A Pack of Two

by Jacky Russell

  Breanna

  The windows of the training hall of Camp Ederle shook as the obnoxiously loud sounds of American rock music filled the air. I delivered kick after punishing kick to the heavy sand bag hanging helplessly before me. The bag hadn’t done anything wrong, but was still taking the full brunt of my frustration. I couldn’t stop thinking about the warm brown eyes of a certain werewolf.

  “Stupid, stupid, stupid,” I grunted as I landed three consecutive roundhouse kicks onto the bag. “Not your wolf,” I panted, punching the bag with a vengeance.

  “Hey, Bre, you all right?” Celeste asked as she padded into the room.

  “Yep.” The bag shook from my spinning whip kick.

  “Uh, okay. Have you seen Simon?”

  Combination punch. Left, right, left, right, followed by a heel kick. “Nope.”

  “I can’t find him anywhere.” She sat daintily in a chair nearby. “I thought he was with you.”

  Front kick left, front kick right, punch, punch, punch. “Nope.”

  I had a great sweat going when I realized she was watching me with puppy-dog eyes. “Do you want me to look for him, Cee?”

  She leaped up and threw her arms around me. “Yes, please!”

  I toweled off and headed to the double doors, Celeste trotting beside me. She chatted about the stars in the sky, the crickets chirping, whatever crossed her abnormally happy mind. I’d learned to ignore the chatter or I’d have strangled her.

  We stepped into the orange glow of the sodium lights surrounding the parking lot. Musk and a faint whiff of vampire tickled my nose, but it was the unusual energy in the air that made my hair stand on end.

  “Bre? What’s wrong?”

  “Something weird’s going on around here,” I answered, scanning the flat expanse of asphalt.

  Celeste peered into the dim light. Typical elf, she hated any type of negative energy and there was plenty to be felt tonight. Not really black magic, just a strange vibe. The wind whipped the angry clouds, adding to the already spooky atmosphere.

  “I’m going to look around. Why don’t you go back to the barracks?”

  Celeste shook her head. “I’m not leaving you.”

  It would be hard to sneak across an open parking lot and harder with an elf hanging onto your arm. How could someone so small make so much noise?

  Someone stormed around the corner and mowed into both of us. Celeste shrieked and I went into attack mode until I realized it was Simon.

  “What the hell are the two of you doing out?” he demanded as he helped Celeste to her feet.

  “Looking for you,” I replied, brushing the dust from my pants.

  “I asked Bre to find you,” Celeste said. “I was worried about you.”

  Simon didn’t bother to hide how much her concern meant to him. “I am sorry to have worried you, my love. An unexpected situation required my attention.”

  He pulled her into an embrace while I stood to the side, feeling as out of place as a condom machine in a convent.

  “Why did you uncloak your power?” I asked when the two finally separated.

  Simon delicately kissed Celeste’s forehead. “I must accompany my mate to our quarters and then will speak with you regarding the events of this evening. Would you meet me in the briefing room at twenty-one hundred?”

  I checked my watch. Thirty minutes. Time for a shower.

  When I made it to the briefing room, Simon had his arms crossed and was staring out the window. He didn’t turn around as I rushed in.

  “My apologies for addressing you so rudely earlier, Breanna. I was not expecting you to be out.”

  “No biggie. What’s up?”

  He motioned to a chair and pulled out another for himself. “The Italian Alpha was at the security gate earlier tonight. He was not happy one of his wolves was transported to the hospital without his permission or knowledge.”

  WTF? “Well, that’s stupid. Lucas was hurt and needed medical attention. I had the list of approved supernatural hospitals and that’s where we took him. What’s the issue? Would he have preferred I wait for permission and let Lucas bleed to death?”

  “Actually, yes. Alpha wolves are very much about control of their pack.”

  I slammed my hands on the table. “He was going to die!”

  “I know, Breanna, but you need to understand the ways of the wolves.”

  “Galen would have expected me to take one of his wolves to the hospital.”

  “Yes, but Galen is an American Alpha and is much more open-minded than other Alpha werewolves.”

