by Sarah Beth
Without taking any time to think about it, Wesley pulled at Abby’s presence in his mind. He wasn’t really sure what he was doing, or if it would even work, but something inside him told him it would work. Warmth flooded his body, causing his heart to beat faster and for the room to come into hyper-focus. His wolf howled inside him, awakened anew by the surge of power. It was like Abby was standing beside him, her hand in his, but she wasn’t. She was halfway across the City.
Alex’s hand fell from his shoulder. He could hear it more than feel it. The dirt floor beneath his feet crunched as his brother stepped away from him. Focusing on the boy in front of him, whose face was stained with pink tears, Wesley raised his hand and laid it on the boy’s head. He felt the boy’s body stiffen, but he ignored it and pulled further on the power flowing through the city and into his body. Just as he thought he couldn’t take anymore, that his body was going to burst into flames, a bright light was ignited in the small room. He closed his eyes against the blinding light and when he opened them, only ashes were left of the young vampire.
As suddenly as it had flooded his body, the power left, making his body feel cold and empty. Before either a cry or bile could rise in his throat, he spun on his heel and headed for the door. No one stopped him and he was halfway down the hallway when he heard Ira tell the guards to clean up the mess.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Abby
Sitting in the high-ceilinged living room, Abby glanced around the penthouse for the fifth time. It was unnerving to go from their tree house in the Forest to a state-of-the art and modern apartment in New York City. She wasn’t sure she could ever imagine Wesley and herself living in such a place.
Footsteps pulled her attention to the hallway beside the large open kitchen. Tori walked into view with a grin on her face, “This place is incredible! There are three floors, did you know that? And there’s access to the roof! Where there’s a garden and sitting area.”
Chuckling, Abby shook her head, “No, I didn’t know that. It felt weird to go exploring someone else’s home.”
Coming to sit beside her on the couch, Tori waved off her words as the couch bounced from her weight. “Hey, he lent out his freakishly-amazing-and-expensive home to us. I’m just taking advantage of it.”
Of course she was, thought Abby with a smile. Although she couldn’t envision herself staying there, Tori fit into the business of New York city just fine. “Where are Kyle and Soryn?”
The TV clicked on, the monotone sound of some newscaster filling the space. Tori picked up the remote and started channel surfing before she answered. “Kyle went to call Warren and I think Soryn stayed up in the garden.”
Glancing towards the hallway, as if she could see the path that Soryn had taken, Abby nodded. Rising from the couch, she turned back to Tori, “You gonna be okay here by yourself?”
Turning to her, Tori raised a brow before looking around the space. With a snort, she said, “Yeah, I think I’ll be fine.”
Rolling her eyes, Abby left Tori in the living room and headed down the short hallway. At the end of it was a flight of stairs that would lead to the second and third floor. Climbing the stairs all the way to the top, Abby marveled at how all three floors were expansive and seemed to never end. There was even a bar and sitting room on the third floor, right outside the doors to the master suite. Bypassing the bar, Abby took a winding metal staircase to the roof. Although she knew she would never want to live in a such a big city — Seattle had been big enough — she sure could get behind having a rooftop garden.
It was huge, taking up almost the entire expanse of the building’s roof. Trees and bushes hid the surrounding buildings from view and helped to cancel out the sound. Even though the majority of the trees didn’t have leaves, the bushes were still full. Strings of fairy lights wound through branches and between the trees, casting an orange glow over the cement floor. Benches with thick cushions sat in strategic places and led the way to an open area the size of the kitchen below. A stainless steel barbeque sat to one side, surrounded by more benches and chairs. A metal fire pit was even placed in the center of the garden, where it had a clear path to the stars and not tree branches. The view was so different from what she had been expecting, that she almost missed Soryn who stood by the trees, looking out at the city beyond.
Walking up beside him, the sounds and sights of the city came into view. How the trees managed to drown out the sound of cars honking and people yelling was a mystery. They stood together in silence for a time until Abby couldn’t handle it any longer. “Are you okay?”
