by Raven Steele
I jumped into the car and shivered. "I really hate that guy."
Ryder, who had been waiting for me behind the steering wheel, brought the engine to life; the rumbling of metal vibrated my insides. “He’ll get what’s coming.”
The Silver Claws drove fast, led by Dominic at the front. There were at least forty cars following each other all in a line. We could have been mistaken for a funeral procession, but honoring the dead was not our goal this morning. We were reapers riding on iron stallions, preparing to take blood.
Funeral processions would come later.
Like I expected and planned, the Greybacks’ ranch had been abandoned. This development, however, shocked the rest of the pack. Where could a whole pack just disappear to?
Dominic exited the main house, his brows drawn together and fists balled tight. Like every other building, it, too, had been abandoned. Even a lot of the furniture was missing. To the crowd of Silver Claws who watched on expectantly, he ordered, “Destroy everything. Look for hidden rooms or secret bunkers. Search for anything that might tell us where they’ve gone.” He turned to a group of shifters at his side. “You all search the woods and the swamps. A whole pack can’t just disappear. Find them!”
He wanted answers, and he expected them ten minutes ago. Dominic turned to Luke and gave him his last order. “If they’re not here, divide up the pack. We will find and kill them, and anyone else who is found harboring them. Is that understood?"
Luke nodded. "Yes, Sir.”
Silas kicked a bucket next to the barn, cursing a string of profanities.
With new orders, I left them and ran to the barn, Ryder on my heels. This place I definitely wanted to burn down, and by the way Ryder was passing me, he felt the same. I searched the old building until I found a can of gas. With his help, we dumped the toxic liquid everywhere, starting in the stalls where the humans had been kept. When it was properly doused, I led a thick line outside.
Ryder stood next to me, staring at the barn, sunlight highlighting the flecks of gold in his hair. I handed him my lighter. “You want the honors?”
He bent down, flicked the lighter, and hesitated briefly before finally touching the flame to the line of gas. It spread quickly, just like our rage had moments ago. We watched as the place where Ryder was tortured and human slaves were kept burned down.
When the destruction was complete, Dominic gave everyone specific areas of the city to search. I requested the area near where I lived, making it seem like I was just choosing something convenient. But no one knew the real truth. There was no point searching.
I knew exactly where to find the Greybacks.
Ryder drove us to my house and parked in the garage. He leaned back against the headrest. “I’m wasted.”
“But didn’t it feel good to destroy that place?”
A long sigh escaped his mouth. “A little, but it wasn’t all bad. I have good memories of that place too.” His lips turned down. “But the bad ones override them.”
I patted his shoulder. “Hang out here for a while. No point searching with the others.”
“Are you sure your roommates won’t mind?”
I waved away his concern. “Nah, it’ll be fine.”
Exiting the car, I grabbed Silas’ box, piled the briefcase on top of it, but left the rest to dispose of later. I didn’t have much time until my meeting with the Greybacks and wanted to use what I had left of it to gather my strength. Truth was, I was nervous to see them. I wasn’t sure Jackson would go along with my plan, especially since I’d shoved that pitchfork up through his jaw. That tended to break one’s trust.
Before I ducked inside, I searched for Samira’s car, but it was gone. Damn. She must’ve crashed somewhere else, her fancy hotel maybe. I really wanted to tell her about the briefcase. I knew she was worried about it.
We walked inside and found a note on the fridge from Lynx. She wasn’t home either. She had gone to her mother’s house. Weird. I would think that would be the last place she’d want to go.
After telling Ryder to scrounge up something to eat, I climbed the stairs, trying to think of a good place to hide the briefcase. A few minutes later, I found a tight spot in the attic, way in the back. I covered it with old clothes that smelled of dust and moth balls. No one would look for it here.
Back in the kitchen, Ryder handed me a muffin and a soda. Thanks to Lynx, there was always something to eat in the house. I swear I’d gained five pounds just from living here.
“Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?” Ryder asked. “I mean, I know I'm probably the last person who should be going, but I will if you need me to."
"I think I'll be okay. They want someone on the inside, just as much as I need their support. They won't hurt me."
I focused on the blueberry muffin in my hand, knowing I was probably telling a lie. Hell, I could be dead before nightfall.
"Will you at least text me when you get there and when you leave?”
"You got it.” I paused and looked over him. The dark circles under his eyes were gone, and his shoulders weren’t as tense. “Thanks again for your help tonight. I couldn’t have pulled it off by myself."
“It felt good to actually do something.”
I nodded, agreeing. It did feel good. I ate quickly, then checked my phone. My uncle had sent me news. So far, no one had discovered any Greybacks in the city or on the outskirts. And no one had heard a thing.
It’s like they just disappeared.
Which they had.
I texted Lynx to see if I could borrow her car again, but when she didn’t answer, I decided against it. I didn’t want to become that roommate. I’d already had to torture her. I figured taking her car without approval might be taking it one step too far.
Instead, I called Roma. While I waited, I carefully removed the duffel bag out of the trunk of Lynx’s car, in case she came back and had to use it. I stared at it, not sure what to do with its contents. I considered getting rid of the jars now, but I didn’t think I had time. Instead, I walked swiftly toward the trees and hid it behind the biggest tree I could find.
Roma was waiting for me when I got back. I slid into the back and handed her a slip of paper with an address on it. “I need to go here.”
“Hello to you too.” She smoothed out the paper to study it.
“Sorry. A little nervous, I guess.”
"You, nervous?” She shook her head and glanced at the paper again. “The old village of Doner Prairie. There hasn't been anyone up there for decades. Why do you want to go there?"
"I promised someone I would meet them. I'll pay you cash, triple your normal rate."
She eyed me in the rearview mirror. "Can you afford that?"
“I can today." I leaned against the window, closing my eyes to its sun-soaked warmth.
“Alright.” She forced the gear into drive and pulled away from the house. Like she usually did, she talked to me about nothing and everything, trying to entertain me with stories of her time backpacking in Europe, then she moved on to her brief stint with the Peace Corps. I tried to pay attention, but I was too distracted. My knee bounced up and down, and I worked my teeth over the flesh on the inside of my cheek. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.
She met my eyes in the rearview mirror. "Are you okay?"
"Sometimes I think my ass is in my brain." I poked at my head. “I get these shit ideas.”
She didn't say anything for a long moment as she fingered a thin braid at the side of her face. Finally, she asked, "Why did you ask me to take you? You could've borrowed one of the Silver Claws’ cars."
"This isn't exactly the kind of meeting I want anyone to know about. Besides, I’ve begun to think of you as my good luck charm."
"I get that a lot.” She settled into a rare silence with an amused expression. After a while, she rolled the window down, letting in a cool breeze.
The air was heavy with moisture, the humidity higher than usual. It made my shirt stick to the back of the seat,
and my thighs stick together uncomfortably.
Doner Prairie wasn't at all what I expected. I had imagined another ranch with fields and trees and maybe more than a few living quarters, but this was a ghost town. Literally. The buildings were right out of the late eighteen hundreds, like a giant set built for a western film.
Roma glanced out her side window. “This was one of the first gold mining towns in Louisiana.”
“I didn’t know there was gold here.”
“There was, but only a little. Townsfolk didn’t know that though. As soon as word spread there was gold, people flocked here. It was a booming place once,” she explained as if she had been there. “But after ten years and very little profits, the place shut down. Damn shame.”
I rolled my window down and inhaled. A dirty earthy smell greeted me, but it was laced with something else. Wolves.
"Park here.”
"In the middle of the street?"
"Do you see another car coming anytime soon?"
She pressed on the brake, bringing us to a stop. "I guess not."
“Wait here.” I exited the car and strolled down the middle of the street, eyeing the old buildings on each side of me. Sunlight streamed from the noon sky, illuminating every dark corner and alley.
