Dirty Blood (34 page)

“I’ll go with Tara,” Wes said, quickly.

“You can’t,” said Jack. “Hunters are going in first.
She can go with Miles.”

“Miles? Are you serious? He almost got her killed at
Benny’s,” Wes hissed.

Jack sent Miles a look. “I heard. He and I will speak
later. In the meantime, we’ll compromise. Tara, you go with Cord.
Miles can stay with Wes.”

“Fine by me,” Wes said, heatedly.

Cord glared at Jack, but she didn’t argue.

“I’ll go with Derek,” continued Jack.

“What about me?” Bailey asked.

Jack blinked at him, as if noticing him for the first
time. “Bailey-”

“Yeah, yeah, stay here,” Bailey said, rolling his
eyes.

“Actually, you can stay in the car,” said Jack.

“Same diff,” muttered Bailey.

“No, it’s not,” Jack said firmly. “One of us might
need medical attention and if no one else has made it back, you
being there will make a big difference.” Jack’s gaze flicked to me
and Bailey must’ve caught that because he didn’t argue any more.
“Okay, so we won’t know how many of them there are until we get in
there. I also don’t know the layout so we’ll have to play that by
ear, once we get there.” Jack let out a heavy sigh. “I wish we knew
what to expect here.”

“Whatever, we’ve got this. Can we just get moving?”
Cord tapped her boot against the blacktop and for the second time
today, I agreed with her. At least about wanting to get moving.

“We’ll take a drive by it, see what we see,” said
Jack. “But we’re not going in until dark.”

Wes muttered something I didn’t catch. Jack shot him
a look, but didn’t say anything, and we all headed back into the
alley, towards the street. Wes stayed up ahead, next to Jack,
talking in a low voice. Miles followed behind, looking unconcerned.
Derek and Cord walked side by side, a few yards ahead of me. I
found myself hanging back, giving them space, and Bailey matched
his pace to mine.

“So, I heard you took Kat on by yourself,” he
whispered. “Impressive.”

“Um, thanks,” I said.

“No, she shot Kat. Not the same as taking her on,”
Cord said.

“She still stopped her,” Bailey argued.

“Real Hunters don’t need guns.”

“Give her a break, Cord, she’s still new,” said
Bailey.

I smiled at Bailey. I appreciated him sticking up for
me, especially since I wasn’t quite sure what I could say without
making Cord hate me even more, if that were possible.

We rounded the building, and I spotted Derek’s SUV
parked at the curb. Derek pressed the unlock button on his key ring
and the locks clicked open. Jack went to the passenger side, and
Bailey and Cord followed, already climbing in the back.

“Meet back at the house,” said Jack.

Wes nodded and joined me on the sidewalk.

“Let’s get going,” said Miles.

No one spoke on the ride over and I found myself
fidgeting with my phone, actually hoping for another text from Leo;
something that would give us some clue about what to expect. None
came, and Miles slowed as we pulled onto Gordon. Up ahead, Derek’s
SUV crept along, hugging the curb at a snail’s pace. Large, steel
buildings lined the road, most of them with chain link fences
enclosing one side. Even through the car’s closed windows, I could
hear the hum of machinery. I searched for the letters that marked
the addresses, and counted up. We reached seven hundred at the same
time the road dead ended. Painted white letters advertised the
building as Red Shipping Co. The lot was gravel, and empty of cars.
Trees lined the back, and the chain link fence was leaning
precariously towards the street. A second floor window was broken,
and boarded. The front entrance was made up of a large garage door
that looked rusted permanently shut, and another small door, beside
it, with dirty glass panes. No lights were on. Everything about it
seemed empty. Was my mother in there?

Just ahead of us, Derek curved around, pulling a wide
u-turn before finally heading back the way we’d come. Miles
followed and I strained against it. We shouldn’t be leaving. She
could be in there.

Wes seemed to understand my impatience. “Our chances
are better if we wait ‘til dark,” he said. I didn’t answer.

