Page 7 of Blood Pack Beginning (Pack #5)

CHAPTER SIX

Diego and the others were finishing dinner when Sasha sauntered into the kitchen with a bright smile.

“Hello, puppies,” she chirped. “Hope you’re all well rested, because today’s your day to prove yourself.”

“A test?” Cyrus queried.

“Yes, but not the kind with pen and paper,” she teased, figuring he was the type who likely aced all those exams in school. “We’re going on a mission.”

A frowning Cyrus leaned back in his seat. “What kind of mission?”

“A ghoul hunt. Seems like there is at least one on the loose terrorizing folks on the outskirts of a nearby city.”

“How do you know it’s a ghoul?”

Sasha held up her phone. “Authorities have found three bodies, and according to the reports, there were teeth marks on the flesh, savage slashing, and little blood left behind.”

A brow-arching Diego whistled. “I’m surprised the cops released that information. They usually keep tight-lipped with details when they suspect a spree killer.”

“It wasn’t the police. They’ve actually not had much to say about the sudden rash of deaths, other than recommending caution, such as folks not being out alone after dark. However, in this day of widespread camera phones, people have been uploading videos. This one dude claimed he was having a smoke on his balcony when he saw a person walking on the sidewalk get abruptly yanked into an alley. He didn’t record the actual grab but did manage to start filming in time to catch the screaming. According to the poster, when the cops arrived, they found the victim torn apart in the alley. The official police statement claimed it was likely a rabid dog and warned to be on the lookout.”

“That’s one body. What of the other two?” Amir leaned forward with an intent expression.

“No witnesses, but same outcome. I am sure there’s more. Not everyone gets declared missing right away, not to mention, the ghoul might have dragged some corpses back to its lair to snack on later.”

The very idea of eating dead and rotting flesh had Diego grimacing. “Nasty.”

“Agreed. So, who’s in the mood to go hunting?”

Without hesitation, Diego’s hand shot up. This was his chance to impress the sexy Sasha. He’d been working hard with her during their training sessions but hadn’t found a chance to spend any one-on-one time with her. And boy did he want to. He’d never met a woman so confident and deadly. Bedding her would be like riding a wild bronco: exhilarating… and dangerous.

“Isn’t bringing all of us overkill for a single ghoul?” Cyrus commented.

“If there’s only one, then yes. However, this is a good opportunity for you all to see for yourself what we’re dealing with. We’ve recently learned that ghouls tend to nest in groups, meaning if we can track it back to its lair, we could find more.”

“Count me in,” Amir stated.

“Me too,” Cyrus added, which led to them looking at Omar, who’d not said a word yet.

The boy might share the same parents as Amir, but Diego had a hard time finding a resemblance, personality-wise or physically.

Omar waved a hand. “I’m good. You guys have fun.”

Sasha pursed her lips. “This would be a good learning experience for you.”

“I’m not interested in becoming a monster fighter.”

“Then what are you doing here?” her blunt reply.

“You kidnapped me, remember?” Omar snapped back.

“And have since given you the option to leave.” Sasha pointed to the door.

“Not without my brother.” Omar tilted his chin stubbornly.

Amir sighed. “We have nowhere to go. Our house is gone. Our vamp friends burned the town to the ground to hide the evidence.”

“We could go stay with Lorelei,” Omar insisted.

“Lorelei is couch surfing until she can find a new place, and that could take time seeing as how the insurance company is dragging its feet paying out our claims.” He’d been in touch with her since her return from holiday, but had been vague about his whereabouts and what truly happened in Moon Dew.

Omar’s lips pressed into a thin, stubborn line. “We don’t belong here.”

“We don’t belong anywhere.” Amir’s harsh rebuke. “Or have you forgotten we’re rogues? We have no pack. No home. Nowhere to turn. What we do have by staying here, though, is a roof over our heads, meals, and a chance to avenge the people of Moon Dew.”

