Becca sighed inwardly as the tall stockade gates closed behind them. Dasha parked the vehicle in a turnaround in front of the central building. The Compound was even more crowded than it had been before dawn that morning. Pairs and groups of uniformed sentries crisscrossed the courtyard between the buildings. In the flat white light cast by the security lights, everyone looked youthful and in fighting form. Becca doubted they were all as young as they appeared, but she’d never actually seen a Were who appeared even middle-aged, let alone elderly. It really wasn’t fair for a species to have both longevity and beauty, and now that she thought of it, all the Praeterns had those qualities. Maybe humans were just jealous.
“Sylvan is here, isn’t she?” Becca asked. She’d made it through the door. One hurdle down, about ten to go. Relaying the information she’d gotten from her anonymous caller was only part of her agenda. She didn’t intend to be used as a go-between—a passive conduit to funnel information that someone wanted Sylvan or someone else to know. She wanted to be part of the investigation. She was going to have to bargain, and she had probably sixty seconds to figure out how to bargain with a Were. And not just any Were. The Alpha.
“A word of advice,” Dasha said.
Becca grasped the handle of the door, waiting. “I’d appreciate it. Thank you.”
“If you want to see the Alpha, come as a friend. Not as a reporter.”
“I am a reporter, but if I wasn’t also a friend I would have run with the story I already have. Believe me, it’s big news.”
Dasha studied her for so long, Becca wondered if the lieutenant could read her mind. She didn’t think Weres had that capability, but the more she was around the Praeterns, the more she realized she didn’t know. And boy, that really frustrated her. A trickle of sweat dripped down her neck, but she waited while Dasha sat with such stillness she might have been a statue.
“Wait for me,” Dasha said, jumping out of the truck. She skirted quickly around the front, opened Becca’s door, and cupped Becca’s elbow. “I’ll take you inside. Stay close.”
They hadn’t even reached the stairs when Callan appeared on the porch, blocking their way with his legs spread and his thick arms crossed over his broad chest.
“I’ve allowed you this far,” Callan said, “because you said you had information about some of our Weres. If you’re lying—”
“I’m not,” Becca said. “What I have to say, I want to say to your Alpha. She knows me. Tell her I’m here. Please.”
Callan shot Dasha an angry look. “You stand for her now?”
“I stand for Pack, just like always. But it should be the Alpha’s decision to hear her or not.”
Callan growled, his features darkening as his gaze locked on Dasha’s. The aggression pouring from them was so thick Becca’s skin tingled.
“Look,” Becca said sharply, trying to get them to look at her and not each other for a few seconds. “I didn’t come here to start a fight. Can we try being on the same side for a while?”
“It’s been a difficult few days,” a lithe blonde with a voice as melodic as a symphony announced as she crossed the Compound to them. The female stepped between Dasha and Callan, as if she actually thought her slender body would provide some deterrent if the two of them decided to tear into each other.
Oh, this was getting worse by the second. She’d be persona non grata if her very presence started a rumble between Pack members. “Don’t you have some sort of protocol for getting a simple message to Sylvan?”
The blonde smiled but kept her eyes on Callan and wrapped her delicate fingers around Dasha’s forearm. “Lieutenant, you don’t want to challenge him.” Her voice was light, almost cajoling. “You know how unreasonable breeding mates can be about everything.”
Callan snarled. “That has nothing to do with it.”
“Doesn’t it?” The blonde laughed softly. “I bet half the reason you’re snarling right now is Fala is calling you.”
His mouth flickered, his expression fluctuating between pride and nervousness. “Her heat is more intense this time. We’ve tried before and…”
He looked away from Dasha, and the lieutenant stopped snarling.
The blonde tilted her head toward the barracks. “Go find your mate, Callan. Dasha has this under control.”
“Lieutenant?” Callan addressed Dasha but didn’t lock eyes.
“I will stay with Ms. Land until the Alpha decides to see her, or not. I’ll be personally responsible for her as long as she is within our borders. Sir.”
“I’ll inform the Alpha she’s here.” He nodded abruptly, spun on his heel, and stalked away.
“Cranky, isn’t he?” Becca muttered.
Dasha laughed. “His mate is in heat.”
