“Of course, it is possible this has been secretly stirred up by the Shadow group,” Alexander pointed out. “There’s no way to know if they have a hand in this yet. It would be a good way to distract us from any real threat they’re planning to send our way.”
“Yes,” Julius agreed. “That is a possibility. You cannot let your guard down for a moment. Gabi, you must be careful. If this group has any ties to the Shadow group, we don’t want the fact that you’re in the City to filter back to them. Please lie low for a few days. As soon as I get back, we will help the Packs crush this bunch and wipe all thoughts of Werewolves and Slayers from their minds.”
Gabi didn’t like to make promises she didn’t plan on keeping.
“I promise I’ll be careful,” she told him. “I doubt I’ll be joining them on any missions for at least the next couple of nights anyway.” She could fight left-handed, but it would be sheer idiocy to take on a group of dangerous, unpredictable humans with a bullet wound through her shoulder. It was one of the things that was pounded home when you started Hunter training: one weak link collapses the whole chain. Even with her super-speed healing, without a direct ingestion of blood from Julius, it would be two or three days before she could move without serious pain. Julius’s mouth thinned into a straight line.
“Alexander, get Gabi to rouse you late afternoon, I should have some idea of exactly what they want from us by then. But now I would like to speak to Gabrielle alone, if the rest of you don’t mind.”
Alexander nodded and the others quickly filed from the room.
“What time is it there?” Gabi asked, suddenly realising she had no idea and utterly lacked the required mental capacity to work it out.
“It’s a little after midday,” he said. “I’ll get some sleep soon. I’m just waiting for Xavier to stop by. I need to find out what he knows before my meeting with the Princeps tonight.”
“I miss you,” she blurted, unable to keep the words contained a second longer. The moment she said it, she felt the blush threatening. The sexy smile that slowly lit his face made it all worthwhile.
“Is that you or the pain meds talking?” he purred, his grin reminiscent of the Cheshire Cat.
“It’s the pain meds, definitely the pain meds,” she confirmed, returning his grin.
“Good, I’ll make sure Jonathon gives you some more,” he said. “I like Gabi on pain meds.” But his face darkened at his own words. “I felt your pain. Even here, on the other side of the world. I didn’t know what had happened, if you were alive or at death’s door, I just knew you were hurt. You’re going to be the death of me.” He pinched the bridge of his nose and he leaned towards the camera.
Gabi was dumbfounded, she’d thought that Alexander or someone else had called him to tell him about the skirmish at the church and her getting shot. Their connection was way stronger than she’d anticipated.
“You’re the one in the dragon’s den,” she reminded him. “I’m safe at home, remember?”
He barked a laugh, but it didn’t sound amused. “I should’ve known better, I suppose. I’ve always said you’re a danger magnet.” He dropped his hand from his face, slight creases forming at the outer edges of his eyes as he leaned towards the camera and studied her. He had something to say, so she waited. “You can ask Alexander to give you blood,” he said at last. “He would be more than willing to donate to you. You’ll heal quicker and be ready if anything comes knocking at the City’s gates.”
Gabi sucked in a breath. If Julius felt even half the stab of jealousy that pierced her when she thought of him taking blood from another woman…and she could still console herself with the fact that he’d fade away without it; he had no choice in the matter of taking blood from a human. She simply couldn’t provide enough for him without weakening herself. But, over and above what it would put Julius through, her greater consideration was if she could actually bring herself to take blood from another. It was such an intimate act, even more so for her, it was…embarrassing wasn’t the right word, but she still thought of herself as human, so it truly seemed to go against everything in her to consume another person’s blood. That was yet another work in progress—learning to accept, maybe even eventually embrace, her need for a Vampire’s blood.
“I’ll see how I feel when I wake up later,” she hedged.
Julius merely nodded, his expression carefully neutral. “He’s at your disposal at any time,” he told her. There was a noise behind him, and Julius looked away from the camera. “Xavier is here. Get some rest. I miss you.” And the screen went blank.