“And make the world a safer place,” Diego quipped. He’d often fantasized about being a hero, only without a cape or tights, and thanks to Sasha’s training, he was beginning to feel like he was well on his way to becoming one.

“I’m not dying fighting their enemies.” Omar slewed his gaze at Sasha. “I’m staying here.”

“Very well. Shall we, puppies?”

Sasha strode off, and Diego fought a grin as Amir and Cyrus hesitated to follow. In the Lycan world, men gave the orders. Diego, though, had no issue following that sweet ass. He caught up to Sasha as she headed out the front door.

“Any last-minute tips or tricks on dealing with ghouls?” he asked.

“Don’t let them bite you.”

“Can I be infected?” That hadn’t even occurred to him.

She rolled her eyes. “Can you transmit lycanthropy through bite?”

No, one couldn’t—a Lycan had to be born—but that didn’t stop him from waggling his eyebrows and asking, “Not that I know but I’m willing to give it a try.”

The corners of her mouth curled for a moment before she turned serious. “Ghouls can’t turn anyone. Only a vampire of a certain strength can do that, and it takes more than a simple bite. In any case, you want to avoid getting nipped because ghoul mouths are nasty, dirty, germ-ridden things, and once they latch on, their hold is hard to break, meaning you might lose a chunk of flesh.”

He grimaced. “Ouch.”

“Big ouch,” she agreed, clicking a key fob, which had one of the large SUVs blinking its lights as its doors unlocked.

“What weapons are we bringing?”

“The truck is already loaded. Guns, knives, even a sword.”

“Better hope we don’t get pulled over,” he joked.

“We’ll be fine. The weapons are well hidden, and I know how to talk my way out of a situation with cops.”

“The whole hypnotizing thing,” he remarked, although according to Sasha, she sucked at it compared to others.

“Only if necessary. Usually my cleavage is enough.” She tossed him a grin and a wink, probably knowing where his gaze would land next.

Yup. He glanced at her perfect tits, which pushed against the fabric of her tight T-shirt.

Movement behind reminded him that two others intended to travel with them. “Shotgun,” Diego yelled, sliding into the passenger seat before Amir and Cyrus had a chance. They could ride in the back and stare at Sasha’s hair. He intended to keep sneaking glances at those pert peaches.

Sasha drove, and the conversation centered mostly around what they’d be doing.

“We’ll park not far from the scene of the most recent attack. A ghoul leaves a pretty distinctive scent, so tracking it shouldn’t be too hard.”

“You said something about a lair.” Cyrus leaned his forearms against Diego’s seat. “What kind of places do they like to hole up?”

“Despite them being able to handle sunlight, the ones we’ve found thus far have preferred to live in darkness. So abandoned houses or buildings, usually in the basement. Sewers are also popular.”

Amir groaned. “Please don’t tell me we’re going to be mucking around in shit.”

Her lips tilted. “I’d say it’s a distinct possibility, but don’t worry. If we get dirty, we’ll find a hose and have a water fight to clean off.”

The thought of her slick and wet… Diego’s hands rested strategically in his lap.

“When you said the possibility of a nest containing more ghouls, how many would we be talking?” Amir’s turn to ask a question.

“Given there doesn’t seem to be a deluge of dead bodies and sightings, I’d say we’re probably dealing with one to three at the most.”

“And the best way to kill them is off with their heads.” Diego confirmed what she’d already taught them in training.

“Right. Ghouls are tougher than most prey. They don’t feel pain, and even when dying, they’ll keep fighting. The quickest and surest way is to take their heads, but carrying a sword where you might be seen, not to mention having the space to swing it for a proper decapitation, can be tricky. We’ll most likely be fighting with knives. Try and cut the tendons to their legs or wrists to render them less effective.”

“I’d still rather go in with a gun first,” Amir grumbled, despite Sasha already lecturing them on the futility of firearms in these fights.

