“If you had told me when I was seventeen that in just a few short years I’d be the alpha of the largest pack in the world, not to mention the alpha ofallalphas, I’d have laughed in your face. But here I am. And damn it all if I don’t know what the hell I’m doing. I feel like I’m winging it on a hope and a prayer. I wish I could ask my father if this was how he felt in all of those impossible situations, or if he actually did have it all under control, as it always appeared. What I wouldn’t give to just talk to him one more time.” ~Fane
The neon lights of the Vegas strip were a blur as Fane gunned the SUV down the busy road. In the passenger seat, Tenia’s eyes were closed in concentration as she focused on the fading connection to Claude. They were close; Fane could feel it. She’d flashed them to the city, but then Fane had made the decision to use human methods of transportation because Claude would be less likely to suspect them to do so.
“I have to give the idiot credit. He picked a nearly perfect place to disappear.”
“Not so perfect that I won’t find him.” Tenia’s power linked them still, however tenuously. She’d made it very clear that she would lead them right to the leech’s lair, no matter what it took.
In the backseat, Dillon, the Colorado pack alpha, was a steady, watchful presence. “At least he didn’t choose New Orleans. I get sick of visiting that cesspool of supernaturals.”
“I second that.” Myanin spoke up. “Although, my final vote on Claude’s choice of hideout will depend on which city has the greater quantity of readily available cotton candy.”
“We’ve got to get you some help,” Tenia said dryly, her eyes still closed. Fane could practically feel the concentration flowing off of her. “It’s not natural for someone to be that addicted to any particular junk food.”
“You should be glad for it,” Myanin pointed out. “You have something to bribe me with. I’m totally a cotton candy hoe.”
“Bloody hell.” Gerrick sighed. “Who taught you that term?”
Fane had to admit, as his lips tilted up slightly, that the Great Luna had done an excellent job at giving him allies with the ability to bring the intense atmosphere down multiple notches.
“Jen,” Myanin answered matter-of-factly. “She has excellent linguistic skills.”
This made several of the males in the SUV laugh, attempting to cover it with coughing. “Never say ‘linguistic skills’ again.” Tenia didn’t miss a beat as she pointed to a side street. “Turn here.”
Fane’s simmering rage returned as he rolled down his window a tad so that his wolf could catch the surrounding scents. The air was ripe with the smells of supernatural beings. It would be a challenge to pick out only one, but he would find it. Fane was desperate to mete out justice to Claude for the part he played in injuring a healer, not to mention aiding Cain in the abduction of a host of dormants. The vampire would pay dearly.
“Here,” Tenia said sharply. “He’s somewhere in this area.”
Fane pulled the SUV down another side street crammed with warehouses and seedy strip clubs. He smelled bloodsuckers. They were edging into heavy vampire territory, but it was still too crowded an area for most to be out feeding.
“We’ll go the rest of the way on foot,” Fane decided. “Tenia, can you help disguise our scents?”
“On it.”
Skender, who had already climbed from the vehicle, offered his mate a hand to assist her from the SUV. It made Fane long to have his own mate at his side. But she had her own mission to handle. He didn’t reach out to her through the bond, no matter how badly he wanted to, because he didn’t want to risk distracting her if she was in a situation that required concentration.
“Dillon and Nick, you two phase,” Fane commanded. “I’ll only phase if I have no other choice. Let’s attempt to take him alive so we can question him.”
Dillon nodded his approval as they slipped from the vehicle. Fane’s pack mates circled up around Tenia and Myanin protectively. Gerrick, Skender, and Drake looked ready for a fight. Nick’s jaw was tight, no doubt thinking of his own mate’s ordeal. It was not easy to be a matedCanis lupus, especially when your mate had been through hell at the hands of a sadistic S.O.B.
Fane turned to Tenia. “Point us toward him.”
Brow drawn in concentration, she led them between two warehouses toward a block of rundown apartments. Fane scanned their surroundings warily, one hand holding a fae blade that had been enchanted by Thalion so that it would not miss its target. If Claude caught their scent, he would run again. A thrown knife, hitting him in just the right spot, could be the difference between losing him or capturing him with minimal injury.
At the building’s entrance, Tenia halted. “Here. He’s somewhere inside.” She made a motion for everyone to move closer. “Stay in a tight group so I know I’ve got all our scents contained.”
Fane reached out with his wolf’s hearing, sweeping the interior with his senses, but found nothing amiss. Still, he trusted Tenia’s intuition.
“We’ll check it floor by floor,” he directed. “If you cannot take him alive without him escaping, then kill him. He will not be left to attack another healer or assist Cain any further.”
His pack nodded, vicious anticipation in their eyes. Even mild-mannered Gerrick looked eager to teach Claude a lesson. Fane understood each of their wrath. He shared it, but he knew they must be smart about this.
They moved swiftly but cautiously through the building, checking every dingy apartment for signs of Claude. But each small space was still and empty until they reached the top floor. Exiting the stairwell, Fane detected a subtle shift in the air, a whisper of awareness that meant something unnatural was close.Claude.
Trusting his wolf instincts, Fane followed the sensation to the far apartment. A nod caused Nick and Dillon to move to cover potential escape routes while the rest fanned out behind Fane.
He tried the knob, unsurprised to find it unlocked. Easing the door open soundlessly, he crept into the dark interior, blade raised and ready in one hand, while claws were extended on the other. The other hunters followed him closely.
There was no movement, no sound, but Fane could feel eyes studying them from the darkness. With hand signals, he directed Skender, Drake, Tenia, and Myanin to circle the room, cutting off any escape. Tenia began murmuring. A moment later, a few balls of floating light hovered in various spots around the room.
