“Do not hang up on me.” His tone could cut ice. “I’ve paid you a shit ton of money, and I expect an update.”
Money he would never see again. Regardless, we knew three things about our benefactor: he had tons of money, his name was Dowell, and he wanted Sam Mason alive. What we didn't know was why he wanted Sam, which didn’t matter to me. My sisters and I had a job to do, the payout was great, and it resulted in one less vampire on earth.
I swallowed the sharp tacks stuck in my throat. “Did you know Sam Mason is worth at least a million? So I think we’re getting screwed.”
Silence stretched over the line.
“The job is off,” I continued. “We can’t help you. And if you want to threaten us, then get in line.” If he did, it couldn’t be worse than dealing with some pissed off vampires and a shifter.
“The fuck it is!” he shouted. “You promised me Sam Mason.”
I chewed on my lip. “Well, I don’t have him.”
His heavy breathing blared in my ear. “It was an easy job. I set the whole thing up for you. Walk into the club, shoot the sedative into the vamps, draw Sam Mason out, and do the same to him. What was so fucking hard about that? You’re vampire hunters. That’s your specialty, and capturing one who is down for the count isn’t as difficult as catching a live one.”
Well, when he put it that way, I couldn’t argue with him, but Sam Mason wasn’t an ordinary vampire.
“Did you know Roman was immune to the sedative part of that drug you gave us?” The way I saw things, that was our first problem. If we’d taken out Roman, Jordyn would be with me. I might be able to handle one vampire, but two and a shifter was more than I bargained for.
“Nonsense,” he said. “Every vampire goes down with the amount of shit that’s in that drug.”
“Why would I lie? And another tidbit of info—that drug kills shifters. The way I see it, you’re the murderer here. Now the shifter’s family wants revenge on Jordyn. Who, by the way, has been taken by Roman and his shifter partner. So, until I get her back, you don’t get squat.” My family came first.
“Don’t go into that building.” His anger morphed into trepidation, almost like he cared. “If you do, you won’t remember a thing when you come out.”
I jerked my head in all directions. “Are you following me?”
Brock marched over and opened my door. “Ma’am, my boss is waiting.”
Scrunching my face, I hung up on Dowell. “I’m here to talk to Sam Mason. Is he your boss?”
She deadpanned.
The hairs on my arms fired to attention. “I should leave.”
She glanced in the backseat. “You’re welcome to leave. But if you want our help with your sister, I suggest you come with me.” I guessed she was well informed of what Sam had done to Rianne. I wondered if he’d bragged about it.
“While you’re speaking with my superior, I’ll have your sister taken up to our infirmary.” Her tone was soft, and she gave me the sense I could trust her.
As much as my intuition urged me to leave, I couldn’t until Sam removed the spell. So I eased out of the car.
Brock’s radio crackled. “Petty Officer Brock, where is she?” The familiar-sounding voice was similar to Sam’s but older.
“We’re bringing her in now, sir.”
“Good. Settle her in the viewing room.”
I laughed nervously. “Viewing room?” An image of an auditorium of vampires came to mind, all of them watching me behind a one-way mirror while they auctioned me off to the highest bidder.
“I promise you’re safe.” Brock could no doubt hear how fast my heart was beating and see the terror on my face. “We don’t harm humans.”
One of my eyebrows shot up to my hairline. “Really? Tell my sister that.”
“This way.” Her tone propelled me to move my legs.
Reluctantly, I left Rianne as Brock escorted me past the sentries and into the lobby of the lion’s den. As soon as we were inside, a whoosh of cold air slapped me in the face, and I shivered. Something felt off to me as I stood in the spacious room with high ceilings and a circular desk ahead of me.
I was about to turn and run, but the steel doors closed with a thud.