“You’d think that would make him happy.” Becca held her hand out to the blonde. “Thank you. Are you the official peacekeeper?”
“I’m Sophia Revnik, one of the Were medics.” She shook Becca’s hand. “The Alpha is not in the Compound at the moment. I don’t know how long she’ll be.”
“I’m happy to wait.”
Sophia turned to Dasha. “Don’t leave her alone. It’s after sundown. I’ll be in the infirmary checking on our visitors.”
“Jody?” Becca asked. “Is Jody still here?”
Sophia regarded her with surprise. “You know her.”
“I wouldn’t say that,” Becca said wryly, “but we’re acquainted. I’d like to speak to her. Detective Gates and I are working together on the investigation.” Okay, maybe that was spinning the truth a little, but she wanted to see Jody, and this beat sitting in front of Jody’s house all night.
“All right. I’ll take you over, although I don’t know if she’s able to leave…”
“I know what happened to the Alpha’s guard.”
“You know quite a lot, it seems.” Sophia’s tone was curious, not critical.
Not enough. Becca smiled. “Thanks for the help.”
“Dasha,” Sophia said, “if you want to come—”
“Where she goes, I go,” Dasha said, her voice deeper and more gravelly than it had been moments before. Her skin glimmered as if she were drenched in sweat all of a sudden, but the night was cool. Her eyes glittered strangely as her gaze swept over Sophia. “The Alpha ran tonight.”
“I know.” Sophia took an unsteady step back. “Dasha—”
“If you’re looking for Val or the centuri…maybe Niki—”
“No,” Sophia said quickly. “None of them.”
Becca was usually good at deciphering unspoken conversations, but whatever messages they were sending, they weren’t verbal. She could have sworn Sophia was purring—no, not purring, rumbling very quietly. And her rapid breathing was unmistakable. Dasha’s jaw was so tight she was going to crack a tooth. Holy hell, these two were seconds from jumping each other!
“Ah, you mentioned taking me to Jody?” Becca said, surprised at how dry her throat was.
“Yes,” Sophia said, her eyes still on Dasha.
“Great,” Becca said. Just great. Dasha’s canines were definitely longer. And Sophia’s eyes were gold now.
“Right this way.” Sophia turned away abruptly. “They’re in here.”
Becca hurried to keep up with Sophia’s long, swift strides. God, whatever was stirring everyone up around here had better not be catching.
*
“How are you feeling?” Jody stroked damp strands of Marissa’s dark hair away from her pale cheeks.
Marissa grasped her wrist, smiling weakly. “I’ve felt better, but I’m all right.”
“I’m sorry. I let things go on too long.”
“No, you didn’t.” Marissa entwined her fingers with Jody’s. “I wanted to be with her. I wanted to be with you too.”
Jody smiled. “I always knew you were ambitious.”
Marissa laughed, her eyes still deeply shadowed, but clear. “How do you think I got to be chief medical examiner?”
“Not by letting someone nearly bleed you dry,” Jody said bitterly. She should have seen how powerful Lara had become. Unlike most newly turned, Lara had the strength to match her urges, and she’d fed like a fully Risen Vampire but without the same control. She was all the more dangerous in her mindless state.
“But you didn’t let me die, did you.” Marissa looked across the room to Elena. “Would you please tell this one that I’m fine?”
Elena set aside the chart in which she’d been recording lab results. “She’s anemic, but you’d know that. Her blood pressure and pulse are fine. She needs heme stimulants, iron supplements, and probably a few days’ rest. But she’s quite stable.”
“Good.” Jody caressed Marissa’s face. “I don’t have to tell you not to host again for several weeks, do I?”
“Several weeks!” Marissa sat up suddenly, her eyes widening then blurring out of focus. “Oh.”
“Damn it.” Jody caught Marissa as she slumped sideways and cradled her against her chest. Behind her, the door opened, and her senses sharpened. Becca.
“At least two weeks.” Carefully, Jody laid Marissa back down and drew the sheet up over her bare breasts.
Marissa’s eyelids fluttered, and she mumbled, “Too long. Too long to go without. Without you.”
Jody turned, knowing Becca was watching, expecting censure. Even the most supportive humans became uncomfortable when faced with the reality of Vampire survival. Ordinarily, she didn’t concern herself with human opinion, but she couldn’t so easily relegate Becca to the faceless, nameless masses. She hadn’t planned on the swift kick of pleasure at seeing Becca’s smile.
