by Jodi Vaughn
He glanced around the room. All his Guardians avoided making eye contact. Except his Louisiana Assassins.
He narrowed his gaze and cocked his head. “Lorcan.”
The Were who was once adamant about keeping his dark hair dyed platinum blonde had since returned to his natural dark color. With his dark hair and blue eyes, Lorcan was startling to look at.
Boudier wasn’t gay. He looked at sex as an appetite to be appeased. Like torture and killing. He craved things other Pack Masters would blush at. It wasn’t enough to rape a woman. He wanted to hear her scream at the amount of pain he could inflict on her without having her pass out from the pain.
Some thought he was a monster. Others thought a devil.
He knew better.
He was power. Power was all consuming and way better than money, sex or blood.
Power was everything. Being in control made sure things continued to work the way he wanted them to.
“Lorcan, tell me something. Did you ever find out how the Guardian Lucien escaped?”
Lorcan’s gaze never wavered from his. His stare was intimidating to most. It would have been intimidating to him if he didn’t own the Were, body and soul.
“No.”
A smirk played at the corners of Boudier’s lips, and he motioned for the Assassin to walk toward him.
“I could have your head on a spike in only a matter of seconds,” Boudier said.
“Yes,” Lorcan said. “But then you would be down an Assassin and would have to replace me.”
He glared. “Everyone is replaceable.”
“I’ll remember that.” Lorcan’s words held a deeper meaning, yet his face stayed expressionless.
“Have you seen your brother lately?” He ran his hand down Lorcan’s black leather vest. The Were always wore black leather—all the Assassins did, but he was always attracted to Lorcan’s look over the other two, Brutus and Killian.
“No,” Lorcan answered. “Lucien is dead to me.”
“You know, Lorcan, I rather favor you over the other Assassins.” Boudier grinned and looked over Lorcan’s shoulder to Brutus and Killian.
The other two Assassins stared straight ahead, emotionless.
“I’d rather you didn’t,” Lorcan said simply.
He cut his eyes at Lorcan. “Yeah? And why is that?”
“Because Brutus is bigger than me and he’ll kick my ass when we get out of here for being your favorite.”
“Jesus, Lorcan. Show some respect.” Brutus cursed under his breath.
“That’s why I favor you, Lorcan. That smart-ass mouth you got on you.” He stepped closer.
“If you like smart-asses, then Killian is your Were,” Lorcan snarked.
“Fuck.” Killian breathed out and studied the floor.
The room grew deathly silent.
Boudier fought a grin and then barked out a laugh. “Damn it, boy.” He slapped him hard across the shoulder and let out a belly laugh. “You’re the only Were I know that can make me laugh on the day I lose my wife and son-in-law.”
Lorcan said nothing.
Boudier leaned in closer. “It’s not the fact that my wife is dead. I hated that bitch as much as I hated her bitch of a mother. I’m just very disappointed that it wasn’t me that got to kill her.” He leaned back and addressed the rest of the Guardians and Assassins. “My son-in-law was a bit of an asshole.” He shrugged his shoulders. “But he did manage to keep that daughter of mine in line. And he had money. So it was a win-win for me.”
“But they both belonged to me.” He addressed his Guardians, meeting the steely-eyed gaze of each of them. He needed them to know this was not a joke. He was not fucking around with these assholes.
“And I don’t like it when my things are taken from me.” He looked at each Guardian, letting his gaze rest on them long enough to let them know he would take them out without hesitation if they even thought about crossing him.
“The penalty for murder is death. There is to be no Tribunal. This is a clear-cut case of murder. My daughter murdered her own mother. I demand justice. Caroline’s blood demands justice.”
“What about the Arkansas Guardian she was with?” Brutus spoke up.
He rounded on the Assassin’s and met his gaze. “I have plans for that one. I want him brought to me. I will personally peel the flesh from his skin and send it to his Pack Master as a gift.”
“You’re not ordering a kill on him?” Brutus cocked his head.
