by Trina M. Lee
I swallowed hard and cleared my throat. “So what did he do? If you’re this pissed, he must’ve given the FPA something you didn’t want them to have.”
“Oh, he did. He gave them evidence from our last pack hunt. A few times every summer we grab a guy from the sexual offender list, drop him out in the middle of that corn maze outside of town, and hunt him for sport.” With a wolfish chuckle, Dayne pulled a cigar from his vest and twirled it between his fingers. “That’s the kind of thing I’d rather not have Agent Briggs and his superhero task force banging on my door about.”
I nodded when he held up the cigar, asking permission to light it. There was no smoking allowed in my nightclub, but I could make an exception this time.
Perhaps I should have been surprised by Dayne’s pack activity. Instead I found it to be kind of genius. Nobody was going to put effort into finding a missing sexual predator. And it seemed like a good way to keep the wolves from unleashing their aggression on innocents.
“Your wolf was involved in this hunt?” I regarded him with neutral expression, careful not to let him see a reaction just yet.
“He sure was. I guess Briggs offered him a deal that he thought was worth selling out his family.” Dayne’s wide shoulders heaved in a slow shrug. “I won’t stand for any of my wolves associating with the Feds. I’ll never trust them.”
I couldn’t help but smile. It seemed that Dayne and I had a very common enemy in the FPA.
“You’re speaking my language, Dayne. The FPA are bad news for all of us. They’re up to no good. I’ve seen it.”
“Yeah?” His eyes glinted with intrigue. “Like what?”
I debated on how much to tell him. Once I started talking about the things I’d seen in the basement of the FPA headquarters, it all came back to me. Dayne hung on my every word as I described the little girl that could summon demons and the insane man who spent all of his time locked up there drawing pictures of potential future events. I didn’t leave out the labs or the morgue. The things we had found there had haunted several of my dreams since.
“Well, I’ll be a son of a bitch,” Dayne swore, puffing on his cigar. “I knew they were dirty, but that’s a whole lot worse than I anticipated. Thanks to Stuart, the Feds have been sniffing around my pack. We have a few kids to protect, couple of young’uns that were accidentally turned and one that was born. I don’t want them coming to any harm. See why Stuart needs to go?”
I had fully expected an alliance with Doghead to come at a price. Hunting down one of their wolves was beyond my expectations. Still, if the guy was feeding info to the Feds, it was bad news for all wolves. My loyalties had to lie with my beast. I was wolf first and always would be.
“Yeah, I understand where you’re coming from. You definitely want to keep the kids away from them. They grabbed my sister when we were kids. Now she works for them.” I’m not sure why I told him that. I didn’t trust Dayne, not really. I knew better.
He let out a low whistle and shook his head. “Those fuckers ain’t tearing my family apart. I’ll wage war first.”
He would not win that war, but I didn’t bother to say as much. There was no telling what kind of resources the FPA had at their disposal.
“So, how many packs are you leading? You said three, right?” Changing the subject and acquiring more information seemed like a safe tactic. I didn’t need him getting all fired up about the FPA.
“Yeah, three,” he grunted. “Doghead is my pack. It’s the biggest pack in town. There are two other packs, smaller. Your regular everyday people types. They each have their own Alpha pair, but both packs answer to me and Hanna. We keep them safe, and they do the occasional odd job for us.”
“What kind of job?”
Dayne grinned. “Let’s just say not all of the pack’s income is exactly legal. Having cops and lawyers in the group makes life a whole lot easier. At least it did before Stuart ratted us out. The FPA is one sector of authority we just can’t seem to get rid of.”
I tapped my nails on the tabletop as I pondered this. “You know that killing Stuart will only encourage the FPA, don’t you?”
“Fuck ’em. If they know I’m willing to kill a rat maybe they’ll back off my pack.” With a raised brow, Dayne puffed on that stinky ass cigar and chuckled. “Make it good and bloody, will you?”
