Moon Burned (Mirror Lake Wolves Book 4)

by Jennifer Snyder

  “I know. He listens to music all the time. Blares it with his earbuds,” Frank insisted. “He won’t even hear me coming.”

  When we were a few feet away, Frank held up a hand for us to stop. He handed Sabin his silver chain and closed his eyes. His head tipped toward the ceiling, and I knew he was shifting even before I felt the first flickers of the moon goddess’s magic ignite through the air.

  Not even a full minute later, Frank had disappeared and in his place was a large reddish brown wolf. Without hesitation, Frank’s wolf lunged at the vampire. The idiot didn’t see or hear him coming. By the time Frank was upon him, it was too late. He had sunk his teeth into his throat. Sabin and Max continued forward, carrying Glenn as though seeing a wolf take out a vampire was nothing impressive.

  “Hold up,” Mom said to them as she untangled herself from me. “We need to make sure there isn’t anyone outside.” She pushed open the door enough for her head to slip through and glanced out. “I’m not seeing anyone. I think the coast is clear. Let’s go.”

  Sabin and Max followed her carrying Glenn, but I remained where I stood.

  Alec.

  I couldn’t leave without making sure he’d gotten out. Had David been able to do it? Or were they still locked in one of the rooms?

  “Mina, come on,” Mom insisted.

  I shook my head. “I can’t. I have to go back.”

  “For what?” Fear flickered through her eyes.

  “The others that came with me. I can’t leave them.”

  “Others? More of our pack is here?” A wild look entered her stare.

  “No, not members from our pack. Humans. Two were brought in with me,” I said. “I need to make sure they make it out too.”

  “Leave them. They’re only humans. You need to come with us. We shouldn’t be standing here talking. We need to move,” Sabin insisted.

  “How can you say that?” His words sickened me. “How can you leave someone behind? Anyone? Especially since you know exactly what goes on here?”

  “Time is running out, Mina. Someone will come, and you won’t be able to escape. The moon goddess has given us lots of luck tonight it seems, but you can’t expect it to last. You need to come with us,” Mom insisted. She held out a hand.

  “I can’t. Not until I know they’re safe too.” I backed away from her. “I’m sorry. I’ll catch up to you. I promise.”

  Mom started toward me, but Frank stepped in her way, blocking her with his wolf. He nudged her out the door and then glanced back at me. Something passed between us. A small sense of understanding. He wasn’t going to try to stop me. He understood this was something I had to do, one of many before I could leave.

  15

  I doubled back as fast as I could, making it to David and Alec’s room in the span of a few heartbeats. When Alec spotted me through the window, his entire face lit up.

  Relief zipped through me too. Regina hadn’t made him her boy toy yet.

  I reached for the knob. As soon as my hand touched it, a throat cleared behind me. Tension rippled through my muscles as my body went on high alert.

  “Hello, little wolf,” a familiar voice said. “You didn’t think you could get rid of me that easily, did you?”

  Shit. The moon goddesses luck had just run out.

  I spun to face Neo. A wicked grin stretched across his face as evil intent reflected behind his eyes.

  “Regina will not be happy when I tell her what you’ve done,” he hissed.

  “Not my problem,” I said, holding his stare.

  For the first time in my life, I accepted the fact that I was going to have to kill someone.

  Heat prickled across my skin as I shed the lab coat I was wearing and my silver, allowing my wolf to take over for a second time since stepping foot inside this awful place.

  “Are things about to get real, little wolf?” Neo asked as his fangs descended.

  I didn’t have time to respond. My wolf took over, forcing my body to complete the shift quickly. This was her second go around with Neo, and she was eager to take him out for good this time.

  “Let’s do this then,” he said as he widened his stance, preparing to fight.

  Someone pounded on the door behind me. It had to be Alec. There was no doubt in my mind it was his way of telling me not to go head-to-head with this vampire alone.

  Couldn’t he see I didn’t have a choice?

  I was glad I hadn’t opened the door yet. Alec was right where he needed to be for once—out of harm’s way.

