Enemy Mine

Chapter Eight

Ava Brisbane cursed under her breath as she examined the refrigerator, taking stock of the items inside. The night before she and Diskant had engaged in their first official fight. Not an argument or disagreement but an honest-to-god fight. The memory of his shutting her out of his head—barricading his thoughts to himself—infuriated her. He’d sworn they were supposed to share everything. No secrets were supposed to exist between them—ever. Thanks to the consummate asshole Craig Newlander, Diskant had attempted to keep something from her, and the knowledge pissed her off.

Taking a deep, fortifying breath, she tried to calm down. At least she knew the truth now. Diskant might be an asshole but he knew when he was wrong. After he’d apologized he’d told her about the witch Craig contacted him about, as well as his plans to have Caden transport her to New Orleans. It was dangerous transporting the woman—a woman who was about to come into some monumental powers—therefore she could somewhat sympathize with Diskant’s aloofness on the matter.

She frowned when she got to the middle shelf, opened the egg carton and found there were only two eggs nestled inside. Fabulous. Now she’d have to walk to the nearby convenience store. Making the trip the day before for an extra special purchase didn’t mean squat, not when a house full of shifters ate everything in sight. Thankfully Becker’s stocked fresh produce and dairy, so it was an easy fix. Although most of the houseguests had left the night before, she still needed to make something for those who had remained. Diskant, Mary, Emory and Trey would need more than a couple of pancakes to tide them over—especially Mary.

“Poor girl,” she sighed, staring at the near empty shelves in the refrigerator.

Having been through the bloodbonding process, Ava wanted to make sure the addition to the pack was comfortable in her new home. It would be nice to have the other woman around to talk to, comforting even. Hopefully Emory would take Diskant up on his offer and stay in their home for a while so that Mary could ease into her new life and Emory could reestablish himself in the pack.

“Morning, Ava.”

She looked over the refrigerator door, surprised to see Trey sauntering into the kitchen. He looked like the man she once knew, not the crazed individual who’d taken off for retribution against the Shepherds who’d devastated his pack. His hair was smoothed back, he’d shaved and his clothing was shockingly free of wrinkles or stains.

“It’s good afternoon, technically,” she replied before inspecting the contents of the fridge for a second time, creating a mental list of things she’d need. Thankfully her shopping trip would be short and sweet. Closing the door, she faced Trey, who’d taken a seat at the table.

“Where’s D?” He reclined in his chair, a strange smile on his face.

“He had to visit Kinsley.” She didn’t reveal the real reason that Diskant wanted to see the head Alpha of the cat prides. If Diskant didn’t want her to know about the witch Craig wanted transported to New Orleans, he might not want Trey to know either.

“Hmm.” Trey hummed. “Anything I should know about?”

“I’d think if Diskant wanted you to know he’d tell you.”

Another shock—Trey actually grinned. “The more time you spend with D, the more you become like him.”

“That’s not a bad thing.” At least she hoped it wasn’t. Her mate wasn’t known for being easygoing or friendly.

“Not at all.”

Something is definitely strange, she thought, watching Trey closely. He looked like his old self, was amiable like his old self and appeared to be in control of his wolf like his old self. The question was, why?

What had happened to bring him back from the brink of madness?

Pushing the questions aside, she walked to the drawer beside the sink to get some cash. After she pocketed the money she started to walk to the phone by the back door. Every trip required an escort, even if she was only venturing to a store a few blocks down the street. Despite her arguments that she wanted to live a normal life, Diskant refused to budge when it came to her safety. If she wanted freedom, she had to accept she would never go anywhere alone, even if it was to the mom-and-pop shop down the road.

“Going somewhere?” Trey asked.

“I need to make a trip to Becker’s,” she answered, lifting the phone from the receiver.

“I’ll take you.” Trey rose, rotating his shoulders, causing the tight cotton T-shirt he was wearing to stretch across his chest.

“Seriously?” She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The pack was lucky if they could get Trey to venture anywhere unless killing a Shepherd was involved. His smile confused her more than comforted her, creating more questions she was forced to put on the backburner until she could deal with them.

“Why not?”

“Okay then,” she responded, feeling as though she were in The Twilight Zone. “I’ve got everything I need. It shouldn’t take long.”

After they slid into their coats, he escorted her to the garage, held the door open and waited for her to cross. They walked through the empty area in silence, approaching the door that would take them to the street. One of the guards posted in front of the house started toward them. Normally she would have kept going, knowing whoever was on duty could either follow her or face Diskant’s wrath. Only this time, she recognized the pack member.

Dear God. Zach.

His mate, Katie, had been killed in the explosion a couple of months before. Ava had tried to help him using her ability, reaching out with her newfound pack connection to soothe his hurt. Although he looked better physically, there was a coldness in him that would never thaw, an empty space left unfilled.

When had he come back? Where had he gone when Diskant permitted him to leave New York?

Although she was tempted to slip inside Zach’s head to find out the answers, she didn’t. The man had suffered enough without her invading his privacy. Seeing him now, pulled together far more than he’d been in the past, was enough to stem her curiosity. When Diskant came home she’d ask questions, but not now.

