by Bethany Shaw
Sarah scowled as anger clouded her vision.
“Hey,” Vincent said. “I’m not saying I agree. I just wanted to warn you. Remember who we’re dealing with here.”
Sarah let out a long breath. She didn’t like it, but she did see where he was coming from. “Okay.”
“Ready? It’s his direct line, so I assume he’ll answer and not one of his cronies,” Vincent added, wiping his palms on his jeans. He looked up at her, apprehension apparent on his features.
“Do it,” she whispered hoarsely. She clasped both hands together eager to get it over with, but dreading it at the same time. Her heart hammered in her chest as the phone began to ring. She closed her eyes and prayed they were making the right choice.
“This is Malakai,” a heavily accented voice answered.
“Malakai, this is Vincent McKinley,” Vincent stated, staring down at the laptop.
Malakai chuckled breathily into the phone. “The man who has managed to evade Charles Luna. Either he’s losing his touch, or you’re better than anyone anticipated.”
“I didn’t call for small talk. I want to make a deal,” Vincent replied, cutting straight to the chase.
Sarah stood up and paced back and forth in front of the bed. Her stomach twisted with unease. Please, please let this work out.
“I don’t believe you’re in any position to cut deals with me,” Malakai snipped.
“Maybe not, but I do have information that will interest you.”
Sarah held her breath as the line went silent. She met Vincent’s eyes and could see the worry swirling in his emerald eyes.
“I don’t have a lot of time. What is it you think will interest me?”
“Evidence that Charles Luna has been working against you and your family. He plans to overthrow you, especially now that Fernando and your father are gone. He thinks you’re weak,” Vincent replied.
There was a palpable silence before Malakai continued. “And I should take your word for it? Charles Luna was friends with my grandfather for decades; he would never betray him.”
“I have proof. Journal entries of my father’s,” Vincent shot back.
“Anyone could have written them.”
“The journals have only been touched by three people—Sarah, my father, and me. You can smell for yourself if you’d like. Sarah and I can even provide handwriting so you can see it is not our script,” Vincent explained.
The room grew quiet again. The silence seemed to stretch for hours. “Very well. Where are you?”
“I’ll tell you where we can meet. But first, I want your word that if I give this to you, you’ll leave the packs in Abilene alone,” Vincent negotiated.
“My father and grandfather are dead because of your pack,” he snarled ferociously.
“And so are a lot of our men, including the Alpha and one of his sons,” Vincent reminded. “I’m offering you peace with our pack. We have no wish to continue to fight and can let bygones be bygones. I doubt the Lunas will offer you the same bargain.”
“You’re not an Alpha and cannot speak for the pack,” Malakai growled. “Nor can I allow my sister to get away with her treachery.”
“Devon will agree to the deal. He wants peace as much as anyone, Gene too,” Vincent answered honestly.
Malakai seemed to consider this for a moment. “I believe that, but there is still the matter of Natalia.”
“What do you want with her?” Vincent swallowed.
Sarah held her breath, curling her hands into tight fists as she awaited the answer. She knew they would never really give the Alpha female to Malakai, but she hated the idea of even considering it.
“She has betrayed her own family in the most horrendous way. I wish to reciprocate,” Malakai explained, a malicious glint in his voice. “There will be no deal unless she is handed over to me. For that, I will need the Alpha’s word.”
“No, you don’t.” Vincent stood up.
Malakai chuckled. “You expect me to take yours?”
“My word is good because I will be the one to hand her over. She trusts Sarah and me. We can hand her over to you before she even realizes what’s happening,” Vincent explained, wiping his forearm across his brow. Sweat glistened on his face and he exhaled loudly.
“And you would do this?”
“We have something in common. Family is important to us. I would do anything to protect my family, even if it means betraying Gene and Natalia. If this is how I have to do it, then so be it,” Vincent said through gritted teeth.
