Part 11 (1/2)

Her behavior suggested she cared more deeply for them than I'd realized, possibly was still hiding information from me.

”Charlie is still alive?” She glanced up me, a hopeful glimmer in her lavender eyes.

”You've gotten too attached to these wolves.” I pulled a knife from the sheath at my belt and held it out. ”Now you're going to kill her and the rest of them personally. I never want to see another f.u.c.king Mason wolf in the SECR.”

Her head shook, and she stepped away from the weapon. ”She might know where the dagger is. She's more valuable alive than dead.”

I growled and reached out with my empty hand, grabbing the retreating Djinn with my magick. She struggled for a moment before stilling in my grasp.

”Don't you think I already asked her?” I pulled Manda's trembling body closer until I could run the blade up the soft creamy skin of her neck and down along the top of her collarbone. The blouse she wore was black, but her neckline gapped enough for me to see her ample cleavage.

My d.i.c.k hardened, and I considered pus.h.i.+ng her up against the bars of one of these cells and f.u.c.king her right then and there. Charlie's death could be postponed by a few minutes.

”Eira will come for her,” Manda squeaked out. ”If Charlie doesn't know where the dagger is, Eira will.”

Tears streamed, streaking her perfect complexion with black lines. I could smell her fear and feel her terror. It only made me want her more, but she had a point. If I killed the Lycan b.i.t.c.h, Eira would have no reason to risk coming into Savannah after her. I knew the dagger was still near Sanctuary, but the team I'd sent never came back.

I wanted that dagger, but I needed to let off some steam before making any more chess moves. I sheathed my knife and shoved Manda against the cell wall to my right. The beginning of a scream bubbled in her throat, but I tightened my hold around her neck to mute it.

Charlotte Mason glared from behind the bars of her cell a few yards away. I flashed the Lycan female a grin before focusing on the angry and terrified female in front of me.

”Go up to my room and wait for me there.”

Manda stumbled when I let her go and fled for the door.

I walked down to Charlie's cell and turned to face her. The door at the end of the hall opened and closed as Manda fled the room.

Charlotte averted her eyes and moved to the corner farthest from me.

Nowhere was out of my reach, though.

”You better pray that vampire comes for you. If she doesn't, your death is going to be frustratingly long and drawn out while I dream up my next plan to find her and my missing property.”

”f.u.c.k off.”

I snorted, amused by her confidence. ”I plan to. Should I go a round with you before I do Manda?”

Her eyes widened, but she didn't respond.

”Perhaps later, once I catch your blood-sucking friend.”

”Even if Eira knows where the dagger is, she'll never give it to you. Not even for me.”

”Your mutual Djinn pal thought otherwise. She seemed to think you were the perfect bait for luring the vampire.” I leaned against the bars and rolled my neck, popping several vertebrae. ”You'd be surprised the length people will go to save someone, especially if they let emotions rule their actions.”

”You'd be surprised by how far our kind will go to fight a soul-sucking, tyrannical a.s.shole.”

A smiled tugged at the corners of my lips. ”I look forward it.”

Chapter Twenty.

EIRA.

Morning drew closer as we stopped just a few miles outside of Dublin. We'd just barely pulled off the road into a grove of trees before being seen by a military patrol, and the guys insisted we stop for a few hours at an old farmhouse off the highway we'd spotted a few minutes earlier.

The last thing I wanted to do was stop. We were so close. Every moment put Charlie and the others in more danger, but even Travis and Garrett agreed with the others that it would be better if we waited out the day and entered Savannah under the cover of night.

I had to agree with that reasoning. Seven armed people walking together were going to be suspicious enough at night, but the day wouldn't afford us any cover. None of them knew the area except me, and even though daytime would be easier to coordinate, I personally preferred to move about in the dark. Most of the guys with me did as well. In fact, Killian would probably be the only one at a disadvantage.

We pulled to a stop in front of the dark farmhouse. The porch light flashed on, and I one racing heartbeat hid just inside the door. The sc.r.a.pe and click of a shotgun being c.o.c.ked reached my ears next.

The door flew open, and I blurred from my seat in the SUV to the angry man aiming his long-barreled shotgun straight at Killian.

Wresting the gun from his hands before his finger could pull the trigger, I put it behind me and grabbed his face, forcing him to make eye contact.

”You will be quiet. You will do exactly as I say. When we leave, you will forget you ever saw me and my friends.”

His pupils widened under my influence. His rapid breath and racing heart slowed to a normal pace.

”Now invite us inside and be hospitable,” I whispered.

”Y'all come on inside,” the man called out, his tobacco flavored breath sickening me in the process. ”I've got leftovers in the fridge if you're hungry.”

Releasing his face, I stepped away and followed him through the door with a quick glance over my shoulder. Travis, Garrett, and Killian were right behind me, shaking their head. The other three guys were grabbing bags from the back of their SUV.

”Will that work on us?” Travis asked, a frown darkening his voice. ”I've never actually seen a vampire do that before, though I hear it happens all the time over at the Castle when they send visitors home.”

We walked into the open living room of the farmhouse, and I leaned against the wall. Killian stopped next to me while the other guys sank down onto the oversized couch across the room and groaned, stretching out their legs.

”It works on anyone I've met so far. There are some witches that know how to ward against vampire influence. So the magick is out there, but I'm unfamiliar with the process. Humans are the easiest, though. Influencing an Other takes a great deal of energy, and only a very old vampire would have a chance in h.e.l.l of it working.”

”You're pretty old,” Garrett added.

”Yes, I am.” I flashed him a smirk, and he frowned as I continued. ”But there are very few of us who have survived through history as long as I have. You have several in your town because Rose has invited them, but the average vampire has only been alive a couple of centuries. Most never choose to train and become more than they were as a human. It makes them easy to kill, even by human standards. And only a select few of us can obtain daylight enchantments.”

Travis folded his arms over his chest and glared at me.

”You have to admit, it's a helpful ability. Like your mind-reading.” I paced the hallway, trying to convince myself not to run out the door and all the way to Savannah by myself.

”Yeah,” he huffed. ”But I can't read your mind.”

I shrugged. ”All the better for me.”

”Eat and rest,” Killian growled. ”Since we have a few hours to kill, I intend to take advantage of them.”