Avenger's Heat (20 page)

“What do you want?” the man whispered, the acrid stench of fear pulsing off him. He grabbed at Noah's wrist, so Noah tightened his hold.

“Let go or I'll rip out your jugular.”

The man slackened his hold but his entire body was tense, his fear growing even stronger.

“Where are the two shifters you're working for?” Noah growled, his voice more animal than man.

“Don't . . . know,” he gasped out.

“Let him go so he can talk.” Erin's voice was soothing and melodic, but Noah didn't miss the underlying steel edge. She placed a soft hand on his forearm. “Come on. He's not important. We just need the names of his bosses.”

She looked at the human, her eyes big and guileless. Damn she was good. Noah loosened his grip, letting the man slide down the wall. He collapsed on the floor, huffing and trying to drag air into his lungs.

Erin knelt in front of him. “I'm really sorry about my friend. We just want to know where Chris and Malcolm Tyson are and we'll let you go.” She sounded so earnest, as if she really meant it.

The guy glared at her, then spit in her face. Before Noah could think about moving, Erin slammed a fist into his stomach before wiping it off. Already on the floor, he coughed and sputtered and fell to his back. Moving fast, Erin was on her feet. She placed her booted foot over the guy's crotch. “Guess this is going to be ‘bad cop, bad cop,'” she said to Noah, her attention still on the male. “I don't give a shit who you are or why you're helping out the Tyson brothers. My guess is money.”

The man's eyes flared in acknowledgment.

“I'll take that as a yes,” she continued. Pressing her boot down on his balls, she grinned wickedly at him while he yelped in pain. “I don't want to know a damn thing about you. Not your name, where you come from. Nothing. Just tell me where the brothers are and I swear I won't hurt or kill you. I give you my word as one of the enforcers for the North American Council of lupine shifters.”

His eyes widened at that. “You work for the Council?”

She nodded once.

“You swear you won't hurt me? What about him?” the human gasped out, strain clear on his face.

She sighed, as if it pained her to agree. “I swear Noah won't hurt or kill you either. We only care about information. If you don't have any, you're useless and I'll kill you where you lie. I have the females downstairs. They're safe and I'll be taking them home soon. I don't need the Tyson brothers right now. I want them brought to justice, but I don't need them to close this case. As a matter of fact, it will be easier to kill you since you don't know shit. Trust me, I'm doing you a favor. The Tyson brothers have a habit of killing anyone they work with when they leave town. And I know from experience they don't like to make it quick.”

Noah inwardly grinned at how smoothly she lied to the guy. They had no idea whether or not the brothers killed those they worked with—though she was probably right.

Erin pointedly glanced around the bare room as she pulled out her other blade. The moonlight from one of the windows gleamed off both her weapons.

“No! I . . . I might know where they are. They sell to some really rich vamps and I don't know if that's where they're going but . . . one of 'em texted me and told me to get the women ready. Said they'd be leaving in a couple hours but had to stop by a customer's house first.”

“Whose house?” Erin growled.

“I'm not sure but they've done business with François LaPomeret and Gervais Barrett. Both scary as shit and richer than God. I heard the brothers talking a few times and put two and two together when I heard the vampires' names. I've lived here all my life and I know who both of them vamps are . . . and where they live,” he rushed on.

Erin sheathed one blade but kept the other in her hand. She pointed it at the human's neck and pressed down harder on his crotch with her boot as she looked at Noah. She didn't say anything, but she raised her eyebrows.

The guy did know the name of LaPomeret and Noah couldn't smell the metallic scent common with lies over the guy's blatant fear so maybe he was telling the truth. Noah looked at the human. “What's Barrett's address?”

“No way.” He swallowed hard as his gaze flicked back and forth between them. “I'll take you there and then leave. His place is in the Garden District.”

In other words, this human didn't trust them and thought he had a better chance of getting away once they reached their destination. Maybe he thought in a semipublic place he'd be safer.

Erin pulled back her blade. “Fine.” She looked at Noah again. “Search him and strip him of his phone. I'll meet you out front in a minute.”

