Dirty Blood

by Heather Hildenbrand

“Where are we going exactly?” I asked, as we climbed into Miles’s car.

  “Lake Anna. An informant for The Cause lives there. He may have heard something.” Miles revved the engine and put the car into gear, easing us forward. A hand slammed down on the hood and Miles stomped on the brake. Wes stood in the way, his hard expression illuminated by the car’s headlights, and making him look even more dangerous. Slowly, he came around to my side and wrenched open the door to the backseat. He slid inside and slammed the door shut again behind him.

  “Odd number. Jack said I could tag along with you guys,” he said.

  “I thought I made myself clear,” I said, turning in my seat.

  “You want to argue, take it up with Jack, but we’re wasting time.”

  I looked to Miles, waiting for him to demand that Wes get out, but he just nodded at Wes evenly and eased the car into gear again.

  “You’re not going to say anything?” I asked him.

  “He’s right, we shouldn’t be wasting time. Besides, we need to work together if you want your mother back.”

  I slumped back into my seat, arms folded, biting my lip. Miles was right. My love life wasn’t a priority right now. My mother was. I’d have to put aside my feelings until this was over.

  Dirt and gravel flew up behind us as Miles picked up speed down the driveway. At the intersection for the main road, the tires spun and then caught as we turned onto the asphalt.

  “What’s your first stop?” Wes asked.

  Miles’s eyes flicked to Wes by way of the rearview. “Our informant in Lake Anna,” he answered after a beat.

  “Fleck? He turned on us,” said Wes.

  “He’s sworn allegiance again.”

  “Right, like he did the last three times. His information isn’t even remotely reliable.”

  Miles’s expression tightened. “What would you suggest?”

  “Donovan Harding.”

  “You think he knows something?”

  “He’s a better gamble than Fleck.”

  “Not by much,” argued Miles. “He’s too new.”

  “But he wasn’t for their side, even before. He’s always been neutral.”

  “That’s my point. How would he know anything about Leo?”

  “He knows Benny.”

  Miles considered that. “All right,” he finally agreed. “We’ll try him first.” He took a left at the light, putting us on Route 1, heading back to town.

  “Who’s Donovan Harding?” I asked, directing my attention to Miles.

  Wes answered before Miles could. “A recent addition to The Cause. It’s taken years of coaxing to get him to commit, though. He’s always proclaimed himself Switzerland in all of this, saying he didn’t want to put his family in danger by officially picking a side.”

  “So what makes you think he’d rat Leo out? Wouldn’t that put his family in danger if Leo ever found out?”

  “Exactly,” said Miles, glancing at Wes in the mirror again. Wes didn’t answer.

  We rode in silence for a while. I felt Miles’s gaze wandering to me a couple of times, which gave me the same creepy vibe I’d gotten the day we’d met in Jack’s backyard, like he was sizing me up. But I wasn’t going to make a big deal since that would wind up leaving me with Wes; and I was determined not to cave on where I stood with that. Things had to change if he expected me to forgive him. For those reasons, the air inside the car felt thick.

  I pressed the automatic window button and rolled it all the way down. I rested my head on my arms and closed my eyes against the brisk breeze that hit my face. I realized the sun had slid to the other side of the sky and glanced over at the clock. It was midafternoon. Time was slipping away, and I had to fight the urge to panic with every minute that passed without news of my mother.

  “We’re almost there,” said Miles, a few minutes later. He blew through the yellow light to make the turn and wound through the neighborhood. He halted at the curb hard enough to push me against the seat belt before thumping back again. Across the street was a small one-story house with a black minivan parked in the driveway. I recognized the house.

  “This is it?” I asked in disbelief.

  “Yes, why?” Miles asked.

  “I know the kid who lives here. He goes to my school. Mason…”

  “Harding,” Wes finished for me. “I know. Donovan’s his father.”

  “They’re Werewolves,” I realized. “Wow.” I shook my head. There were probably other kids at school who were a part of this world, living a lie, just like me. Strange that I’d never felt it before. Or maybe I had, passing the tinglies off as being cold.

  “You or me?” Miles asked Wes.

  “Both. It’ll be more intimidating, if it comes to that,” Wes said.

  Miles nodded in understanding and looked at me. “We’ll be back in a minute.”

  “What? No, I’m coming with you guys,” I said, unbuckling my seat belt.

  “Not a good idea,” said Miles.

  “You can’t,” said Wes, at the same time.

  “Why not?” I demanded.

  Wes ran a hand through his hair, making it stick up haphazardly, and ruining the carefully mussed look he always wore. “Look, Donovan’s priority is to protect his family. Information is one thing. Housing Enemy Number One is another. If you show up at his door, it could freak him out enough to keep him from talking to us.”

  I glanced at Miles, but he nodded in agreement.

  I sighed. “Fine.” Miles got out and went around to rummage in the trunk, for a weapon, I assumed.

