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“According to my brother, who isn’t a reliable source, Armand will use human blood to resurrect the bodies of our fellow villagers.” Lars sighed. “Not sure if it’s even possible. Many of our friends will have turned to dust by now. So I’m not sure what he’ll actually accomplish, or if the beasts that he does manage to give life to will be able to function in a way that’s not purely monstrous.”
“We need to find out what Armand’s doing, how he’s doing it, and stop him,” I said.
Hannah stopped pacing and looked at me, chewing her lip. “I’d rather pluck my own eyelashes than take him up on his offer of another date.”
Lars rumbled in agreement. “I won’t let you put yourself in danger.”
“I don’t want you in danger, either. But Zoe and Destiny are staying in that house. The wolves are keeping them ‘busy.’” I made air quotes. “Something tells me that they’re not keeping their plans a secret.”
“If they aren’t, it’s because they don’t plan on keeping them around.” Lars rose from the couch and put his arms around Hannah as she gasped. “We need to get them out of there. And whoever else they might be using for blood.”
“Maybe we can invite them to a party. Like a triple date,” Hannah suggested. “They haven’t been on the forums much since they met their wolves, but they jumped at the chance to hang out at the pool. These ladies are my soul sisters. Even though we haven’t spent a lot of time face to face, we’ve shared our deepest, darkest secrets with each other. I know how they think. And if we give them a chance to show us how these wolves are head-over-heels obsessed with them, they won’t pass it up.”
“Where do you suggest we have this party?” I asked.
Hannah shrugged. “Maybe here, or in Hugo’s village. That way we might be able to do it under the guise they’re meeting the local packs.”
“Or maybe we can do it at their place,” I suggested. “And while the meet and mingle is happening, some of us can look for clues. Or other people that might be involved.” The plan was coming together in my head. The only piece that eluded me was how to pull it off. “And any sign of Calista.”
“I can message the girls.” Hannah pulled her phone out of her bag and smiled. “Yup, it’s Destiny. Asking about last night. What should I say?”
My first thought was to tell her to wait until I had the online meeting. Marissa was already queuing it up for me. But all the executives would tell me was how to avoid a lawsuit. There were lives on the line—those of the living and the dead. So I would ask for forgiveness instead of permission.
“Tell them the truth. You had a great time, met your favorite band, and Lars handled himself beautifully.” Faces were popping up on my computer screen, and this was one meeting I wished I could skip, because the real work would happen with the people in this room. “Ask them if they’re interested in having a couples’ get together. Maybe a fun game night or dinner? Whatever you think will work. Try to get them to host. If you can’t, we’ll have to figure out a way into that house. Because that’s where the answers are.”
twenty-four
Lars
I’d served my brother well in his time. But now it was time for him to start listening to me.
“How are you feeling?” Bibi asked as we approached the mountain. Hunters choked the road, making it difficult for Hugo to navigate. Ever since the scuffle at the concert, they’d doubled down on their efforts to catch me. They didn’t take the network’s deal, instead accepting more money from someone else for distribution. Many of them were lobbying for me to be arrested for my brother’s crimes, even though I was in my human form.
The peak of my home was barely visible in the distance. “Dread. And I hate it.”
Bibi attempted to smile, but the corners of her purple lips could barely manage a wobble. “I’m sorry, Lars. This is the last thing I wanted. We’re doing everything in our power to give you what you initially asked us for. How can we make things better?”
“I appreciate everything you’ve done. But this part, I have to do myself.”
“No, you don’t,” she countered. “Sure, the execution will be all you. But you’re not alone anymore, Lars. Hannah adores you, and we’ll do everything in our power to make sure you get your happily ever after too. Just tell us exactly how you want this to play out, and we’ll do whatever we can to support you.”
“I’m not letting Leif take over my home.” Which was exactly what he’d done so far. “But he’s got no place else to go. A rockslide and a flood destroyed his old home so long ago you can’t even see where the damage happened anymore.”
Bibi cocked a brow. “Is it fixable?”
“Everything is. Right now, he doesn’t have the resources to make it happen. And before you offer, let’s see how he reacts to this visit.” I shook my head. “This is my home. It’s not a visit.”
“How can we show him that? What if we filmed here?” she suggested. “I know you wanted to show Hannah more of your world, and it would be the perfect next date. And then we could release footage of the two of you side by side. At least that might stop the claims that you’re the one responsible for the disappearances.”
Since the video went viral, a concept I still didn’t fully understand, other people had come forward to say they’d had an encounter with my brother, or that their loved ones had gone missing from the area. We had to put a stop to this dangerous behavior now. But Leif didn’t follow anyone else’s rules. Or listen to reason.
It was only a matter of time before he got caught. And other shifters got caught in the crossfire of overzealous hunters looking to get revenge from any furry thing they found in the forest.
“I’d like that.” I climbed out of the van. The security team had managed to cordon off the area near the mountain. “The other night, at the concert, I was thinking about how much I missed music. How amazing it sounds in a small valley. The acoustics are incredible out here. I know Hannah’s looking to get back into the music business, and I wonder if that’s something she’d consider.”
“Oooh, I love this idea.” Bibi’s face genuinely lit up for the first time in weeks. “Sunset Springs has some great venues, but this would be something totally unique. A destination venue for superfans just like Hannah.”
The thought of Hannah doing something she loved was enough to lessen the apprehension about walking into my own damn home. The crew nodded to me as I closed the door. The mountain was eerily quiet. It was astonishing how fast I’d gotten used to the buzz of modern life.
