“You weren’t supposed to know,” he shouted. “He said you wouldn’t know.”
She snorted, beyond annoyed at his stupidity. “Lazarus lied to you, idiot.” At the door, the bouncer blocked her way, and she sneered, “You don’t want any part of this. Move aside and shut the door.”
His eyebrows rose. Surprising her, though, he did as she asked. Nexi wondered what he saw in her expression to make him take such an order without pause. Right down to it, she was only glad he did. She didn’t want any interruptions, especially from mortals who didn’t understand the danger looming over them.
Once out in the parking lot—and clear of an audience—she threw the man to the ground. “You better get your lips moving and tell me what you know.”
The man glared up at her with fury. “I’m bound to tell you nothing.”
Before she could happily change his mind, he shifted into his wolf form and snarled at her. Black fur coated his large wolf form, but this wolf, compared to Valor, looked small. Nexi watched as he lifted his head and sniffed the air, and she wondered if he recognized Valor’s scent.
However, that hint of hesitation didn’t last long. The wolf pounced, and her anger did wicked things to her body as she kicked him in the chest, sending him back. “I’m going to break your silence or you face—one of the two.”
From behind her, Valor asked, cool and collected, “Do you want help with this?”
“Nope,” she bit off.
The wolf lunged again.
She twirled, kicking the back of his head, sending him snout first to the ground. He flipped over, let out a piercing howl and rushed her. Shifting in mid-air, his expression caused a bit of amusement to bubble up in her chest. Apparently, he thought he could win a hand-to-hand fight with her.
She planned to prove him wrong.
The werewolf, now in human form, came punching, kicking, and striking out with a need to kill. A pitiful display, as his moves were childlike, and at any point she didn’t doubt she could kill him. He possessed no skill, only the determination to stay alive.
Nexi had him beat.
As much as she wanted to tear into him, she couldn’t. Right now, this pervert happened to be her best shot at finding Kyden so she allowed him to think he had the advantage over her. A couple of his punches hurt, but most didn’t. Even so, she played along as if he truly challenged her.
He delivered a hard punch, jerking her head back, and he cackled. “You’re pathetic.”
The sound of his laughter, accompanied by the smug look on his face, sent a plentiful amount of rage seething inside her. When he dove forward, she slammed a fist straight to his jaw. He slowly raised his head and shock widened his eyes.
“That’s right,” she muttered. “Who’s pathetic now?”
His eyes narrowed. “You’ll die for that, bitch.”
Of all the things to call her, apparently that had been the wrong thing, because she snapped. This perverted werewolf, who had sided with an evil vampire called her a bitch… “Big mistake, wolf.”
Smashing her palm into his nose, and with a loud crack followed by a heavy thud, he fell to the ground, knocked out cold. Her anger left her in a rush of breath as she realized what she’d done. “Shit.” She glanced over her shoulder to Drake. “I didn’t mean to do that. He just had to go and get lippy.”
Valor chuckled. “Not only strong willed, but she’s got a temper, too.”
“I believe that might be an understatement,” Drake stated drily.
Nexi snorted. “A temper that it seems came from my father.”
The men laughed around her, and she drew her sword, stuck it to the wolf’s throat, waiting for him to come around. It took a few moments, but eventually the man stirred. Groaning, he went to stand, clearly forgetting what happened and why he lay in a heap on the ground.
Nexi applied pressure to the sword. “Yoo-hoo, remember me?” His focus snapped to hers, and she added, “Where’s Kyden?”
He gulped. “Kyden?”
Gripping the handle tighter, she jabbed the sword deeper into his neck and the tip buried under his skin. “The guardian Lazarus has taken?”
The werewolf swallowed again, as blood poured from the wound to run along his neck and onto the pavement. “I have no idea where he took him.”
Not the answer she wanted, but she had another card to play. “If you don’t know where Kyden is located, then tell me where I can find Efren.”
His eyes widened. “How do you know Efren?”