  Wes slid out and shut his door. He turned, leaning down into my open window. Gently, he raised his hand and brushed his fingers over my cheek. His eyes burned into mine and my pulse sped. “Tara, do you think I want to leave you alone right now? Even for a second? I don’t. Having you out of my sight is going to be just as hard for me as it is for you. Why do you think I came with you, knowing how much you didn’t want me here? If I could bring you inside right now, I would, but it won’t work. Not if you want to find your mom. So give me five minutes, okay? Can you do that?”

  “Okay,” I whispered. I couldn’t bring myself to argue with him.

  “Let me see the gun.” I reached into my jacket pocket and handed it to him. He took it and pointed it at the windshield. He pulled the chamber back and inspected it, and then let it click shut again. “Okay, it’s loaded. Here, this is the safety. It’s on right now, so if you try to shoot, nothing will happen. If you need to use it, press this button first. Then, just aim and pull the trigger, okay?” He handed it back to me and showed me the tiny black button.

  “Okay,” I agreed reluctantly. I took the weapon and held it gingerly, careful to keep it pointed away. It felt awkward in my hands.

  “I’ll be right back,” he promised. He straightened and fell into step beside Miles, moving toward the Harding residence.

  Miles rang the bell and a moment later, a man answered. He was tall and broad shouldered, and he immediately reminded me of an older version of Mason. His expression, upon seeing Wes, wasn’t pleasant. They exchanged a few words, and then the man stepped back and Wes and Miles disappeared inside.

  I faced forward again and scanned the empty street, focusing on movement rather than detail. I didn’t see anything but my breath came quicker and my mind was on alert for any tingly feelings. Several minutes passed. A high-pitched beep broke the silence, and I jumped and clutched at the gun handle. I willed myself to relax and reached for my cell phone with my free hand. A text sent from my mother’s phone lit up the screen and my breath caught. I opened the text with shaky fingers and read the message. “No fun without you. Wish you were here. Love, Leo.”

  I stared at the screen until the light faded to black and the words disappeared. A dull aching was growing, at my temples. I knew Leo was only trying to get to me, with his vague and ominous messages. The problem was, it was working. The hand that held the gun squeezed tighter on the handle, in fear and impatience. With m
y other hand, I illuminated the screen once more to check the time. Wes had thirty seconds left or I was going in. Part of me hoped he didn’t come out in time so I could go looking for a fight. Anger was mixing with the anxiety, and my muscles were itching to move, preferably with force.

  Just as I was about to go looking, the front door opened and Wes appeared, Miles in tow. Behind them, Donovan stood in the doorway, a deep scowl on his face. Watching him, I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. Wes pulled open his car door and climbed inside. With the gust of cold air came the tingling, and I kept my eyes trained on the man at the door. He didn’t move, just watched with a frown as Miles got in and started the car. When we pulled away, the man finally closed the door.

  I watched the house grow smaller and smaller behind us through the car’s side mirror, my muscles only relaxing when it finally disappeared. “How’d it go?” I asked.

  “We have to go see someone else,” said Wes.

  I didn’t answer, and Miles glanced over at me, his brow wrinkling slightly at my expression. “Everything okay?” he asked.

  “I got another message from Leo.”

  His gaze swiveled from the road to my face. “What kind of message?”

  “A text. It came from my mom’s phone.”

  “What did it say?” Wes asked, his tone sharp. He shifted in his seat and leaned forward.

  I hit the button to illuminate the screen on my phone so he could read it over my shoulder. “‘No fun without you. Wish you were here,’” I recited, for Miles’s benefit. I managed to say it with a little bit of sarcasm, but I couldn’t help but feel the threat in them, too. I had no doubt this was a game, one where Leo made the rules and all of the moves—so far.

  “He’s messing with your head,” Miles said. “Just remember what Vera said. She’s not hurt. We know that, at least.”

  “We know more than that,” I said pointedly. “I can’t believe she thought he’d leave me alone if she did this.”

  “What are you talking about?” Wes asked, still hovering just behind me.

  He was close enough to touch, and I purposely kept my face forward, staring at the road ahead. “My mom left a note. Fee found it in my room when they came to get me. She says she went with Leo to protect me. That he promised to leave me alone if she went willingly.” I shook my head. “And she believed him.”

  “I’m sure she had her reasons,” said Wes.

  “Like what?”

  “I don’t know, but I think you should at least give her a chance to explain.”

  “Right, I forgot, you’re on her side,” I snapped. He didn’t answer. “And you?” I said, glaring at Miles. “Do you think she should be able to sacrifice herself for me, without my permission?”

  “That depends,” he said carefully.

  “On what?” I demanded.

  “On if it would really work. And without your permission, obviously it hasn’t. But … would you sacrifice yourself for her?”

  “In a second.”

  “It’s the same concept,” he said.

  Behind me, Wes snorted.

  I ignored him. “Where are we going?”

  Miles shot a glance in the rearview, apparently realizing by whatever Wes’s expression was that he wasn’t going to answer. “A guy we know. Not exactly elite society, and a Werewolf, so this should be interesting.”

  “Will he try to attack?” I asked.