The young Faye smiled, his eyes downcast, before giving her a look from under his lashes. “I am fine, Abby. You don’t need to be worrying about me.” He looked back out at the street below them and she got the distinct feeling that it was a lie.
A branch tickled her cheek. She lifted a hand to move it away from her face, but when her fingers brushed the thick evergreen leaves of the bush, a thought was pulled from the depths of her. A sigh escaped her lips as she leaned away from the bushes, leaving the branches as they were. Looking at Soryn, she knew why he was being so quiet. “You’ve never been in the human world, have you?”
He was silent for long enough that she thought he wasn’t going to answer, but then he sighed. Turning his back on the city, he stepped further into the courtyard with her. “No, I haven’t. It’s very—.”
“Jarring?”
A smile pulled at his lips and he nodded, “Yes, that would be one way to put it. Everything is so bright and loud and unnatural. How do you stand it?”
She wanted to say that she had never known anything else, so why would it bother her? But then the newly uncovered memories of her early years pulled at her and she didn’t. Instead, she shrugged one shoulder. “It does get to me sometimes, but then I usually just go for a hike or something. It’s better now, Alex’s house is kind of a sanctuary in itself.”
Soryn hummed, running his hand over the back of his neck before sitting on one of the cushioned seats. “I can imagine that, it must be a beautiful place, I should hope to see it soon.”
As a particularly loud horn broke the relative silence of the night, Abby couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, I hope so too.”
They sat in comfortable silence for a while, the warm glow of the fairy lights above her head a nice contrast to the bright lights that had been in the warehouse. She had always been partial to soft lighting, really bright lights had always hurt her eyes. Thinking of it made her wonder if it had something to do with her Faye-blood. She knew Soryn’s eyesight was very good — maybe hers was too, and she just didn’t know how to unlock it? Opening her mouth to ask, she snapped it shut quickly as a strong yanking sensation bloomed in her stomach. It shocked her enough to gasp and grab her middle.
Soryn startled, leaned closer to her with an outstretched hand. “Abigail? Are you alright?”
Her breath was coming in sharp pants, she couldn’t answer him. What was happening? The warmth of her power was igniting, but it was being pulled out of her, leaving her fingertips cold and her heart pounding. Soryn came into her view, kneeling in front of her with his brows pulled tightly in the middle. He laid a hand on her arm, fingers squeezing tightly. A different kind of warmth spread from his hand, it was both warm and cooling at the same time. With the added strength that Soryn was feeding her, her mind was able to clear and think. She gasped when it became obvious. With her free hand, she grasped Soryn’s forearm firmly. Her eyes were wide when they found his. “Wesley. It’s Wesley...he’s using my magic.”
His hand squeezed her arm again, a little harder that time. “Why does he need it? What’s happening?”
She would have snorted if not for another gasp escaping her lips. “I...I don’t know.”
The Faye made an impatient sound in his throat. “Yes, you do, or you can find out. Look closer. What’s happening?”
With a frustrated groan, she tried to hold on to the sensation of her magic leaving her. Closing he
r eyes, she tried to follow it. It led her all the way to the other side of town and into a tiny and dark room. Wesley was standing there like a beacon, a blinding light in the darkness. She went further, following her magic right into his body. Looking out through his eyes, she could see it. That poor kid — Wesley was trying to give him an easy death. The warmth in her chest grew until it was almost unbearable. She was snapped back into her own body, left feeling shaken and cold. Just as suddenly as it had begun, it stopped. The warmth seemed back into her body and into her chest, where it pulsed for a moment before going dormant again, until she needed it.
She sat there gasping for a while, unaware of how many minutes passed. Soryn stayed in front of her, his hand a constant anchor on her arm. When it felt like her heart wasn’t trying to escape her chest, she took a deep breath. “That was new.”
