Hard to Find (Hell Hounds Harem Book 4)

by Briana Michaels

  Lucifer leaned back in his seat with a sigh. “Thanks, brother.”

  Uri shrugged and polished off the last of his fries. “We’re in this together, Luce.”

  The Devil’s smile was tight and didn’t reach his eyes. Uri meant well with his words, but Lucifer felt more alone now than he ever had before.

  Bishop needed some fresh air. He’d been sitting out on the patio for about two hours and kept looking back at the house, specifically at the window with the warm glow and silhouette that moved around every now and then.

  Flustered, he ran his hand through his hair, “You gotta stop, Hound. She’s so fucking off limits it’s not even funny.” Fuck, what he wouldn’t give for a cigarette right now. He quit smoking a decade ago, but times like this made a coffin stick sound so damn good. It would at least give his hands and mouth something to do that didn’t involve groping the female in the spare bedroom.

  Holy Hell, her curves. Her mouth. Her taste.

  Bishop had pinned Tilly to the wall, prepared to have his way with her right there in the motherfucking hallway. His dick was still hard from handling her like that. His body all rigid and pumped and desperate for a repeat of what they’d shared.

  She liked it. He smelled her desire right before Valor had ripped him off her. She fucking liked being pinned like that.

  Bishop should be ashamed of himself. He was, in a way. Mostly, though, the Hound just wanted to go scratching at her door and beg for her to let him in.

  Right between her sweet, thick thighs.

  “Fuckety fuck, it’s cold out here.” Bishop turned to see Tanner, a Hell Hound from a neighboring pack, come outside. “Thought I’d keep you company out here a while. Everyone’s inside.” Tanner walked over with one hand in his coat pocket and extended the other for Bishop to shake, “How’s it going?”

  “Not well,” Bishop frowned. “We have no leads, nothing that will bring us one step closer to finding what I did with the twins. And now we’ve got,” Bishop waved his hand up at the window that was the second from the left, “that up there to contend with.”

  Tanner looked up and chuckled, “She must be something special to have you two wound so fucking tight.”

  Bishop shrugged and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, “She’s something, that’s for sure.”

  “Jack filled us in on Tilly and also Valor’s suspicions that she’s linked to the twins somehow.”

  Bishop froze. Eyes narrowed, he tilted his head and lowered his voice, “What did he tell you about that?”

  Valor’s suspicions were news to him. As far as Bishop knew, Valor was only keeping her around because she had information they needed to get a book Valor wanted. His Alpha hadn’t said anything about Tilly being a link to the twins in any way. What the—

  Tanner shrugged, “I didn’t stay to fucking hear it all. I came out here to be with you instead. We’ve all been worried about you, Hound.” Tanner took a seat next to Bishop and they stared out at the covered pool, “How the hell do you like it here? It’s so fucking big.”

  “How can you stand your tiny farmhouse? It’s so small.”

  “We like it snug.” Tanner laughed, “Keeps us closer.”

  “We like it big, keeps us sane.”

  “Fair enough,” Tanner stretched and clasped his hands behind his head. He had a big, lazy smile on his face as they continued to stare at nothing special. “We find out the sex of the baby soon.”

  Now there’s a topic Bishop could get down with. Sara was the only female Hound and she was now pregnant. This was huge. “What do you want it to be?”

  “I don’t give a flying fuck. I just want him or her healthy. And preferably inherit my musical talents.”

  “You’re musically talented?” Bishop teased.

  Tanner flipped him the bird and they both laughed. Tanner’s skills were legendary among the packs. The Hound could play guitar and sing like a fallen angel. He didn’t do it often, but Eli once recorded Tanner when he wasn’t paying attention and it ended up getting blasted through the Hell Hound chain of communication. Tanner rocked their worlds when they heard his voice. It was raw and deep and demanding, just like the Hound himself. Bishop still had a copy of it saved to his laptop and played it when he needed to be reminded of what they were all here for.

  “Being a Hound isn’t always easy,” Bishop looked down at his boots and sighed. “I forget what I am sometimes.”

