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They sat down on the couches and began flipping through the files.
“Why is there a reference to Steele’s human family home?” Raine asked. “Is that the lead Darwin is following?”
Colton dropped the file he was reading. “I don’t know. He doesn’t divulge information until he’s sure about it.”
Dannika leaned against Raine so she could read the report. “What does Steele’s past have to do with me?”
“No idea. Maybe we should investigate Steele’s origins. Perhaps there’s a connection to you,” Raine said.
“How do we do that?” Dannika said.
The men spoke in unison. “Graydon County archive.”
“All information on Steele’s human past will be there,” Colton continued.
Dannika stood. “Let’s go.”
Raine led her to the corner of the room. “We will take the shadows. It’s faster and you need to practice.”
She didn’t protest. He took control of her shadow warrior, merging them together as they swirled in a tornado of darkness and decadent delight. He loved the connection. The raw human emotion. Lust. Love. Betrayal. He didn’t have time to dissect the last one, assuming it was aimed at Maddock. He hated that the family he had promised Dannika had turned on her. They were no better than her human homes, discarding her at the first opportunity for personal gain.
Though he would never admit it to Dannika, the pain of entering the shadow pathways intensified when he guided her. His bones cracked in his ears as his skin ripped from his body. Still, he protected her, shrouding her in his power, absorbing her pain with his own.
They chose a quick stream, racing along the darkness with ease. He felt the moment Colton entered the pathway. It vibrated like a taut thread that had been flicked, causing the string to weave back and forth before it evened out.
They emerged in a dark corner of the archive and coalesced into their human forms after double-checking they were alone. The sensation of reforming skin, a sensual caress, reminded him his body needed its mate.
The room was large with few lights to illuminate the rows of filing cabinets and storage shelves. Dust particles bounced in the air as they maneuvered to the center of the room. Two microfilm machines sat beside a scratched oak table.
“This place isn’t spooky at all,” Dannika said.
Raine ran a finger through the dust on one shelf. “Most files are digitized now. I doubt they used this room much.”
Dannika opened one of the filing cabinets. “The files are in alphabetical order. Anyone know Steele’s last name?”
“It was Raymond, but it’s more likely any files pertaining to Steele and his family will be on the microfilm,” Colton said.
Dannika put her finger to the labels on each of the green metal drawers. “That’s a common last name. We will have to check every file labeled S. Raymond on both.” The drawer squeaked when she opened it and began flipping through the documents.
The men sat at the microfilm stations and searched through the files.
Colton snapped his fingers. “I found it.”
Dannika and Raine joined him as he pointed to the file displayed on his screen.
“I can’t see any connection to Dannika. It looks like Steele had an older brother in the human world named Reid. He was killed when the family home burnt down,” Colton said.
Raine raised an eyebrow. “Fire is the preferred way to cover a kill. I’m guessing they were both bitten. Since I’ve never heard of Reid, I’m guessing he didn’t survive the transition.”
Colton frowned. “Steele told me about the attack. Reapers bled his family dry. The former cougar leader saved him. The cougar clan set fire to the home to cover the reaper kills, but Steele never mentioned a brother, only his parents, wife, and children.”
Dannika frowned. “Steele lived with his parents? Must’ve been younger than I thought when he was attacked.”
“Not necessarily. It was a different time. It wasn’t uncommon for several generations to live under one roof.”
“Are the wife and family mentioned in the report?”
Colton scrolled through the black and white file. “No. It lists the owners of the house as Steele’s parents.”
