Out of the Shadows (22 page)

Emerald eyes and pin straight brown hair peaked inside.

“Emily,” Lark smiled, vaulting off the bed and rushing to
the other girl.

Emily embraced her, squeezing so tight Lark thought her
insides might burst. She let out a thankful breath when Emily released her to
shut the door.

“I’m glad to see you. I just wish
it were under different circumstances,” Emily gushed, a tight lipped smile on
her face.

“We’ll figure this out,” Lark murmured.

“My mom said you needed your medicine,” Emily’s eyebrow shot
up as she held up a floral Vera Bradley bag.

Lark snatched the bag from Emily and tossed it on the bed.
Closing her eyes, she unzipped it, and dug through the contents to the bottom.
Her hands shook as she burrowed through her items.

Please, please, please.

Her hand connected with the cool metal surface, slowly, she
pulled the weapon from her purse.

“Oh god,” Emily gasped, her eyes widening, a hand flying up
to cover her mouth.

“Shhh.” Lark put a finger to her own lips shushing the other
woman.

“Where
-
where did that come from?”

“Gene gave it to me when I went with Devon, back when Sarah
and you were first kidnapped. I just never took it out.” Her heart steadied as
she opened the chamber. It was still loaded.

“You can’t use that.”

Lark frowned, shoving the gun back into her purse in case
someone came in the room.

“Why?” That had to be the most
ridiculous thing she’d ever heard.

Emily’s face paled, eyes intent on the purse.

“We don’t use guns, ever. It’s
against our code. Hands, teeth, and claws,
but
not weapons. It’s…its
wrong.”

Too bad she’d depleted her supply of pepper spray. That
would have been handy now too.

“I’m not one of you,” Lark said, tugging Emily’s hands into
her own. “You don’t have to use it, I will.”

Emily nodded, tears swirled in her eyes.

“I don’t like guns, they’re
dangerous. Why did Gene have it? Packs ban those types of things.”

“Emily, look at me,” Lark
commanded.

Emily’s green eyes met hers as her hands shook inside
Lark’s.

Lark clasped the younger woman’s hands tighter. “It’s going
to be okay.”

“I’m just so scared, Lark. How are we all going to get out?
I don’t know what your guy’s plan was, but this couldn’t have been in it.”
Emily’s resolve crumbled, and Lark pulled the sobbing girl into a hug.

She didn’t have an answer for Emily, whatever they did, they
were going to have to wing it.

“Where are Vincent and Marcus? Do you know where they are?”

“Yes, but they’re locked in a cell. We can’t get them out
without a key,” Emily sniffled, tears streaming down her ghastly pale face.

Lark forced her mind to think. She was nowhere near ready to
give up.

“What about Daniel? Can he get a
key?”

Emily pulled back, her face tear streaked, she swallowed,
nodding.

“Good.”

“We have to help Natalia too.”

“The other wolf?”

“Yeah, but she’s pregnant, and she’s so scared of everyone.
It’s going to be hard.” Emily wiped the back of her hand across her cheeks.
“Then there is the other two girls, everything is so messed up.”

Lark bit her lip.

“Emily, Emily,” she said gaining
the other girls attention. “We need to stay calm. We’re just going to have to
play it by ear and figure this out.”

Emily took in a deep breath.

“I just keep thinking about Marcus,
and if I’ll ever see him again,” Emily said between hiccups.

Lark hugged Emily. She couldn’t begin to imagine how she
must feel right now. “It’s going to be okay,” she soothed.

Knock knock

Both girls jumped away from each other as the knob on the
door jiggled, then opened. Claire appraised them both a forlorn look on her
face.

“Dinner is in a half hour, best start cleaning yourselves
up.”

Lark followed Emily and Claire down
the wooden staircase to the dining room. Her eyes scanned every inch of the
peach colored walls, searching for any exits. The front door was exactly forty
two steps from her room. She doubted she could go undetected through the house,
even if she could she had no idea how to get off the property once she stepped
outside.

They rounded the corner into a pale blue dining room. The
table was set for a large dinner party. The china was simple with a plain gold
ring around it. The lacy curtains were opened allowing sunlight to filter in.
Though the room was bright, it still felt like a dungeon. She was a prisoner
here, even if they were going to wine and dine her.

She followed mother and daughter to
the very end of the table, taking a seat next to Emily.

“Just let the guys do all the
talking,” Emily mumbled as the door on the opposite end of the room opened and
a group of men entered.

Emily tilted her head down, staring
at her plate. Lark swallowed. Her eyes drifting to the leader, defiantly
holding his gaze. Her pulse drummed in her ears, hands clasped tightly together
under the table.

The man she guessed was Emmett
McKinley narrowed his green eyes at her. If looks could kill, she’d be dead. He
walked to the edge of the table, his broad shoulders and muscled legs filling
out every inch of his grey suit.

Lark clamped her bottom lip with
her teeth to keep it from trembling. Fear and rage consumed her as her stomach
twisted in knots. She just hoped she didn’t show it.

