"Not while they're together,” he said in her ear. “Easier when they're alone."
He was right. But she hated to watch as Miles reached through the bars to stroke the woman's bare calves and thighs. When she squealed and pressed backward, Mason's hand slid over her skin, up toward the junction of her legs. She reeled forward, back into Miles’ touch, a bird trapped between two hungry cats.
Mason grabbed the dancer's ankle. She slipped and fell as the vampire pulled her leg through the bars, and she tried to lean back for leverage to free herself, but Miles grabbed her arm. While Mason ran his tongue up the inside of her leg, Miles flicked his tongue over her wrist. One found a vein at the inside of her thigh, and his lips closed around it.
She shuddered. His brother bit into her wrist. Her body stiffened, and then she relaxed despite her obvious fear. After a moment, her eyes rolled back into her head, and she went slack in the cage.
A bouncer detached himself from the wall, key ring in hand. As the pair moved away, he hauled the unconscious dancer out of the cage to take her into the back. Another woman took her place, hesitant after what she had seen, but the bouncer returned and locked her in.
Kayla's jaw clenched.
Together, the twins wound through the crowd. Front and back, they pressed to a drunken blonde, who opened her mouth in a gasp as she felt two men surround her. Each lifted one of her wrists to his mouth, taking a taste of her blood before they moved on to the next free meal.
"It's like some kind of fucking people buffet,” Noah murmured from behind her.
At last, the pair split. A woman with deep green hair caught Mason's fancy, while Miles spotted a redhead at the edge of the floor. Kayla put her hands over Noah's and laced her fingers into his, and they stepped into the throng.
Over the uneven waves of dancers, she could just see the top of Miles’ head. If they did it right, they could move in, stake him, and move the body out with none the wiser. Mason was sure to know when his brother died; twin vampires had a bond forged at birth and strengthened by undeath. One did nothing without the other.
Mason would follow, and they could dispatch him, too. Then they could get out of this dive before the flashing lights and noxious smells made her sick.
Closer, closer, they pushed their way through the writhe of bodies. He had started to lead the unsteady redhead away to the darker reaches of the club. Even better.
The skin on the back of her neck crawled. Startled, she snapped her head toward the door and saw that Miles and Noah had done the same. Regina stepped into the club, obvious in her neat clothes. But behind her walked a face that Kayla knew well.
He had tied a cloth over his missing eye. The cut extended out from under the material, still an angry red. His skin was an unhealthy pale despite the poor light, and from where she stood, she could see a fine sheen of sweat on his face. He held his midsection as he glared around the dance floor.
Another shadow wolf pushed out from behind him, this one familiar, too. She had led the vampires to burn the apartment. Then a third shadow wolf, a brunette who had all but licked Kiplinger's designer shoes, came to stand next to Regina. And another. The black-haired beauty.
All four shadow wolves who remained loyal to the vampires blocked the way out.
Just as Kayla could feel them, they could feel her. She ducked into the crowd as four pairs of hidden indigo eyes scanned over where she stood. Noah had turned his back to them as soon as he'd spotted them, and now, he shifted himself to stand behind her, blocking their view.
"This is not good,” he said into her ear. “Go over there. Next to the bank of lights."
The brilliant spotlights and hyperactive strobes hurt her eyes even through her sunglasses. But the other wolves would have the same problem. Over here, they had as much chance to remain unseen as they did anywhere. “He must have gone straight to Regina,” she said loudly.
"That makes this a little harder.” He flashed a grimace. “We have a Plan B?"
"I kind of hoped you did."
"I left it in the truck."
"That was stupid."
Quickly, he darted his gaze around. “Two choices. We head out the back and run like hell, or we punt. I vote punting."
An idea had formed behind his eyes. “What are you thinking?"
"Trust me. And get ready for all hell to break loose."
* * * *
When Kayla had told him about Regina's betrayal, Noah had believed her. Over the past year, he'd seen enough evidence to prove it. But the sight of her in the doorway, surrounded by dark werewolves who would kill him and his mate if they got the chance, chilled him to the soul.
