by Raven Steele
Focusing my hearing, I leaned forward slightly to hear what they were saying.
A tall man in a dark gray business suit spoke to Brutus. “Are you sure they are ready for transport?”
“They will comply.” Brutus opened the door. “Just make sure they are caged around two in the morning. That’s when it wears off, and they get a little crazy. If you inject them before then, it will wear off even sooner, so just bear with it.”
The people in suits disappeared inside along with Brutus and Marge. The others stood guard.
From within, we heard the sounds of dozens of bodies moving around. Feet shuffling across concrete. Iron doors opening and closing. The sound of chains rattling. My pulse raced, and my stomach churned. Prisoners.
“Make way!” Brutus’s voice called a few minutes later.
His shifters stood to attention and divided up to make a narrow walkway. Several more appeared at the top of the rise, also armed. I held my breath.
People limped from the building, chains around their legs. Men. Women. Human? I looked closer, using my wolf’s eyes. My hand came to my mouth to stop the sound of a horrified gasp.
Supernaturals. All of them.
Chapter 14
Shifters, vampires, fae, a few witches, and something else I didn’t recognize strode out of the warehouse, chains clinking at their wrists and ankles. Dozens filed out, and they kept coming. Their complexions were pale, almost gray as if they were ill, and yet, their bodies reflected something different. In tank tops and sweats, all of them sported well-defined muscles, and they moved with purpose, like the way soldiers moved to face a great battle.
It was their presence, however, that made me want to retreat further into the forest. I might’ve done it, too, but Luke’s hand was suddenly on my back. The soldiers stared blank-faced ahead, following the person in front of them. They moved in synchronized movements, as if they were a giant organism all part of the same body. Power emulated from them. It was so intense, it sucked the breath I’d been holding.
There was something familiar about the way they moved, reminding me of the monsters at Bodian Dynamics, the ones I’d fought with Samira. That’s where I’d seen the logo on the briefcase. These men were from Bodian.
I remembered how the guards at the Bodian Dynamics warehouse had shifted into monsters, larger versions of humans, but with wild eyes and strong, dark auras. They reminded me of how the famous Dr. Jekyll transformed himself into the evil and powerful Hyde.
Except these soldiers marching ahead of us were much stronger.
Brutus barked orders at the Hydes, which they followed with perfect exactness. The people in suits stared on appraisingly, occasionally nodding their stupid heads.
“What the hell is this?” Luke whispered.
As if on command, the giant organism stopped moving at the same time. Their heads slowly rotated in our direction, and they stared right at us, as if they could see through the darkness and trees.
“Time to go.” Angel pulled me back, and Luke followed.
We didn’t retreat slowly.
We sprinted through the woods, fear biting at my heels. I didn’t know if we were being followed. I wasn’t going to stop to find out. Raw instinct told me I didn’t want to fight those things. Luke and Angel seemed to sense the same thing.
I jumped onto the motorcycle seat behind Angel. He accelerated before I grabbed on to him, and I nearly fell off. Luke’s bike shot out of the woods behind ours. I glanced behind him to see if we were being followed but didn’t see anything again. I exhaled a long breath and dropped my forehead into Angel’s back. Shit. I forgot the helmet. It had been lying on the ground next to his bike.
Luke sped by us. I thought he might be ditching us, but he stayed just ahead. When we were a safe distance away, we pulled over to the side of the road. I slipped off the bike and shook out my hands, fear still clinging to them.
Luke parked and stormed over to us. “What the hell was that?”
Angel remained on his motorcycle but leaned forward, arms resting casually on the dash. “It is the first I’ve seen of it.”
“Are they on Scorpion’s Breath?” I asked. “Like under its control?”
Angel shook his head. “Not the Scorpion’s Breath I know. It could be a modified version.”
I stared past him into a recently plowed field, considering his words. “Those supernaturals Dominic kept captive, the ones still in the basement of the warehouse. They behaved similar. The ones at Bodian Dynamics did too, but they were human.”