“How are you?” Becca said softly.
“I’m surprised they let you back in.” Jody nodded a greeting to Sophia, who edged around Becca and crossed the room to join Elena at the workstation.
Becca shrugged. “I’m persuasive.”
“Among other things.” Jody grasped Becca’s elbow and drew her outside into the hall. “What are you doing here?”
“Working.” Becca ruthlessly expunged the image of Jody tenderly stroking Marissa. Jody looked worse than she had that morning. She was always pale, but Becca was starting to distinguish what was a healthy pallor and what wasn’t. When Jody hadn’t fed, she developed a tightness around her eyes and mouth, as if her skin adhered more tightly to the bone. As if her substance were contracting, pulling in on itself. As if she were dying. Becca’s heart clenched. She knew if she touched Jody now, she’d be cold. “What are you doing?”
Jody frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“You need to feed again. You’ve been here for two days. Who’s been—” Becca glanced into the treatment room. Marissa appeared to be asleep. She was bone white, her neck riddled with jagged bite marks and deep purple bruises. “You didn’t—”
“No,” Jody said quickly. “Lara is voracious, and Marissa is insistent. I let Marissa host for Lara one time too many.”
“But she didn’t feed you.”
“I’m all right.” Jody’s eyes were flat, unreadable.
Becca knew what that meant. Someone else had given Jody what she needed. A swift spear of jealousy cut through her, and she impatiently brushed the feeling aside. “Well, whoever it was didn’t give you enough. You still need—”
An earsplitting roar shook the air, and the floor vibrated beneath Becca’s feet, as if someone had dropped a huge weight from a great height. Another crash was followed by a wild cacophony of growls and snarls. The closed door to the room opposite where they stood shuddered as if a battering ram had struck it from the other side.
Jody grasped Becca’s arms and pushed her toward the open doorway of the treatment room. “Get inside with Marissa and the others. Lock the door and don’t come out, no matter what you hear, until I—”
Another deep-throated, enraged growl shot through the air, and the heavy wooden door across the hall splintered with a resounding crack. Wood fragments flew everywhere.
Jody grabbed Becca, threw her against the wall, and covered her with her body. Becca stifled a scream, more surprised than afraid. Her back was against the wall, her face pillowed against Jody’s neck. Jody’s throat was soft and cool, but she was very much alive. Absurd to register that now, when her heart was pounding so loud in her ears she could barely think.
Jody jerked and grunted as if surprised.
“What—” Becca exclaimed.
“No questions,” Jody snapped.
“Hey!” Becca was lifted into the air, spun around, and deposited bodily in the doorway of the treatment room. Sophia and Elena had pushed Marissa’s stretcher into the far corner and were crouched in front of it.
“Inside. Close the door,” Jody ordered and turned toward the commotion in the hall.
“Oh my God.” Becca stared at the foot-long jagged chunk of wood, easily two inches thick, that protruded from Jody’s back between her left shoulder blade and her spine. Jody’s white shirt was already soaked in blood so dark it looked black. Becca’s throat closed, and her stomach threatened to revolt. She took a step down the hall after her. “Jody!”
Jody spared her one furious glance. “Get inside with the others.”
But Becca couldn’t. She couldn’t run and she couldn’t hide. Running and hiding was a victim’s solution. She’d learned never to run. The punishment never stopped until you proved you couldn’t be hurt, until you proved you were stronger than any ammunition used against you. Even if every instinct hadn’t demanded she stand her ground, she couldn’t have escaped to safety while Jody was wounded. Because of her.
Sophia appeared beside her and grasped Becca’s arm. “Go back inside. I’ll watch the door.”
“No.” Becca reached around Sophia and yanked the door shut, closing Marissa and Elena inside. She put her shoulder against Sophia’s and stood guard in the hall. “We’ll both watch it.”
The crashing in the room opposite continued, as if bodies were careening against the walls. Suddenly Lara bounded into the center of the hallway and crouched on all fours, her eyes flaming pools of fire, her incisors dripping blood. Her bare chest and abdomen were awash in crimson.
