“This creature you saw while in there, you really think it’s another turned hunter who became a Savage?”
“I do. And it’s ancient.”
“Interesting,” Saxon murmured. “Have you asked your little hunter about it?”
“Yes. She doesn’t know anything, but that doesn’t mean Nathan won’t.”
“I’ll look into it. It sounds like you could use some help—”
“I think it’s best if you and everyone else stays away. I’m not sure how they found us last night, and it’s a bad idea to risk anyone else.” He wanted Simone somewhere safe more than he wanted his next breath, but they couldn’t risk losing anyone else in the battle against Joseph when there was no guarantee they could save her. “No matter what becomes of us, Joseph must be stopped.”
“He will be,” Saxon said. “I’ll talk with the others about this thing, tell them what we’ve discussed, and get back to you.”
“This is a motel phone, and we might be forced to leave. If that happens, I’ll call you again. Don’t lose your phone.”
Before Saxon could reply, Killean hung up.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Saxon tossed asidethe sheets and climbed out of bed. He pulled on a pair of sweats before stalking out of the room. Walking down the hall, Saxon cheerfully knocked on the doors he passed as he called for a meeting in a loud, singsong voice. It would piss them all off, which only made his smile widen.
When he reached the end of the hall, he turned back, leaned against the stair banister and crossed his arms over his chest while he waited for his friends to emerge. Doors creaked open, and Lucien stuck his head out to heave a boot at him.
“Fuck your meeting!” Lucien snapped as Saxon sidestepped the boot that went soaring over the rail.
“What couldn’t have waited until tonight?” Ronan demanded as he stepped halfway into the hall. Declan emerged from his room, and stretching his back, he yawned loudly.
“Killean called,” Saxon said and was pleased to note they looked as stunned as he’d felt when he first heard Killean’s voice on the other end of the line. “We need to speak with Nathan. I’ll be waiting for all of you in the bar.”
He didn’t wait for a reply before descending the stairs to the foyer below; he had no doubt their curiosity would win over their exhaustion. His steps were soundless on the marble as he made his way across the foyer and into the bar.
Despite the smirk reflecting at him in the glass behind the liquor bottles lining the shelves behind the bar, his hand shook when he lifted a bottle of Scotch, and his hazel eyes were troubled. His dark blond hair, still tousled from sleep, stood up in spikes around his face. He didn’t bother to try to tame it before grabbing a glass.
He’d never expected to speak to Killean again unless it was in a fight, but though his friend hadn’t denied being a Savage, Killean had sounded relatively normal on the phone. There had been tension in his voice, but who wouldn’t be stressed after what he’d gone through? Then why was he so rattled by the conversation?
Was it the fact Killean still sounded so normal when he’d obviously infiltrated Joseph’s inner circle to free his mate? Or was it that Killean had, in a roundabout way, confirmed he’d become a killer and therefore an enemy?
They’d all suspected he’d fallen, of course, Killean had as much as said he planned to become a Savage in the note he left, but Saxon had held out hope that Killean wouldn’t follow through with his plan.
That hope was gone, but now he had bigger questions. Killean had fallen, but was he a Savage, or was he something else? What would he do now? And could he be saved?
That was the biggest question of all, Saxon decided as he swallowed his Scotch. The burning liquor didn’t ease the tumult of emotions battering him.
When Joseph turned Savage, it hadn’t overly surprised him. There was always something about the vamp he hadn’t liked, and that was saying a lot as he wasn’t that discerning when it came to others, especially women. But Killean…
Well, he’d never seen Killean’s desertion coming; Killean had always been distant but loyal. He’d never shown any indication he might waver from his mission or his allegiance to Ronan. However, since Killean walked away, Saxon had harbored the fear that if Killean could fall, any of them could.
And Killean had done it for a woman; that was the most astonishing thing of all considering he’d shown as much interest in women over the years as he had frogs.
Saxon refilled his glass and took another long drink. He may be a Savage, but it appeared Killean’s loyalty to Ronan remained unshakeable; otherwise, he wouldn’t have called to report what he’d learned. Unless, the call was part of a trap devised by Killean and Joseph, but Saxon preferred to believe their fallen brother would make his way back to them.
Lowering the glass, Saxon wiped his mouth with the back of his hand as Lucien and Declan glided into the room. A few minutes later, he heard the front door open before Ronan and Kadence joined them followed by Nathan and Vicky. Everyone either settled into either the leather chairs or the stools in front of the bar.
“What did Killean have to say?” Ronan inquired.
Leaving his empty glass behind, Saxon claimed the bottle and walked around the bar to settle onto one of the stools lining it. He set the bottle on the bar and fiddled with the label as he told them what Killean revealed to him.
“Do we believe him?” Lucien asked when Saxon finished. Lucien’s onyx eyes were like chips of black ice when they met Saxon’s. “Or is he feeding us false information?”
