by Katie Reus
Her head whipped around, her long blonde hair cascading over her shoulder in a wave. “You did?”
Jaw tight, he nodded. “After I killed my uncle I searched for you.” Hell, he’d still been searching for her right up until she showed up on his front doorstep. Now he knew why he hadn’t been able to find her. She hadn’t been living in any covens; she’d been in the human world.
As he pulled up to a stoplight, he glanced at her to find her watching him with an unreadable expression. Finally she turned away, looking out the window.
Her silence shredded him but he wasn’t sure what he’d expected. Changing the subject, he said, “As soon as we stop at the first place I’ll email you the list of addresses so you have a copy too. Maybe next time you connect with Vega she’ll be able to give you a clue about the place; help us narrow it down.” He prayed that was so. The constant worry lines on Lyra’s face were clawing at him. More than anything, he wanted to make them go away, to give her back her daughter. Then he wanted to possess Lyra once and for all. To bind them together. The rest of the world be damned.
* * *
Her lover’s voice came over the phone in a whisper, as if he was afraid of being overheard: “A group of warriors just left the mansion.”
She rolled her eyes because he couldn’t see her. She was growing increasingly annoyed with his whininess. He might be fantastic in bed, but as soon as they made the rest of the money they’d been promised, she might kill him too. “So what? They’re probably just hunting for more demons.”
A long pause. “I don’t know. They rushed out of here so quickly. And when I questioned Gregory’s mate she didn’t know what he was up to.”
“You questioned his mate?” He was dumber than she’d originally thought.
“I made it sound casual. I’m just worried they’re on to us.”
No, if anyone was on to them, they’d be dead. Finn would kill them for what they’d done.
“I know the money is good, but…”
“Good? The money is insane.” Way too much to turn down. A very powerful vampire had sent out a notice to certain purveyors that he wanted to hire someone to kidnap a young blood-born vampire in this region. It had been an easy grab and bag. Well, once they’d managed to pump the little bitch full of silver.
Because she and her lover had done different jobs for extra cash in the past, they’d been contacted for the kidnapping job. Even though it had been a risk it would be worth it. The vampire who’d hired them couldn’t enter this region without drawing attention to himself. He thought he was so smart; that they wouldn’t realize who this little vamp was once they’d taken her. But she knew. And she intended to capitalize on the opportunity now in her lap.
“You shouldn’t have double-crossed him,” her lover said, as if reading her train of thought.
Him questioning her decision was even less attractive than the whining. “We didn’t.” She’d just changed up their plans a bit. Instead of delivering Vega Marius to the male vamp, she’d decided to keep her until the last minute possible. The male needed Vega at the eclipse, and even though she didn’t know exactly why, she wasn’t stupid enough not to realize that as soon as she turned over the kid, she and her lover would be killed. Now that the kid’s mother had shown up in town, she understood why her lover was worried. Because deep down, she was terrified too. But not of the male vampire.
Finn was a powerful Alpha and while she’d done a few things that might have gotten her into hot water before—if she’d been caught—kidnapping a hybrid vamp who was almost definitely Finn’s daughter guaranteed she and her lover would be sorry they’d ever been born if he found out. Because he wouldn’t make their deaths easy.
She couldn’t know for sure they had a blood tie, but the kid looked exactly like him. The midnight black hair, the sharp cheekbones, her above average height for her age. She hadn’t been positive before, but now that he’d let that vampire Lyra into the pack’s mansion, Vega just had to be his daughter.
She wasn’t surprised he hadn’t told the pack either. The fact that he’d mated with a vamp was disgusting. But that he’d had a child?
“What should I do?” her lover whispered again, shattering her train of thought.
God, his whining was beyond grating. “Nothing. Just act normal. As soon as the sun rises, we’ll switch shifts. No one knows what’s going on and we’ve been very careful. If you can just be patient, think of the payday we’ll make. We can leave this place and start a new life.” One with no rules and a shitload of money that could buy them anything they wanted. If she played things right, Finn would never know she’d been involved.
