Page 13 of Into the Dawn (The Devil’s Claw #3)

13

BEN

S quinting as the sunlight bounces off the untinted glass, I settle into the worn, ripped leather seat of Jed's truck. It stinks like stale beer and cigarettes, and the roof is stained a disgusting yellow.

My beast's heightened senses pick up other scents too, like old blood, fear, and rage. This truck has seen violence before. The leather under my fingers is cracked and stained in ways that tells stories of past "passengers."

Through our mate bond, I can still feel Vanessa's turmoil, her determination. The memory of her standing in that cabin surrounded by our shared memories while betraying me to these men makes my beast restless. But there's a plan forming in my mind, one that will ensure these men never threaten her, or anyone else I care about, ever again.

Vanessa's father slides into the driver's seat, and Jed grumbles, handing over the keys through the open window, not taking kindly to his father constantly putting him in his place and showing him who's the boss.

My beast catalogs every movement, every micro-expression. Rusty favors his left side slightly, a previous injury perhaps, or maybe just age. His breath catches when he turns too quickly. Jed's right hand trembles when he's angry; a tell we could use later.

It's an interesting dynamic.

Jed is no match for the older man, but I can see the greedy gleam in his eyes, and the way he bristles every time his father asserts his dominance. He doesn't like being number two. My beast notes their weaknesses, their divisions. These men are strong individually, but they don't trust each other. That's something I can use.

The engine starts, and I force myself to keep my eyes forward and not to look for Vanessa as we pull away and roll toward town. Every instinct screams to protect my mate, but I push it down. She's stronger than they know. Then I knew, until I saw her stand up to them this morning.

With the front windows rolled down, I get a blast of fresh mountain air and the heat of the sun on my face. The scents of the forest, pine, earth, and wild game flood my senses. Under it all, I catch traces of other animals marking territory, their paths crossing and recrossing. Useful information for later.

Closing my eyes, I soak it in, knowing this might be the last of the outside world I get to see for a while.

The white-hot fury I felt at their plans for Vanessa fades away, replaced by a sense of serene calm. The kind of calm that comes before a storm, before a predator strikes.

I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be, and I'm going to do what the fates put me here for. It's all so clear now.

Watching Vanessa's dad's hands gripping the steering wheel, I size up his strength and how hard he'd be to take down if I made a move. The scars on his knuckles speak of experience, but also age. He's big, but more than that, you know he'll do anything to win. Fighting dirty is not something he'd be ashamed of.

I knew he was horrible to her. I knew her family was a bunch of despicable people, but this is on a whole other level, to use a woman's desire to have a child to force her into a relationship she doesn't want.

Through our bond, I feel Vanessa's resolve strengthening, matching my own growing certainty that these men won't live to see their plans through.

And with someone who undoubtedly is going to be vile, just like her father.

I watch Jed, his leg bouncing up and down, his fingers drumming against his knee, and I wonder if he isn't equally unhappy about this turn of events. Perhaps Vanessa giving her dad grandchildren somehow solidifies her, and her future mate's position within the family hierarchy, leaving him a little bit out in the cold. His anxiety is obvious in every movement, every darting glance. Another weakness to exploit.

Not that it matters to me.

Absolute certainty washes over me as I stare back and forth between the two men who care so little about my mate, their own flesh and blood, that they would gladly trade her like a piece of meat amongst their cronies.

My beast categorizes their scents, memorizes their movements. As sure as I know my own name, I know I don't need to worry about what's going to happen to Vanessa, because I'm going to kill both these men.

Whatever that means for me, I don't know. And frankly, right now, I don't care, so long as she's safe.

"You're quiet over there." Jed sneers, sensing my eyes on him. "Feeling nervous? Or just stupid at falling for such an obvious honey trap?"

Quickly glancing toward his father, who's concentrating on the road, I snap out my fist, clocking Jed square in the jaw. The satisfying crunch of cartilage under my knuckles sends a wave of pleasure through my beast.

His head snaps back, and I take great pleasure in the bead of blood that drips from his nose before quickly turning into a torrent. The metallic scent fills the cab.

That was entirely for Vanessa's benefit, but I pretend otherwise.

"Don't call me fucking stupid. I'm not the one who got my ass handed to me by a man who didn't even know he was a Lycan, and my tiny little cousin, who was already practically dead."

How Griffin and Kali escaped their attack is beyond me, but the mate bond is a powerful thing, and despite being injured, Kali still managed to kill one of the men who came after her before escaping. Thankfully, we got to them before Jed and his buddies could get close to them again.

