by Parker Skye
Logan refused to admit he was hanging on every word. There’d been leads like this before and they’d all proved false so far. His fragile psyche couldn’t let him put faith in the alpha’s assurances yet. He had to see Jude to believe it was really him.
“What’s he up to?” Ben asked. But before his alpha could answer, Logan pushed his brother aside and grabbed the phone. He put the screen to his ear and turned off the speaker, shutting his brother out of any more of the alpha’s words. Logan strode for the door, grabbing his keys and wallet on his way.
“Text me the address. I’m on the way,” Logan said, disconnecting the call before his alpha had a chance to reply. Ben stood on the curb in front of their house watching Logan’s truck tires receding into the distance helplessly. Adam was instantly by his side, pulling on a hoodie and following his line of sight, concern painted across his pale face.
“He’s going to get himself killed like this,” Ben said frustration heavy in his tone. Adam grabbed his mate’s hand and squeezed.
“I think that’s what he’s aiming for, Ben. Come on. We need to get the others. Call the alpha back and get the address. Your brother needs us.” Adam pulled his mate back inside and left him in the kitchen, phone in hand while he went to round up the troops.
Logan saw the building of glass in the distance long before he reached it. It towered above the Dallas skyline gleaming in the failing light of day. Logan suspected that to the residents of Dallas the building represented wealth and prosperity. To Logan, it looked more like the harbinger of death, a sharp reminder of all he’d lost due to his own stubborn foolishness. No matter what he found inside its walls, Logan was certain his journey into self-destruction was nearly over.
Logan parked his dusty truck in a pay lot across the street. He carefully examined the exterior of the building looking for likely weak spots. Logan rubbed the gritty sleep out of the corners of his eyes, knowing he should have rested at some point along the drive. He’d forced himself to keep going long after his pool of energy waned, instinctively knowing he was running out of time. Logan sighed, accepting he was functioning on pure adrenaline and spite now. He hoped it was enough to at least lay eyes on his mate again. Anything after that was gravy.
Logan opened the glove box and pulled out the handgun he’d stopped long enough to purchase in Arkansas. Right then, he could kiss the South’s staunch embracing of the second amendment. Even Logan was surprised at how easy he could go from lone wolf to lone gunman. He knew the weapon wasn’t likely to kill anyone he happened across tonight, but it might at least slow them down. Time was all Logan was hoping for anyway.
Logan checked the clip one more time and stepped from the truck, tucking the firearm into the back of his jeans. The tail of his t-shirt barely hid the weapon but Logan didn’t expect it to stay hidden for long, regardless. He was about to step away from the truck when movement at the front of the building drew his attention. Two shifters the size of mountains stood on the sidewalk, scanning their surroundings. Bears of some kind, if Logan had to guess. Logan ducked until he could barely see over the hood of his truck, knowing he had narrowly avoided detection.
Apparently satisfied the coast was clear, the larger of the two shifters opened the door behind him. Out walked Kai, Jude following close behind. Logan’s heart beat a rapid staccato at the sight of his mate, seemingly healthy and whole. He strained to hear what the men were discussing, but even his wolf’s superior hearing couldn’t make out their words. The distance may not have been too great, but when combined with the heavy street traffic, Logan was at a definite disadvantage.
Logan watched as the group got in a stereotypically black SUV with windows tinted so dark he wondered how they were legal. Knowing Kai, they likely weren’t. Jude took the back seat alongside the warlock and Logan resisted the urge to make his move now, accepting he couldn’t jump in half-cocked or he might get them both killed. While Logan’s own personal safety no longer mattered, he wouldn’t risk Jude’s life for anything.
Logan’s wolf growled as the vehicle’s doors slammed shut and pulled out into traffic. Fearing he might lose them, Logan was instantly back in his truck and gunning the engine. Logan had to do some fancy car driving to keep the SUV in sight, but managed to keep his eyes locked on the SUV’s tail lights for most of the trip. Logan ignored the furious honks he earned and hoped the SUV driver was as bad at detecting a tail as he was at avoiding one. When the SUV’s tail lights disappeared down a dirt road, Logan cursed and followed.
Chapter 22
Jude
“You ready for tonight?” Kai asked casually. He lifted a bottle of sparkling water to his lips and swallowed. Jude popped the knuckles on both hands. He knew the move was obnoxious. That’s why he loved doing it so much. Kai’s nostrils flared in response to the sound and Jude smirked.
“What’s there to be worried about? I’m a tiger or did you forget?”
“Whatever, Judas. Just remember you asked for this. I’m keeping my end of the bargain. Now you keep yours or I’ll provide you with an even better distraction,” the warlock said.
Jude shrugged nonchalantly in response, choosing to ignore Kai’s intentional butchering of his name. Jude went back to staring out the window and cleared his mind of Kai’s threats, knowing they were mostly empty. He’d been around the warlock long enough to know what the man could and couldn’t do. Threats regarding his own personal safety no longer mattered. As long as Logan was unharmed, Jude honestly didn’t care what happened to himself.
