by Lynn Hagen
“What’s the rush?” Antonio asked.
“Why do you look so frantic?” Corbin asked as the three of them quickly dressed.
Lucian narrowed his eyes. “Someone set the club on fire.”
* * * *
Lucian made it out of the lower level just as a wolf raced past him. He used his inhuman sped to catch up with his mate and redirect him toward the exit. He had no idea why Colton was headed for the fire, but it was too late to save those who had perished. All the vampires could do was get the humans out of there and wait for the fire department.
So far, the flames had only consumed the back of the club. The door to the living area below, as well as the area where their office was located, was untouched. But if the firemen didn’t get there fast enough, Lucian feared the entire building would burn.
Colton shifted and snarled at Lucian. “I can save them!”
“No, you can’t,” Lucian argued. “It’s already too late.”
An angry, helpless look flashed through Colton’s blue eyes. He stared toward the fire, as though he could jump through it and save those who had already died. Lucian knew they couldn’t be saved. He’d already tried. He’d battled the blaze and gone after the half-dozen humans, but they’d already perished.
He also knew the fire had been set deliberately. It had started in the bathroom and had spread too quickly. Most of the coven had gone downstairs once the humans were safely outside. Their quarters below were fireproof, the walls three inches of concrete. The door was made of fire retardant materials, as well.
Being a vampire who couldn’t come out during the day, one could never take too many precautions. But if someone had deliberately set the fire, why hadn’t they waited until daylight, when they would have assumed the vampires were at their most vulnerable? Why now, in the dead of night, when the coven could easily get away?
“You need to go back downstairs,” Lucian said as he looked his naked mate over. “Your nudity will be hard to explain to the firefighters and the sheriff.”
“Sheriff Braxton knows the score,” Colton argued.
“But his deputies do not,” Lucian countered. “At least go get dressed before you go outside.”
“Then why in the hell did you make us come upstairs in the first place?” Colton asked.
“Because…” Lucian didn’t want to admit that he’d panicked. His only thought had been to save his mate and brothers. Now that he wasn’t so frantic, he realized he should’ve just shut them down there to protect them instead of having them come upstairs where the fire was still ablaze.
Colton arched a brow.
“Never mind,” Lucian snapped. “Just go get some clothes on.”
Lucian heard the distant sound of sirens. The fire truck was close. He grabbed Colton’s arm and turned to head to the door that led downstairs when Matt and Vane raced inside, looking around. Pure relief entered the wolf alpha’s eyes when he spotted Colton.
“Why the hell is everyone running inside?” Lucian demanded.
“Are you okay?” Matt asked as he looked Colton over. Clearly ignoring Lucian.
Colton might not belong to the pack any longer, but he saw the concern in Matt’s eyes.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Colton said.
Matt tossed a backpack to Colton. “Get dressed. We need to talk outside.” He looked toward the blazing fire still raging in the back of the club. The fire reflected in his eyes, making the scene feel more ominous.
Lucian clenched his jaw. Whoever had set this fire would die a slow death. He would torture the bastard for months, years even, if he could. That person had just declared war, and the Veneto brothers would find out who the culprit was.
Corbin and Antonio came from downstairs, firmly shutting the door behind them. They looked at the two alphas standing there before they eyed Lucian.
With a slight nod, his brothers joined him, all three taking a stance behind Colton, ready to protect him if need be. The person who’d started the fire might still be around, and if he or she attempted to take the Master’s life, they would pay dearly.
Colton pulled the clothes from the bag and dressed before everyone exited the club. Lucian gritted his teeth at the humans who still stood there, craning their necks to see inside.
This wasn’t a goddamn show. People had lost their lives, and the least the humans could do was show a little respect. He slid his arm around Colton’s shoulder, thankful his mate had been downstairs instead of somewhere toward the back. They might have just mated, but Lucian had cared deeply for Colton for some time now. He would have been devastated if something had happened to his wolf.
Colton moved from under Lucian’s arm and headed over to Matt. As the two talked, Corbin and Antonio looked at Lucian. “Do you know what’s going on?”
He told them about his suspicion. They hissed as they looked around, but no one in the crowd seemed to catch their interest. Whoever had set the fire was long gone.
“We’ll find him,” Corbin vowed.
“And we’ll make him pay,” Antonio ground out. “No one does this to us and gets away with it.”
The fire truck pulled to the curb opposite the club, and the men jumped out. Two cop cars showed up, as well, the deputies redirecting the onlookers to get them out of the way.
Lucian watched the scene unfold, his jaw clenched tight. With devastation this great, the elders would get involved, and that was the last thing he wanted. He didn’t need them meddling in his affairs.
He turned to face his brothers. “We need to find the one responsible for this and bring him to justice before the elders get wind of this.”
Corbin’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll go find Demetrius.”
There was a lot Colton didn’t know about the inner workings of vampire politics. It was enough to give Lucian a migraine. Magnus, the former Master, had ignored the rules and did as he pleased. But Lucian and his brothers didn’t operate that way. They were old school and followed the elders’ rules.
But if they ever interfered with this coven, Lucian knew it would take a miracle to refocus them somewhere else. He cut a glance toward his mate and grimaced. There was no way Colton would be ready to handle them.