And they would kill him. He had no illusions otherwise. Regina certainly wouldn't stop them; she'd brought them for just that purpose, he expected. It wouldn't matter what she told Peter. She'd expect forgiveness and not bother to ask permission. Knowing Peter, he'd give it without thought. It had become his modus operandi.
Noah took in his surroundings as they dodged dancers to stand beside the lights. It made him wince to think of how the brightness had to hurt her eyes, but they had to hide while they decided what to do.
He'd underestimated how long it would take that one-eyed bastard to get back on his feet. It would have taken another werewolf days to crawl out of whatever hole he'd dug into. Now his miscalculation could cost them both their lives. How to fix this? Or better, how to turn it to their advantage?
"He must have gone straight to Regina,” Kayla said over the thud of the bass line.
"That makes this a little harder.” He grinned, although it felt more like a grimace, in the hope it would bolster her confidence. I won't let you down, baby. “We have a Plan B?"
"I kind of hoped you did."
Not yet, but I'm working on it. “I left it in the truck."
"That was stupid."
Another glance around him confirmed his thought. They had no good way out. Regina was a bitch, but she wasn't a stupid bitch. There would be guards at the back door, Kiplinger's vampires maybe. They could try it, but he thought he saw a better way. “Two choices. We head out the back and run like hell, or we punt. I vote punting."
"What are you thinking?"
"Trust me. And get ready for all hell to break loose.” He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and hit a number on the speed dial.
Cameron Roswell, second in command and enforcer of the pack, answered the phone in a sleepy voice. “Noah?"
"Sorry to wake you up, Cam, but there's a problem you're going to want to hear about."
Kayla gave him a confused look.
"Hm? Noah, where are you?"
Two of the shadow wolves moved out into the horde of people. He didn't have much time. “Night Moves. It's a vampire hangout."
"I know what it is.” Pause. “Oh, shit. Not again."
"Two of them."
"You know what Peter said. Are you drunk? High?"
He'd lost track of Miles, but he could see Mason at the edge of the room. The vampire had lured the green haired girl with him. “No, just fed up. I know what position this puts you in. But I'm not going to stop this time."
The shadow wolves had started to circle in on their position. He had very little time left.
"Why are you doing this? You know what I have to do."
"Time to take a stand. Bring all your boys, Cameron. Tonight's the beginning of the end."
He clicked the phone closed.
"Want to fill me in?” Kayla sounded baffled, worried.
"That's our ride out, if he moves his ass. Which twin is that?"
"Mason. The pack heavies are our ride out? How does that work?"
Careful not to stab himself, he took one of the stakes from under his vest. “It'll take too long to explain. Take this."
Without further questions, she took the sharpened length of wood. Together, they worked their way to where Mason Bristol leaned on the wall, the woman against him. He had his lips against her neck but hadn't yet punctured the vei
n.
Noah grabbed her by the shoulder and threw her to the side. “Wot the—” was all the vampire got out before Kayla drove the stake up into his chest and through his heart.
There was a scream from across the floor, high pitched with pain and fury. As Mason slumped to the floor, his brother all but flew toward them, shoving the crowd out of his way with preternatural strength. His eyes glowed a terrible red, and his fangs extended over his bottom lip. The death of his brother had sent him into a killing rage.
Regina and her shadow wolves turned their heads to follow the berserk vampire's charge. Her eyes met Noah's then widened with recognition. Time had run out.
From the nearest table, Noah grabbed a glass of clear alcohol.
Miles cleared the last of the crowd just in time for the drink to explode across his chest and soak his clothes.
Noah didn't pull the stake. He pulled his lighter.
Another scream cut through the music as flames burst over the vampire's clothes, his skin, and burned with an almost white heat. Panicked, he ran through the crowd, whose shrieks rose over the agonized shrill of the burning undead. Chaos erupted as the herd began to stampede. At first, they ran in all directions. Then the flow turned toward the door, toward Regina and her wolves.
