Streak of Black

When we return to the garage, I'm afraid that all of the progress that Ryder made back at his old house will be erased, but I'm proud to see that he's still feeling better.

Lovett hands me a bag of cold food and offers a disapproving look that says that he knows what we were up to. Fortunately, he has no idea, and I slightly shake my head at the thought that my entire Pack thinks that Ryder and I were just off having a make-out session, without the thought of what we were actually doing even crossing their minds.

We mindlessly eat the cold French fries and chicken from the 24-hour fast food joint that Rudi must have gotten it from, sitting against the wall opposite the Pack and a little away from Charlette who cuddles Gabrielle near the entrance of the cold room.

'Louve, thank you for what you did for me tonight,' Ryder says in my mind as I lean against him and close my eyes. He wraps his arm around my shoulder.

'Which part: going after you, slapping sense into you, or just being there with you?' I look up at him and wink, causing him to crack a smile.

'All of it. You really are wonderful, and you are way too good for me.'

'I know. But I need you too, so don’t you dare break up with me. If you thought that angry human ex-girlfriends were bad, you should try answering to angry werewolf ex-girlfriends, especially ones with compulsive older brothers.'

'I'll keep that in mind. Get some sleep.'

I snuggle closer against his side and thank goodness that I at least have Ryder to keep me grounded through all the madness I endure on a regular basis. I can tell that I'm in Monique’s dream cavern before I even open my eyes.

"Can't I even get some sleep without you bothering me?"

She crosses her arms and glares at me, looking bored. "Nice to see you too. Look, I'm not here for my amusement for once. I came to warn you that they know that you’re here."

"What! Why didn't you tell me sooner?" I begin pacing the dome-like room.

"I’m sorry, but since when do I answer to you? How about a ‘thank you, Monique, for warning me of this possible doom?’ God, you're unappreciative. Sorry I bothered trying to help you."

"No, I appreciate it. Thanks. How do they know?"

"He has scouts around town. They didn't see the van, but they saw you and Ryder outside of his house. They already snatched his brother and mom, but they won't kill them. They're just gonna hold them until they figure out that they don't know anything, so don't bother worrying about them. They'll be here by 2:00 a.m. They're just getting reinforcements."

"Crap!" I stop my pacing and turn to her. "What time is it?" I demand.

"1:45. They're not outside yet, so you can leave, and they won't get you. You just have to worry about getting away. I'd steal a new car. Oh, and then there’s the problem of the fact that they'll be waiting outside for you later should you decide to depart, so you'll have the complication of getting back in." She smirks at me, looking pleased with herself. "Shouldn't be too hard—you’re creative. Good luck!"

"Wait, bu—"

She snaps her fingers, and the dream ends. I'm thrown back into the real world with a gasp. My head had fallen into Ryder’s lap in my sleep, and I leap up, hurrying over to Kain’s computer and glancing over his shoulder. It’s already 1:50.

"Oh, interested in my work, are we," Kain whispers with a slimy smile that makes me feel like he's mentally undressing me.

"Shut up, you creep. You smell disgusting, and you have greasy hair. Just hurry up." I turn to the Pack. "Guys, we have to go. Now."

"Louve, wha—"

I cut Ryder off. "We don't have time to argue. Guys, just grab what you can and walk away, now. Trust me. Leave the van—we'll get another car. Right now, we have to get out of here." In their heads, I urgently add, 'They'll be here in 10 minutes. I'll explain everything later. We just have to go.'

They nod solemnly, realizing that Monique once again filled me in on what's going on. As they gather our things and begin ushering Charlette out, I turn back to Kain. "Some men will be here soon. No matter what, tell them that we won't be back. If you say anything that may help them find us, I will reach into your chest while you’re still alive and rip your heart out. If you stay quiet and act as ignorant as you are about girls, you’ll get an extra $500."

"Make it $1000, and you've got a deal." He crosses his arms as his eyes trail up and down my body. "Or, you and I could come up with an alternate form of compensation."

Ryder grabs my wrist. "You'll take the $500 and be happy that you still have your life. We'll be back at 8. Be ready."

He glares at us, and I feel his dark, almost black, eyes piercing into my back. Once we leave, he closes the garage door. We quickly catch up to the others.

"Ryder, you used to live around here," Lovett recalls, for once admitting that he needs Ryder. "Where can we hide out?"

I see Ryder begin to think. "The old theater. It’s been closed to 10 years, but they never did anything with it. It's just abandoned because it was infested with roaches or rats or something, but the company never got it exterminated. No one ever goes there. This way."

He leads us through the dark streets, and I hear cars approach Kain’s house as we run away. Charlette seems to have a tough time keeping up with us, but she manages, still clutching Gabrielle to her chest.

After about five minutes of jogging, we come to an old movie theater with torn posters in the ticket booth window and no letters in the white holder on top. Ryder takes us around the side through an unlocked door that resists slightly, not having been opened in a while. Three huge roaches scurry out, and I resist the urge to gag as one races right past my foot.

"It may have been roaches and rats," Ryder muses as he ushers us inside.

"This type of place isn't safe for Gabrielle!" Charlette worries, hesitating before entering.

Zeeva, having rescued the baby, looks into the young mother’s eyes, willing her to cooperate. "Charlette, it's the only way to keep you and the baby safe. We'll try to find another place to go, but for now, we'll have to settle for here. They not only want us dead, but they also want you and Gabrielle. Please just come inside with us."

She swallows and nods, reluctantly walking into the dark hallway between Zeeva and me. I can distantly hear the sounds of scurrying little feet and tiny clicking claws, and I nearly shiver.

"We can hide in a projector room," Rudi calls from the front of the group. We follow her into a door that leads us to a set of stairs and from there a room with three swivel chairs and small spots of urine splattered on the floor. We offer Charlette the cleanest chair in the room, which she accepts. Luckily, we seem to be alone.

"Rudi, Nox, why don't you guys scan the streets?" I command. "Nox, you see if you can find anywhere that you don't feel even the slightest hint of being watched, and Rudi, try to find another car—one that won’t be too badly missed but that can accommodate us." They nod and hurry off, leaving the rest of us in the reeking projector room.

"How did they find us?" Ryder asks.

I had already weighed whether to tell him about his brother and decided against it. Monique said that his family would be okay, so there's no point in worrying him even further. 'She wouldn't tell me,' I lie in their heads so that Charlette doesn't ask questions. 'All she would say is that he has scouts around town that were looking for us and found us.'

His next question is for me only. 'Could they have spotted us outside my house? Is my brother okay?'

I force myself to stay calm 'I could ask.'

'Would she answer?'

'We'll see.'

'Clever, you're getting better at lying to him, if only in his head,' Monique commends. 'Now we'll just waste time as you pretend to ask and I pretend to taunt you. Oh wait, that part'll be real.'

'Shut up, you know how much I hate lying to him.'

'And yet, you still do it.'

'Oh come on, if you had a soul, what would you do? Reassure him or worry him needlessly. He's already been through enough. I don't need to make him feel even worse.'

'Whatever you say, liar. Let's just hope you never get caught in your tangle of lies.'

'What do you mean?'

'It's been long enough by my measure. Go ahead and lie to your precious little mate. When he gets sick of you, can I have him?'

I choose to ignore her and turn a reassuring smile to Ryder. 'She teased me for a bit, but she promised me that your family's okay.'

'Thanks. I know you hate talking to her—I hate it too—but I appreciate it.'

I look away. 'No problem,; I reply, wrapping my arms around myself. And then the one thing that had thankfully not occurred all night happens.

Gabrielle begins to cry.