  This time, Wes did answer. “He’ll be curious about you, but he’s not the violent type, so just stay close and try not to talk too much. Either way, in this neighborhood, we can’t leave you in the car.”

  I didn’t ask why because, frankly, I was just glad to be in on the action this time. By now, we had woven through downtown and come out the other side. This part of town wasn’t so great. On one side of the road were run-down, three-story apartment buildings with darkened side streets; on the other was the river. Through my open window, I could hear the rushing of water over rock. The smell of garbage hung in the air. Miles turned onto one of the side streets and parked along the curb behind a rusted-out Nissan. It was by far the best-looking car on the block. Up ahead at the corner, a group of guys in baggy sweatshirts huddled in a group, swigging from bottles. Sirens sounded in the distance and then faded away.

  I reached down and grabbed the gun again—this time without any prodding from Wes. I started to reach for the door handle but Wes’s voice stopped me.

  “Stay close to me, and don’t talk to anyone, even if they talk to you. And pull your hood up.”

  “Why?”

  “Just do it. Put the gun in your pocket but keep your hand on it. Ready?”

  I yanked my hair free of its ponytail so I my hood would stay in place and adjusted my grip on the gun. I slipped it into my left pocket and got out. I found Wes watching me. Something in his expression settled the raging in my head, and I heard myself say, “Ready.”

  “Let’s go.”

  I followed Wes from the car and fell into step between him and Miles on the sidewalk across the street. Following Wes’s lead, I kept my head down as we passed the group of guys on the opposite corner. They were laughing loudly at something one of them had said. I could tell the moment they spotted us. The laughter died, and their voices got louder.

  “Hey,” one of them called. “Is that Miguel over there? What’s up, Miguel?”

  “That’s not Miguel,” said another. “He’s serving his last three days this weekend.”

  “Who is it then, JR?” said a third.

  “Keep walking,” Wes whispered. “Don’t look up.”

  Miles slowed his pace and fell back, walking behind us. I did as Wes said and kept my head down, peeking out the edges of my hood at the group of guys as we passed them.

  “Hey, I’m talking to you,” the first speaker yelled after us, with an edge in his voice now.

  Wes picked up the pace, and we ducked around the corner of a building and out of sight. I exhaled in relief as we hurried out of earshot. I knew there was no reason to be scared—I could have taken on the entire group myself. But that didn’t mean I would feel good about it after.

  We were well into the alley and the light was dimmer here, the sun blocked by the walls. Either that, or it just refused to shine in a neighborhood like this. A thick layer of grime covered the brick walls of the surrounding buildings, broken up by graffiti in bright reds and greens. Most of it was curse words, some spelled wrong. There were no windows until the second floor and those were all boarded up. The ones above were yellowed and blurred with age.

  We reached the end and Wes stopped. Miles was still close behind; I saw him glance back down the alley before turning to look at Wes.

  “They’re following,” said Miles.

  “I know,” said Wes.

  Wes headed for the entrance. Miles and I followed. Inside, the way was split in two. A narrow hallway lit by a single hanging bulb ran the length of the building. To my right, a set of scuffed linoleum stairs wound out of sight. Wes walked to a weathered door halfway down the hall and knocked. I joined him, and we waited in silence. A minute later, it opened a crack, pulled tight against the still-fastened chain. Immediately, my skin tingled and my anxiety peaked.

  A pair of green eyes, obviously female, stared out at us. Her face was browned by either a tan or birth, I couldn’t tell which, and I saw strands of jet-black hair sticking out from underneath the blue ski cap she wore. Goosebumps rose on my arms.

  “What?” she snapped.

  “I need to see Benny,” Wes said, unconcerned with her cold welcome.

  “Who are you?”

  “Tell him Wes is here.”

  “Who’s she?” the girl asked, eyeing me.

  “She’s with me.” Wes’s voice took on an edge of impatience.

  She scowled and slammed the door with a thud. Once the door closed, the tingling faded by a few inches, but it didn’t disappear. I had a feeling it wouldn
’t unless I left—or ended the source of it. Wes exchanged a quick look with Miles, who’d hung back out of sight during the exchange, and then Miles slid silently back outside.

  “She’s a wolf,” I whispered.

  “I know.” The words were matter-of-fact, but his tone was just the opposite. I could hear the stress it was causing him to bring me here. For a split second, I thought about taking his hand or making some small reassuring gesture, but a voice inside my head responded with a resounding “bad idea, Tara,” and I stopped myself. It had to be all or nothing, and I couldn’t let Wes think I’d settle for anything else.

  The chain behind the door scraped against wood, and the door swung open. This time, a man stood on the threshold. He had dirty blond hair that looked like it hadn’t seen a shampoo bottle since the ’90s, a smudged T-shirt that read “Virginia Is for Lovers,” and a faded pair of blue jeans that hung way too low on his hips, considering he wore his boxers so loose on the waistline. He was grinning from ear to ear.

  “Wes, get in here, you asshole,” he said, motioning us inside with a swoop of his arm. “What the hell are you doing here at this time of night? Don’t you know what could happen to your pretty little car down here?”

