by AE Jones
Chapter 34
This had to work. Gizmo sat at the dining room table concentrating on the map spread across it.
“You still tracking him?” Devin asked.
“Yeah, the spell is working. Plus, Jack and Connor are following him too, but he doesn’t realize it. Once he escaped, they chased him for a couple of miles and then let him think he got away.”
Devin wasn’t taking any chances. “Where has he been so far?”
“He stopped at his apartment, packed a bag, and took off. He’s on the road now. I used the address to find out his name.” Gizmo pointed to the laptop perched on the counter and Devin stared at a picture of the simian glaring at him from his driver’s license. Gene Turner.
“What else do you have on him?”
“I’m running a search to find out if he works and where. I’ll let you know once it finishes running.”
“Good.” Devin nodded. Everything was going to plan. They would have this wrapped up before Alex got back from San Francisco.
* * *
Sheila pulled away from the arrival area and drove toward the airport exit.
“Thanks for coming and picking me up sooner than expected.”
Sheila chuckled. “No problem. It was worth it to hear the story.”
Alex laughed along with her. “Yeah, I wasn’t expecting the bride to call off the wedding because she’s in love with the best man.”
“And you said the groom wasn’t upset?”
“No, found out he was in love with the caterer.”
“Good lord! It reminds me of a Sandra Bullock movie. Maybe we should write a screenplay.”
Alex smiled sadly. “No one would believe us.”
Sheila nodded. “You should have stayed the weekend in San Francisco.”
“With everything going on, I’d rather be home. Thanks for checking on Cat for me while Devin was in the healing center and while I was in San Francisco.”
“No problem. So how are you doing?”
“Okay,” Alex answered quickly, not wanting to talk about Devin.
“Really?”
She should have known Sheila wouldn’t let her skate around things. “No. But there’s nothing I can do about it.”
Sheila flipped on her turn signal and changed lanes. “You could tell Devin he’s a moron.”
“I don’t think that would do any good right now. He’s obsessed. The last thing I want to do is distract him and then someone gets hurt.”
“But you are going to talk to him?”
“Eventually. After his trial. I’ve been thinking about his overpowering need to protect me. It’s almost on the obsessive-compulsive side, but he’s trying to function for the first time without his powers, and so I think he’s just overcompensating.”
“Are you channeling Dr. Phil right now?”
“Nope. But after two years of therapy, I’ve learned a couple things about loss of control and how people deal with it.”
Sheila glanced over at her, but Alex couldn’t meet her eyes.
“How about I take you for ice cream?”
“You don’t eat sweets.”
“There’s this new place that serves soy ice cream.”
“Sounds disgusting.”
Sheila stuck out her tongue. “Fine, we can stop at Baskin Robbins if it makes you happy.”
Fifteen minutes later, Alex moaned after swallowing the last creamy bite of peanut butter fudge swirl.
Sheila chuckled as she turned into the parking lot of Alex’s apartment building. “You seem to be enjoying that a little bit too much.”
“Ha, ha, very funny.”
The car came to a stop, and Sheila put it in park before turning to face Alex. “Promise me you’ll talk to Devin.”
Alex looked down at the empty ice cream container. “Why are you pushing this so hard, She?”
“Because you care for him.”
“That may not be enough.”
Sheila frowned at her. “In the past few weeks, you haven’t backed down from anything, including Devin. Why start now?”
Sheila was right. She hadn’t backed down. She wasn’t letting fear run her life. She smiled slightly. “Yes. I have to figure out what I should be fighting for. Right now, I’m too tired to think about it.”
“Just don’t lose your fight altogether, Alex. I like the new you.”
* * *
Warning bells sounded in Gene’s head as soon as he walked into the room. Stan was there, along with two demons. They both glared at him from across the room.
“What are you doing here?” Stan asked.
“That’s the first question you ask me?” Gene sputtered. “I’ve been missing for days, and you don’t ask me where I’ve been?”
Before Stan could answer, a vampire charged into the room, leaned over, and whispered in his ear. Stan nodded and the vamp left. He then turned to Gene.
“I know where you’ve been. You’ve been singing to the supernatural feds.”
Gene narrowed his eyes. “What are you talking about? I would never say anything.”
“If you’re not working with them, then why are there two wolves out pacing the perimeter of the property?”
“That’s not possible, I gave them the slip.”
“I’m not buying it, especially after the phone call I got at the bar.”
Gene stepped forward. “Was it a woman?”
“Yeah.”
“And she told you I was being held captive and where to find me?”
“She didn’t tell me where you were, just that you were going to cut a deal to save your hairy neck.”
“Bullshit,” Gene roared, not sure whether he was defending himself or her.
Stan exchanged glances with the demons. “I would have given you the benefit of the doubt if, right after the call, I hadn’t been followed out of the bar by a man and a sea nymph. How did they know where to find me?”
“I didn’t tell them shit. I gave the phone number to the girl they were holding captive.”
“She played you.”
He shook his head vigorously. “No. She helped me escape.”
“The idiot’s telling the truth. At least the truth as he understands it.”
At the sound of their boss’s voice, Stan and the other two stood up.
