by A. D. Ryan
“Then what could it be?” I demanded.
Next to me, Jackson leaned back in his chair, setting his cutlery down on his empty plate. “I don’t know. We might have to do some research, maybe talk to the other victims to see if they remember anything. Maybe they saw something.”
I agreed with him, and asked him to take lead on that while I went after my parents. He was more than cooperative. I told the Pack that Bobby was holding my parents captive, and that he’d told us where. It came as no surprise that the Pack was against Nick and I going alone, and after a long discussion, they made me realize that if we planned to attack during daylight, we’d need their help in searching.
So, Jackson and Roxy were going to question the past victims while the rest of us searched Stampede Park. We’d search in our human forms since it was daylight and we didn’t want to risk exposure should anyone be milling about in the off-season.
As we formulated a plan, the Pack ate. It wasn’t until several of them helped themselves to seconds that I realized I’d barely touched the food on my plate. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d eaten a full meal, my uneasy stomach always forcing me to stop lest I get sick. I felt that familiar roll in my stomach after eating some eggs, but I managed to control it as I set my fork down and pushed my plate away.
Nick cleared his throat from across the table, eyes on me as he indicated to my food with a nod. I knew he was right, but I just couldn’t stomach the thought. He narrowed his eyes when I refused to submit. His frustration continued to mount, and finally I just grabbed a slice of buttered toast and ate it slowly. It helped calm the waves of nausea a little and renewed my energy stores, which I hadn’t even realized had been as depleted as they apparently were.
Appeased, Nick sat back in his chair with a smile and a wink, and I grabbed a second slice of toast as my appetite returned.
When breakfast was finished, I helped clear the table so we could start our search. Alone in the kitchen, I started to fill the sink with water when I sensed Nick’s presence before his hands encircled my waist and then slid around and encased my belly. Even though I’d accepted the gesture earlier, I was still a little conflicted about the situation. Also afraid the others might walk in on such an intimate gesture, I turned around, forcing his hands to the swell of my ass instead.
Leaning down, he rested his forehead against mine. “Thank you,” he whispered.
“For what?”
Nick stood up straight, keeping his eyes trained on mine. “For humoring me and having the toast.”
Rolling my eyes, I laughed lightly. “It actually helped, so I should be thanking you for pushing.”
“I didn’t push,” he argued gently. “I merely nudged.”
Remembering the running water, I quickly turned around and shut it off, startled to find it almost at the top of the sink. Nick grabbed a dishtowel and helped without my having to ask him. It was unexpected and sweet.
“What time are we heading out?”
Nick placed a plate on the counter and picked up the next. “I figure we should head out soon. We’re going to have our work cut out for us given the size of the grounds. We’ll split off into teams when we arrive and search. I want everyone to observe. No one should make a move until they have conclusive information, have eyes on your parents, and have informed us. We’ll tell them of the warning Bobby gave you. That should keep them from acting recklessly.”
The authority with which he spoke forced me to look over at him. I loved his take-charge attitude, because, if I was being entirely honest, this was all new territory for me.
He must have seen something different in my eyes.
“Sorry. Those are just my thoughts. If you see this going a different way, perhaps something a little more tactical based on your experience with the police department, then just tell me. I just know that this is how Marcus would have—”
I shook my head to cut his rambling off. “Stop. Everything you’ve described is exactly how I would run my team in Arizona if this were an investigation. And never apologize. I’m still so new to this, and you’re every bit as in charge as I am.”
Nick and I finished up the dishes and reconvened with the others after getting dressed. Within the hour, we were heading into the city, taking three separate vehicles. Jackson and Roxy took his car, promising to fill us in or call if they found anything substantial.
Colby and Zach came with Nick and me in the truck, while Corbin accompanied Vince and Layla in their gold sedan.
“How are you doing, Colby?” I asked, turning in my seat to look at her. She’d looked better, the dark circles under her eyes proving she’d been sleeping even less than she was when I’d first brought her little sister home.
Her eyes slowly met mine, appearing almost dull as a weak smile formed on her lips. “I’m worried. And angry.”
While I certainly understood her feelings and felt she was completely justified to feel that way given everything she’d been through in her short life, I grew concerned for how she might react when face to face with the monster responsible.
“Colby, sweetie?” She continued to regard me as I mentally stumbled over the words I wanted to say. “I need to know that you’re going to be able to control yourself. If you find their location before Nick and me, I need to know you’re not going to rush in there to attain vengeance for your family.”
Her expression didn’t change, which only made me realize that was probably exactly what she had planned to do.
“I’m not joking,” I said, my voice strengthening with authority. “Bobby will kill you—he’ll kill my parents, and probably Cordelia, too. You might feel strong, and your adrenaline will keep you going for a little while, but in the end, you’ll lose because you’re not prepared. You’re mentally and physically exhausted. One slip and he’ll—”
Tears filled her eyes, but she managed to hold them back as she nodded. “Okay. I won’t do anything stupid.” I continued to stare at her, reading her, trying to find some kind of tell. I only sensed sincerity. “I promise.”