Becca’s heart leapt into her throat, but before Lara could strike, Jody materialized and blocked Lara’s path. Jody’s back was to Becca, and the horrible stake was still there, an obscenity Becca wanted to pull out with her own hands. She didn’t dare move, didn’t dare try to help, afraid she would only draw Lara’s attention and precipitate a battle.
“No more,” Jody said to Lara. “You’ll not feed again until I say you will.” Lara’s hot gaze swung from Jody to Sophia and Becca. Her lips pulled back and she snarled.
Niki staggered out of the room where Lara had been kept, her chest and shoulders covered with teeth and claw marks. At the far end of the building the front doors flew open, and Dasha raced toward them.
“Her,” Lara growled, her ravenous gaze locked on to Sophia as she stalked slowly forward. “Her.”
“Lara, no,” Sophia shouted. “Lara, it’s Sophia. Lara. You don’t—”
Lara vaulted onto the wall and seemed to run up the vertical surface, careening out of Jody’s reach, and lunged at Sophia. Dasha and Niki, racing from opposite directions, launched themselves at Lara and dragged her to the floor. The three Weres tumbled in a mass of writhing limbs, slashing claws, and flashing teeth.
Lara whipped her head around, slashing Dasha’s chest and left shoulder with her canines. Dasha roared and her grip loosened. Lara pulled her arm free and smashed Niki in the chest hard enough to catapult her against the wall. Niki’s body struck so hard the wood cracked, and she fell to the floor, stunned.
“Get behind me. Don’t move,” Sophia ordered, pushing Becca against the wall and crowding close against her front, shielding her.
Becca’s legs turned to jelly. Lara was loose again and would be on them in a second. She readied herself for the agony she knew was coming, but the pain never arrived.
Jody, a slender, dark blur, caught Lara by the throat and threw her twenty feet down the hall. Suddenly, the hallway was filled with Weres—Niki, Dasha, Sylvan, Drake, a pair of blond Weres Becca had never seen before. She scarcely took note of the Weres; her attention was riveted to Jody. God, she was still bleeding so much. Her shirt and the back of her pants were drenched.
“Get back in the room,” Jody said, advancing on Lara who crouched on all fours, wild and insane. “Do it now.”
“No,” Lara snarled, her gaze cutting to where Sophia blocked the closed door to the treatment room. “I want her. I want her. I smell her. She’s ready.”
“No,” Dasha shouted and stepped in front of Sophia.
Jody’s gaze on Lara intensified. “You’ll feed from no one until I say you will. Do as I say, or you die tonight.”
Lara charged, and Becca’s heart dropped to her toes. Jody was no match for a wild out-of-control Were, even if she hadn’t been hurt. Lara was taller, heavier, and insanely strong. Oh God, please, please don’t let Lara kill her.
Lara leapt, claws extended, jaws wide, aiming for Jody’s jugular. Inches from burying her fangs in Jody’s throat, she stiffened in midair, her forward progress halted so abruptly her body vibrated. Jody shot out her right arm, caught Lara by the throat, and pinned her to the wall. Lara’s face darkened and her eyes bulged. Her arms and legs convulsed, pinwheeling impotently in empty air.
“Yield to me now, newling,” Jody said, her voice as flat and hard as tempered steel. “Yield to me now, or you die.”
Sylvan roared. “You will not kill my wolf.”
“She is mine now.” Jody didn’t move, didn’t even look at Sylvan, but Lara shuddered as if she’d been violently shaken. “I will do as I like.”
Becca swallowed, half-amazed, half-terrified. Jody was hurt and bleeding, but still she held Lara off the floor with one arm. How strong was Jody, and how much more had she been hiding?
Sylvan pushed through the crowd of snarling Weres until she was inches from Jody. “Kill her, Vampire, and you will die with her.”
“Time out,” Becca called, pushing out from behind Sophia and inching down the hallway toward Jody and Sylvan. “Everybody needs a time out right now. You’ve got bigger things to worry about than Lara’s adolescent rebellion.”
Neither Jody or Sylvan gave any indication they heard her. The air around them was hot enough to ignite at any second. She turned to Drake. “Can’t you do something?”
Drake shook her head. “No. This is between the Alpha and the Vampire.”