When they pulled up behind the vacant warehouse, Jude rolled his head side to side, forcing the tension from his shoulders. By the time George killed the engine, any hint of nerves on Jude’s part was well hidden. Kai thumped him on the shoulder, but Jude ignored the warlock’s poor attempt at camaraderie. He wasn’t here for the warlock, no matter what Kai chose to believe. Jude was a shifter set adrift from himself. He’d lost his one true mate. There was nothing else left for him but this.
As they approached the warehouse, Kai’s cell phone rang. The warlock took one look at the caller ID and held up a finger, indicating he had to take the call. Kai put his back to their SUV while his bear shifter bodyguards stood on either side, scanning the lot for any hint of danger to their boss. Jude kept his eyes peeled too, not really concerned about Kai’s safety, but knowing the bears wouldn’t go out of their way to provide him any protection.
George still refused to talk to him, even after he’d apologized repeatedly for his previous bad deeds. No matter how many times he’d explained that he had no idea she was George’s girlfriend, the bear just wouldn’t let it go. At least she’d just been George’s girlfriend, Jude thought. Jude almost chuckled at the macabre image that flashed through his mind of the consequences he might have faced if Serene had really been George’s true mate. The bear’s living room floor would probably look very nice decorated with a tiger’s hide.
When Kai erected a privacy shield around himself to hide his end of the conversation, the hairs on the back of Jude’s neck stood up. The warlock was up to something. Jude knew better than to trust the other man. He’d already proved himself to be a backstabbing traitor. The last hairball Jude had the pleasure of coughing up had been in human form, thank you very much.
Jude hoped he hadn’t been an even bigger fool than he suspected for putting himself back in Kai’s world. When something didn’t go Kai’s way, he had a habit of laying the blame on the nearest person. Last time, it had been Jude taking the brunt of Kai’s temper tantrum. This time it better not be him again. It was hard to kill a warlock, Jude accepted, but he’d had plenty of free time to do some research in the last few months. If Kai betrayed him again, there would definitely be a reckoning. Even if Jude didn’t survive it, he vowed to take the warlock with him.
Headlights played across the almost empty lot and Jude’s Spidey-sense alerted. A blue, extended cab pickup with a few years on it turned the corner and slowly drove past but didn’t stop.
“N
o fucking way,” Jude told himself. The truck kept going and Jude shook off the feeling of Deja vu. That wasn’t Logan’s truck. He was gone and the sooner Jude accepted that, the better.
A meaty palm landed on his shoulder and Jude jumped. George squeezed hard, obviously happy to have caught the tiger distracted. Jude pretended he didn’t feel a thing and brushed off the bodyguard’s hand.
“Are we finally ready?” Jude asked, feigning annoyance at the delay. Kai’s hands were free, so the call must have ended already. Jude wondered how long they’d been trying to get his attention. He shook his head to clear the cobwebs, knowing if he walked into this without his full attention on the task at hand, there could be fatal consequences.
George beckoned for Jude to move and they once again started across the lot. The side door into the warehouse was monitored by what Jude suspected was a goblin. At least he was ugly as hell, so Jude imagined that was what a goblin would look like. Kai said something in another language that made the goblin (or whatever it was) laugh. When the creature stepped back, he motioned for their group to enter.
Jude briefly looked back, but the parking lot was pitch-black again, no sign of the truck he’d seen before. Jude squashed the faint hope that had tried to bloom in his chest. He pulled his preferred persona around himself like a shield and stepped inside.
Chapter 23
Logan
Logan parked his truck several blocks away, hoping he’d gone undetected. He’d almost lost the SUV down several winding turns after he’d been forced to kill his headlights to remain undetected. Finally, he’d had to turn them back on as he reached a T in the road, the black SUV lost in the dark now that they’d left street lights and civilization behind. Logan had cursed a blue streak before he’d located the black SUV parked near what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse. The building looked like it should have been condemned if it wasn’t already.
Ducking down to avoid being seen, Logan slowly pulled past the lot and saw several men standing out in the open. He recognized Kai first, the tall Asian standing out like a sore thumb. The warlock appeared to be taking a call while the others kept an eye out for danger. Logan wondered what the warlock had gotten Jude involved in this time. If any harm came to his mate, Kai would answer for it.
Logan parked his truck behind an abandoned auto repair shop. Logan hoped his truck was camouflaged by the other vehicles rusting in place on bare rims and bald tires. Logan hugged the shadows as he made his way back to the warehouse’s decrepit lot. He watched Kai’s group approach the building’s side door and they were soon out of sight again, enveloped in whatever was going on inside the suspicious building.
Logan noted several more cars pulling into the lot. Their occupants made their way one-by-one into the building. Logan was positive none of them were human. Just from the looks of the attendees, Logan was certain something bad was going on here. This was no rave or anything near that innocent. Most of the creatures Logan had been able to make out so far would be considered the dregs of the underworld -- vampires, ghouls, warlocks, and the like. There were also several that were obviously supernatural, but Logan honestly didn’t know what species they were, having never crossed their kind before.
