Page 10 of Fight (Kitsune #2)

A few days later, Devon and I walked out of the small restaurant where we'd gone for dinner, to discover that someone had slashed two of the tires on Devon's pick-up.

He calmly pulled out his PCD, dialed the police department, and reported the crime.

After he disconnected the call, he turned back to me.

"They're sending an officer to take the report, it shouldn't be long." He stood behind me and pulled me into his arms. He wrapped his arms around me, crossing them low on my belly and hugged me against him.

"Why would someone do this?" I wondered aloud.

"Not sure, at least I can't be certain. This isn't the first thing to happen, but it's starting to escalate. Up until now I've been ignoring it as random vandalism, but it's gone too far, for too long. I have to admit, it looks like I'm being targeted by someone."

I turned around in his arms so I could look up into his face. "How long has this been going on?"

"Since shortly after I got back to town."

"So you've been being harassed for the last three months?" I clarified.

"I wouldn't put it that way."

"I don't really see any other way to put it." I was getting irritated that he'd let it go on this long.

Devon was saved from having to answer by Raine pulling up in his patrol truck.

"I hear you're having car trouble." My brother stepped out of the pick-up.

"I guess you could say that." Devon replied.

"So, what's going on?" Raine approached us.

"We came out to leave, and found the truck like this." Devon indicated the tilted truck.

"Any idea who might have done it?" Raine bent to sit on one heel. He inspected the damage to one of the slashed tires, on the driver side.

"Not really." Devon said.

"Raine, I have a few ideas, but I'd rather not go into it here." I spoke up. Raine looked up sharply, meeting my eyes.

"Nickie, you can't." Devon warned.

"It's okay, Dev, he knows." Devon looked pained but I turned back to Raine. "You didn't get this call at random, did you?"

"No, I heard Dev's name, and said I'd take it. I didn't know you'd be with him though."

I raised one eyebrow at him, not believing that.

"So what do I need to do?" Devon asked. "I want to file a police report so there's a record of it. If you need to do something to the truck, that's fine, but if not, I need to know, so I can arrange to have it towed."

"Just these two, not all four?" Raine confirmed.

"Just the tires as far as I know, I don't see any more damage." Devon replied.

Raine asked all the questions he needed for his report. After we'd told him all we could, he had Devon call for a tow truck, saying that there was little the lab would be likely find out from the truck, and he offered us a ride home.

We climbed into the cab of Raine's patrol truck, Devon and I squished together in the passenger's seat for the short trip.

Pulling into the lot of our complex, Raine radioed in to the dispatcher that he was taking his lunch, and he would be away from his truck, before he came up to my apartment with us. Once inside Raine got down to business.

"Tell me what's going on here, you two." His tone was all business.

"There's a group within the kindred that believes that non-shifters are inferior. Apparently they've been harassing Devon since he came back."

"But he shifts." Raine scowled.

"Apparently that he shifts now, doesn't matter to them, only that he didn't. It's also possible that how he came to shift, still makes it a problem."

"All right, two questions." Making himself at home, Raine took a seat on the edge of the recliner, while Devon and I sat together on the couch. "Why haven't you reported this before? And can you give me the names of any members of this group?"

"It was just a nuisance before, this is the first real damage." Devon answered the first question.

"I can give you one name, but you're not going to like it." I answered the second. Devon was quiet, but I could tell he didn't like me giving Raine so much information. Raine raised one eyebrow, looking at me, waiting for me to continue. "Brandon's one of them." Both eyebrows lifted in surprise.

"You're right. I don't like it." He paused for a moment, shifting slightly in the chair, getting more comfortable. "Are you still spending much time around him?"

"Not in a while."

"Because of this group he's part of?"

"Kind of." Raine waited for me to elaborate.

I sighed before continuing. "You know he was there when I shifted the first time.

Well, after that, he kinda got strange. Add in Devon coming back to town, and that I spent so much time with him, and Brandon got possessive.

He tried to control me, and it backfired. "

"I'll bet. I want the details, Nickie." Raine's voice was firm, determined. I knew better than to argue when he got this way.

I told him about the incident of Brandon slapping me and my breaking his nose in response.

"When did this happen?"

