

A bell chimed over the door announcing Kaliope’s entrance into the sparkling wonderland of beauty and elegance. Gleaming glass cases displayed exquisite pieces, from classic pearl necklaces to dazzling gemstone rings. 

Nothing stood out other than the exorbitant prices of the fancy trinkets. Unless she counted the absence of anyone monitoring it all. There were no visible cameras, front desk clerk, or security guard, although the sign said the store was open.

Careless? Or was there something else at play here? Magic. It would certainly explain why no one needed to be around.

A gold sign over a doorway caught Kaliope’s attention. The words formed from the same weird characters in the elevator at Sage Tower shimmered in the artificial lighting. Unable to resist the urge to explore, she parted the beaded curtain at the entrance and stepped inside. 

Walls made from a strange, shimmering material absorbed the light from the handing chandelier at the center of the room, creating a soft, warm glow. The air in the room carried a hint of magic. It prickled Kaliope’s skin, and she rubbed her arms to dispel the sensation.

Kaliope wandered the room. The jewelry collections in this section were different. Macabre designs instead of polished elegance graced the displays. But the gems were no less astonishing. They came alive in the dim light, some refracting it in odd ways. A large crystal at the center of the room drew her in, its energy coursing through her. Kaliope’s head swam, her limbs heavy. She staggered.

Voices drifted through the haze forming in her mind. Two figures emerged from another room—a man and a woman. The man spoke, his words rushed. Angry. Kaliope swayed and slumped to the floor.

“What’s…happening to me?”

A pair of booted legs appeared from behind a display as someone came and stood over her. Kaliope’s head was too heavy to lift up. Her eyelids drooped. Someone spoke. The woman. Then all was black.