Dalton didn’t want to be this blunt, but he had to make Sherman see the danger in him not coming to his rescue. He couldn’t even fathom what the vampire would have done with Sherman if Dalton hadn’t arrived. Raphael was downright cruel and inventive when it came to torture.
Even if Sherman had survived, he would have never been right in the head again. He would have had PTSD on steroids. Dalton would make the same decision if he had to do it all over again. There was no way in hell he would have left his mate in the hands of savages.
Dalton’s life wasn’t worth that high a price. Sherman’s was.
“But…” Sherman looked less certain, as if he didn’t have an argument to stand on. His lips parted on words that never came out, and his shoulders sagged.
Dalton curled an arm around Sherman and drew him close. “Baby, I would have risked it all to save you. You just don’t get how much you mean to me.”
“Just…just don’t ever scare me like that again.” Sherman slapped at Dalton’s chest. “I thought I was going to lose you.”
Dalton nuzzled Sherman’s neck, inhaling the sweet aroma of fresh laundry hanging in the sun. It was a crisp, refreshing scent that Dalton would never grow tired of. “You can’t get rid of me that easily.”
“Raphael escaped,” Sherman reminded him. “We won’t be safe until he’s caught.”
That made Dalton think of something. “Why didn’t you leave with Lee?”
“He said he saw the vampire running through a field. He didn’t want to chance my safety, so he took me back to your house where there was plenty of help if we needed it. Plus, I pitched a fit about leaving you.”
The fit wouldn’t have made Lee turn around, but seeing Raphael would have. Thank fuck for shifter eyesight. “Why don’t we head to your mom’s house? You can take a shower before we go to the hospital to see her.”
Although Dalton appreciated the alpha’s offer to stay at his house, there were too many under one roof. Wolf packs believed in living together, and although Dalton liked the men, he wasn’t thrilled at the idea of living with them, even for a short period of time. Besides, Dalton wasn’t running from his problems.
The next time he saw Raphael, the vampire was going to die.
As they walked out of the vet clinic, Dalton noticed the assistant give him a strange look. He had no idea what that was about, but ignored the guy as he took Sherman home.
* * * *
“Even though you didn’t take me up on my offer, I’m still giving you protection,” Ben said from where he stood by the front door. “I have men keeping an eye on the house.”
That made Dalton feel a lot better considering Raphael never showed up alone. The vampire talked a tough game, and he wasn’t easy to defeat, but Dalton had seen the uncertainty in Raphael’s eyes every time they faced each other.
Hell, before the attack, Dalton had never even heard of Raphael and his brother, Micaiah. Dalton never regretted working for the Ultionem, but he wished to fuck he’d never gone on that mission. It had been a pain in his ass since, and now Raphael was turning up the heat.
The guy was bringing his A-game, and Dalton had underestimated the vampire. Not anymore. The son of a bitch had slipped into Dalton’s house, had poisoned his food, and had kidnapped Sherman.
This was going to end. Dalton was tired of looking over his shoulder, wondering when Raphael would strike again. That was no way to live, and no way for Sherman to live, either. If Dalton was going to get the upper hand, he needed to make the next move.
Raphael wouldn’t be expecting that. He thought Dalton was on the defense, just trying to protect what was his and anticipate the vampire’s next move.
“And you guys haven’t found him in town yet?” Dalton looked over his shoulder, making sure Sherman was still in the kitchen with Payton and Miller. His mate had been through a lot already, and a stress-free environment—or as close to one as possible—was what Sherman needed.
“Not for lack of trying,” Ben said. “Since we do have resident vampires, tracking down his scent isn’t as easy as it seems.” Ben clapped Dalton on his shoulder. “But we won’t rest until we find him.”
“Appreciate it,” Dalton said.
Right after Ben left, Dalton’s phone rang. It was Ramsey.
“The firebug escalated to a dumpster,” Ramsey said. “We just put it out. The flames got close to Cute Cuddles pet store. Too close for my comfort.”
Dalton needed to be at work, not hiding from a vengeful vampire. Raphael was turning Dalton’s life upside down, and Dalton needed to end this.
“Thanks for letting me know.” Dalton hung up and walked to the kitchen door. He waved Miller into the living room.
“What’s up?” Miller asked when he was close enough.
“I need to make a run. Do you mind keeping an eye on Sherman until I get back?”
Miller eyed him. “You’re going after that vampire, aren’t you?”
Dalton started to lie, but Miller wasn’t an idiot and would probably resent being treated like one. If Dalton was going to enlist the guy’s help, he needed to keep things real.
“Yeah, I’m gonna try to track him down and settle this once and for all.”
“Tell me you’re taking backup.”
The only backup Dalton needed was his Glock and the ultraviolet bullets he still had. He might have gotten out of the hunting business, but he hadn’t been foolish enough to get rid of his arsenal.
Unlike Ben’s pack, who couldn’t find Raphael, Dalton would have no such problem. Raphael would come to him, and Dalton would put a bullet between the bastard’s eyes.
* * * *
“I don’t understand why someone else can’t investigate the fire.” Sherman didn’t like the idea of Dalton leaving. There was a deranged vampire after them, and Dalton was talking about taking off. Sherman was already edgy, and damn it, he didn’t need the added stress.
He’d come to Fever’s Edge to start over, and the chaos had followed him. Sherman was positive he was cursed, because how else could he explain all the madness? It seemed to follow him wherever he went.
“Because I’m the chief and this is my job.” Dalton pressed his warm palm against Sherman’s cheek. That simple touch had Sherman’s heart fluttering.
God, he was such a sucker. One dewy-eyed look from his mate and Sherman was ready to give the man whatever he wanted. That was so unfair. Why did fate have to give him such an amazing guy and then sprinkle insanity all over his relationship?
There always seemed to be a catch to Sherman’s happiness. Why couldn’t he just have a great guy and a normal life? Dalton was everything Sherman could ever want in a partner—sweet, sexy, and caring—but damn if his mate didn’t come with baggage.
“I understand it’s your job, but if you’ve forgotten, we’ve got our own fires to put out. My mom is still in the hospital, and there’s a bloodthirsty vampire out to kill you. I think those points supersede someone tossing a match into a dumpster.”
That had sounded better in his head. Saying those words out loud made him come off as a selfish prick, but he couldn’t help it. He was terrified Dalton would leave and never return. No one knew where Raphael was hiding, and for all Sherman knew, the vampire could have set the fire to lure Dalton to him.