“If you don’t answer the question, I’m going to rip the wall free and then tear you apart,” Talen said through gritted teeth, his stomach roiling. “Once last time. Why did you attack us?”
The demon backed away, the scent of fear rolling from him. He looked toward Terrent. “I’m requesting asylum from the wolf nation.”
“Denied,” Terrent drawled. “Answer the vampire’s question.”
The guy paled. “Okay, but remember it was just a job.”
“The job?” Talen asked, his voice going hoarse.
“The girl. The job was to take the woman.” The demon backed to the wall, his hands out. “Safely. We were supposed to transfer her safely and not injure a hair on her head. I promise.”
Rage boiled through Talen, yet he kept his face stoic. “Who hired you?”
“A group of demons out of Alaska known as—”
“The Sadovskys,” Talen said, energy rippling through him as the puzzle pieces dropped into place. He had dossiers on the group as a possible enemy to watch. “Why do they want Cara?”
The demon swallowed, and his Adam’s apple bobbled. “I don’t know all of it.”
“Tell me what you do know,” Talen said, rapidly losing patience.
“She’s called the First One, and they want her for some kind of testing.”
“Well, shit,” Terrent murmured. “Cara was the first vampire mate infected with Virus-Twenty-seven, wasn’t she?”
Talen nodded.
The demon cleared his throat, his need to please obvious. “Plus, I think her granddaughter is the one who cured the virus, right? The baby vampire with an X chromosome? The Sadovskys just want to test Cara.”
“To create a serum that counteracts the virus,” Talen murmured. The virus was cured, but it had been altered so mated vampires could become unmated . . . maybe.
“The Sadovskys are purists,” Terrent said.
The demon nodded. “We were just hired by them because we live local here. We’re not part of their group.”
“You should be careful who you work for, kid.” Talen moved for the door.
“Maybe, but you should be careful who you kill,” the demon shot back. When Talen turned around to face him, he paled. “The guy you killed? He was one of the Sadovskys.”
Explained why the guy fought better than the rest of them.
“Now they’ll be after you as well as your mate,” the demon said quietly.
Talen shoved open the door and stomped into the long hallway, his gut on fire.
Terrent followed him. “What about this moron?”
Talen’s temples began to pound. “We don’t kill morons or young, stupid kids. Beat the hell out of him, scare the shit out of him, and let him go.”
“That was my thought, as well.” Terrent engaged the locks. “Well, look at the bright side.”
Talen stopped and turned to face his friend. “Bright side?”
“Yeah. Your instincts were right on track. Your mate is in danger.”
Chapter 6
Cara finished braiding her hair and then walked outside into the crisp morning. Her jeans felt a little tight, but she had just washed them, so she did a couple of leg bends and squats to loosen them up.