“Okay. Call if you need me.”
After they disconnected, she peeked in the bedroom where Vega was restrained on a bed with silver chains. The young girl was sleeping and looked a little pale, even for a vampire. She might have to get her some more blood. Her contact had warned that Vega needed to be alive and if she wasn’t turned over in pristine condition then the deal was off.
Frowning, she reviewed her options. She could feed the vamp from her own vein or she could find some unsuspecting human. Though she’d rather find a human, she decided it was smarter to stay inside. That way she didn’t run the risk of running into one of her packmates. If her Alpha or any of the warriors even suspected what she’d done, she’d already be dead. Of that she was sure. That didn’t mean she shouldn’t exercise caution right now. Moving locations might be the smartest thing. She knew just the place.
Chapter Seven
Lyra opened the sliding glass door to the upper balcony of the beach house and silently stepped out onto the porch, Finn close behind her. After breaking into the twenty-fifth house on their list—and still coming up empty—they’d heard two humans entering through the front door so now they had to escape from the second floor.
She pointed at the wooden railing and raised her eyebrows. Finn nodded in agreement.
Stepping over the railing, she balanced on the small outer ledge and measured the distance down to the sandy area. It was on an incline so it was about nine feet. Wordlessly she and Finn dropped at the same time. Their boots made a puff of sound against the sand, but it was unlikely a human would hear.
Still, she followed his lead and hurried toward the beach, using her vampiric speed to fly over the sand, barely touching it. With an almost full moon hanging brilliant above them and the crashing of waves so close, it was such an idyllic night that it irked her. She felt so dark inside that everything else should reflect her feelings. “Has anyone else checked in?” she asked once they’d made it to the beach. He’d parked along the curb of Beach Boulevard and they’d been hitting up houses on foot for the past couple hours. With their speed it would take them no time to eventually return to the SUV.
He nodded, but his frustrated expression told her all she needed to know. “No luck.”
“Maybe the twenty-sixth time will be a charm,” she muttered as they continued down the beach. “How many down is it?” she asked as Finn pulled out his cell phone.
He’d been using a map on his cell to measure the distance between each residence. Some of the homes had had security systems, so for those they’d just used their scenting abilities. She didn’t mind letting him head up this part of the search. Her entire body was shaky enough—partially from the need to eat and partially from fear for her daughter—she didn’t need to be handling anything technical now. She’d been covering her hunger from him, but knew she wouldn’t be able to much longer. Before she told him she just wanted to make it through as many places as they could.
“Four down from here—”
She jerked to an abrupt halt as the wind shifted and she picked up the faint scent of roses.
Vega.
Lyra’s throat tightened as she struggled to force the words out. “I scent her,” she whispered, knowing she wouldn’t have to explain to Finn what she meant.
His entire body went rigid as he smoothly moved into a fighting stance. “
Where?”
She nodded toward the pale blue two-story home with a lot of glass doors and windows. There were no lights on and the place had a stark stillness about it. Or more likely that was just Lyra’s mind going into overdrive with worry. “I scent her on the air. Roses and moonlight.”
“Moonlight?”
Lyra shrugged, carefully walking across the sand, trying to hold on to that scent. “In addition to the roses she smells like the winter forest at night. It reminds me of the moon.” Her voice was a scant whisper in case Vega or her captors were nearby.
Finn lightly touched her forearm. When she looked at him, he pointed to the back, then himself. Next he gestured to the front of the house, then at her. She nodded in understanding.
Soundlessly she unsheathed the single blade she’d kept secured under her thick sweater and moved into action. To the human eye she would have been almost a blur of movement as she raced around the house. Once she was sure no one, either human or supernatural, was waiting to ambush her, she made her way to the front door. At this point she didn’t care if there was an alarm system. Her daughter was inside and she was going to free her.
