Avenger's Heat (16 page)

Despite his feelings toward Ian, Noah laughed. “Damn.”

She chuckled quietly, then sobered as they neared the antebellum home. “Just because Ian hates him doesn't mean he's involved. The first places we visited also had notes from him that those individuals were highly suspect.”

Yet neither he nor Erin had sensed any deceit from the vamps. Of course the vampires could have been lying, but Erin's senses were finely honed when it came to scenting lies and he was even older and had an innate ability as well.

Noah had wondered how she'd chosen the houses to visit and had considered asking, but things were still tense between them. Not hostile, just edgy. He hadn't said much as he'd driven to each address and she definitely hadn't opened up the lines of communication. That kiss had seemed to relax her as they'd left their place, but since the first vamp's house she'd been focused and tuning him out.

It might have bugged him more if he wasn't so caught up in replaying the words she'd flung at him. Until seeing his father in person after so many years he'd never thought that his father was punishing himself. Now he felt like a dick for not realizing it. Angus had lost a daughter and inevitably a son when Noah had left. While he spoke to his mother often she always tiptoed around the topic of Angus.

Noah didn't want to feel guilty about that but it had been growing inside him like kudzu since the moment they arrived. Erin's words had only fanned the fire.

“Think they knew we were coming?” Erin asked as he put the car in park directly in front of the house. The rose bushes were immaculate as was the two-story manor. The entire house was a bright white with dark blue shutters closed over the windows.

Though he couldn't see them, Noah sensed probably a dozen individuals on the grounds. Humans, probably, considering they were all out in the sun and daywalkers were rare.

As they exited the car the front door opened and a tall, elegant-looking man walked out wearing a high-waist coat, a vest underneath, and a pocket watch. His eyes were bright amber like most vampires when their emotions were high. The color was startling against his café au lait skin.

Erin shot Noah a covert look and he could see the laughter in her eyes. They were both dressed to match in almost all black with similar-looking knit skullcaps and they were strapped down with weapons. It was cold, not that it bothered them much, but the caps would keep their hair out of the way if a fight broke out. He and Erin were all about practicality like that. It was something he loved about her. To this guy they probably looked like thugs.

The way he raked gazes over both their bodies with absolute disdain confirmed it.

“Mr. LaPomeret?” Erin asked, even though they both realized this was the vampire they'd come to see.

“At your service, Ms. Flynn.” There was a mocking undertone in his cultured, slightly French accent.

Oh yeah, he'd known they were coming and he didn't like it.

His bright gaze turned toward Noah. “Who are you?”

“Noah.”

The other man gritted his teeth, probably pissed he hadn't given his last name. But Noah wasn't telling this guy shit. He hadn't introduced himself at the other homes and those vamps hadn't asked. They'd just looked at him curiously as he maintained silence.

“You're her bodyguard?” It was clearly a baiting question.

Erin simply unzipped her jacket and Noah remained silent. This guy meant nothing to him and he wasn't eyeing Erin as if he'd like to see her naked. It would be a piece of cake to keep his cool around him.

“I take it you're a daywalker.” Erin spoke, drawing the vamp's attention back to her.

“Clearly,” he said, not bothering to mask his sarcasm now. “Why are you here? I could kill you for trespassing.”

Considering LaPomeret had expected them, he had an idea why they were there. And he could
try
to kill them. It would be stupid though.

Erin snorted softly, mirroring Noah's feelings. “First, you can't kill us.” She said the words as if the concept was ridiculous.

Not won't,
can't
. Fuck yeah, Erin. He loved it when she got tough.

“Second, not only does my Council know I'm here—and that includes Jayce Kazan—so do Angus Campbell and your own Brethren.”

The vampire had paled at the mention of Noah's father. Noah inwardly smiled.

“Fine. Ask your questions.”

“Have you had illegal dealings with shifters in the past year?”

“No.” The answer was instant.

An acidic scent rolled off the vampire. It was subtle, but Noah smelled it.

“Has your mate?” Erin asked.

“No.” The scent was gone this time.

Interesting. Maybe the mate didn't know about her male's actions. It might spare her life later because there was one thing Noah was sure of. This guy was going to die. Maybe not today, but soon.

