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“Dammit.” I stand, moving into the grand foyer. “This is the biggest bunch of fuckery I’ve seen in a while, and believe me, I’ve seen fuckery.”
“Is there anything else you can tell us about Patrice?” Amelia ignores my tirade and continues her questioning.
“She likes to play with her food.” He loses his perfect posture, slumping his shoulders slightly. “Young lovers are her favorite. When we were in Africa, she would hunt couples, saying their thoughts of love flavored their blood. She would stalk them for hours, even days at a time. Torturing them. Terrifying them. Often, killing one in front of the other just for the thrill of it.”
“So, you’re saying, not only is she obsessed with immortal children, she’s also a psychopath?” Amelia stands, moving toward the door. “What concerns me is the fact that she hunted couples and murdered them in front of each other isn’t what made you decide to leave. It was her obsession over being a mother that sent you over the edge.” She moves toward the door. “I think I’ve heard enough.”
“Aye,” Thorne answers, wrapping his arm protectively around my shoulders and ushering me toward the door. I have no doubt I could rip Elijah’s head from his torso before he noticed my movement, but I appreciate Thorne’s attempt either way.
“She’s heading south,” Elijah says, stopping us at the door.
“How do you know?” Micah asks.
“Let’s just call it a hunch,” he answers.
The energy in the room changes in an instant as a large red wolf appears seemingly out of nowhere. Amelia steps in front of the Charleston vampire, inches from his face. Saliva drips from her jowls as she snarls a warning.
“Be careful, Elijah,” Topher warns. “We’re not into playing games when it comes to children.”
“I’m notplayingany sort of game.”
“Where down south?” Topher continues.
“The Gulf Coast of Alabama,” Elijah answers. “That’s all I know.”
Amelia snarls one last warning before backing away from the vampire. Whether her warning was perceived as it was meant, I don’t know. Elijah looks more bored than nervous. The giant wolf stays in wolf form as we exit the home and climb back into the SUV.
Instead of joining Thorne and me in the back seat, Topher opens the back of the SUV, and Amelia jumps inside.
“Who wants to go to the beach?” Topher asks, climbing into the front seat. He laughs loudly, making me wonder what silent conversation just passed between him and his wife.
The trip back to the house is uneventful, and when the back of the SUV is opened, a petite redheaded woman, wearing a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt hops out. I have no idea when she shifted or dressed.
“That bastard knows more than he’s letting on,” Amelia says, moving to Topher’s side.
“Agreed,” he answers, turning toward Micah. “You’ve worked with Elijah before. Is his information valid enough for us to make the trip?”
Micah shrugs. “I’ll talk to my father, but in my experience, he’s always been truthful.”
“I’ll get the jet prepared,” Amelia announces, heading toward the front door. Micah steps away, pulling his phone from his pocket.
“Looks like we’re heading to Alabama,” Thorne says, wrapping his fingers through mine.
“Aye. What about Kragen?” I ask.
“He’s busy licking his wounds and building an army. I’m more worried about Eudora and Marnie at this point.”
“You can add Patrice to that list, too,” I state the obvious, squeezing his hand. “Gretchen said the woman who chained her in the basement smelled like fire. Do you think it was Marnie?”
Micah interrupts before Thorne has a chance to answer. “My father says Elijah has always been truthful to the pack. He has no reason to believe he’s not being truthful now.” He slides his phone back into his pocket with his words. “He’s going to call in a few favors and secure us a place to stay while we’re down there.”
“The jet will be ready in half an hour.” Amelia joins us back on the porch.
I raise my hand, interrupting the flurry of movement. “Does anyone know what we’re going to do whenwe get there?”
“We’re going to the beach?” Luna asks, exiting the house and joining our small group. “I’m game! I love the Gulf.” My stomach growls at the sight of the blonde lycanthrope, and guilt fills me from the inside.
FIVE