Even though I couldn’t see anyone, I knew I was surrounded by wolves. I could feel their dark eyes watching me and smell their fear mingled with curiosity. Who was I to go against my own pack to warn another, especially an enemy? It was unheard of to betray one’s own. It made me dangerous.
Like a ghost, Jackson appeared at the other end of the road, stepping out from behind what could’ve been an outhouse at one point. “You have sixty seconds to explain yourself before we kill you.”
Chapter 38
My gaze flickered behind him, looking for any more shifters. I didn’t see any, but I could definitely feel them, their power aggravating mine like two opposing magnets.
“What’s there to explain?” I asked. “Dominic was coming to wage war against your small pack. I simply gave you a heads up.”
“You come alone?" His deep voice sounded strange in the empty street.
"Other than the Uber.” I pointed behind me, indicating Roma, “I’m alone.”
He smoothed his blond hair back, exposing amber eyes, the color of rich honey. “I would say thank you, but no one's that kind. What do you want?"
“First, lay low for a while until I can neutralize Silas and Dominic, just like I promised. Second, stay the hell away from Ryder. He’s not up for grabs.”
“Why? Why d’you care so much?”
“That’s none of your business. Just stay out of my way, and we’ll have no other problems.”
He took a step toward me. “You trying to take out Dominic so you can be Alpha?”
“No. And even if I was, I sure as shit wouldn’t tell you.”
"You forget we fought. You could be an Alpha if you wanted to."
“I’d rather chew on nails. I’m just here to take care of some old business, then I’m out of here. After that, if you want the Silver Claws Alpha position, it could be yours for the taking, but you might have to fight a few Silver Claws to get it.”
“Easy.” Jackson slid a blade out from behind his back and began to slice at his fingernails with its sharp edge.
I held my tongue. He didn’t know Luke’s strength or even Gerald’s. Either one could seriously challenge his position as Alpha. But when that time came, I should be far away from Rouen.
"I'd like to believe you,” Jackson drawled, “but gaining my trust is as hard as wrestling an oil-dipped shark in the middle of a hurricane.” He looked up at me, his eyebrow raised. “If you want me to stay out of your way, I need to feel your loyalty. One way to start is by fighting a few of my men. It’s what we do for new recruits.”
“I’m not trying to become a Greyback.”
“But you are asking us to trust you with our lives. Fighting, making one broken and bloody, has a way of bringing out the truth in people. If you’re lying, your body will betray you, and your bones will turn as brittle as these here buildings. But,” darkness danced in his eyes, “if you’re telling the truth, one way or another, your heart will keep on beating.”
“If I had time for this shit, I’d bullet point the ridiculousness of everything you just said. I saved your lives last night. You either trust me or you don’t.”
He chuckled and took another step closer, the knife lowering to his thigh. This time the step felt more like a threat, and my senses triggered full alert mode. I glanced around, searching for immediate danger.
“That’s the problem,” he said. “I don’t trust you.”
I growled, summoning my wolf to the surface and pushed the power outward. His eyes flinched as he felt her. He snarled and snapped his fingers. Six men and one woman emerged from the old wooden buildings on each side of me.
I lifted my hands into the air, taking a step back. "I don't want to fight. That’s not why I came.”
The woman leading the others slid her tongue over her front teeth. “But we want to fight you.”
"Don't worry.” One side of Jackson’s mouth turned up. “We’re not going to kill you. Just give you a little beating so you’ll get a taste of what will happen if you try to double-cross us."
The shifters moved closer. This was not how I envisioned this meeting going, but if they wanted to fight, I was happy to oblige.
“Fine.” I removed my black jacket and tossed it to the side. It's one of the few nice things I owned. I glanced back at Roma sitting in the idling Audi. I hoped she had enough sense to stay out of this.
The large woman headed straight at me. Her ruddy complexion matched her red hair. Soon her face would have red on it too.
