Jake nodded. "Hell yeah, I think you know it. Sawyer, you haven't been in your right mind since your brother passed, and the guilt of all that death is eating at you."
At a total loss for words, he stared at his old man. Fuck. Just fucking perfect. His father considered him too far gone to be rational, and his hot temper reinforced the impression of mental instability. And the worst part—Sawyer doubted himself too.
Striving for calm, Sawyer drew a deep breath and lowered his voice. "I intend to go after the vampire that murdered Daniel. The explosives are a precaution."
Deadly determination glimmered in his father's eyes. He rubbed his lower jaw, short nails scraping over the bristled beard. "Do you really believe her explanation that a vampire murdered your brother? That it's the same one who tried to kill you last night?"
"Yeah." Sawyer's hand covered his recently attached fingers. Phantom pain lingered in the digits. He swallowed hard, choking on emotion. "He bragged about Daniel's death, Dad. I—"
Primordial magic surged through Jake. Ancient pulsating runes flashed beneath his skin. His pupils eclipsed the irises and the whites, and his eyes became sunken orbs of eternal blackness. His voice hollowed and deepened. "Tell me about him."
Sawyer looked upon his father's true face without flinching and found solace in the certainty that his brother's death would be avenged. "He was tall. At least ten feet, and his limbs were long and thin as though he was stretched on a rack. He had brown skin, covered in chalky white tattoos, so he appeared to be wearing his bones outside of his body. He was bald and had a tongue like a whip, covered in barbs."
"Good." Jake nodded. Contemplativeness replaced the threat on his father's countenance. "Did he give his name?"
"No, but he had a stiff, formal way of speaking and a Spanish accent. Not Mexican or South American. I believe he's a Spaniard," Sawyer said, scouring his old man's face for any hint of recognition. His father was a walking library of esoteric knowledge. "Does any of this ring a bell?"
"Maybe." Jake's gaze strayed to the horizon, canvassing the mysterious depths of his wisdom. He rubbed his finger across the bridge of his nose. "I know stories of ancient Mayan death gods. Without my books, I can't say whether any of them were Spaniards."
Sawyer snorted. With dry sarcasm, he said, "If only there were devices for accessing information across vast distances."
Those penetrating eyes locked on him. Jake Barrett didn't trust computers, and he only relied on the types of technology that blew things away or up. "Cut the sarcasm, Son."
"Yezzir." Sawyer dropped a sloppy, mock salute.
Jake bit back a grin before settling into complete seriousness again. "Whether it's true or not this vampire murdered your brother, he has to be destroyed. He attacked you. I have to assume he's a threat to your brothers..."
Sawyer nodded. "We're in total agreement."
The corner of his father's mouth tugged. "Well, that's a novelty."
"Dad," Sawyer said, but the approach of footsteps caused him to fall silent.
"What is it, Chart?" Jake asked.
"Sir, the men are getting restless," Chart said, glaring daggers at Sawyer. The hunter was tall and lean with a face composed of sharp angles set in a sour expression. He stank of Cuban cigars.
Sawyer's dislike of the man skyrocketed to outright distrust.
Jake's voice rose to a rolling boom that carried clear to the edges of the yard. "Tell the men to secure the area and to stop their damn complaining. They sound like a bunch of old women. I've worked with tougher grannies."
Shouts of laughter came from the men, and a couple snapped off smart remarks. All in all, the crew seemed to be in high spirits.
"What are you waiting for, Chart? Get off my porch." Jake pinned his subordinate with a pointed stare.
"Yes, sir." Ears reddened, Chart saluted and departed.
Sawyer glared at his father. "Are you going to shoot or talk?"
Jake cocked his head. "We'll try it your way, for all the good it'll do."
"So long as you're willing to sit down, that's all that matters," Sawyer said, dismissing his father's diffidence. Once he got Jake and Victoria together, he would work it out even if he had to force them to hammer out their differences.
"I'll talk." Jake inclined his head in a slight nod. "I'll meet Victoria down beside the grain silo next to the parking lot. It's out in the open, so she shouldn't feel like we're trying to pin her in. But I'll bring my men, and I'll bring my guns. Wolves never set down their fangs or their claws. That's something you shouldn't forget."