Hot frustration laced her veins and she said through gritted teeth, “Listen ass-wipe, I don’t have time to answer your questions. If you haven’t noticed I have a sword at your throat.” She pushed harder against her sword to prove her point, sending more blood oozing from the wound.
“Tell her,” Valor demanded.
The man looked at Valor as he stepped in beside her, and his face became sheet white. “I thought I s-scented y-you…” The fear—sheer panic—washing across his features made Nexi realize why Talon had been grateful for Valor’s help. It became clear now that the wolves would be more willing to comply, considering the authority Valor had over the packs.
Blood continued to gush from the wound to pool along the pavement, and the metallic scent filled the air. “Promise you’ll take my mate and cub into your protection.”
Valor knelt down beside the man, staring at him in a way that would have made Nexi run and hide. “You don’t deserve my mercy, but since we need to find the location of the guardian, I’ll grant your request. Your family will be kept safe.”
The terror in the wolf’s eyes lessened, and he managed, “Go to Eighth Avenue and Forty-ninth Street and you’ll find a tailor shop. Efren will be there, along with others that have joined Lazarus. But go quickly; they move often to keep their trail hidden.”
Valor stood, his presence powerful as he peered down at the wolf. “You’ve caused your own demise and as your Patriarch, death is your punishment for your betrayal.” To Nexi he said, “He’s yours to kill. Take your revenge.”
“It isn’t my revenge.” She swung her sword up, locking in her target. “It’s for all the pain you’ve caused. All the pain felt by others who are suffering from the deaths of their loved ones, including my own.”
Chapter Nineteen
Blending into the shadows by a fancy hotel, Nexi peered across the street and spotted the tailor shop. The brown brick building was nestled between a deli and a restaurant, and air conditioners hung out from the top windows. She squinted, staring at the large front window and taking a second count to be sure, but the view remained unchanged. “I’ve counted ten wolves.”
Drake nodded. “Yes, ten.”
Valor lifted his head, taking a deep sniff. “There are ten on the lower floor, but more upstairs.”
Not at all what she wanted to hear, considering even with only the ten on the lower level they were outnumbered. “Do you have any idea how many more?”
“I can’t say for sure.” Valor’s nose lifted higher, and he sniffed again. “Their scents are all mixing together. It’s impossible to tell them all apart unless I stood here for a while and concentrated.”
“Well, we don’t have time for that,” she retorted.
Turning to the building again, she studied the wolves passing by the windows every so often. While nerves about this fight ahead did rattle her, she stuffed them down. Now she needed to be unafraid…for Kyden. “Any guesses why they’re not coming out and attacking us?”
She looked at Briggs to catch his shrug as he said, “The packs are huge, and most wolves wouldn’t have met Valor, so they don’t know his scent.” He gestured toward the building. “They might assume there are wolves and guardians nearby. Besides, from what we’ve seen of them so far, they believe they’re untouchable. We can only assume they have no fear of being found.”
These werewolves were damned idiots, and, if anything, it made her happy to clear the world of such stupidity.
Drake nudged her arm, garnering her attention, and his eyes were soft. “I suppose asking you to stay here is out of the question?”
“You suppose right.” Inhaling to focus, she caught a whiff of garbage mixed with stale air, then she stepped out of the shadows. “Ready?” As soon as the question passed her lips, she wondered if it even mattered. Could anyone ever be ready for the shitload of trouble they were about to land themselves in?
Briggs nodded, dauntlessly. “Batters up.”
With quick nods from Valor and Drake, Nexi charged across the street, the men right next to her. Once at the front door of the tailor shop, Drake kicked the door and it flew open. Clearly startled, the werewolves jumped to their feet.
Wide eyes greeted her. “It’s you,” a dark-haired one said.
“That wasn’t exactly what I expected to hear,” Nexi muttered.
Valor shifted, growling deep.
With the sound rumbling against the walls, the men shifted into their wolf forms as if Valor had ordered them to. Nexi figured that maybe his magic contained that type of power. Who knew. Who cared. Not her.