“Well, she certainly looks like she
is going to be a challenge,” one of the men said with a laugh.

Lark slid her gaze to the elderly
man who had spoken. He had to be in his sixties or seventies. Though he was
old, he looked every bit capable of handling himself in a fight. He was the
oldest of the men
. T
he others looked to be closer to Emmett’s age
either late forties or early fifties.

The only exception was Daniel, and
two others who looked closer to her in age.

“Yes, this is the illustrious Lark
Davies,” Emmett grinned. “I think you will find her quite satisfying.”

Lark frowned, were they really
going to talk about her like she wasn’t sitting right there? If so, she had no
idea how she would make it through this dinner.

“My lovely Claire has prepared us a
stunning roast with carrots and potatoes.” Emmett beamed at Claire who sat
quietly at the other end of the table next to Emily. “And what kind of pie?”

“Peach,” Claire smiled up at the
table of men.

“I understand that you cook, Lark?”
The elder man asked shoveling a bite of meat into his mouth.

“I own a bakery in Abilene. It’s
won some awards, considered one of the best in the city. No doubt, my customers
are going to miss me,” Lark replied, her voice remarkably even, despite the
anger warring inside her.

Emmett laughed heartily. “It will
be a tragic accident really. You see, in a few days time, your nice little SUV
will have quite the collision. Lark and Sarah Davies will be killed instantly.
It actually cleans up quite nice
:
no parents, grandparents,
aunts, uncles. It’s just the two of you. No one left to ask questions. Even if
the police suspect foul play, without family to pursue it, I doubt they’ll
follow through.”

“Stay away from my sister,” Lark
snapped, pounding her fist on the table. The silverware and goblets wobbled on
the table a loud clang slicing through the air.

“I think I’m being quite
accommodating. Do you know what happens to humans who inadvertently learn our
secret?” Emmett’s lip curled into a snare. “Death, so you see, I’m being more
than generous.”

“Well, forgive me for not being
ecstatic,” Lark retorted, rolling her eyes.

“And she’s just as disrespectful as
my bastard step son! You will have fun with her,” Emmett jested to the older
gentleman, before turning his piercing gaze on her. “You’ll come to learn your
place, child.”

Lark shoved her plate away,
knocking her glass of water over. It spilled, cascading across the wood table
and leaking through the cracks, dripping onto the Oriental rug.

Ignoring the gaping stares and
outraged faces, she stood up.

“Go ahead and make your plans, but
that’s all they’ll ever be, plans-“

“You think Devon will come for
you?” Emmett roared, his laughter filling the air. His face flushed red, lip
curled up in a sneer.

Heat scorched her cheeks as she
gripped the back of her chair.

“He’s a better man and alpha than
you’ll ever be.”

Emmett shot up from his seat.

“You think he gives a damn about
you? Sure you’re a pretty girl, a good fuck. But girls like you are a dime a
dozen. He’s never gave two shits about any girl he’s fucked, why would you
think you’re any different? Get her out of here, Daniel,” he said, flicking his
wrist in his son’s direction.

Daniel got up, striding toward her
quickly. He snatched her arm, yanking her backwards. Lark shoved away, but he
was much too strong. Another arm shot around her waist as Daniel drug her out
of the room.

“Get off me,” she said, jabbing her
elbow backwards, connecting with firm flesh. His grip loosened and she spun
around quickly without thinking, rage consuming her.

Smack.

Daniel’s eyes gleamed yellow. He
spun her, pushing her to the wall.

“Stop,” he spat out. Lark calmed
her fighting. She chastised herself; they were supposed to be on the same side.
“Come on,” he said tugging her arm again but nowhere near as roughly.

Lark let him lead her back to her
bedroom. He opened the door with a sigh and motioned for her to go in. He dug
into his pants pocket pulled out his cell typing something in. Then handed the
phone to her.

I am meeting Devon
tonight.

Lark nodded. “Sorry,” she mouthed
noticing the deep red mark blazing its way across his cheek.

Daniel glared, a hand gingerly
touching the tender skin.

“You need to watch your tongue,” he
said sternly as if reprimanding her. “I’ll see if I can get some leftovers sent
up later,” his voice lowered to a whisper.

“Thank you,”

Daniel tipped his head to her
moving backwards to the door. The door shut, the backwards lock clicking into
place.

Locked in, great!
Guess
that’s what happens when you stand up for yourself and smack the alpha’s son
across the face. So much for free reign.

Frustrated, tired, and pissed, Lark
flung herself on the bed. Emmett was wrong about Devon in every way. Not only
was she certain he cared about her, he was a better man — better leader than
his stepfather could ever dream to be.

***

Devon paced the parking lot at the
Taco Tico. Eyes on the lookout for any of Emmett’s men. The restaurant was on
the opposite side of town and far away from the house. This area was considered
neutral territory, but he couldn’t risk being spotted.

Daniel’s blue Camaro pulled into the parking lot. The music
so loud the ground vibrated. Devon leaned against the car waiting for his
brother to find a parking spot. The ten men he brought with him were fanned out
at different vantage points, all on the lookout for anything out of place.

