A few hours before dawn, Newark’s warehouse district was dark and deserted, no human foolish enough to brave the frigid streets.
Jaci burrowed deeper into her coat and picked her way across a parking lot slick with ice, her breath clouding. The destination was just ahead, a dingy nondescript warehouse that currently served as HQ for Renault and his ragtag army of supernatural freaks.
It’d taken her and Gabriel a while to get there. The snowy mountain roads were a bitch, and they’d had to make a couple of pit stops—a garden center and a spice shop—to procure the ingredients Jaci needed.
And by “procure,” she obviously meant “steal,” but whatever.
Just add breaking-and-entering to the list of crimes and misdemeanors I’ll be repenting for in my eternal hell…
Gabriel had stuffed the registers with cash on their way out—the only thing marginally easing her guilt about the smash-and-grabs. Well, that and the fact that if they didn’t stop Renault tonight, it wouldn’t be long before the human world fell into mortal danger too.
Just like Cole.
Cole.Her memories of the wolf shifter—the rough sound of his laughter, the sparkle in his kind eyes, the faint tinge of marijuana that perpetually surrounded him—pushed her onward, every step a lonely echo.
The warehouse loomed large in front of her. No windows, just like Cole had described. No light. No hint as to what was hiding inside those walls.
Gabriel waited in the shadows across the street, cloaked in a spell that temporarily muted his vampire signature from any supernaturals skulking around. Jaci had no idea how things would ultimately go down tonight, but shedidknow this:
If Gabriel accompanied her inside, Renault’s goons would surround them in an instant, stake Gabriel into dust, capture Jaci on sight, and shoot the whole half-baked plan to hell.
It’d taken almost the entire drive over for her to convince him of this fact, but eventually, logic won out and he agreed to give her a fifteen-minute head start. Didn’t make it any easier to walk away from him now though, knowing the all-too-brief kiss they’d shared in the frigid darkness might just be their last…
No.Hellno. We just have to get through this shitstorm, then we’ll be back in each other’s arms, toasting in front of the fire and reminiscing about the time we kicked Renault’s ass…
Sucking in a cold, energizing breath, Jaci hopped up onto a loading dock and made her way toward the two panther shifters guarding the entrance, just as Renault had instructed. Behind them, she could just make out the space inside—a massive concrete room divided by rows of industrial metal shelving, unmarked wooden crates, and steel cages stacked three layers high.
Supernatural creatures of all sorts—little more than science experiments at this point—hissed and cowered inside, rabid and mutilated.
She could only hope Cole wasn’t one of them.
Jaci gulped.
Now or never…
“Isn’t it a little cold for you boys tonight?” she called out. “Thought panthers preferred the tropics.”
They were on her in a flash, one pinning her arms behind her while the other unzipped her coat and gave her a thorough pat-down.
She’d tucked two wooden stakes in her waistband earlier, and he’d found them easily, just like she’d hoped.
“Where’s your bloodsucking boyfriend?” The handsy guy felt around to her backside, his searching growing more invasive.
“I was about to ask you the same question,” Jaci replied. “Keep digging though—I’m sure he’s in there somewhere.”
“Don’t get cute, witch.”
“Can’t help it.” She shrugged and flashed a smile. “Genetics are a real bitch sometimes, am I right?”
Handsy shot her a glare that could break glass. “Only reason you’re still alive is the boss wants it that way. The second he don’t, you’re ass is mine.” As if she needed convincing, he grabbed a handful of her flesh and squeezed. “Now I’ll ask again, one more time. Where’s Redthorne?”
“Parking the car. Geez.” Jaci rolled her eyes. “No valet service here. I’m totally docking a star from my Yelp review.”
Handsy glanced at his mute twin, still pinning her arms. “Find him.”
The shifter released her and loped down the dock.
He’d be dead in a matter of minutes.