“This is crazy. Lara’s under control now.”
Sophia slipped her arm around Becca’s shoulders. “The Vampire is in the Alpha’s territory. There can be only one leader here.”
“I don’t care. I don’t care about territory or ego or whose dick is bigger—”
“It’s not about that,” Sophia said quietly. “It’s about order. It’s about survival. You understand those things, don’t you?”
“No. Not like this.” All she knew was Jody had a wooden stake the size of a hammer handle sticking out of her back, she was bleeding all over the floor, and Sylvan Mir was about to tear her throat out. She’d never been so scared in all her goddamn life. She was helpless, and she hated it.
“Vampire,” Sylvan said, “do you want to make this our fight tonight?”
“You can’t control her,” Jody said. “If you try, she will kill your wolves.”
“Then you do what you must do to control her. But you do not kill her.”
Jody shot Sylvan a look filled with disdain. “Your soft heart will be your death someday, Wolf.”
Drake growled and bounded to Sylvan’s side. “Be careful what you say about my mate.”
Sylvan cupped the back of Drake’s neck. “It’s all right, Prima. Our Vampire friend is just frustrated.”
Jody half-smiled, her crimson gaze returning to Lara, who hung limply in her grasp. “Are you ready to obey me?”
“I’m hungry,” Lara gasped. “I’m hungry. Please, make it stop.”
“I’ll feed her.” Niki staggered toward them.
Jody whipped her head around. “No. Not you.”
Sophia stepped forward. “I’ll do it.”
“No!” Niki roared and grasped Sophia, trying to drag her away.
“Don’t touch her,” Dasha shouted, her face morphing as she shouldered Niki away from Sophia.
Niki thrust her face into Dasha’s, red pelt streaking her abdomen. “Get out of my way.”
“No.”
Niki drove her claws into Dasha’s wounded shoulder. Howling, Dasha raked her claws across Niki’s belly and they crashed to the floor, tearing and biting.
“Stand down,” Drake growled at the thrashing Weres. She grabbed Niki by the neck and yanked her off Dasha. Whipping Niki around, she pinned her against the wall. “Now is not the time, Imperator.”
Niki’s eyes were wide, wild. “Let me go.”
Drake shook her. “Look at me.”
Niki shuddered, her eyes rolling.
“Niki,” Drake murmured. “Niki, look at me.”
Niki’s agonized gaze fixed on Drake’s, and she moaned. “Prima, I failed. The Alpha, Lara…I failed.”
“No, Niki. You didn’t.” Drake pulled Niki’s face against her neck. “You’re ours. Don’t you know that?”
“Please.” Niki closed her eyes and slumped against Drake. “Please let me go.”
“Never. Go sleep somewhere. Your job is done tonight.” Drake kissed her forehead and released her. “The Alpha will need you soon. Be ready.”
Niki turned wounded eyes to Sophia, and Dasha took a protective stance in front of her.
“Go, Niki,” Sophia whispered.
“I’m sorry,” Niki murmured.
As soon as Niki disappeared, Jody let Lara slide slowly down the wall until she rested on the floor, her head hanging between her knees. Jody ran her fingers through Lara’s soaked hair and looked at Sylvan.
“My Vampire needs to feed.”
Sylvan nodded. “I will send someone to you.”
Jody leaned over, lifted Lara as if she were a child, and cradled her in her arms. She headed toward the splintered door. “I will see that she harms no one.”
“I’ll feed her,” Sophia said. “Lara won’t hurt me.”
“You don’t know that,” Dasha growled. “She almost killed Niki.”
Sophia paled.
“Not you, Sophia,” Sylvan said. “We can’t risk injury to one of our medics.”
“What about me?” Dasha said.
Sylvan shook her head. “Get Max.”
“Jody’s hurt,” Becca said.
“The Vampire can take care of herself,” Sylvan said.
Becca’s temper snapped. “She’s trying to save your guard! How much blood does she have to shed for you before—”
“I meant,” Sylvan said calmly, “she knows what she needs. When she tells us what that is, I’ll see that she has it.”
“If you wait for her to admit she needs anything, she’ll be dead.” Becca sidestepped Sylvan and marched toward the room where Jody had disappeared. “You know what? I don’t have to play by your rules.”