I held up my fists, preparing. “I’ll try to go easy on you, bitch.”
"Did you just call me a bitch?"
"Not you." I pointed to the man just behind her. "That guy. Ask him what he was doing to your mom last night. He was definitely being her bitch.”
Both the man and woman shifter lunged for me at the same time. I easily dodged their movements and kicked backwards, catching the male’s jaw with the underside of my boot. I barely managed to get my legs beneath me when another attacked.
The next twenty seconds were a blur. Fists flying, kicks jabbing, and heads butting. I moved faster than all of them, but they had the upper hand simply because of sheer numbers. I kept on the offensive, afraid if they pushed me back, I would lose my momentum. A shifter from behind managed to get in a few lucky kidney shots. I groaned and spun away, ducking as a massive fist flew over the top of my head. I grabbed the large female and choked her good and tight, while using her body as a shield against the others’ blows. I dropped her when her body went limp in my arms.
Crouching low, my muscles pulsed with power. It would’ve been fun to fully shift right now, but sometimes a dog had to turn belly up. This was one of those times. But not yet. I wanted them to know I wouldn’t go down easy.
I was about to tackle two men running right for me, when I was bound from behind by massive arms that nearly crushed my chest. Instant panic filled me with dread, something I couldn’t fight easily. I sucked in quick sips of air.
Jackson's voice breathed into my ear, “You're going to get your beating, whether you like it or not.”
The two shifter men who were about to run through me, stopped abruptly and chuckled. The taller of them stepped in front, grinning wide. His yellowed teeth broke up the dark space in his mouth. He cocked his fist back, his eyes twinkling with excitement, then shot it forward.
Squinting, I braced for the impact, but it never came. I opened my eyes and saw the shifter had dropped to his knees, clutching his head in pain. The others were also on the ground, groaning and holding their heads, much like they had when Lilith had used her witchy powers against them.
"What the hell?" Jackson said, then fell backwards into the dirt, writhing in pain like the others.
“What the hell?” I mimicked Jackson’s astonishment and swiveled around. Roma was outside her car, her hand outstretched toward us, her face straining.
"Get in!” she called.
This time, I was good at following directions.
I sprinted to the car, but before I slid into the passenger seat, I turned around. “Stay out of my way, Jackson! Or I’ll sic my Uber driver on you!”
I grinned at Roma. Talk about lucky charm indeed.
“Wait,” he grunted through gritted teeth.
“Whatever,” I looked at Roma. “Let’s go.”
She slowly backed up, still channeling her power against the Greybacks. As soon as she dropped her hand, she jumped inside the car. I was about to do the same, but Jackson stopped me.
“Wait!” He dragged himself to his feet. “I’ll work with you, but I want one thing in return.”
I paused. “What’s that?”
“Blood.”
Air caught in my chest. “I don’t understand.”
“It’s come to Rouen. The Abydos, a powerful blood rumored to be over a thousand years old.”
Ice filled my veins, and my legs trembled as if I was staring over a hundred foot ledge. I played it off, scoffing. “Never heard of it.”
“Most haven’t, but it exists.” His eyes glowed yellow in the darkness. “And I want it. I’ve heard the whisperings, and I know Dominic is searching for it too. I want you to be my eyes and ears. If you hear anything about it, you are to tell me. Do this and our pack will stay out of whatever else you got going on.”
“Fine. If anyone makes a peep about crusty, old blood, you’ll be the first to know.”
“I’ll hold you to that, and if I ever find out you’ve lied to me, or if you ever make a move against the Greybacks, we will kill you and everyone you love."
I believed him. I nodded once and dropped into the passenger seat, my armpits pooling with sweat.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
How the hell did he know about the Abydos? And Dominic’s looking for it? How? I’d been so careful. I sunk into the seat and groaned.
At least they didn’t know about me. If they did, they would’ve tortured me already to find the blood. I’d managed to keep it hidden for years, so what had changed? Why did people know about it now?