He met Sarah’s eyes and she drew in a breath, her stomach twisting violently. She felt sick with fear and worry. What exactly are we getting into? What if we can’t handle it? It seemed so much easier when they’d been planning. Maybe they should have involved the pack.
“I will think about it,” Malakai said. “Call me back tomorrow at this time and I will let you know if I accept your proposal and what conditions I have.”
The line went dead and Sarah closed her eyes, covering her face with her hands.
“That went about as well as could be expected,” Vincent said, closing the laptop. He let out a long, uneven breath as he scrubbed a hand over his face. Sarah couldn’t help but think he looked as bad as she felt.
Vincent’s eyes caught hers and he headed to her. His shoes squeaked on the hardwood floor as he walked toward her. The couch dipped beneath his weight when he sat, pulling her into him. “We can do this,” he said, his voice more confident than she felt.
“You think so?” Sarah asked, still not sure.
“I’m positive. We’re going to make this work.”
***
Vincent followed Sarah through the field. She had one gun in the holster on her hip and the other she held confidently in her slender hand.
The more he stared at the weapon, the more unsure he became about the plan. It was a natural instinct for him to fear guns. There weren’t a lot of things that could hurt werewolves, but a long-range gun and a hunter with good aim could be deadly.
He shivered and wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans. If they wanted a shot at Luna and Juarez, it had to be this way. As a lone wolf, he would never get close enough to take them out. He’d be dead or captured before he even got close.
“You know, we can figure something else out. I’m a quick shot,” Sarah offered as she stopped at her makeshift firing range.
“And let you take them on by yourself?” Vincent asked, shaking his head. No way would he let her do that. They were in this together.
“I’ve got your back and you have mine,” she reassured, turning to stare at him. Her blue eyes stared at his intensely as if she were trying to convey to him her sincerity.
“I know.” He trusted her with his life and hoped she felt the same. “I’m ready for my lesson,” Vincent said, forcing a smile. In reality, he was anything but ready. He just hoped he was making a bigger deal out of the gun than what it was.
Sarah raised her eyebrow and gave him a disbelieving grin. “Okay, this is your safety.” She pointed to a tiny lever. “It has to be off to fire. It’s a semi-automatic, so it will reload for you, but you’ll have to give it a second. Then aim and fire.”
“You make it sound so easy,” Vincent replied. He doubted it was easy, though. It probably took a tremendous amount of skill.
“Once you get the hang of it, it will be easier.” She patted his shoulder with her free hand. “You know, try shifting your eyes. You see better that way, right?” Sarah asked, offering the gun to him.
Vincent flexed his fingers before lifting the cool metal out of her hand. It was heavier then he imagined—not that the pistol was overly heavy. He’d just expected something different. What, he didn’t know.
“All right, you are going to want a firm stance. The gun will kick back when you fire,” she explained. Her hands rested on his shoulders and she bit her lip as she met his gaze. Unable to stop himself, he leaned in and captured her soft, plump lips.
Sarah hummed against his
mouth, her hands gently pushing him away. She cleared her throat and took a step back, clearly flustered by his actions.
“We can’t be doing that while you’re holding that.” Her eyes darted down to the gun.
“Clearly, I’m not ready for the big boy toys,” he joked. That was stupid! What was I thinking?
“It’s okay. The safety is on, but accidents can happen. Now focus on your body, you want your elbows bent slightly and feet apart. I’m going to stand back here behind you.” She moved away from him. “Aim for the third fence post and fire when you’re ready,” Sarah called.
Vincent focused on her words, trying to follow instructions. He zoned in on his target by shifting his eyes, allowing the post to become clearer. He released the safety and pulled the trigger. The weapon jolted back and a loud pop echoed throughout the yard, accompanied by an ear-splitting blare. He frowned, confused by the noise.
“Is that the alarm?” Sarah hollered.
Vincent blinked and set the safety. His heart pounded with adrenaline. He spun around taking in their surroundings. A blur of black caught his eye in the distance. Only one animal moved that fast in these parts—a werewolf.