Even though I suspected he had her back and was willing to go along with whatever she’d planned, Zach spoke up. “I’ll make sure she follows orders.” His posture and intermittent eye contact with me proved his submission to me as his Alpha, and I nodded my approval.
“Thank you. I know the desire to seek vengeance is strong—believe me, I’ve been there—but I can’t lose any more of this pack.” I paused, playing the card I knew would guarantee Colby’s submission, too. “I promised your father.”
If I didn’t have her full cooperation before, I had it now.
We arrived at our destination, parking a few blocks away so we could go over the plan once more. Vince and Layla’s car pulled up a few minutes later. Seeing her get out of the car, hand on her larger belly, made me wonder if she was truly up to this. I knew she was strong, but I worried about the life of her child.
Then I realized I should also be worried about my own unborn child’s safety, and I suddenly was.
Nick’s presence by my side, his hand on my back, shifted my focus, and I cleared my throat. “I can’t stress enough how important it is that you all stay back. Bobby was clear what he would do to my parents if I didn’t come alone. You’re here to help us track them down quickly. I’ll go in and get them. Nick will be standing by, out of sight, ready to step in if I get into trouble.”
Nick’s hand left my back, and when I looked up at him, I noticed he wanted to argue this. He didn’t, and he wouldn’t. Not in front of the rest of the Pack, anyway. Alone? It wasn’t in his protective nature to let this go.
“Deviating from the plan not only jeopardizes your safety and the safety of this pack, but it could get my parents and Cordelia killed. I understand you all want vengeance for what happened, but now is not the time to seek it. We wait until we have the upper hand. Are we clear?”
Everyone nodded before heading off in separate directions; splitting up was our best chance at finding them before
sundown. We would communicate via text if anyone found anything.
Before she could get very far, I stopped Layla. “You’re sure you’re okay to do this?” I paused, knowing that, as an independent woman, I’d be offended if my worth to the team was demeaned because of my condition. “I just mean…be careful, okay?”
Layla didn’t appear offended, smiling instead as she gripped my hand and squeezed it. “You too.” There was a look in her eyes that hinted she might already know about the baby. Had Miranda told her? Was it something she could just sense? If she could sense it, did that mean everyone else knew already, too? “Stay safe. You’ve got a pack to lead.”
Nick and I stayed by the cars, watching as everyone else dispersed. Once they were out of sight, Nick turned to me, anger blazing in his eyes. “If you think I’m going to stand idly by while you—”
“You don’t have a choice,” I interrupted. “My parents’ lives are at risk if I don’t go in there alone.”
“If you go in there alone, there could be several others in there, waiting to take you down. One tranq dart would be all it takes.”
“I’ll be able to hold them off long enough for you and the Pack to get to me.”
“I don’t like this,” Nick said. “It feels wrong. I still believe he won’t hurt your parents if he knows it would jeopardize your cooperation.”
“You can’t be sure of that, though,” I countered. “You weren’t the one who was privy to his sadistic ways while he had his team of undead freaks experiment on me…cut into me…electrocute me. You don’t know what he’s capable of, and I’m not willing to risk my parents’ lives. Or Cordelia’s. You will wait outside for some sort of sign that I’m in trouble.” I stood up taller, the wolf coming forth and claiming her authority. “That’s an order.”
Nick’s eyebrows pulled together in anger, the amber rings in his eyes expanding as waves of heat radiated off him. “An order? You’re ordering me around now? What happened to ‘you’re just as much in charge as I am’?”
My confidence wavered slightly, but the wolf wouldn’t back down, and I was grateful for it. “When it comes to the Pack taking orders, you are. But ultimately, I have the final say.”
The muscles in Nick’s jaw tensed, and his anger spiked as he leaned down, stopping mere inches from my face and talking through gritted teeth. “You’re being reckless, and you’re putting you and that baby at risk.”
“And you don’t trust me!” I shouted, my fear and anger finally exploding from me. “I know you worry—I get it—but you have to remember that this was basically my job back home…and I was good at it. I wish you could just have my back.”
“The last time I let you run off, you were taken and held hostage for weeks, so you’ll forgive me if I’m having a little trouble letting you out of my sight.”
His confession cut through me like a serrated blade, not only slicing, but ripping me apart inside, too. It wasn’t just anger that fuelled his words, but fear of repeating the past. A knot formed in my belly as I curled a hand around the back of his neck and pulled myself closer to him. I pressed my body to his, closing my eyes as his arms wrapped around my waist.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “Of course you’re right.” Pulling back slightly, I coaxed his eyes to mine. “But you can’t expect me to risk their lives. I know you won’t be far, and you’ll be ready if everything goes south. It’s daylight, and you said it yourself, they’re going to be confined to the shadows. They won’t get the upper hand.”
Even though I could still feel his hesitation, he finally agreed to let me go after my parents alone once we’d located them. He promised to stand by, but said at the very first sign of trouble, he wouldn’t hesitate to come after me. While I wanted to argue this further, I knew it would be futile. I might be Alpha now, but he would continue to defy me if my life was in danger.
Before heading to the stampede grounds, I stood up on my toes and kissed him firmly. “Be careful,” I told him.
