She glanced up and down the street before focusing on the house again. Gus’s beater of a truck was gone. That gave her some hope the family was out somewhere, but it didn’t ease her anxiety.
“Declan,” she whispered.
He rested his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it. “Stay here while I go.”
Willow couldn’t stand the idea of discovering a bunch of dead bodies, but when she joined the Alliance, she’d known there would be things she didn’t want to do. She’d signed up knowing she would never come out of it the same—if she ever came out of it, which wasn’t likely.
As a member of the Alliance, she would see things she’d never unsee and fight a battle she might not survive. No matter how much dread she felt over this, she couldn’t back down from the reality of the world she chose.
“No, I’m coming with you,” she said.
She almost went back to retrieve the sword, but under Savage control or not, none of these people would find her parading around with a sword normal. If they didn’t call the Savages, they would call the cops. Besides, they couldn’t know where the sword was.
Willow glanced longingly back at the vehicle as she walked with Declan up the walkway to the porch. She hated leaving the sword behind, but it was safer in the SUV than out of it. The door was locked, the alarm set, and if any Savages lurked nearby, she would kill them before they got to the weapon.
When she turned her attention back to the house, she had to practically drag her feet up the steps and across the porch to the door. So far, the Savages had left the town mostly untouched, but appearances could be very deceiving. She held her breath and bit her lip as Declan knocked on the door.
When his loud knock echoed hollowly through the house, she released her bite on her lip while trying to look as nonchalant as possible. If there were Savages anywhere nearby, they couldn’t think there was something special about this house. However, there was something special about its residents, and she was terrified she’d gotten them killed.
A few seconds that seemed more like endless minutes passed before she heard the distant call of “Coming!”
Willow almost swayed while listening to the distant thud of footsteps coming toward them. Then the door opened to reveal Cheryl wiping her hands on her apron. A streak of flour smeared her face, and she wore her hair in a loose bun against her neck.
“Can I help you?” she asked with a smile. There wasn’t even a glimmer of recognition in her eyes.
Willow’s relief was so profound that she couldn’t find words as she fought the urge to hug the woman.
“We were wondering if you’ve seen any unusual activity in town recently?” Declan asked.
Cheryl’s forehead furrowed. “You mean more unusual than the bank robbery?”
Declan was a little taken aback by that. He had to sound like an authority to get her to answer his questions without retaking control of her mind, and if they were the authorities, they would know about a bank robbery.
“Yes,” he said. “We’re looking for any small detail that could give us more information about the robbery. Sometimes, people see things they don’t realize could be important, but it actually is.”
“Hmm.” Cheryl rested her finger against her chin and tapped her lips as she pondered his words. “No. We didn’t know Billy and his friends tried to rob the bank until the next day. Those stupid kids. I can’t imagine what they were thinking. I know they were having a difficult time finding work, but that wasn’t the answer to their problems.”
“No, it wasn’t,” Willow agreed.
“Are you with the same agency as those other guys?” Cheryl asked.
“What other guys?”
“Some men from the government came around here a few days ago asking if we’d seen or heard anything from Billy.” Cheryl frowned at them. “I’m sorry; I didn’t catch who you work for.”
“We’re with the bank,” Declan lied smoothly. He preferred not to invade her mind again. He’d messed with her enough during their time here.
“Oh, I didn’t think Billy got any money out of the bank.”
“They didn’t, but the bank would still like to protect their interests.”
“Umm… okay,” she murmured as she gazed between them before looking at the vehicles parked on the road. “There sure are a lot of people here for a failed bank robbery.”
“What can I say? Our employers like to waste money.”
She gave a small, derisive snort. “At least someone has money to waste.”
“Has anyone seen or heard from Billy?” Willow asked.
“As far as I know, they’re still on the run. No one knows what they’re driving since Billy drove his truck into the bank, and the others all left their vehicles behind.”
Willow realized that Derrick must have hit them with Billy’s truck. “How many people were with Billy?”
“Three of his friends from town. Their parents are worried sick, but as far as I know, they haven’t had any contact. Although, they probably wouldn’t tell us if they did hear from them. No matter what they did, they’re going to protect their sons.”
“That’s understandable,” Declan said.
He highly doubted any of them would hear from their children again. He didn’t know how Billy and his friends came into contact with the Savages, but they were used as the fall guys in this, and if they weren’t dead, they were probably on their way to becoming Savages.
“Is there anyone else from your family we could talk to who might know a little bit more?” Declan asked.
“I doubt any of them has seen or heard anything more,” Cheryl said. “But my husband and son are at their hunting camp, and my daughter is out with some friends.”
“Thank you,” Declan said. “You’ve been a lot of help.”
Cheryl twisted her hands in her apron as she stared over his shoulder. He turned to find Saxon and Saber talking with her neighbor across the street.
“They really must have a lot of money to waste,” Cheryl murmured, and her eyes darted anxiously around the street.
“Have a good day,” Declan said and turned away.