  “Your friend doesn’t seem to want you to go up against me.” Neo grinned. “He’s a smart one. Maybe you should listen to him.”

  I curled my lips back and growled. My wolf wasn’t focused on what Neo was saying; she was focused on how high we needed to jump in order to sink our teeth into his neck. She was ready to go for the kill this time, and I wasn’t going to stop her.

  I leaped in the air, springing off my haunches, and aimed for Neo’s throat. His arm blocked me, hitting me across the jaw and sending my head backward as I flew down the hall. I landed on my side, causing my insides to vibrate from the impact.

  Neo was powerful. He was ancient. And I was exactly what he kept calling me, a little wolf.

  He said something again. I heard him, but I couldn’t focus on his words. My head was too rattled. I did notice when his hand reached for the door Alec and David were behind.

  What was he doing?

  My wolf forced me up, suddenly able to find a second wind. The door opened. Was he about to hurt Alec? If that was his plan, he’d better think again. I wouldn’t let him touch him.

  I launched myself forward until I stood between Neo and Alec inside the room. Neo laughed. Apparently, my concern for the humans was comical to him.

  “You’re not taking him on your own,” Alec shouted from behind me. I didn’t have to look at him to know his face was an angry mask of emotions. David said something in an effort to calm Alec, but I knew no words would make him see reason or make him stand down.

  Once Alec had his mind set on something, he followed through. And fighting Neo and helping to get us out of here was the only thing on his mind.

  Neo and I both knew Alec wouldn’t be able to stop him, though.

  Because of that, I acted without hesitation. This time when I lunged for his throat, I was able to pierce his skin and cause some damage. His hands wrapped around my middle and squeezed. Air rushed from my lungs and a whimper bellowed from somewhere deep within me. My bones were on the cusp of breaking. I could feel them straining under the pressure of Neo’s tight grip.

  White-hot pain radiated through me. I released my grip on him. He flung me across the room. My head cracked against the wall, leaving an indent in its wake. I sent a silent prayer to the moon goddess, asking her to please send more of her luck to me. I desperately needed it.

  Alec let out a barbaric noise as he lunged forward and took a swing at the vampire. Neo caught Alec’s fist in midair. The sound of small firecrackers going off burst through the small room. It echoing off the walls.

  Neo had broken Alec’s hand. In multiple places.

  I forced myself up. My entire body trembled, but I had to help Alec. Neo would kill him otherwise. Alec reared back with his other hand, and this time he connected with Neo’s nose before I could get to them. Black blood sprayed from Neo’s nose on contact. His eyes grew dark as he registered what happened, and his hand jerked out slapping Alec across the face and sending him flying through the air. He hit the wall behind me and bounced off. Horror shifted through me.

  Alec was motionless.

  I rushed to where he was, ignoring the pain in my side and the dizziness in my head. All I cared about was making sure Alec was still breathing. A commotion broke out behind me. I was unsure if it was David flying off the handle at Neo for hurting his nephew, or if it was something else. It didn’t matter. What mattered was making sure Alec was ok.

  My nose pressed against the warm flesh of his neck, feeling
for a pulse as best I could in wolf form. Something was there. I could feel it tapping against my snout. It was faint, though. Alec needed a doctor. He needed to be taken to the hospital.

  A loud voice I recognized burst through the tiny room.

  Eli.

  Warmth erupted through me. Things were going to be all right. I knew this because Eli was here. I spun to face him and spotted both Eli and Dorian. They’d been able to find me. I knew they would.

  Better yet, I knew Eli would.

  Dorian was in wolf form, while Eli was still human. They were both duking it out with Neo. Eli landed a blow to Neo’s jaw while Dorian chomped on his leg. When Eli landed one more massive hit to the side of Neo’s face, Dorian jumped through the air and latched on to the wound in Neo’s neck I’d created. He tore his throat to shreds. A sickening amount of blood sprayed all over, but it didn’t bother me like it normally would. In fact, the sight of it was a relief.