Using her inborn strength, she pulled the doorknob off and pushed the glass and wood door open just far enough so that she could slip inside. There was a faint trace of that familiar roses scent but it was overpowered by a harsh chemical, bleach smell. And she couldn’t hear anyone in the house. Not a small scuffle of movement, no labored breathing, nothing. It was like a tomb. And she couldn’t feel her daughter’s presence even though she swore she scented her.
As raw fear clawed at her, she crept silently down the tiled hallway, following the chemical scent. Whatever it was, her gut told her it wasn’t good.
When she reached the end of the hallway, she stopped at the staircase when a slight sound caught her ears. Upstairs.
Blade in hand, she flew up the stairs, only slowing when she reached the last step. It opened into an almost loft type space with a seating area that faced two big sliding glass doors. The thick curtains had been drawn back and one of the doors was open. To the left and right of her were two more doors, both partially ajar.
When the left one opened, she tensed, pulse racing, but stopped when Finn stepped out.
“The place is clear,” he murmured, disappointment plain in his voice.
“I can still smell her, but it’s like someone covered it with something…astringent.”
He nodded and motioned toward the room he’d just exited. “It’s a variant of perfumes, fragrant room spray and I’m pretty sure bleach spray… I don’t know her scent but I can smell roses in here. It’s heightened.”
Feeling almost numb, she stepped forward, walking past him. Sometimes abject fear from any being, whether human or supernatural, could put off a sharper scent almost impossible to cover. It could linger for weeks or months, depending on the strength of the terror.
The second Lyra stepped in the room, her stomach pitched. There was a queen-sized four-poster bed, perfectly made, and the rest of the furniture had sheets draped over it. But the scent of her daughter’s fear was so potent it nearly bowled her over. It wasn’t just the roses, it was raw, acidic fear.
Vega was scared and Lyra wasn’t there for her. It pierced her. Her throat ached as she shoved back tears. Though she wanted to break down, she was stronger than that. And her daughter deserved better. She turned back to Finn who was impossible to read. “My senses were going haywire until I reached this room. Can you trail the scent out of here?”
Clearly angry, he shook his head. “No, but I’ve already texted Spiro. He might be able to pick up something we can’t.”
Even though she was frustrated, she was grateful for the help. “Do you think…she was moved?”
He nodded. “Yeah. Let’s wait outside for him. Maybe we’ll catch a trail out front.”
She followed Finn out, but couldn’t stop the question burning a hole inside her. “Do you think—”
“Don’t,” he ordered, as if he’d read her mind. “They wouldn’t have moved her if they didn’t still need her alive. They would have just…”
Killed her. Yeah, Lyra knew that. She was glad he didn’t say the words though. Once they stepped out front, an icy blast of wind rolled over her, the chill a welcome distraction.
“You’ve got about half an hour until sunrise. Victoria and Gabriel are on their way here too. Victoria will take you back to the compound.”
Stupid fucking sun. She’d been so damn close to finding Vega. She didn’t want to stop now. “What about you?”
“Gabriel, my warriors and I aren’t even close to done.”
Tears burned her eyes and without thinking, she wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight. She was terrified for her daughter and without Finn she didn’t know what the hell she’d be doing. Even though she was grateful for his help she couldn’t find the words to tell him. She knew if she opened her mouth again, she’d have a full on melt down of tears.
Thankfully he just wrapped his arms around her and held her tight, his embrace the only thing keeping her standing against the weather of emotions raging through her.
* * *
“I like the name you chose for your daughter. Vega, the brightest star in the constellation Lyra. Very smart,” Victoria said, the first words she’d spoken since they’d pulled away from the beach house.
Lyra blinked in surprise. Almost no one ever got that connection. “Ah, that’s correct.”
“So she’s the brightest star in your world.”
Lyra smiled despite the suffocating agony pressing in on her. Right now her star was missing and she would do anything to get Vega back. “Yes. From the moment she was born.”
