Page 35 of Rafe

“Don’t listen to him.” Rafe wrapped a protective arm around her as they traversed through the winding tunnel, following the vampire. Dark and tight, it wound through a series of descending switchbacks. No lights. No windows. No escape.

If push came to shove, Greyson could flash them out, but Rafe didn’t want to test fate.

“This doesn’t look like it leads to another room. Oh my God, what is this place?” Skylar dug out her phone and swiped on the light. “Is that blood?”

“Most definitely.” Rafe may have not detected magick in the room, but the tunnel reeked of death.

“They move the victims.” Greyson kept moving at a swift pace.

“Why are there no lights? Why is it so small?” Skylar asked.

The claustrophobic tunnel narrowed as they turned around another switchback. Though he sensed no life, the stench of death permeated the tightened space. Rafe fought the temptation to run as he yearned for a fresh breath of air.

“They’re moving bodies.” Greyson glanced over his shoulder at Rafe. “Could be humans. Maybe others.”

“Possibly.” Rafe resisted speculating the details. He didn’t want to freak Skylar out any more than they already had.

As they moved in silence, his mind drifted to the interaction with the shewolf. Alpha. She’d addressed him as such, immediately submitting to him. Though he hoped Skylar hadn’t noticed, Greyson surely did.

During the battle in Japan, something had switched on, his wolf awakening to the truth of his powers. Something inside him was changing, warring with the vampire.

The swirling storm inside him continued to brew. With each day since his rebirth, he’d spent far too much time lamenting his fate. Nothing made sense yet there was no other choice than to roll with it.

A speck of light at the far end of the tunnel shook his contemplation. “Up there. It’s an exit.”

“Transport tunnel.” Greyson dragged a foot along the pavement, attempting to clean his shoe.

“An escape.” Rafe reached for the doorknob and opened it. As the door swung open, his eyes widened.

“The loading dock.” The vampire crossed his arms. “Hmm. Importing or exporting?”

“Definitely exporting.” Rafe sighed.

“Exporting what?” Skylar asked.

“Bodies. Blood,” Greyson guessed.

“Why are they doing this?” a whisper escaped from Skylar’s lips.

“That, my love, is what we are about to find out.”

“We could have flashed through that tunnel.” Greyson shook his head in disappointment.

“The exercise is good for you.” Rafe again refused to allow Greyson to dematerialize them back to the car. “Besides we would have missed finding out where the tunnel led.”

“What’s he talking about?” Skylar asked.

Rafe hesitated but decided on the truth. A version of it anyway. “Vampire stuff. The kind of stuff only really old vampires do.”

“Easy now. Age is a state of mind, baby.” Greyson quipped.

“What can he do? Can he fly?” Skylar’s eyes lit up with fascination and caught up with the vampire. “Hey, can you fly?”

“Trust me, love. I’ll show you some day.” Greyson clicked his keys and a beep sounded, the locks opening.

“Not today.” Rafe growled and shot the vampire an annoyed look. Guilt threaded through him, aware he’d concealed his own vampire from her. He told himself it was to avoid scaring her, but deep down he knew the truth. Shame. He was the very monster she feared, the same kind that had attacked her and murdered her friend.

“What?” Skylar wore a confused expression.