“Have you ever kidnapped pregnant shifters?”

“No.” No stench this time. Because he hadn't done the actual dirty work.

Erin didn't react, but Noah realized that this guy had basically just given them a baseline for his lies. They'd expected him to say no and the lack of metallic scent confirmed what his lies smelled like.

“Have you ever paid for or procured pregnant shifter blood in the hopes of continuing your bloodline with bloodborns?” Erin's voice was monotone as she spoke.

He was impressed with her stoic, deceivingly casual stance when he knew she was ready to attack at any moment.

The acidic scent now overpowered both of them as the vampire said, “No.”

“Have you ever fucked a goat because I heard that you liked it that way.” Noah's crass statement rent through the air with the subtlety of an atomic bomb. Which is exactly what he intended. He wanted to piss this liar off.

LaPomeret snarled, his civilized demeanor falling away as his fangs and claws descended. Murder was in his eyes as he lunged at Noah, his arm pulled back lightning fast as he prepared to strike.

Noah dodged to the side, but moved slow enough that the vamp could slice through his shoulder. Pain ripped through him, splintering his nerve endings, but Noah channeled his pain. Erin's eyes widened as she watched him, no doubt wondering what was wrong with him for not moving faster. The attack from the vampire hadn't been very well thought out, but they'd both
known
it was coming after the question about the goat. The confusion bled from her eyes as quickly as the understanding crept in.

LaPomeret had just attacked Noah in broad daylight in front of the enforcer. Erin was the perfect witness and Noah was Angus Campbell's son. It was all the provocation his father would need to attack this vampire and torture the information out of him. Sure, Erin could have done it herself, but this place was heavily guarded and if the two of them had decided to go up against an unknown number of threats—well, that was just stupid.

The vampire straightened his coat as he continued to snarl. “Get off my property.” His voice was deeper than it had been before.

Noah smiled widely, which he knew pissed the guy off. Palming the keys, he strode toward the car alongside Erin. He tossed her the keys and as she slid into the driver's seat, he said, “By the way, my last name is Campbell, you stupid fuck.”

Noah jumped into the car to the sound of LaPomeret shouting. It sounded a lot like “kill them” but Noah couldn't be sure above the explosion of gunfire surrounding them. He pulled out one of the guns he'd strapped on, but so far nothing was penetrating the car.

“Way to be subtle!” Erin revved the engine, burning rubber as she screeched away.

Bullets pinged the back of the car and the window. Thank God she'd had bullet-resistant windows installed before their trip.

“What the hell were you thinking?” she snapped as she increased the speed. The needle on the car hit sixty-five in seconds and kept climbing.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw a vamp dressed in something that mimicked riot gear racing toward them from across the land. Damn male was
fast
. Noah ignored her question, his focus on their attackers. “I'm rolling down the window so brace yourself for possible gunfire.”

Raising his weapon with one hand, he depressed the window button with his other while he took aim. The guy was running closer, closer—Noah pulled the trigger.

The guy's head exploded in a crimson mess as his body jerked to a sudden halt. Erin was driving so fast Noah barely got a good glimpse of him. Seconds later they reached the end of the driveway.

Hardly slowing, she took a sharp turn onto the desolate highway and gunned the engine again as they headed back to New Orleans proper.

When he was sure they weren't being followed, he semirelaxed against the seat and laid his weapon in his lap instead of sheathing it completely. He looked at his wounded shoulder. The adrenaline that had surged through him minutes ago was ebbing and a dull ache remained where he'd been injured. His skin was already knitting back together and he'd be healed by the time they reached his father's compound. “I wanted to piss that guy off.”

“Yeah. I figured that out,” she muttered. “You're gonna pay for the damages to my car. . . . Are you okay?” The note of worry in her voice surprised him.

“This is just a scratch.” He motioned to his arm, then glanced behind them again. In minutes they'd be on a main road far enough away that LaPomeret wouldn't think about touching them. Not that it would matter. There was nowhere the vamp could hide now that he'd attacked Angus Campbell's son.

“You gonna call your father and tell him or should I?” Erin sounded positively smug.

