Melisande went into the front room and retrieved the pink frilly dress sent from Harrods. Grigori walked over and pulled a highchair out of the closet, where he had stored it earlier in the day. He set it up at the table and kneeled down next to the pup.
“Carly, it’s time to change back to your human form. Wolves do not eat at the table. If you want to join us, you must change,” he said softly, but sternly, as he reached over and petted the pup’s ears.
Melisande had fed her earlier in the day from a plate on the floor. The pup lowered her head and put her tail between her legs.
“I’ll help you. There is no reason to be afraid. Just tell me when you are ready. Hold the image of who you are in your mind and the shift will occur. Come on, Carly, I know you can do this. Melisande bought you a pretty new dress to wear, and you can sit in the highchair like a big girl.”
The whole assembly held their breath as light started to coalesce around the little wolf pup. Grigori gave a little push to help her finish the transformation, and when the light cleared, a pretty little girl with golden curls and big blue eyes stood looking up at him. The children at the table clapped and cheered. Everyone smiled and told Carly what a good job she did. She lifted her arms up, wanting to be held, and Grigori scooped her up.
“Good girl, Carly. Look at the pretty dress Meli bought you. Let’s put it on, and then we can all eat.”
Melisande rushed over and helped put the dress over Carly’s head. Then Grigori put her in the highchair between their seats. Grigori sat down and looked around at the children, then at Brencis, Valerii, and Meli. He felt warmth in his chest, and overwhelming emotion surged through him. In such a short time, these people had become the most important persons in his life. He knew he would do anything to see them safe and happy.
§
“Look, Funenko, I don’t mind spying for you. But Solovyov’s got a house full of kids. I don’t hurt kids. Not for the money you’re paying me. Lewis is getting suspicious. I’m going to direct him to a house near your last hideout. I need my job. I can’t keep taking chances like this.”
“Don’t worry. This is almost over. Golubev will bring your money and a little bonus. Make sure Lewis and Solovyov move in on our supposed house tomorrow night. You are so worried about the children. You can help me get Miss Reule away from the townhouse. Then your part will be done. Remember, Kincaid, I am not a man to cross, if you want to live that is.”
Kincaid looked at the phone in his trembling hand and heard the evil laugh right before the line went dead. How did accepting one little bribe turn into this?
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The hair on the back of Grigori’s neck stood up. He felt danger in the air, and his wolf wanted to come howling to the surface. But he sat next to Inspector Lewis in an unmarked van and worried instead. This didn’t feel right. It had been too easy to find Funenko and his men. No one seemed to be going in or out of the building. Where was Funenko? Where were his men? Grigori had a bad feeling about all of this. He felt Melisande through the mating bond. She seemed fine, her mind serene, as she put the pups to bed. He reached out to Brencis and Valerii to reassure himself.
Brencis? Valerii?
We are here, Grigori. Everything is quiet here.
I don’t like this. It feels wrong. Keep a close look out.
Have no fear. How can a mere human get through two lycanthropes?
Grigori shook his head. Under normal circumstances he would agree with Brencis, but something was wrong. He just didn’t know what. He turned to Ralf Lewis. “Are you sure your men have the right place? I don’t see anything to suggest this is Funenko’s hideout.”
“Two of my men followed Funenko and his three men here this afternoon. They weren’t observed leaving, so we assume they are still here.”
“Did they check for other exits? This feels wrong to me,” Grigori said.
“They did a cursory search before the other men arrived.”
“How many exits are there?”
“Four exit doors, but there are numerous windows on all sides.”
“Let me go in. If they are still there, I will find them. If not, we need to know.”
“Solovyov, you know I can’t send you in without a whole team. I can’t take the risk of you getting hurt on my watch.”
“Dammit, Lewis. I’m telling you they aren’t here. Something is wrong.”
“Calm down. Let me contact my men and get their reports.”