  Wes stepped forward. “Benny, it’s the middle of the day and you and I both know my car is fine where I parked it unless you say it isn’t.”

  “Day, night, can’t tell the difference anymore, except once a month.” Benny wiggled his eyebrows, and his eyes flicked to me. He stopped and stared. “What’s this?” he asked, though his tone was far more curious than angry.

  Wes sidestepped, blocking me from Benny, his body language sending a message. “This is Tara. She’s with me.”

  Benny glanced back and forth between us with interest. Then he grinned, and the tingling along my arms increased at the sight of it; it wasn’t an unfriendly smile, but it was definitely one I didn’t trust. “Interesting. So are you trying to restart your father’s council, or you just couldn’t get a date with your own kind?” He laughed at his own joke and then moved on when he saw Wes’s expression darken. “Well, either way, come in. It’s been awhile. We can get caught up.”

  He led us into the living room, which consisted of a couch and two armchairs, all sagging in the middle, and all a nice shade of dirt brown. At least I hoped dirt was the color and not the condition of the furniture. I perched softly on the cushion and settled in slowly; I had a high suspicion a cloud of dust might rise up around me if I sat too hard. Wes sat next to me, and I was careful not to touch him. Benny might be laughing, but underneath the curiosity was disapproval when he’d looked at me. I couldn’t afford to ruin this lead before seeing where it took us.

  Benny sank into one of the armchairs, which seemed to sag a little more than the other, and leaned forward to grab a glass off the grimy coffee table. He sipped generously on whatever honey-colored liquid was inside and then held it out to us.

  “You want?”

  “No,” Wes answered.

  I shook my head and then glanced around. There was no sign of the dark-haired girl who’d answered the door, which put me on edge since there weren’t many places she could be in this tiny apartment. My guess was behind one of the doors that lined the too-short hallway, just off the living room. Both were closed and no sound came from behind either.

  “So, aren’t you going to tell me about your date?” Benny asked, gesturing toward me with his cup. He downed another swig.

  “This is Tara. I’m sure you’ve heard the name,” Wes answered. His tone was casual, but I could still hear the edge behind it.

  “Should I have?” Benny took another gulp.

  “Depends on who you hang with these days.”

  “I don’t hang with anybody. They’re all so boring. Nobody likes to party anymore.” Benny’s voice was almost a whine. “But, then again,” he added, perking up, “nobody could party like you.”

  I clamped my jaw shut so it wouldn’t hang open in shock, or worse, speak out loud. Wes, a partier? No way.

  “Benny, I didn’t come here to party. I need some information,” Wes said.

  “Like what?” Benny leaned back and emptied the remaining contents of his glass.

  “Like the kidnapping of a human woman earlier tonight.”

  “Why would I know anything about that? Or care?”

  Wes’s jaw tightened. “Don’t play games with me, Benny. I’m not in a good mood.”

  “When are you ever in a good mood, anymore? You used to be in a good mood all the time when you hung out with me.”

  “I’m serious. Tell me what you know.”

  Benny’s eyes were wide with feigned innocence—and glassy with alcohol. “I don’t know anything about it.”

  “Funny, I heard different.”

  “From who?” Benny leaned forward, setting the glass down with a sharp thud.

  “Doesn’t matter.” Wes shook his head. “I’d have come to you, anyway. We both know if it’s dirty or crooked, you’ve got your nose in it.”

  Benny tried for a smile and wagged his eyebrows. “You’re right. The dirtier, the better. Just ask—”

  “Benny.” Wes shot him a warning look.

  Benny’s shoulders sagged and for a minute I thought he was going to give in. Then he turned and glared at me. “What does she have to do with this?” He jerked a thumb in my direction.

  “Don’t worry about it. Who did the kidnapping?”

  “I don’t know.” His tone was flippant, like a stubborn child.

  Wes didn’t answer, except to stare stonily back at Benny.

  “Look, I don’t know what you heard, but they lied. Do I look like someone who has connections?” He finished by gesturing to the apartment around him.

  Wes snorted. “You’ve always looked like this, and you’ve always had connections, so don’t try to play me. Just tell me who did the kidnapping. Last chance.”

  Benny didn’t answer. From where I sat, I could feel the muscles gathering and tensing in Wes’s arms and legs. Still, he waited.

  Benny shifted in his chair and after trying, and failing, to hold out under Wes’s heavy gaze, his grin faded, and his voice became a low whine. “C’mon, Wes, I can’t tell you what I don’t know. Look, why don’t we all just have a drink and—”

  Wes didn’t let him finish. In a blink, he was over the coffee table and on Benny. He grabbed Benny by the shirt and hauled him out of the chair, throwing him against the wall. The sound of Benny’s head cracking the plaster made a muted thud. Small chips of drywall broke loose, and I watched the dust and debris float to the floor, stunned by how quick Wes had moved.

  “Tell me what you know,” Wes growled, his face inches from Benny’s.