Luke furrowed his brow. “What does Bodian Dynamics have to do with this? And how would you know?”
“Dominic made me pay them a visit.” I glanced at Angel. “I bet Brutus stole your drugs. Dominic must have collaborated with Brutus. Maybe this is where they first started testing Scorpion’s Breath, then modified it to create those soldier Hydes back there. Just like Dominic controlled the supernaturals in those glass cages. Brutus is doing the same, except it looked like he was selling them to the highest bidder.”
Luke tugged on his hair and paced across the road. “I knew they were snakes. I should’ve killed Brutus when I had the chance.”
He stared at the trees, every muscle taut as if he might rush forward to try and take out Brutus himself. But he couldn’t go back, not alone. Even I wasn’t that rash to try and take on a whole pack and all those Hydes.
“Luke,” I warned and shared a concerned look with Angel.
“We must head back and report to Mateo,” Angel said, also trying to redirect him. “He will want to know.”
Luke whirled around. “We will not be going back to Mateo. You go, vampire. Shifters will deal with this our way.”
I inched toward him. I knew the pain he was feeling, the rage burning through his veins. “We should go back and work on this together with Mateo and Samira. We all want to stop it.”
“Mateo should’ve thought of that when he created the drug.” Luke’s stare burned into Angel. He wasn’t even aware I was drawing closer. “Did he not think Supernaturals would want it? They’re always looking for something lasting to make them forget their pain.”
I flinched. His comment stung, since it was directly related to me. Shame crept up my neck, marking it red.
Angel swung his leg over the motorcycle and slowly came to his feet. “Your aggression is misplaced, wolf.”
“Is it?” Luke passed me as if I wasn’t even there and came to stand in front of Angel. Hands balled tight into fists, and his chest heaved up and down. “I don’t trust you, vamp. You’re the one who got Briar hooked on Scorpion’s Breath, plus, you can’t seem to keep your hands off my girl.”
Angel bristled at Luke’s close proximity, but he remained grounded. “Briar is loyal only to you. I suggest you keep it that way and stop acting like a fool.”
Luke shoved him. “Don’t tell me what to do, vamp trash.”
Power, primal and raw, filled Angel’s countenance, and I caught a glimpse of the monster roaring behind his jade eyes. I stepped back, practically shitting my Tuesday panties at the beast who raged to be free.
But in the next beat of my heart, the monster disappeared, replaced by Angel’s cold and calculated stare. He thrust his hands forward, drilling Luke into his chest.
Luke stumbled back, snarling and spitting. “I’m going to rip you apart.”
He charged Angel, but just before making contact, Angel stepped aside, then pivoted on his foot to knee Luke in the back. The force drove Luke to his knees. Angel wrapped his arm around Luke’s throat, his forearm muscle bulging to keep Luke still.
“Look at her!” Angel roared.
Luke struggled to break free, but Angel only tightened his grip. Luke’s face blanched.
“Do it, or I’ll put you to sleep.”
Luke relaxed slightly and his eyes darted to me. I just stared at them both, too dumbstruck to do or say anything. Not a position I found myself in often.
“Briar cares for you, wolf,” Angel bega
n. “If you rush back into those woods, you’re going to get yourself killed. That will further injure her heart, which, quite honestly, I don’t like hearing about, not when it comes to you.”
“Hey,” I said, but he continued.
“Get up and refocus your anger. Deliver it where it will satisfy you the most while keeping you alive. Don’t do this for yourself. Do it for Briar.” Angel let him go.
Luke grabbed at his neck, gasping for air. He stared at the ground for a few tense seconds, then rose to his feet, his breathing ragged.
“Luke.” I reached for him.
“Don’t,” he warned. He glanced at me briefly then away toward the long stretch of road. A dark shadow crossed over his face, and his eyes sharpened. “I have to go.”
“Where are you going?” I asked.
He ignored me and stalked back to his bike, a firm resolve in his steps that worried me.