As if forgetting was even possible. "Fine. I'll go out to meet her unarmed as a sign of good faith." Laying down his arms made his skin crawl, but he'd do it for the sake of assuring the peace.
A tic worked in Jake's face, pulling at the corner of his mouth. "I don't like this one bit."
"I'll second that," Sawyer said and walked away, bringing the tense conversation to an abrupt end.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Fólkvangr, Freya's hall in Sessrúmnir
"You mean your new stallion."
Freya ignored Loki's ugly sneer. "I have honored our deal. I am no Oathbreaker."
"That's more than I can say for any other Aesir."
She looked down her nose at him. "I am Vanir, as is my twin, Freyr."
He chuckled, and his chin dipped to touch his chest. "That's right. Let's not ever forget how you and your brother are hostages against future wars. It's been so long since you came to live in Asgard that most of them have forgotten, haven't they?"
"I never forget."
"No, I don't expect you would. You're as much a prisoner as I, but in less obvious ways..."
Freya threw up her hands. Disgust edged her voice. "You are not even consistent in your lies. You say you were not captured, and then you describe the event in vivid detail. Which is it, Loki? Or is the truth such a foreign concept that you cannot even recognize it?"
He snickered and paced, following the curved edge of the spa. "Thor captured one salmon in a river full of fish. One fish is only part of me. I'm the entire school. I am the water in the river, the rocks on the bank, and the air in the sky."
She gaped in dismay, mouth open despite her determination to show him no weakness. "You lie. I'll grant your ability to shift shape is impressive, but no one is so powerful. Not even Odin."
Loki sighed and exhaled. "Fine, I'm given to exaggeration, but it makes for better stories. Thor captured a portion of me. The rest remains free."
"Impossible! Odin must know of your treachery."
Midgard
"This is a trap. It feels like a trap. It smells like a trap. It's gotta be a trap." Morena's arms swung wide as she chased circles about Victoria, raising a cloud of dust from the dirt road.
"Morena, calm down." Victoria shot the teenager a sharp glance and sent a cooling wave of power over her, soothing her wolf. The pack bond formed the foundation of their magic, connecting each member to the others. As Alpha, Victoria possessed the ability to command the Omega's beast.
As they approached the dairy farm, the need to remain vigilant against an ambush increased with every step. Morena's agitation made Victoria second-guess her decision to bring the girl along.
The dirt road sloped up to where a dozen or so buildings dotted the hilltop, lush and green with spring growth. The odor of cattle permeated the air along with the scents of fresh grass, squirrels, and field mice. A quarter mile ahead, stockyards full of black and white dairy cattle were visible. A couple miles behind, their SUV was parked on an access road blockaded by a padlocked gate.
Morena stopped in her tracks, eyes wide with worry. "I heard what you said to Sylvie about Jake Barrett. Do you really expect an ambush?"
With a sigh, Victoria also halted. "I'm not a seer. I can't predict the future."
"But—"
"Morena." Victoria's voice contained a distinct note of warning.
The teen's mouth snapped shut.
Victoria contin
ued, "If it's an ambush, then I'll deal with it when it happens."
The girl looked away, casting a sullen glance downward. She reeked of fear and anger, both justifiable reactions, but they caught Victoria unprepared. Morena's skill at hiding her true feelings seemed to be unraveling at the worst possible time.
"Are you angry with the hunters, or with me for failing to protect so many members of the pack?" Victoria wasn't surprised the girl doubted her, but she wanted to hear the accusation stated aloud. Silent recrimination served no useful function.
Morena's head jerked up, face marked with dismay. "The hunters!" she said too fast.
Victoria's teeth clenched, but her Omega's doubt reinforced her conviction. Do or die. She would emerge victorious from the negotiations with the hunters.
"Look at me." Victoria imbued her voice with power, creating resonance, commanding obedience.
Unable to resist her Alpha's command, the teenager met Victoria's gaze. "I'm sorry," Morena apologized, shamefaced. "I'm afraid of dying. I'm a coward. I'm not worthy."