“I never said that I would do it.”
“Ok, so will you?”
I was torn. It was vital to keep the wolves and vampires from working with the FPA. They already had a handful in their arsenal. The kids sealed the deal for me. Both Juliet and I had been taken advantage of as young, naïve werewolves. And look how we turned out.
“I’ll do it. But I have just one question.”
“Shoot.”
“What does it take to get into your pack?” My heart pounded in my ears as the question passed my lips. Why was I suddenly so nervous?
“Sorry, babe. No hybrids allowed.”
I flushed, feeling it all the way to my toes. Nothing like being constantly reminded that I didn’t belong to just one species of monster anymore.
“I’m not asking for me,” I snapped. “I’m asking for the wolf I brought to Doghead the other night. He has no pack. He’s loyal and the most fierce wolf I know. He deserves a pack to call his own.”
“Is that right?” Dayne stroked a hand thoughtfully over the stubble lining his jaw. The beautiful moon tattoo on the side of his neck drew my gaze. I couldn’t picture Shaz with one. Although I’d never envisioned Arys or myself with a demon mark either. “Let’s see how it goes with Stuart. Then I’ll consider it.”
“Fair enough,” I muttered, slumping back in my seat.
Dayne rose to leave, pausing to toss a business card down in front of me. “Drop me a line when you’re ready. I’ll have an address for you.”
“Will do. Thanks for coming by.” Feeling wooden and stiff, I made myself get up and accompany him to the door.
Several vampires stopped prowling the room for a conquest to watch us. I could almost see the assumptions forming. Well, what did they expect? There was more to me than what I shared with them. I shared something with Dayne too, and I was determined to make the most of it.
Dayne gave me a fist bump and a nod before disappearing into the parking lot. I lingered in the lobby, wondering if I’d just made a terrible decision.
What choice did I have? I needed this alliance.
Chapter Twelve
“Did you get your alliance?” Willow asked when I joined him at the bar.
“Yeah, for a price. He wants me to kill one of his wolves who’s gone rat. He’s been talking to the FPA.” I ran a hand through my long hair and sighed. This was turning out to be a very long night.
“What did you tell him?”
“I said I’d do it. I didn’t know what else to say. I need those wolves to have my back. If not now, then in the not so distant future. I’m sure of it.” I met Willow’s gold-flecked gaze, seeking judgment and, as always, finding none. “Did I make a mistake?”
Willow spun an empty shot glass between his fingers. “That’s a question only you can answer.”
I groaned. “Shit. I was afraid you were going to say something like that.”
Feeling frustrated, I scrutinized the patrons. Everything was operating like it normally did. The humans were drunk and easy; the vampires were hungry and eager. Several of them still looked my way, talking among themselves.
Before I had time to reconsider, I found myself marching across the room toward the stage. When the band finished their song, I climbed the steps at the back of the stage and interrupted before they could launch into the next tune.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered to the purple-haired werewolf holding the mike, noticing for the first time the Doghead pack tattoo on her neck. “Can I use that for just a second? I need to say something.”
She handed it over and backed away to allow me to take center stage. The music died, and everyone present turned to gawk at me. Public
speaking was not my forte. However, I forged ahead, needing to do this.
“Sorry to interrupt,” I said, cringing inwardly as my voice boomed through the club. “I just wanted to say something to the vampires here. I’m aware that many of you are questioning my intentions. Please know that rumors of a dictatorship in this city are completely unfounded. Neither Arys nor I have any interest in such a thing.”
I paused, scanning the crowd, meeting several sets of vampire eyes. Good. They were listening. But did they believe me?
Taking a deep breath, I continued, “My interests lie in protecting this city and protecting the secret we all keep. Anyone who seeks to rebel against that is rebelling against themselves. I will not hesitate to take out anyone who tries to harm me or those close to me. You can all decide for yourselves what kind of a city you want to dwell in. The rebels offer you mayhem and anarchy, which will only bring down the wrath of the FPA. I offer you what you see here, a safe place to be what you are without repercussion. Make your choice.”
