Return to Kadenburg Read online

  Return to

  Kadenburg

  Book two of The Kadenburg Shifters Series

  By

  T.E. Ridener

  Copyright ©T.E. Ridener, 2014

  Author’s Note

  These stories are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

  This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author.

  Dedications

  There are so many people I wish to thank for their support and encouragement during the making of the Kadenburg Shifters Series. Please forgive me if your name is left out, and know that I’m still thanking you from the bottom of my heart.

  To my double J’s, always. You are my inspiration every single day and you make my life more joyous than you can ever know. I love you so much.

  To Barb and James, for always supporting me and allowing me to chase my dreams. You are seriously some of the best people in the world and I hope I make you proud.

  To Steve, for always being a huge fan of the characters I create and for being so much of the inspiration behind Dimitri. I don’t think he would’ve turned out as lovable without having your witty sarcasm.

  To Lauren, for everything you’ve done to help this book along the way. I cannot express how much you mean to me!

  To my street team, you guys are seriously the best. Ever. Thank you for loving Presley and the gang, and for always pushing me to get that next chapter out. Without you, I fear I would’ve hit the dreaded creative wall long ago.

  To my fans and readers, I will always write and I hope you will always read. Thank you for being with me on this journey. Xx

  One

  Why was he coming back after all this time?

  29 year old Rutley Holter was still trying to find a sufficient answer to that question as he watched the aged buildings slowly pass by. Kadenburg, the one horse town where dreams were diminished daily, was the last place he ever thought he’d see again.

  Yet here I am, he thought as he pulled into the parking lot of the sheriff’s department and killed the engine on his Subaru Impreza. That car was his baby. He’d worked so many hours of overtime just to make the down payment, and it was almost paid off; almost.

  He allowed his baby blues to gaze around the small town, taking in every last boring brick and mundane window sign as he exhaled softly. “I have not missed you,” he stated as he shut the car door and made his way towards the front entrance of Kadenburg’s finest.

  He pulled it open, listening to the small ding signaling his arrival as the warmth of the office enveloped him. He shivered, frowning. Yeah, he totally didn’t miss the cold weather. He was longing for the sandy beaches of Florida already.

  Yeah, no. It’s best to stay away from Florida for a bit, don’t you think? He asked himself as he stepped up to the empty receptionist’s desk. There wasn’t a soul to be seen, which wasn’t all that surprising considering this was the Kadenburg Sheriff’s Department. People in this town seriously had no idea what a good worth ethic consisted of.

  If he had his guess, the person that was supposed to be sitting there was probably out back, enjoying some nicotine.

  “Hello?” He called out.

  He drummed his knuckles against the countertop as a muffled conversation sounded over the police scanner nearby. It sounded like two deputies talking back and forth, but he could barely make out anything they were saying.

  “No trace of them” and “headed back to the station” was the only parts he could understand before the static became so unbearable he had no choice but to tune it out.

  “Can I help you?”

  Rutley lifted his gaze to the young deputy standing in the doorway of the hall. He had a steaming cup of coffee in one hand, and a pack of Marlboro Reds in the other. He was around the same age as Rutley.

  What a poor soul, stuck here in Kadenburg, he thought with a small grin. “Uh yeah, I’m here to see the sheriff.”

  The young man snickered, giving a roll of his eyes as he slid down into the squeaky office chair behind the counter. “Get in line, pal,” he stated as he sipped at his coffee. “He’s not back yet.”

  “I had no idea,” Rutley countered as he lifted a brow. “I mean, it’s not like I didn’t notice the cruiser missing outside,” he leaned over the counter and narrowed his eyes on the young deputy. “Get on that little radio you’ve got there and tell him he’s got a visitor.”

  The deputy scoffed as he leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest. “You think you get special privileges around here just because you drive that shiny little car out there? I don’t think so, buddy. You can sit your ass down right over there and wait for him to get back.”

  Rutley fought to keep a grin at bay as he glanced in the direction the deputy was pointing. “Over there?” He asked, nodding to the small waiting area. “Sure thing.”

  He sank down into one of the old, leather chairs, rubbing at the back of his neck as he glanced at the clock. 4:35.

  “Will he be back soon?” Rutley questioned after a few beats of silence.

  The deputy sighed audibly before peering over the top of the counter. Rutley didn’t have to see his whole face to know he was scowling. He could see the irritation in his eyes. “Hell if I know,” he replied. “He’ll be here when he gets here, okay?”

  “Okay,” Rutley nodded, sinking back into silence as his eyes wandered over the wallpaper. It was definitely in need of a modern touch. Who even used faded green flower designs anymore? Geez.

  It was only a few minutes later that he heard a car pulling up outside. Something on that vehicle needed fixed, he could hear the rattle growing louder before it suddenly died away. Then the door was opening and the sheriff walked inside.

  The older male pulled his hat off, wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand as he made his way towards the counter. “Have you heard anything?”

  The deputy seemed to be much more hospitable as he stood from his chair, rummaging through various papers on the desk before he shook his head. “No, Sir,” he replied. “The only thing that’s changed since you were here is that fancy pants snot head over in the corner,” he nodded in Rutley’s direction. “Apparently he wants to talk to you something awful.”