  “You’ve been through a lot, Bishop, especially these last few months. Shit’s gonna take it’s fucking toll eventually. But you’re going to find them.”

  Tanner’s hopefulness made Bishop flinch. “I’m starting to think we never will.”

  “Been there, done that, and now look where we are.”

  Bishop nodded and bit his tongue. He really was preaching to the choir right now. Not long ago, Tanner’s pack ended a five-year hunt for their woman, Sara. They’d found her at a club, of all places, and she didn’t have a clue who she was, why she was there, or even who they were. That was the beginning of one hell of a mystery, which ended in a lot of loss.

  Now, Lucifer was a mess, Bishop’s pack was broken, Hounds were separating from their packs to form new ones, and Sara was having a baby.

  Fuck, he couldn’t imagine bringing a child into this way of life. Part of him was elated for Tanner and the other Hounds in his pack, for Bishop knew they would be the best dads in the world. The other part of Bishop was relieved to not have such responsibilities again. Children were—

  “We should head in and see what’s going on,” Tanner stood, white clouds puffing out of his mouth as he exhaled. “I’m freezing my balls off out here.”

  Bishop nodded silently and went in first. Tanner left the sliding door slightly ajar and asked, “Want me to leave it cracked open?”

  “No,” the Hound said softly. “I’ll be okay.”

  That was a lie Bishop had been telling himself for so long now, he almost believed it.

  Chapter 21

  Tilly sat at the kitchen table with her arms crossed over her chest. Valor leaned against the counter with a scowl on his face. A bunch of new people were there too, one of whom she recognized as Jack – the guy who came to the hospital to help her. He was talking with a dude named Kalen and pointing at something in a book, while the other two new faces, Sara and Eli, plated food.

  Movement caught Tilly’s attention by the doorway. Bishop and a super cute blond guy walked in. “Hey, I’m Tanner,” Mr. Big Smiles stretched his arm over the table to shake Tilly’s hand. “How’s it going in here with our Voodoo Man?”

  Like he lived there, Tanner plopped down at the table and leaned over to see what Kalen and Jack were looking at. Something started to knock the underside of the table – it was Tanner’s knee.

  Sara walked over and calmly placed her hand on Tanner’s shoulder, “All that energy, Sunshine Boy. Where do you get it?”

  Tanner wrapped his arms around Sara’s middle and kissed her belly.

  Sara’s head tilted back as she laughed, then she grunted and gasped. “Holy shit. She moved.”

  “She?” Valor spoke up, “Do ye ken the sex so soon?”

  “No,” Sara walked around the table, “I don’t have a clue. But it feels like a she.”

  Tilly sat in silence while watching Sara touch and caress all four of the men she’d come with. They didn’t look jealous or angry or shitty about it. As a matter of fact, it was just the opposite. As Sara tried to pass Kalen, he grabbed her by the waist and sat her on his lap. “Enough work. You need rest.”

  Sara twisted around and kissed him. Like… kissed him. Tilly looked away and tried to find something else to distract her. Unfortunately, her eyes latched onto Bishop who was leaning against the doorway. The air rushed out of Tilly on a sharp exhale. Bishop’s mouth almost curved into a smile as his eyes continued to keep her pinned to her seat, much like he’d been able to keep her pinned to the wall earlier.

  Tilly shook off the fluttery feeling in h
er belly and refocused on whatever Jack had just said to her. “Huh?”

  “I said, I can only think of one spell, but it’s not guaranteed to work. It’s only guaranteed to hurt like hell.”

  “Okay,” she responded automatically to Jack. Pain, she could do. Dying, she really didn’t want to do. Besides, most spells came at a cost and they usually didn’t tickle. Rolling her shoulders back, Tilly swept the loose hairs away from her face and said, “Let’s do this.”

  “No.” Valor growled from behind her. “You’ll give us the address of the man who took the book before I allow a spell to be done on ye.”

  Tilly grew hot with anger. “You’ll cure me first. Then you’ll get the information.”

  Valor slowly stalked towards her. They glared at one another and she gripped the edge of the kitchen table to steady herself. The last thing she wanted was for her hand to accidently bitch slap the bastard.