I handed the mike back to the wolf, gave her a shaky smile, and exited the stage. My legs felt like jelly. I had just issued a challenge to the vampires of the city. I hoped they made the right decision.
“That was ballsy,” Willow commented when I reached him. He nodded approvingly. “Simple but to the point. I liked it.”
“It felt necessary. I’m done with vampire bullshit, and I want them to know.”
Willow’s lips quirked in a silly, tequila-fueled grin. “Yes, but do your vampires know that?”
I leaned against the bar with arms crossed. Thinking about both Arys and Kale as my vampires felt weird. And I kind of liked it. “Good question. I sure hope you’re not including Jenner in that.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.”
I rolled my eyes at the liquored up angel and checked my phone. There were text messages from Shaz letting me know he was having no luck and from Jez whining about me appointing Kale as her babysitter.
While Willow drank and the vampires prowled, I stood there lost in thought. Racking my brain for answers, I dug deep, knowing there must be something we were all missing.
The scroll was tied to Lilah’s abandoned throne. She couldn’t be the only one who knew its whereabouts. Or did she even know at all?
Something struck me then. A memory of the night I found her searching Veryl’s office. I’d been cleaning out my office, done with the building we had used to hold meetings, discuss hunts with Veryl, and take private kill clients. Lilah had come in and asked me if I’d taken anything from Veryl’s office.
“Willow.” I grabbed his arm, startling him and causing him to spill. “I think I know where to look. Or maybe I don’t, but we have to try. Come on.”
I didn’t wait for him to finish his drinks before making a beeline for the door. This was probably just another misleading step in this wild goose chase, but it was a lead worth following.
For the first time since my last face off with Lilah, I was starting to feel like I might have a chance. It had been quite some time since I’d visited the old office building Veryl had leased. Once the lease ran out, we wouldn’t have access to it. I had to do this now.
As we drove through the city, I chattered nonstop to Willow, telling him about the night I saw Lilah there. “I asked her if something was missing. She said that it wasn’t missing but hidden. I’m starting to think that Veryl knew something about the scroll, maybe he even had it. What else would she be looking for?”
“This thing had better be worth finding. Considering how many people are looking for it. Maybe the joke is on all of us, and there’s nothing to find at all.” Willow stared out the window, watching the street fly by.
“No way.” I shook my head vehemently. “I’ve dealt with too much crap to have it be some elusive unholy grail. It’s out there, and we are finding it first.”
The building was dark when we arrived. I wondered when anyone had last been there. The door swung open with an ominous groan. I flicked on a light, not because I needed it but because it gave me a sense of false comfort. Everything looked as we’d left it.
The kitchen was missing the aroma of fresh coffee and Chinese takeout. I half expected to find Lena in there making a cup of tea. A pang of guilt and regret stabbed me, and my breath caught.
“This was where you worked with Kale and Jez? The residual energy here is strong. It’s very complex. Joyful but violent too. Even a bit melancholy.” Willow surveyed the kitchen before returning to the foyer.
“I killed Veryl here,” I said, leading the way down the long hall of individual offices. “I also caught Lilah and Falon screwing here.” And almost did some screwing of my own, I thought but didn’t dare speak it.
“Sounds like there was never a boring moment.”
I chuckled. “Have you seen my life?”
I walked down the hall, shoving office doors open. I paused in the doorway to the one that had been mine. My cheeks grew hot at the memory of Kale’s bite. That had been a hell of a night. Only Jez’s impeccable timing had kept us from doing something we could never undo. But that had happened anyway, in its own time.
We continued on to the end of the hall. The door to Veryl’s office was closed. Anxiety twisted my stomach. Veryl’s office was a place of many memories, most of them not so good. I grabbed the doorknob and pushed. It was stuck. The sound of splintering wood was loud in the stillness. Backing up a few steps, I braced myself and kicked the door, aiming for the spot beside the doorknob. The door flew open with a screech.
