CHAPTER 14
The quiet residential street was studded with fine homes and gated driveways, most of the addresses housing Breed families who had settled in the Pointe-Claire neighborhood not long after First Dawn twenty years ago. With the wide expanse of the Saint Lawrence River rolling picturesquely behind the large Darkhaven residences and the tree-lined ribbon of pavement meandering in front of them, it was easy to understand the appeal.
Unfortunately for one of these Breed families, today this peaceful suburban ideal had proven to be only an illusion.
“The address we’re looking for should be about a thousand yards up on the right,” Mira said from the passenger seat beside Aric. “Park here on the side street. We’ll hoof it the rest of the way, so the crime unit reporting in from JUSTIS doesn’t spot our vehicle and get their panties in a wad.”
He nodded to the Order team captain and pulled off the main street to where she indicated. In the rearview mirror, Kaya’s grim gaze met his from the backseat of the SUV.
“Do we know anything about the Breed family who was attacked?”
Mira pivoted around to answer. “The Order ran an ID, but there’s not much to tell. Jonathon and Elena Champlain, mated for nine years. He’s an accountant with a Breed-owned firm downtown. She’s a teacher--or, rather, she was. According to her work records, she’s been on leave for the past four months since the birth of their second child. Their other son is seven.”
“Two young children at home,” Kaya murmured, her voice heavy. “Is there a chance we’ll find either of them alive?”
Mira shook her head. “I don’t think so. From what Niko was told, it doesn’t sound like there were any survivors.”
No one spoke as Aric parked the vehicle. The three of them climbed out in silence, all garbed in black patrol fatigues and armed for combat. It was the second time Aric had been tapped for special duty because of his ability to daywalk. The second time he’d been partnered with Kaya in as many days, even though it seemed as if they’d known each other forever as they fell in with Mira at the lead and headed for the red-brick Tudor residence and whatever carnage awaited inside.
Her dread was palpable. Aric jogged alongside her, barely resisting the urge to reach out for her hand in reassurance. To think, just hours ago they’d been making love under the rising sun while elsewhere in the city a family was being slain in their home. Now, instead of holding Kaya in his arms back at the command center, they were dressed for war and speculating on probable body counts of murdered innocents they were already too late to save.
Such was the life of a warrior.
Aric had the stomach to deal with everything his role with the Order demanded, but damned if wanted to see Kaya subjected to the same ugliness. After the childhood she’d described to him, all he wanted was to protect her. To make sure she never suffered a moment’s pain or sorrow ever again.
Not that he stood any hope of doing that from D.C.
And not that Kaya wanted any such thing.
Gone was the apprehension that filled her face back in the vehicle. Now, she wore a look of steely purpose as they approached the Darkhaven. Mira motioned them to follow her around to the rear of the large house, sending Kaya into place as a corner sentry while Aric was directed toward a shuttered sliding glass door on the back of the residence.
He nodded without her telling him what she wanted him to do. The locks and steel-reinforced UV blinds took less than a second or two for him to disable. Once he had the obstacles out of the way, he gestured that he would go inside first, check things out.
The stench of spilled blood hit his nose the instant he crept over the threshold and into a warmly appointed living room. Peering toward the front of the house, he noted a large male body that lay unmoving in the foyer. Human, if he had to guess by the sharp copper bite of the dying hemoglobin that tainted the air. But there was another blood scent in abundance here too. Something sweeter than human red cells.
Fuck. Not a good sign.
Nor was the fact that the Darkhaven stood as still and quiet as a tomb.
Aric motioned an all-clear to Mira and Kaya. They entered behind him, slipping into the house in silence.
“Everyone’s dead here,” he murmured in a low whisper.
They didn’t ask if he was sure. His Breed senses were far more acute than both of theirs put together. He jerked his chin in the direction of the foyer and the front door, which hung ajar, swaying faintly in the soft morning breeze.
“Holy shit.” Mira’s mouth flattened as she strode past him, her long blond braid thumping at her spine as she walked toward the human corpse near the entrance.
Kaya fell in beside Aric, silent, barely breathing. The trio paused just beyond the perimeter of the odd crime scene, no one saying a word for a moment as they each soaked in the details.
The dead man wore a delivery service uniform. Near the bulky shape of his crumpled, semi-prone body was a crushed package and a large spill of coarse black dirt. Blood leaked out from under the human’s corpse, coagulating in a dark puddle on the creamy rug and hardwood.
Mira toed the body with the tip of her combat boot, rolling the man onto his back. “Jesus Christ.”
His throat and chest had been slashed wide open. Four symmetric lacerations delivered with enough force it was a wonder he hadn’t lost his head.
Mira frowned as she glanced over at Aric and Kaya. “What do you guys think? Whatever was in that box must’ve really pissed off the owner of this Darkhaven.”
“No.” Kaya’s gaze drifted down to the smashed box. “There was nothing in it. Look closer. It’s an empty box.”