Which is exactly how Noah felt. “I'll call.” By the time anyone from the Campbell pack got to LaPomeret's home Noah worried the vamp might be long gone. But he wouldn't have gone far. Not if he was buying pregnant shifter blood. And if his mate wasn't a daywalker they wouldn't be able to go far anyway. His father would catch up to this guy soon enough and when he did it would be only a matter of time before the vamp confessed what he knew about who was behind the kidnappings.

Noah wanted these fuckers stopped. Females were to be protected at all costs. It was simple nature, but especially for shifters. They protected their own. Yet shifters were kidnapping and hurting their own females. There was no way anyone was letting whoever was behind this walk away alive.

More than that, Noah wasn't letting Erin walk away from him. She was his to protect and take care of and vice versa. He wanted to make a home with her and to spend every damn day of his life making her happy. Even when they were arguing there was no place else he'd rather be.

B
rianna tapped her finger against the center console of the car Angus Campbell had let her borrow. She hated driving, especially in the States, but she and Angelo had needed to split up today. It had surprised her how much she missed him. She was used to working solo and preferred it that way. Until him.

The sexy shifter had completely worked his way under her defenses and what was worse, she had a feeling he knew it. Originally she'd thought he'd be the perfect man to have a sexual relationship with since she'd be returning home after this job and he had no ties to her people, but now . . . well, things changed. She didn't want to go home anymore. Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she smiled when she saw Angelo's name on the caller ID.
Speak of the devil.

She answered immediately. “Hello.”

“Hey, sweetheart. How's everything over there?” Angelo's voice wrapped around her, the endearment meaning much more coming from him than Marcus.

“No one is home and I have no way to track them so I'm sitting across the street. The neighbors probably think I'm casing their house.” After she and Angelo met with the last contact on her list, which had been a complete waste of time, she'd picked up the car and made her way to Paige and Carlton Moreau's house. Paige was a feline shifter and two months pregnant according to the file Erin had found. As soon as Brianna made contact with her she planned to let the feline know about the threat and that she would be provided extra security whether it was from Brianna, Angelo, Erin, or any of Angus Campbell's pack. Maybe the woman would even leave town for a few weeks. That would be the best thing.

Angelo laughed. “Somehow I doubt that. . . . I wish I was with you.”

Heat bloomed inside her at the way he said that. “I wish you were too.” Part of her wanted to refrain from telling him that, but she didn't know how to play the games humans did. She didn't want to anyway. Not with Angelo. She'd been up front that she would likely be leaving the country after this job.

“You know what I would do if I was there?” His voice had a wicked quality to it.

She knew without a doubt she would like the answer. “What—oh, hold on. Marcus is on the other line. I need to take this.”

Angelo growled. “I can't stand that guy.”

She laughed softly. “I know and he knows. I'll call you back.”

“Okay.”

She clicked over. “Hello, Marcus.”

“Hey, sweetheart,” he purred, all sin and seduction.

She'd let it go before because the endearment hadn't bothered her. But it bothered Angelo and even if he wasn't here, she felt as if she needed to make something clear. “Don't call me that anymore.”

A pause. “Damn. It's serious with that shifter?”

“That shifter has a name and . . . I don't know.” It was serious for the moment. And more serious than any relationship she'd had previously. But how could things ever work between them? That question had been plaguing her since she'd realized just how much Angelo meant to her.

“Well, it's serious for him,” Marcus said quietly.

Yeah, she was well aware of that. He hadn't said the actual words but she knew it in a bone-deep sort of way she couldn't explain to herself that he wanted to mate with her. Angelo made it clear every second they were in the same vicinity. Shifter-fae matings were rare but they'd happened in the past so she wasn't worried about their compatibility. They definitely had it in the bedroom. But there was more to a relationship than sex. Originally from Spain, Angelo's pack had long since passed away and he'd been with Connor Armstrong's newly formed pack for only a year. Before that he'd roamed all over the world pretty much aimlessly. At least that's what he'd told her. He'd also told her that he felt as if he'd been searching his entire life to fit in somewhere but that need had disappeared the moment he'd met her. Those words still rattled her because she felt the same. Growing up as royalty and then working harder to prove herself because of her small stature among the Fianna, her warrior brethren, she'd never felt as if she fit in anywhere. Except with a bunch of wolves. Or at least one wolf in particular. Sighing, Brianna mentally shook herself. She couldn't think about having this conversation with anyone, let alone Marcus. “It's taken you a while to get back to me.” Okay, it hadn't been that long, but it had felt as if he was avoiding her calls.