“Luke! Wait.” I moved to go after him, but Angel pulled me back.
“Let him go.”
“He’s going to do something stupid.” I jerked my arm free.
“He’s going to get his blood. Leave him be.”
Luke jumped onto his bike and revved the engine. The back tire chewed at the road as he tore off across the pavement, darkness sucking him in. I worried how much of it would become a part of him.
“This hurts,” I said.
Angel looked down at me, his eyes boring into mine. “I know.”
The weight of his gaze had me glancing away. “We should go tell Mateo about the Hydes.”
Angel raised an eyebrow. “Hydes?”
I shrugged. “Like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. What else do we call them?”
“It’s a great name.” He smiled and straddled his bike. “Let’s go see those supernaturals Dominic had locked up. You said Vincent has been trying to cure them?”
I nodded. “Do you think one of them might know something?”
“They might. Who knows what they overheard. Maybe they are clear-headed enough to tell us.”
I nodded and climbed onto the bike behind him. Once again, my arms held him tight as he sped off into the night, wind twisting around us.
Angel was a mystery. He could’ve fought Luke, but he didn’t. Instead, he let Luke take out his anger on him, but why? He didn’t owe me or Luke anything. I chalked it up to another mysterious thing about Angel and gave in to the moment, reveling in the feel of the air over my skin.
Angel parked outside the warehouse where Dominic had kept the supernaturals. Just like before, the area around it was abandoned and the night was quiet. Too quiet.
I walked to the front door, fully expecting to meet a couple of shifters who had been tasked with guarding the place, but there was no one there. I shared a glance with Angel.
I turned the doorknob, but it was locked. Even stranger.
“Stand back.” Angel kicked hard, breaking the door on one of its hinges.
We walked inside until we found the lights. The dusty place was unnaturally still. My heart began to pound as we made our way to the basement.
“Something’s wrong.” I opened the door at the bottom of the stairs.
He walked through first, leading me the rest of the way. The temperature was cooler down here, but that wasn’t what had chilled my skin.
The great room that had once held dangerous shifters was empty.
Chapter 15
I jogged down the long row of empty glass enclosures, my feet slapping against the concrete. There was nothing left, not even a stray hair to show that anyone had been held here. I punched at a metal pillar in passing. “Where the hell are they?”
“Could Vincent have moved them?”
“I don’t think so.” I stopped and looked up at him, dread filling my gut. “You don’t think he’s involved with what’s going on with the Linchen Pack, do you?”
“I don’t think so. Brutus never mentioned meeting with another Silver Claw. But when you tell Vincent about what we’ve found, pay attention to his reaction. Look for any signs of deceit, but be careful. I must report to Mateo. Let me know what Vincent says.”
I nodded and followed him outside. I felt guilty suspecting my uncle, especially after all he’d done to help me, but I had to know. Trust didn’t come easily to me.
As soon as Angel dropped me off at Fire Ridge, I found my uncle and pulled him into his office.
“What’s this about?” He lowered the beer in his hand to the desk, his face flush. The whole pack had been outside celebrating Jerry’s birthday.
“I went to Dominic’s warehouse to check on the supernaturals.” I gauged his reaction, looking for any variation in his expression.
He didn’t even blink. “And?”
“It was empty.”
He frowned. “Empty? What do you mean?”
“No one’s there, Uncle.”
His eyes bulged and jaw flexed.
“I was hoping you moved them somewhere else?” I shifted from one foot to the other, already knowing I wasn’t going to like his answer.
“I did no such thing! Get me Gerald right now. Two of his guys were supposed to be watching the building.”
I left and returned a moment later with Gerald, who was wearing a pink paper birthday hat.
“What’s up, boss?” Gerald licked frosting off his finger, but when he saw my uncle’s expression, he lowered his hand and removed the hat.
“The warehouse is empty. Who did you have watching it?”
“Empty?” He looked between the two of us, his face paling. “Tammy and Alex. I spoke to them yesterday and everything was fine.”
