Page 74 of The Tracker's Revenge

Allison seemed to agree with me because she whispered, “Be quiet. Let’s see what’s happening first.”

Jake clenched his teeth, jaw twitching, and nodded, if reluctantly.

I turned around and slowly turned the knob. Holding my breath, I cracked the door just a fraction and peeked out. Towering over me, Jake did the same. We couldn’t see much but a small section of the adjacent room. A couple of people ran and tripped over each other, but most stood still, their backs to us, their attention focused on one of the exits.

There were more shouts, followed by a spray of bullets. Shrieks of fear and low growls issued back in response.

God!Was Rosalina okay? I couldn’t see her.

Witchlights protect her!

“No one move or they get shot with wolfsbane bullets,” a voice that I immediately recognized rose above all others.

“Stephen,” Jake whispered in my ear.

I nodded.

“Or perhaps they get to meet my little friends,” Stephen added, and, in response, matching bloodcurdling roars made the walls shudder.

“And hybrids,” I said.

My stomach clenched with the memories of the awful beasts, then my anger grew into a living thing, a mass that throbbed inside my chest like a second heart ready to explode.

“How many?” Allison whispered.

I shook my head. I had no idea. I shuddered to think how many more Bernadetta and Stephen had created now that they possessed the dagger again.

I was pondering what we should do next when, behind us, Allison slid the window open. “Let’s get out this way,” she urged. “We may be able to surprise them from the back.”

I eased the door closed, and we followed her without hesitation.

Allison stuck her head out through the open window. “It’s safe,” she said over her shoulder, then dived out as if into a pool. As she hit the grassy lawn she rolled smoothly to her feet, flashing a pair of lace underwear in the process. Jake turned his eyes away, cheeks reddening.

I blew air through my nose and rolled my eyes.Men!

Gathering my dress, I went next. I stuck a leg out through the window, ducked my head, and clumsily slunk out of the room. Jake followed in a similar fashion except with grace despite his bulk.So not fair.

The sun had started to descend, coloring the sky in different hues.

Once we were all out, Allison waved us over as she carefully made her way to one corner of the building. There, she stopped and took a quick peek. Almost as quickly, she pulled back, wincing.

“Not good,” she whispered. “There are about five armed guys blocking the door, along with five more in their wolf shapes.”

“What do they want?” I asked no one in particular, unable to understand why Stephen would do something like this. Why would he disrespect an old man’s funeral? The man he, himself, had murdered?

In answer, Stephen’s loud voice came at us through the window we’d left behind. It was barely discernible, something I wouldn’t have been able to hear without my werewolf abilities.

“Where is Jacob Knight?” he demanded.

Next to me, Jake stiffened.

“What the hell?” I mouthed.

What could Stephen want with Jake?

Another spray of bullets. More screams.

“Where is Jacob Knight?” Stephen shouted again. “Don’t hide, you coward.”