A chuckle left Soryn’s chest before he stood, offering a hand to help her up. “I think there will be a number of new things happening from now on.”
Grasping the offered hand, she pushed herself off the chair. His free hand went to her elbow, steadying her when her head began to spin. Holding her head in her hand, Abby headed for the stairs. She needed to call Wesley and her phone was downstairs.
~~~
“No, stop apologizing, Wes. It’s fine, really. Just give me a warning next time.”
He sighed through the phone and Abby could picture his brows pulling together and his hand scrubbing the back of his neck. “I didn’t even understand what I was doing, it just sort of came to me.”
Eyeing Kyle, who stood a few feet away from her in the kitchen, still talking to Warren, Abby tried to stay focused on the uncertainty in Wesley’s voice. But they had only been on the phone for a moment when Kyle had come out of his room, his phone glued to his ear, and a focused look on his face. Something was happening. “Yeah, well, according to Soryn that’s probably going to be happening a lot while we figure this thing out.”
Wesley groaned on the line, “Great, that’s just great. Like we don’t have enough to worry about right now.”
Speaking of worrying, Abby looked back up at Kyle. “Wesley, what’s going on? What did you find out?”
Silence filled the phone line for a few breaths before she heard him sigh. “There’s a warehouse, apparently being used as some sort of headquarters. We’re going to check it out.”
No wonder Kyle looked focused and on edge, Alex must have let him know. Abby glanced at her bare-feet, “When do we leave?”
More silence and Abby knew she wasn’t going to like what he was struggling to say. “You’re not coming. You, Tori and Soryn are staying at the penthouse under guard. We don’t know what we’re walking into—.”
“Which is exactly why I should be there. Not to mention the only other person who can do magic. Soryn and I aren’t staying here, Wesley.”
She could picture him pinching the bridge of his nose. “Yeah, I don’t like it either, okay? But Ira has put his foot down. We can’t risk losing you or Soryn, when we have no idea what’s in this warehouse. It could be nothing.”
“Or it could be something huge.” She started to pace the dining area, going from one end of the table to the next. She saw Kyle glance at her out of the corner of her eye, but she didn’t return it.
Another sigh. “Yeah, or that...look, Abs, I know. I promise I’ll call you as soon as we get a look at the place.”
Groaning to herself this time, Abby ran a hand down her face. “No, don’t do that. That will get you and Alex in trouble with Ira. Just link with me if you need help, okay? Promise me, Wesley.”
“Alright. I promise.” There were voices in the background, someone was shouting. “I have to go, Abs. A car will be there for Kyle in a few minutes. I’ll talk to you soon.”
As the phone line went dead, Abby dropped her hand to the dining table. She was aware of Tori and Soryn asking Kyle questions, but she didn’t care to hear the conversation. With an irritated sigh, she grabbed her phone and headed for one of the many guest rooms. Wesley had better get in contact with her within the next hour or so help him, she would portal herself there. If that was even possible.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Wesley
Wesley stood by the truck, Kyle beside him, as Ira went over the plan again. They had gone over it multiple times back at base, but he supposed it couldn’t hurt to go over it again. It was a pretty straightforward plan — get in, kill as many vampires as possible, look for answers. Of course not getting killed was also high on the list.
There was a group of thirty werewolves with them, most from Ira’s own pack but also some that had flown in from around the country to help, like Alex had. Even without knowing how many vampires could be in the warehouse, Wesley liked their odds. His body was already humming with energy and adrenaline.
The moon wasn’t completely full anymore, but his wolf was still awake and ready to run. He was grateful for it. Fighting a bunch of vampires wasn’t exactly his idea of a fun night, but his wolf didn’t mind. His skin itched with the need to shift. Ira finished speaking to the group and turned to his second-in-command, Briggs. With the Alpha’s second with them, Wesley couldn’t help but wonder which wolves had been sent to guard Abby.