“It’s not fine,” my uncle said. “Go there. Now. Find out where they are.”
He nodded. “I’m on it.”
“And take a few others. It may be dangerous.”
“Yes, sir.”
After he was gone, my uncle dropped into his desk chair and rubbed at the back of his neck. “I don’t understand. Where would they have gone?”
“I might know. What do you know about the Linchen Pack?”
“The bastards that killed Luke’s brother? Not much other than what you told me.”
“Well, I went and saw them again.”
Before he could ask why, I spent the next ten minutes telling him everything that had occurred, including Mateo and Angel being involved and describing the things inside the Linchen Pack’s warehouse. The more I spoke, the more agitated my uncle became. Whatever doubts I’d had about him before, disappeared.
He leaned back into his chair. “Things are getting bad, Briar. And it’s not just because of these … Hydes. There’s something else I need to tell you, and you’re not going to like it.”
I pursed my lips. “What?”
“I overheard something upsetting last night while I paid a visit to Lynx’s mother, Cassandra.”
“Why would you see that bitch?”
“I wanted to be clear about her family’s role with the pack now that I’m Alpha. None of them are welcome here. We no longer need their protection, and they will no longer receive the benefits Dominic once gave them.”
“What was he giving them?”
“Money. A lot.”
I twisted the ring on my finger. “How’d she take the news?”
“Better than I thought she would. I think now that she’s on the Ministry, she has other shoulders to rub.” He inhaled and let out a great breath. “Which is what has me concerned. While I was waiting to speak with her, I heard her talking to someone in another room. She didn’t know I was there yet.”
“Who?”
“I’m not sure. A man. I didn’t hear much, but there was one word that was clear: Abydos. I think they’re looking for it.”
It was a good thing I was sitting down because my legs began to shake. I swallowed around a sudden fullness in my throat and lowered my gaze to the floor.
“For whatever reason, I think you don’t trust me or the pack, which I can understand to a certain degree. But we’re family,
Isabella.” He rarely called me by my real name. “We were appointed to protect the Abydos. Our family. It wasn’t meant to be just one person’s responsibility. Do you understand?”
I forced my gaze upward. “I do, but I don’t have it.”
It wasn’t a complete lie. I didn’t have it on me or even anywhere nearby.
His expression darkened, and he puffed air out his nose. “If the Ministry gets their hands on the Abydos, it could mean the end of us. I know you don’t want that.”
“I don’t, but the Abydos shouldn’t be our main priority. It should be on Trianus.”
He slammed his fist on the desk, startling me. “Don’t you get it, yet? They’re tied together. Whoever is trying to bring back Trianus needs the Abydos to do it. It must be protected!”
I kept my mouth shut, still unsure what to do. Maybe I should move the Abydos again, but that could put it at risk, too. I’d been taught how to cast a protection spell since I was a kid, but I wasn’t certain it would be enough. If I moved it again, it would temporarily be unguarded and could possibly be tracked. Shit.
“Cassandra is dangerous,” he said, his voice softer. “It’s not just the Abydos I’m trying to protect. It’s you, too.”
“I know, and thank you.” I sighed, realizing he wasn’t just my uncle now. He was my Alpha as well.
His gaze lowered to his desk, and he tapped his fingers, thinking. “The Linchen Pack are also a threat. They must be stopped. Maybe it’s time I pay them a visit.”
“Wait a few days. I may go back to investigate again.”
“No more, Briar. It’s too dangerous.”
“But maybe— “
“I said no. I’m telling you as your Alpha to stay away.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but thought better of it. I should respect his position more. My head lowered, tentatively agreeing. For now. But if Mateo or Samira needed me to go again, I might not have a choice. Besides, what he didn’t know couldn’t hurt him.
“Good. Thank you.” He drew his brows together. “How come Luke’s not with you?”
“Why would he be?”
“I spoke to him about thirty minutes ago. He gave the impression that he was with you.”