“Take this,” Vincent instructed, thrusting the gun at her as he grabbed her by the elbow and darted to the house. Fear gripped him. He inhaled deeply, searching for the wolves’ scent. The Lunas are here. They had to get out of here now!
The few hundred feet to the house stretched endlessly. Panic consumed his thoughts. They had to get to the car.
He raced through the thick grass, clasping onto Sarah for dear life. She pulled away, yanking her hand out of his and he gulped, terrified something had happened to her.
A loud pop rang out. Of course, leave it to Sarah to fire rounds while on the run. She was a deadly woman—his deadly woman. He spun to check on her and assess the damage. A gray wolf dropped to the ground. From here on out, he needed to make sure she always had a gun.
He needed to keep her safe. Sarah fired again. The wolves seemed to hesitate, allowing Vincent and Sarah to put some distance between them and get to the house.
Their shoes stomped over the wooden porch as they hurried to the shelter of the house. Vincent yanked the door open and tugged it shut behind them. He twisted the lock even though he knew it wouldn’t keep them out for long, but it would give them a head start.
“Get the bullets and anything else you can grab. Meet me back here in a minute.”
He didn’t wait for her to respond. They had to keep moving or they would never make it off the property. Vincent tore down the hall. They needed the journal, money, and the laptop.
Sarah blinked, staring after Vincent’s retreating form as her mind tried to process what was happening. I need to move! The Lunas are here. The door thudded behind her. Her heart leapt up into her throat and she sprinted up the stairs two at a time. Terror pitted within her. They’d come too far to be caught now. Move faster!
She dashed into Vincent’s bedroom, snatched a gym bag from the closet, and ran to the stash of weapons. Her hands shook violently as she gathered the supplies. Get a hold of yourself. We have to go!
She inhaled deeply, letting the adrenaline take over. Her mind raced. What else did they need? Clothes. She ran to the dresser and shoved an armful of garments from each drawer into the bag. Then she rushed to Emily’s room to grab things for herself.
Sarah was reminded of their pressed time when glass shattered downstairs. They are coming in through the windows. Her pulse roared in her ears as she darted out of the room.
Don’t fall down the stairs, she repeated over and over again in her head as she rushed down.
Vincent met her in the hall, breathlessly. “You ready?” He had a bag over his shoulder, the edge of the laptop poking out from the top. Good, she thought, it would have been very bad if we left that behind. That laptop had a large majority of their evidence, including dated emails between Emmett and Charles.
“Yeah,” Sarah gasped as more glass fractured.
Vincent clasped her hand in his as they fled to the garage. We just need to make it to the car. Please, please let us make it.
Vincent opened the garage door and slammed it shut behind them. He unlocked the BMW and sprinted to the driver side.
Sarah jumped in, ready to book it out of there. She stuffed her bag between her legs as Vincent set the laptop bag on her lap. Her hands shook with panic as she fumbled with the seatbelt.
“I got you.” Vincent clicked her belt then jammed the key in the ignition as the car roared to life.
Sarah held her breath. She prayed no vehicles blocked their path. The car lurched forward. She screamed as they crashed through the garage door. Pieces of metal and plastic pinged against the windshield. Sarah cringed as the glass splintered and cracked. Please don’t let it shatter.
“Vincent!” she shrieked, pointing. A black van blocked their path.
Vincent jerked the wheel to the left, but it was too late. The bumper crunched against the back end of the van. Sarah’s seatbelt tightened around her and the air whooshed out of her lungs. A puff of white popped out at her. She blocked the air bag and yelped. Pain exploded in her right shoulder as they began to move again. Thank God! We might just make it out of here.
Vincent punched the air bag as he struggled to see around it.
“Sarah? You okay?” he asked, flooring the gas.
Sarah swallowed, trying to regain her composure. That had been too close.
“Sarah?” Vincent asked worriedly, casting his glance to her.
“Yeah, yeah, I think so,” she croaked, trying to control her breathing.