“No. I want him alive, and I want you three to bring him back to me in one piece.”
He grinned as a gruesome image took root and blossomed in his head. “I want to be the one to rip him apart. One little piece at a time.”
Chapter Eighteen
Jaxon kept his speed slow through the overgrown path that led farther and farther into the forest. There were a couple of spots where the road was so narrow he was afraid his Harley wasn’t going to fit. But luck was on their side, and he managed to get through and keep going.
The trees were thick and mosquitoes were a constant drone near his ear. He was probably going to be eaten up with bites by the time night fell, but he knew he had to keep going. Right now the highway had too many of Boudier’s men watching and waiting for them to slip up.
He couldn’t slip up. He had to keep Ginny safe. He’d failed her years ago. He wasn’t going to fail her now.
He wasn’t sure why he’d taken the old road. He’d glanced down at the GPS on his bike. He had seen that there was possibly a way to cross over the Arkansas state line without using the main roads. He also knew that Boudier was thorough and that he would have men watching the smaller roads as well.
He’d taken the dirt road on a hunch.
Growing up in the rural country of Arkansas, he’d loved being out in nature. He knew the country roads like the back of his hand.
Ginny tightened her hold around his waist. She wasn’t used to riding a Harley, let alone a riding a Harley in the forest.
He grimaced as branches scraped the sides of his bike. He knew the paint job was going to be ruined by the time they got out of there. It didn’t matter. It was a small price to pay to protect her.
The sweet scent of pine and the mustiness of moss filled his nostrils. Leaves swayed as the breeze tickled their delicate green skins, and the rumble of his Harley drowned out any sounds of birds that might be singing in the trees.
The mouth of the road widened, revealing a dilapidated building hidden among the thick grove of trees.
He stopped and killed the engine.
“What are we doing?” Ginny climbed off after him, her eyes wide and uncertain.
“I need to check in with Barrett. Give him an update.”
“You mean you want to warn him about me and what I’ve done.” Her tongue flickered out and licked the corners of her mouth. She swallowed and looked like she was ready to bolt.
He placed his hand gently on her slender shoulders. “Ginny. Tell me something.”
“What?” She looked up at him with wide eyes.
“Have I ever promised you something that I couldn’t deliver?” He wanted her—he needed her—to trust him beyond anything. He knew she was traumatized, but he needed her to have a little faith.
“No. You always did what you said you would do.”
“Then hear and trust me when I tell you that I will get you back to Arkansas. Back to where you belong. Trust me.”
She blinked and looked at him for a long time. She lowered her head. “It’s not you I don’t trust, Jaxon. It’s me.”
He frowned just as his cell phone buzzed. He pulled it out of his jacket. It was Barrett.
He clicked the answer button and held it to his ear.
“Barrett, I was just about to call you…”
“Jaxon, listen to me.” Barrett tone was clipped, urgent, and unapologetic.
“Okay.”
“I need you to get out of Louisiana. I know I told you to get that witch, but the situation has now change
d. Get out of Louisiana and make sure you are alone,” Barrett demanded.
His blood ran cold. “Is this about Boudier?” How had Barrett found out so fast?
“Yes. And the longer you or any other Arkansas Guardian stays in that state, the higher the risk you are to be found and killed.”
“Look, Barrett, the whole thing was an accident. Caroline Boudier wasn’t supposed to be killed.” He scrubbed his hand across his face. He had to make Barrett understand. He had no other option.
“What did you say? Who was killed?” Barrett’s voice went deep. He’d never heard his Pack Master speak like that. Like some bad shit was about to go down.
“Caroline Boudier.”
“Boudier’s wife was killed today?” Barrett asked.
“Yes, and his son-in-law John.” Jaxon frowned.
“Fuucckk.” Barrett drew out the curse like a knife slicing into a victim’s throat.
“Wait, isn’t that why you are telling me to get out of Louisiana?” His stomach knotted.
“No its not. But this just made this whole situation go to DEFCON 1.”