As we walked the barren grounds, Nick explained that it was off-season, making this the perfect place for vampires to hole up. There were quite a few buildings, a racetrack, and acres beyond acres of empty space. Nick told me about the yearly fair and rodeo event that this place hosted.
This place was so huge, that we never saw or heard any of the other pack members while we made our rounds. Nick and I honed our hearing, hoping to pick up cries of help—of course, it was unlikely we’d hear anything since Bobby probably had them sedated. Realizing this, I started to rely on my sense of smell instead.
Even beneath the snow, I could pick up traces of the vampires. We later found footprints that would indicate they’d been moving about recently. There was another scent that mingled with the foul stench of death, and while it was slightly familiar, it was also foreign. My memory tracked it to something I smelled back at the compound. Something I’d come into contact with, yet held no distinct memory of. The sedation must have kept me from registering it properly, and that only added to my frustrations.
The hair on the back of my neck stood on end, awareness shooting through me like tendrils of electricity licking my skin. My body tensed, temperature rising and hands balling into fists at my sides as I searched my surroundings. There was no one on the grounds other than my packmates searching in the distance.
I stopped turning when my eyes fell on the large red, white, and brown building. I grew more alert, spine tingling as I headed for the stairs. Nick made a move to follow me as I headed toward the doors. I stopped before opening the doors, laying a hand on his chest and looking at him regretfully.
“I need you to stay here,” I told him. “Let the Pack know where we are, but only come inside if I’ve indicated that I’m in trouble.”
Naturally, he was still hesitant, but he didn’t try to fight me on this, instead reaching out and pulling me to him. He pressed his lips to mine desperately, mumbling over and over again for me to be careful, then he released me, and I made my way inside. I raced down the well-lit halls, knowing I was safe from any vampire as long as the sun was shining through the windows, until I came to a set of stairs that led to a set of double doors next to a sign that read “Hall B.” Something told me to go inside.
The door made a loud sound that echoed through the empty hall as I walked carefully, crouched into a defensive stance, one leg crossing over the other. I paid attention to the shadows, letting my eyes adjust to the darkness, using my sense of smell to guide me and listening for anything that might try to jump out at me. I was met with only silence.
I expected the air in here to smell musty from the months of not being used, but one look around told me this place was frequented regularly, likely used for events like weddings and banquets. Would I be found in here by the cleaning crew or someone looking to rent the place? Knowing that this was a real possibility, I knew I had to work fast.
A soft whimper caught my attention, and my eyes shot to the darkest corner of the room. It took a second, but my vision cleared enough to see an oversized mass there. It moved. There was a cough. A wheeze. A familiar sob.
“Mom!” I cried as I raced toward it, falling to my knees and seeing my dad there with her. Their arms were bound behind their backs, faces dirty as though they’d been kept somewhere else and were only brought here for this moment. They smelled of the earth as well as musty water.
They’d been kept in another underground dungeon, most likely.
I focused my attention on my hands, forcing my claws through the ends so I could break their plastic bindings. Once their arms were free, I pulled my mother into my arms. She was weak, but coherent as she hugged me back. Soon another set of arms enclosed around us, and my father’s familiar scent filled my head.
“Thank God you’re both okay,” I managed to say, my voice cracking with emotion. “Come on.” I pulled free and started to help them both to their feet. “We need to get out of he—”
Light flooded the room, and I whipped around, keeping my arms outstretched
to shield my parents from whatever danger awaited us. The smell of death hit me before I laid eyes on my long-dead brother. The dual gasps of shock behind me told me this was the first time they’d seen their son since the night he died seven years ago.
“I told you you’d be back.”
“B-Bobby?” my mother stammered. I could smell her salty tears, and her confusion seeped into me, clouding my mind.
Feeling out of sorts, I’d barely registered her trying to push my arm out of the way. Thankfully, I was able to shake it off in time to stop her, pushing her back toward my father. He was just as confused as my mother, but his reaction was cautious, almost as though he knew this situation was dangerous. He could tell this wasn’t his son just by looking at him.
“I’m here,” I informed Bobby. “You can let them go now. It’s me you wanted.”
Bobby pressed his hands together, bringing them in front of his face and resting his fingertips against his lips. “Not just you, dear sister. There’s also the little one.”
I clenched my jaw, trying to stay in control as the wolf darted forward, snarling and snapping. She wanted out. She wanted to rip his head off. The only thing stopping me was knowing my parents were in the room with us.
Bobby continued toward us, his smile growing as his eyes flitted from me to our parents. “Besides, I never said I’d trade them for you.” His gaze landed on mine, holding it as he stopped inches from me. “I said I wanted us to be a family again.”
“Y-you’re alive,” my mother murmured behind me, drawing Bobby’s eyes to hers.
Bobby smiled, putting on a face she would recognize; he hid the demon, instead letting my brother’s face gain her trust. “Mom, I’ve missed you all so much.” He stepped to the right to get around me, but I followed him, refusing to let him anywhere near my parents.
Anger flashed in his eyes, black overtaking the green for the briefest of seconds. The whites of his eyes reddened, and I could hear the beginning of a growl forming in his chest.