CHAPTER 9
Still tired after several hours of sleep broken each time she moved, Gabi went out in the BMW; Patrick accompanied her in the passenger seat, and a pair of Werewolves followed at a discreet distance. Even if the Shadow group had spies watching the Estate, and even if they knew the licence plate of her BMW, not even a Vampire’s vision could penetrate the specially treated windows of this particular car to be sure she was in it. And with the sun well risen, there would be no Vampires out right now.
With a tiptronic gearbox, the BMW only required one arm to drive, which was a good thing as her shoulder was stiff and painful. The wounds had closed without tearing or infection, but it would be several more days before the swelling and bruising subsided.
Being late morning, the traffic was light, so it took less than half an hour to get to the small gated housing estate that was home to several dozen of the Red Shadow Pack, including the Alpha and his Beta. They’d taken Adriana back to be with them, where they could care for her and ensure her safety until the Kresnik threat was neutralised.
Kyle was also on his way; this was the first time the Alpha had agreed to let them speak to her, and he was still clearly reluctant. Pack Alphas took threats to their females very seriously; it was rare for a Werewolf female to become the victim of violence, and hence even more upsetting for the rest of the Pack. It was only the larger, ongoing threat of the human group that convinced the Alpha to let them debrief Adriana. And perhaps Adriana herself had had a say in the matter; contrary to her looks, she was no shrinking violet.
Gabi stopped her car a short distance away from the tall, wrought-iron gates blocking the road. Her protective detail nosed their car ahead and up to the speakerphone. Patrick had been adamant on this little detail; he didn’t want Gabi showing her face in public unless they had absolutely no other choice. Gabi recognised Ross as he rolled down his window and pressed a button on the console. He spoke a few words and the gates began to swing open. Ross made a quick visual sweep of the surrounding neighbourhood before giving a short nod and rolling up the window. Gabi guided the BMW around him and through the gates. Ross and his partner would drive just far enough up the road not to be visible from the main road, and wait there. There was enough stress amongst the Red Shadow Pack already, without Gabi adding to it by bringing more members from other Packs into their sanctuary. In Werewolf culture small displays of respect could go a long way.
A narrow, shrub-lined avenue led them to the mid-sized housing estate. A large, double-storey bungalow dominated the forefront of the collection of semi-detached cottages set in a large semicircle. Each boasted a neatly trimmed patch of lawn out front, spotless white window frames, colourful planters full of spring blooms, and clean brickwork in rich, earthy tones. Only one thing set it apart from any other neighbourhood in the City: the complete lack of children’s toys and playground equipment. Huge elder trees stood sentry over the rear of the cluster of homes, bordering a small nature reserve. Gabi couldn’t think of a more perfect place for a Werewolf Haven, the term Packs used for the place their Alphas lived and where many of the Pack congregated or resided.
A collection of several cars were parked outside the larger house; Kyle’s van was one of them. Gabi eased her car off the road onto a grass verge and she and Patrick climbed out. As they made their way towards the front door, she breathed in the crisp morning air. The sun was out, but there was the distinct hint of
moisture in the air; there would be rain later.
The door opened before she could raise her hand to knock. The Alpha female of the Red Shadows smiled in greeting; the sentiment was a little forced, and tension showed in her body language. She was a couple of inches shorter than Gabi’s five foot eight, with her chestnut hair in a stylish pixie cut, soft, green-brown eyes and dressed in a pretty green and white sundress, but there was no mistaking her for weak or submissive.
“Good morning, Natalie,” Gabi said. She didn’t know the woman well, had only met her once or twice at SMV meetings. “My greeting to the Red Shadow Pack. Do you know Patrick?”
