Had the Savages somehow figured out this was where they hid? Did they learn Gus was the one who took them from the woods?
As they’d driven through it, the rest of the town was as she recalled with people walking the streets, mowing their lawns, or sitting on their porches while they sipped drinks and watched their neighbors. Today the roads were busier than the last time they drove through the town and Vicky informed her it was Saturday.
Culver was still the suburban ideal it was before monsters roamed the streets days ago. However, those monsters most likely retained control of some, if notall, the minds in this town. Willow forced herself not to gulp at the possibility they were being watched by a bunch of Savage-controlled automatons right now.
When one man rose from his porch swing and returned to his house, the hair on Willow’s nape rose. Was he going to call the Savages who controlled his mind, or was he refilling his drink?
All around her, doors opened and closed as the other members of the Alliance exited their vehicles. They probably all looked like members of the mob or FBI with their black SUVs and the fact most of them wore black.
Although, from what she knew about the FBI, they wore suits and ties. But then, most of her FBI knowledge came from watchingSupernatural, so she didn’t consider herself an expert on the subject.
Declan also sported jeans, boots, and a black shirt. Willow was almost the same, except Abby had given her a dark blue shirt instead of a black one. Her jacket was gone, and his was ruined, so they both had stakes tucked discreetly into their waistbands. He’d removed his sword and left it in the vehicle before exiting.
Between the six vehicles, there was a total of thirty of them, and they were all gathering around Ronan.
“We can’t go straight to Gus’s door,” Willow said.
“We’re going to spread out and go to a lot of doors,” Ronan replied. “We’ll find out what these people know.”
“I doubt it’s much,” Declan said. “The Savages would have covered their asses before leaving here.”
“Yes, they would, but because there are so many people, they may have missed something or messed up. Someone here might know one minuscule detail that could help us get a lead on Lucien. Now, spread out, but stay in pairs as you go to each house,” Ronan commanded.
Willow watched as they all spread out down the street. Her sisters waved to her before crossing the road with their mates to start on the houses over there. When Vicky waved to an older man and practically skipped up the porch steps to him, Willow turned away. She didn’t envy Nathan at all.
She glanced up and down the street before focusing on the house again. Gus’s beater of a truck was gone. That gave her some hope the family was out somewhere, but it didn’t ease her anxiety.
“Declan,” she whispered.
He rested his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it. “Stay here while I go.”
Willow couldn’t stand the idea of discovering a bunch of dead bodies, but when she joined the Alliance, she’d known there would be things she didn’t want to do. She’d signed up knowing she would never come out of it the same—if she ever came out of it, which wasn’t likely.
As a member of the Alliance, she would see things she’d never unsee and fight a battle she might not survive. No matter how much dread she felt over this, she couldn’t back down from the reality of the worldshechose.
“No, I’m coming with you,” she said.
She almost went back to retrieve the sword, but under Savage control or not, none of these people would find her parading around with a sword normal. If they didn’t call the Savages, theywouldcall the cops. Besides, they couldn’t know where the sword was.
Willow glanced longingly back at the vehicle as she walked with Declan up the walkway to the porch. She hated leaving the sword behind, but it was safer in the SUV than out of it. The door was locked, the alarm set, and if any Savages lurked nearby, she would kill them before they got to the weapon.
When she turned her attention back to the house, she had to practically drag her feet up the steps and across the porch to the door. So far, the Savages had left the town mostly untouched, but appearances could beverydeceiving. She held her breath and bit her lip as Declan knocked on the door.
When his loud knock echoed hollowly through the house, she released her bite on her lip while trying to look as nonchalant as possible. If there were Savages anywhere nearby, they couldn’t think there was something special about this house. However, therewassomething special about its residents, and she was terrified she’d gotten them killed.
A few seconds that seemed more like endless minutes passed before she heard the distant call of “Coming!”
Willow almost swayed while listening to the distant thud of footsteps coming toward them. Then the door opened to reveal Cheryl wiping her hands on her apron. A streak of flour smeared her face, and she wore her hair in a loose bun against her neck.
“Can I help you?” she asked with a smile. There wasn’t even a glimmer of recognition in her eyes.
Willow’s relief was so profound that she couldn’t find words as she fought the urge to hug the woman.
“We were wondering if you’ve seen any unusual activity in town recently?” Declan asked.
Cheryl’s forehead furrowed. “You mean more unusual than the bank robbery?”
Declan was a little taken aback by that. He had to sound like an authority to get her to answer his questions without retaking control of her mind, and if they were the authorities, they would know about a bank robbery.
