Capitol Kidnap: Urban Werewolf Book 1 Read online

  CONTENTS

  Title Page

  Legal

  Photo Credits

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  About the Author

  Sample Chapter - Evolutionary Bottleneck

  CAPITOL KIDNAP, NAOMI TRETHEWAY BOOK 1

  Mel Corbett

  This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious, and any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental.

  Capitol Kidnap, Naomi Tretheway Book 1 © Mel Corbett 2014

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  All rights reserved. Published by Mel Corbett. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without written permission of the publisher. For information regarding permission, contact Mel Corbett at [email protected].

  Kindle Edition

  For more information please visit www.MelCorbett.com

  Thank you to AndrewKr at StockFresh whose picture (that I purchased rights to) of tower bridge forms the background of the cover.

  http://stockfresh.com/image/2239085/golden-gates-drawbridge-in-sacramento

  Thank you also to the creators of the following public domain images used in my cover.

  Bobbi Jones Jones's "I am full now" (full moon)

  http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=22656&picture=i-am-full-now

  Karen Arnold's woman sitting silhouette:

  http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=74680&picture=woman-sitting-silhouette-clipart

  Karen Arnold's paw print:

  http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=35069&picture=paw-print

  To Steven, who thinks that I am crazy, but believes in me anyway.

  Thank you also to my write night/wine night friends,

  WriMos and everything else that got me going writing.

  CHAPTER ONE

  NAOMI TRETHEWAY WAS A WEREWOLF, but that didn't stop her head from aching after work. Nor did it stop her shirt from gluing itself to her back while she waited for the light rail in the hot sun. She shifted her bag to her other shoulder. After what seemed an eternity, the little white train pulled up. Gold Line. Finally.

  She settled into an empty seat, tucked her bag on the floor behind her legs, and pulled out a well-worn paranormal romance. The week was over and she was going to imagine a different world, one where she didn't have to pretend. A world where she didn't have to hide. It was good to escape into the book, even if they got it wrong. There were always too many vampires. In real life the damn things were solitary – they didn't bunch up together like in the books.

  She rubbed the soft skin under her eyes. The sunlight at the light rail would have helped with the headache if it was the normal sort caused by the cheap fluorescent lights, but today she couldn't get the stink of Ginger's perfume out of her nose. Ginger was a total bitch anyway and then she slathered on the disgusting perfume. Ginger would blather on and on about her kids to anyone who would listen and she stunk up the joint. Honestly, who used to rose-based perfume these days anyway? Besides, Naomi could tell when someone hated her, and Ginger definitely did.

  She shut her eyes – just for a minute.

  She jerked awake just as the light rail passed her stop. She would be walking back from Sunrise. Again.

  It wasn't that she minded walking. She loved walking through the neighborhood, down the river, in the forest, but walking back down Folsom Boulevard with all the zooming cars irritated her. They were always so loud with their radios going and the smells of exhaust, and after growing up in the country she was always just a little paranoid that someone would jump the curb and hit her. She knew it was stupid, but walking along the busy road wasn't relaxing, not like running along the river. Still somehow she was in a much better mood by the time she dropped her backpack just inside her front door. She kicked off her shoes before feeding Mr. Betta Fish his three evening pellets. She could just hear her mother's voice asking why she wanted such a useless pet when her phone rang right on schedule.

  "Hi Mom." Not like she needed this again, but then again, who did?

  "Have you met someone?"

  Naomi stifled a sigh. A normal mom would at least ask how you were first. Aaron from the gym had asked her out last night, but with the moon she had to tell him not this weekend. Besides, human didn't count with Mom anyway. "Nothing's really changed since yesterday."

  "Well, are you ready to come back home yet?"

  "No. I like my work." Which was only true sometimes. Days like today weren't really part of that. "I love my house."

  "The farm's a lot better."

  "I have the whole American River Parkway in my backyard," Naomi said as she settled into the big comfy chair that she kept just for these conversations. If Mom was going to make her uncomfortable, she deserved any sort of comfort she could get.

  "You should stop wasting your time down there and come home. It's time you found a mate."

  "I can find a man down here just fine. Bryan sure found one."

  "I said mate, not a man." Naomi could practically hear Mom's eyes roll through the phone. "And you know what I think about that. He'll be home looking for a mate as soon as this little phase is over."

  "I don't think so–" Naomi frowned as Mom cut her off.

  "Speaking of phases…" Here came the real reason for the call. "Why don't you just drive up for the weekend? The moon is going to be nice and full, and we have visitors."

  "If you really want me to meet them, why not drive down to see me?"

  "To the city? For the moon?" Her mom snorted like that was the most ridiculous thing she'd ever heard.

  "I'm right next to the river. Plenty of deer and rabbits out here. The turkeys aren't bad either."

  "Naomi," Mom said sternly.

  "Mom."

  "Don't take that tone–" The phone pinged in her ear. Another call. Thank God.

  "Speak of the devil. Bryan's calling. I gotta go." Naomi switched to the other call. "Hey Bry, you totally saved me from Mom."

