I spun, twisting out of Allcot’s grip, knowing he’d let me go. If he’d been serious about holding me in place, I wouldn’t have been able to move at all, at least not without breaking a sweat and casting a spell or two. It took me a moment of scanning the adjoining property, but then I spotted him. He was standing next to a large oak tree, watching us.
Our eyes met and he bowed his head slightly in what appeared to be a silent apology. A weight, which I hadn’t even realized was there, lifted off my heart, and I sent him a slight smile as I raised my hand and gestured for him to join us.
Dax glanced behind him and made a gesture of his own. I stiffened. What the hell was this? Some sort of ambush? But when I saw Leo pop out from behind the tree and the pair of them started to make their way toward us, I blew out a breath and forced myself to relax.
Allcot was silent as he watched the two shifters approach, but his body was alive with destructive energy. I knew that if Dax or Leo said one wrong word, we were going to have a problem.
“Just hear them out,” I whispered to him. “We don’t know why they’re here yet.”
“Earlier in the day your boy toy seemed pretty loyal to that trash Bandu.”
“Maybe he’s had a change of heart,” I said, praying that was true.
Dax stopped a few feet in front of us and whispered something to Leo. The young shifter took a step back, flanking Dax on his left. Link trotted over to him, sat down, and leaned into his leg.
“At least someone still trusts me,” Dax said with a smile, patting Link’s head.
“Is there a reason I shouldn’t?” I asked him, crossing my arms over my chest.
“No. But I do owe you an apology.” Dax held my gaze. There was sincerity there and a hint of regret. “It turns out Bandu isn’t exactly who I thought he was.”
“No fucking kidding,” Allcot said, his eyes blazing. “He’s in there right now. Or did you already know that? Did he summon you? How did you find us?” Allcot turned his attention to me. “Did you tell him we’d be here?”
“No,” I said, startled by his accusation. We’d been together all day. Surely he would’ve noticed if I’d contacted Dax. But the vampire wasn’t his usual rational self, and that was completely understandable considering the circumstances.
I turned to Dax. “Exactly how did you find us?”
Dax jerked his head toward the round circular driveway. “See that Jeep over there?”
“Yeah.” It had pulled in about ten minutes ago, but the shifter who’d been driving had been cloaked in a hoody. He’d been unidentifiable.
“It belongs to Dali, who just happens to be Bandu’s nephew. I learned that today, by the way,” Dax explained. “We followed him here after learning that Bandu was going to be out of pocket for the next few days.” He glanced over his shoulder at the younger shifter. When he turned back around, he addressed Allcot. “This is Leo. He can confirm everything that happened at the gala was a setup.”
Allcot swept his steely gaze over the kid. And when he spoke, his words were filled with venom. “You knew about this?”
“God no,” Leo said, holding his hands up. “Nothing like that. I did not sign up for this bullshit. All I wanted to do was keep people safe. This…” He waved a hand at the house. “I don’t know what that is, but abducting people, especially good people like Willow and Talisen, is unforgivable.”
“Do you think Willow and Talisen are in there?” I asked, hope and skepticism warring for dominance in my mind. “Is that what you’re saying?”
“We don’t know,” Dax said. “But we’re pretty damn sure the abductions were coordinated. Here’s what we do know: Dali asked Leo to start shit with the vampires then he disappeared. Carter Voelkel turned himself into bait for you, and then he made damned sure you were able to find him even when he had the chance to escape. We learned today that Bella Jaxon is an eyewitness to Pandora’s kidnapping.”
Allcot nodded, confirming he’d already been aware of Bella’s knowledge.
“From her description, Leo here was able to identify that wolf.” Dax nodded again to the Jeep. “It’s Dali, Bandu’s nephew. Dali doesn’t do anything without the go-ahead from Bandu.”
“Yeah, he had me cause a distraction with those vamps at the gala, then he disappeared,” Leo said, still vibrating with anger over the realization he’d been used. “If Dax hadn’t been there to step in, I’d have gotten my ass kicked from here to Mississippi.”
Allcot bared his fangs and took a step toward Leo.
The kid put his hands up again. “I didn’t know what the distraction was for. I swear. Dax thinks Pandora’s abduction was just a distraction to keep us from finding those two fae.”
It was my theory as well. I met Dax’s gaze and nodded. We were once again on the same page. “And if that’s the case…” I trailed off, not sure I should voice my suspicions.
“It means the Crimson Valley pack is perfectly fine with the blood ritual that is supposed to happen on Asier,” Dax said. “They are either part of the cult, or they are willing to sacrifice Willow and Tal in exchange for Pandora and the chance to wound Allcot.”
Everyone was silent as we all stared at the Cryrique leader. Allcot’s eyes blazed and he said, “If anything happens to Pandora, they’ll all wish they’d never set foot in my city.”
It wasn’t a threat. It was just the truth. Allcot turned back to stare at the house again, and I cleared my throat before addressing Leo.
“So you realized Dali is in the inner circle and you followed him here,” I said. “How did you find us?”
Dax’s eyes gleamed. “Reconnaissance. And the fact that you chose the best place to watch the house without being seen. There’s a reason we make a good team, Phoebs.”
I chuckled and held my hand out to him. He took it and squeezed, then pulled me against his wide chest for a quick hug.
“We’re going to find them. I promise,” he whispered in my ear. “And bring Bandu and his thugs down in the process.”
“Allcot has dibs on Carter,” I said.
“He’s welcome to him.” Dax pulled back and smiled down at me. “Are we good?”
“Good.” I nodded.
“Are you two done yet?” Allcot asked. “As touching as this little reunion is, Pandora is waiting.”
I stepped back, my face burning with embarrassment. Of course Allcot was right and the fact that Dax and I had been anything except professional in front of him was unacceptable, not to mention humiliating.
Dax, on the other hand, seemed to not give a shit what Allcot thought and said, “We have a plan.” He glanced at Leo. “Are you ready?”
The younger shifter nodded. “Yep. Let’s do this.”
19
“What plan?” Allcot demanded, his muscles twitching in agitation.
I tilted my head and stared up at Dax, waiting.
He winked at me and said, “Leo here is good friends with Dali. We’re going to send him in first, let him get the intel we need, and then the four of us will decide the best way to take them all out.”
I nodded. It was a good plan, especially if Leo was able to keep cool. “Are you up for this, Leo? Can you handle it?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said, standing tall. “The pack has been feeding us bullshit about being morally superior, and now look at them. The hypocrisy is disgusting. I won’t stand for it.”
I smiled at Dax. “Looks like you’ve found a passionate one.”
“Most young shifters are. And when the rest of the pack finds out about this, there’s going to be a massive revolt,” Dax said.
“How do we know he won’t warn them we’re here?” Allcot asked, still staring at the house.
“Because they’ll either kill him or lock him up if they find out he brought me here,” Dax said. “And if they think for one minute he’s working with you, it’ll definitely be the end of him.”
Leo swallowed.
I wrapped my hand around his upper arm and squeezed. “It’ll be okay, Leo. We’re here, and if anything goes off plan, we’ll storm the mansion.”
Allcot snorted his displeasure.
“Of course, some of us are ready to storm it now. So the sooner we get on with this, the better,” I added.
Leo turned his attention to Dax. “I’ll go in, take pictures if I can, and come right back out. Give me twenty minutes. If I don’t return or text, come in after me.”