He looked at Antonio, and his brother gave him a look that said he already knew what Lucian was thinking. If they didn’t find the culprit soon, they’d have one hell of a mess on their hands and the town of Mercury would be in trouble.
Chapter Seven
After the firefighters had left and the deputies were done questioning everyone, Colton sat in Lucian’s office, all three of his mates present. His conversation with Matt hadn’t sat well with him, and he debated on whether or not to tell his mates what Matt had said.
It hadn’t been fair of Matt to ask him to keep the conversation to himself. That was a weight on Colton’s shoulders that he didn’t need.
And now they were telling him about some vampire elders who would make their lives hell if they showed up. Colton wasn’t sure he was cut out for the politics. He was a bounty hunter and had enjoyed what he'd done for a living. He wasn’t made to sit behind a desk and deal with this crap. Colton wanted to be out there, going after the one responsible, not talking about coven business.
He bounced his leg as he looked toward the door. Lucian was talking, but Colton was only half listening.
“Am I boring you?” Lucian asked.
“Huh?” Colton turned his head to look at his mate. “I’m sorry. I didn’t catch what you said.”
Matt had told him about the kill warrants against the two demons who had set fire to the club. He didn’t want the vampires getting to them first. Colton should be out there with his brethren, not sitting on his ass.
“What’s on your mind?” Lucian leaned back in his chair. Thankfully he hadn’t demanded Colton sit behind the desk. It hadn’t felt right the first time he’d taken the seat. He’d already committed himself as the Master, but in truth, Colton didn’t want the position. The Veneto brothers had been doing just fin
e running the coven. Why couldn’t they continue doing that while Colton did his job as a bounty hunter?
His thirst to hunt only proved what he should be doing with his life.
“Just tired.” He didn’t want to tell them what he was thinking. Colton didn’t want to hurt their feelings. They’d been trying for nearly a year to get him to take over, and now that he was here, he felt as though he would let them down if he told them he just wanted to be a bounty hunter.
He chewed at his bottom lip, debating where his loyalties lay. Should he tell his mates about the warrants, or keep his trap shut like Matt had asked?
“I’m gonna go get some fresh air.” Colton pushed from his seat and exited the office, heading toward the back door. The club was closed until the damage could be repaired, but since this was the vampires’ home, and the living area downstairs hadn’t been touched by the fire, they still used the club. But the burnt back wall, ceiling, and floor served only to remind Colton why he wanted to tell his mates about the demons who had done this.
Humans had died. Lives had been lost. Those responsible should pay, but it should be the triplets who doled out their punishment.
Antonio rushed to his side with his inhuman speed and stopped him from leaving.
“What’s going on with you?” He narrowed his eyes. “You’re holding something back.”
Colton felt like he was ping-ponging between two worlds. He honestly wanted his mating to work, but he’d also been friends with Matt for over a hundred years, and the brother had always had his back. Fuck, he’d even mounted a rescue party to get Colton out of Black Dragon when Lucian had kidnapped him.
Antonio caressed his knuckles over Colton’s cheek and gave him an endearing smile. “Do you trust me, wolf?”
“Yes,” Colton said bullet-fast, no hesitation.
“I can see in your eyes that you’re conflicted.” He pressed Colton’s hands to his lips. “How can I take that look away?”
The man was being sincere. He honestly wanted to help Colton, which made Colton feel only more divided. His mates had been nothing but patient with him, open and honest, and Colton was keeping a huge secret from them.
His wolf snarled as though he was betraying them. And it felt like a betrayal.
“Just let me get some fresh air,” Colton said. “I could use a coffee, too.”
Antonio gave a soft laugh. “You really should explore the living chambers. When my brothers and I realized you were our mate, we had a kitchen installed downstairs, complete with a cappuccino machine.”
Colton’s eyebrows hiked up his forehead. He’d seen the kitchen in passing, but he had no idea it had been built just for him. “You did that for me?”
Antonio nodded. “And when you came to us yesterday, I had one of the members stock the cupboards and fridge with food.” He shrugged. “Since I don’t know what you prefer to eat, forgive us if it is not to your liking.”
Colton cleared his throat and looked away. “You shouldn’t have gone through so much trouble.”
“It was no trouble at all. Victor is quite the chef. He’s very eager to show you his skills.”
Goddamn it. Why did his mates have to be so thoughtful? If they’d turned out to be as cutthroat as Colton had first thought, the betrayal would have been easy for him to digest. Instead, guilt swamped him to the point he nearly told Antonio about his conversation with Matt.
“You don’t have to tell me what is troubling you,” Antonio said. “Just remember I am here for you if you need me.”
He pressed his lips to Colton’s before he stepped back and then turned on his heel, heading back toward the office.
Colton needed to go talk to Matt. Asking him to keep things from his mates was bullshit. He gave a dry chuckle as he walked out of the building. How things had changed so quickly. A week ago Colton couldn’t have cared less about the vampires and now look at him.
He also had to think of something nice to do for Victor. The little mouse was wedging his way into Colton’s heart.