Grigori waited impatiently while Lewis checked in with all of his men. If he could get away from Lewis for a minute, he might be able to catch Funenko’s scent and track him down. He noticed the petrol station down the street. Should he chance it? He didn’t need to go completely wolf to catch a scent. Right now all he smelled were empty pizza boxes sitting in the back seat, and the stale smell of a dirty car and Lewis’ aftershave. He glanced over at Lewis again and saw him talking on the radio.
“I am going to get out a minute. Just to stretch my legs.”
“Okay, stay in sight. Don’t think about taking off without me. I know you, Solovyov. You like to disappear.”
“I hear you, Lewis. Do not worry so much.”
Grigori slid from the van. He turned first one way and then another, trying to catch Funenko’s scent. A whiff of odor floated in the air, but not enough to indicate Funenko still occupied the area, just enough to confirm he had been here this afternoon. Why would Funenko lead them here? The streets were deserted. Only the wind and the rustle of vermin visited the roads and back alleys. Muffled noises came from the bar on the corner, the only place open at this time of night. Old brick buildings, tired and decrepit, loomed up in the night. The boarded-up windows looked out on the world in silent mockery and accusation. Funenko had picked a strange place for his hideout. The man liked luxury. It was hard to believe he stayed here.
With so little movement on the streets, Grigori feared Funenko would spot the policemen surrounding the building with little effort. With a frustrated sigh he slipped back into the van and closed the door.
§
Melisande opened the back door and stepped into the garden. The blowing breeze had lowered the temperature, and she smelled roses in the night air. The children were all asleep upstairs. Brencis and Valerii were outside, somewhere, patrolling the fence line in their wolf forms. Rosie was making tea in the kitchen.
Melisande felt uneasy, restless, and wished Grigori were here with her. She felt him through the mating bond, his patience thinning as the wait for Funenko progressed. She sent him a wave of love and felt reassured when he sent it back to her.
Always we are connected, Milaya Melika.
Meli jumped as the back door opened, and Rosie stepped out.
“Lovely evening. Would you like me to bring the tea outside?” Rosie asked.
“I’ll come inside in a minute. You should be resting. Tell me, how did you find your children?”
“I found Seth living on the street. He was about twelve then. I heard him crying out at night, cold and alone, not knowing where his next meal would come from. I hear the pups in my head, you see. When they cry or are afraid, I hear them. It’s hard to explain. I convinced Seth to come and live with me. He showed me his wolf form, and we agreed it needed to be a secret. We became a family.”
“What about the others?” Melisande asked.
“A few years later, I heard the twins calling for help. I traced their cry to a cheap circus set up on the outskirts of town. Seth came with me, and we rescued them. Then one day I heard another pup crying and found Jeremy in a petting zoo.”
“They never talked about their parents or their pack?”
“They all told me their parents were dead. Seth feared someone might find him and take him away from me. But no one ever came. When we found the others, Seth convinced them they were safe.”
“You left out little Joe.”
“Oh, she found us. Showed up on our doorstep one night. I let her in and kept her secret. She’s terribly af
raid of someone finding her. The others do not realize Joe is actually Josephine. I hope you and Mr. Grigori will keep her secret too.”
“Of course. Grigori realized it as soon as he met Joe, or should I say smelled her,” Melisande said, chuckling.
“I thought Mr. Grigori might. I felt the wolf in him and hoped he would help the boys. They could use a mentor. I can’t teach them to be good wolves.”
“I can see where that would be hard. What do you mean you felt the wolf in Grigori?”
“I’m a mother to the little rascals. They have a feeling of wildness about them. Oh, they’re all good boys. Seth is a natural leader, and the others follow him. I think he has a case of hero worship concerning Mr. Grigori and how rescued me,” Rosie said.
“I feel so uneasy tonight. I wish Grigori would come home.” Melisande knew something was the matter. That little voice in her head screamed there was danger. But what could it be?
“Now, Miss, don’t be getting yourself worked up. Mr. Grigori will be back before you know it.”