  “I doona think it’s a good idea for this to be done,” Valor said in low tones, “Ye canna tell what will happen to ye and I need that address.”

  He and Tilly started screaming at one another and Valor slammed his hand on the table. “You’re fucking kidding me with this right? Just give me the name, Matilda Jane! Or the location! We’ve gotten ye this far, haven’t we? Och, we’ll follow through, but I want that goddamned address first.”

  “And if the spell doesn’t work?” Tilly argued.

  “We’ll try something else.”

  Tilly didn’t believe him. She knew damn well the minute they got the information they wanted, these men would leave her in the dust. She couldn’t afford that right now. In all the traveling she’d done, in all the circles she’d danced in, none were as potently magical as these guys. And, shit! They had friends who were even more adept at spells than Tilly had ever seen in her life! They were her best chance at finding a cure and she wasn’t going to lose her leverage.

  “I get cured, then you get your name.”

  Valor roared, grabbed a plate from the counter and threw it against the wall. Food splattered all over the place and everyone started shouting.

  Bishop and Val started screaming at each other. Sara stood by the fridge with her hands on her hips lecturing about wasting perfectly good Chinese food. Tanner and Eli started cleaning up the mess and Tilly grabbed Jack’s arm and begged, “Please help me.”

  “Then help them,” Jack replied.

  Tilly looked over at Valor again. “You’re an asshole!” she screamed. Pushing away from the table, she stuck her finger in his face, “You have no idea what you’re asking of me. My sister’s in danger! I’m in danger!”

  “Och, I ken it!” Valor snarled. “I’m trying to help ye!”

  “You’re not helping me; you’re fucking using me. You don’t give a shit if I live or die. You don’t even know me.” She was so mad, she wanted to scream, so she did. Tilly filled her lungs with air and let a roar shred her motherfucking throat. “If you get that book you’ll be gone. Or worse, you’ll use it and then bad things will happen to you and you’re my only goddamn shot at breaking this fucking curse.”

  Someone walked by in a flash of black and she didn’t bother to look and see who’d just left the room. Her eyes were all for Valor right now.

  “I need that book, Matilda Jane. With or without ye, I’m going to get it.” Valor grabbed her shoulders and shook her. “And doona speak as if ye ken my intentions, woman. I said I’d help ye and I fucking will. But you’re not the only one in dire need right now!” He released her and she tore off through the kitchen. If she stayed in that room any longer, she wasn’t sure what she’d do.

  With no place to run to and no hope of finding help, Tilly marched out of the house, dropped to her knees in the front yard, and screamed for all she was worth.

  Valor could hear Matilda Jane screaming outside. Every inch of his body grew tense as she let out her anger and sorrow. The night was cold, they were calling for snow, and he wanted her back inside the house.

  He didn’t say that though. Nor did he chase after her. When Bishop tried, Valor barked an order for him to stop and remain in the kitchen with the rest of them.

  “Jesus fucking Christ, Val,” Eli shook his head, “What the hell is wrong with you?”

  Valor didn’t need to explain himself to Eli or anyone else at the table. Then he took a look at Sara and his insides twisted. “She’s got herself into a bad place,” he said gruffly, “and I fear that trying whatever this spell is will only harm her further.”

  “Better hurt than dead,” Sara said.

  Valor’s smile was cruel and heartless, “Says the lass who ended up hurt, then dead. Twice.”

  Sara rolled her eyes, “It worked out in the end.”

  “I doona want to see the lass hurt more than she’s been already.” He plopped himself down into a chair and rubbed his face with both hands.

  “Who is she to you, Val?” Kalen asked cautiously. “I mean, you only just met her, right? Or am I missing something here?”

  “Aye, we just met,” he said, “but I’ve a feeling there’s more to the lass than meets the eye. She was there the night I was told to go to The Blue Lizard.”

  “Which is a coincidence,” Tanner shrugged. “I wouldn’t read too much into that. I mean, I get it, Hound. You’re reaching for straws because that’s all that’s left, but—”

  “Ye doona understand,” Valor leaned in.