~ 33 ~

Back at Jack’s, everyone seemed to spring into motion
simultaneously, heading off in various directions, with a clear cut
job or task. I found myself alone before I’d even reached the front
door. I dragged my feet, feeling useless, and hating the idea of
sitting here, with nothing to do, until dark. It was only late
afternoon and the sun was still visible through the treetops that
lined the house. I ended up out back, staring down at the remains
of the bonfire from the meeting the week before.

“Thirsty?” a voice asked.

I jumped and then made myself relax. “Hey Miles.” He
held out a bottle of water for me. “Thanks.” I gulped it, mainly
because it was something to do. I was edgy enough without Miles
standing this close to me.

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked.

I shifted, unsure how to respond. “Not really.” I
glanced at him and then away again, sighing in frustration. “I want
to do something. I can’t stand sitting around.”

“I know what you mean. But Jack’s right. Chances are
better if we wait.”

“I know.”

“I have something for you,” he said. He waited until
I looked over at him, and then motioned for me to follow. He led me
around front, to his car, and popped the trunk with the click of a
button.

“What is it?” I asked.

A second later, he straightened, and handed me a
stake. It was tipped with metal. “Don’t tell Jack,” he said, with a
wink.

I glanced back, half expecting to see Wes storming
up, but the yard was empty. I stuffed the stake into my boot.
“Thanks.”

“Just be careful when you use it. Metal or steel
against a Werewolf is pretty powerful. It can hit you hard if
you’re not careful.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

His answer was cut short.

“Tara.” Cord was coming towards us, and Miles hastily
pushed his trunk closed with a click. Cord glared, but no more than
usual. “I need to talk to you,” she said, looking at me.

“Okay. I’ll see you later,” I told Miles. Then I
hurried to catch up with Cord, who was already disappearing around
the corner of the house. “What’s up?” I asked.

She reached the edge of the backyard and stopped,
whirling on me. Her blond hair glinted in the filtering light, and
her expression was that of a murderous angel. “Look, I don’t want
to be paired with you. I wouldn’t even be doing this stupid mission
for you, except that hopefully I’ll get to kill some Weres. So
here’s the deal. Stay behind me, stay quiet, and stay alive. Got
it?”

I blinked at her, and nodded. “Got it.”

She huffed and started to walk away.

“What is your deal with me, anyway? What did I do to
you?” I asked.

She marched back to where I stood, hands on her hips.
“They think you’re going to lead them to peace. They think you’re
different and special just because you’re mixed. I think you’re a
spoiled brat who got an easy life. Too easy. Especially if you want
to survive in this world. You’re green and you’re a liability. It’s
a waste of time.”

“You think I asked for this? For any of this?” I
could feel myself getting worked up at her judgmental attitude.

“I don’t know. I don’t really care. Just do what I
say tonight.”

With that, she stalked off.

I let her go, still trying to figure her out.

~ 34 ~

It seemed as if the sun took extra long to finally
disappear behind the horizon. When the last rays of light faded, I
was watching, tense and ready, from the back steps. Finally, the
pink light turned gray, and the shadows grew long enough to be
considered evening. I turned and hurried inside. The entire house
was rich with the smell of chocolate. I followed it and found Fee
in the kitchen. She had flour up to her elbows, and streaked across
her face.

“I thought you were at Benny’s?” I asked.

“Vera stayed. She can handle it. Besides, we need the
numbers.”

I nodded. In the last hour, a dozen or so cars had
pulled up in the front. I hadn’t paid much attention to the
newcomers and they’d left me alone, too. Most of them stayed
huddled inside the house, while Jack filled them in on the plan. I
was grateful for their help, all the while hoping we wouldn’t need
it. “Is it time?” I asked.

Fee looked up from her oven timer and wiped her hands
on her apron. “Almost.”

“What are you making?”

“Brownies.” She smiled a tight smile and shrugged.
“When I’m stressed, I bake.”

“I’m going to go find Jack. See if he’s ready,” I
said.

“Tara, wait,” she said. I stopped and turned,
impatient. “I just wanted you to know, I called your
grandmother.”

“Why?”

“Your mother’s letter made it sound like she’d want
her to know. Vera said it would be a good idea if things- well, if
things don’t go our way.”

