Page 120 of Slayer

Luna passed out scent-hiding and skin-protection wafers, moving briskly and efficiently like she’d done this a hundred times before. The skin-protection wafer would only last about an hour, so we were supposed to take it right before entering whatever building we ended up at. It would keep our skin from being punctured to a certain degree. I popped the scent-hiding wafer onto my tongue, the familiar taste blooming, then tucked the skin-protection one into the dispenser on my belt like Celia did.

Daphne’s unit was beside us, and she released her drone, fingers flying over the controls, and then suddenly shouted, “I got something!”

She held the tracker up, and a few of Celia’s hunters flocked to her immediately, clipboards in hand as they started taking notes. Greyson, Jasmine, Clay, and Kurt ran to her side, peering over her shoulder.

Harper had ours out too and was already walking in the opposite direction, her drone humming softly overhead.

I saw the exact moment Asher hesitated, watching Daphne and her unit leave as if he was caught between the two groups, his weight shifting like he couldn’t decide which pull was stronger. Then Jax started to follow Harper, and Asher followed him without another word.

“All right, let’s split up,” Celia said decisively. Her husband and one other hunter went with us, while two of her other hunters and Professor Silex went with Daphne’s group.

I glanced at Asher and caught his jaw slightly clenched, the muscle ticking as he scanned the street. I guessed he’d wished he was with Daphne’s group. Was it just because he was protective of her and worried she’d get hurt?

“I’ve got something small up here at the laundromat, but let’s keep looking,” Harper said.

“Your call. We’re just observing how you work as a group,” Celia replied.

Asher stepped closer to Harper, leaning in to look over her shoulder. “What are you thinking?”

She turned to him. “Honestly, the rune on my arm that’s for blood scenting is tingling. I have a feeling we need to head south.”

Asher nodded immediately. “Then that’s what we do. Not all trackers use the drone. Some just sense it. Follow your instinct.”

We walked for about fifteen minutes before Harper suddenly stopped and grabbed her chest.

“You okay?” I rushed to her side, adrenaline spiking.

She frowned, panting slightly, and I noticed Celia’s expression sharpen with concern.

“Yeah, I just… I sense them. A lot of them. We need to keep going this way.” She pointed farther south, up Browne Street.

I nodded, unease curling in my stomach. It was obvious now that Harper was going to be an amazing tracker. Her abilities were manifesting tonight in ways they never had during training, probably because there hadn’t been any vampires nearby to trigger them.

We passed a bar, and I glanced at the drone display she was still flying overhead. At least five blue bodies were surrounded by fifty red ones.

“Is this what you’re feeling?” I asked Harper quietly.

She frowned, stopping in front of the bar, then lifted her gaze farther down the street.

“No.”

Luna cocked her head, thinking, then turned to Celia. “Should we call in a team here and we keep going?”

Celia and Derek both made notes, studied the tracker screen, then nodded. “If you’re going to pass on this, then yes, I want a team here to clean them out.” She pulled out her phone, typing quickly.

Harper’s head snapped farther down the street. “We keep going.”

Asher and I shared a look, tension sparking between us, and I noticed him slowly pull his sword free. Jax stepped into the street like he was ready to be the first line of defense if something rushed us. I slipped the harpoon gun off my shoulder and into my hands, the weight of it grounding me. I didn’t know exactly how Harper’s tracker runes worked, but she was clearly sensing something big, and I wanted to be ready.

A stone slowly sank into my gut the farther south we walked, dread building with every step, until we stopped in front of a building I desperately hoped Harper hadn’t been sensing.

“We’re here.” Harper was breathless now.

I looked up at the children’s hospital sign, anger blooming slow and hot in my chest.

“Here?” Asher asked as Harper flew the drone over the hospital. My stomach twisted when I saw the red heat signatures of little kids lying in their beds, but it dropped straight through the floor when she shifted the drone to the back of the building. Over twenty blue vampire signatures were gathered there. Waiting.

“Evil bastards,” I growled.