When we looked at the cameras, the hooded figures were careful to not show their faces, facing away from the cameras. It was obvious these were the beings that were dealing these drugs, but the weird part was the owner told us the reason he knew they were missing was because both counted heavily on this job for their families. They were the type of people to come in to work when they were sick because they didn’t want to lose the income.
For people like that to start doing drugs, to pay for drugs, was unlikely. I felt like I was missing some piece. Something was happening when the cameras weren’t around.
As we were leaving, Rick called out, “Hey! Stop!” I used my vampire speed and raced out the back door, not wanting to miss out on catching someone.
I banged the door open as I found Rick pinning someone to the ground. I zoomed over as the person hit Rick over the head with a rock and scrambled away. As I appeared next to Rick, he yelled, “Go after him!”
I didn’t need to be told twice, and I heard the others’ footsteps behind us. I zoomed forward, using my night vision to see the hooded figure running for his life down the alleyway. As he got to the end, my fingers barely touched his hood when a long, pale arm snapped out and captured them by the neck.
Violet eyes shined through the shadows before Cosmo stepped into the light as he held a wiggling figure with one arm. “I think you wanted this?” He shook the figure like it was a sack of potatoes, and I grinned.
“Yes, I did.” I nodded to the wall, and Cosmo slammed the body into it, keeping his tight grip as the hood fell backward. It was a mage with curly dark hair who looked not a day over sixteen but had eyes that told me he had seen too much too soon.
He wiggled again, and I got into his face. “Now we have some questions.”
He glared at me, the dark circles around his eyes more prominent as his defiance rose. “He is coming and will liberate us as the awakening should’ve.” I heard the guys step up behind me, and I grinned, knowing we would look a lot more fearful as a whole.
The boy smirked as he mumbled, “Ignire.”
Falcon yelled, “Drop the boy and run!”
Cosmo didn’t hesitate dropping the boy, scooping me up, and running in the opposite direction with vampire speed. A loud boom sounded, and Cosmo slowed down and turned back around to see that the spot we had been in was now singed.
“Are you okay, Ray?” Cosmo whispered in my ear, something he has done a million times, but, this time, there was a sensuality to it I picked up on.
I licked my lips, meeting his eyes as I replied, “Yeah. Thanks to you.” He exhaled, slouching as he buried his nose in my hair, taking long sniffs.
“Thank God.” His arms shook, and his breath against my neck was choppy and quick. It was like now that I was fine, the fear was catching up to him.
The guys called for us, and I tapped Cosmo, letting him know he could let me go, and he shook his head. “Just a little bit longer.”
I smiled, kissing his neck right where I bit him in the shower, and he gasped out. “That’s not fair.” He set me down, knowing he couldn’t hold me when he was wanting to slam me up against a wall.
The guys all circled me, asking if we were okay, and I told them we were fine but that we needed to get out of here. I told Falcon I expected him to explain what happened when we got home, and he agreed.
Driving now, I was lost in my thoughts about what Tre said. There was only one person I had seen recently with a smoke tattoo, one that admitted to wanting to take the Syndicate down, the one who claimed to be my mate. Could he have lied about knowing about this? How could he have not known the new Devil clan was dealing drugs? Does he even know it goes against the agreement?
“Can I turn up the AC?”
Ax’s question zapped me out of my head, and I turned up the AC. I smirked at how polite Ax was being now when seconds ago he was all growly and pissed that he couldn’t finish Tre off. Intentionally poking the bear, or really the wolf, I called out, “You run hot, wolf boy?”
I kept the laugh in as he huffed and turned the vents at his chest while mumbling about how he wasn’t a boy and I knew it. Flashes of a little vampire girl taking on a whiney wolf boy on the playground played in my head, and I felt a sense of ease at having people around who understood. It was kind of nice.
Avery’s complaining came from the back seat. “Is this how it’s always going to be with you, beast?! Making the rest of us so cold our balls shrivel up? Is that your ploy to be the favorite?”
Ax smirked, putting his face in front of the vent as he gave a pleased sigh. “It wasn’t the goal but a nice bonus.”
Avery gave an audible shiver, and I took pity on him. It wasn’t like he was a vampire, being too cold didn’t bother us. “If you lift the seat, there’s a coat you can borrow.”
I heard the click of the seat opening and the rustling of fabric before Avery said, “Rayla. This is a man’s coat.”
I nodded, confused as to why this was a problem. I always kept a nice big coat in that seat for just-in-case situations. “Yeah, so?”
His voice dropped an octave lower as Ax turned around to see. “Are you trying to lend me some ex-lover’s coat?”
Taken by surprise, I jerked my head to look at the coat. The car swerved from my sudden movement, so I turned back around, focusing back on the road. My voice filled with heat as I said slowly so he could understand. “Are you fucking kidding me? That ismycoat. I bought the men’s version because I liked how much longer it was than the women’s.” Growling out that last part, I squeezed the wheel and pushed on the gas, going much faster than I needed.
“Ray—” Ax tried, but I wasn’t having it.
