by Raven Steele
We came to a door and he opened it, motioning for us to go down first and my heartbeat began to race. No one ever found anything good in basements. It was a place meant for secrets, the deadly kind.
I didn’t trust Dominic to not stab me in the back, so I rushed forward before Heather. The stairs creaked and groaned under our weight and it was dark, so I had to use my wolfie senses to see. We ended at another door.
“Go ahead and open it.” Dominic’s eerie voice echoed in the stairwell.
I opened the door and was accosted by a horrible smell. The aroma was familiar and yet putrid at the same time. What was that? I covered my nose. Heather was doing the same.
“You’ll get used to it.” Dominic stepped off the stairs and slammed the door behind us. I stepped away from him, preparing for something bad.
He flipped on a light switch. One after another, overhead lights illuminated the great space. It was broken up by glass walls, dividing at least twelve people held within viewable cells. It only took me a few seconds to realize something was seriously off with them. Heather and I both began walking around, examining them closely.
A few were lying on cots, one of those scratching at the air above him, while others paced mindlessly around their cell. Occasionally, one would cry out. I drew close to the glass enclosure containing a woman with long dark hair. She stood still, her head cocked to the side. She was looking at me. No—more like right through me.
I felt that familiarity again. I reached up and touched the glass, trying to figure out what it was. The woman blinked, her eyes focusing with a strange shimmer. She suddenly burst into a full sprint heading straight for me. Completely unaware of the glass, she smacked into it. Blood exploded from her nose, and her legs gave out. She fell over backwards, unconscious.
“Oh, shit.” Heather laughed uncomfortably.
That shimmer … I looked back at Dominic. “She’s a shifter.”
He didn’t answer me. He was busy with his phone again. I looked at the others, this time pulling on my sixth sense. There were several more shifters. Two vampires. And some other species, I wasn’t sure which. Fae? I had only met one of them once, as they were rare.
“Whatever they’re on,” Heather said, “I want some!”
I drew my brows together. “On?”
Dominic briefly looked up. “It’s high doses of the Scorpion's Breath that the Nocturnas gave us, fed to them in their food three times a day.”
I sucked in a breath. “But why? I thought the drug was supposed to be for humans.”
“It is. Mateo has no idea what he’s created, the power this drug could give me. If it wasn’t for Silas’ brilliant mind—” his eyes cut to me when he said that, “—I would never have thought to experiment on supernaturals with it. And now, unbeknownst to Mateo and his little vampire coven, I’ll have more power than I ever imagined.”
“But how?” I shivered, a bad feeling squeezing my gut. This was bad. I kept my expression even, trying hard not to show my revulsion for what he was doing.
“Because of this.” He held his cell phone in front of him and walked to the nearest glass cage. After pressing a few buttons, a loud ringing played from his phone’s speaker. Every supernatural rose to their feet, except for the unconscious woman, and turned to Dominic.
“Hop on one foot,” Dominic commanded, his voice clear and words enunciated.
As if they had practiced it beforehand, they began to jump up and down in unison.
“Look happy about it.”
Unnatural smiles appeared on their faces as their bodies moved together, up and down, up and down. A painful chill scraped up my spine, and my legs grew weak.
“What the hell?” Heather’s voice was full of wonder. I didn’t dare speak because I knew mine would reflect something very different.
“We discovered in high doses,” he began, “Scorpion's Breath makes supernaturals extremely impressionable. We’ve been working with them for several days now, training them to obey my voice.”
We? Who else was part of this?
“I brought you here because I need you to do the same,” he said. “I want them trained to your voices.”
“Sweet!” Heather smiled. “So they’ll do whatever we want?”
“They’ll do whatever I tell you to tell them to do,” he reprimanded.
She lowered her head. “Of course, that’s what I meant.”
I gathered strength to ask the next question, the one that had burning a hole in my mind the second I saw them obey him. “What exactly do you want them to do?”