“They don’t register pain, so bullets won’t distract,” she reminded. “We also have to be careful about the noise. A knife is quiet. Doesn’t draw attention like a gunshot does. We do not want to be seen and most definitely don’t want to be captured on camera. One last thing, this isn’t just about your fighting skills. This test is meant to show how good you are at hunting and doing it stealthily.”

Cyrus, who’d always been the thinker of their group, asked softly, “Why did Morpheus create the ghouls when doing so meant he lost some of his power?” Despite Sasha being coy about her kind at first, she’d gradually been sharing information with them.

“Morpheus was quite insane by the end, and his motives remain a mystery for the most part. I think he turned the rogues that used to belong to Roderick into ghouls because he saw no other way to keep using them. They weren’t viable thralls because the rogues went quite mad when they lost their alpha. Add in the fact that Morpheus, or whoever commanded Morpheus, appears to want vampires and Lycans to be outed, and I think he wanted the ghouls to be exposed to humanity.”

“Which makes no sense. Surely Morpheus understood the target that would place on him and other vampires,” Cyrus argued.

“Did you forget the part where I called him insane?”

“Was he, though?” Cyrus shook his head as he stared out the window thoughtfully. “Because from all that you’ve told us, he still meticulously plotted and pulled off intricate schemes. Look at how he forced your boss into hiding, and what about the massacre at Moon Dew?”

“You’re assuming Morpheus planned it.” Sasha drummed her fingers against the steering wheel. “He said something about a master, meaning there is still a missing player. Could be they’re the one behind the Moon Dew attack.”

“Meaning the Packs, vampires, and dormants are still at risk.”

“Don’t forget the rogues,” Sasha added. “While Roderick might be dead, that doesn’t mean another half-Lycan, half-vampire hybrid won’t take his place and begin recruiting again. It might even be easier now, seeing as Nathan’s been telling the packs to reject all loners and to even think twice before letting anyone who’s been gone from the pack for any period of time to return.”

“Wait, what?” Diego exclaimed, his alarm most likely caused by the fact he’d been away from his Pack for a while. “Why the fuck would he tell the packs to banish their own members?”

“Because he’s worried they might be tainted. Can you imagine the havoc a trojan wolf could cause from the inside of a compound?”

“Not much, I imagine, actually,” Amir’s dry response. “Unlike Moon Dew, which was for all intents and purposes, human-inhabited, a pack wouldn’t be caught unaware. Lycans have a sharper survival instinct. They wouldn’t have slept through an attack, not to mention, they can fight. Anyone who tried to threaten would be quickly torn apart.”

“Don’t be so sure of that.”

“Is there a way of detecting who might be tainted?” Cyrus asked musingly.

“Not easily. Thaddeus can do it, but only because he ingested some of Roderick’s ashes, giving him the alpha command ability, which, along with his strong mental powers, allows him to root out the possibly afflicted.”

“Didn’t you have some of Roderick’s dust?” Diego frowned. “Shouldn’t you be able to do the same?”

“I can, but to a much lesser extent, since my talents in mind tricks aren’t that strong. If the person placing the geas on the mind was stronger than me, then I might not be able to spot it.”

“So how are the packs supposed to protect themselves?” Cyrus’ voice strained with concern.

“I don’t know,” she offered with a shrug. “Nathan’s solution is probably best until we do find a way.”

“Not really. It means me and Diego and lots of others who travel for days or weeks at a time as truckers and stuff can’t go home,” Cyrus pointed out.

“I didn’t realize you and Diego were planning to return,” her stiff reply.

“I wasn’t,” Diego hastened to reassure. “However, at one point, if we’re going to stick with you, then we’d like to grab our stuff.”

“You better not pack those godawful white jeans,” Amir grunted from the back.

“Hey, I happen to love those.” Skintight, and the women claimed they made his ass look great.

“Jeans should be blue or black,” Amir insisted.

“He’s right,” Sasha agreed. “Dark colors are always preferable. Blood is less likely to show that way.”