  Everything happened fast after that. Wes’s shoulders started shaking and Benny’s face transformed from a look of surprise to a violent scowl. I reached down and grabbed for one of the wooden stakes in my boot just as the dark-haired girl appeared from the hall. I saw her expression change from confusion to rage as she surveyed the scene. She turned with her lips curled back in a wordless growl and ran at me. She took three strides and launched herself over the furniture, transforming into a shiny black wolf in midair.

  “Kat!” Benny shouted.

  I sidestepped at the last second, and just barely missed her extended claws. They hit carpet instead, leaving holes and exposed threads where they grabbed. Her head whipped around and when her eyes found mine, her lips curled back, revealing gleaming fangs. I backed up a few more steps, toward the kitchen, hoping for a more open space to move in. Out of the corner of my eye, Wes and Benny were barely hanging onto their human forms. Wes still held Benny pinned to the wall and both of them shook and quivered with the effort of staying human.

  “Not enough room, Benny,” Wes warned.

  Then Kat was coming at me again. I gripped the stake in my hand and fell into a crouch, sidestepping again, looking for an opening. She led her attacks with her teeth, and there wasn’t r
eally room to maneuver around them so I was forced to sidestep or retreat. The problem was, there wasn’t really room for that, either. About three seconds later, my back hit the fridge, and I realized I had nowhere else to go. I was barely managing to hold her gnashing fangs away from my face with fistfuls of her fur. Her green eyes bored into mine with malice and her stale breath hit my face in angry, exerted puffs. I could feel my grip slipping and I knew when it did, I probably wouldn’t move fast enough to get out of her way before she bit me. After that, I’d be no good to the rescue mission. I couldn’t let that happen.

  Gathering all my strength, I pushed as hard as I could one-handed against her weight, concentrating mainly on keeping her teeth out of my flesh. With the other hand, I dove into my pocket for the gun and ran my fingers over it. I felt a small click against the metal and prayed it was the safety. Then, I curved my hand around the cold metal and whipped it out. I shoved it hard against her shoulder and pulled the trigger. The momentum from the shot shoved me harder against the fridge; the handle dug into my back, and I winced. A ringing in my ears began, echoing the blast like a sonic boom.

  Kat staggered back and swayed, her expression full of disbelief. “You shot me.” She staggered again, almost fell, but managed to catch herself on the wall. She leaned against it and slid down, panting hard and eyeing me.

  I didn’t answer her right away; I was surprised to see fear in her expression. I hesitated, an idea forming. I turned back to Wes. There was no way I could voice what I was thinking. He would just have to figure it out.

  I turned back to Kat with as fierce a look as I could muster and stared her down. “It hurts, doesn’t it?” I said, with what I hoped was a thick layer of malice in my voice. Then I turned and locked eyes with Benny. “Let him change, Wes,” I said in a smooth voice, almost teasing. It took a minute for Benny to respond. He kept looking from me to Kat and back at me again, his body frozen still. I stared at him while he took it in and made sure to keep my expression hard, my breathing even, while I watched his gaze flicker from her to me.

  “You shot her,” Benny said.

  “You want me to let him change?” Wes asked, the doubt clear in his voice.

  I had no idea if Wes could see the bluff I was going for, but it didn’t matter. If he didn’t, and Benny changed, I’d follow through. The feel of the gun in my hand made me confident enough, under the circumstances.

  “Yes,” I answered, turning my voice to a whine and doing my best to achieve a pout. “Kat doesn’t want to play anymore.” To prove my point, I didn’t even bother glancing at her as I said her name. I kept my eyes on Benny and smiled at him. “Do you want to play, Benny?”

  “What the hell …” Benny said.

  “If that’s what you want,” Wes said. Abruptly, he let go of Benny’s shirt and stepped back. “What’s it going to be, Benny? You can tell me what I want to know, or you can play with Tara.”

  Benny looked back and forth between us, clearly trying to decide whether Wes was serious. Then his gaze flickered to Kat, who lay hunched over in the corner, whimpering. Blood seeped out of her shoulder and onto the carpet, leaving a bright red stain.

  “What are you?” he asked, turning back to me.

  I tilted my head to the side, still in character, but inside I was confused. There was almost a note of awe in his voice. “I think you know I’m a Hunter,” I said.

  Benny’s brows knitted in confusion. “Not like any I’ve seen. You feel … different.”

  I shrugged. “I’m just better.”

  Benny looked back at Wes again, as if for confirmation. Like me, Wes just shrugged. A second later, Benny’s shoulders sagged, and I knew it was over.

  “Okay, here’s what I know,” he began. “There’s a guy—name’s DeLuca. He’s been coming around, asking if I know you.” He nodded to Wes. “Asking me how long I’ve known you and have I met your little girlfriend over here. Just wanted information on you. I didn’t know much—I mean, we haven’t hung out for a long time. But he paid well and he was one of us. Said he just wanted to look you up, so I told him a little bit.” He glanced nervously at Wes again. “Just past stuff, nothing recent or personal or anything,” he added.

  “Then what?” Wes asked.