  “Then explain it to us,” Jack sat back in his chair and crossed his arms. “You and Bishop have done nothing but hunt for the twins and all of a sudden you’ve switched directions and are all about this woman. What gives? Is she connected to the twins’ disappearance somehow?”

  Valor scratched the side of his face, “I’m not sure.”

  “What does your gut say?”

  “My gut says I’m running out of time.”

  Kalen tossed his hands up in the air, “Then why are you wasting time with this woman?”

  Again, Valor didn’t have a good answer. “I want to help her.” Valor met the eyes of each Hound, “You didna see her place. It was so bare and,” he had no right to share her business.

  “Go on,” Jack urged.

  Fuck it. “She had a lock on her closet door. On the inside.”

  Sara made an mmph noise. Eli whistled low.

  “And there was this as well,” Valor pulled a wooden spoon out of his back pocket. “It has teeth marks. I found it in her closet on the floor. This woman knows suffering. She’s endured it for a long time, I believe.”

  “Shit.”

  “Fuck.”

  “Jesus.”

  “Holy Hell.”

  “I get it now,” Sara said softly. “You want to help her because you can’t help Baz and Drake. You’re saving who you can, because you can’t save the ones you want to.”

  Valor’s hackles raised. “Saving her is a means to an end. She has information I want. I’ll save her, aye, only after she gives me what I want first. My priority is my pack. She’s the start to getting what I want and nothing more.”

  “Valor,” Bishop warned. They all looked up and saw Tilly standing at the doorway with fresh tears staining her face.

  Val expected her to say something, but she just stood there with her chin trembling as she glared. Then she stuck her middle finger up at him and walked away again.

  Valor wasn’t insulted. He was too busy feeling sorry for her. When she walked away, he let her go and refocused on the visiting pack. Tanner went missing at some point and Valor let that slide too and didn’t go after him.

  “What’s so important about this address you want from her, Val?” Kalen’s green gaze was cool and cautious.

  “It’s none of your concern, Wolf.”

  Jack shut his book and growled right along with Kalen. “If you want our help, you bloody well better give us all the details, Hound. We’re in this together. You helped us look for our Sara, we’re going to continue helping you look for Baz and Drake. If you have a lead, we should know
about it.”

  Valor didn’t want to share the specifics with this pack. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust them, it was that he didn’t want them to suffer the consequences of going after what Valor was seeking. This book was a dangerous thing. A forbidden tome, most likely. It’s why he didn’t go racing to Lucifer about it earlier. If the Devil learned that one of his Hell Hounds tried to use this level of dark magic, he wouldn’t just be furious, he’d be apocalyptic.

  Valor had every intention of answering for his actions alone. Not even Bishop would be part of this quest, which was another reason why Valor wanted to keep Tilly around. She could distract Bishop while Valor went after the book and worked any spells he thought might help him find the twins.

  Bishop shoved away from the table, “I need air.”

  Tanner strolled back into the kitchen waving a handful of papers. “I did some research on this Marco dude. He’s got several houses around the world, but his primary residence is in South Carolina. Mid-fifties. Rich as fuck. Active in his church community and has a thing for Portuguese death metal bands.”

  Valor gawked, speechless.

  Tanner grabbed a plate of food from the counter before sitting down and handing the papers over to Valor. He munched on an egg roll while he said, “It’s crazy how much you learn on social media about people.”

  “How the hell did ye get all this?”

  Tanner finished his bite and shrugged, “Tilly gave me the name. I looked it up on your computer.”

  Flabbergasted, Valor stared at the printouts. “How did ye get on my computer?” And why would Matilda Jane suddenly shared information?

  “Seriously?” Tanner frowned, “Did he just ask me – me – how I got onto his computer?” He tossed a fortune cookie at Valor, “Hound, passwords can’t stop me.”

  The fortune cookie bounced off Valor’s chest and hit the floor. He was too stunned to respond with a snarky comment. Val’s gaze roamed over the print outs, his heart hammering as he read over the small bit of new information he now had.