Dread filled the pit of his stomach. “Well, I guess what I’m going to tell you next will take it on up to DEFCON 100. I’ve got someone with me.” Jaxon said.
“Please tell me that you have that fucking witch with you, Jaxon. That means I might be able to salvage things with Mississippi.”
“No, not her. But she is in Louisiana and did try to run me off the road.” He fisted his hands. “Wait. What do you mean, salvage things? I thought we had an agreement with Mississippi that as long as we bring back Ella we would be square with them.”
“That was before.”
“Before what?”
“Before the Pack Master meeting when Boudier showed up and shit went sideways. Now I’m not so sure we are good with Mississippi. I’m starting to believe that there are a lot of Pack Masters too afraid to stand up to Boudier.”
Shit. That wasn’t good.
“But what about Alabama? Tennessee? Surely they aren’t buying Boudier’s bullshit.”
“I trust no one,” Barrett growled.
Jaxon glanced over his shoulder at Ginny, who was staring up at the abandoned building. He took a few steps away out of her earshot.
“It’s Ginny. Ginny McGregor. But you would know her by her maiden name. Boudier.” His stomach dropped as he forced the words out of his mouth. This was the worst possible moment to be telling Barrett.
“Drop her off and get the hell out of that state.” Barrett ordered.
“I can’t. If her father finds her, Boudier would have executed her on the spot.”
“Shit, Jaxon.” Barrett’s growl grew deeper. “Don’t tell me that she is the one who killed Caroline and John.”
Jaxon took a deep breath and let the next words tumble out of his mouth. “Then I’ll tell you I did.”
Dead silence sat on the other end of the phone.
Jaxon blinked. “Barrett, are you still there?”
“Jaxon, you need to get the fuck out of Louisiana now. Don’t stop. Don’t wait. Just get on your Harley and get the fuck out of that state.”
“The highway is blocked. The cops have stopped traffic and are checking licenses.”
“Then find another road. Any road. Fuck, crawl your way to the state line in a ditch. I don’t care how you do it, but get it done.”
“I’m on a back road now. Trying to see if there is a way through the woods to cross.”
“Good. Do it,” Barrett said. “And Jaxon?”
“Yeah?”
“If I were you, I wouldn’t be so worried about those cops. I wouldn’t even be worried about all those Louisiana Guardians. If I were you, I’d be worried about the Assassins that are going to be hunting down your ass any second.”
Barrett ended the call.
Fuck. He’d totally forgotten about the Assassins.
The Assassins were three of the deadliest Weres alive. They were sent out to execute Weres who murdered their parents or spouse. It was decreed in the werewolf law that an Assassin, once sent out on a mission, had to complete the mission before coming home.
Braxton had had the Assassins after him a while back when his father had come up dead. He’d tried to make it to Missouri where werewolves were protected from being extradited. But the Assassins had put a silver bullet in his hide, causing him to lose control of his Harley and fall off the mountain. In the end, evidence showed that a human had killed Braxton’s father, and Braxton was cleared of all charges. Barrett had taken exception to the fact that the Assassins had crossed into his state without making him aware of their presence. That’s where all the bad blood with Louisiana had begun.
Jaxon studied the ground and then decided to call his best friend. He glanced back at Ginny, who was now leaning against his Harley and waiting patiently.
“Hello?”
“Lucien, I need your help.” Jaxon lowered his voice.
“What’s wrong, Jaxon? You having trouble with that damn witch? I swear to God, if I get my hands on her, I will strangle her myself,” Lucien thundered.
“No, man. It’s something else.” He cut his eyes at Ginny. She grinned as a brown rabbit hopped in front of her to chew on a bright bunch of green grass. “I need to know if you are still in contact with Lorcan.”
There was a short span of silence. “Jaxon, where are you? Tell me you’re not in Louisiana.”
“I can’t do that, bro. You know I’m not a very good liar.” He chuckled and then stuck his hand in his pocket.
“Man, you need to get out of there now. Tell me where you are and I’ll come get you.”