  “He kept coming back, and one night he brought Kat with him. Said she was new around here and could I be a friend to her. He said all I had to do was find him an empty place nearby, something untraceable where he couldn’t be bothered. So I did it. But I don’t know anything about a kidnapping, okay? I swear. That’s all I know.”

  “Where’s the place?” Wes asked.

  Benny hesitated.

  “Benny,” Wes prompted.

  “He said he’d kill us if I told anyone,” Benny whined.

  “And if you don’t tell us—” Wes shot a pointed look to where I stood.

  “Fine.” Benny sighed. “It’s a warehouse. 700 Gordon Road.”

  Wes dug out his cell and dialed a number. “Jack. I need Fee to babysit … Uh-huh. I’m at Benny’s … That’s fine. We’ll wait …” He gave our address and ended the call. Then he turned to Kat, eyeing her wound. “You want some help with that?”

  Kat whimpered.

  Wes took a step towards her.

  I glared at her and stayed where I was; this time my wariness had nothing to do with the role I was playing. “Why doesn’t she change back?” I grumbled.

  “She’ll heal faster this way,” Wes said, eyeing Kat. When she didn’t move, he gave an exasperated sigh. “Come here and let me pull it out.” Wes walked over to where she huddled against the wall, still in her wolf form. He reached down and gently took her paw in his hand, holding it still. Kat yelped and jerked away.

  A quick knock sounded on the front door, and I felt myself jump. I shot a glance at Benny, hoping he hadn’t noticed, but he looked more spooked than I did. He didn’t move to answer it, instead watching Wes and I like a deer in headlights. Wes let go of Kat’s paw and rose.

  “Is it Jack?” I asked, walking toward it.

  “No, it’s too soon. They were going to get Vera first.”

  I stepped up and pressed my face to the peephole and exhaled. “Miles,” I said. I unhooked the chain latch and pulled the door open, letting him in.

  “How’d it go?” he asked, quickly taking in the scene.

  “How’d it go? What the hell? You were supposed to be right outside,” said Wes.

  “I was outside,” said Miles, his tone unruffled.

  “And you’re going to tell me that you couldn’t hear the noise she was making, trying to get at Tara?” Wes demanded, gesturing to Kat.

  “Of course I could. I ended up having to deal with our friends on the corner,” said Miles.

  “That should’ve taken all of thirty seconds,” Wes shot back.

  “They were feisty.”

  Wes glared at him, shook his head, and went back to Kat.

  “Tara, keep an eye on Benny while I get this bullet out, will you?” Wes called, already reaching for Kat’s paw again.

  “Sure,” I said, leveling my gaze back on Benny, who’d sunk back into his chair and was curled up, watching us nervously.

  Miles wandered over to where I still stood in the kitchen and stopped in front of me. I glanced up at him and then back to Benny.

  “What?” I asked.

  “You can put the safety back on now,” he said.

  I looked down and saw, with horror, that my fingers were still curled lightly around the trigger. Immediately, I let go and clicked the safety on. Then, I slipped it into my pocket and let my hands fall to my side. I leaned my head back against the fridge, while still keeping eyes on Benny.

  “Did he give us a lead?” Miles asked.

  “An address,” I told him. “We’re waiting on Jack and the others before we go check it out. From her spot against the wall, Kat howled. I looked over to see Wes holding a bullet between his bloody fingers. Kat’s howl died out and fell into a
whimper. She caught me looking at her and tried to glare, but I could see her relief.

  “Change back so we can bandage you up,” Wes told her. He stepped back to give her some space.

  After a second of hesitation, her shoulders shook and the outline of her fur blurred, and then she was a girl again. Wes went into the bedroom and came back with a blanket. He wrapped it around her, tucking it under her arms to keep her wounded shoulder exposed.

  “Benny, do you have any bandages?” Wes asked.

  “In the bathroom,” came Benny’s whiny response.

  “Miles, go get them and bring them here,” Wes said, kneeling down to inspect the human version of Kat’s wound.

  Miles complied without a word. He disappeared into the bathroom and I could hear him rummaging through cabinets. A minute later, he returned with gauze and a tube of antibiotic ointment. He set them next to Wes and returned to his spot next to me, against the wall.

  “Tara, I need you to help me hold her,” Wes called.

  “What about Benny?” I asked.

  “Miles isn’t going to let us be attacked with our backs turned, right, Miles?”

  Miles rolled his eyes and then nodded for me to help Wes.

  “Sterilizing it isn’t going to feel good,” Wes said to Kat. “And I don’t want a surprise fist to the face.”

  As soon as I got close, Kat’s head shot up, and she glared at me, baring her teeth in a menacing scowl. “You try to kill me and then offer to help put me back together?” she hissed.

  “You started it,” I shot back.

  “You can let her help or you can bleed out,” Wes said flatly. “Hold her arms,” he told me, without waiting for her to answer.

  I came around and pinned her arms behind her back, police style. It probably hurt her wound worse to do it that way, but I wasn’t taking any chances by having her teeth near my face. Even in her human form, I got the impression she would really love to take a bite out of me.