Noah yanked him to his feet as soon as Erin removed her boot. Erin might have promised this guy that neither she nor Noah would harm him, but he didn't believe for one second that she was letting this guy walk away unscathed. The human had been part of this operation and would undoubtedly pay.

E
rin drove down the cobblestone street, eyeing the giant stone wall covered in ivy surrounding a palatial home in the Garden District. She couldn't see any of the house thanks to the wall, but she could scent vampires. Noah had already told her he saw the heat signature of one crouching in one of the oak trees. She'd always thought that was a cool ability he had. So whoever was in there, they definitely cared about security. Instead of stopping, she kept driving and only when she was three blocks away and out of sight did she park on the curb in front of a historic landmark home. One of the former presidents had lived in it. Not that any of that concerned her. She just knew that no one was living there now.

She and Noah both got out and left the human, whose name they'd learned was Ray Gans, in the car. They'd restrained his wrists behind his back and shoved him onto the floorboards. He couldn't overpower them but they hadn't wanted to worry about him trying to flag someone down. Her windows were tinted anyway, but she'd wanted to be careful. He'd been vague about where to go until they were actually in the Garden District. He was being pretty smart, but nothing would save him. She'd had Ryan run his records while they were driving and the guy had a long criminal record. More proof that the human court systems were utterly broken. This guy never should have been let out of jail.

As she rounded the car to meet Noah, he tensed, glancing up and down the cracked sidewalk. Erin knew that he scented Hector because she did too, but she'd expected the feline. “Chill, it's just Hector.”

Noah's gaze narrowed at her as he looked around again. “Why?”

“I texted him to pick up Ray and my car.” She didn't need to leave her bullet-riddled vehicle out in public view for long, but her main concern was Ray.

“Hector will kill him.” Noah's words were a fact.

“I know.” She glanced up at a sudden sound and saw Hector drop from one of the oak trees. Damn felines were always climbing stuff.

He landed on the sidewalk with a grace only found in feline shifters. Hector nodded once at Noah, then looked at Erin. “My sister is truly okay?” His voice shook even though his question was quiet.

Erin nodded and glanced around. She didn't see anyone but that didn't mean they were alone. She looked at Noah questioningly.

Reading her expression, Noah shook his head. “I can't see any heat signatures other than some humans through open windows.”

Her focus returned to Hector. “Brianna is transporting them back to Angus's compound as we speak and Angelo is waiting at the house in case the brothers return. Wait until the females are at the compound before contacting the other families. I don't want anyone getting wind that they're gone yet.” She still had no clue if the brothers were even at the house they'd just driven by. Their scent had been damn strong, but they could have left recently. She and Noah were about to find out.

Hector's eyes burned with the need for vengeance. “What do you need from me?”

She patted the hood of the car. “The human male who's been helping the Tyson brothers keep the pregnant females captive is in here. I swore to him that neither me nor Noah would harm him. And since I always keep my word, I thought I'd hand him over to you.”

Hector's eyes went pure jaguar. “Where are your keys?” he asked, his voice rough and animalistic.

She held them out to him but didn't ask any questions. What he and the other families did to the kidnapper was their business and she had too much to do. “Leave my car at Angus's place and don't get any blood in it.”

After he nodded and started purposefully around the hood, she looked at Noah. “Ready?”

His expression grim, he said, “Yep.”

Without a backward glance they headed down the sidewalk. There wasn't time to wait for backup. Not when they could be closing in on the people responsible for these heinous acts.

“You sure that was the right choice?” Noah asked quietly as they jogged down the sidewalk.

“No.” She wasn't sure at all, but she wasn't turning this guy over to the humans. They'd had enough chances to keep this monster locked up. And she wasn't dragging any of the females into a trial. Besides, humans were happy enough letting shifters deal with shifter crimes. This case was odd in that a human had been helping shifters commit crimes. He could claim the brothers coerced or threatened him or a bunch of other things. He hadn't actually harmed the females. Hell, he'd been the one to feed them. Any defense attorney could make enough reasonable doubt and if there were antiparanormal people on the jury, this guy would walk easy.