A shiver passed down Logan’s spine as he wondered what scene of debauchery could draw together a collection of abhorrent creatures such as this. He’d heard rumors about events like this before but had never had a desire to see it for himself. Logan had a bad feeling Jude was an integral part of the night’s entertainment and if he was correct, Logan might never see his mate alive again.
After circling the building twice, Logan had been lucky to have missed detected. Unfortunately, he still couldn’t find another way into the building except through that single side door. He’d caught sight of the creature manning the door several times, but still wasn’t positive of his species. Most importantly though, he knew he had no hope of defeating him alone.
The guy was built like a brick shithouse, his gray flesh looking more like boulders molded together than skin. He wasn’t tall, but Logan didn’t think that was going to affect his superiority in a fight. Obviously, whoever was in charge had no doubt regarding his ability either, seeing as he was still working the door solo. All the attendees Logan had seen so far looked like badasses in their own rights. No way would the guy still be working alone if he couldn’t take any of them with one arm tied behind his back.
Logan pulled out his phone and stared at the blank screen, hoping for inspiration. Logan’s instincts were screaming for him to get inside. He was positive something bad was going to happen in that building tonight and Jude was somehow involved. He needed to find a way inside to protect his mate before it was too late.
Logan closed his eyes and reached for his center, trying to find a calm space to think. He needed a better plan than just walking up and punching the doorman. Logan exhaled in relief as a feeling of warm comfort wrapped around him. Nothing brilliant was occurring to him yet, but just the feeling of calm surrounding him left him knowing he had to have a bright idea was on its way.
“You know we’ll be talking about this habit you’ve developed of hanging up on me when this is all over, right?” Alpha Leikos’ deep baritone sounded just behind where Logan still knelt.
Logan spun around taking in the hoard of shifters standing behind him, his Alpha stoically leading them all. Logan found his brother near the front, Adam and Ryan standing just to side. Kieran was also there. Wycoff, Raul, Jones, Slade, Juniper, Celeste, and on and on. The strongest of his pack were arrayed around his alpha like a fucking army. Logan said a silent prayer to whatever deity was watching over him and bowed his head in deference to his alpha, instantly thankful he was already on his knees.
“Alpha, I’ll do whatever you want to make this up to you. I promise. We just need to get in there. I have a really bad feeling about this. Jude’s in there,” Logan explained, shoving the last of his nerves into a pocket deep down inside. Reinforcements were here and Logan didn’t have time for fear.
“I know, you dumb shit. That’s what I tried to tell you before you stormed off half-cocked. Jude’s gotten himself mixed up in the muck really good. It’s too late for talk now. We’re out of options,” Alpha Leikos said. “What have you seen so far?” Logan described the defenses he’d found and the Alpha’s expression became more severe with every addition.
“I couldn’t figure a way in, Alpha. I’d love to hear your plan,” Logan said, squaring his shoulders to deflect any hint of self-doubt at his own abilities. The alpha’s expression shifted to a feral grin.
“Oh don’t you worry, Logan. We’re getting in that building. Come on, boys. We’ve got a party to crash.” The alpha started forward and their pack instinctively followed. The wolves stayed together like water droplets in a wave, pulled forward by the current to crash against the shore.
As the pack approached the door, Logan knew they must make an impressive sight. Even so, he still had doubts about making it inside without significant bloodshed. He scanned the crowd of shifters surrounding him and felt pride mixed with shame. It mattered not to his pack why they were here, only that Logan needed them…as it had always been and always would be in his pack. Logan realized he’d been a fool not to realize it before.
When Logan’s parents had died, he’d selfishly held onto the belief that the only family he had left was his brother. The wolves arrayed around him reminded Logan just how big his family really was. Logan felt something in his heart shift and click into place.
The troll-goblin-guy opened the door and made eye contact with the alpha. Logan realized on closer evaluation, even the guy’s eyes were the same gray shade as his rock-like flesh. If it was a guy, that is. Logan really wasn’t sure. Nothing in the creature’s features announced an obvious gender.
“Blocky”, as Logan decided to name the creature, turned his head side to side and slowly scanned the crowd of werewolves standing at the ready behind their alpha. Logan could almost see the wheels turning
in Blocky’s brain. Obviously the math he was doing didn’t add up in his favor if his nervous blinking was any indication.
Apparently reaching a decision, the guard stepped to the side and casually motioned for the group to enter. When the last member of their pack was inside, Logan breathed a sigh of relief. He turned to see Alpha Leikos talking privately to the guard and was certain an envelope passed between them. The guard nodded once and turned back to face the door, seemingly satisfied at the Alpha’s compensation for his dereliction of duty.
Once inside, Logan could see the entrance was actually located on the second floor. Several gangways suspended over the floor below. The dregs of the underworld hugged the rails, looking down into the dark pit below. The anticipation was so thick, it was stifling. Logan’s alpha directed the pack to stay together. They maneuvered into place along one rail, forcing several other patrons to cuddle closer or move. A few started to complain about the forced jostling, but the pack’s sheer numbers served to intimidate all those affected into reluctant compliance.