"Let's go!” Noah shouted and grabbed Kayla's hand.
Miles threw himself at the bar. Fire danced up from where he touched, fed by the bottles of alcohol. A pathetic dribble came out of the sprinkler system, not nearly enough to douse the inferno.
The shadow wolves drew closer. Noah wedged himself and Kayla deeper into the press. He caught Regina's eyes as the crowd shoved him by. She would follow, he knew, but by then, he hoped it wouldn't matter.
Hysterical shouting came from all directions. Patrons of the club shoved him from all sides in desperate attempts to funnel through the narrow doors. His grip on Kayla's hand broke, and he tried to turn, but the forward momentum of the frightened club-goers stopped him.
Then the night air, fresh and cool compared to the suffocation of the inside. He shouldered out to the side of the exodus. Kayla saw him and shoved through the human stream to get to him. Regina wasn't far behind her, almost within arm's reach. And so were the four shadow wolves.
They stared at each other, tension thick as Regina's wolves fanned out to either side of them. Outnumbered, outmatched, Noah hoped he could stall long enough for the cavalry to arrive. Not that the cavalry isn't a gamble. Fuck, I hope I've pegged Cameron right.
"Fancy meeting you here, Regina. Friends of yours?” Noah asked.
"Cut the shit, Noah,” she snarled. “That was a stupid, stupid move."
"Was it? I thought it was a great show.” He kept his tone light, amiable. It would piss her off.
Her eyes narrowed. “I've been waiting for you to screw up. It was inevitable. You've been trying to self-destruct since your bitch came to play."
It took discipline not to growl. “Peter know what you're into? I think he'd be very interested."
"Fuck Peter.” She didn't see the blue SUV pull up, but he did. Three more cars pulled in behind it. “He'll say that he hated to lose a good pack mate, but that you just couldn't abide by the rules. Danger to us all, he'll say, and no one will say a fucking word."
Eight werewolves disgorged from the cars. Only when the doors slammed did she notice, but by then, her dark wolves couldn't disappear.
"I wonder what Cameron will think,” Noah said with a smile.
"What the hell are you doing here?” she demanded as the square-jawed wall of wolf strode up to the group.
"I might ask you the same question,” Cameron answered, face hostile and voice hard.
Good. This was exactly what Noah had hoped for. “Cameron, you remember Kayla?"
Kayla gave a small smile. “Hi, Cam. It's good to see you again."
"Kayla? Holy shit, you're alive.” A happy look crossed his face, but clouded quickly. “You're in on this, too, I suppose."
"I staked one of the two,” she offered. “Noah lit the other one on fire."
He ran a hand through his black hair. “You're both going to have to come with me, then."
Regina fumed. “They aren't going anywhere. We have to take care of this tonight. Do you hear me?"
"I'm going to have to ask you to keep out of it,” Cameron told her in a tone that brooked no dissent. “This is my job to do. You can have your say tomorrow night, when Peter passes judgement."
"I am Peter's mate. You do what I tell you,” she hissed. The shadow wolves shifted. Cameron's heavies moved in tight behind their leader, a warning clear in the way they stood. Their loyalty was not in question. What the enforcer said was their law.
Her words hung between them. Cameron looked from Regina to Kayla, then to Noah. Their eyes met for an instant.
Then Cameron looked back to Regina. “I do what's best for the pack, and you'd do well to remember your place."
A snarl ripped from her, and her eyes flashed gold. “How dare you talk to me like that? I'll have Peter flay you alive."
"You do that.” He turned back to Noah. “Will you and your mate come with us quietly? I don't want a scene."
"We'll do whatever you say.” Obediently, he held out his arms, wrists crossed. “Cuffs?"
No one took their gazes from Regina and her wolves. “I don't think we need them just now. Let's move out."
Six of the silent men stood, watchful, as Noah and Kayla walked toward Cameron's vehicle. The other two stayed with the prisoners as they settled into the seats.
"You've just made a mistake,” Noah heard Regina growl.