“You too,” Cheryl said and closed the door.
Willow descended the steps beside Declan. She was torn between happiness and sorrow as they strode toward the vehicles. Everyone in Gus’s household was alive, and she still planned to see Gus and the kids. Billy and his friends were a completely different story. She couldn’t imagine being their parents. They would never know what became of their children.
And then a wave of fiery anger burned through her. The Savages had caused this heartache, and she would make sure they paid for it. Her fingers itched for her sword—
No! Not her sword, but she still yearned to use it to dust every single Savage she could find. And when she finished with them, she’d move on to the demon bastards manipulating this growing problem.
When Declan cupped her elbow, she tipped her head back and blinked to bring him into focus against the sun’s rays. “We have to make them pay,” she said.
He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and bent to kiss her forehead. “We will.”
“Can we do something about Billy’s parents and the parents of the other kids if we find out who they are?”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know. Make them believe their kids are living their best life in Fiji or something.”
“Don’t you think that might be a little cruel?”
“Crueler than leaving them to wonder what happened to their kids or having them believe their children just up and abandoned them for no reason? No, I don’t.”
Declan lifted his gaze to the busy street. “We’ll find them and make sure they have a happier memory about the disappearance of their children. For now, let’s finish meeting the neighbors.”
It was early afternoon by the time they went through the streets, uncovered the parents of Billy and his friends, and arrived on Main Street. Orange cones circled the crumpled brick
wall of the bank. At the time, Willow hadn’t realized the truck had plowed into a bank, but she saw the sign for it now.
The truck was gone and the debris cleaned up, but a few onlookers stood on the sidewalk. Their whispered gossip floated on the breeze as they pointed at the scene. This had to be the biggest action in town in decades; their grandchildren would be talking about it fifty years from now.
Despite every resident they spoke with having the same story, the Alliance interrogated everyone in town. Willow, Declan, and Saxon went to the hunting camp to talk to Gus, Junior, and the other members. None of them knew anything more either.
After leaving the camp, they located Gretchen in the woods, smoking cigarettes and drinking with her friends. Willow almost hugged every member of Gus’s family when she first saw them but managed to restrain herself.
She doubted they would appreciate a stranger throwing herself at them. Still, by the time they were ready to leave town, she felt as good as she could about the whole situation.
“We’re going to have to make sure no one follows us, so it will take us a while to get home,” Ronan said when they were all settled in the SUV again.
“Understandable,” Declan said. “We’re ready to go home.”
Willow couldn’t agree more as she nestled against his side, but she couldn’t shake the knot of anxiety forming in her chest. She told herself she wasn’t going to do it, but couldn’t stop herself from pulling away and bending to touch the sword. She smiled when her fingers fell on the cool metal and closed her eyes before releasing the weapon and snuggling against Declan again.
He gave her a questioning look she chose to ignore as Ronan left Culver behind. The sword could never be hers, but until they took it from her, she would protect it.
CHAPTER 54
When Ronan said it was going to take them a while to get home, he wasn’t kidding. They spent three days on the road, switching between back roads and highways, staying in different hotels, and traveling through different states before finally returning to the compound.
During that time, she learned she wasn’t pregnant and was surprised by the amount of disappointment she felt over it. She was far from ready to be a mom, but she yearned for the day when she held hers and Declan’s child in her arms.
By the end of their journey, she was more exhausted than when trapped in the tree. She was also eager to get out of the SUV and see her parents. They were waiting outside when the vehicles pulled up in front of the gothic mansion the Alliance called home. It wasn’t the prettiest place in the world, but Willow loved the peaks, turrets, and gargoyles positioned around the building.
Her mother enveloped her in a bone-crushing hug as soon as she exited the SUV. “You’re here,” she breathed.
Uncaring of the fact they handled her like a baby in front of the members of the Alliance, Willow hugged her back. “I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.”
Her mom’s sob nearly broke her heart as her dad stepped forward to embrace them both. It took a few minutes, but her mom finally released her and stepped back to wipe the tears away from her violet-blue eyes. Her father’s green eyes twinkled as he rested his hand on Willow’s shoulder.
Unsure how to handle this family dynamic, Declan hung back with Willow’s sisters, Nathan, and Brian. Of course, he knew about this large family of purebred vampires, and he’d met more than a few of their children, but he didn’t know how to interact with them. For nearly six hundred years, his family had consisted of a group of warriors who preferred killing to hugging.
“You’ll get used to it,” Brian said to him.
Declan frowned as he glanced at him. “What?”
Brian chuckled. “You have the same deer in the headlights look I’m sure was on my face the first time I met them. And believe me, your mate took full advantage of using that opportunity to torture me. At least you have the advantage of not having all the siblings, their mates, and their children here too. You’ll get used to it, and one day, you’ll wake up and realize you’re part of the family and have no idea how it happened, but you’ll be glad it did.”
Brian clapped him on the shoulder. “So, welcome to the family.”
