“Stay here,” he murmured, pulling out his dagger before he straightened.
“Xi,” Brigette growled.
“They can’t sense my presence,” he reminded her.
Her eyes glowed with frustration, but before she could argue, he was heading toward the highway, his movements so fast he was nothing more than a blur. Once he neared the motel, however, he made a wide half circle to cautiously approach from behind.
Testing the air, he easily picked up the scent of the vampire and Were, but there was nothing else. No demons, no humans. Not even a stray raccoon. The place might be abandoned, but there was some sort of magic that kept it free of vermin.
It had to be a haven. A sort of demon safehouse that was created to serve as a temporary resting place. The layers of magic prevented humans and stray animals from entering. It also rejected any demon who stayed for more than a night or two. This place was for transient shelter. It wouldn’t allow any creature to nest.
Cautiously, Xi studied the two-storied brick structure. It was originally built by humans, fifty or sixty years ago. The rows of windows had been boarded over, and the doors were built out of a thick steel that had long ago rusted. The roof, however, had recently been replaced, and the parking lot was cleared of any trash. There was nowhere to hide. And no way to sneak up on the place.
Dropping low to the ground, Xi used his powers to disguise his presence as he crept toward the window at the end. Unfortunately, he couldn’t physically hide from view. He had to hope Maryam hadn’t been worried enough about being followed to keep watch.
At last reaching the back wall, Xi straightened and pressed his back against the weathered bricks. Then, inching toward the boarded window, he slowly smiled in satisfaction. He could hear the sound of low voices from inside the room.
From the beginning, Maryam had managed to stay one step ahead of them. Maybe her luck had just run out.
“Dammit.” That was Roban’s voice, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps, as if the male Were was pacing the floor.
“Well?” Maryam demanded.
“Nothing. No one is answering their phone.”
Even through the thick brick wall, Xi could feel Maryam’s icy reaction to the lack of response from her people.
“There’s something wrong,” she snapped. “I told you that I should stay and make sure the others escaped.”
“If you had stayed, then you would have been captured,” Roban protested. “Or worse.”
“Or I could have prevented disaster.”
“How?” The chill pulse that seeped through the bricks was joined by a blast of heat from the Were. Obviously, tempers were frayed. Which only made them more dangerous, Xi silently acknowledged. Nothing was more lethal than a cornered demon. “Obviously, we were betrayed,” Roban continued, his voice vibrating with tension. “I told you that you couldn’t trust that Were.”
Xi narrowed his eyes. Did Roban actually believe that Brigette had betrayed them? He’d trapped Brigette in the cell to die when the tunnels exploded. But if he had proof, why didn’t he just share it with Maryam?
The female vampire clearly shared his confusion. “We have no evidence she was involved.”
Roban snorted loudly. “Did you see her during the evacuation?”
“No. I didn’t see a lot of my people, but that doesn’t mean they betrayed me,” Maryam pointed out in dry tones.
“It no longer matters,” Roban muttered, as if aggravated that he couldn’t convince the female to accept that Brigette had been the cause of their current troubles.
Probably because he was smart enough to realize that someone was going to have to take the blame for the failure of their rebellion. And he didn’t want the shit falling on his head.
On cue, tiny fractures began to form in the bricks as Maryam lost control of her temper. “Months of plotting wasted and my army captured or dead, and it doesn’t matter?”
Roban seemed to sense that he was losing control of the situation. Xi didn’t know what would happen when Maryam reached her breaking point, but he suspected it involved bloodshed.
“We must concentrate on the future,” Roban hastily urged. “We can still strike a killing blow.”
There was a tense silence, the bricks continuing to crack and pop behind Xi. Then, perhaps realizing she was in danger of collapsing the building, she finally leashed her burst of anger.
“If we’ve been compromised, what makes you think this new plan will work?”
“Because I didn’t share the details with anyone but you and my brother.”
Xi felt a pang of surprise. He assumed any backup plan would have been made by the vampire, not the Were.
“And you trust your brother?” Maryam demanded, her voice edged with frustration. She was smart enough to realize that putting her fate in the hands of Weres wasn’t the best choice.
“He’s family.”
“Is that supposed to impress me?”
“No.” Roban’s voice was wry. “To be honest, my sister tried to eat me a few weeks after I was born, but Stewart will do anything for money.”
“Nice recommendation.”
“Rebellions aren’t built on loyalty or honor or any other noble crap,” Roban informed his companion. “They’re a mess of greed, grievances, and ugly power grabs.”
Xi surprisingly found himself agreeing with the male. Too many times, even the most noble causes became tainted by dark hungers.
“What was your motivation if it wasn’t to protect the Weres?” Maryam’s words were sharp with accusation.
“You know why.” Roban paused. “To please you.”
“Get some rest,” the vampire snapped. “We finish this when your brother arrives tonight.”
Chapter 17
Brigette was across the highway, standing just out of range of the motel. She had no intention of hiding in a hedgerow while Xi confronted the traitors. Still, she was careful to ensure she remained distant enough not to give away her presence. As much as it aggravated her to admit it, Xi’s skills were much more valuable than her own. At least when it came to collecting information.
Pacing back and forth through the empty field, she kept her gaze locked on the dingy motel. It felt like an eternity passed, although she logically knew that it had only been a few minutes before a dark form abruptly appeared in front of her.
She sucked in a deep breath, her tension easing as he released his powers and the feel of his presence washed over her in an icy wave. It was almost as if her inner wolf was desperate to catch his rich, male scent. That it needed to know he was near.