He paused for a long moment. “Loyalty to my kind is important.”

Brianna knew that and she thought she understood what he was saying. He'd told her what he was comfortable with earlier, but he'd still held back the reasoning of the pregnant females' kidnappings out of some sense of honor to his people.

Before she could respond, he continued. “Some things are more important than loyalty, however. I got a call from a human contact of mine a few minutes ago. The shifter enforcer has been making the rounds today. She came by my place and spoke to some of my employees since I wasn't home. Did you tell her anything about me?”

“No. I swore I wouldn't and I don't lie.” It rankled her that he had to even ask. Her word was her solid vow.

“What about Angelo?” he snapped.

She bristled at his tone. “No.”

“And I should believe that?” There was a bite to Marcus's words.

“I relayed some of the information you gave us and Angelo refused to tell her your name.” Brianna hadn't been sure if he would stand by her. She had hoped but in that moment last night she had realized just how much Angelo meant to her even if she couldn't admit the truth out loud.

“Good. I learned something very interesting today and since you kept your word I will tell you. François LaPomeret is one of the wealthiest bloodborns in the area. He's a total dick and today it seems he attacked Noah Campbell and the enforcer. Unfortunately for him they made it off his property alive so he's scrambling as we speak to evacuate his property. He's leaving a few humans behind to care for the place—including my contact—but LaPomeret is going to be in the wind soon. He'll leave town and relocate somewhere else. Probably Europe.”

“Did Erin and Noah find a connection between him and the missing shifters?” Erin didn't need to check in with Brianna, but she wanted to know what had spooked the vampire and what the vamp was guilty of that made him attack Noah.

“That, I don't know. I just know that LaPomeret is shitting-his-pants terrified of Angus Campbell, but yes, I think he's involved. He's skeezy enough.”

She frowned. “Skeezy?”

“Uh, a sleazeball. Just thought you might want to know.”

“Thank you. You must know that we're aware why the females are being taken by now.”

“I knew you would figure it out.”

“You should have told me.”

He grunted softly. “If I discover any others involved in the disgusting practice, I'll send you their names. I cannot be loyal to those who don't deserve it.” Without giving her a chance to respond, he hung up.

She started to call Angelo back but stopped when she saw a white SUV pull into the Moreau's driveway. According to the information Erin had given her, that's what the Moreaus drove. A tall, lean male with bronze skin got out of the driver's side and a moment later a tall, ethereal-looking woman with ivory skin stepped from the passenger side. She had a small baby bump and even though she was only two months along it made sense that she was showing. Shifter pregnancies were shorter so their young developed faster.

The male opened the back hatch of the vehicle and they began pulling out plastic bags. Groceries, she guessed. Sitting back against the seat she decided to wait until they'd unloaded everything before she let them know what was going on. She would be laying a lot on them at once and wanted them somewhat comfortable when she did.

Scanning the neighborhood, she zeroed in on an older-model dark van slowly driving down the road. As it slowed even more in front of the Moreau house, Brianna got out of her car. Before she'd taken two steps, the van jerked to a halt and two men wearing black masks jumped out.

Panicked, Brianna raced across the street, ready to intervene. She didn't make a sound because she didn't want them to notice her yet.

With a raised gun, one of the men started shooting at Carlton Moreau. There was no warning. There was a silencer on the weapon, muting what would have disturbed the entire neighborhood.

The feline cried out in agony as he slammed back against the pavement. The bags in his hand fell, sending apples rolling down the driveway. His mate, Paige, screamed and tried to run to him but the other male grabbed her by the arm and yanked her back to his chest.

Brianna was sprinting toward them but she didn't have the speed of shifters or vampires. Calling on the power she did have, she took a calming breath and harnessed her energy in her left hand. Her palm tingled as warmth spread through her body. The one with the gun noticed her right as she raised her arm.

