by Raven Steele
It was joked about among the pack that Silas had a maid. He was the only one who did, although I heard she occasionally worked for Dominic as well. The rest of us considered ourselves big kids who could take care of ourselves, though I was pretty sure a lot of the pack members could use the maid.
"Why would she tell you this?” I asked.
Someone called me from the other side of the bar wanting a drink. I held up my finger to signal them to hold a sec.
"Anyone that takes the time to get to know her, would know that she hates the man." His eyes lowered to the counter, and his face reddened slightly. "We've also grown close the last few weeks."
My eyebrows lifted. Lola was a human who knew about shifters and other kinds of supernaturals. She was one of the few who accepted us. I don't see how, though, after working for Silas. “How close?”
“I like her.”
I grinned and nudged his arm. “I didn’t know you had a thing for cougars.”
Ryder smiled, giving me what I wanted.
“I haven’t asked her out yet, but I’ve been thinking about it.”
My teasing mood disappeared. “Well, if you do, don’t let the pack find out.”
Dating a human was forbidden, unless you had permission from Dominic. So far, I’d never heard of him giving it.
“True.” He rubbed at the back of his neck. “I’ll think about it. Maybe it’s not worth it.”
“If you want to, then do it. Just don’t let anyone know.” I tapped my knuckles against the bar. “So you really think it’s in this secret room?”
He scrunched his face in hesitation. "I guess he might not have it back there, but we've searched everywhere else. If he's going to hide something, I would think he would do it in a secret room, right?"
The customer behind me yelled again. I called behind my shoulder. “I’m coming.”
I hurried off to pour a few drinks, my mind spinning. Tonight could be the night. Ryder and I had talked about what to do if we found the briefcase.
After making the rounds, I returned to Ryder. “Do you think you could be ready? If we find it?”
“With the plan?”
I nodded.
“I guess.”
“Good. Stay close to Fire Ridge. I’ll call you soon.”
I left him alone with his beer and smiled a little. It was good to know he was having feelings for someone. The right relationship could make the darkest night not seem so dismal. It's what my mother used to say. I wasn't sure I believed her, but by the silly grin he had given me when mentioning Lola’s name, his nights were not so dark, despite everything he had been through.
My shift dragged on, the music and lights worsening my headache. All I could think about was getting back to the mansion to search the hidden room. Did Dominic know about it? Or was this something Silas kept to himself?
When my shift ended, Lynx found me. "Can I give you a ride home or is your bestie Uber driver taking you?"
"I'd love a ride, thanks."
At home, I changed quickly and asked Lynx if I could borrow her car. I assured her this was a rare request. I was glad when she agreed as a vehicle may come in handy tonight.
When I arrived at Fire Ridge, it was quieter than usual. Weekends usually were. This was usually the time pack members were required to visit local businesses to collect dues and it often took up most of everyone's weekend. My shift was tomorrow since I had to work nights at the club.
There were a few members inside watching TV and a few more outside sitting around the fire, laughing and drinking. Gerald was there with them, and his face grew serious when he saw me through the window. He motioned me outside.
When I opened the back door, I heard him say, "Hey guys. I don't think you’ve had the chance to get to know our newest member very well yet." He waved at me. “Come here, Briar.”
At my approach, a large redheaded man with webbed lines etched across his face eyed me. “I’d like to get to know her better.”
I snorted. “I would break you, old man." He must've been thirty years older than me.
"I'd like to feel you try!” He slapped his thigh and howled into the night.
The others laughed with him.
Gerald shoved him. “Don't pay Jerry any attention. His prick hasn't stood tall since he left his mama’s house three decades ago.”
Jerry punched at his face, but Gerald ducked, grinning wide. He patted the seat next to him. “Join us?”
I dropped onto the thick, round log just as Jerry tossed me a beer.
