“We’ll take photos and some evidence with us.” She adjusted the button on her jacket where there was a hidden camera. “If we see a laptop or hard drives, we should take those too. How are we getting in?”
“We can’t take the road into the warehouse,” he said. “Remy’ll have security around it. There’s another way, but … it’s not safe.”
“Not safe? How?”
“You’ll see soon, cher.”
They pulled off the freeway and onto a smaller highway. As they drove on, there were fewer and fewer houses dotting the countryside. Then they turned off onto a dirt road, drove for a few more minutes, before he stopped the car and killed the engine.
“We’re here.”
She got out of car. “Where are we?”
“The bayou, cher.”
As her eyes adjusted to the dark, she realized they were surrounded by thick vegetation and trees as tall as buildings. Their branches stretched out overhead, creating a natural canopy. The air was thick and musty, and the only sounds she could hear were the various critters scuttling around them. “Wow.” She’d never seen anything like this.
“It’s beautiful, yes, but like I said, dangerous. We gotta be careful of the gators.”
“There’re alligators in there?” she asked incredulously.
“Oui, but they don’t bother us as long as we don’t bother them. Now, let’s go.” He gestured toward the boat tied up at the end of a short dock that jutted out into the water. “I’ll have to paddle us up. They’ll hear any engine approaching.”
He led her to the boat and helped her inside. It was difficult to find a comfortable position, especially in her condition, but she managed to tuck her legs under her as she sat on the middle seat. She felt the little dinghy sway and dip as he positioned himself behind her and took up the paddles.
“We’ll come around the back of the property, say, a good fifty feet from the warehouse. I’ll find a suitable place where we can travel through the shadows and get us inside without anyone knowing. Remy’ll have at least two guys there, plus a whole load of cameras and motion sensors.”
“Hopefully we can get in and out quickly.” A knot in her stomach formed, and she wondered if this was going to work. It has to. This was the only way to get Remy out of the picture. “How much further?” They seemed to have gone deeper into the bayou, as her enhanced hearing couldn’t even pick up any signs of civilization. Just insects, small animals, and the whoosh of the boat as it sliced through the water. And, thankfully, no slithering gators.
“It’s much farther than I thought,” he said. “I’ve never taken this way, Remy never let me. Forbade me to come near the swamps.” He shuddered. “I don’t even know how to swim.”
“You don’t swim?” She jerked her head back at him. “Seriously?”
“Oui.”
“What if we capsize? Or the boat springs a leak? Or—”
“Shh … don’t worry your pretty little head, cher.” He flashed her a grin. “I’ll—” The smile faded from his lips.
“Marc?” Her neck was getting strained, so she turned around carefully. “What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
His mouth parted. “Do you hear that?”
She looked around them. “Hear what?”
“Somethin’s calling me.” He blinked. “I have to—” He stopped as the boat jerked.
“Marc!” she screamed and grabbed onto him. The boat began to move sideward, like a force was pulling them to shore. His arms tightened around her as they moved faster, the side of the boat hitting land so hard, they tumbled out. Immediately, he shielded her, wrapping his body around so she landed on him, instead of the ground.
“Oomph!” She braced herself against him. “What the hell?”
He quickly hauled her up to her feet, then her vision went dark as he pulled them back into the shadows. “Stay still, cher. I don’t know what—”
Air rushed out of her lungs as she felt her body being pushed forward, and she fell, landing on her hands and knees. She ignored the pain that shot up her limbs as she struggled for breath. Looking around her, she realized her vision had gone back to normal. “What happened?”
He was on his knees too, his hands braced on the ground, shaking his head. “I … I don’t know. It was like someone reached in and kicked me out of the shadows.”
“Who are you and how’d you do that?”
Mika froze when she felt the presence in front of them. The person—female, from the voice—didn’t smell like a Lycan or a human for that matter. Witch, then. Slowly, she lifted her head.
Staring down at her was an older woman, probably in her late forties to early fifties, with light brown hair that came to her waist. The expression on her face was stern, and Mika felt the power she radiated as those dark eyes seemed to bore into her.
Beside her was a girl, maybe thirteen or fourteen. She looked like a younger version of the woman. The expression on her face was curious, and her ebony eyes darted from Mika to Delacroix.
“I said, who are you and how did you do that?” The woman repeated, a ripple of energy pulsed all around them.
Her wolf immediately went into defense mode, raising its hackles and baring its teeth.
Delacroix reached over to wrap a hand around her arm. “She’s … using the energy of the shadows … I don’t know how but—”
“Lycans,” the woman spat. “Didn’t we tell your Alpha to never cross into our territory again?”
“We’re not from Boudreaux’s clan,” she said, trying to keep her wolf leashed. It was a difficult task, seeing as her animal was extra protective because of their pup.
“Then what you creepin’ ’round here for? And”—her eyes blazed at Delacroix—“how are you able to walk the dark trail?”
“Walk the dark trail?” he asked.
“You moved into the shadows,” she said, her teeth gritting together. “You can access dark magic. But you’re a Lycan. How could that be?”
“Mama.” The young girl grabbed the woman’s hand and tugged excitedly. “He’s