Noah didn't respond and she was grateful. She didn't need to second-guess her decision right now. Not in the middle of a mission. Maybe it had been wrong, maybe not, but the choice was made.

When they were a block away, he spoke again. “My father said he could be here in twenty minutes with his warriors.” Noah had texted Angus five minutes before.

“We're not waiting.” She couldn't. She was too damn close to bringing the Tyson brothers down. It didn't matter that she'd told that human male she could close the case without them.

She wouldn't.

If the Tyson boys escaped now she'd end up hunting them down later. And how many more innocents would be hurt in the meantime? She wasn't willing to sacrifice other lives.

“Good.” Noah's response surprised her, but she was glad for it.

Instead of heading directly down the sidewalk toward the mansion owned by Gervais Barrett, they cut down another street and came around the back. They darted through the yard of another mansion clearly owned by humans. There was a wrought iron fence around the yard that shifters would consider pure decoration. Even at seven feet, she and Noah scaled it with ease. There weren't any lights on in the two-story home or surrounding the expansive yard so she and Noah stuck to the shadows and crept around back. An Olympic-sized pool with a light gleaming below the turquoise surface and a pool house took up most of the yard that was bordered by the high stone wall of Barrett's backyard.

She and Noah paused in the shadows, using the pool house as cover. Erin could see well in the dark, but Noah could see heat signatures. Right now she spotted one individual on top of the wall to the far west end of it. The man was crouched low and visually scanning. When he turned in their direction they ducked back behind the pool house. She'd also spotted a man in one of the trees. It looked as if his back was turned to them, but she couldn't be sure and there was no guarantee he'd stay turned around.

She nudged Noah who held up two fingers, then a V symbol. Two vampires. Then he held up his fist indicating zero other individuals were visible.

Visible being the key word. They knew there had to be more vamps behind that wall. They just couldn't see them yet.

Erin nodded, then pointed at herself and made hand signals indicating she'd take the one in the tree. She'd have to double back and come at him from another angle. Noah shook his head and leaned in close so that his breath was hot against her ear. She fought the shiver that rolled over her.

“I'm a better climber,” he whispered so low she almost didn't make out the words.

Though she wanted to argue, he was right. Whereas she was fast with a blade and fast in general, he could scale a tree like a damn feline.

She nodded and held up one finger, then tapped her watch. Their signal that he had one minute to backtrack, then come hard at the other vamp. This way they'd move on both individuals at the same time. They needed to take out any outside guards before infiltrating the house.

He was gone in an instant, blending into the shadows like a ghost. Erin ticked off the seconds and when a minute passed, she peeked out from the pool house. The vamp was turned to the side, showing her his profile.

Instead of her blade, she withdrew one of the tranquilizer guns she'd strapped to her ankle earlier. Since they didn't know the situation yet or if this vamp was even involved, she and Noah had decided to use tranqs unless given no choice. She had enough of the weapons stored in her trunk for such an occasion. It was sick how many weapons Jayce had provided her with.
Always be prepared
was one of his mottos and she found she agreed.

Considering she'd scented the Tyson brothers when she'd driven by, something told her the vamp who owned the house was up to his neck in the plot.

When the guard turned and made another visual scan, she used her small window of opportunity. Racing at him in complete silence, she used all her lower-body strength as she jumped onto a wooden patio table.

As her boots hit the table he turned, but it was too late. She used the flat surface as a springboard and launched at him. Gun raised, she fired two shots right into his neck.

His eyes flashed amber, and then the color fizzled to black as he toppled off the wall. If Jayce was right, he'd be down for half an hour. Should give them enough time to get in and out. If not, well, she'd deal with that later.

Catching the wall with her free hand, she tucked the weapon into the front of her pants, latched on with both hands and swung herself to the top. Crouching much like the downed vamp had done, she quickly scanned the yard. One man was down by the tree.

Quick work, Noah
, she thought with approval.