Victoria's gaze and tone gentled. She laid a reassuring hand on the girl's arm. "You're not a coward, Morena. You're young. But I'd do anything to protect you. That includes dying for you. I'm asking you to have faith in me. Can you do that?"
Eyes wide, Morena gave a frantic nod. "Yes, of course. I'm just worried about the hunters."
"I don't know what's in Jake Barrett's heart, but I do trust Sawyer," Victoria said. "He wouldn't allow his father to ambush us. Not after everything we've been through."
Morena's lips parted, an expression of surprised disbelief, a glimmer of hurt. "You trust him? For real?"
"Absolutely," Victoria said, speaking with forced confidence.
Morena needed her Alpha to be strong. Her stubborn heart dictated that Daniel's brother must be trustworthy, but private doubts twisted her insides. Was she making a terrible mistake?
Morena's front teeth worried her lower lip. Her gaze flickered toward the outbuildings visible at the crest of the rise. "I'd still like to kill him."
Victoria threw back her head and laughed. "I'm familiar with the feeling, but your last try didn't go so well."
The teenager grinned. "I flubbed the attack on purpose. Next time, he'll underestimate me. He won't know what hit him."
The girl's easy confidence made Victoria shake her head. "Next time, go straight for the throat."
Surprise shot Morena's eyebrows to her hairline. "You think I should try again?"
"No, I think that would be a bad idea. Sawyer is as dangerous as any wolf, Morie. Don't underestimate him."
"But he's only human," Morena protested on a faint breath.
"Many great heroes were 'only human'," Victoria said. "Do not forget. There are men who are the sons of Thor and the sons of Odin, with the blood of the gods flowing through their veins. Humans are the most dangerous predator of all because they outnumber us by the millions. You must not take them lightly."
"I won't." Morena smirked. "Are you sure you're not saying this because you want to boink Sawyer?"
Boink? Sawyer? Victoria's mind went blank. She opened her mouth to issue a rebuke, but Morena's incessant chatter drowned her out.
"Granted, he's hot if you like that redneck Jedi vibe. Just because I noticed doesn't mean I don't hate him. But he is your type..." The teen slipped her a sly sideways glance, a smile that implied secrets.
"Don't be ridiculous." Victoria aimed a playful swat at Morena, but the girl danced away.
"It's a trap," Morena muttered. "I wouldn't put anything past that guy, but I hope you're right."
"Tell you what. If I'm wrong and this is a trap, you can say 'I told you so' as many times as you like."
Morena grinned. "Deal. What do you need me to do?"
"I have to be sure you're going to follow my lead. You can't be out of control like you were at the motel." Victoria held Morena's gaze and smiled in encouragement to bolster the girl's confidence. "I need for you to have my back. I'm counting on you. Can you do that?"
Morena stood straighter, squaring her shoulders. "Yes."
The women resumed walking in companionable silence until they neared the stockyards and the stink of dung worsened. The pens were packed with dozens of white and black dairy cows behind red metal fences. As the wolves drew closer, a restless stir passed among the herd and a chorus of nervous braying went up.
Morena smirked. "Beef. It's what's for dinner."
Victoria chuckled. "Not today."
Morena shaded her eyes against the afternoon sun and scanned the horizon. In the distance, the frightened cattle call alerted dogs and men to intruders. The sounds of barking and voices filled the air.
"We should've approached from downwind," Morena said.
"The main road comes in from that direction. If we have to run, the hunters will have a harder time tracking us over rough terrain." Victoria made a sweeping gesture that encompassed the forest beyond the cleared farmland.
"Unless they've got a helicopter. Hey, do you remember the time Rand swatted that helicopter out of the sky like it was a fly?"
Victoria's mouth turned up in an involuntary grin. "You weren't even there when it happened."
"Yeah, but I like hearing you talk about it," Morena said in a wistful voice.
"I'll tell it later." Distracted by a commotion from the buildings, Victoria stared into the distance. She could make out a white country farmhouse with a front porch and an enormous metal structure made of corrugated metal located closest to the pens. It had the look of an industrial barn. A large gray silo with a curved white cap was the tallest structure for miles around.