“I know I’m being silly, Rosie. But . . .” Meli felt a slight sting on her arm and looked down expecting to see a bug bite. Instead a dart stuck out of her arm. She pulled it out of her arm in amazement. As she opened her mouth to call to Rosie, a roaring filled her ears and her sight went black. She fell, unconscious.
Grigori felt the moment Meli lost consciousness. He reached for her, and there was nothing but darkness.
“No! Back to the townhouse. Now!” Grigori reached for Brencis and Valerii and found more darkness. He felt sure they were alive. But they must be unconscious. As long as the mating bond glowed true, Melisande lived, and he would find her.
“Bloody hell! What’s wrong?” asked Lewis
“Drive, now, or I’m heading out. Something is wrong at the townhouse.” Grigori felt his claws starting to break through, a growl of rage in his throat. He swallowed it, as he glanced at Lewis. Did he notice the light glinting off Grigori’s fingers? He moved his hands down out of sight, just in case. He wanted to shift, to hunt, to kill whatever threatened his mate and his family. Only because the car would get him there faster did he hold back the change.
Grigori reached for Lewis’ mind and gave a little push. You must hurry to the townhouse. Something happened, and they need our help.
As the car peeled out, Lewis grabbed the radio and started giving orders. Once out of sight of the buildings, he turned on his lights and siren and picked up speed. “The team will stand watch at the building. But I called for a unit to meet us at the house. Kincaid isn’t answering his radio. We may have an officer down,” he said.
Grigori nodded, as underneath he seethed and bristled, holding the change back by a thread. Lewis couldn’t know his biggest secret. He felt hair starting to move under his skin. He needed to get to the townhouse, now. He reached for the children’s minds, easy to find now that they had an emotional bond. All of them slept soundly. Next he reached for Rosie. She was a blank as well.
As they turned the corner onto the final street, Grigori sighed in relief. I am coming, lyubov moya, he sent through the mating bond. He already saw the golden cord of light led away from the house. Melisande was gone. But what of Brencis, Valerii, and Rosie? What about the children?
When the car pulled into the drive, Grigori ran out the door and through the gate. He smelled the air and found what he was searching for. Running around the corner, he headed for the back door. Rosie lay slumped against it. Grigori knelt beside her, checking her pulse. It beat steady but slow. He pulled the dart from her chest and showed it to Lewis, who followed him around the building.
“Call an ambulance. They’ve been drugged,” he said as he got up to find the next victim.
Lewis grabbed his radio and started calling in as Grigori headed for the back of the property. Brencis lay near the back gate, still in his wolf form. Grigori pulled the dart from his neck. From the smell of the dart, Grigori thought the drug was potent to humans. But lycans would recover much faster. He buried his hands in Brencis’ ruff and leaned his head against his side. He sighed with relief. Funenko hadn’t killed them. Brencis? Fight the drug! I need you, Funenko took Melisande. BRENCIS!
He felt a stirring in his mind. Brencis?
Grigori?
Grigori smoothed his hands over his cousin’s fur. Wake up! The police are here, and I need to find Meli. I am going to locate Valerii.
He stood up and sniffed the air. Then he followed his senses to find Valerii lying near the front of the property. He knelt down a second time and checked Valerii’s pulse. It beat strong and steady. He should be waking up soon as well. Grigori grabbed him by the ruff and shook him.
“Wake up, Valerii. Fight the drug, dammit.”
Valerii, the police are here. You and Brencis must handle things. The children are asleep upstairs. They must be protected. I’ve got to hunt for Melisande.
Grigori?
Knowing his packmates would recover lifted a weight from his shoulders. But his mate was still missing and in danger. He let the growl he had been holding onto out with a snarl. Then, getting to his feet, he began to run. The mating bond would lead him to his mate. He thought about shifting, but didn’t have a way to transport clothes. Besides, Meli would need to see his face when she woke up.
As he ran, he analyzed the data his senses detected. He smelled Kincaid, but he had been guarding the property. There were two men, besides Funenko, who took his mate. He smelled their excitement about the deed. But under Funenko’s scent was the smell of arousal. Stealing Melisande turned Funenko on. Grigori growled low in his throat. Funenko would die tonight. Grigori felt no mercy toward his enemies.