I didn’t know much about Jerry other than he had joined the pack ten years ago after his had slowly dwindled in numbers. He’d came from up north. One of the Dakotas. He was a round-faced fellow that smiled more than he frowned. His face was lined with wrinkles, and each one seemed to tell a story. His laughter was infectious, and I was immediately drawn in by his magnetism.
Sitting across from him was Samantha. She had long dark hair like me and had a mouth on her that would make sailors blush. Half of what she said didn’t make sense, but the way the words would slip past her lips, all vulgar and sultry-like, you’d think she’d said something that should be banned in every country. I liked her instantly.
The other two in our circle, Tammy and Lauren, were quieter, but where Lauren rarely showed signs of emotion, not even to laugh, Tammy spilled her heart all over the place. She couldn’t open her mouth without expressing happiness, sadness, anger. She was a volcano of emotions, and you never knew what was going to spew out of her.
“Speaking of mamas…” Gerald looked out over the group, his eye twinkling. “Did I ever tell you about the time I caught mine trying to bury my stepdad? She was dragging his drunk ass into the backyard, while he was holding a beer in one hand, and a porno mag in the other. The bastard was caught choking his chicken, just after turning my mom down for a roll in the hay.”
He pitched his head back and howled in laughter. I couldn’t help but join in with him and the others.
It was good to release some of the nervous energy that had been building up inside of me. What I was about to do was by far the most dangerous thing I’d ever done. I just hoped the consequences wouldn’t spread to the innocent members of the pack.
“And then when she had him half-buried, she…” Gerald could barely tell the story he was laughing so hard.
“You are such a liar,” Lauren stated when Gerald finished his story. She said it blank-faced. People probably thought she never got worked up, but I’d seen her fight. She thrived on anger and rage and used it to fight dirty. She’d throw out a leg to trip her opponents or do a quick jab to the throat for no reason.
Gerald raised his fingers in a Cub Scout salute. “On my honor! She buried him to his neck before I finally stopped her.”
“I want to know your mother,” Jerry said, taking a long swig from the bottle in his hand.
Samantha rolled her eyes. “Of course you do. There’s just something about mamas that gets your balls all tight.”
“Just yours, sweetie pie,” he countered. “Your mama didn’t stop yelling my name when I rode her six ways to Sunday last night.”
“Ohhhhhh!” Gerald cried, laughing hard. Even Lauren cracked a smile.
I joined in, laughter knotting my stomach. I wiped a tear from my eye listening to Gerald and Samantha as they continued to banter back and forth, but the pleasant pain quickly subsided when I caught movement near the edge of the forest. I squinted my eyes to try and see through the darkness.
I recognized the dark forms.
Samira and Luke? What the hell were they doing? She rarely came to Fire Ridge and when she did, it was for business only. She walked with him a little further, then they stopped just before disappearing into the forest. I strained my hearing, but I couldn’t hear them over the loud sounds around me. I blinked, straining my eyes again, but by the time they came into focus, Samira was gone and Luke stalked toward us, his thick brows drawn together. His eyes were darker than usual. Always brooding.<
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One of these days, I will get him drunk just to see if he could let loose. But I bet he wouldn’t let it get that far. He was the kind of man who liked to be in control.
As soon as Samantha saw him, her gaze warmed and her voice purred. “Hey, Luke! Join us.”
He grunted and eyed the group, his gaze stopping when he saw me.
“Please,” she continued, batting her eyes. "We could use some of your practicalness to see through Gerald’s bullshit. He’s telling stories dumber than a shit-eater in the Arctic."
"That doesn't even make sense,” Tammy snorted. She threw back her head, chugging the beer in her hand.
"Shit-eater in the Arctic." Jerry howled again, something he did a lot, I discovered. The others joined in, howling with him only as pack members could do.
Luke stared beyond us, his hands stuffed into his pockets. “You guys are drunk.”
Before he could ruin the mood, or my plans, I jumped to my feet. “Let’s go for a run.”