  “So the Italian Alpha was mad because a witch brought one of his wolves to the hospital?”

  “No, he was angry because I did not call him.”

  Damn. I’d gotten Simon in trouble again.

  “I’m sorry, Simon. I didn’t mean to cause trouble. I just wanted to help Lucas.”

  Simon smiled sadly. “I know you meant well, Breanna, but these are the things I’ve been talking about. There are repercussions for any and all actions.”

  I snorted. “He’s just doing that ’cause you’re a vampire.”

  “Perhaps, but it matters not what his motivation is. There are protocols in place for dealing with situations such as these and one of us should have consulted the Alpha before transporting the injured wolf.”

  “Couldn’t you have called him when you called the chopper?”

  Simon pretended to ponder my question. “Ah, yes, I could have and then a livid Alpha werewolf would have been waiting as you disembarked the Medivac. Since you saw fit to travel without any Bravo soldiers as backup, what would you have done had he attacked?”

  I was an idiot.

  “Damn, Sime. I’m sorry. I only wanted to help Lucas. He was holding my hand and his wolf kept pushing for a change and I didn’t know what to do. I should have called you but I couldn’t leave him. I just couldn’t.”

  I met Simon’s eyes and then looked away. That excuse was pathetic but it was the truth.

  “You felt something for this wolf?”

  I shrugged since I was nothing but a slug. “I didn’t want to leave him alone.”

  “You attacked two Malandanti in order to save a werewolf you didn’t know. You hopped willingly and alone into a Medivac to accompany this same unknown werewolf to a hospital where you could have easily been in danger. I would say you felt something for this wolf, my dear.”

  I sucked in a breath before answering. “He said I was an angel.”

  I braced for Simon’s laughter but none came. “And what did you say?”

  “That he must have hit his head really hard when he crashed the bike.”

  Simon chuckled. “I assume a simple ‘thank you’ would have been too much for you?”

  Not a response I’d even considered.

  After a never-ending pause, Simon continued. “The injured wolf was asleep when Lieutenant LeCavalier visited. Apparently the Alpha took exception with Christopher’s presence as well.”

  Damn. Chris had gone to the hospital for me. I wasn’t a slug anymore. I was the trail the slug left behind.

  “The Alpha also said the injured wolf mumbled the name Breanna.”

  My heart stopped. Lucas remembered me?

  I glanced up at Simon before quickly regaining my composure. It didn’t matter if he did remember me. Lucas was an Italian Pack wolf who could have anyone on the continent. We’d be leaving in a few days and I’d never see him again. Tell that to my heart that was threatening to beat out of my chest.

  “Did you tell the Alpha about the Malandanti?” I asked, taking a deep breath and trying to calm my heart.

  “Yes, but Ezekiel had already phoned him. The Alpha’s reaction was very much the same as Ezekiel’s.”

  “He didn’t believe you?”

  Simon shrugged. “No proof.”

  Damn.

  “Breanna, about this wolf. Do you wish to speak with him before we leave Italy?”

  Yeah, sure, I’ll just call him right up
and tell his girlfriend to put him on the line. “Nah, he’s got a mate.”

  “How do you know?”

  “A woman answered when I called the hospital.”

  Simon tented his hands and stared at me for several moments. “As you wish, my dear. The Alpha, while perturbed with my breach of protocol, was indeed grateful for our intervention. He invited the wolves of Bravo to a pack run on his property Friday night.”

  That was classic. Werewolves invited. Witch and vampires, not.

  “What are you doing?” I asked.

  “Celeste and I are going to find a quiet place for dinner. The other vampires are planning an evening trip into the city as well. You are welcome to join us.”

  “I think I’ll hang out, maybe go see a movie or something.”

  Simon nodded thoughtfully. “Whatever you would like, my dear. We will leave for Wisconsin when the next transport is available.”

  A few hours later, a quick check on the internet gave me a list of movie theatres in the area. Nothing grabbed me so I opted for a walk. It was nice to have some time to myself. I loved the soldiers in Bravo but after three weeks with them twenty-four-seven, a little me-time was good.