  Wes poured alcohol over the hole and Kat’s arms pulled against my hold. She made a sound like she was biting back a scream, and then it was over. I let go of her arms and Wes patched her up as best he could with the limited supplies.

  “It’ll take a day or two, but you’ll be fine,” Wes told her.

  She eyed me. “Good, then you and I can have a little rematch,” she said in a nasty voice.

  I opened my mouth to respond, but Wes beat me to it. His hand shot out and wrapped around her throat like a vise, pinning her to the wall. He brought his face down so it was inches from hers and leaned in, his lips to her ear.

  “You touch her, and I’ll make you wish you were dead. And that’s just in the first few minutes.”

  Kat’s face turned from red to purple before Wes finally let go. When he did, she coughed and gasped for air, rubbing her throat. Benny hadn’t spoken during the exchange, though I’d been watching him carefully the entire time. His body had quivered at the edges when Wes had grabbed Kat. Still, he didn’t make a move to intervene.

  There was a knock on the door, and Wes went to answer it. Jack and Fee walked in with Vera right behind them. An excited-looking Bailey trailed in after her. Behind them, Cord and Derek squeezed in, and closed the door. The tiny apartment was suddenly shoebox-sized and everyone seemed uncomfortable with the close quarters. The tingling in my skin skyrocketed and my muscles ached against being so close to so many Weres at once, friendly or not. But then, the bodies shifted, as Bailey and Cord helped Kat into the bedroom, and I had to stop and simply stare at Vera. My surprise must’ve shown on my face because she walked over to me with an amused look.

  She wore her hair pulled back in her usual silver braid but she’d traded her business suit from earlier for leather pants and knee high boots that managed to look elegant and dangerous all at the same time. Whatever she wore as a top was covered by a wool trench coat. She smiled at my expression and then abruptly turned. “Benny, we meet again.”

  Benny scooted to the edge of his chair, like he wanted to get up, and then changed his mind. “Vera,” he said.

  Vera clucked her tongue. “I told you there would be problems for you if I had to meet you like this again.”

  “I didn’t—I mean—I told them what they wanted to know,” stammered Benny. He was on edge, his eyes flicking from face to face.

  I watched the exchange, impressed and surprised. I mean, Benny hadn’t exactly been a badass with Wes and me, but he hadn’t been a spineless tool, either. What had happened the last time he’d met Vera?

  “Benny, Benny, Benny,” said Vera, pacing the carpet in front Benny. “This isn’t good for you. Not at all.”

  “If his information is good, he gets a pass. I gave him my word,” Wes said.

  Vera frowned. She seemed to be debating whether that should save Benny. “Fine. Call us when you know.”

  Wes walked over and stood in front of me, obscuring my view of Benny. “Hey,” he said. “How’re you doing?” His forehead creased as he studied my face, and I realized it was the first time he’d looked at me since we’d arrived.

  “I’m fine. I just want to get going to that address Benny gave us.” That was an understatement. I itched to be on our way from the second Benny uttered the words.

  Wes nodded in understanding. “We’re going now. I just wanted to make sure you’re hanging in there.” He lowered his voice to just above a whisper. “You were great with Kat, though I almost had a heart attack when I realized I couldn’t help you without risking Benny changing. And then with Benny—you were brilliant there, too.”

  My heart warmed with the compliment. “So you like my big bad Hunter act?” I teased.

  His lips curved at the corners. “It suits you.”

  Something about the way his eyes bored into mine cut off my reply. His expression held a mixture of affection, relief, and … hunger. I suppressed a shiver.

  “Wes,” Jack called, “you ready?”

  Wes reluctantly turned away, and I felt my shoulders sag as the tension in my muscles relaxed under his averted gaze. The others were talking and planning, but I could barely focus. I was still trying to calm my racing pulse. This was ridiculous. Here I was, in the middle of a crisis—I’d just put a bullet in a Werewolf—and all I could think about was the way Wes’s eyes smoldered and how his stare weakened my knees. I was supposed to be mad at him, a fact I easily forgot and was struggling, even now, to remember. I shook myself and tuned in to the conversation I was missing, determined to focus.

  Wes and Jack huddled in a corner, but the apartment was way too small for their voices not to carry.

  “If we split up, we’d have a better chance of surprise,” Wes said.

  “I don’t want to leave anyone exposed, though. Leo’s too smart not to see us coming. We’ve got to be careful,” said Jack.

  “Doesn’t matter. We have to do it,” said Wes.

  “He’s right,” Benny said, sounding more like himself again. “DeLuca’s smart. Maybe smarter than you guys. What’s the big deal about one human lady, anyway?”

  Wes shot him a look, which Benny ignored. Then Vera cleared her throat and raised her brow and he shut up.

  “We should discuss this outside,” said Wes.

  Jack agreed and after a quick goodbye, we all filed out the front door to the patch of dead grass that served as a courtyard. Fee and Vera stayed behind to watch Benny and Kat. Jack gave them instructions that if they didn’t hear from us once an hour, get out and get home.

