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Channing shook his head and shrugged as he pushed away from the couch Onai had claimed. “Vampires are out more at night—obviously. But what I mean is, there are more than usual. Not just at the club, either. You can smell them on the air. They seem to be looking for someone or something.”
Kodiak didn’t need to guess who the vampires were looking for. It had to be Tamaska. And what was with the vampire who attacked her this afternoon? Vampires were restricted to coming out at night, yet it was out during daylight.
They didn’t normally come so close to the clubhouse at the best of times. Normally the vamps stayed far from shifter territory, no matter if abandoned or rarely used. The one earlier had ventured close, even though Kodiak had been around.
Even though his scent would have been on Tamaska.
“Have any of you seen them during the day?” asked Kodiak.
“Of course not,” said Channing as he started to pace in short, sharp steps.
Kodiak watched him quietly. He sensed the frustration boiling within Channing. The young pup wanted answers, and his wolf wanted to kill vampires. As if that would make things right again.
Something they all had in common: wanting to kill the bloodsuckers.
But again, the need to fight had to be balanced with intelligence and strategy.
“I had to deal with one in the park,” said Kodiak. He deliberately moved his gaze to each of his team members, noting their concern.
“That’s close to our club room,” said Ash, looking up from her laptop, still typing away. “And since when could they come out in daylight and not die?”
“Too close and not normal,” Onai said.
“When you say deal with, do you mean you killed it?” asked Fern, leaning forward to sit on the edge of the couch.
“Yes.”
“They’ll come for us now.” Onai looked about, a challenge in his expression. “We’d better get ready.”
“It’s not us they want,” Kodiak said.
“No?” Onai raised an eyebrow and glared.
If only Onai knew what the vampires really wanted and what Tamaska had to do with it. But something told him not to go there.
It wasn’t about trust.
Even with Onai pushing at him, and Channing wanting a way to draw blood and punish without thought, he trusted them.
No, this was more about protecting them, keeping them safe. He needed, however, to say something.
Kodiak said, “The vampire was after Tamaska.”
“Oh, her again.” Fern rolled her eyes.
Kodiak let a growl rumble up from his throat until Fern cast her eyes down submissively.
“Whether we like it or not, she’s involved in this, and it’s our duty to protect her.” Kodiak placed his hands behind his back. “She’s human, and we don’t need to like them to do what we need to do. Protect the innocent. The weak.”
Tamaska wasn’t weak in spirit, but in pure strength? She was no match for any of them.
“Humans,” muttered Channing.
Kodiak chose to ignore him. “We protect the weak, and we’re good at hunting vampires.”
“Let’s get hunting, then.” Skoll bared his teeth as they elongated into their wolf forms. Blood dripped down them after the sudden change.
“We can’t.” Kodiak met his gaze, halting the transformation that seemed imminent. “At least, not yet.”
