We made quick, bloody work of them, then circled back around the edge of the forest, searching behind every tree for any other vamps lying in wait.
“Coast looks clear on this side,” Ronan said, wiping the spray of blood from his face. He cocked his ear toward the woods again, the sounds of the skirmish finally beginning to fade. “Sounds like the worst of it is over. Fuck, that was intense. I was sound asleep.”
“The wards held,” I said, eyeing the lodge. Other than a single, one-way track through the snow from the back door leading into the woods, the rest of the area between the back of the lodge and the woods was still blanketed in unbroken snow. There were no footprints on the side or front areas, either.
“Our witches know their shit,” Ronan said. “So. Local gang, you think?”
“Judging from their attire, no. None of them wore jackets or winter gear of any kind. I suspect that’s what allowed us to get the upper hand so quickly—they came here looking for an easy score, but they weren’t expecting the weather.”
“Great. Vamp tourists.” Ronan spit out a mouthful of blood, then dragged his sleeve across his mouth. “I’m guessing it means word is out that the council is no longer enforcing the rules. How long until this shit turns into a total free-for-all? Hell, maybe it’s already happening in other places.”
“Let’s hope this was a one-off,” I said. “It’s possible these vamps are connected to the rogues we slaughtered at Norah’s house. Hollis aside, some of those pricks were definitely out-of-towners. Not to mention the southern visitors Gray and I had the pleasure of entertaining at the morgue.”
I shuddered at the memories. The female had been Gray’s first kill.
“We’re just making friends wherever we go, aren’t we?” Ronan gave me a smirk that probably worked significantly better on Gray, but I appreciated it anyway. “Well,” he continued, “at least we—wait. Wait, wait, wait.”
“Did you hear something?” I asked, the sudden urgency in his tone putting me on high alert once again.
But Ronan hadn’t moved. He just stood before me, his smirk turning into the brightest smile I’d ever seen on the demon.
And then, he launched himself at me.
“Fucking hell, Beaumont. Fucking hell!” He hugged me so tight, if I’d actually needed to breathe, I was quite certain I would’ve passed out. “You just remembered something, you scone-eating son-of-bitch! The vampires we iced at Norah’s, Hollis, the morgue… You remembered!”
“I… huh. I supposed you’re right.”
“This is major. Major!”
He finally set me free, and I ran a hand over my head, trying to chase down those memories again, desperate to crack open a few more. But the moments from the fight at Norah’s were already fading, Hollis’s face slipping back into the shadows.
“It’s okay,” Ronan said. “Don’t push it. You remembered something. That means it’s all still in there. The rest will come.”
“Let’s hope you’re right. I don’t—”
“Here! I’ve got her!” The voice was Hobb’s, and now he emerged from the trees, tattered clothing covering his body, a passed-out young witch cradled in his arms. “She’s okay. Just a little spooked.”
“Oh my God, Reva!” McKenna rushed over to inspect the girl herself. “What happened? How did you end up outside?”
“I just thought… I want to practice traveling,” she said, stifling a sob. Tears streaked her dirt-smudged face, and she sniffled, her body still trembling in Hobb’s arms. “The forest is so quiet, and it has so many shadows… I thought I could get a stronger connection.”
“You thought wrong,” Hobb snapped. “You could’ve been mutilated. You put all of us at risk, and—
“Detective,” I interjected, giving him a stern glare. “Perhaps we should let McKenna take Reva inside and get warmed up.”
“Come here, sweet pea.” McKenna took the girl into her arms, swiftly shuttling her back inside the lodge.
“I found her hiding in a hollowed-out tree,” Hobb told us, “half frozen, surrounded by four bloodsuckers. If the kid hadn’t started screaming, we never would’ve gotten to her.”
The rest of the group began trickling out of the forest, two and three at a time. The crew was a little scraped up and a whole lot exhausted, but for now, it appeared we’d all survived the latest attack.
“What the fuck was she doing outside by herself?” Hobb asked. “Fucking kid. How many times did we tell her? No one goes outside alone. Especially not a fucking—.”
“She’s a sixteen-year-old child, Detective,” I said. “One who is still learning to control a powerful magic none of us fully understands, and one who desperately wants to help the witches she considers family.”
“Well she damn near got herself killed, along with half my men. When that kid wakes up tomorrow, she’s gonna have some serious explaining to do.”
“Perhaps,” I said, “you should seek explanations from your men instead. Despite their years of experience, not to mention their wolf shifter instincts, this child managed to slip beneath their careful net of surveillance, as did a nest of vampires—”
