Page 47 of Bound by Vengeance
“No big spikes in missing people or murdersanywhere in the surrounding area,” Lucien said.
“Maybe we should start expanding the searchinto Pennsylvania,” Asher suggested.
For now, their search consisted of NewEngland and New York, but it was time to branch out.
“I’m prepared to search the entire continentif it gets us a lead,” Lucien said.
Declan pulled into the lot across the streetfrom the next club and parked the car. Opening the door, Nathanstepped into the brisk April night and inhaled the crisp air. Hisnose twitched when he detected the faint hint of garbage.
“Do you smell that?” Asher asked when hestepped out of the car to stand beside him.
“Yes,” Nathan replied.
“Dumpster?” Asher asked.
“No, it’s too strong for a dumpster,” Declansaid and closed his door. “And it’s coming from behind thosebuildings.”
They all turned to look at the line ofrestaurants, stores, and other assorted businesses beyond theparking lot. They were all closed for the night. Nathan sniffed theair again and listened for something out of the ordinary, but allhe heard was the muffled thump of music from the club across thestreet.
“Let’s go,” Lucien said.
• • •
Vicky rubbed her hands together to ease thechill from them and leaned against the wall while Duncan conversedwith the man they discovered meandering the tunnels. The man wasn’ta member of any group down here; he’d drifted inside whilesearching for a warm, safe place to spend the night.
Duncan didn’t tell him where to go, or aboutany of the other groups. If the man discovered one, it would be upto them if they welcomed or turned him away. When they finishedspeaking, Vicky fell into step beside Duncan again.
She was beginning to feel like the hamsterrunning pointlessly on its wheel with no end in sight.
“How many groups are down here?” sheasked.
“I don’t know,” Duncan said. “I know oftwenty, but there are probably more. They’re all spread out, and Ihaven’t explored all the tunnels.”
They’d met four of the twenty between lastnight and tonight and were heading toward the fifth. Her thoughtsturned to Nathan. Was he okay? She knew he was trained to destroySavages, but what if something went wrong tonight? He was strong,but he wasmortal.
The knowledge made her fangs prick as theinsidious urge to change him slid through her.I’m in deepshit.
“Want to call it quits for the night?”Duncan asked.
“No, we’ll go to the next group and see whatthey know first. If we learn nothing, we’ll call it quits and startagain tomorrow night.”
• • •
They found eight Savages standing in a smallparking lot behind the grouping of shops. Standing next to a pizzaplace, the four of them remained hidden in the shadows of the brickbuilding while they surveyed their enemies. The Savage’s heads werebent close together as they talked.
“Keep at least one alive for questioning,”Lucien whispered.
“Let’s go,” Nathan said.
Reaching into his inner pocket, Nathanpulled out a stake before sliding away from the building. He lopedthrough the shadows on the outskirts of the lot until he was behindthe Savages, but still fifty feet away and hidden from his enemies.As much as some hostility remained between the hunters and theDefenders, they’d hunted together often enough to know the movesthe others would make without having to formulate a plan.
Nathan felt primed for a kill as adrenalinecoursed through his body. He always enjoyed a good battle, buttonight he felt more keyed up than usual with his concern forVicky, his frustration over not being able to decide his future,and his inability to locate Joseph. He needed a release for it all,and these bastards would be it.
The four of them spread out to circle theSavages before edging closer to them. Racing forward, Nathan struckfirst as he came up behind a Savage and drove his stake through itsheart before the vamp realized he was there. The Savage released agurgled cry, and its body bowed out as it tried uselessly to pullaway from the weapon.
The vamp standing closest to its fallingcomrade lunged at Nathan, but Declan loomed up behind the Savageand snapped its neck. Across the way, Lucien staked another onewhile Asher fired a bolt into the heart of a fourth.
Two of them turned to run, but Nathanblocked their escape. One of the monsters lowered its shoulder andbarreled at him. The vamp came ever closer, closing the distanceuntil they were only feet apart, then inches.