“First, train them. Then I’ll tell you. I need to make sure they can be trained to listen to others before I reveal my grand plan.” His face was lit up in pleasure, his eyes wide and manic. “But be assured, when I do, it’s going to blow your minds.”
I was still shaking by the time Heather dropped me off at the house. Lynx had gone to bed, but Samira and Luke were there. My uncle had left just before I arrived. I dropped onto the sofa and pulled a blanket around me.
Luke was by my side in an instant. “What happened?”
“It’s so bad.” I looked up at him. “We can’t wait. We have to kill him.”
“We can’t kill him, you know that. At least not until I find my brother.”
“You haven’t found anything about him the last several years! We can’t wait. It’s too dangerous!”
Luke’s jaw flexed.
“Just tell us what happened,” Samira said quickly to avoid a fight she must’ve felt brewing between Luke and me.
I let out a great sigh and proceeded to tell them about the basement in the warehouse. When I was finished, they sat there, stunned.
Luke spoke first. “And he didn’t give any hint as to what he was going to do with these people?”
“None.” I glanced at Samira. She hadn’t said a word either, hadn’t blinked or moved. “What are you thinking?”
She chose her words carefully. “Dominic is clearly a puppet to some master, one who is probably very powerful and very old with a grudge against the world. No good will come from this.”
“Do you think it has something to do with Trianus, like Dominic said?” I asked.
“It must.” Samira wasn’t looking at us; she stared off, as if she was running all kinds of scenarios in her mind.
“Or he’s just crazy,” Luke said, blowing a frustrated breath out his nostrils.
Samira turned back to us. “I think it’s all connected. Trianus, the Abydos … and probably something else, maybe several things. I feel we are looking through a foggy window. The truth will only be revealed when we can wipe it clean.”
“And how do we do that?” I asked.
“Dominic needs to be watched all of the time,” Luke insisted. “Maybe we can divide our time between us, your uncle. Maybe Lynx can even help. The Morgans have a lot of influence over the pack.”
“Let’s keep Lynx out of this,” I said.
“I agree,” Samira added. We both wanted to protect Lynx from all this danger and darkness. She was too sweet.
“Can we at least consider taking Dominic hostage, somehow?” I turned to Luke. “We can ask him about your brother. By removing him from the equation, maybe this whole thing will go away.”
Samira raised her eyebrow. “Only to reappear in another city or another time to do the same thing? No, we need to figure this out now.”
Luke leaned forward on the couch, his muscles tight. “It’s too dangerous to kidnap Dominic. He’s the strongest Alpha I’ve ever encountered.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” I folded my arms across my chest. “Besides, I see no other option at this point. We can’t let those supernaturals into the world.”
We stared at each other, the air heavy.
“You are incredibly powerful, Briar,” Samira said, “but you have a long ways to go before you fully grow into your Komira powers. You don’t want to do anything reckless before then.”
I looked back and forth at ea
ch of them. “Reckless? Letting Dominic live and continuing this crazy project is reckless! You didn’t see those supernaturals! We need to kill him now!”
“No.” Luke’s jaw held a firm line.
I closed my mouth, shaking my head. I wouldn’t convince them. Maybe later when I was alone with Samira, I’d try and convince her.
I could just do it on my own, but I already saw what happened when I tried to do that. I didn’t want to make any more stupid mistakes.
“I’m going into Sinsual.” Working for a few hours is just what I needed. I could go back to Fire Ridge and hang with the other shifters, but it had been a while since I’d done anything just for myself. Plus, Dominic didn’t need me tonight. He was going to be at the warehouse the rest of the night and had ordered us away. He was probably spending his time training his new dogs old tricks.
Luke didn’t try to stop me as I dressed for work. In fact, when I returned downstairs, he had left. So had Samira. I pressed on my forehead in frustration. I couldn’t let Dominic live, not after what I saw. He’d hurt too many people. But I didn’t want to go against my friends.