  It meant Neo was no more. No longer a threat. No longer in my way. Alec could now be saved.

  I wasted no time shifting back into my human form. I wanted to get a better look at Alec and to be able to tell Eli and Dorian that he needed to be taken to a hospital. My wolf reluctantly let go. She wanted to find Regina.

  In time, I reminded her.

  “He’s hurt, Eli,” I said as I bent down to check Alec’s pulse once more. My throat was raw, and I couldn’t tell which throbbed harder, my ribs or my head, but I shoved all of that aside as I focused on Alec. I’d been right before, his pulse was too faint. Alec was barely hanging on. “We need to get him to a hospital.”

  “Was he bitten? I don’t see any blood,” Eli said as he rushed to where I hovered over Alec’s lifeless body.

  “No. He took a hard blow that sent him across the room,” I said as I smoothed the hair away from Alec’s damp face.

  “Here,” David said. He maneuvered himself between Alec and me. “Let me carry him. We need to go.”

  “Make sure you get him to a hospital. He needs medical attention,” I said to David. “Promise me.”

  “I promise,” David insisted as he held my gaze.

  “Dorian will go with you,” Eli said. “He’ll make sure you get out safely.”

  “What about you?” David asked. His eyes were on me.

  “I have to find Regina. I have to have to make sure I put an end to this.”

  A strange look built in his eyes. One of guilt and hope. “Good luck,” he said as he hoisted Alec in the air. “Thanks for not killing me after everything.”

  I didn’t say anything to him. How could I after what he’d done?

  “Go. Get Alec to the hospital,” Eli said. “Tate is waiting outside with the others. He’ll be able to give you a ride.”

  My eyes remained glued to Alec until he was out of sight. I hoped they got him to a hospital in time. I hoped he would be all right.

  “He followed us?” I asked Eli.

  “Yeah, he did. I’m glad too. If he hadn’t, I don’t know how I would’ve found you,” Eli said as he rubbed the back of his head. “You hit me good. I was out for a while.”

  “That was the point. If I didn’t knock you out, you wouldn’t have let me go. You would’ve taken on Neo and gotten yourself killed.”

  “Possibly.” He grinned. “Still, this isn’t something I’m ever going to let you live down. You have a lot of making up to do.” I adored the playful gleam in his eyes.

  I lifted to the tips of my toes and kissed him, ignoring the dizziness swimming through my head and the white-hot pain throbbing in my side. God, I was so glad he was here. I wasn’t sure how things would have panned out with Neo if he and Dorian hadn’t shown up when they did.

  “Okay, so what’s the plan now?” Eli asked as he broke our kiss.

  “I’m not sure,” I admitted. “All I know is we need to take Regina out. Well, this entire place really. The drugs she’s been making are also packaged for distribution here. I saw them being boxed up to the left once you get out of this door.”

  “You don’t have a plan?” Eli arched a brow. Did he not believe me, or was he cracking a joke? Making fun of Dorian and his desire to always have a plan maybe?

  “Nope. I’m winging it like I have everything else,” I said as I reached for the lab coat I’d tossed aside. Pain pinched at my ribs, but I ignored it. I pulled the coat on and rolled up the sleeves. “Wish I had some real clothes, though. I shredded the shirt Alec gave me the first time I went after Neo,” I said as I nodded to his ashes on the floor.

  Eli’s jaw clenched. “I can’t believe you went against that guy more than once. Hell, I can’t believe you took him on at all.”

  “I didn’t have a choice. I did what I had to,” I said, knowing he would’ve done the same.

  “I know.” Eli released a sigh. “Okay, so when we came in, I made some mental notes of the place. You’re right about the boxes to the left out this door. Also, a few humans seem to be walking around dazed. I didn’t see Regina, and I only spotted one vampire.”

  “I’m not sure where Regina is, but I know she’s not in this section of the building. Maybe she went upstairs. The other vampires too.”

  “Upstairs?”

  “Yeah. You must have come in through the door that’s down here. We were brought in an alternate way through a boutique clothing shop on the main strip in the city.”