“Hold onto something. This corner is going to be tight,” Vincent instructed, gripping the wheel. He grunted as he tried to turn, but the car no longer maneuvered as it should.
Sarah clung to the overhead handle and closed her eyes. Whatever was about to happen, she didn’t want to know. Her body listed to the side. Tiny clangs pounded the car as the back end spun out. If Vincent lost control, they would be caught for sure.
Her pulse roared. He was a good driver. They’d done well the other day. Finally, the car gained traction, causing her to be whipped to the right. She opened her eyes. The road ahead of them was clear.
But I bet we are being followed.
Sarah turned, squinting as she tried to see through the dust their retreat kicked up. Three cars appeared in the debris and she ground her teeth. It isn’t over yet.
“It’s okay,” Vincent assured. “We have a full tank of gas. We’ll be on the main highway in a minute and it’s broad daylight. They won’t do anything that is going to get people involved.”
“Are we going to Abilene?” she asked quietly. She would like nothing more than to see her big sister and Gene again. The madness had to end.
“We could. First, we have to lose our tail. And then we need to call Gene,” Vincent explained, his eyes wearily drifting to the mirror. “What the hell?” he mumbled, leaning forward.
“What is it?” Sarah asked, twisting to see out the back. What is happening now?
“That’s Daniel’s car.”
Chapter Fourteen
Sarah frowned. “Daniel? Like your brother Daniel?” Questions raced through her mind. How did he find us?
“I’d recognize that blue Camaro anywhere. He special ordered that cobalt color,” Vincent commented, a hint of hope in his voice.
“But why is he here? How did he know how to find us?” Does Lark know? No, she’d be here, too.
“I’m not sure why he’s here. I would assume he’s here to help,” Vincent said excitedly, glancing in the rearview mirror. “We could most definitely use a little assistance at the moment.”
Sarah twisted to look out the back window. Two other vehicles sped after them and Daniel’s vehicle followed their pursuers. At least help was here; they wouldn’t have to deal with wacky werewolves alone.
“Can you take the wheel a sec?” Vincent asked.
“Yeah,” Sarah rep
lied, grasping the wheel. She focused on the road as Vincent lifted himself off the seat and dug out a phone. She prayed no one did anything crazy as Vincent took his time dialing Daniel—at least that’s whom she assumed he was calling.
“Thanks,” he said, reclaiming the wheel as he put the phone to his ear.
Sarah let go and sat back anxiously in the seat. Help was finally here; they just needed to figure out how to get to Daniel.
“Fancy seeing you here,” Vincent joked into the phone. Daniel said something on the other line she couldn’t quite make out.
“You know school’s just getting out for the day. You remember how crazy traffic is over by the high school?” Vincent gave her a smile before pulling them onto another narrow country road. He nodded, probably to something Daniel said. “Yeah. The Beamer’s not in great shape. I may have scratched it a little.”
Sarah quirked her brow. She wasn’t even sure how the windshield was still intact. She could only imagine how mangled the metal bumper was from their run-in with the van.
“Sounds good. We’ll see you in a few,” Vincent grinned, hanging up. He turned to Sarah, “Are you up for one last run? We’re going to lose these guys for good.”
Sarah let out a ragged breath. She was tired of running, but she would by no means give up. “I’m game.”
Vincent shifted in his seat, getting comfortable. He had a determined look in his eye as he made a few more turns. “Time to lose these guys once and for all.”
Sarah smiled and let out a long breath, eager to lose their tail. But as she took a moment to look around, she realized losing their pursuers wasn’t quite that easy. In fact, it looked down right impossible. A four way stop was in front of them and traffic was bumper-to-bumper heading through it. “What’s all this?” Sarah asked with a frown.
“Traffic is always crazy through here at this time. The high school just let out. There are four stops throughout this tiny stretch of road. They’ll get trapped in this mess,” Vincent smiled.
“But won’t we, too?” Sarah questioned, confused.
