Page 31 of Sergi (Of Blood & Dreams #7)

Chapter Thirty

Devon glanced around the director’s office at the broken furniture and debris littering the floor. There had been a vicious fight, and while some of the damage could be blamed on the aftermath of purposeful destruction, not all of it could. The fresh scent of blood drew his attention to the lab side of the room.

Remus flipped through files, magazines, and books that remained on the desk, tossing the discards to the floor once he’d searched through them. Devon had assumed Remus would go with the team to remove the guards at the stairs, but he sent Beckham, preferring to help search for evidence.

“Let me know if it was a vampire kill or shifter.” Remus picked up the remaining pieces of a laptop. “They did a good job on this. The hard drive looks damaged, but we should have it checked anyway.” He poked around the desk and then the floor before lifting a letter opener. He eyed it curiously. “This has dried blood on it.” He pried the hard drive from the laptop and pocketed it.

Devon glanced down at the body and then over at its head two feet away. He used the toe of his boot to turn it so he could see the face. “Well, I’ll be damned. This is where Venizi stashed him.”

“Who?”

“Boris Gheata. He’s the vampire who killed Boretsky, knocked me out, and injected me with Magic Poppy.”

Remus stepped over the detritus of the office to stand next to Devon. He stared down at the head. “No bite marks, but it could have been a shifter.”

Devon grinned. “I don’t think so. I recognize the method of killing.”

“Sergi?”

Devon chuckled, and it turned into a laugh. “Yes. Thank the gods, Sergi was alive not that long ago.”

Remus tapped him on the shoulder. “We only have another thirty minutes. We should ensure all the shifters are getting out. I’d like to see if any of my wolves survived.”

He didn’t mean the wolves that came with them on the mission. Remus wanted to know if Carlos and any of the previous shifters he’d sent remained alive. Devon didn’t blame him. If there were vampires being held captive, Devon’s first thoughts would be to his Family.

“There’s nothing to keep us here. With all the other labs ransacked and blood vials destroyed we’re lucky to have found one salvageable vial of Magic Poppy. Maybe we can find something off the hard drive.”

Devon gave Gheata’s remains one last look, then turned and jogged after Remus. When they arrived at the closest staircase, only a handful of shifters were coming up. One of the shifters from their original team was quickly directing them down the hallway, where additional team members waited for them.

Devon called Bella on the burner. “What’s the status?”

“It didn’t take long to disarm the guards. There weren’t many of them. Most of the shifters are out, as well as the lab staff. We haven’t found the director. He’s either dead, holed up in one of the panic rooms we can’t open, or the staff is protecting him. We’ll find out soon enough.

“We put the guards in the back of a cargo van that was parked in the garage. It’s been moved several hundred yards down the road. It would be best to have everyone out of the building in the next ten minutes. We don’t know what type of explosives are being used to destroy the facility.”

“We’re at the second staircase. We’ll follow the last ones out.”

When Bella didn’t respond for a moment, he prepared for her to argue with him for remaining behind. She only said, “Roger that,” then hung up.

Devon turned in time to see Remus hugging one of the shifters. When he stepped back, Devon sighed with relief.

Carlos had survived.

An older shifter followed behind, and when he stopped to speak with Remus, Devon thought for a moment The Wolf might collapse, but he straightened with Carlos’s help.

Devon raced over. “What’s happened?”

When Remus couldn’t get any words out, which was odd for him, Carlos shook his head, and Devon didn’t push. The Wolf had gotten some unexpected news, but Devon couldn’t tell if it was good or bad.

“He’ll be alright. We were the last of the shifters.” Carlos pushed them toward the exit. “This is Cadfael, an Alpha who’s been a captive for years.”

Devon shook the shifter’s hand. “I’m Devon.” He directed his next question to Carlos. “Do you know where Sergi is? His tracker showed up a couple of hours ago on the other side of this mountain. If he’d been with the shifters, Bella would have told me.”

“We weren’t sure if Rafael survived or how soon you’d send a larger team. There’s a back door out of the building.”

Two team members moved behind them to push them faster until they were all jogging toward the exit.

Carlos continued to speak as he and Remus helped Cadfael move faster. “Sergi and one of the shifters escaped earlier.”

Carlos glanced at Remus, who, against Cadfael’s protest, lifted the Alpha, and they all ran. By Devon’s watch, they had time, but he sensed the team members’ growing urgency.

