Read Online The Wolven by Deborah LeBlanc - Free Book Online Page B

men. Once a wolven is at full power, even a young one like Simon, all they have to do is backhand a man, and the strength of that blow would crush his face. One swipe from his claws, and the man’s chest is ripped open, his heart pierced. And even if it had been a hundred men, all attacking at the same time, Simon wasn’t stupid. At the first hint he was being overpowered, he would have fled, and a wolven’s too fast and agile for any human to catch him.”
    “What about shifters, then?”
    “I don’t think so.”
    “But if shifters mentally paired with a wolven, then became wolven themselves, couldn’t they have overpowered Simon? Or—”
    “Not the shifters from here. They can transform into any being through molecular mapping, but only in appearance. They wouldn’t possess the full power of a wolven. Maybe three quarters at best.”
    “What if they morphed into something bigger than a wolven? Wouldn’t size alone give them power?”
    “Maybe, but in order for them to transform into anything, they have to see it, mentally map it.” Danyon arched a brow. “Have you ever seen anything in New Orleans—hell, in the entire state of Louisiana, that was bigger than a full grown wolven?”
    Shauna pursed her lips and shook her head.
    “Me either. That’s why I think the scenerio’s doubtful.”
    “Okay…vampires? I don’t think one could’ve done it alone. But two or three might have, if they glamoured Simon before he turned were, then restrained him with silver and cable and lifted the glamour. You said Simon would have morphed from the pain caused by the silver, right? Well, once he turned were, all they had to do was…what was done to him.”
    Through with the examination, Danyon stripped off the gloves and tossed them onto the tarp. He’d found no other wounds that might have caused Simon’s death. Hecould only assume it was as August had said—Simon’s heart had burst. Unfortunately, an autopsy couldn’t be performed to confirm it. Not with Simon still in were-state.
    “What do you think?” Shauna asked.
    Danyon got to his feet and began gathering tools. “It’s possible, but I don’t think it’s probable. Nicole and Simon were found during the day and judging by the condition of their bodies, they’d probably only been dead about four or five hours. That means the murders took place during the day, as well. The local vampires can move about in daylight, but they’re considerably weaker than they are at night.” He shook his head slowly. “I don’t know what the answer is, Shauna. I just don’t know.”
    “Well, if it wasn’t humans, shape-shifters or vampires, that leaves us with…other weres. Other wolven.”
    He looked away.
    “Is that possible?” she pressed.
    Danyon glanced over at Simon’s body. He didn’t want to entertain the idea that the murderer was a wolven. Of course wolven fought, sometimes to the death, but they didn’t purposely torture their own.
    “Danyon, I think we need to get the leaders from the other races involved in this—”
    “No.”
    Shauna got to her feet. “Isn’t it better to swallow a little pride than lose more weres?”
    “It’s not about pride,” he said angrily. “We can’t afford to have the three biggest subcultures in New Orleanspointing fingers at one another again. It’s like you said earlier about the cemetery murders and the walk-ins. You were right. Every group blamed every other group. Even though both cases have been solved, that wire between all three groups is still taut. Getting the other leaders involved would mean their people would find out, and you know it. Fingers would start pointing again, only this time, that wire might very well snap.”
    “I don’t think—”
    Danyon held up a hand. “Look, I know two heads are better than one, three better than two, yada, yada, yada.
    But Simon and Nicole were my responsibility. They died on my watch. I have to find their murderer.”
    “And all the weres—including the