  “We came in the way Tate told us to. He’d scoped the place out already and figured that was the best possible entry point.”

  “He’s right. There’s no telling what’s waiting upstairs for us,” I said. “We’d better get moving.”

  We exited the room, but before we crept toward the distribution area, I retrieved my ring and bracelet outside the door and slipped them back on. Out of the two more tasks I had left to complete tonight, taking out their supply was the one closest so I opted to check it off my list first.

  “That’s a lot of boxes,” Eli whispered as we grew closer.

  “No, that’s a lot of werewolf blood,” I seethed.

  I took count of the people standing around, trying to determine which were human and which were vampires. So far, there only seemed to be one vampire. At the moment, he was preoccupied with a video game on his cell. What was with Regina not having an adequate number of vampires hanging around to guard the place? Were they all her drug pushers instead?

  “Any ideas?” I whispered.

  “Actually, yeah.” Eli pointed to a barrel with a flammable sticker on the front of it. “See that? It’s hydraulic fluid. It’s most likely for the mechanisms that control that door. If we can get close enough, I can blow this place sky high with it.”

  It was a good plan, but I wasn’t sure I was ready for something that big and drastic. I needed to find Regina and take her out first.

  I opened my mouth to say something along those lines, but I spotted Regina before I could. She walked through a door on the opposite side of the room. Blood dripped from her chin. She wiped it away with a dainty hand and paused where she stood.

  “We can do it now and take out Regina at the same time,” Eli insisted as though it was the best luck we could have hoped for.

  I shook my head. “I don’t want to risk her surviving. I need to see her die.”

  My words sounded morbid, but I figured Eli understood where I was coming from when he nodded in agreement.

  “What do you want to do, then? I’m leaving it up to you; you’ve made it this far without needing my help.”

  I cast a sideways glance at him. “I did need your help…a few minutes ago actually.”

  “Not really. You would’ve taken that vampire out on your own just fine.” Pride rang in his words.

  “Anyway.” I shifted my attention back to Regina. She was talking to the vampire who’d been playing video games. From the look on her face, she wasn’t happy to see him doing nothing. God, she looked like such a bitch. A smile twitched at the corners of my lips. She wasn’t going to be around for much longer; I would see t
o it. I had an idea. “I want to take her out in the most justifiable way.”

  “What way is that?” Eli asked.

  “With a heavy dose of her own medicine, or in this case, her own product.”

  It seemed like poetic justice.

  “You mean you want to make her overdose on the drug she’s been making?” Eli asked. He sounded as though he liked the idea.

  “Exactly.”

  16

  “Well, that was the best high I’ve felt in a while,” Regina said. “Possibly ever. I wonder how my new tasty morsel is doing?”

  “Probably not good. All I can smell is blood,” the vamp who’d been playing video games said without looking up from his phone.

  Regina flashed him a disgusted look. “You idiot, you’re surrounded by blood. Of course that would be all you can smell.” She waved her hand toward boxes stacked inches from the ceiling.

  “Right, that makes sense,” the vampire said with a lazy nod of his head.

  Even across the room I could see Regina roll her eyes. I wondered if she were wishing she’d turned a smarter guy into one of her minions. This guy reminded me of a stoner.

  With a flip of her hair, Regina started to the room where she’d left me strapped to a chair.

  Shit.

  So much could go wrong in the next few moments. She could see the ashes of the vampire at the end of the hall Frank had taken out and freak. She could notice I wasn’t in the chair.

  Adrenaline pumped through my system as I waited for her to scream or react in some way to either. My mind raced with the multiple ways I could take her out from where I was but nothing seemed plausible.

  When she slipped into the room without noticing the vampire at the end of the hall was missing, I let out a long sigh of relief.

  “I was worried she’d see his ashes too,” Eli said. “We got lucky.”

  “Yeah. I’m pretty sure the moon goddess is getting sick of sending her luck my way. We need to get inside that room before Regina comes out and sounds the alarm. I’m supposed to be strapped to a chair in there.”