There were two more that she could see patrolling. Only one had seen her. He didn't say a word though. Just hissed and ran at her. He was almost completely silent as he flew across the grass. Without pause, she jumped down and fired at him.

His head jerked back as if he'd run into a brick wall when the tranq hit his neck. Damn, that one worked fast. She landed with a thud and stayed in her crouch. The vampire's hand flew to his neck as he stumbled back. His eyes lit up like a freaking Christmas tree, then did the same thing the first vamp's had done. The color faded to black and down he went.

She couldn't see Noah and as she looked around the yard with overgrown trees and bushes, panic slid through her veins. What if he'd been hurt?

As she started creeping toward the tree where the vamp he'd taken out still lay motionless, Noah appeared out of the shadows, all darkness and stealth. She almost jumped at his presence.

He held up three fingers, then made a motion like he was cutting his throat. Three down. She nodded and held up two fingers.

Five vampires patrolling was normal for someone wealthy so she could only guess how many more were inside. She still had a few darts loaded and another gun strapped to her other ankle.

She and Noah made their way through a kitchen—clearly unused—and into a long hallway adorned with a lot of expensive-looking art. The lighting was dim, not that it mattered with her and Noah's eyesight.

Creeping along the Persian runner, they didn't make a sound. When they neared the end of the hallway, they both paused. She could scent an array of vampires and shifters. The Tyson brothers. Coldness seeped into her veins at the familiar, nauseating smell.

She heard male voices nearby. To the east of them. Maybe two rooms over. Straining, Erin tried to listen but heard only bits and pieces because of so many angry voices trying to talk over each other.

“Better come back with the females . . .” A voice she didn't recognize. Then something garbled but angry sounding. Then . . . “Nowhere you can hide . . . double-cross us.”

“I'm taking a big risk! You should be thanking me.” That was definitely Chris's voice. And the only confirmation she needed that the owner of this house was in on it.

That meant all the people who worked for him were liable for his actions. Vampire law. She might not be as well versed as she'd like on vamp rules and regulations but this one she knew well.

She immediately sheathed her tranq gun and pulled out her blades. Noah did the same, except for blades, and let his claws unsheathe. She knew she shouldn't be noticing, but dressed in all black, including his inky black hair, with his dark expression he looked like a fallen angel ready to kick ass. He'd never looked hotter.

Yeah, definitely not the time for her to be thinking about that.

Peering around the corner she spotted two guards standing outside a door. Two doors down. Her calculations were right.

They wore black suits that were probably custom-made and they weren't bothering to hide the fact that they were vamps since their fangs were showing. Though she was within her rights to kill these vamps she decided on the tranq gun again.

Looking at Noah, she made a motion letting him know what she planned so he retrieved his again too. On the count of two they both rounded the corner, weapons raised. They fired at almost the same time. She hit the one on the right, he took down the one on the left. Part of her hated to get used to working with Noah, but damn, the man was so capable it was hard not to get a rush that this male would always have her back.

The giant vamps fell so quickly and the sound of their bodies hitting the floor might as well have been a bomb going off. It would have been the same as if Erin had gotten on a loudspeaker and announced their presence.

“What the hell?” a muted male voice said from behind the door.

Erin dropped her gun and whipped out her other blade as she and Noah covered the last couple of yards to the door. Before she blinked, Noah slammed the door in with his booted foot. It was definitely a thick, quality door but it splintered under the force.

Noah let out a growl as he and Erin swept into the room. She took everything in without blinking. Six vamps, dressed in clothes that screamed wealth. And two shifters. Malcolm looked as if he could barely stand, but Chris was there looking just as she remembered him.

He was a handsome man and knew how to pull off charm. Too bad a coldhearted monster lay beneath that thin veneer. Instead of fear as she'd expected, the only emotion that rolled through her was white-hot rage. She wanted to take off his head like she'd never wanted anything before. To watch him bleed out on the ground as he'd done to her. The darkness rising up in her scared the hell out of her, but she embraced it. She needed to be strong to take down the nest of vamps and shifters they'd just jumped into.