Cole caught the scent of Orin not far from where he left Lexi. He didn’t say a word to the others, but the other lycan tracked it to a forest where even Cole lost Orin’s trail. From there, they prowled through the woods until they came across a few houses.
They interviewed the occupants of those homes, but no one had seen Orin. From there, they traveled back into the woods until they came to the edge of a lake. The sun reflected off the water’s pristine surface and illuminated the large, gray stone manor across the way.
Malakai stared at the manor while the lycans prowled the water’s edge, and Brokk studied the ground like he was bored with the whole thing. However, the set of Brokk’s jaw and the way his fingers twiddled behind his back indicated Brokk was paying attention to everything.
Cole studied the amulet at Malakai’s throat. The vampire hadn’t possessed the powerful sun medallion while they were fighting together, but there was only one place he could have gotten it.
The vampire’s possession of the medallion made Cole distrust him more. He was acutely aware Malakai would tell the Lord every detail of their time together today.
He glanced at Brokk, but his brother was wandering idly by as he examined the shoreline as if searching for something. Whatever Malakai did to earn that amulet, it had made the Lord extremely happy.
“I’ll be back,” Malakai said.
“Where are you going?” the largest of the lycans demanded.
“I have something to do.”
Malakai walked away, and Cole watched as he strolled around the lake. As his step's pace increased, Cole realized Malakai was nowhere near as nonchalant as he was trying to act. Something about the manor had Malakai excited.
“I’ve had enough of that asshole,” the smallest lycan grumbled.
“Then let’s get out of here. We’re not going to find the dark fae,” another lycan said.
“He’ll report us to the Lord.”
“Report what? That we lost the trail. There’s not much to report there.”
The largest lycan looked at Cole and Brokk, who stared back at them. “I don’t care what you do,” Cole said.
The lycans didn’t say anything before they turned and loped away into the woods.
“Now what?” Brokk asked.
Malakai was almost jogging as he closed in on the manor. “What has him so excited?” he muttered.
“No idea,” Brokk said. “We should try to find Orin.”
“We will, but let’s see what has that asshole in such a rush first.”
Brokk frowned as he gazed after Malakai. “Yes, let’s.”
They started around the lake together.
“What do we do if we find Orin?” Brokk asked as Malakai climbed the steps to the front doors of the manor.
“We’ll get his ass somewhere safe if we can.”
“Can you smell him?” Brokk asked.
“No, I lost his scent soon after they did, but I might be able to pick it up again if we keep searching.”
They were almost around the lake, and the manor doors were still closed when the scent of strawberries hit him. He’d been so focused on trying to find Orin’s scent that he’d shut out all others; now, Lexi’s aroma hit him like a hammer between the eyes.
He suddenly understood why Malakai abruptly left and his obvious rush.
“Shit,” he hissed.
“What?” Brokk inquired.
He didn’t respond as he moved faster than Malakai had toward the home. His heart beat faster with every step as he recalled Malakai’s reaction to Lexi in the Gloaming and the marketplace, and hers to him. It was obvious what Malakai wanted from her and just as obvious the feeling was not mutual.
“What are you doing?” Brokk demanded.
“Stopping that prick of a vampire.”
• • •
“How can we make their lives better?” Lexi asked Sahira as she sipped her tea and watched the stragglers.
“The humans?”
“Yes.”
“How can we change what has already happened?”
“We can’t, but there has to be something we can do for them.”
“We’re doing the best we can by giving them food. We’d still offer some of them employment, but most don’t trust us enough to work for us anymore.”
That was true. Only a couple of the people who once worked here were willing to come back, and none of them lived here anymore. Maybe it was because of the war, or maybe it was because they realized they were messed with for years while living in the manor.
For years, Sahira had cast a glamour over the manor and those working in it that made it appear the immortals were aging the same as humans. When the dragons descended on the land, Sahira saw no reason to keep the glamour in place.
Those who saw the truth and realized they’d been tricked were rightfully pissed. Despite the protection the manor offered them, they left. Lexi didn’t blame them, but she missed them.
Before Lexi could say anything more, someone pounded on the front door. The blows echoed throughout the house and rebounded down the hallway. The sudden intrusion of the powerful blows caused Lexi to jump. She cursed as tea splashed over the rim of her cup.
“Who could that be?” Sahira asked as she set her cup down.
Lexi’s pulse pounded in her temples as she recalled the group at the marketplace. The group who had gone off in search of Orin. Sahira had cast protective spells over the tunnels years ago; they shouldn’t be able to detect him down there, but had she missed something else that could have led them here?
Lycans had a really strong sense of smell. Could they have tracked him all the way here? Would they smell him on her?
She’d rushed to clean up his trail; she could have missed something. Or maybe someone had seen her with him. She hadn’t noticed anyone around, but that didn’t mean they weren’t there.
Oh shit.
She tried to control the shaking in her hands as she rose from the chair, but she felt like someone was continuously hitting her with a taser as her heart raced.
Get it together! She gritted her teeth together as she willed herself not to blow it completely. Besides, she didn’t know who was at the door, but she had a sinking suspicion she did.
Throwing her shoulders back, she strode to the front door with a confidence she didn’t feel. Her mouth felt like she’d been chewing on sand as she took one step and then another toward the door… toward her doom.
Sahira’s footsteps sounded behind her as another loud knock rebounded throughout the manor. Lexi stepped into the hall and almost winced at the harsh sound. It took all she had not to turn and run in the opposite direction.
Instead, she wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans and called, “Coming!”
Walking toward the door, she felt as if she were walking toward the death chamber, but she didn’t try to fight her fate. She’d done this to herself. If the consequences of her actions were waiting to drag her away, then so be it.
She told herself this, but inwardly she was screaming that she wasn’t ready to die. She’d prefer not to be dragon chow.
“Do you want me to get it?” Sahira asked from behind her.
“No,” Lexi said.
She stopped in front of the door, took a deep breath, and pulled it open before she chickened out and ran. She plastered a fake smile on, but it faltered when she spotted Malakai on the other side.