Wanted: Undead or Alive

Phil shook his head. “I doubt my father will allow her to participate in the Hunt. She’d probably try to run away.”

“Or she might get hunted down and assaulted,” Phineas muttered.

Phil stopped with a jerk. “What are you saying? Did that happen to her?”

“You wouldn’t know, would you? You weren’t here for her.”

“She never answered my letters,” Phil insisted. “Never agreed to escape with me. I thought she must be happy here.”

“You thought wrong!”

“Enough,” Zoltan growled. “Keep your voices down or the guards will hear us.”

Phineas took a deep breath. He was having a hard time dealing with the abuse Brynley had suffered. It was wrong of him, but he was taking it out on her brother.

“Look at it,” Phil whispered, pointing at the huge mansion. “I didn’t think she’d be willing to leave that behind. I left here with nothing but the clothes on my back. I nearly starved before I ended up a poor college student, living in the basement of Roman’s townhouse and working during the day as a security guard. I asked Brynley to come away with me, but I didn’t push it. I didn’t think I had much to offer.”

Phineas swallowed hard. He knew that feeling. It was hard to believe Brynley would choose him, a poor Undead guy from the Bronx with an outstanding warrant for his arrest, when she could have luxury and security.

He followed Phil and Zoltan toward the front of the house. They came to the edge of an asphalt road that led to the circular driveway.

“We’ll teleport across.” Zoltan pointed to a wooded area. “Land over there.” He grabbed hold of Phil and vanished.

Phineas joined them. They were a far distance in front of the house now, but with their superior vision they could still see. However, much of their view was blocked by the SUVs, pickups, and campers parked in the driveway.

Phineas pointed up. “Let’s get a better view.”

“Good idea.” Phil walked over to a thick pine with sturdy branches. “I used to climb this as a kid.” He leaped and caught hold of the lowest branch. With a grunt, he swung a leg over the branch and straddled it. Holding on to the trunk, he stood, then reached for the next branch.

Phineas levitated and hovered close by. “Going up?”

Phil gave him a wry look. “Show-off.”

Phineas offered him a hand. “Come on.” When Phil looped an arm around his shoulders, he continued levitating to the top branches of the tree.

“Slowpokes,” Zoltan murmured from the top of a neighboring tree. He must have teleported.

Phineas landed on a sturdy branch and surveyed the house and grounds. One guard stood by the front door. The house sprawled along the top of long hill. On the south side, a garden had been planted where the land sloped down to a flat meadow. Beyond that, there were some pens and then the stable.

“I was wrong,” Phil whispered from a nearby branch. “I should have come here to make sure she was all right. I should have known she couldn’t bear it here any more than I could.”

“Not your fault,” Phineas mumbled. “You didn’t know.”

Phil leaned against the trunk, gazing at the house. “It’s hard to explain what the Lycan world is like to an outsider. On the surface, it all seems perfect. Big ranches, beautiful country, strong families, a really close and supportive community. If one of the men in the pack dies, his widow and children are automatically taken care of. If someone’s house or barn burns down, the pack gathers to rebuild it. There’s a strong sense of pride and security —”

“But no freedom,” Phineas muttered.

Phil sighed. “For me, the cost of staying was too high.”

“It’s too high for Brynley, too. They’ll force her to marry Bleddyn.” Phineas’s fingers dug into the pine bark. “I saw him slap her in the cabin, and I just lay there, unable to help her.”

“Bastard,” Phil snarled. “I should kick his ass.”

“I’d like a swing at him, too, but it looks like Howard wants the honor.” Phineas paused a moment, wondering what the story was there.

“What are your intentions toward my sister?” Phil asked.

That took him by surprise. “I guess it’s obvious I have feelings for her.” He took a deep breath. “I want to be with her if she’ll have me. I’d like to spend my life with her.”

Phil turned to him with wry look. “You sure you can handle her?”

Phineas smiled. “It would be one hell of a thrill ride finding that out.” He motioned toward the house. “Do you know which window is her bedroom?”

“You’re thinking about teleporting in?” Phil asked.

“If I can find her, I’ll teleport her straight to Romatech, and you two guys can follow.”

“She’s probably being guarded,” Phil warned him.

“I’ll go with you,” Zoltan told him. “If you find her, teleport out. I shall return here for Phil.”

Phil pointed. “Second window from the right, upstairs. The curtains are shut.”

A second later, Phineas materialized in a large, dark bedroom. He pivoted, scanning the room. No one there.

Zoltan appeared beside him. After a quick look around, he opened a door. “Bathroom,” he whispered, and went inside.

Phineas zipped over to another door and peered inside. A walk-in closet. Mostly empty, except for a row of pretty dresses and some high-heeled shoes. Brynley had obviously taken her casual clothes with her when she’d run away. Something long and white caught his eye, and he ventured closer. Shit. It was a wedding dress in a clear plastic bag. Lots of lace and beads and crap. A lot more expensive than he could ever afford.

He closed the closet door and surveyed the room. The wrought-iron bed was neatly made up with a blue and green quilt. It didn’t look like it had been slept in. A white box underneath the bed drew his attention. What would she hide beneath her bed? Old photos of her mom or Phil? Memorabilia from happier days?

He dashed over and pulled out the box. Red letters on top read “Big Boy 1000 EXTREME!” He opened it and winced.

“Damn.” Nestled in red velvet was a flesh-colored rubber phallus. He plucked it out.

“Damn.” It was a big boy. He felt himself shrinking, just looking at the damned thing.

“Nothing in the bathroom.” Zoltan exited, closing the door behind him.

Phineas whipped the Big Boy behind his back, but the movement must have hit a button because it suddenly came alive, vibrating and wiggling against his lower back. He arched and shifted his weight, trying to look nonchalant.

Zoltan peered around the room. “Do you hear that?”

“No.”

“Sounds like a bee.” He gave Phineas a speculative look. “Are your clothes buzzing?”

He shrugged. “Brynley’s not here, so we might as well leave.”

Zoltan looked him over again, then glanced at the bed. “Okay.”

“You first. I’ll bring up the”—he winced as the damned thing wiggled against his rear—“uh, rear.”

Zoltan’s mouth twitched, then he teleported away.

“Damn.” Phineas turned the Big Boy off, then noticed he’d left the box on the bed. Damn, had Zoltan seen it? He stuffed the phallus back into the box, but must have jammed too hard, for it started wiggling again.

“Stop it.” He punched a button, but it merely increased its speed, the tip spiraling in wild circles.

Damn! He watched in horror. It was like a whirlybird on steroids! How could a man compete with that? He ripped the balls off it and emptied out the batteries. “Die, you freakin’ dildo, die!”

“I think I hear something in there,” a voice said in the hallway.

“Then check it out,” another voice demanded.

Phineas tossed the box back under the bed and teleported away.