"One of us has, that's for sure,” Cameron answered.
Then the door slammed closed. “I hope we didn't,” Kayla murmured.
Noah sighed. “Me, too."
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Eleven
"Cameron, can I have a word with you?"
Kayla still slept in the spare bedroom, dead to the world as usual. Cameron had given them a blanket to put over the window so she could rest easy in the dark. But Noah had opened his eyes long before she would, which he thought was just as well. He had some business to attend.
One of the enforcer's wolves had escorted him down the hall to the living room where Cameron sat, television tuned to the local news. Noah was a friend, but he was also in pack custody, and the guards took their jobs seriously.
"Sure, Noah. Take a seat."
The news droned on about the fire. “Firefighters say the blaze took hours to get under control because of serious safety violations, including a non-functional sprinkler system, inadequate access to the club, and building code violations. No official word is being given on the cause of the fire, but witnesses tell us that one of the patrons burst into flames, and that he was responsible for the blaze that gutted the Night Moves club late last—"
Cameron clicked the Mute button on the remote, and the reporter's voice fell silent. “Well, that was a hell of a mess you made."
"Sorry about that.” And he was. He'd hoped not to involve anyone.
"Doesn't bother me much. That place was a shit hole.” The big man shrugged his shoulders. “No one got hurt except the biters you offed. You probably did the city a favor."
He chuckled. “Maybe so. Still, it really put a kink in your night."
With a sigh, the enforcer leaned back and regarded Noah, thoughts evident behind his eyes. “That's what I'm curious about. You called me before you did it. You wanted me to come, didn't you?"
"I was counting on it."
"That's what I thought. It isn't any of my business to ask this, so you don't have to answer. It had something to do with Regina and those people she was with, didn't it?"
Noah nodded.
Cameron was a brute of a wolf, tall, wide, and strong. He looked as smart as the average brick, but it was an act, a play for people to underestimate him. “Whatever happened to Kayla happened to them, and Regina was ass deep in it."
Again, No
ah nodded.
"You know, before that night, I suspected she was up to something. I told Peter, but he blew me off.” He scrubbed at his face, looking frustrated. “I shouldn't tell you this, you know, but ... I've got this feeling that something's about to change. Am I right?"
"Do you really want the answer to that?” The question was a calculated move designed to make Cameron show his hand.
"Nope, but I think I need to.” Glasses on the coffee table clinked as he put his feet up. No one had ever called him a neat housekeeper. “My job's not to listen to the alpha but to protect the pack. Know why that is?"
That pack loyalty was what Noah had banked on. “Because if the alpha threatens the good of the pack, it's your job to stand up for the rest of them. You're the balance part of a check and balance."
"Uh-huh. And if I've got the right of it...” He let the thought trail off. “I've been on Peter for months about what's going on with the pack. Regina's doing a damn good job of picking it apart. No one wants to come to gatherings, no one wants to get together, and most of all, no one wants to see the alpha. And it's because his mate's running the show."
"Mm-hmm."
"Last night, I see her with a bunch of werewolves that I don't know, and they're not right. Sorry, I know Kayla's the same way, but it's true. It didn't take me long to figure out that you'd called me as protection from Regina. Wish you'd just told me that, but I see why you didn't. Maybe your way was better.” He shrugged again.
Noah leaned forward. “I know your position, Cam. I didn't want to involve you if you didn't want to be involved."
The big man flashed a grin. “And you didn't know which side of the fence I was on. It's okay, man. But between you, me, and Dale back there, I think Peter's got to go, or the pack's going to hell in a handbasket."
"Hell's already here. Do you want to know this, or do you want to keep out of it until it's all headed for the fan?” Another loaded question. Noah had to know that the security forces would get involved.
"Tell me."
So he talked. He told Cameron everything he knew, all that Kayla had told him, what had happened with Moira and Vincenzo Pirelli, and what had really happened in the club. The raven-haired man listened, mouth pressed into a tight line, more unhappy by the word.
Taint of Shadow [Heart of Darkness #1] Page 10