"She murdered my fucking best friend," Jed shouts. The truck swerves slightly as Rusty reacts to the commotion.

"Self-defense isn't murder. And if you think you're big and bold enough to run a clan, you better find some friends who can fight." My beast notes how easily Jed loses control, how his rage makes him sloppy.

This time, I get a bitter laugh from the front.

"The man's got a point. If he was stupid enough to let a half-dead blind bitch get the jump on him, maybe he deserved what he got."

Jed looks like he's about to explode. He folds his arms over his chest like a child sulking after a temper tantrum and sits back in his seat. He's not going to get any support from his father here. My bet is the old man didn't sanction the attack, and he was happy to see Jed get knocked down a peg or two. Another crack in their relationship I can wedge open.

His dad turns to look over his shoulder at me briefly, giving me another glimpse of that weak left side.

"But Ben, keep your hands to yourself, or I swear to god, I'll cut them off."

There's no humor in that comment. I have no doubt that he'll keep his word, so I raise my hands in surrender and place them back calmly in my lap. "Yes, sir."

My beast catalogs the threat, adding it to the growing list of reasons these men need to die.

"Sir? No need for formalities son, not when we're going to be getting to know each other really well. Rusty will do."

I watch Jed rub his jaw and enjoy the red mark I left behind, and the way he sits uncomfortably after his head whipped back like that. I think I've made my point.

Through our bond, I feel Vanessa's satisfaction at her brother's pain.

"You should have cuffed him," Rusty comments. "He knows he can't take me, but you're an easy target."

Jed seethes. His oversight is an obvious one, and he really hates being called out on it. How this man thinks he'd make a better clan leader than his father is beyond me. He clearly has delusions of grandeur. My nose picks up the sharp scent of his humiliation.

We fall into the exact opposite of companionable silence as Jed's father guides the truck along narrow roads, turning off the main street on the far side of town and driving toward a high fence. It's almost hidden by lush green trees, but the gates roll back to the sides as we approach, two men on each side, giving Jed's father a nervous salute as he passes. Their eyes immediately land on me, widening slightly in surprise as they see a member of the King family being brought into their midst.

My beast memorizes their scents, their positions. Four guards, poorly stationed, too close together to effectively cover the gate. Another weakness. They’re lazy and cocky, which is a dangerous combination.

Jed gives them an evil smirk, and they grin back, already seemingly aware of what's likely to happen to me. The stench of their anticipation fills the air.

Somehow, I doubt this is their first rodeo.

Maybe this clan regularly drags people into their compound and puts them down, gladiator style. Maybe this is how they train. Maybe this is how they spend their Saturday nights. Popcorn and a fight to the death.

The thought should worry me, but instead, it just feeds my determination. These men won't hurt anyone else after today.

I remain focused, trying to memorize the geography of the land, and any significant landmarks, doing something helpful rather than panicking. The compound sprawls across several acres, buildings scattered in what looks like random placement but probably isn't. My beast notes defensive positions, escape routes, and places where shadows will provide cover when night falls.

"You said there's someone you want me to see?"

Nobody says anything, and for a moment, I think they're not going to answer until Rusty looks back, observing me closely as he announces the name that I already knew I'd hear.

"John," he says simply.

I try to look the perfect blend of surprised and infuriated, knowing full well that if he thinks Vanessa has already told me, it could put our plan in jeopardy. We can't seem too buddy-buddy.

Through our bond, I feel Vanessa's anxiety spike at the mention of John.

Jed's father stares at me, tilting his head to the side, maybe not completely convinced by my reaction. "Tell me, Ben, how did my daughter lure a smart guy like you to her cabin in the middle of nowhere without divulging that we have your father locked up in our compound?"

I stare at him hard and lift one shoulder in a stubborn shrug then return to staring out the window.

"I guess I'm just a sucker for a great rack." The words taste bitter on my tongue, but they seem to do the trick as Rusty lets out a dark laugh and shifts in his seat.

My beast snarls internally at speaking about our mate that way, but sometimes, the best way to hide is in plain sight.

"I hope it was worth it."

Oh, it will be. My beast's certainty fills me as I memorize every detail of the compound, every weakness these men reveal. By the time this is over, they'll understand exactly what kind of predator they've brought into their midst.

The King’s are no ordinary beasts. There’s a reason my brother is so feared. And though I’m outwardly more friendly and affable, my beast is not.

Especially when it comes to those who belong to him.