Krys opened the truck door and put on the clothes he’d left on the seat. “Seventy dollars a night for this place is a rip-off. That comforter still has stains from 1982.”
“More than you realize,” Atticus murmured.
With Lakota’s help, they’d created fake IDs in case they were pulled over or needed to book a motel room. Everyone intheir world had alias identification to make them easy to track, particularly if they wound up in trouble with the police. But Atticus and Krys needed to create alter identities that even the higher authority couldn’t trace.
Atticus climbed into the passenger side and shut the door.
After Krys put on the white T-shirt with the happy cartoon sun, he tied back his long hair. “When I’m on edge, my wolf needs to run. Better if he gets it out of his system before we do this.”
“I wasn’t complaining.” Atticus put on his seat belt while listening to Krys’s stomach growl. “But you should’ve eaten dinner as I suggested.”
“I fight better when I’m hungry.”
Atticus decided against wearing the grey jacket for the mission. Light colors stood out, and he wanted to shadow walk around the property first.
During the drive, Krys kept the heater on high. “What did you do last night?”
Atticus scratched his jaw. “You mean after you kicked me out of the room?”
“I can’t sleep with one eye open.”
“Since it was raining, I sat in the truck. When I heard a chainsaw, I got out to investigate, but then I realized it was coming from your room.”
“Bullshit. I don’t snore.”
Atticus turned his gaze out the window. “Who said it was coming from that end?”
Krys gave a throaty chuckle. “Are we settled on the flat-tire line?”
Atticus and Krys had tossed around ideas for how they would break into the facility. They’d explored different scenarios, picking each one apart to see what could go wrong. The building didn’t have windows, and while the steel siding would be easyenough to plow their truck through, they might kill innocents in the process.
“Anything more than a simple lie would alarm them,” Atticus remarked. “People have car trouble all the time, and since there aren’t any shops within walking distance, that will give you a believable reason to be knocking on their door.”
“Works for me.”
“While your wolf was running, I walked around in your shoes to get them muddy. Vampires pay attention to appearances. We’ll park a mile away and have you jog halfway there so you’re sweaty and flushed. That makes your story believable and would explain an accelerated heart rate, which you’ll already have because of adrenaline. Can you speak with a local accent?”
Krys arched his eyebrow. “I’m not trying to win a fucking award for my performance. If I get it wrong, they’ll know.” He stared at the road ahead. “When they open the door, make your move.”
“Lure them out as far as you can. The closer they are to the entrance, the easier it is for them to jump back inside and lock us out.”
“Where will you be?”
“Don’t worry about me. Just stay in the light and put a little distance between you two. That will make him feel less threatened.”
“We’re in the middle of fucking nowhere. You better have my back. If this goes south, they’ll never find our bodies.”
Timing was everything. Atticus had instructed his employees not to make a move on their targets until he sent the word. If one of them botched the job, their target could call the facility and tip them off. It was entirely possible they had a self-destruct plan in place.
Lucian sent a message to the dead Vampires’ boss that the mission was complete—meaning Salem was dead. That wouldmake the workers and guards less reactive to a knock at the door if they were expecting their men back at any time.
Krys slowed down near the spot they’d chosen yesterday and pulled the truck halfway off the road onto the grass. After shutting off the engine, he stared at the dark road ahead.
Atticus reached beneath the seat and handed him a small stake he could easily conceal. “Do you have the stunner?”
Krys lifted his shirt, revealing a sheath attached to his belt.
After a quiet moment, Krys stroked his short goatee. “If anything happens to me, tell Archer I’m proud of him.”