Bella waited at the blown-out doorway he and Remus had come through, though most of the shifters were being moved through the garage, which had a wider exit route.

Once they were out, they continued across the parking lot and stopped by a Range Rover parked on the side of the road, close to the cargo van that housed the guards.

Devon surveyed the operation. Dozens of vampires, and he sensed a few humans, in lab coats or plain clothing were being led down the road, all restrained with their hands in front of them.

“Where did you get all the restraints?” Devon asked. “We didn’t bring that many.”

“Rafael found a box of them in one of the supply closets.” Bella looked around and, spotting Carlos, lifted her brows. “Where’s Sergi?” Her tone told him she wouldn’t be happy with bad news.

“You were right. Carlos said Sergi and another shifter escaped out the back.”

“Alex.”

Devon turned when Remus joined them. “Who?”

“Alex.” He wiped at his eyes. “I’m sorry to be so emotional. She’s one of mine. She was part of the first group I sent in search of the lab a year ago.” He grinned and released a pent-up breath. “Ah, I never gave up hope. She’s my niece.”

When he hung his head, Devon squeezed his shoulder. “She sounds like a fighter.”

Remus turned so the other shifters wouldn’t see his emotional state. Devon understood. He’d found himself in a similar situation when he’d learned of his parents’ deaths and came home to find Lyra in a poor mental state. Then again, when Cressa had been kidnapped, and he’d thought she might have been killed. Family did that to a shifter as much as a vampire.

Remus took another moment before straightening and running a hand through this hair, his emotions tucked away. “How do we get everyone out of here?”

“I sent a team to repair the road.” Bella waved at someone, and they nodded before running down the hill. “We found shovels in the garage and expect the road to be passable in two hours.”

“Have you called anyone?” Devon asked.

“I contacted Aramburu to advise of the situation. He’s sending a plane to Brasov.”

“We should contact the Sentinels and Eliminators,” Devon suggested. He wanted Remus’s opinion.

“Can you trust them?” Remus asked.

“I trust they’ll find enough information to begin an inquiry. I don’t trust the Council to do anything with it on its own merit.” Devon wasn’t fooled by what the Council would do. They would most likely see what happened here as Trelane’s widening vengeance on Venizi with an unprovoked attack on House Larkin, a strong ally of Venizi’s. And in retaliation, Venizi had the voice to sway the Council in his favor.

“If this is Larkin’s lab, the Council won’t be happy that it was destroyed.” Bella tapped her hand in a quick staccato against her leg. “This was where the fertility testing was underway.”

Devon grunted. “For a problem the Council created in the first place. But I understand your point. That’s the avenue Venizi will likely take. He’ll want them to believe this is one more example of House Trelane attacking him with no cause. One vial of Magic Poppy won’t do anything to sway the Council today, not without showing our hand. And we’re not ready for that.” He glanced at Remus, who was listening, but The Wolf’s expression hardened as he glanced at the battered shifters moving away from the building. “Sorry, Remus. While the success today lies at the feet of the shifters, I can’t let you take all the heat. At some point, we’ll have to contact the Sentinels.”

Carlos, with Cadfael in tow, interrupted before Remus could respond. “Cadfael has critical information to report. I think it might be timely.”

They turned to the old Alpha, who stood tall, his gaze bright with inner strength. Devon guessed there was great wisdom behind those soulful eyes.

“For the last six years, I’ve only been known as shifter 272. I’ve witnessed many horrific experiments during my time here, but I’ll wait for a more proper time to provide a full report. I heard the guards destroyed the labs and that the building is next.” He dropped his gaze and gave them a reluctant smile. “Sergi and Alex both told me how important it was to find evidence of our mistreatment. The truth of what happened here.” He looked Devon in the eye. “I need you to know Sergi and Alex didn’t leave empty-handed. They had evidence with them.”

Devon perked up. “What kind of evidence?”

The old shifter shrugged. “All I know is that Alex had several vials and a USB drive. She and Sergi were convinced it would reflect part of what the vampires had been working on.”

“Get me a map of the backside of this facility.” Devon needed to get to Sergi. He had to protect whatever they found.

A loud explosion shook the ground, and everyone fought to keep their footing. Devon glanced up, worried the entire mountain might collapse, but soon everything went quiet. All eyes turned toward the lab, and he wasn’t the only one looking up.

