Paranormal Romance and Romantic Suspense Author Caridad Pineiro

Undead Uprising Chapter 14

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This week’s Wicked Wednesday brings you another installment of my urban fantasy involving a twist to the werewolf mythology, battles with vampires and a struggle for control in a werewolf pack. The tentative title is UNDEAD UPRISING and I hope you like this next free chapter that I’m offering you.

This chapter is after Helena and Catalina have had a not-so-sisterly discussion about their father’s wishes for the pack and Catalina’s romantic involvement with Ramon. Now Helena and Catalina must meet with their father, their half-sister Selena as well as one of their clients and tempers will flare during their meeting.

For those of you who may have missed the first chapters, you can read them here:

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7
• Chapter 8
• Chapter 9
• Chapter 10
• Chapter 11
• Chapter 12
• Chapter 13

Chapter 14

The meeting with the annoying A-List asshole client began much like she had expected. He groused, he complained, he preened. Then he ranted that he wasn’t getting the kind of security he warranted. Not that anything had happened, it was just that his ego almost wished it would since that would confirm that he rated.

“Mr. Black — ”

“Frank, please, Catalina. After all these years, you and
I . . . We can be on a first name basis, can’t we?” He punctuated that comment with a leer.

“Mr. Black,” her father repeated, thankfully jumping into the conversation. She didn’t think she could maintain her tone of forced pleasantry much longer.

“We have our top people guarding you — ” her father began, but Frank Black would have none of it.

He pointed to Catalina. “I want her. She’s the best. I want her watching me.”

“Mr. Black.” She didn’t get to finish as her father covered her hand as it rested on the table.

“Catalina isn’t one of our field operatives, Frank,” her father explained.

“I want her or your employment is over,” Frank said, his handsome face marred by an arrogant sneer.

She looked across the table to where Selena and Helena sat. A cat that ate the canary smile sat on Selena’s face and concern etched lines into Helena’s.

Catalina suspected that she knew why — Hemmerich was part of the detail responsible for guarding Frank Black. A few discreet words dropped here and there to the prima donna movie star had been sure to elicit just this response. Hemmerich had played him and the human was too stupid to realize it.

She couldn’t have guessed her father’s reaction, however. He rose and extended his hand to the actor, who was inches shorter and not as well built despite his claim to action hero fame. “It’s been a pleasure having you as a client, Mr. Black. My assistant can recommend some other security companies on your way out.”

Shock crossed the actor’s face as well as Selena’s. “What? No one says no to Frank Black.”

The arrogance of the puny mortal, she thought and stood beside her father. “We do.”

“What?” he nearly screamed and took an angry step toward them, but Helena was already there, holding his arm.

He tried to shake her off, but couldn’t. As she tightened her grip, he actually winced and weakened at the knees.

“I believe we’ve made ourselves quite clear, Mr. Black,” Helena said, her tone brooking no argument.

“Let go.” His tone was almost pleading and Helena being Helena, held him just a little longer and a bit harder until the man cringed and began to sag.

When Helena finally released him, he said, “You’ll be sorry. I’ll tell all my friends about how lousy your services are.”

“Do that and you’ll be hearing from our lawyers. Or maybe from me, personally,” she said and took a step toward him, but the actor rushed out the door, mumbling about suing as he went.

“I think he wet himself,” Helena said as she glanced at her father and sister. With a sniff, she confirmed it. “Definitely. So what do we do now?”

Rafael sat back down and shrugged nonchalantly. “I think it’s time Hemmerich and the rest of Mr. Black’s detail did some desk duty.”

Selena immediately piped up. “Hemmerich’s too important to be jockeying a desk.”

“Really, mi’ja?” Rafael faced his second-born. “So I guess all of us aren’t. Important, that is.”

Selena blanched. Her hands fluttered in the air nervously as she backpedalled on her statement. “I didn’t mean . . . I’m sorry, papi. That’s not what I meant.”

“What did you mean?” Catalina sat beside her father as was her right as the first born and heir to leadership. She wanted Selena to be reminded of it given her earlier conversation with Helena.

“I meant . . . He’s better in the field. He’s a warrior.”

With each word Selena seemed to be digging a bigger hole for herself, unusual for her. She was usually the most diplomatic of all the sisters.

“So are we, hermanita.”

“I’m sorry, Catalina. You’re right. We’re all warriors, it’s just that . . . ” She fumbled, obviously trying to avoid yet another faux pas.

“Whatever you think is best, papi,” she said demurely and cast her gaze downward.

Catalina glanced at her father from the corner of her eye while he considered his three daughters, looking from one to the other before he finally said, “I think my daughters should decide what to do about Hemmerich and his detail. There’s a waiting list of clients who need our services. Put your sisterly skills together and find the right fit.”

With that, he walked out of the conference room, leaving the three of them staring at one another uneasily. They might be his daughters, but as for sisterly skills . . .

They were sorely lacking in those. They were pack members first and after that — their allegiances had generally been toward the respective mothers that their father had forsaken.

Except for her and Hembra, who had been raised almost like flesh and blood siblings. As for her two half-sisters, Catalina didn’t quite know what to think of that combo yet. She wasn’t sure she could trust Helena. And Selena . . .

Selena was an unknown commodity. One on which she had to get a handle. Reaching for the speaker phone before her, Catalina buzzed her assistant. When the young woman answered, she asked for the client waiting list and after, turned to her two half-sisters. “There’s four men we’ll have to reassign, including Hemmerich.”

Selena’s mouth tightened at his mention and she asked, “Do you have an issue with Hemmerich? Is there something we should know?”

Selena shot an uneasy look in Helena’s direction, as if expecting her half-sister to answer for her, but Helena kept her silence. Selena finally said, “Hemmerich and I are . . . involved. I’d rather his assignment be one that’s close.”

That Selena could be so forthcoming about her relationship with the other wolf was a good start. It meant she had nothing to hide . . . yet. And if there was one true adage in life, it was the one about keeping your enemies close. “I understand, Selena. We will certainly take that into consideration.”

A knock came at the door then, and she called out for Mary, her assistant, to enter. The young woman did, handed her the folder, and then quickly stepped out once more.

Catalina reviewed the first few names on the list and their requirements. She motioned to the papers. “Why don’t you both come over and take a look at this. After, we can make our decisions.”

And with that, they got to work on their sisterly skills and the reassignments as their father had ordered.