Page 77 of Patrick’s Seduction

The conference room on the executive floor was packed. Patrick was pleased to see that not only most vampire hybrids, but also most vampires in Scanguards’ employ were assembled. Notably missing were Damian and Ethan, who were both providing security at the jeweler’s convention, which was due to end in a few hours. Benjamin would have to fill them in once they returned from their assignment.

When he entered the room with Fallon by his side, the conversations stopped, and everybody eyed her with caution. He walked to the front of the room, where he turned toward the crowd, still holding Fallon’s hand.

“Thanks for coming so quickly,” he started. “This is Fallon. Her ex-boyfriend Cameron Gallagher bit her three nights ago and turned her into a werewolf against her will. She means us no harm, something that can’t be said of the Gallagher pack.”

There were a few grumbles and murmurs in the crowd, but overall, everybody seemed relaxed despite the presence of a werewolf.

“Here’s what we know. You’ve all been briefed about the Presidio murder. We’ve confirmed that Cameron is the killer. And we also know that he killed two other people in Marin County. Because of these murders in Marin County, Cameron’s father, William Gallagher, helped fake Cameron’s death to take the heat off him. In order to fake his death, he used a homeless man, whom he blew up in Cameron’s car. We don’t know yet whether the homeless man was already dead, or whether he was killed by Gallagher. Anyway, the police subsequently classified the murders of the hikers as mountain lion attacks.”

A few people in the crowd scoffed.

“My sentiments exactly,” Patrick continued. “But the police in Marin just don’t know any better, and I’m sure Gallagher paid somebody to make the whole thing go away. It doesn’t matter now. We have a more urgent issue. When Virginia and I were at the Gallagher property, we witnessed an argument between William Gallagher and his son. When Gallagher found out that Cameron killed the jogger in the Presidio and turned Fallon, he told his son that he’d be sent to the Philippines until it was safe for him to return. The cargo ship he’s leaving on belongs to the Gallaghers, and it will leave tonight at midnight.”

Next to him, Fallon gasped. “No! You can’t let him leave!”

He turned his face to Fallon. “I won’t let it happen, trust me.” Then he addressed his colleagues again. “For those of you who don’t know, we believe that Fallon can be turned back into a human if her maker, Cameron, dies before the last night of Fallon’s first full moon ends. This is Fallon’s first full moon as a werewolf, and tonight is night two. The full moon lasts only three nights. I’d hoped we’d have more time to plan how to get Cameron, but we have to do this tonight, or Cameron will be gone, and with it the chance of making Fallon human again.”

A few curses echoed in the large room.

“Then we’d better come up with something quickly,” Luther interjected. “You’re sure about Cameron’s current whereabouts? Has he already left the Gallagher estate?”

“He can’t,” Patrick added. “When he protested about being sent to the Philippines, his father had him locked up in the basement of the house.”

“Besides,” Thomas interjected, “we’ve got eyes on all roads leading to and from the estate. All we’ve seen so far are more cars arriving. Nobody’s left the estate.”

“They’re getting ready to fight us,” Patrick predicted. “They know we want to punish Cameron. Not only that, they also want Fallon, because she’s a werewolf. She will never be safe, as long as they consider her one of them.”

“Well, then we’ve gotta change that,” Amaury added.

Patrick nodded. And they had to get it done before midnight. The clock was ticking.

39

For almost three hours everybody in the conference room debated ideas of how to get to Cameron, kill him, and make the Gallagher pack understand that they would be eliminated if they retaliated against Scanguards or harmed Fallon in any way.

Fallon’s head was spinning, but she understood that this wasn’t Scanguards’ first rodeo. They’d taken on other dangerous creatures—namely demons, which Isabelle had told her about—and had won. She could only hope that they would be victorious over the werewolves too. Her future depended on it. That was also the reason she couldn’t just stand by. She needed to be part of this mission.

When the meeting dispersed, and everybody got themselves and their weapons and equipment ready, she tapped on Patrick’s arm.

He turned to her. “Everything alright? You know we have to do this, right? He has to die.”

“I know. And I need to be there when it happens.”

“No!”

The firm one-word answer riled her up in an instant. “You can’t keep me away from this. It’s my fight.”

“You’re not getting anywhere near those werewolves. It’s too dangerous.”

“You seem to have forgotten that I’m a werewolf myself.”

“How could I forget that? Didn’t you listen to what we discussed here? You must realize by now how dangerous the Gallaghers are.”

“That’s exactly why I have to be there with you.”

Patrick let out a breath and took her arm, leading her toward his father’s office. “Let’s discuss this in private.”

A moment later, they were in the office, and the door fell shut behind them. They were alone.