They came upon a dirt parking lot full of pickup trucks and SUVs. One vehicle in particular snared Victoria's attention. Her heart skipped, and her world dropped out from under her. Daniel had loved that car.
"Is that the Chevelle?" Morena asked in a breathy voice.
The bitter tang of sorrow filled Victoria's mouth. "Yes, that's it."
The top was down on the two-door convertible. The red paint and polished chrome shone in the brilliant sunlight. The black wall tires looked new and clean. The muscle car had been parked outside Sawyer's hotel room, and her reaction had been the same then. The overwhelming tide of memories threatened to drown her. She shook her head to clear her mind.
Priorities. Keep 'em straight. Her head had to be in the game.
"Look, puppies," Morena said in a lighthearted tone.
A pack of mixed breed dogs appeared on the far end of the dirt lot. They charged nearer but then skidded to a frightened halt once they caught the scent of wolves. Voices raised in shouts of alert, three, then five men gathered in the yard, all carrying firearms. A few wore military gear.
Victoria's mouth went dry. She spotted Skinner, Jake's second-in-command and a deadly hunter, and her stomach sank. From their bearing, these were seasoned hunters, not novices. More than she and Morena could handle alone. "Damn. You were right."
"Are we gonna run?" Morena took a step backward, already retreating in the direction they'd come from.
"Wait. I want to see what they do." Victoria held her ground. She licked her upper lip, considering while the orderly group assumed defensive positions. At least they didn't take cover alongside buildings and fence posts. Her sensitive hearing picked up fragments of conversation.
The man closest to Victoria addressed his companion in Spanish. "Ella es la loba."
"She is the wolf," Morena translated. "I was right. It's a trap."
"Maybe." Victoria's adrenaline surged, causing her muscles to bunch in anticipation of an upcoming confrontation. Turning her head, she scanned the area once again. Where the hell was Sawyer?
"There's no maybe about it! Shouldn't we run?"
"They'll start shooting if we turn and run. Stay calm."
"Calm?" Morena squawked.
"Cool." Victoria cast a worried glance toward the girl, praying to Freya the teenager retained her self-control. A terrified werewol
f rampaging through cattle and armed men spelled disaster.
"I'm calm. I'm cool. Ice." Morena's throat contracted as she swallowed convulsively. Her breathing and heart rate shot through the roof. "I'm ice."
"Hold your positions!" Moving at a jog, Sawyer appeared up ahead. He deported himself with the easy confidence of a natural-born leader, and the men around him responded to his authority. Even Skinner's body language altered, demonstrating deference in posture and gaze to the Hunter King's son.
Sawyer wore a blue shirt that clung to his muscular torso like a second skin. The short sleeves revealed well-defined arms and a stylized dagger done in black ink on his right bicep. Daniel had the same symbol. The hunters employed the tattoo as a badge of brotherhood and belonging.
As Sawyer drew closer, his pace dropped to a jog and he smiled as he called out a greeting. "Hey."
"Hi." Her hand rose and then fell. Victoria breathed a sigh of relief. A crazy tumble of emotions suffused her: excitement, relief, and pleasure. She turned toward Morena who stood three paces behind her.
"Whoa." Morena stared at her in astonishment. "You really do have a thing for him! I was kidding."
Victoria frowned. "I do not have a thing for him. I don't even like him." Much.
"Oh, really?" The teen's brow lifted.
Victoria huffed. "He tried to kill me! More than once."
"Some boys throw rocks."
"Sawyer throws hand grenades."
The dirt crunched beneath Sawyer's feet as he neared. He stopped a couple paces from her. "It was one time."
"Once is all it takes." Victoria shot him a challenging glance and stepped close to Morena so she could protect the teenager if things took a violent turn. Her voice dropped to a whisper for the girl's ears alone, "We're going with him because I can't walk away from this. I need you to stay close and follow my lead. Can you do that for me?"
Bright-eyed, Morena nodded. "Yes."
"Is everything all right?" Sawyer's impatient demand intruded on their conversation.
Battle Cry (Loki's Wolves Book 2) Page 10
