Page 59

Story: Wild Instincts

“Operator,” a young, female voice greeted.

“Lady Isabella Wyland for Eric Singleton, please,” she replied.

“One moment, ma’am,” the woman replied.

There was a pause. There was no annoying music, just silence and the sound of her own breathing. She walked over to the window and stared out at the growing darkness.

“Ms. Wyland, this is a surprise,” Eric Singleton greeted.

“Isabella, please, and I hardly doubt it is much of a surprise, Eric,” she responded.

His sardonic chuckled made her wince internally. “You’ve caused me a considerable inconvenience, not to mention money.”

She lifted an eyebrow at the unexpected comment. “How so? I hope you don’t think dealing with Hyder as being an expense. I know it couldn’t have been that much of an inconvenience.”

“I’m not talking about Furman. I’m talking about notifying the SBSI of my Port Angeles headquarters.”

“I have better sense than that, to do something that would jeopardize our acquaintance, Eric,” she replied with a frown.

Her statement was greeted with silence. She was responsible for many things in her life, but she knew better than to mess with someone like Eric Singleton. She wouldn’t doubt he would return from the dead if he could to haunt her… or worse, drag her down to hell with him.

“How did you get this number?” he asked.

“It was not difficult to put two-and-two together when I realized that even Hyder was terrified. There are very few shifters in the world that could scare him. I was one of them. I simply needed to find out who the others might be and create a short list. It required calling in some favors. Your number was the most expensive, so I’m assuming Hyder was working with you when the mission he was on didn’t turn out,” she explained.

“Who gave you my number?” he demanded.

She huffed out a sigh of irritation. “I’ll let you figure it out and hope you don’t because my source has been a very good one. I would like to discuss hiring your services.”

“To do what, exactly?”

She stared out of the window with a smile. There had been a note of curiosity in his voice that meant he would at least entertain her proposition.

“To finish what Hyder couldn’t—bring me two humans, preferably a breeding age male and female,” she said.

His low chuckle caused her hand to tighten around her cell phone. “That’s it? You want to breed humans—or rent them out?”

She pursed her lips again before forcing her mouth to relax. “What I want them for is none of your business. I’m offering you a job. You are an entrepreneur, aren’t you?”

“It will cost you,” he replied.

“I would have been shocked it if didn’t,” she scoffed.

“Three million—each,” he said.

“Done.”

Silence followed her ready agreement. “No argument. Interesting. Something tells me that you know something about the humans that others may not,” he suggested.

“Six million—and the head of Lorne Timberwolf,” she said.

“Done,” he replied, mimicking her.

This time when he chuckled, it sent a shiver down her spine. The sound was filled with menace… and promise. She was glad it was not directed at her.

“I’ll let you know when the assets have been obtained,” he said before disconnecting the call.

Chapter 19