“I’m taking her to the store.” Trey hesitated when he spoke, knowing about Zach’s history as well as she did. “We’ll be back in ten.”

Zach looked her, his dark blue eyes revealing nothing, and retrieved his cell phone. “I’ll inform our eyes in the sky.”

The need to reach out to the heartbroken man—to see if he was truly doing well or if it was a carefully constructed illusion—was too much. Ava hurried down the street without bothering to make sure Trey was following, knowing she could potentially cause Zach more harm than good if she caved in to her need to invade his mind. She knew the pack guards on the rooftops of the surrounding buildings were watching as they strolled down the street, keeping an eye on them as they traveled. The thought made her angry. Ever since the religious extremists who hunted shifters had made their mark on the city, she couldn’t even go to the store without someone watching. Knowing eyes were always on her made her uneasy, conscious of her every move.

“Wait up,” Trey yelled and ran to her side. “You’re not supposed to be alone, remember?”

“How could I possibly forget?” She glanced over at him and rolled her eyes. “I can’t take out the trash without someone watching. It’s like Big Brother, only not as entertaining.” She considered asking about Zach but decided against it. “So why did you decide to tag along? I know it’s not because you want chocolate milk or bonbons.”

Trey looked insulted. “Do I have to have a reason to protect my Alpha’s mate?”

Her curiosity shifted from Zach to the shifter next to her. A reason to protect his Alpha’s mate? Total and utter bullshit. He wanted something, and he wanted it bad enough to swallow his pride and come to her for it.

What is he up to?

“Oh yeah,” she said slowly. “You’d definitely have to have a reason.”

“Is that so?”

“That’s so.”

Trey didn’t look at her as he spoke, keeping his eyes ahead, remaining on alert. “I have something I want to ask you.”

She bit back a smirk when she found out she was right. No wonder he wanted to escort her to the store. “Okay?” She glanced at Trey, paying attention to his face, which had suddenly become serious.

“Do you remember the night before we left? When the pack met at Club Liminality?”

Not the way she wanted the conversation to go. Her face heated. She certainly remembered that night. Diskant had taken her into the bathroom after she’d pissed him off, bent her over the sink, spanked her soundly and fucked her so hard she couldn’t walk straight afterward.

“Yeah.” She cringed at how husky her voice was and quickly cleared her throat. “I remember.”

“The woman you spoke to—the vampire.” Trey’s eyes darted away from her. “How do you know her?”

The question caught Ava off guard. She didn’t really know the vampire at all, only that the beautiful blonde woman had rescued her when Shepherds tried to kill her. The memory of the night Trey was referring to was hazy but she could vividly recall their brief conversation at Club Liminality—when the vampire had shared memories with her. The woman had shown Ava where she came from. Descended from mages, the mysterious vampire had said, something she still found difficult to wrap her head around.

“I don’t.” At his frown she clarified, “Know her that is. She’s the woman who saved me the night of the bombing. When I saw her at the club I wanted to thank her. Diskant didn’t give us a lot of time to talk, if you remember. I only had the chance to say thank you and goodbye.” She tried to capture Trey’s eyes but he wouldn’t allow it. “Why do you ask?”

“Just curious,” he replied.

He’s lying.

Time with Diskant and the pack allowed her to read lies easily. Trey’s body language and evasive answer screamed deception. She caught herself before she sought the information from his mind to discover what he was hiding. This morning was a step in the right direction for the former Alpha and invading his thoughts might cause a setback. If Trey wanted her to know what he was up to, he’d tell her. Respect was earned when it was given.

“Can you tell me anything about her?” Trey continued evading eye contact, looking at the ground, the sky, the buildings—anything but her. “I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.”

“She’s special,” Ava answered, going with her gut instinct about the vampire.

“How so?”

“I can’t really explain it. I just got the impression there’s something more to her.”

“That’s all you know?” He glanced in her direction.

“I’m afraid so.”

He didn’t ask any more questions, meaning the rest of their walk was done in silence. When they arrived at Becker’s, Trey once again opened the door like a gentleman. Ava stepped inside and hesitated when Trey took a place at the front of the store. She collected a small rectangular shopping basket and peered over at him.

“Are you coming with me or are you going to stay here?”

The tension in his shoulders eased and he cracked a smile. “I’ll wait for you. I only shop when I have to.”

Typical man. She studied the checkout line and the few people inspecting the shelves near the counter. “I’ll be right back. I only need a couple of things.”

He leaned against the wall, sliding his hands into the pockets of his leather pants. “Take your time.”

She shouldered past a bulky man in her path, walking fast in order to get what she needed. Diskant had said he wouldn’t be gone long, and he didn’t like it when she left home without him. Since they’d argued the night before, she didn’t want to cause a repeat. With one final look at Trey, she vanished around the corner in search of a carton of eggs and some freshly squeezed OJ.

Trey kept an eye on Ava until she disappeared, then he relied on his nose to follow the little hellion through the store. Although she was small as a mouse, she had the heart and temperament of a lioness. She didn’t back down from anyone or anything. The female was a perfect match for D.