  "We have your brother." A weird voice distortion hissed in her ear. One of her brothers must've downloaded a voice changer.

  "Who is this? George?" She glanced back at the caller ID half listening. It said Bryan. He must have gone home for the weekend. "Bryan?"

  "Yes, that is the one we have."

  "Right, ha ha. Very funny. Which one of you juvenile delinquents stole Bryan's phone?"

  "We have your brother and we know what he is."

  "Sure you do. Enough's enough, just because it's the weekend and I'm not coming home doesn't give you the right to prank me. I can still take you down Georgie."

  "We know what he is–"

  "Yeah, you and everyone else. Who cares? B
ryan's gay. Even Mom knows. You need a new bargaining chip. If you don't tell me who you are, I'm hanging up. You have three seconds."

  "On Monday at nine, we will force your brother to transform, then we will kill him on the Capitol steps. We will announce what you are to the world, then we will hunt you freaks down." Her phone beeped in her ear and the voice was gone. That didn't sound like a joke any of her brothers would pull.

  CHAPTER TWO

  SHE HAD TO CIRCLE THE block times to find a parking space for her bug, and that was still three blocks away. The moon had her to senses up and ready to hunt. Everyone was out tonight. They grouped together like prey. Usually Naomi avoided the bar scene. Music flooded her senses from the restaurants and bars that dotted downtown Sacramento. She fumbled her ear plugs into her ears. At least she could block out some of the sounds. The bouncer stood in front of a long line of people already waiting to get in. Did people really go out this early? Everyone was dressed to party, but she was still in her work clothes. Naomi cut to the front of the line.

  "I'm just here to see Mindy real quick," she said.

  "Sure you are. Just got to pay the cover." The bouncer towered over her, trying to intimidate her, like she was trying to sneak her way in. She could snap him in two if she wanted.

  "Come on, I'll be gone in like twenty minutes. I just have to talk to Mindy."

  "Twenty bucks." She thrust the money into his hand headed upstairs. Why did Mindy have to have a bar anyway? Naomi sidled up to the bar, elbowing her way between patrons. Then caught sight of Mindy whose thick braid fell down her back to the top of her two sizes too small black jeans. Her petite frame and baby face made her look about fifteen. Of course, she had documents to prove she was 21, but only God and Mindy herself knew how old she really was.

  "Naomi! What the hell are you doing here?" The bartender wrinkled her nose. "I thought I smelled dog in here tonight."

  "Very funny," Naomi said. "But I got a problem. You hear about anything weird going on in town?"

  "Weird like how?"

  Naomi lowered her voice. "I got a phone call this afternoon… Said they had my brother. Gonna kill him at the Capitol on Monday."

  "What?"

  "So, you hear about anything weird going on? Any strangers come into town lately? Anyone who could take down my brother?"

  Mindy shook her head. "I don't know about anything new in town, but… Hang on a minute." She turned to one of the other girls working the bar. "Hey, cover me. I'll be right back." She led Naomi through the crowded floor, past the bathrooms, and into the hall beyond. "There have been some fledglings gone missing. Just less fledglings in general actually. I haven't heard about anyone getting threats like that. Maybe it'd be best to just get out of town a few days."

  "Hello! I can't run away. They are going to kill my brother. I don't even know who they are. I am hunting their asses down and finding Bryan." Naomi caught Mindy's eye. "That's why I need you."

  "Me? How the hell would I know where to begin? Honestly." Mindy tried to go back down the hall.

  "You are going to drive me to Davis," Naomi said blocking her.

  "You can drive your own happy little ass to Davis. What do I want to go out there for?"

  "I can't drive myself. Not tonight. I barely made it out here without running off the road."

  "Not tonight - oh. The whole moon thing, but don't you have someone else that can take you?"

  "Yeah, you know the girls from yoga would just love this. Somehow I can't see them dropping everything for me to go put my nose to the ground where Bryan disappeared. You, however, owe me."

  "I can't just leave work."

  "Please," Naomi said.

  "Well I can't," Mindy said, crossing her arms.

  "Why can't you? Boss-lady gonna write you up? Oh, wait. I forgot that's you. You own the place." Mindy had set it up so her staff all thought the manager owned the bar. She said she didn't want her staff to try to take advantage of her youth.

  "Shh." Mindy clearly didn't want the rest of the staff finding out.

  "Shush yourself. You're driving me to Davis. We'll talk to Mikey and see where the last place he saw Bryan was. Go from there."

  "What are you some kind of detective now?"

  "No, but I know what my brother smells like. I can follow his scent."

  CHAPTER THREE

  "'I'LL OWE YOU A FAVOR,' I said. Silly me I forgot you wolves are like the Mafia." Mindy pounded the steering wheel for emphasis. "All family and clan and you'll cash in–"

  "It's not like that. Someone is going to kill my little brother."

  "You have five of them. What difference does it make?"

  "He's my brother."

  "And you've got four other ones. You'll get over it."