Colton didn’t make it a block before he felt eyes on him. He scanned the streets but didn’t see anyone paying him any attention. With it being so early, there was hardly anyone out, but the few people who walked the sidewalks hadn’t looked his way.
But the hairs on his neck stood on end. Even his wolf snarled as Colton continued toward the agency. It wasn’t until he passed the barbershop that he spotted someone in the park, leaning against a tree, staring intensely at him.
With so many creatures escaping the veil, Colton wasn’t taking any chances. He changed course and crossed the street, dodging a passing car. But when he made it to the edge of the park, the stranger had disappeared.
Colton looked around, but he didn’t see the guy anywhere. He continued through the park until he came out on the other side, crossing so he could get to Mercury Rising, but he kept his eyes peeled, hoping to see the stranger again.
By the time he crossed the parking lot, he’d had no such luck. Whoever had been watching him was gone. Even the feeling of being watched had faded.
He put the incident to the back of his mind as he entered the building. Stephen was behind the desk, typing away as he stared at his monitor, but he looked up when Colton came through the door.
“Hey, Stephen,” Colton said.
Stephen appeared surprised at the greeting. Had Colton been that big a prick for the vampire to react that way? He already knew the answer. For nearly a year he’d been a brooding asshole who’d growled at anyone who tried to get too close.
Colton was still conflicted, still unsure what to do about almost everything in his life, but he no longer felt on the edge, as if he’d snap at any second.
It was amazing what bonding with his mates had done to him. He would even go so far as to say he had an extra pep in his step, which was insane, but true.
“Uh…hi?” Stephen watched him as Colton headed down the hallway to Matt’s office. Unfortunately, that good feeling didn’t last long. The entire pack was in Matt’s office as Colton entered.
Matt looked his way before he turned his attention back to the gathered men. “You all know what to do.”
The room emptied, and most didn’t bother to look his way. Colton had been so standoffish, so determined to keep everyone at arm’s length that most had taken the hint and didn’t bother trying to talk to him anymore.
There was only so much rejection a person could take, and it seemed over half of his pack wasn’t willing to be growled at.
“You need something?” Matt took a seat behind his desk and started rummaging through the files that sat in front of him.
Wow. Talk about feeling as though he was no longer a part of the team. Those three simple words felt like a gut punch. Colton had never felt so dismissed in his life.
He took a seat in front of Matt’s desk. “We need to talk about our earlier conversation.”
Matt stopped reading over one of the files and looked Colton’s way. “What about it?”
He wouldn’t say that Matt was acting cold, but his tone lacked warmth. There was also a slight hardness to Matt’s eyes, and Colton couldn’t understand why. “First you tell me why you’re looking at me like I’m the enemy.”
Matt got up and closed the office door before returning to his seat. “You’re not the enemy, but I’m not sure where your loyalties lie.”
Colton was taken aback by Matt’s statement. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Matt sat back, studying Colton. The silence stretched between them, making Colton uneasy.
“You’ve embraced your role as Master.”
“And?” Colton asked.
“And I know you came here to get my permission to tell your mates about the warrants.”
Matt knew him too damn well. “Would you hide anything from your mate?” he asked, “especially when it pertained to his livelihood?” Colton asked. “Would you hold back on Jason if you knew who had done him wrong?”
“Tell me…” Matt sai
d. “What happened to Pierre?”
Colton had no idea. Antonio had rushed him away, and he hadn’t seen Pierre since. He hadn’t asked, either. “He was handled.”
“Was he?” Matt sat forward and narrowed his eyes. “Rhys told me he saw Pierre entering Leopards Lounge last night.”
Colton schooled his shocked expression.
“If this is how you and your mates handle a capture warrant, I’m not sure there is anything else to talk about.”
“I had no idea they’d let him go,” Colton snarled, uncaring that he was talking to his alpha, or should his say his ex-alpha. “Do you think I knew anything about that?”
“Did you?”
Colton stood and headed for the door, pissed that his mates hadn’t told him about Pierre and even more pissed that Matt had accused him of being in on it.
“Colton,” Matt said.
“We have nothing else to talk about.” He turned and faced Matt. “You know, no matter what happens in our lives, I always considered you my best friend. We’ve been through some shit together and always had each other’s back. But I can see now that our friendship wasn’t as strong with you as it still is with me.”
He stormed from the office and headed outside, ignoring the men who had gathered in the reception area. In truth, Colton was more hurt than angry. Never would he have thought Matt would accuse him of letting a wanted man go. Colton lived for the hunt, believed in doing the right thing, and loved Mercury so much that he wanted to make it a safe town for everyone to live and raise their families.
When the fuck had he been put on the no-trust list?
When you mated the Veneto brothers. Colton growled. Rhys had mated a vampire—although Stephen had been turned against his will—and no one had a problem with him.
That’s because Stephen doesn’t run the local coven. Why should that matter? Matt should’ve asked him about Pierre, not accused him of being in on the man’s freedom.
Instead of going back to Black Dragon, Colton headed for the lounge. He’d drag Pierre to the prison himself. Not because he wanted to prove to Matt that he hadn’t been in on it but because it was the right thing to do.