Sadly, he hadn’t noticed how well she’d adjusted to the pack until today. His thoughts had been too clouded by pain and anger. When he’d woken earlier that morning the memories from the night before had hit him like a freight train, regret and shame rushing back to him. The harsh treatment he’d shown Sadie was unforgivable. Bitterness against the world caused it, resentment festering inside him like cancer.

It was time for that to change.

Finding your mate could do things like that to a male, taking him from one extreme to the other. Yes, he was still angry. Yes, he still wanted revenge. But more than that he wanted the female he’d held the night before. The woman he was determined to find regardless of her thoughts or protests about the matter.

A few more people entered the store, forcing him away from the wall. He stepped near the cash registers and looked down the aisles, searching for Ava. She didn’t have the answers to his questions but he was glad he’d tagged along to speak with her. That was something he didn’t realize he’d missed in the last few weeks—contact with another person, conversation that didn’t involve hate or rage.

A strange noise came from the back of the store, as though someone had dropped something. He lifted his head, scenting the air.

Then he heard Ava scream.

Instinct took over, the wolf within no longer asleep but fully awake. He shoved aside the people in his path, pushing through them like a battering ram. In seconds he was at the back of the store, near the refrigerated merchandise. A group of shoppers stood silently, gawking at a shopping basket on the floor with a container of eggs open and broken just outside of it.

“Where is she?” he screamed, flaring his nose, latching on to Ava’s scent. One of the elderly shoppers pointed toward the back but the assistance wasn’t necessary.

He was already in motion.

The smell of fear guided him—Ava’s fear—but it was fading. Likely she’d been knocked out in some way, preventing her from putting up a fight. That meant he had to hurry, to get a fucking move on. As he rushed to follow, he questioned who would be stupid enough to fuck with Ava. The Villati wouldn’t come for her since doing so would ruin the relationship they wanted to establish with Diskant. Perhaps it was a territorial dispute between the pack and a pride? Maybe some dumb fuck thought they could use Ava for leverage? He decided against that as he took a breath. He didn’t smell any shifters nearby.

Shit. What the fuck was he dealing with?

Damn him for a fool, he never should have left her side. It was a stupid oversight, a monumental fuckup. He’d never forgive himself if something happened to Diskant’s mate—a woman he’d failed to protect. Whoever had taken her had dragged her through the back—a path he now charged through. The workers he swept past were pressed against walls, obviously terrified of what they’d witnessed. Trey didn’t pay them any attention as he raced to the rear of the building, running through the exit door that was wide open.

He found what he was looking for a few yards away. A man was putting Ava inside the back of a van—a man in a long duster wearing a matching fucking Stetson. A growl crept up his throat.

Shepherds.

When had they returned? Why didn’t Diskant or any of the other Alphas know?

Their arrival changed everything. The city had to be on alert. When Shepherds arrived, no shifter was safe. Although he’d known they were at war, he hadn’t thought they’d be stupid enough to return after what they’d done. The packs would rip them apart with their teeth. Afterward they’d use the Shepherd’s finger bones as toothpicks.

Trey lifted a hand, waving frantically. The eyes in the sky would see what was happening but they wouldn’t make it to the scene in time. Mindless of the consequences, he stormed across the distance, rushing toward the vehicle. He aimed for the man with the Omega’s mate in his arms, knowing he had to bring him down. If the bastard left with Ava the odds of getting her back alive were dismal. Two Shepherds appeared, walking around the side of the van. He didn’t slow down, primed and ready to kill, and they revealed guns and leveled them in his direction.

He tried to move, to use his speed to dodge the darts that flew in his direction. The sharp sting in his right shoulder warned him he’d been hit and was followed by another in his chest—right over heart. Whatever was in the darts worked crazy fast. He stumbled within inches of them, his equilibrium off-kilter.

One of the Shepherds stepped forward and Trey collided with him, taking them both to the ground. His arm felt oddly heavy as he swung back, aiming for the bastard’s chin. A hand wrapped around his wrist, preventing the blow. He whipped around, somewhat disoriented as he changed targets. He got a lock on the Shepherd holding him back, was ready to lunge and attack when something hard connected with the back of his skull. He landed on his side on the concrete, falling away from the Shepherd beneath him. The world turned hazy, a black cloud invading his vision. He tried to focus, to lift his head to see if Ava was all right.

“Put him in the back,” someone instructed and he felt arms wrap around his torso and feet.

The sky swayed back and forth and vanished when he was thrown into the back of the van. He grunted when he landed, coming face-to-face with an unconscious Ava. The dimly lit interior added to the darkness he continued to fight—a darkness that was winning despite his best effort to remain awake.

The van dipped when the Shepherds climbed inside and the door closed. He wanted to snarl at them, to rip them apart with his claws. Instead he mumbled words that made no sense, writhing like an infant on a blanket.

“Tranq him again,” a deep voice grumbled. “We have to move.”

He felt another sting, this time in his neck. His wolf howled as he yielded to the drugs in his system and surrendered to oblivion, falling into the darkness that rose to catch him. His final thought was that the pack had to be warned.

Hunters were in the city.