  I made it as far as the front stoop when I heard my name.

  “Tara,” Vera called.

  I turned and stepped back into the dim hallway. Vera waited at the apartment door, her arms crossed lightly in front of her. I was struck again at how dangerous she looked compared to our previous encounters. Our gazes locked, and she seemed about to speak. Then her gaze flickered to something behind me and she sighed. “Be careful.”

  I nodded, confused.

  “That’s all.” She stepp
ed back and shut the door with a soft click and I rejoined the group outside.

  “What was that about?” Bailey asked me as I reached the edge of our loose circle.

  I shrugged. “I don’t know. She creeps me out,” I admitted.

  Bailey grinned. “Me, too.”

  “Okay, so we’ve got an address. This is what’s going to happen,” said Jack, his voice low but full of authority. “It’s in the middle of a busy industrial area so we Weres can’t change until we’re close. Real close. Which means, the Hunters are going in first. Even so, we’re waiting until dark.” Wes started to argue but Jack cut him off with a look. “The Hunters can scout the area and let us know when it’s clear. Then we can join you and change before going in. We’ll work in pairs, so we know everyone’s accounted for.”

  “I’ll go with Tara,” Wes said quickly.

  “You can’t,” said Jack. “Hunters are going in first. She can go with Miles.”

  “Miles? Are you serious? He almost got her killed at Benny’s,” Wes hissed.

  Jack flashed Miles a look. “I heard. He and I will speak later. In the meantime, we’ll compromise. Tara, you go with Cord. Miles can stay with Wes.”

  “Fine by me,” Wes said heatedly.

  Miles shrugged. Cord glared at Jack, but she didn’t argue.

  “I’ll go with Derek,” continued Jack.

  “What about me?” Bailey asked.

  Jack blinked at him, as if noticing him for the first time. “Bailey—”

  “Yeah, yeah, stay here,” Bailey said, rolling his eyes.

  “Actually, you can stay in the car,” said Jack.

  “Same diff,” muttered Bailey.

  “No, it’s not,” Jack said firmly. “One of us might need medical attention and if no one else has made it back, you being there will make a big difference.” Jack’s gaze flicked to me and Bailey must’ve caught that because he didn’t argue anymore. “Okay, so we won’t know how many of them there are until we get in there. I also don’t know the layout so we’ll have to play that by ear.” Jack let out a heavy sigh. “I wish we knew what to expect.”

  “Whatever, we’ve got this. Can we just get moving?” Cord tapped her boot against the blacktop and for the second time today, I agreed with her. At least about wanting to get moving.

  “We’ll take a drive by it, see what we see,” said Jack. “But we’re not going in until dark.”

  Wes muttered something I didn’t catch. Jack shot him a look, but didn’t say anything, and we all headed back into the alley, toward the street. Wes stayed up ahead, next to Jack, talking in hushed tones. Miles followed behind, looking unconcerned. Derek and Cord walked side by side, a few yards ahead of me. I found myself hanging back, giving them space, and Bailey matched his pace to mine.

  “So, I heard you took on Kat by yourself,” he whispered. “Impressive.”

  “Um, thanks,” I said.

  “No, she shot Kat. Not the same as taking her on,” Cord said.

  “She still stopped her,” Bailey argued.

  “Real Hunters don’t need guns.”

  “Give her a break, Cord, she’s still new,” said Bailey.

  I smiled at Bailey. I appreciated him sticking up for me, especially since I wasn’t quite sure what I could say without making Cord hate me even more, if that were possible.

  We rounded the building, and I spotted Derek’s SUV parked at the curb. Derek pressed the unlock button on his key ring and the locks clicked open. Jack went to the passenger side, and Bailey and Cord followed, already climbing in the back.

  “Meet back at the house,” said Jack.

  Wes nodded and joined me on the sidewalk.

  “Let’s get going,” said Miles.

  No one spoke on the ride over and I found myself fidgeting with my phone, actually hoping for another text from Leo, something that would give us some clue about what to expect. None came, and Miles slowed as we pulled onto Gordon. Up ahead, Derek’s SUV crept along, hugging the curb at a snail’s pace. Large, steel buildings lined the road, most of them with chain-link fences enclosing one side. Even through the car’s closed windows, I could hear the hum of machinery. I searched for the letters that marked the addresses and counted up.

  We reached 700 at the same time the road dead-ended. Painted white letters advertised the building as Red Shipping Co. The lot was gravel and empty of cars. Trees lined the back, and the chain-link fence leaned precariously towards the street. A second-floor window was broken and boarded. The front entrance was made up of a large garage door that looked rusted permanently shut, and another small door beside it with dirty glass panes. No lights. Everything about it seemed empty. Was my mother in there?

  Just ahead, Derek curved around and pulled a wide U-turn before finally heading back the way we’d come. Miles followed and I strained against it. We shouldn’t be leaving. She could be in there.

  Wes seemed to understand my impatience. “Our chances are better if we wait till dark,” he said. I didn’t answer.