A minute passed, then another.

“It appears the explosion didn’t impact the overall structure of the facility,” Remus said.

“It’s best we don’t take a chance. Who knows what impact the explosion might have in a volcanic area.” Devon nodded for Bella to continue.

She placed her tablet on the hood of the Range Rover as everyone gathered around her. The red dot was clearly displayed and was currently stationary. “Sergi hasn’t moved from this spot for the last thirty minutes. With it getting dark, I assume they’ve found shelter until morning.”

“That would be for the best.” Remus tapped the tablet. “This entire area is teeming with wild shifters. They wouldn’t be safe out in the open. Alex knows this from her mission briefing.”

Bella nodded. “Which might explain why Venizi selected this location all those years ago. The terrain on the other side of the mountain is difficult to navigate and has dozens of volcanic springs.”

Devon glanced at Remus. “How do you feel about going after them?”

Remus stared at the map. “A team of six. I suggest the team be half vampire and half shifter. We need to be well-armed. Some of these packs are large.”

“Bella, select four others to go with us. We’ll move out as soon as the road is finished. Once we’ve loaded the shifters from the lab into Aramburu’s plane and it’s back in the air, contact the Sentinels. Let’s not wait for them to interrogate the guards and lab staff. Record the discussions. I want names and faces.”

“And the shifters from the cargo vans?” Bella asked.

Remus pointed to a spot on the map southwest of their location. “I’ll call for my plane to arrive at our predesignated extraction point once we meet up with Sergi and Alex. The shifters taken from European locations should go to Aramburu’s estate with the other shifters. Those from the States will come with us.” Remus looked at Cadfael. “I’d like you to fly back to the States with us, at least for a short time.”

“The Sentinels will want to question the shifters,” Bella said. “Without that, they only have one side of the story.”

“They can be questioned under Aramburu’s presence once Remus gives his approval.” Devon hoped he hadn’t crossed a line with Remus, but the shifter was nodding along.

“There’s a strong shifter presence in Spain. I’ll contact the lead Alpha. Perhaps he can be present to meet the plane. With Aramburu’s agreement, of course.”

“I don’t think that will be a problem. We can call Gregor together.”

They spent the next hour preparing the team for their trek into the woods. Neither Devon nor Remus wanted to wait until morning, but they understood the dangers of being out at night. Since the closest path to the other side of the mountain was near the village, they would follow the road and stop when they found the best trail to cross over. They’d find a place to rest, then begin their trek up the mountain an hour before dawn.

The two leaders gave Bella and Cadfael their final instructions.

“The guards and staff can go without food for now.” Devon had no sympathy after seeing how thin the imprisoned shifters had been. He glanced over at them where they were now running as wolves through the parking lot, darting in and out of the forest. He couldn’t blame them. If he’d been locked up for as long as they’d been, he’d want to sniff everything, stretch his legs, and hunt. Remus confirmed his thoughts.

“Don’t worry,” Remus said. “They’re running in fresh air for the first time in a long time. They’ll run as a pack to find food and return soon. I doubt the wild shifters will go near a pack their size.”

“I’ll call them back when it’s time to leave.” Cadfael looked to Bella.

She nodded. “We still have to finish repairing the road. Once the shifters are back, we’ll leave for Bravos.”

“It will be three or four days before we get back to the village,” Remus added.

Bella, as usual, had the logistics already worked out. “Team One, the vans, and the drivers are still in the village. They’ll wait for you, then you can meet us at the airstrip.”

With the plan set, Devon let Remus round up the rest of their team while he found a spot next to a tree. He pulled out his burner phone and typed a text.

“I miss you.”

It took a minute before the response came.

“Oh, thank god. I was worried. Miss you too.”

“Sergi alive but haven’t caught up yet. Hoping tomorrow or the next day.”

It took a moment before Cressa responded. “Are you okay?”

“Lab destroyed but Sergi has evidence. There were captive sifters. Sending to Gregor for safety.”

“That’s horrible about the shifters. Gregor is a good idea. Are you okay?”

He grinned at her persistence to focus on him. “Today was a good day.”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“Are you sure he’s okay?”

She meant Sergi, and he could only shake his head at their strange relationship. “Can’t be sure, but told he was fine before he escaped.”

“Don’t you dare tell him I asked.”

For the first time since they started this mission, he laughed out loud. They would find Sergi, and everything would be okay.