Daniel climbed out of the car and plucked his sunglasses
from his face. A red mark, tinged with blue marred his left cheek.

“What happened to you?”

He opened his mouth like he wanted to say something than
shook his head.

“Nothing.”

Devon inhaled; Lark’s cinnamon-vanilla aroma invaded his
senses.

“You smell like her, why?” Devon
balled his hands into fists.

“It’s not what you’re thinking,” Daniel replied, touching
his cheek. “She’s fine.”

“You better hope so.” Devon grasped Daniel by the lapels of
his polo. “If I find out you hurt her-“

“I didn’t, I promise. I’ve done some questionable things,
but I’ve never hurt a woman.”

“How is she?” Devon ground out, shoving his brother away.
Lark was a weakness and he hated it. He needed to focus. But he needed to know
that she was okay.

“She’s fine. Lark’s strong willed, but we don’t have much
time. They leave first thing in Saturday morning,” Daniel explained.

Devon slid the envelope from his back pocket. “Then you’d
better make sure Juarez finds this tonight. I’m not waiting till the last
minute.”

“What is it?”

His brother extended his hand for the letter. Devon
hesitated, unsure if he should trust his brother.

“Just make sure Juarez finds this letter. If nothing else do
something to get the alarm to go off. This needs to happen tonight, I’m not
waiting another day,” Devon said. He refused to give Daniel all the details of
the plan. He doubted Daniel would follow through with the arrangement if he
knew it would most likely get Emmett killed.

“I will. I know we don’t see eye to eye on many things, but
I don’t want this happening to Em anymore than you do.”

Devon slapped the letter into his brother’s palm. “Don’t
screw this up.”

“I’ll slip them out as soon as the alarm sounds. You get
Vincent and Marcus. We’ll need help though; Natalia and Lark won’t be able to
shift.”

“Where are Marcus and Vincent being held?” Devon asked.

“The brown barn. They're in the cells.”

The barn situated right in the
middle of the property. With any luck, the guards would make a dash to the main
house when the alarm sounded. This would make their rescue and escape a
thousand times easier.

“How are you going to get them out of the house?” Devon
questioned.

“The window in my room.”

“You’re going to have a pregnant woman shimmy down a tree?”
Devon asked incredulously. He was certain Lark, Emily, and the other two girls
could do it. It was Natalia who concerned him. She would slow everyone down.
Still, if she wanted to come, he couldn’t leave her.

“Would you prefer I parade them past Father?” Daniel shot
back snidely.

“I prefer you think about the logistics of your plan,” Devon
retorted.

“I’ll get them out and we’ll meet by the barn,” Daniel
grumbled, green eyes narrowing into tiny slits.

“Fine! If Lark or Emily get hurt…” he trailed off, hand
balled into a tight fist.

“Nobody's going to get hurt.”

“Let’s hope not, because it’s your ass if they do.”

Daniel mumbled something as he spun on his heel and headed
back to his car.

***

Lark burrowed into the blankets. It was late, past midnight,
and nothing had happened yet. Not knowing when something would happen was
eating her from the inside out. It had to be tonight or tomorrow night,
although she preferred tonight. The sooner the better.

Frustrated, she stared at the
white stucco ceiling. She wanted to move, but knew pacing would only disrupt
those around her, drawing attention to herself.

The waiting and the unknown was
killing her. Apprehension churned in her belly, causing it to knot
uncomfortably. Her mind drifted to Devon. He was here. What if he was hurt, or
worse, killed? What if they were unable to rescue her?

Horror filled her at the thought of what a life in Santa Fe
meant. She coughed, bile rising into her throat. A shudder coursed through her
and she bolted upright, drawing her knees into her.

No! That is not going to happen.

The jingle of the door knob drew her out of her thoughts.
Eyes trained on the door as it unlocked, and slowly creaked open.

Daniel stood before her green eyes scanning the room as he
wiped sweat from his forehead. His gaze stopped on her
. A
fter a
hesitant moment, he motioned for her to follow him.

Lark shifted to the edge of the bed, picking up her purse
before standing up. Quietly, she placed her feet on the floor, and tiptoed to
her sneakers. Sliding her feet in before going to Daniel. He led her across the
hall and into another bedroom. The door clicked shut and Lark whirled around to
look at him.

“What’s going on?” she hissed.

Daniel shifted on his feet, eyes downcast. “They’ve been in
a meeting all night, I…I couldn’t give this letter to Juarez like Devon
wanted.”

Lark closed her eyes, head falling forward into the palm of
her hand.

“We have to do something.”

“Emily and the others are in the other wing of the house
where they’re more heavily guarded. They will stay up there for the night.”

“Then we have to come up with something else,” Lark said,
massaging her temples. They would think of something, the alternative was not
an option.

“I can get you to Devon, I think.”

Lark frowned.

“What about everyone else?” She
shook her head, not ready to consider that. “I have this,” she said pulling the
gun from her bag.