  Rutley’s eyes met the sheriff’s as the aged man turned to look at him. Rutley grinned. “Long time no see, Dad.”

  The deputy’s face immediately fell, and he might’ve gotten a little pale as he realized the strong resemblance between the two men.

  “Hi, Son,” Sheriff Holter said with a nod. “Want to step into my office?”

  Rutley pushed himself up from the chair he’d been warming for the last few minutes, giving another grin to the deputy as he strolled past him. “Don’t mind if I do,” he said, walking into the office and slumping into a chair as his father closed the door.

  “Some staff you’ve got there,” he commented as he watched his father ease into his office chair. “He seems nice.”

  “He’s a punk kid,” Sheriff Holter muttered as he pulled open a folder and glanced up to meet his son’s gaze. “That’s Roy Helton’s son. He needed a job. What was I supposed to do?”

  “That’s Randy?” Rutley asked in surprise. “No shit.”

  “No shit,” his dad repl
ied as he started flipping through pages, sighing. “Thanks for coming on such short notice, Rut. I half expected you to say no.”

  “I’m just as surprised as you are,” Rutley replied as he tilted his head back to stare at the ceiling momentarily. “I mean, obviously I must be crazy to come back after you called me a sinful little heathen and told me I was going to hell.”

  The sheriff’s jaw went slack as he stared at Rutley, and then the muscle tensed as he straightened up in his seat. The paperwork was seemingly forgotten as he cleared his throat. “Listen, son, I’m sorry about how things ended back then. I realize I don’t deserve the father of the year award, but you know I love you, don’t you?”

  Rutley rolled his eyes. He didn’t come back to Kadenburg to make his dad feel guilty over how things played out nearly ten years ago. He came back because he heard the urgency in his voice and he knew he needed help. It was purely professional, and he intended to keep it that way.

  “I’m over it,” Rutley replied as he leaned forward in his seat, reaching across the desk to grab the file his father had been looking at. “What’ve we got?”

  “Four missing persons and none of the witnesses will talk,” Sheriff Holter frowned. “It’s been five days and I have zero leads. I needed another set of eyes, and another brain to help me out.”

  “Uh huh,” Rutley nodded, his eyes scanning over the pictures of the missing persons. “Not just any brain, huh?”

  He lifted his eyes to meet his father’s gaze, noting the concern etched on his face. Sheriff Holter shook his head slowly. “None of my deputies will ever be able to make heads or tails of the situation, Rut. I need your help. You’re the only other person who’s been…trained for this type of thing.”

  Rutley heaved an exaggerated sigh as his eyes lingered on the snapshot of a pretty blond with bright green eyes. He remembered her. He knew her. In fact, he knew two of the others as well; Presley Goult, Gregory Kress, and Lorcan Bamey. They were all missing?

  “Who’s this guy?” He asked, flipping the page to read more information about the case. “Dimitri Fridolf? What do we know about him?”

  “Not much,” his father responded as he tapped a fingertip against the desk. “But some of the stuff I’ve found leads me to believe he’ll be the easiest one to find.”

  Rutley licked his lips as his brows lowered on his forehead. “Are you seriously insinuating that we’re dealing with werewolves?” He asked. “Dad, we’ve not had any issues with wolves since back in the eighties. We chased them all off, remember?”

  “Did we?” His father asked as he scratched at the scruff on his chin. “I’m not so sure, Rut. There’s been an awful lot of questionable activity going on lately,” he stood from his desk and moved to the filing cabinet. He tugged it open and removed another folder, tossing it onto the desk for his son to see.

  “I’m retired,” Rutley commented as he leaned forward, flipping the folder open without a second thought. He immediately regretted his decision.

  “Shit,” he whispered as his lips anchored into a frown. “Is that Liam Bamey?”

  “Uh huh,” the sheriff nodded. “I told his parents a damn mountain lion killed him. They didn’t really believe me, I don’t think…”

  “A mountain lion?” Rutley repeated as he glared up at the other male. “Dad, this is…this isn’t just some random body you can show me,” he felt his throat closing in on him as he closed the folder and pushed it away from himself. “Why didn’t you call and tell me?”

  “Because I reckon I didn’t want to bother you with work stuff.”

  “Work stuff,” Rutley repeated bitterly. “He was my childhood best friend, Dad. You couldn’t even pick up a damn phone and call me? Did they have a funeral for him? Did you even bother to tell his parents you didn’t call me? God almighty, Dad. You’re a real piece of work.”

  “The Bameys have been dealing with a lot lately,” Sheriff Holter frowned. “Trust me, Rut. I’m sure they were more than understanding on why you didn’t come back. Nobody ever comes back to Kadenburg.”

  “Yeah, well I’m here,” Rutley replied as he stood from his chair and glowered down at his father. “And I want to find the son of a bitch that killed Liam.”

  “You’re not the only one,” his father stated as he stood from his desk and moved to the window. He pulled the blinds back to peer outside. “I’ve got a feeling that Lorcan and his friends had a similar goal,” he glanced back at his son again. “And if we don’t find them soon, there’s a good chance they’ll end up dead, too.”