On the other hand, if I didn’t act soon, something terrible would happen.
Chapter 41
It was almost midnight when Roma pulled up to the curb to take me to Sinsual. I hopped into the car, shutting the door a little too hard.
“What’s wrong with you?” she asked.
“Usual crap. I want something different from everyone around me.”
“What do you want, honey?” She placed the car in drive and accelerated.
“What I’ve wanted since I first stepped foot into this city.” I stared past the glass window and at the many houses passing by. I couldn’t believe I was still living here. I was supposed to have the job done within a few weeks. It had just turned out to be more complicated than I had expected.
“Then do it.”
I turned to her in surprise. “What?”
“You’re talking about Dominic, yes?”
“How do you know?”
“You’ve been gunning for him since I first met you. It’s obvious in everything you say and do. Plus, it helps that I’m a little psychic, remember?”
I sighed. “It’s complicated right now.”
“So uncomplicate it.” She parked in front of Sinsual. “Text me if you need a ride home.”
“I will.” I headed inside.
Eddie’s whole countenance lit up when he saw me. “You’re planning on working tonight, right?”
“Just for a couple of hours. I need the release.”
“And I need the money. Jump in when you’re ready.”
I didn’t just jump, I dived. Within ten minutes I had the whole club on their feet, cheering and laughing. I had gotten a woman and a man on the bar with me. Shirts were soaked, lots of bumping and grinding. The air was filled with an energy that I fed off. My wolf, too. It was just the release I needed.
Luke showed as I was finishing up. He didn’t say anything, just dropped into a stool. I handed him his favorite drink and continued to help the other bartender serve customers.
“That was some show,” a voice said. I turned around. Heather had squeezed her way to the bar. “I’ll have a Long Island Iced Tea. With a straw.” Her lips curled up in disgust, like she didn’t want to touch the glass with her lips.
I nodded and made the drink while she continued to talk.
“I don’t come here often. After seeing your performance, I know why.”
“Maybe you should leave then.” I wasn’t in the mood to deal with her shit tonight. I set the drink down in front of her hard, splashing part of it onto her white top. She smiled cruelly and grabbed a napkin to dab at her shirt.
“You know,” She spoke slowly, methodically wiping at the stain. “It was a real shame what happened to Ryder.”
I stopped wiping at the counter.
She looked up at me and tilted her head. “You two weren’t really that close, right? I mean, it’s not like you were dating.”
I began wiping at the bar again, forcing a smile. Stay cool. “Not at all. I just felt sorry for the kid.”
“And for good reason!” She laughed, then wrapped her red lips around the straw in her drink. When she lowered it, she added, “I mean, seriously, who betrays their own pack like that to join another? Did he really think that after doing that the Silver Claws would just welcome him in as one of our own?”
I curled my fingers into fists.
“Hey!” Luke banged on the bar to get my attention. He was sitting a few stools down and must’ve been listening in. “Can I get another drink?”
It took everything I had to move away from her without taking her hair with me. I handed Luke his drink and he leaned in towards me, his voice low.
“Just ignore her. She’s trying to get under your skin.” I moved to serve another customer, but he grabbed my hand. “I’m sorry about earlier.”
His touch melted some of my anger, and tension left my body. I smiled. “Me too.”
He let go of me and winked. That small motion made me want to pull him into a back room and have my way with him. I cringed. The only back room was Eddie’s cramped, smelly office. That wouldn’t do. I’d rather ravage Luke in public.
Several minutes passed. Heather continued to sit at my bar, watching me with an eye that seemed to be calculating her next move. She finally waved me over again. “I’ll have another one. You really are talented.”
I did as she asked, vowing not to let her get to me.
“Here you go.” I handed it to her, more gently this time.
“I don’t mean to keep bringing Ryder up, but I feel since we’re working closely together, there really shouldn’t be any secrets between us, right?”
“What do you mean?