I made a show of undressing, unbuttoning the front of my blouse exposing my black bra. This brought Luke’s gaze back to me. Only for a brief moment, but enough to give me satisfaction.
“Hell, yes,” Samantha said. She jumped up and began to throw off her clothes, forgetting about Luke.
The others eagerly agreed. It was rare for shifters to turn down a good night run.
They shed their clothing like a second skin. They didn’t even notice I hadn’t even taken off my clothes yet, or that I wasn’t following them. I called after them just in case. “I’ll be there in a second!”
The fire warmed my skin as I stood there, my shirt still open. My gaze dropped to Luke who had sat down to face the orange and yellow flames. Its shadows danced across his furrowed brow.
I sat down next to him. "I saw you talking to Samira. What was that all about?"
He didn't look at me as he spoke. “She's helping me with something.”
"Why go to her? Why not Dominic?"
His expression darkened, matching the shadows of the fire. “Dominic won’t help me.”
“Is it something I can help with?" I squirmed on the thick log beneath me. Offering my help made me feel vulnerable, a position I rarely put myself in. But I wanted to help. I wanted to help him more than anything for reasons I had yet to uncover.
He shook his head, not even considering my offer. "I've got it taken care of."
I bristled at the rejection and sighed. I don’t know why I bothered. “You should go join the others for a run. Your ass could use it.”
"I can't. I'm supposed to be on my way to meet Silas and Dominic."
I sat up a little straighter. "Oh, yeah? What are they doing?"
“They ran into trouble at some meeting. Apparently someone's not obeying like Dominic wants, so he’s insisting I come and force the issue." He shook his head. "A man's mind can only take so much."
His eyes burned with an intense heat, and it had nothing to do with the fire’s reflection illuminating his glossy orbs. Power and deep-seated anger pulsed off him, raising the hairs on my arms. If he wanted, he could probably be Alpha.
"Why do you do it?” I asked, suddenly needing to know. “Why serve someone you clearly hate?"
“Because the past gives me no other choice.” He lifted his gaze from the crackling flames to meet mine. “I know you're working on something, something that will probably hurt or kill Dominic, but whatever it is,” his expression was scary serious, “I will stop you. Dominic must live.”
Whatever kindness I had felt for him moments ago, cooled. The hair stood on the back of my neck, and a low growl escaped my mouth. “I’d like to see you try.”
He stood, the hard lines on his face softening. “I hope it doesn’t come to that. You’re the last person on this earth I want to fight.”
What the hell? Why did he have to be so confusing? His words, his body language, all conflicted with each other.
"Whatever you have planned, be careful,” he added. “There are secrets here, evil beyond evil. You're just scratching the surface." He walked away, back toward the edge of the property until darkness had entirely engulfed him.
I watched him go, realizing he was more like me than I wanted to admit. We were children of the night, born out of violence. He carried burdens similar to my own.
And now, we both served that same violent master. All because we can't let go of our past. In the end, it would probably kill us. My father used to always say that the Grim Reaper wore revenge on his hip instead of a gun.
I waited a few minutes, pushing my dark thoughts away while I enjoyed the fire’s last warm breaths. When I was sure none of the pack members would return, I rose from my seat and texted Ryder.
It was time.
Chapter 35
The house was mostly empty with only a couple of shifters in the living room dozing off to a college football game. One of them opened his eyes at me in passing.
I faked a yawn. “I’m tired. I guess I’ll stay the night.”
He nodded and returned his glossy gaze to the television.
I slipped into the kitchen and made a show of pretending to get something to eat. There were several rooms in the mansion where members could crash at any time. Most of us, however, had our own places, except for Dominic, Silas, Ryder, and a few others that didn't feel safe enough to sleep beyond the property.
When I was finished, I headed upstairs to search the spare bedrooms. I called out a few times to see if anyone was there, but so far the rooms appeared empty. Moving silently as a resident mouse, I snuck into the east wing where Dominic and Silas lived, taking up the entire top floor.