  Rutley felt the anger boiling within. His nostrils flared as his hands balled into fists. “Consider me reinstated,” he muttered.

  Two

  She slipped in and out of consciousness the majority of the time. It seemed she fought to stay awake more than anything else, and it was growing exhausting. She wasn’t sure what was happening to her, or why; but Presley knew she was in very bad trouble.

  Her limbs were heavy. Every single body part felt as if they weighed a thousand pounds each and it was impossible to keep her head up for very long. Her skin was warm and tingly, yet she could feel nothing at all. Her mind was fuzzy. She couldn’t make out any noises half the time because of the loud hum in her head. Was she drugged? She couldn’t really tell. In fact, she couldn’t think at all. All she could do was sleep, sleep, and sleep some more. It was impossible to pull her mind out of the sedation.

  There were fleeting moments in which she could remember what had happened; but even in those tiny seconds of fear, she couldn’t do anything about it. Her heart beat was far too slow for her to panic, and she was dangerously relaxed over the situation.

  She could remember hearing the low groan of doors opening. Sometimes she could remember hearing voices but she didn’t know what they were saying. Every time she opened her eyes, she was sucked back into a dark abyss of peace and uncertainty.

  Hold on, her bear would plead. Hold on, Presley.

  The bad thing was…Presley had no idea what she was supposed to be holding on to in the first place

  ––––––—

  “Wake up.”

  Dimitri felt the hard kick against his ankle and he growled lowly from the pain that surged up his leg. Yep. Something was broken.

  “Come on, you little traitor. Open your eyes.”

  Despite the fact his eyelids felt like they weighed a ton, he forced his eyes open to stare up at Luke. That little bastard.

  Dimitri’s foggy brain began to clear, and he could remember what happened the night the ursithropes and lycanthropes faced off. It hadn’t been a fair fight at all. He remembered Mr. Bamey shouting for him to fall back; they were outnumbered by a good thirty more wolves than anticipated. Dimitri hadn’t listened.

  Why hadn’t he listened?

  Oh, right. Lorcan was chasing after Breslin. Hadn’t he warned Lorcan not to go after him on his own?

  He’s stubborn, Dimitri frowned. He roared in pain as Luke kicked his foot again.

  “Did you hear me?” Luke asked angrily. “I said get up.”

  “I’m not deaf,” Dimitri replied quietly as he pushed himself upwards, trying to keep weight off his left leg. That wouldn’t turn out very well for him, would it?

  “No, but I can arrange that,” Luke said as he shoved Dimitri forward.

  The wolf lost his balance, stumbling forward and hitting the cold pavement again. He grimaced and shut his eyes. I swear I’m going to kill him, he thought as he tried to push up from the floor.

  He felt the pressure of Luke’s boot against the side of his head, forcing his cheek back to the floor as he growled.

  “I should rip your heart out right now,” Luke said through clenched teeth. “I should put you out of your misery just like that pathetic little ursi-shit. What was his name? The one that stupidly followed after you the other night…”

  Dimitri felt the bones cracking beneath his excessively hot skin as his eyes snapped open. Don’t say Lorcan. Please don’t say Lorcan
….

  “Greg,” Luke nodded. “That’s it. That little moron couldn’t keep his mouth shut.”

  While Dimitri felt bad that Gregory Kress was dead, he knew that he would feel worse if it was Liam’s kid brother. He’d only given chase because he didn’t want to see anything happen to the man Liam had adored so much. He had to follow them to make sure Lorcan was safe; that Presley was safe. He would accept the responsibility for Greg’s death, but it was the least of his concerns.

  You sound like a heartless asshole, he thought as the world started spinning. He was being pulled up by the hair of his head. He growled again, his fangs elongating as he reached back to strike at whatever body part he could find.

  “Ah ah ah!” Luke laughed. “Calm yourself, Dimitri. I could always tell Breslin you were struggling and my hand slipped. He would believe me.”

  Dimitri’s upper lip curled back in disgust as he lifted his eyes to get a good look at his surroundings. Bland yellow wallpaper was the first thing he noticed. The unfortunate thing about not being from around here, was that he wasn’t familiar with most parts of Kadenburg; if they were still in Kadenburg.

  Dimitri had no idea how long he’d been out, or how long Breslin had been holding him captive. Shit, were Lorcan and Presley here, too?

  “Where are they?” Dimitri asked as he limped forward, wincing every time his left leg had to bear any of his weight.

  “Your little teddy bear friends?” Luke asked as he pulled open the only door in the room. Dim light flooded in and Dimitri had to blink in an effort to make his eyes adjust. “They’re somewhere around here.”

  A new scent hit his nostrils and Dimitri coughed. Whatever it was, it was burning his lungs and his body reacted violently. He lifted his hand to cover his mouth, trying to keep the vile stench from infiltrating his repertory system. “What is that?” He managed to ask between gut wrenching hacks.

  “Oh, that?” Luke smirked as he shoved him out into the hallway, following behind him. “That’s just ammonia. We couldn’t very well have those pesky little pooh bears trying to sniff you guys out, now could we?”