Gene turned toward him. “Sir, I wasn’t expecting to find you here.”
Stan interrupted him. “How do you know he’s not lying?”
“Because he has a tracking spell cast on him. If he was working with them, they wouldn’t need to track him.”
“Tracking spell? Get it off me,” his heart sped up as he batted at his chest and arms.
The boss shook his head. “It’s not a bug, Gene. I can’t take it off you. But I can block it.” He took a step forward. “Now, what else did you tell this woman?”
“Nothing! I gave her Stan’s name and number.”
“Who is she?”
Gene glanced nervously around the room. “She didn’t give me her name. She’s the one I grabbed at the gargoyle wedding. She…she said her family ran the wedding business.”
“Young?”
“Yeah.”
“I know who you’re talking about. Alex Bennett.”
Gene’s hands bunched into fists. She was going to pay for making a fool of him. “Do you know where I can find her?”
“Yes, but first we need to take care of our uninvited guests outside.”
* * *
Why weren’t they answering their coms?
Devin squeezed the steering wheel as they drove along a winding road while Giz gave them directions over the phone. Connor and Jack had missed their scheduled call-in, and they hadn’t been able to get them on their phones. Not a good sign.
Devin insisted the men wear trackers when out in the field for this very reason, so the team could locate them in case of injury or abduction. Giz was at the house, reading the devices and the car’s location, and relaying it to Devin and Charlie in the form of a hum
an GPS.
“Turn right,” Giz said. They pulled onto a small dirt road and drove a half mile before he spoke again. “Stop. They should be within 500 feet of you.”
Devin parked the car and Charlie pulled his gun from his shoulder holster. The area appeared deserted, but there was something wrong. The unease vibrated in the air like a swarm of bees. Charlie must have felt it too, since he reached back and grabbed two Kevlar vests, tossing one to Devin. They climbed out of the car and quickly strapped on the vests.
They headed toward a group of trees and went slowly around the perimeter. After a few seconds Devin held up a fist, signaling for Charlie to freeze. A low sound carried across the grass. It stopped and then started again, and they were able to zero in on it.
Growling.
Devin moved carefully and scoped out the area. Charlie squatted down and motioned to him. The earth and leaves were disturbed, as if something had been dragged across the area recently. Charlie reached down and touched the ground. When he pulled back his fingers they were covered in blood. They hurried farther into the woods.
While they followed the trail, the growling grew louder. After a hundred yards or so, they came to a small clearing where some trees were piled in a crisscross pattern, forming a lean-to. Devin and Charlie froze when they walked around the formation to the other side.
Jack was lying under the lean-to, unconscious, the side of his shirt covered in blood.
But of more immediate concern was Connor. He was in his wolf form, and was crouched in protective mode in front of Jack, his head lowered and teeth bared, ready to attack.
“Shit,” Charlie whispered.
When under significant stress, werewolves sometimes lost their reasoning skills and the ability to transition back to human. This was definitely one of those times.
Devin moved closer, hands relaxed, visible, and down at his side. “Connor, it’s Devin. We’re here to help.”
Connor’s growl deepened and his eyes locked on Devin with a snarl.
“You know us. Let us help Jack. He needs help, right now.”
The wolf blinked and stopped growling, but he still hesitated for agonizing seconds while Jack lay bleeding out on the ground.
“Let Charlie check on Jack.” As if a light bulb went off and he understood what was happening, the wolf backed away. Charlie hurried over and knelt at his side, examining Jack quickly.
“He took a bullet in the stomach. We need to get him to the van so I can work on him.”
Connor started to whine.
“It’s going to be all right,” Devin responded firmly, as if daring the Fates to tell him otherwise.
They carried Jack to the van and put him in the back. Connor scrambled in, his nails scraping the leather seats. Charlie grabbed the first aid kit and cut off Jack’s shirt.
After a couple minutes, Charlie gave Devin a grim, tight-lipped look. “I have him stabilized, but we need to get moving.”
Devin put the van in drive and sped down the dirt path. He hit speed dial on the dashboard cell hookup. “Giz, find us the closest healing center from our location, Jack’s been hit.”
“Hold on.” A minute later, Giz was back on the phone with an address. There was a center close by.
“Got it.” Devin answered. “Now figure out where the simian is.”
“Give me a sec.”
Devin pulled back onto the road and headed toward civilization. When he didn’t hear from Giz for several seconds he spoke up. “Are you still there?”
“Yes.” Giz hesitated. “We’ve got a problem. I don’t see him.”
“Did you break the spell?”
“No! The spell is still cast. I don’t understand.”
“Try again,” Devin demanded. What the hell was going on?
“It’s no good. I lost him.”
* * *
Alex stared up at the florescent stars glowing down at her mockingly. She couldn’t fall asleep. She kept telling herself the restlessness was due to sugar overload from her ice cream sundae, but who was she kidding?
She missed Devin. It scared her how quickly she’d gotten accustomed to his arms around her. Instead, a warm, purring cat lay up against her side while Alex petted her.
“I’m pathetic, Cat.”