It was a small maze to get there, past a large great room filled with pool tables and another smaller and, rarely used, living room. After making sure this side was empty, I crept to Silas’ door and tried the knob. Locked.
No problem. I reached into my back pocket and removed my lock picks. When I was thirteen, picking locks was one of the first skills I learned at the halfway house they put me in.
I worked at the mechanism for only seconds before it popped open, the sound softer than my heart beating against my ribcage. After making sure I was alone, I snuck inside and closed the door quietly behind me. I puffed out a shaking breath and wiped my sweaty hands across my jeans.
The space was dark even with my night vision. I lit up the screen on my cell phone, and still, there seemed to be a darkness permeating every corner of the large room. Maybe that’s just how demons lived, with light unable to tolerate a monster’s presence. My throat tightened along with my stomach. I needed to hurry.
The entry way was covered in shiny tiles, more silver than white. I could practically see my reflection against its polished surface. Careful to not leave any footprints, I moved further into the suite. The walls were bare, not a single picture hanging. The furniture was also plain. Just a black sofa contrasting against a white wall. I walked through the kitchen. Spotless. No knickknacks or any personal objects to give away his personality. A few dishes had been placed in the dishwasher. I opened the refrigerator. At least a dozen packages of steak and four gallons of milk. That's it. Not even a condiment packet. The freezer was empty.
I explored the rest of the suite until I found what had to be his bedroom. It was also locked, but in seconds, I was inside. His bedroom was like the rest of his suite, white walls with wooden floors and only filled with the bare necessities. The biggest difference was, one wall was lined with bookcases full of books.
The only item in the entire suite he seemed to have splurged on was his bed. Large and overbearing with four wooden spindles nearly reaching the ceiling, it sat in the middle of his room covered by a black comforter and a few golden pillows. The sight of it made me shiver. I had a feeling he wouldn’t mind showing it to me one day. The thought made me heave.
I quickly moved away, scouring the rest of the room, but nothing was out of place. Hell, I couldn’t even find a speck of dust.
I approached the long
bookcase, eyeing it up and down. Because Ryder wasn't sure how to access the secret entrance, I searched for anything out of place. I caught a few of the book’s titles in passing. Hamlet, The Odyssey and even The Shining was thrown into the mix. Most of the other titles also had dark undertones. I didn't find one that spoke of light or whispered happy endings.
When I couldn't find an obvious entrance, I pulled the books back palming five at a time, hoping to trigger some kind of mechanism to open a door. I sped up my pace but was careful to make sure the books returned in their rightful place. Something told me Silas would notice if anything were out of order by even a fraction of an inch.
I stepped back and surveyed the bookshelves again. What was I missing? I expanded my vision. That's when I saw it. Not on the bookcases but on the floor. The wooden planks, dark in color, were all perfectly smooth, except for one small section directly under the bookcase in front of me. I couldn't be sure it was anything other than a crappy flooring job, though, unless I tried it. I walked forward and pressed my foot on top of it. A faint clicking sound had me stepping back.
The bookcase in front of me sunk in and slowly moved to the left on an electronic rail system until it was sucked into the wall behind it. A gust of air breathed through the dark opening, smelling of old waste and formaldehyde. I coughed and covered my nose as I took a tentative step inside, pocketing my cell phone. I reached up and pulled a string hanging from the ceiling, illuminating a small room, maybe ten feet by twenty.
It took just a few seconds to orient myself to what I was seeing. As soon as I understood, my stomach twisted, sending bile up my esophagus. I pressed my hand to my mouth harder.
Where the other rooms were void of anything personal, this one told me everything I needed to know about Silas. No wonder he kept it locked behind a wall, where eyes couldn’t see the depth of his evil.
Silas wasn't just a monster.
He was a monster that dissected other monsters and kept their body parts as trophies.
Dozens of glass jars lay stacked on an old wooden table in an uneven pattern. There was no order to them and some jars balanced precariously on top of each other.