I swallowed a melon sized lump in my throat. “What
did she say?”

“She was already on her way. Said she’d be here
waiting for us when we got back, if she stayed on schedule.”

“She was already coming?” I asked.

“Apparently your mother called her right before she,
well, before Leo came to collect her. Your grandmother tried to
talk her out of it, but she wouldn’t listen, so she’d already
hopped a plane.”

“Wow.” Just knowing that made me feel better. Grandma
would know what to do. But Fee said she wouldn’t be here until
after the fight. “Thanks, Fee. I appreciate that.”

“You go find Jack,” she said, waving me out and
running sink water over her powdery white hands. “I’m going to pack
some of this food up to bring with us.”

To my relief, Jack and the others were already out
front, loading up various cars with armloads of weaponry. Derek’s
SUV was open and he and Wes were shoving boxes of medical supplies
in the cargo area. Bailey stood by, watching, with a sullen look on
his face.

“Left behind again?” I asked, coming up beside
him.

“As usual. Which is dumb. I’ve gone on missions
before. Jack’s just being-”

“Overprotective?” I finished.

He sighed. “Yeah.”

“I know. I hate when they do that.”

“At least I get to stay in the car, though, instead
of wandering around here,” he said, though it didn’t sound like
that cheered him up very much.

“Right,” I agreed.

Jack slammed the last trunk closed and turned to face
the loosely assembled group. I wondered if this was the part where
he gave some inspiring speech about sticking together, or being
safe, or brave, or whatever but all he said was, “Let’s go.”

It worked for me.

Everyone broke into groups and slid into various
cars. I hesitated, unsure where to go. Wes jogged over to me. “Ride
with me?” he asked.

I glanced around for Miles, not sure if my nerves
could handle a car ride, alone, with Wes right now. Not on top of
everything else. But Miles was nowhere in sight and his car was
empty, so I nodded, and then smiled a goodbye at Bailey.

“See you after,” he said.

I buckled up and held my hands to the vents, telling
myself the only reason I’d agreed to ride with Wes was for the
blessed seat warmer that was currently heating my underside.

“You have your stakes, right?” he asked, pulling the
car into line with the caravan in front of us.

“In my boots.”

“And the gun?”

“In my pocket.”

“Good.” He was tense. I could hear it in that one
word, and see it in the set of his jaw. “Tara, I’m really sorry you
thought I broke up with you. It really isn’t like that.”

“I can’t talk about this right now,” I said. “Not
with what we’re about to do.”

“I understand.”

We fell silent, and didn’t speak again until we’d
parked the car, a few blocks from the warehouse. Wes reached for
the door handle, his eyes on mine.

“It’s going to be okay, right?” I asked.

He reached out and took my hand in his. “It’s going
to be okay,” he said, sounding way more convinced than I felt.

~ 35 ~

It was completely dark by the time we walked the two
blocks to the industrial district, Wes’ hand wrapped firmly around
mine. We found the others and huddled up on the sidewalk.

“Alright, then,” said Jack. “Everyone knows what they
have to do. If something goes wrong…” he hesitated, and I could see
everyone shifting their gaze towards me and then away again.

“It won’t,” said Wes.

“We get it, Tara’s the priority here,” said Cord,
impatiently. “Can we go kick some traitor ass now?”

Jack nodded, and we split off into our pairings. Cord
looked just as unhappy as I was, but we fell into step together
anyway. Wes and Miles walked with us as far as the nearest corner
and then we parted ways. Wes watched me, reluctantly, but he didn’t
say anything and then they were out of sight.

Cord led the way, taking us in through the alley that
separated this warehouse from the next. When we reached the end,
Cord stopped and peeked around the corner that would take us to the
battered side door I’d seen earlier, from the street. I listened
for other noises, either inside or out, but there was only
silence.

Cord reached into her pocket and held something out.
“Here,” she snapped, shoving a key into my hand.

“What’s this?”

“An extra key for Derek’s car. If you find your mom
and can get away, then go. Don’t wait for the rest of us; just get
her back to Jack’s. Got it?”

“I’m not leaving without you guys,” I argued.