She stepped to one side so that Patrick, who was standing alert but at ease, was clearly visible. It was always advisable to treat meetings between dominant Werewolves very, very carefully. Patrick was a lone wolf, not belonging to a Pack, but was dominant enough to challenge for Alpha of one of the Packs if he wished to. Gabi, of course, knew that he had no such ambitions, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t seen as a threat by all of the Pack Alphas in the City. With the exception of Kyle perhaps. As though the thought of her friend magically conjured him, Kyle bounded into view behind Natalie.
“Gabs, Patrick,” he greeted, “I just got here. Natalie, you know Patrick, don’t you? He’s with Julius and Gabi’s Clan. I asked him along, as he’s got military experience. There’s not much he doesn’t know about how to infiltrate an enemy’s ranks. He’ll know what questions to ask Adriana.”
Natalie’s mouth thinned into a straight line and she crossed her arms firmly over her chest, but she took a step back from the doorway. “Welcome to our Haven, Lone Wolf.” She spoke the required words to allow a non-Pack member access to their home. She kept her gaze fixed on Patrick’s face.
A muscle twitched in the side of his jaw, but he inclined his head respectfully and dropped his gaze from hers. “Thank you for your gracious hospitality, Mother of Red Shadow,” Patrick replied, looking at her crossed arms instead of dropping his eyes to her feet as lower-ranked Pack members would do. Dominance established, albeit nothing more than pretence and posturing, she turned and stalked away from them, leaving Kyle to usher them inside.
Adriana was in the sitting room, a large room filled with armchairs and sofas and even some beanbag loungers. It was clearly the Haven’s communal gathering place. She looked fragile, her blonde curls hung limp to her shoulders, and her lack of make-up highlighted the dark rings under her eyes and a bruise across one cheekbone. She was in sweatpants and a baggy hoodie with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Casey and Jade sat on either side of her. The concern etching their features making them look older than their years, they were pressed close to Adriana, sharing as much warmth and physical contact as possible.
That was a surprise. It was a very rare thing for one Pack to allow members of another Pack into their Haven, even rarer to allow them to comfort one of their own. But it was obvious that Adriana needed their proximity. All their wolves were pacing close to the surface, and Gabi could actually sense the interaction between the three of them, the flow of anxiety and reassurance and love and strength.
“Gabi.” Adriana tried to smile as the three of them crossed the room towards the girls, but the swelling down the side of her face made it lopsided.
Gabi nudged a small ottoman closer to her friend with one foot and sat down, putting a hand on Adriana’s knee. She sent a wave of calm towards Adriana’s wolf, assuring her she could now rest, that they would take care of Adriana for her. A sigh of relief escaped Adriana’s lips and she sagged a little as the wolf finally relented and retreated back into the depths of Adriana’s psyche. The other two shot her grateful smiles.
“I’d heard you had abilities like that, but I can’t say I actually believed it. Until now,” a masculine voice said from the doorway.
Gabi rose swiftly to her feet, suppressing a groan as her shoulder protested the sudden action, and turned to greet the Alpha of the Red Shadow Pack.
“Harrison,” she said with a genuine smile. They hadn’t had time to speak the previous night, but she’d met him on several occasions previously, mostly at SMV meetings but also at some social functions. The antithesis of his mate, he was one of the least openly aggressive Alphas in the City, and had a charm and charisma unusual in a dominant wolf. Not that you could mistake him for anything other than an Alpha, the telltale aura that surrounded him was almost tangible. “It’s good to see you. I’m sorry it’s under such unpleasant circumstances.”
His face turned serious. “Yes.” His attention was immediately on the matter at hand. “The Pack, Natalie and I would like to formally thank you for the aid you provided Adriana. I know you were injured in the rescue. We are in your debt. You may call on us anytime.”
Gabi closed the distance between them and laid her hand on his forearm. His exceptionally large, dark brown wolf came forward as though drawn by her touch. She respectfully did the mental equivalent of holding her hands out to him, exposing her character and intentions for his approval. Her offer appeased him and he settled back down with a mental whuff.