As if she was throwing a ball, she hauled back and let her energy loose. The arc of blue lightning slammed into the middle of his chest, sending him flying through the air, across the length of their yard. He hit a tree that bordered the sidewalk but before he'd made contact with the ground his shoes and clothes had shredded as his wolf took over.

Brianna could easily kill humans but supernatural beings were trickier. Especially with shifters. Their animal took over instinctively when under this kind of threat from her. She shot a blast of energy at him again, but he dodged it, running farther away. She did manage to strike his tail. He howled in pain as the scent of burning fur reached her nostrils.

After releasing a couple of bolts like that she normally felt the drain of her energy but she was completely amped up and she was fairly certain it had something to do with all the sex she'd been having. She'd heard from other fae that sex could increase powers. She really hoped that was the case because she didn't want to fail.

As she started to blast him again, the other shifter shouted, “Stop!”

She'd been keeping him in her peripheral vision since he had the feline female pulled against him, but she needed to get one of the attackers down first. They were physically stronger and they clearly weren't afraid to use weapons, so she couldn't let them get too close.

As she turned to the shifter holding the pregnant shifter, she saw the male she'd blasted stagger, then collapse in a heap of fur on the sidewalk, not moving. Good. She narrowed her gaze as the other male brandished a knife and pressed it to the female's belly.

The woman whimpered, but Brianna ignored her. She needed to eliminate the threats first. Then she could focus on saving the female's wounded mate. “How do you possibly think this will end?” she snapped to the still-masked shifter.

“I'm going to leave with her and you're not going to do a damn thing about it unless you want to watch her bleed out,” the male snarled.

“You're not going anywhere.” Without taking her gaze off him, she turned her hand in the direction of the van and sent out a blast of energy. A muted boom ricocheted around the previously quiet neighborhood as the vehicle lifted a couple feet into the air, then slammed back to the ground. Smoke billowed out from the hood where she'd fried all the circuits. No matter what, she couldn't let them leave with the pregnant female.

Disabling the van was a risk, but there wasn't an alternative. Now the males had limited options. “Your partner is badly hurt so if you're smart, you'll leave with him. Leave the female and run. I can't catch you. You must know that.” That didn't mean she wouldn't blast him apart the second she got the chance. He might not know exactly what she was, but he could guess by her coloring and her abilities. Unfortunately he was using the pregnant female as a shield, stopping her from attacking him.

He glanced over his shoulder where his brother was attempting to stand on wobbly feet. The animal let out a yowl and stumbled farther down the sidewalk out of her blast range. “Yeah, but you'll blast me the second I let her go.” Without warning he slammed the blade into the female's upper thigh.

The woman screamed and fell to the ground. Brianna aimed and fired as the male shifted forms. Her blast of energy skimmed over him, hitting a tree instead. It creaked and splintered straight up the middle. As it did, half of it toppled over onto the smoking van. She blasted at him again, barely missing and hitting another tree before he was out of range.

Fighting her urge to chase after the shifters since she knew she'd never catch them, she knelt in between the fallen male and female. They were both stretched out on their driveway right behind their vehicle, side by side. The dinging sound from the SUV caused by the open back door rang out insistently.

The pregnant shifter moaned softly as her eyes closed and she laid her head against the driveway. “Knife . . . hurts.”

Hating to do it, Brianna gripped the blade and pulled it out in one tug. The woman screamed again and in the distance Brianna heard sirens wailing. She only hoped they were coming for them. Normally she wouldn't remove a blade, but she had to for what she intended next.

Using her healing powers, she placed one palm over the female's gushing wound and spread her other palm over the unmoving male's chest. After a few long moments the woman opened her eyes again. She looked at her mate, then at what Brianna was doing to both of them.

The soft green glow of Brianna's healing energy illuminated both of them. This was more draining than her blasts of destructive energy had been. She was trying to heal not destroy and that took more concentration.

“You're fae?” Her question was a bare whisper.

She nodded. “My name is Brianna and I'm here to help you.” The sirens were growing louder, sending a bolt of adrenaline through Brianna. She really hoped they were coming for them and she didn't dare take her hands off either of the wounded shifters to call the police herself. The male was incredibly weak and while she could do a lot to repair the damage or at least slow the bleeding, the bullets needed to come out.