Ben regarded Dad. “Elder Mason, sir. Can’t you read their minds?”
I was still getting used to his title as an elder. Regardless, Dad still presided over the vampire SEAL team, which meant Webb reported to him. Not much had really changed in the chain of command. When we got right down to it, Dad still led the military.
He shook his head. “The Aberdeens have ways to protect themselves from our powers.”
My eyebrows drew down. “But I compelled one of them.”
“Something isn’t adding up, then. If they are true Aberdeens, then you wouldn’t be able to.”
Quiet reigned for a beat.
I straightened in my seat. “Then let’s start our search.”
6
LAYLA
Icinched my robe and wound through the rickety old house we were renting on the outskirts of the city. Snow had begun to fall the minute we’d pulled into our driveway only hours before.
I hated to get snowed in with no way to run. I’d taken several detours on the way home and hadn’t seen anyone behind us, yet the hackles on the back of my neck were keeping me on edge. Vampires had a way of hiding in the shadows without being seen. I was still trying to figure out what the fuck had happened at the nightclub and where we would go from there.
The muted light of dawn spilled in as I checked every window to make sure they were bolted shut. A nervous laugh broke out, echoing on the first floor. The house we were renting came with the bare minimum of furniture, empty walls, and thin curtains.
Despite our setup, a damn lock wouldn’t keep Sam Mason or Roman or any vampire from blazing in like they owned the place—especially not Sam. Our benefactor had warned us his powers were strong, but I hadn’t been prepared for just how strong they were. Aside from making the building shake, rattle, and roll, his compelling skills were unlike any vampire’s we had come across in the years we’d been hunting. One of my cousins who’d been compelled by a vampire had that faraway look in his eyes but was still able to speak. Thankfully, his compelled state hadn’t lasted that long. My uncle found the vampire and burned him over a fire pit.
My family had only spoken of the elder Mason and his mind-reading abilities that no other vampire had. That was the reason he was considered powerful among his kind.
I puffed out my cheeks as I settled at the window in the vacant living room. The only way to bring Rianne back lay in the hands of the mesmerizing green-eyed vampire, the one who had me in knots in more ways than one. The danger he exuded should’ve made me run in the opposite direction, yet all I’d wanted to do was run toward him.
My mom had warned my sisters and me to be careful around a vampire. “They will lure you in with their charm,” she’d said.
Sam definitely had charm—an arrogant one. But he also oozed danger and mayhem. His swagger screamed that if I fucked with him, he would annihilate me in a second. That both thrilled me and freaked me out.
I had two choices to help Rianne: I could ask Sam for help or kill him. The latter would be a surefire way to remove the spell, but considering he lived on a heavily guarded military base, chances were slight that I could get past the guards.
The only option I saw was to barter with the gorgeous vampire. If I told him about our benefactor, maybe he would remove the spell in exchange.
The one tiny problem I had with that scenario was our benefactor. We didn’t know much about him. We had a name and nothing more. His instructions came via email, we’d spoken a couple of times on the phone, and the drug he’d given us for the darts had been deposited in a locker at the city’s private airport.
A chill skittered down my spine as I replayed the club scene. The plan had been going well until we’d encountered Roman. The irritating vamp hadn’t passed out like the others. We’d gotten lucky that part of the drug had worked on him. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be upright and breathing and leaning against the window watching the snowfall.
The storm outside was nothing in comparison to Sam Mason, though. He could’ve decimated us. I’d seen pictures of him in preparation for our job, but photos didn’t do him justice. The vampire was imposing and formidable. I’d lost my breath when I’d laid eyes on him. But nothing had been more breathtaking than when I’d been inches away from him. His dimples gave him a softer look underneath his rugged and cocky personality. And then there was his dick. I didn’t even want to think about how big or hard he was. Apparently, the vampire got off on exuding his powers.
I took a few deep inhales and stared out at the breaking dawn and wide-open fields. The house we’d rented sat on ten acres of land that butted up to a thickly wooded forest outback. We had neighbors on either side of us. From where I stood, the peak of the roof of our nosy human neighbor to my left poked out above the trees. The thirty-something man lived alone, as far as I knew. When we’d moved in, Gerald Becker had made a point to introduce himself and offer any help we might need. He seemed nice enough, but we couldn’t afford to trust anyone in this city.
The wind picked up, causing the chimes hanging from the porch to sing, low and soothing. I hugged myself as the light musical notes sank in, reminding me of warm summer nights, family, and laughter. Mom had been an avid collector of wind chimes. She’d had several that on those windy days and nights, they sounded like a symphony orchestra.
I shivered at the mere thought of her as tears threatened. She’d been taken from this world way too early. As much as I wouldn’t mind blaming her death on a vampire, I couldn’t. Mom had battled breast cancer for far too long before the awful disease won out and claimed her life four years prior.
I blinked, and a tear slid down my cheek. I dashed it away as quickly as it fell. I didn’t have time to reminisce or feel sorry for myself. I was the eldest. It was my job to protect my sisters. With one last big breath, I pushed off the window and then froze when something outside caught my eye. My pulse shot to the ten-foot-high ceiling as I went for the dagger beneath my robe. It wasn’t my lucky dagger, which I made a mental note to get back from Sam Mason.
The wind whipped around as the snow came down heavier. I didn’t see much past the flakes until something moved again. This time it was closer to the house. My heart rammed against my rib cage as I went over our escape route in my mind. My gaze darted back and forth when a deer came into view.
The air in my lungs rushed out as my shoulders sagged and my muscles loosened.Goddamn.We definitely needed to get out of town or go deeper into hiding once we had Rianne back. Then again, we knew how to lure vampires out and pick them off one by one. In order to do just that, we needed more than two people. I hated to think that Jordyn was right about us needing to call our uncles, but like wolves, we were stronger in packs.
Before I did anything, I needed a jolt of coffee—or a pot of it. I had hardly slept in the last forty-eight hours, and if I was going to tango with a vampire, I needed to have my wits about me.
The coffee machine beeped just as I entered the kitchen, and I flinched. Maybe I should trade the caffeine for a shot of whiskey. But I had a better idea.