"A few weeks ago." I shrugged, not remembering exactly how long it had been.

Raine didn't like the answer. "He hit you weeks ago, and this is the first I'm hearing of it?" I could hear the growing anger in his voice.

"Raine, I realize you're a police officer, and that as my brother you feel the need to protect me.

" I tried to calm him. "But you need to understand.

The Kitsune have had to live in secret for centuries.

Getting the police involved in internal problems would make that secrecy difficult, to say the least, and not only because of our increased strength and healing.

"So, I didn't tell you about it, no. But I did tell Bill," Devon made a sound of protest from his seat beside me. "and Brandon's already been punished." I laid my hand on Devon's knee. "It's alright, Bill's told me I can tell Raine whatever I feel the need to."

Devon covered my hand with one of his, and visibly relaxed. I knew he'd been trying to keep me out of trouble. Raine watched the exchange silently but I knew he wasn't missing it.

"You know how I feel about vigilante justice-"

"It's not vigilante justice though, Raine." I interrupted. "It's more like royal rule. The king, or pack leader in this case, hears the case, makes a ruling, and orders the consequences as needed. Punishment in this case."

"As I was saying," Raine looked pointedly at me for interrupting him.

"you know how I feel about vigilante justice, but seeing as how he's still alive and walking around fine.

I don't have too much to complain about, since he's already been dealt with.

If you think they're the ones responsible for this, why call the police now? "

"To document the damage, and so my insurance will cover it." Devon reasoned.

Raine nodded.

Devon went on. "And now, if things continue to escalate, I'll be able to show a history of damages. I can take the documentation from the police to the Anikitos, and have proof."

"Good reasoning. If it's escalated to the point of property damage, what makes you think they'll stop there? Why won't they continue as far as assault?"

"I have no plans to let it go that far, but if it does, they'll have a fight on their hands. Unless they've got someone a lot more dominant than Brandon in the group, it'll be over quick."

"Unless they blindside you, gang up on you, or better yet, try to hurt you by going after Nickie." Raine countered.

"I don't think they'll hurt me. At least not yet." I put in. "Brandon's still convinced I'm his mate, and as long as he believes that, he won't let them hurt me. Besides, growing up with you and Cam, I learned to defend myself pretty well."

"Be that as it may," Raine said. "I'll be a lot happier when this is all over, and I don't have to worry that you're safe."

"Me too." I agreed. Devon nodded, quietly agreeing.

"No more hiding this from me." Raine scowled at both of us. "If anything else happens, to either of you. I want you to call me right away."

"Will do." I agreed.

"I'll get your number from Nickie and call you if anything else happens. I feel better knowing that someone outside the pack knows what's going on." Devon agreed.

"Now that that's settled,." Raine leaned forward in the chair, resting his forearms on his knees. "Tell me about the two of you. This," He motioned to where the two of us were sitting together on the couch. "is new."

"We're seeing each other now." I said simply.

"I knew that, you've been bringing him to Sunday dinner, and you told Pace you're seeing him, but something tells me it's more than just dating."

"It's more of a mating." I gave him a brief description of Kitsune mating. "We're not sure where it will go, but we're not willing to throw it away, just because we weren't looking for it."

Raine was silent for a moment. He sat there watching us like before, but he seemed to not be seeing us anymore. After a few seconds, he spoke again. "You're right, you don't want to throw it away because you weren't looking for it."

"Do you know something you want to tell me?" I lifted one brow at him.

"Nothing that you need to know, just a little insight for me." He smiled.

Devon looked back and forth between us, knowing he was missing something but not sure he should ask what we were talking about.

I looked at him and smiled. "Do you mind if I tell him?" I asked Raine.

"I'd rather it not be public knowledge, but you can tell him. I have to go though. My lunch is nearly over and I still need to get something to eat." He stood, preparing to leave.

"Thanks for bringing us home, and taking time from your lunch to make sure we're all right." I stood to walk him to the door. I hugged him before I let him leave and closed and locked the door behind him.

"What does Raine not want public knowledge?" Devon asked from the couch as soon as the door clicked shut.

I turned around, wanting to see his reaction. "He's a seer. He has visions showing him bits and pieces, sometimes future, sometimes past, and from what he's told me, sometimes real time."