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31: Battlegrounds
Ian
“With Leo in our custody and no leads from Mattie, we’re back to square one.” Across from me in the packhouse dining room, Sean pecks away at his laptop in frustration.
“Don’t worry, Sean.” Bleary-eyed, Jack makes his way to the coffee and a moment later, plops down in the chair beside Sean. “If you two losers are doing my job, all hell will break loose soon enough. Thank the goddess David’s handling the actual legwork.”
I take a sip from my own cup, glaring at Jack over it. “Look who’s bright and chipper and starting shit first this morning. I’m going to have Darby lullaby your kids to sleep all day so they’re up all night.”
Jack snorts. “As if she’d have to. They’re sympathy criers. Eve
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Where Wild Things Roam 32: Strategos
Ian “These are fantastic, Sean.” Jack’s quick eyes scan the 3D topographical map on the projection screen across the conference room as I turn it slowly at the computer, absent-mindedly stroking against the grain of the scruff on my jaw.“They did turn out nice. I’m pleased with how well the mapping equipment adapted from drones to battery powered, airtight containers.”I feel Sean’s gaze fall on me, but whether he’s looking for more approval or just trying to gauge where the meeting’s going, I don’t know. What I do know is he won’t interrupt my contemplations for either. While he doesn’t think like I do, Sean has an alpha’s mind and understands both short and long-term strategies take time to develop.Unfortunately
Where Wild Things Roam 33: Futures
Darby “Girl, ya wan’ know wha’ dat baby is? Well, let’s find out.” Vermillion drains her glass, reaching behind her to set it on the sofa table.It’s some beverage she calls a Hurricane but all I know is it’s exceptionally sweet and heavy on rum. Opening the small clutch purse that doubles as a wallet and a cellphone case, Vermillion removes a deck of cards. “Now, I may not be de hoodoo queen o’ New Orleans,” in her Louisiana drawl, the name comes out as ‘Na’Arlans’, “but I tell ya, girls, I ain’ never been wrong ‘bout babies.”Leaning forward so she can reach the coffee table in front of Kasey, Vermillion shuffles the cards. She waits as Anna and Lili draw an oversized ottoman up so they can see. Kallie crowds close
Where Wild Things Roam 34: Complications
Leo Fucking Christ. Am I dead?I haven’t even opened my eyes yet and I feel like all the worst parts of having the holy hell beat out of you and getting a concussion by slamming your head into the steering wheel in a head-on collision got hitched and moved into my body. I groan weakly, and even the sound feels like it’s splitting my head open.I can’t be dead. This hurts too much.What the hell did she do to me?Laying there another long moment, I force my brain to remember the last several hours. When nothing is forthcoming, I open my eyes, looking about with another groan.Bright light rings the edges of the black-out window coverings like a full solar eclipse and my head throbs mercilessly. Great, now I’m stuck here
Where Wild Things Roam 35: Aftermath
Sean “Lemme get dis straight.” Big Easy leans back in his chair, burly arms crossed over his broad chest. In daylight, the skull type tattooed mask around his eyes is even more pronounced and adds significantly to the impression of wariness. “All ya’ll someting extra. Ever’ single one o’ ya in de Candlewood leadership.”Jack raises his hand. “I’m normal.”A hard snort and hearty laughter explodes from Big Easy’s mate where she’s perched on the arm of his chair and from Tarot in the seat next to him. “Jack,” Vermillion drawls, “much as we love ya, ain’ nobody accuse ya o’ bein’ normal, even if ya didn’t shift in half de time other wolves do.”Facing me, Jack mutters, “Why does everybody always say that?”“Is there really an issue for you, Big Easy?” Leo bites defensively. “Your mate and your sister wield the tarot cards like the Fates. Tarot there,” his eyes light on her and soften, skimming her from head to foot where she lounges comfortably with a sly smirk curling her lips, “she
Where Wild Things Roam 36: Strike
Darby “I smell snow. What about you, Tessa?”Beside me, she scents at the air. Yes, Luna. At this elevation, there will likely be quite a lot.“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen snow, and not ever in your lifetime.” I’m chattering away mindlessly, trying to contain my anxiety. So many things happened over the weekend, besides the alliance to go after the vampires, I’m coming undone at the seams.I am looking forward to the experience. Though I may need a new ball. Yellow will be difficult to see against snow.“Your ball is not yellow anymore. I’m not certain they have a name for that particular shade of grime. Perhaps we should stop by the pet boutique on the plaza on the way ho
Where Wild Things Roam 37: Hecate Strait
Sean “Ready, little girl?”Tossing the two beaded braids below her ear over her shoulder, Sandy flashes me a heart-stopping grin and tucks her backpack of clothes in a sheltered niche above the water level at high tide. Naked and flinching at both the cold air and the sharp stones on the shallow cave’s floor, she grabs the two waterproof equipment packs and heads for the cold, northern Pacific water. “Last one in’s a smelly wolf.”“You’ll regret that.” Hobbling to the same niche where my mate left her clothes, I stuff my pack in beside hers. “Hold up, Sandy. My phone’s ringing.”Shoving my hand in the outer pocket, I retrieve the device, immediately alarmed to see Ian’s number. “Ian?”
Where Wild Things Roam 38: Torture
Darby Numb with shock and bitter cold from sitting against the cavern wall, I still notice when Slimy returns, his long leather duster sweeping outward like a cloak, blackness spreading out behind him like the darkest night. He’s still wearing his vicious grin, but it falls immediately seeing the punctures that linger, bright red and gaping open at my wrists.Crouching over me, he jerks my face up to look at him, turning it left and right. I assume he’s looking for more injuries, but at this point, the punctures are the least of what I’ve suffered. And frankly, I hope the fact that they’re visible creates a problem for him. A big problem.“Who did this to you?” he demands, his freezing fingers closing on my throat when I fail to answer, my eyes drifting away from his face to stare
Where Wild Things Roam 39: Hunt
Jack Tessa, Ian and I are deep into the mine now, with no signal to the mapping device and following a blind tunnel. There’s occasional jabber on the pack link as pockets of vampires are located and swiftly killed, but no one’s found any sign of Darby. Or any other non-vampire for that matter.The whole mine reeks of vamps, like a fucking cesspool of eviscerated decomposing body and rotten eggs. And I don’t mean eggs a little yucky and past their time. I mean the kind that explode the grey muck of ghastly stench that poisons your olfactory memory for the rest of your days. It’s fucking revolting.The fuck? Do they just not have noses? How the hell can these vamps live trapped in this stink?They are foul creatures, Triumvir.
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- Where Wild Things Roam 54: Postlude
- Where Wild Things Roam 53: Afterward
- Where Wild Things Roam 52: Shifting Tides
- Where Wild Things Roam 51: Rising Waters
- Where Wild Things Roam 50: Invaders
- Where Wild Things Roam 49: Deadly Tic-Tac-Toe
- Where Wild Things Roam 48: Second Chances
- Where Wild Things Roam 47: Desperate Measures
- Where Wild Things Roam 46: The Call