Sounded like a joke but, given her serious mien, he doubted it was.

“Once we move our shit out, we’ll be considered rogue,” Cyrus stated quietly.

“Not exactly.” Sasha paused as she checked the traffic at a light before turning right on a red. “There is a new Pack that is accepting any and all Lycans. Dormant, rogue, anyone looking for something new.”

“A new Pack? Is it Lycan Council sanctioned?” Cyrus asked.

“Kind of. Nathan knows about it, and he’s been telling those who aren’t being let into the compounds to make their way to Thaddeus.”

“So that’s what’s up with all the extra Lycan showing up?” Amir had a note of incredulity in his query. “ Nathan is sending them to your boss? Why?”

“Because Nathan has a duty to protect his Pack inside his compound, and right now, that means not letting in anyone who might be Roderick-touched. However, he’s not heartless, so he’s giving them an option other than simply leaving them out on their own.”

“But he’s a vampire!” Cyrus couldn’t contain his shock.

“Who has the alpha command ability, allowing him to lead wolves. He can look through minds and assess if there is darkness there, while also, for all intents and purposes, form a Pack under his rule.”

“A bunch of wolves following a vampire,” Cyrus muttered in disbelief.

“Did I mention this pack will be a mixture of vampire and wolf?”

“And Nathan is okay with it?” Amir appeared pensive in the backseat.

“I don’t think Nathan is much okay with any of this. I don’t think he’s okay with turning away his own or sending them to live with vampires, but what other choice is there?”

“Why not just have Thaddeus root through their mind to check them out for Roderick taint and then send them back to their Packs if they’re cleared?”

“Because Nathan’s trust only extends so far,” Sasha said bitterly. “Anyway, like I said, he’s been sending those being rejected our way. Which leads me back to the earlier part of our conversation. You are all welcome in the new pack should you find yourself in need of one.”

The thought intrigued Diego. What might make it more appealing? If a certain vampire hottie would respond to his advances…

“Let’s say I did join… You’re sure I wouldn’t still be considered rogue?” Amir sought reassurance.

“Unless Nathan goes back on his word, then no.” Sasha met Amir’s gaze in the rearview.

“It would be nice for me and Omar to not have to hide anymore.” Amir leaned back in the seat. “We’ve been spending a lot of time on the road trying to avoid any council hunters from finding us. They’re really strict on the unattached lone wolf thing.”

“Not as strict as you think,” Sasha muttered.

“As if you’d know,” Cyrus scoffed.

“I have it on good authority. They don’t tend to bother those who integrate with human society and remain out of trouble. The council has enough shit to worry about without putting out hit squads on behaving wolves.”

“And Omar is invited to join too?” asked Amir, always looking out for his little bro.

“If he wants.”

Diego snorted. “I doubt he’ll join. I get the impression Omar’s just waiting until he can wear Amir down into agreeing to leave. How many times has he asked to go join Lorelei?”

“If Omar doesn’t like it, he can go.” Amir sighed. “It’s past time my brother stood on his own two feet.” A complaint Diego had heard often.

“We’re here,” Sasha announced, parking the SUV alongside a sidewalk.

“Are we sticking together or splitting up?” Amir asked as he slid out of the back.

“Up to you. I’m just here to observe and yank your butts out of trouble if needed. Let’s see what you puppies can do.”

“We can do a lot,” Diego drawled. “But let’s make this more interesting.”

“Interesting how?” Sasha asked.

Despite it being bold and inappropriate, Diego found himself saying, “First one to reach its lair gets a kiss.”

“Only a kiss?” Sasha arched a brow. “Very well, but I say we add one more prize. Whoever kills it gets to spend a night with me in bed.”

Diego blinked. Couldn’t hear above the blood pounding suddenly in his veins. A chance to be with Sasha?

Fuck yeah. “You’re on,” he exclaimed.

What he didn’t expect was how eager his friends would be to win, too.