“I can’t tell you that. Listen to me. I know that Lorcan helped us get out of Louisiana when Boudier captured you. Do you think he could help me out now?”
“I haven’t heard from Lorcan since that night. I’ve tried calling, but all I get is radio silence. Mom says he hasn’t come home either. That’s not like him. He might not return my calls, but he always checks in on Mom.”
“Well, I have a feeling I’m about to get a visit from him very soon. I need to know where his loyalties lie.”
“Jaxon, what the hell did you do?” Concern coated Lucien’s tone, making Jaxon’s stomach twist.
“Let’s just say for semantics there are two dead bodies.”
“Well, I know you wouldn’t kill your parents because they are in Vermont.” Lucien’s voice grew deep. “Tell me what’s going on. Did you kill someone? And if so, who?”
“Let’s say the Assassins are coming for me because of who I have with me. And yes, I killed someone.”
“Do I want to know who you have with you?”
“No, but I’ll tell you anyway because I’m just that kind of guy.” He laughed. “Ginny. I have Ginny.”
“Ginny Wilson? Your Ginny?” Incredulity filtered through Lucien’s tone.
“Yeah.”
“So why do they want her?” Lucien asked slowly.
“Well, they want her because they think she murdered her mother and her husband.”
“Husband?”
“They were not mated. It was an arranged marriage,” he assured the Were.
“Did she?”
“No.” In his mind, she hadn’t murdered them. One was an accident, the other self-defense.
“So then they’ll just call a Tribunal. See all the facts before a judgment is found. You know the Were law is very fair.”
“That’s not all.” Jaxon rubbed the back of his neck and studied a clump of dark red weeds near his foot.
“What else, Jaxon? Spill it.” Lucien’s tone shifted.
“They’re after us because of who she is. Of who her father is.”
“I thought you said Ginny was an orphan. Raised by her grandmother.”
He’d confided in Lucien after a long night of drinking. He’d gotten a good fucking buzz, which almost never happened, and had spilled his heart out to his friend. He’d told Lucien about how Ginny was the love of hi
s life and how she had left him just before they were to be married and mated. He’d said she’d left him a note about how she never wanted to see him again. And that marrying him would be a huge mistake. She said she was going out West to start over on her own. He’d tried to find her grandmother to get some answers, but her house was empty with a For Sale sign haphazardly stuck in the yard.
“That’s what she thought. Apparently her parents were very much alive. Her grandmother was trying to keep her safe by telling her they were dead. Anyway the father found out Ginny and came and kidnapped her.”
“Kidnapped her? What kind of father does that?” Lucien growled.
“The worse kind of male.”
“Her father must have some kind of pull to keep her hidden from you all these years.”
“Her father is our worst nightmare.” Jaxon glanced over his shoulder at Ginny.
“Jaxon, stop with the riddles and just tell me.” Lucien sighed.
He took a deep breath and let it out. “Her father is Edward Boudier.”
“The Pack Master of Louisiana?” Lucien asked. “Holy fuck.”
“Holy fuck is right. And right now I’m trying to get our asses across the state line and back into Arkansas. But Boudier has his men on every main highway and major road doing stop points under the guise of checking driver’s licenses.”
“Does Barrett know?” Lucien’s tone was urgent.
“Yes. He told me to get the fuck out of Louisiana. Which is what I’m trying to do.” He shook his head. “Is there any way you can get in contact with Lorcan, maybe feel him out about where his loyalties lie? I mean, shit, man, after he helped get us all out of New Orleans that night, surely he’s not still loyal to Boudier.”
“I don’t know, Jaxon.” Lucien’s voice was heavy. “I’ve tried getting in contact with him, but he never calls back.”
“You don’t think that fucker Boudier did something to him, do you?”
“I don’t think he’s dead. I mean, we are brothers, and if he had Lorcan killed, I surely would have felt that. Family blood in Weres is strong. Even when we were on bad terms and not talking, I could sense his feelings.”