“Well … ” She swirled the straw in circles. “It’s no secret Dominic didn’t like Ryder. He saw him as duck dark stain on the pack. We really only took him in because he happened to be friends with one of the Morgans. They pleaded his case.”
“Good for them.”
“Anyway, I think Dominic handled the whole Ryder situation quite well. At first, I was super confused. It didn’t seem like a smart move, but looking back, he made our pack stronger.”
“What are you talking about?” She now had my full attention. “What situation?”
“You really don’t know?” She feigned surprise. “I thought you were Dominic’s favorite. Even after you killed his best friend. It didn’t make sense, but who was I to question our Alpha?”
“Stop rambling. What are you talking about?”
“Ryder, of course. He was a trade.”
My blood slowed in my body, and my head began to spin. “A trade for what?”
She frowned. “I guess not so much a trade. More like a sign of good faith. You see, Ryder’s father thought you two were dating. He wanted revenge against you for telling Dominic where they were hidden. Dominic was very willing to give up Ryder in exchange for the Greybacks’ full cooperation.”
I gripped the edge of the bar, feeling it buckle under my grip. “Dominic gave them Ryder?”
She clapped lightly, smiling slyly. “Now you’re getting it.”
Rage as hot as fire licked at my mind, my body, my soul. Dominic may not have held the weapon that killed Ryder, but he was the one that sharpened it and trained it in Ryder’s direction.
There was only one thing left to do. No more thinking. No more stalling.
I dropped the towel on the bar and walked away. Heather was laughing. I could hear the sound over the loud music, over Luke’s voice telling me stop, over my thundering heartbeat.
I made it one block down the road before Luke stopped me. “Where are you going?”
“I’m done. I’m taking Dominic tonight.”
He stepped in front of me. “You need to think about this.”
“No. He killed Ryder. It was him.”
“I heard.”
“Then move.”
<
br /> “I can’t. It’s too soon. We don’t know who he’s working with yet. We need to find Jake first.”
“It’s too much. He can’t get away with this.” I shoved him aside, but he didn’t move. Not even stumble.
“My brother, Briar.”
I looked at him, my eyes sad. “I’m sorry. I am, but Dominic has to go.”
“I can’t let you past.”
“I will fight you if I have to. Please don’t take it that far.” I searched his eyes, pleading. If we fought, we might not be able to come back from that.
He didn’t move.
“So be it.”
Chapter 42
My expression darkened, and I puffed air out my nose. Since I didn’t want to fight him, I tried running past him, but he shoved me. I stumbled back, but quickly recovered and tried again. He shoved my harder.
“Stop this, Briar.”
“You stop.” I rushed directly toward him and swung my fists. He didn’t hit back, but he blocked each one of my strikes.
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Then freaking move!” I kicked at him, but he blocked that, too. I needed to step up my game, but I didn’t want to hurt him, either.
Except I wanted to kill Dominic more. I was so angry I couldn’t think of anything else.
“Enough.” This time, I didn’t hold back. I swung with all my strength and caught him in the jaw. His head jerked back. I didn’t give him a chance to recover. I kicked him in the stomach. When he doubled over, I rammed my elbow into his back, dropping him to the ground.
Guilt tore through me. He’d be sore, but he’d recover.
Except our relationship probably wouldn’t.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered.
He glanced up at me. “So am I. I’m calling the pack.”
“Do what you have to do.”
I began to run. I ran as fast as I could, pumping my arms back and forth. I didn’t think about Luke. Only about Ryder. About Dominic. All the lives he’d destroyed and continued to destroy. It’s time he paid for his crimes in blood.
The warehouse was almost two miles away. If Luke was really going to call in the pack, I needed to hurry. He didn’t know where the warehouse was, but Terrence did. If he spoke to him first, they could potentially get there before me, but I didn’t think that would happen. Organizing a pack took time, and I would take advantage of that. I guessed I had at least thirty minutes.