“Thanks,” Declan muttered as he studied Willow with her parents. She looked a lot like her mom with her blonde hair and slender build, but her mother’s eyes were more violet-blue than Willow’s pure violet color. She had her father’s height and the same smile.
When they finished hugging again, Willow turned and beamed as she extended her hand to him. Love and happiness radiated from her and her family, but now that love was focused on him; he basked in its warmth as he took her hand.
“Declan, this is my mom, Sera, and my dad, Liam. Mom, Dad, this is my mate, Declan,” Willow introduced.
He felt and saw their surprise in their raised eyebrows and parted mouths before they smiled at him. “It’s nice to meet you,” Liam said and extended his hand.
Declan clasped it, and once he released Liam’s hand, Sera embraced him. The woman exuded warmth, but unsure what to do, he stood with his arms at his sides for too long before giving her an awkward hug back and patting her back. Abby shushed Brian and pushed him past when he started laughing loudly. Willow scowled after him.
“Just think of all those times you drove me nuts because I didn’t know how to react,” Brian said as he grinned at Willow, who gave him the finger. “Right back at you, Sis!” He blew her a kiss before Abby succeeded in pushing him inside.
When her mom released Declan, Willow looped her arm through his. She hated that she was going to have to apologize to Brian for all her teasing over the years, but seeing Declan in Brian’s position, it wasn’t so funny.
Damn it, she hated being wrong. But there would be time for apologies later. Now, she wanted to shower, catch up with her parents, and hopefully make it so Declan didn’t consider bolting out of the room every time he saw her family. Before they went inside, she returned to the vehicle to retrieve the sword and walked inside with them.
***
Willow’s parents, Abby, and Brian spent the night, and then Nathan blindfolded them and took them off the grounds. When he stopped to let them take over their vehicle, Saxon picked him up and brought him back to the compound.
Tomorrow, Declan and Willow would meet up with Brian and Abby to resume the search for Lucien. But Abby and Brian wanted to return home to gather some more of their things before leaving again. They intended to meet up with Killean in Maine to formulate a plan before splitting up to search different areas.
Declan was a little more relaxed around her parents by the time they left, but that also might have been his relief over their exit. Still, she knew he’d eventually grow to love them and her massive family.
While she waited for Saber, Logan, and Asher to finish the mission Ronan sent them on, Willow moved her things from her room and into Declan’s. She’d never shared a space with a man before, but after growing up with all her siblings, she knew how to deal with another vampire’s stuff.
Fortunately, Declan was neat, had plenty of room for her things, and a large jacuzzi tub in the bathroom they would one day get to enjoy together. After sharing a room with her sister Cassidy when they were younger, Willow had never planned on sharing a room again. But living with Declan would have a lot of perks.
However, they had a lot to take care of before those perks could start.
CHAPTER 55
Willow stared at the abandoned warehouse where Saber, Logan, and Asher stashed the Savages they caught. Years ago, Ronan bought and remodeled a prison to hold Savages. After she, Lucien, and the others disappeared, Ronan killed the Savages there and abandoned the facility. He said he couldn’t risk the prison being under surveillance; they were already taking that chance with the compound.
Willow hadn’t expected to have possession of the sword still, but so far, no one had taken it from her. Unfortunately, that was changing today. Her hand tightened on the hilt as she strode toward the warehouse with D
eclan, Ronan, Kadence, Saxon, Nathan, and Vicky.
They were still ten feet away from the sagging front door, with its broken windows, when Saber opened it and stepped aside to let them enter. Declan studied Saber standing stone-faced inside the warehouse. The man was as unreadable as always, but his cobalt eyes flickered with unease when they settled on the sword in Willow’s hand.
Despite its incredible power and usefulness to them, Declan had grown to dislike the thing too. But he suspected that was because Willow touched it whenever she got the chance.
It was a vital weapon to have, but it was a demon weapon, and he didn’t want it in her hands anymore. He was glad Ronan would most likely claim it as soon as he saw what it could do.
They’d decided to keep the knowledge of the sword’s ability to a minimum. It would be impossible to hide its power once it was used in a fight, but for now, very few knew it was anything more than a sword.
When they entered the warehouse, Willow took in the brick walls and busted out windows set up high in the walls. From years of neglect, the roof sagged, and chunks of brick had fallen from the walls. Overhead, the second floor was missing large pieces of wood flooring, and the rickety stairs across the way looked like the weight of a ghost would collapse them.
“This way,” Saber said and led them toward the back of the building.
Other than the cobwebs hanging from every nook and cranny, the building was empty of equipment or furniture. Beneath the musky scent of mildew, she detected the aroma of oil and wondered if this was once a garage or if it housed machinery.
They entered another room, which was a cavernous space with four, twenty-foot-tall garage doors. Willow rested the blade against her shoulder as the scent of oil and gas grew stronger, but the building remained empty.
They left the garage behind for a side office where Logan and Asher sat on a forgotten, dusty desk. Asher stopped drumming his fingers against the desk when they entered, and Logan stood.
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