“I accept your offer. I will call on you when I need to, I promise.” A Werewolf Alpha’s acknowledgment of a debt owed was a meaningful gesture, not something to be shrugged off or cast aside. And with life as it was, Gabi would probably need that assistance sooner rather than later.
As his wolf retreated, Harrison’s smile was wry and little awestruck. He shook his head slightly and turned to Kyle and Patrick.
Introductions made and dominance once again established, Harrison sent the handful of Pack members who’d been hovering in the background out of the room and closed the door behind them. Gabi was relieved that Natalie chose to keep herself busy elsewhere in the house. Talk about opposites attracting.
Jade had pressed a mug of soup into Adriana’s hand and she took small sips with her hands wrapped around the steaming cup while the visitors found seats and settled in.
“They grabbed me outside the club,” Adriana confirmed Gabi’s hypothesis. “They had silver knives and silver handcuffs. I…it was just such a shock that I didn’t even really try to fight them off.” Her eyes were fixed on the soup instead of the faces around her. Casey—her black hair in loose tangles around her face and her dark, Goth make-up smudged from tears—rubbed her cheek softly across Adriana’s shoulder.
“You wouldn’t have stood a chance fighting them,” Gabi said gently. “Not with silver. You did the right thing. Your wolf was acting on instinct, good instinct.” The girl didn’t need to feel guilt on top of everything else.
“There were five of them,” she continued. “One woman and four men. The woman seemed to be in charge. At least she was the one shouting orders.”
“Did you hear any names? Did they call each other by name?” Kyle asked.
“The others referred to the woman as Lady Helsing. Isn’t that the name of a fictional Vampire Hunter or something?”
“Van Helsing is the Vampire Hunter; in the legends it’s a man,” Gabi corrected. “I guess this woman is trying to be the female equivalent.”
“She was quite scary for a human,” Adriana said. “I don’t think she’s much older than us, maybe late twenties, but she was covered in tattoos and dressed in the sort of leather outfit that makes Casey look like a Disney Princess.” She gave her friend a weak smile and raised one hand to stroke Casey’s face. “She had piercings all over and carried knives with silver blades and a gun. She had this…aura…the kind of aura you expect from a dominant wolf, but she was human. And she smelled funny, somehow not right.”
“Not right?” Gabi asked. “Can you be any more specific?”
Adriana frowned, taking another sip of soup as she tried to put something intangible into words. “Maybe…maybe like there was a hint of Vampire around her…” She let out a frustrated sigh. “I don’t know how else to describe it. Just different, other, a bit like you, I guess.” She suddenly looked at Gabi. “Please don’t take that the wrong way. I
mean like the way you don’t smell exactly like a human, but don’t smell like any other supernatural either.”
“Hmm.” Gabi glanced over at Kyle.
He gave her a barely perceptible nod; it was something they would discuss later.
“What about the men?” Kyle prompted Adriana, moving the debriefing along.
“They…they’re hard to describe separately.” She grimaced. “Once I realised what was happening, I tried to pay attention, to make as many mental notes as I could, but I was disoriented after they whacked me on the head during the abduction. The men were bizarrely similar—shaved heads, tattoos, piercings, ripped shirts, cargo pants, I wouldn’t be able to tell them apart if you put them in front of me right now.”
“Anything you can remember will help.” Patrick spoke quietly, his voice calm and soothing. “Smells, voices, even the smallest thing may help us make a connection eventually.”
“They didn’t wear deodorant like most humans.” She wrinkled her nose. “They obviously hadn’t showered for a couple of days. They handled knives like they were extensions of their bodies, but they avoided taking out the guns. They all carried guns, though,” she said, looking at Gabi. “That’s unusual, right? You can’t get permits for handguns in the City, can you?”
“No, you’re right,” Gabi said. “And that is an angle to investigate. There must be some noise on the street about guys with guns.”
Come Hell or High Water (Hellcat Series Book 5) Page 12