  Naomi forced back a growl. She was too quick to anger this close to the moon. "They're going to force him to transform in public, then shoot him. Then just for the hell of it they're going to hunt us down for being different. Not exactly my idea of it not making any difference. And he's my fucking brother! You vampires are all the same. Me! Me! Me!"

  "You talk to your mother? I mean the last thing I want is a pack of werewolves in town. They might just decide to hunt me down despite what you tell them."

  "Hey! Richards South! That's our exit."

  ##

  Her brother's boyfriend silently led them deeper into the bike path. He swallowed hard, Naomi could hear the spit in his throat.

  "Thanks Mike," Naomi said.

  "This is the last place I saw him. I didn't stay to see him change. He-he doesn't like that. I felt safe walking back by myself from here."

  "Gotcha. We're going to scope it out, see if we can find anything," Naomi said.

  "Anything I can do? I mean, it's not like I'd be much help out here, but I could… I don't know do something." His eyes pleaded with her. He didn't want to be alone.

  "He'll be all right. I won't let anything bad happen to my baby brother."

  Mikey said nothing. His eyes watered. Naomi bit her tongue to keep from cursing.

  "I'd rather you went home. You'd really just be in the way out here," Naomi finally said. Mikey looked broken when she said that.

  "What she meant is that you're more help in the apartment," Mindy said. Get things together for us later. Try to think of anything weird that's happened." Mikey turned back towards the apartment he shared with Bryan. Naomi headed deeper into the grass. Bryan hadn't moved things too far from where Naomi had changed just a few years ago. She easily found his cache of clothes with just a little help from her nose. This far from the path, his change would have been well hidden.

  "Mindy, could you turn your back for just a minute?"

  "It's not like you got something I never seen before. And I thought your kind was super comfortable –"

  "Fine. Just keep an eye out." Naomi stripped off her clothes and put them into the box with Bryan's. She tamped down the weeds around the box. Naomi hadn't really wanted Mindy to see her vulnerability during the shift, that wasn't exactly something any vampires know about–even one that led a somewhat legit life like Mindy.

  Naomi stretched up towards the moon, feeling oddly self-conscious. The shift began. Her face grew, teeth slid around her mouth lengthening, sharpening. Her ears slid higher up her head. Her bones popped as her limbs shifted. She crumpled to the ground as her legs slimmed and shortened–her arms lengthening to match her legs. It looked painful, but it was fluid. Too fluid. This moment she hadn't wanted to share. She was vulnerable. Defenseless. For a few seconds during the transformation she couldn't support herself and could hardly move. They must have got Bryan during this brief moment of utter vulnerability during the shift.

  Scents suddenly slammed into focus. She could smell months and months of Bryan using this as his romping ground. She could smell his fear from the night before. The scent of pure terror burned her nostrils. It was sharply unpleasant. She could smell the prey he chased–rabbits last night. The faint coppery scent of their blood hung on
the air. How did they sneak up on him? Once shifted his senses should have been too sharp for that. She could hear Mikey back in the apartment, blasting music to pretend he wasn't alone. That he really wanted to be left alone. He'd been terrified. Whoever the mysterious "they" were, he thought they would come for him. Bryan had never even really left out of earshot. Poor kid. Naomi had to keep him safe from Mom. If she found out Bryan had told him, she'd make Mike disappear. She jealously guarded their secret, with good reason apparently.

  Naomi followed the scent of Bryan's fear. They must've caught him returning back to change, tired and sated. There were other scents blurred with his, but they followed the bike path so that it was impossible to sort his kidnappers out from the people that had used the bike path during the day. Her kid brother's fear on the other hand was easy to sort out. They must have tied him up so that he couldn't fight back. It must have been dark so that no one would notice them carrying Bryan back.

  That meant they had to have known his habits, and seen him change before they kidnapped him. She sneezed.

  "What the hell?" Mindy asked. Naomi did her best to smile through her wolf face. A faint scent tickled her nose. She almost recognized it, but it wasn't a normal human smell or a vampire smell either. She went back, took a deep sniff, and sneezed again. It smelled vaguely like cinnamon and roses.

  Naomi couldn't ask Mindy if she recognized the smell or if she could smell it too. Wolf mouths and vocal cords just don't move the same way as a human's. Naomi sniffed where the scent was the strongest, looked at Mindy, then sniffed again, loudly with her nose to the ground. No reaction, Mindy just scanned the horizon, looking for some kind of threat. Naomi tried wagging her tail. That got Mindy's attention.

  "What? Are you high?" Naomi growled in response. Mindy might be strong, but sometimes, Naomi swore, she was as dumb as dirt. "Fine you smell something." Naomi nodded the best she could, sniffed ground, then looked at maybe. "I don't smell anything weird." Mindy sighed. "You done yet? Did you find what you needed?" Naomi growled. She needed a better way to communicate. "Fine not yet. Can't you just find something to be done with this? I'm totally losing out on my tips for tonight. Besides, I don't really trust them to run the joint without me."