Craig studied the new hole in the wall. It wasn’t like this place belonged to him. They were in one of the vampire’s safe houses. Apparently, she kept them all over the world. She could access the basement to sleep during the day when she wasn’t at her full strength. He’d been thinking of tossing her into the garden as the sun reached its zenith then staking her through the heart. For all her dramatics and childish temper tantrums, though, Eliza was incredibly dangerous and would most likely survive the attack long enough to kill him back. Thus, she was better to have as a friend not an enemy.
“You really need to stop destroying shit,” he said mildly. “You won’t have much of a safe house left if you keep punching out the walls.”
Fury temporarily sated, Eliza shrugged. “I have minions.” She flicked her wrist. ”They can fix it.”
To Eliza, humans were food, pets, and slaves. She could care less about their lives. They were toys to her. She broke and discarded them without remorse.
Craig had no love for humans but he ignored them. They were inconsequential ants, after all. He didn’t understand Eliza’s pleasure in torturing those who’d done no wrong to her. But who was he to question the vampire’s sickening proclivities? As soon as they tracked down and killed their targets, Craig would part company with Eliza and return to his colony, the triumphant leader, and he would have to see the mad bitch ever again. With Gareth dead, any hopes the rebel factions had to replace Craig would be gone.
“Did you contact the Alpha of the Valiant colony?” she asked.
“Yes. He claims to know nothing about Gareth and his friends.” Craig snorted. “Not that Reese Valiant would tell me shit.”
“We’re near the Blue Creek pack’s territory. Would its alpha help you?”
“Tristan Wolfe and his sons would tear out my throat if I even stepped a toe in his territory. He’s not a forgiving man, and his children would see me as an enemy because he does.” But he knew his brother had enjoyed the Wolfe’s protection. The fact Gareth had befriended the powerful werewolf pack was just another reason to hate him. It seemed his brother was more successful than he at securing alliances.
“I sense a history there.” Despite her comment, Eliza didn’t seem particularly interested in the answer.
Craig responded anyway. “We’ve had a few run-ins.” And Craig had come out the loser every time. If he thought he could get away with it, he’d kill every Wolfe and all under their protection in Blue Creek and burn it every last bit of it to the ground. Craig rubbed the back of his neck as a tension headache began to throb. Taking down the Wolfes was a dream for another day. Now, he needed to crush his half-brother and all of his companions.
Eliza sashayed into the kitchen and opened a bottle of blood wine. Craig grimaced. Vampires and their blood diets made his stomach turn. And Eliza wasn’t a delicate drinker. She guzzled, not caring when blood dribbled down her chin and neck. Disgusting.
“What if you contacted the Blue Creek alpha?” asked Craig.
“You think you have problems with that man? Thomas has the alpha’s loyalty. Besides, vampires haven’t lived near Blue Creek or its surrounding territories in at least a century. The werewolves viciously routed them out. Aren’t shifters your thing, anyway?”
“I don’t lower myself to mixing with wild dogs.”
Eliza laughed. “I think you have more enemies than I do. And that’s quite an accomplishment.” She poured the ruby red liquid into a wine glass and lifted it in a toast. “To killing those who have wronged us.”
Chapter Two
Abby Valiant raced across the dewy grass, hot on the tails of two small cougar kittens who squalled their protests. That old adage about cats not liking water? In the case of her shifter twins, bath time was the equivalent of medieval torture.
“Haven’t you heard that you shouldn’t chase after werecougars?” called out Abby’s unhelpful husband, Reese, alpha of the Valiant colony. “They’ll only run faster.”
“That’s werewolves and dogs,” she yelled over her shoulder. “Cats have more civility.”
Reese laughed. “Tell that to our sons.”
“You could help, you know,” she called out.
“And miss out on this home movie opportunity?”
“Are you serious?”
The two golden-furred kittens reached the back fence and each veered off in different directions. Abby stalled her progress and decided playing the game as a human put her at a disadvantage. She turned around and faced her husband. Yep. He had his smartphone out and was definitely filming the twins’ shenanigans. “Do you want to record me getting naked and shifting?”
“Nope. You naked is for my eyes only.” Reese tapped his phone screen and then lowered the device. “Proceed.”
She laughed as she stripped off her sundress and panties. Then she crouched on all fours and shifted. Four legs were far better for chasing bath-avoiding cubs. She easily caught up to Finn, pouncing on him lightly. Her son flattened, mewling. With her mouth, she gently picked him up by the scruff and took the kitten to her husband.
“One down,” he said.
Fain had taken shelter in an oak tree. He lay across a low limb, staring down at his mother, tail swishing. Abby roared the equivalent of “Get