  I found a nice walking path and dodged the abundance of handholding couples. There was a low vibe of a vampire somewhere nearby but no worries. It wasn’t a master vampire and a little fire zap would scare a young one.

  The path led me into the business district of the city central. Most offices were dark, their hardworking occupants either at home or out on the town. The buildings were older but stately. The brick facades watched over weathered cement sidewalks teeming with humans.

  I ordered a pasta plate to go and found a single bench in a tiny park near the center of the city. It was a little oasis, complete with oak trees, grass, and a reflecting pool. I settled onto the bench, opened the Styrofoam plate, and inhaled the incredible smell of lobster ravioli. Chasing a string of cheese into my mouth, I noticed the sign across the street.

  BENELLI ENTERPRISES

  A single office light burned on the second floor, but the foyer was dark. I took a bite of ravioli and watched the window. Too far away to smell or feel anything, but how common was the name Benelli?

  I finished my ravioli and never saw any movement from the office. Maybe someone had just left the light on.

  “You’re being stupid, Welker,” I mumbled around my last bite of ravioli. Even if it was the same Benelli, Lucas wouldn’t be in the building. He would be at the pack run.

  I tossed the plate in the trash and headed deeper into the park. Shifting to owl form, I flew into the tree nearest the office building. If my talons weren’t so strong, I would have fallen out of the damn tree.

  I’d recognize those shoulders anywhere.

  A huge stack of paperwork had Lucas working late into the night. I scratched my feathers. Why was he here? The Bravo wolves never missed a chance to run amok through the woods chasing rabbits and deer. Eventually exhausted, they would flop in a pile, curled up next to one another, and sleep.

  Lucas ran his hand through his hair and rolled his head on his shoulders. He looked stressed, shoulders tight, fists clenched.

  I could work those kinks out of his neck.

  He stood and crossed the room toward a fax machine, giving me a firsthand look at him from behind. I was not disappointed. His black dress pants perfectly fitted what was without a doubt the shapeliest ass I had ever seen. He wasn’t overly tall, probably standing around six foot. He could have been a living stone statue. My beak chattered at the thought of those rock-hard abs and that chest, oh, that chest.

  I’d like to rip the buttons off his shirt.

  The light on the fax was blinking and he pulled open all the doors and drawers. He reached into the machine and bared his teeth. The thought of those perfect teeth nipping along my flesh made me overheat.

  Owls don’t sweat, idiot. Calm down before you fog up the window.

  Maybe I could show up at his office door and help fix the fax machine. If I was a better witch, I could have cast a spell through the window to help him. That was too risky. A wayward spell might hurt him.

  Lucas had looked really good when I found him beside the road but now, in that dress shirt and those dress pants, oh my.

  Drop-dead fall-off-the-limb gorgeous.

  Even through the window, there was wildness about him. A shiver shook my feathers as he whirled away from the fax machine and stormed toward his desk. Flakes of silver sparkled in his eyes as he glanced out the window and looked straight at me. I closed my beak and stared back at him. Did he know?

  With a heavy sigh and slumping shoulders, Lucas glanced at his watch, grabbed his jacket, and headed toward the door. After one last look over his shoulder, he flipped off the light and disappeared into the darkness.

  I swooped closer to the bustling street. My bird heart was pounding.

  I needed to calm down before I pooped on his head.

  The vibration of a master vampire slid across my feathers. The power was strong, but it wasn’t Simon. My vampire commanding officer cloaked his power to make his strength unreadable. This vampire wanted others to know he was here.

  Chapter 6

  Lucas

  If I didn’t get out of the office, the fax machine would end up out the window. Four hours on contracts, bids, purchase orders and capital expenditures made me hungry. My client meeting was in an hour and that gave me time to get real food before eating a “normal” dinner with the human.

  The pack wolves were out tonight so I’d have the local restaurants to myself. A big juicy steak sounded good and the musings of the local human population would be a nice change from the ill-tempered werewolves I’d been dealing with for the last few days. I stepped onto the sidewalk and got a nose full of car exhaust, human and food scents.