She wasn’t sure what Devin felt for her. Maybe nothing. Maybe that’s how he operated with everyone. He’d slept with Marina and then dumped her. And then she’d died trying to get back in his good graces. She shook her head. No, Devin wasn’t that cold-hearted. Since when did she become petty and spiteful? Alex wouldn’t allow herself to revert back to the person she’d been after Steve left her at the altar. She was better than that now.
A scraping noise came from the windowsill. “Devin?”
“No, my pet.”
Alex jerked up and tried to scream, but a hairy hand clamped over her mouth. She struggled frantically, clawing at the large body above her. She kicked, but her legs were trapped under the blankets. Cat hissed and her attacker swung a huge hand at her, knocking her across the room and into the wall. No! Alex drew blood with her nails, and he responded with a curse before jamming a damp cloth over her mouth.
She continued struggling and kicking, as a metallic odor burned her nose and throat. Within seconds, her thoughts clouded and she couldn’t keep her eyes open.
The stars on her ceiling faded to black.
Lorinda’s Wedding Tip: A wedding will cause stress for the groom as well. He just might not show it as obviously as the bride.
Chapter 35
No sleep made Devin a dull boy. The team’s priority was finding the SOBs who shot Jack. They’d barely gotten him to the healing center in time.
After being out all night searching for the simian, Devin had stopped back at the house for a quick shower. The last swig of lukewarm coffee did little to wake him up, and he thumped the empty mug down on his bedside stand in disgust, and pulled on his boots, tying them.
A knock on the door interrupted him.
“Come in.”
Charlie walked in, frowning.
Devin stood up. “What’s wrong? Is it Jack?”
“No, I just spoke to Connor. He’s doing better. Have you heard from Alex?”
Where had that question come from? “No. We haven’t spoken in days. I told you, she’s in San Francisco.”
Charlie shook his head. “You left your cell downstairs and Sheila called. The wedding was cancelled at the last minute.”
“Where is Alex?”
“Sheila dropped her off at home last night, but Alex isn’t answering her phone, and she’s getting worried.”
“Did she check with Peggy?”
“She hasn’t heard from her, either.”
Devin grabbed his keys and gun from the bed. “Let’s go.”
Thirty minutes and four unanswered calls later, Devin ran up Alex’s apartment stairs, his heart pounding. Something was wrong. He’d known it the minute Charlie said her name.
When they reached her door, he pulled his gun and stood to the side. Charlie came up behind him and drew his gun as well. Devin turned the doorknob slowly. Locked.
He glanced at Charlie and nodded. Charlie knelt down and picked the lock. The last thing they needed to do was alert the neighbors and have cops breathing down their necks.
Even though Charlie opened it in less than a minute, it was too long. If Devin still had his powers, he could have opened the damn door by simply wishing it to happen.
They advanced into the apartment and made a quick sweep of the kitchen and living room. Both were empty. The bedroom door was closed, and Devin took a deep breath. This was too reminiscent of Richards’ house. But there was no smell of blood coming through the door. He opened it and scanned the room quickly.
It was empty. Alex’s comforter and sheets were lying on the floor, and the window was open, the breeze billowing the curtains out into the room.
Charlie rushed into the room. Devin stared at the bed. Three drops of blood stood out in st
ark contrast on the white pillowcase. Icy fingers wrapped around his heart, making it hard for him to catch his breath. Where was she?
A muffled cry came from the closet, which was open partway. Devin yanked open the door to find Cat crammed and quivering behind a pair of boots in the far corner of the closet.
He cleared his throat so he could choke out some words. “It’s okay, Cat. We’ll find her.”
A hand gripped his shoulder and Charlie spoke quietly beside him, “Damn straight we will.”
Thirty minutes later, Connor stood in the center of the bedroom and turned slowly while Devin and Charlie watched. He stopped turning and closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. Then he walked to the bed and leaned down, sniffing the pillowcase and the blood. Devin clenched his fists to keep his hands from shaking.
After Connor walked over to the window and stood gazing out onto the street, Devin couldn’t take it anymore. “Don’t you need to turn into your wolf?”
Connor shook his head. “No. I can tell what happened. He came through the window and grabbed Alex out of bed.”
Even though he was sure of the answer, Devin had to ask. “Who took her?”
“The simian.”
He swallowed his fury and fear. “The blood on the pillow?” he asked quietly.
“It’s not Alex. My guess is she put up a good fight and drew some blood.”
Charlie muttered, “That’s our girl.”
Devin’s heart started beating in his chest again. “Can you track his scent?”
“In here the scent of both of them is still strong. Once we get out onto the street it’ll be hit and miss, but I’ll try. For that I’ll need to turn.”
“Do whatever you can. Thanks for coming. I know it’s hard to leave Jack.”
Connor shook his head. “They need to pay for what they did to him. Besides, I’d do anything for Alex.”
Devin nodded, no longer trusting his voice. He would pray to God, the Fates—anyone who would listen. She had to be okay.
* * *
Alex had to be dreaming. Devin knelt next to her bed and ran his hand lightly over her face. She sighed slightly and began to drift back to sleep until the hand patted her cheek quite insistently.
“Wake up, pet.”