“Vega has been called the second most important star in the sky—after the sun of course,” the female shifter continued.
“I’m surprised you know that.”
“I know a lot,” she said matter-of-factly.
“Oh.”
Her green eyes widened and she shot Lyra a quick look full of concern. “I’m not being arrogant, if that’s what you think. I just seem to retain random facts. A lot of them.” Victoria cleared her throat. “I also know that before they were all wiped out, the Akkadians called Vega the Life of Heaven.”
Lyra went still at the shifter’s words, wondering where she was going with this. A long, tense pause seemed to stretch out forever in the SUV, but Lyra had nothing to say.
“When Gabriel told me your daughter’s name it triggered an obscure memory, especially with the rise of these monstrous Akkadian demons. According to an ancient Sumerian prophecy, the Life of Heaven can open the gates of hell.”
“So? Sumerians and Akkadians were two different cultures.” Damn it, why was she even discussing this? She was just opening up dialogue about something she had absolutely no wish to discuss.
“Maybe so, but their language and way of life intersected on a massive scale until the Akkadian language completely replaced the Sumerian one.”
“Why are you telling me this?” Lyra didn’t want to play word games with this woman.
Victoria shrugged in a maddeningly casual way. “The prophecy also says the Life of Heaven is destined to open it in its sixteenth year. I know your daughter is only fifteen and usually prophecies are vague—and can be interpreted any number of ways, but…” She trailed off and looked at Lyra pointedly.
“Say whatever you need to say.”
“I just find it interesting that your daughter’s name is Vega and that she’s been kidnapped right as Akkadian demons are already being unleashed.”
Lyra was silent as she tried to formulate a response. There wasn’t a correct one and she wasn’t sure what this female’s endgame was. If Victoria even had one. But Lyra had learned long ago never to trust anyone. “Who else knows about this prophecy?”
“I’m sure scholars of history are aware, but if you’re referring to the pack, no one that I know. I wasn’t kidding when I said I have a lot of random
knowledge rolling around in my head.”
“Have you told Finn?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
A shrug. “He’s already trying to find the girl. This knowledge won’t help him. Besides, I’m pretty sure he already knows way more about the prophecy than I do. Just as I’m sure you know more about your daughter’s kidnapping than you’ve told us. There’s probably some vampire prophecy with the same sentiment.”
That hit way too close to home. “You’re too smart.”
“Everyone tells me that.”
The sky had turned a lighter gray at the edges of the horizon, but they were less than thirty seconds from the house so she was thankful Victoria stopped speaking. Right now she just wanted to be alone. Maybe if she could get some sleep she could connect with Vega again; find out where the hell she’d been moved to. What if it was out of the city? What if—
Victoria’s voice cut through her thoughts. “Finn is a good Alpha. He’s a good man. He took me in when I was a cub and didn’t have anywhere to go. I don’t want to see him hurt.”
Lyra nodded at the abrupt change of topic, understanding the woman’s meaning. She tried to ignore the sting of it. Just because she and Finn didn’t have a future didn’t mean she needed to be reminded of it. She was well aware that a vampire and Alpha wolf would never work. It would be hard enough for a regular wolf and vampire to work, but an Alpha? Try impossible. “I know. As soon as I have my daughter, I’ll be leaving.” It might not be as simple as that because Vega would surely want to spend time with her father. Of course Finn would most definitely kick Lyra out of his life once he discovered the truth. Her head ached as she thought of the fallout.
Victoria frowned as she steered through the open gates toward the mansion. “That’s not what I mean. I’m twenty-three now, but I was ten when Finn took me in. In all that time, I haven’t known him to take a lover. Definitely not within the pack. He’s never touched one of our females and believe me, the women have tried. Some of them would love nothing more than to bed our Alpha. I’m not saying he hasn’t searched out companionship, but if he has, no one knows about it.”