  An odd tingle was in the air tonight, a familiar yet foreign magical vibration. With the full moon, lots of supernaturals would be out. The wolves hunting, the vampires stalking and, by a fire somewhere, naked elves danced.

  None of that interested me anymore. When I was an agent for the Divine Council, I loved to see the full moon nights because it meant we were going to be out patrolling for those who didn’t abide by the laws of the supernatural world. Now full moon nights were nothing special. Calculating the amount of drywall needed to finish a three-story office building dominated my days. Yeah, life was grand. Going to meet a client not pleased with the progress on his project. This should be a great dinner.

  I checked my phone and saw three voicemails and two texts, all from my father, who insisted I be at the pack run tonight. I sent a text that I was stuck at work. He’d be angry, but by now he was in the forest leading the run. Oh well. He stayed angry with me. Why should tonight have been any different?

  The unusual tingle increased as I walked the three blocks to Danton’s. With no scent in the air, the tingle meant a vampire in the area.

  “Ciao, Lucas.” I knew that voice.

  “Ciao, Istagio.” His eyes were black as midnight and as usual, he wore the most expensive Armani suit money could buy.

  “May we speak for a moment?” Istagio asked, falling into step beside me.

  “Sure, just on my way to grab a steak.”

  He wrinkled his nose in obvious disdain for my meal choice. “One of our young ladies has gone missing. Giovanna disappeared three nights ago.”

  I stopped. “Do you have any leads?”

  Istagio looked into the darkness. “None. It is like your brother. She simply vanished into thin air.” He paused, shoving his hands deep into his pockets. “I have consulted a local oracle, who proclaimed Giovanna was taken to be used as a sacrifice.”

  “Sacrifice for what?”

  “The oracle could not see,” he answered as we continued walking. “I fear she is dead. A youngling, only four summers old, would not have known to stay away from the darkness of black magic.”

  “You created her?”

  He bowed hi
s head. “Yes. I turned her. I stumbled upon her as she lay dying in the wreckage of a dreadful auto accident. She was so beautiful and her aura pure. I felt she would do well amongst my kind.”

  “I’m sorry, Istagio.”

  “Your father has no news of your brother?” he asked.

  I shrugged. “Not that I’ve heard.”

  Istagio’s forehead wrinkled. “There are rumors of dark magic.”

  “I’ll put in a call to Tristyn and see if he’s heard anything.” My best buddy, an ambassador for the Divine Council, knew the happenings within the supernatural world.

  Istagio nodded and bowed his head. “I appreciate your concern for my lost young one. I am afraid we are too late for her, but I do not wish to lose any others.”

  To have people you care about disappear was, in some ways, worse than knowing they were dead. Lack of closure was hard on those left behind. I’d seen what it had done to my father and mother. No one deserved that type of torment.

  I offered my hand and the cool skin of the vampire brushed against mine. “I’ll let you know what I find out.”

  He pumped my hand once. “Thank you, Lucas. If there is any way I can be of assistance, please do not hesitate to ask.”

  “Thanks, Istagio. Call if anything comes up.”

  The vampire dipped his head and disappeared into the darkness. We had strayed from the main thoroughfare as we talked and my stomach demanded food. I loosened my tie and broke into a jog to follow the aroma of steak.

  The odd vibration in the air remained long after Istagio and I parted ways.

  Chapter 7

  Breanna

  Lucas never came out the front door. In human form, I waited across from the office building, but he must have taken a side exit. What the hell kind of recon soldier couldn’t keep up with one civilian werewolf in a sea of humans? My tracking skills definitely needed work.

  I decided against shifting to owl form and looking for him from the air. The sidewalks were much too crowded and he probably wasn’t alone. This was stupid anyway. Why would he want to talk to me?

  After one last long look through the milling humans, I ducked into a bustling sports bar. They had hockey. In jeans and t-shirt, I didn’t look anything like the scantily dressed women scattered along the bar, but that was okay. There were no supernaturals inside and all I wanted was to relax with a cold beer, a basket of nachos, and an obnoxious group of fellow hockey fans.