Even before I flicked the light on I saw the disarray inside. The overhead light illuminated the mess. I stared at what was left of his office, aghast. Someone had totally ransacked the place.
“Oh, fuck me,” I murmured, taking in everything from the trashed remains of the old antique desk to the holes gouged out of the walls. Papers and computer parts littered the floor.
“Looks like someone beat us to it.” Willow pushed past me and knelt to examine some of the paperwork strewn about. “Doesn’t look like anything of great value here. Seems to be pretty basic case write-ups. Rogue vampire reports, that kind of thing. I assume he had something else worth finding judging by the looks of this place.”
I took tentative steps, picking my way through the debris. I was too late. It had taken me this long to remember the clue Lilah had given me, and it didn’t even matter. Someone else had gotten to it first.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” Picking up a board from a desk drawer, I hurled it at the wall in anger. And noticed something taped to the underside of it.
I rushed to retrieve it, finding a yellow sticky note with a carefully scrawled message that read: Nice try, bitch. Did you think I would be that obvious?
“Look.” I handed the note to Willow. “I think Veryl wrote this. It must have been to Lilah. He knew she would come here looking.” I swallowed hard, my mind racing. “I think he knew where the scroll was.”
The sound of my heart pounded in my ears, and I wondered again if killing him had been a mistake. My own personal feelings toward the knowledgeable vampire had been manipulated. And I’d let it happen.
“If there was anything here worth finding, it’s gone now.” Willow rose from where he’d been sifting through spilled file folders. “Whoever did this must not have found much either. Or we would likely know by now.”
“You think so?” I scanned the mess again, hoping something would jump out at me. Even the smallest clue might help.
“It seems likely. Of course, there’s no way of saying for sure.”
“So we’ve hit another dead end. I’m starting to think we should get used to that.” I kicked the shattered computer mouse. A thought occurred to me, something I knew I shouldn’t even give voice to. “Willow, is it possible to speak to the dead? A dead vampire, to be specific.”
Alarm flashed across his face, and he shook his head vigorously. “Don’t go there, Alexa. I won’t let you. I can’t. It’s not safe.”
“So it can
be done.”
“I didn’t say that. You have no idea how dangerous what you’re asking is. I’m sorry, but that is not the way to handle this. I can’t let you try something that deadly.”
His expression was pained, as if it hurt him to have to play the guardian card. If any of my men had told me no, I would have contested it immediately. It was in my nature. However, I knew Willow’s protests came from a place of wisdom and experience that I could only imagine. Though that did little to change my mind.
“Look, Willow, I respect you more than I’ve ever respected anyone in my life. But we have to try anything and everything we can to beat Shya to this. If I could just contact Veryl, maybe he would tell me something we can use, maybe—”
“No!” Willow’s voice echoed in the small room. It was commanding and startling, causing me to jump. “Don’t you think Shya has probably already tried that? Talking to the dead is his territory, trust me. Not mine and certainly not yours. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.”
“Ok, ok,” I squeaked out, timid and uneasy with his outburst. “I get it. Talking to the dead is very bad.”
“It’s worse than that. It’s a violation of natural laws. It comes at a price.”
“What kind of price?” I just had to know, even if that made me annoying.
“It’s different for everyone. It’s personal. Promise me you won’t try anything like that.” When I didn’t answer right away, Willow grabbed me by both arms and gave me a slight shake. “Promise me.”
I gazed into his deep, green eyes and saw fury burning within them. But there was more. Fear. Anything that bothered Willow this much was worth taking seriously. I raised my hands in surrender. “I promise. Ok? Calm down, boozehound. You’re freaking me out.”
“Sorry.” He released me and stepped back. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“If you want to talk to the dead, Alexa, I can help you with that.” A familiar voice rang out from behind us.