He turned from the expensive neighborhood where his rented townhouse was located to a more modest one. Here the homes were smaller. The noise of television sets and children laughing and crying could be heard. Apartment buildings sprang up, then businesses. Grigori ran on, following the mating cord, hunting the woman who held his heart.
He turned into a warehouse district. Graffiti and rust covered the steel sides of the buildings. The noises turned to mechanical sounds, of gears turning, metal hitting metal, and pistons pumping. The smell of smoke and ash filled the air. The mating bond turned again and led to a small metal building that looked deserted. There were no lights, but the golden cord went right through the door. Melisande was inside.
He slowed his pace and moved into cover behind a large metal crate. No need to give away his position in his haste, he thought. Now, moving closer from shadow to shadow, Grigori found where the car had stopped to unload. He smelled Melisande, as well as Funenko and one man, the one who liked to eat too much garlic. They had carried Melisande inside. Her scent hung in the air, but did not touch the ground. He knew she was still unconscious. What would Funenko do to her in her vulnerable state? This was a trap set just for him, but even knowing that, he would go into the building after his mate.
Brencis?
Wait for us. Rosie is on the way to the hospital. The medics insisted when they heard she was recovering from a head injury. Kincaid was found dead in his patrol car. Where are you?
In the warehouse district, down by the waterfront. You must hurry, I’m going in.
Grigori! Lewis is suspicious as to why Valerii and I aren’t still drugged. Using my telepathy, I turned his thoughts away. We were able to shift and get dressed before the ambulance showed up. He is shouting about you disappearing. You need to wait for us. Melisande will be okay until she wakes up.
You don’t know that. Funenko is a sick bastard. I can smell his arousal.
You won’t be any good to her if you catch one of those darts. They’ll put you down for at least twenty to thirty minutes. Come on, Grika, we’re on the way. Lewis is going to be livid when he realizes we’ve slipped away as well. But he knows the kids are asleep upstairs, so he won’t leave them unguarded.
Stop worrying about Lewis and get over here.
The sound of shuffling feet made Grigori s
tiffen. He moved closer to the door and behind an industrial-sized garbage container. A man wearing a black overcoat came around the building and walked to the door. This must be the man who liked his vodka; his scent included the burning sensation of alcohol, but it also carried the scent of Kincaid and gunpowder. This must be the man who killed Kincaid. As the man moved to open the door, Grigori leaped on him, knocking him out and dragging him behind the dumpster. A quick search found the handgun in the shoulder holster, as well as a flask of vodka, which Grigori opened and poured over the man’s clothes. Taking the gun, he slipped inside the now open door.
I’m inside.
Idi K Chyortu, Grigori. We are still too far away to help you.
Better hurry then.
Grigori heard the mental curses Brencis threw at him. But he continued forward, making his way through the stacks of crates in the warehouse. There was no light, but lycanthropes can see perfectly in the dark, and Grigori moved unerringly forward, following the golden mating bond toward his mate.
The cord led to a stairwell that went down to a lower level. Grigori heard the lap of water and smelled its aquatic scent. It surprised him there was a basement this close to the river. Nevertheless, if Melisande went downstairs, then he would also. He crept forward and slowly made his way down the stairs. A weak light bulb gave little illumination to the long hallway at the bottom. Grigori started to hear men’s voices. From the sounds, Grigori knew Funenko and one other man were talking down the hall to the left. The mating cord led down the hall to the right.
Grigori glanced down the hall to the right and saw a sleeping man sitting in a chair outside a door. The mating cord led into the room the man guarded. Grigori slipped into the man’s mind and pushed. You will not wake up until you hear me tell you it is safe to open your eyes. Feeling the man’s sleep deepen, Grigori moved slowly up the hallway.
AMAZON KINDLE VERSION A Siberian Werewolf In London EDITED 3 9 2012 Page 13