Alex came over to them, his face like stone, but his eyes were just shy of glowing. His wolf was ready to get the show on the road, too. He stopped in front of Wesley, “We’re going to shift here, the warehouse is a few blocks down the beach. There will be look-outs just in case any vampires try to get us while we change.”
He was repeating what Ira had been saying, but Wesley was thankful for it. He hadn’t really been paying much attention, anyway. Nodding his head, he then motioned to where Ira stood. “So if Briggs is here, who’s watching the penthouse?”
Alex glanced over his shoulder before turning back, his face unreadable. “I’m not sure, but whoever it is will be more than capable. Ira isn’t keen on putting Abby in danger.” He then turned to Kyle, speaking to him about keeping close. It was then that Wesley figured out what was bothering Alex — he was scared. They had no idea what they were talking into and he was worried about losing his pack, his sons. And here all Wesley had been able to worry about was Abby. Feeling like a child, Wesley shook his head and focused on the task at hand. Kyle had already started to shift, so he did as well, with Alex standing guard beside them.
Running down the rocky beach with the wind in his fur and the moon’s light guiding him, Wesley almost had trouble remembering why they were there, what their purpose was. But with dozens of other wolves running around him, his wolf half knew exactly what they were doing — hunting bloodsuckers.
Focusing on the sand sinking between his toes and the scent of the salt water in the air, it was easier to not worry about Abby in this form. His wolf didn’t worry about things that weren’t present. Sure, he was just as concerned about their Mate’s safety as Wesley was. But she was safely away from the fight. It would be a different story if she had been running along with them.
Something bumped into his shoulder, sending him tripping into the sand before he regained his footing. Snapping his jaws at the perpetrator, the light gray of Kyle’s fur caught his eye. His tongue hung out of his mouth in a playful grin. So that’s how they were going to play it, then. With a less-than-menacing growl, Wesley took off in a sprint with Kyle close on his heels. They weaved in and around the others, occasionally tripping up a wolf or two. They were nearing the warehouse when Wesley finally slowed, his own tongue hanging low. Kyle trotted to a stop beside him, his breathing coming in pants.
A small river sat between them and the vampire’s base. Surrounded by high barbed-wire fence stood a warehouse like all the others. Two stories, full of windows, made of the old sturdy red brick that covered this part of the city. Even from the other side of the river, Wesley could tell that the windows were blacked out. His eyes scanned the area but saw nothing. It was possible that it was still too close to sundown, so no sentries had been posted yet. Poor
form, in Wesley’s book, not having look-outs or guards watching. Suppose that was the bad thing about being allergic to the sun.
Alex came to stand at his other shoulder, bumping against him for a moment before lifting a lip in a low growl. Right. It was time to focus. Once every wolf stood on the bank of the river, Ira made a low sound in his throat, one that only a wolf could hear. As one they jumped into the slow moving water, crossing the barrier before leaping over the dangerous-looking fence. With the plan in motion, Wesley stuck close to Warren’s flank as they ran full speed to the lowest windows. Shattering glass and wood as they went.
Chaos, that was all Wesley was aware of for what felt like hours. Feral screams and menacing growls bounced off the brick walls. Blood flowed so freely in the space that it was the only thing he could smell and taste. He lost sight of Kyle at some point after they broke into the building. He got a few minor cuts from the broken glass, but they healed in minutes. Besides, his focus was elsewhere.
Dozens of vampire had been lounging around, minding their own business when windows shattered and wolves came flooding in. It was a bloodbath. Wesley wasn’t sure how many wolves they had lost, but he knew it was less than the number of vampire heads littering the ground. Running through the center of the large room, his eyes scanned the battle. He saw Briggs rip the head off of one vampire just as he dogged another one. Leaping over a mound of bodies, Wesley caught sight of Alex in the far corner of the room. He was surrounded by six bloodsuckers. With a deep growl, Wesley ran towards his father, ripping the head off of anyone who got in his path. When he reached Alex, he took out two of the vampires who didn’t see him coming.
