Valkyrie's Vengeance_Loki's Wolves Page 4

  Victoria opened her mouth to deliver a sharp reprimand, but Sylvie beat her to it. "Morena, bite your tongue! How dare you speak such blasphemy."

  Their communion surged with the disapproval of the adult wolves. Rand and Paul contributed their full strength to the consensus, but they left the decision to the Alpha. With minimal effort, Victoria nurtured the discordant note until it reached a crescendo. A nudge sent it crashing over Morena.

  Before the will of her elders, the teenager's defiance crumpled. Her gaze dropped to the ground, and her shoulders slumped. Her voice quavered as she apologized. "I'm sorry. I'm scared. I just want to go home, but there's no home to go to anymore."

  Victoria traded a sorrowful glance with Sylvie. Morena had lost her parents and her older brother in the Phoenix massacre.

  They'd all lost someone.

  Sylvie approached Morena and placed her arm over the girl's shoulder. "Shhh, it's okay, sweetie. I know you're upset but you can't lash out like that, especially against our goddess."

  Red with embarrassment, Jasper scooted off the tailgate and edged toward Paul. All three of the pack's males suddenly seemed to find the sky interesting. Victoria wasn't much more comfortable. Morena's outburst mirrored her private doubts all too closely.

  "We should talk about splitting up again," Victoria said. "It would be in everyone's best interests."

  Heads jerked her way, expressions ranging from shock to outrage.

  Rand stomped his good foot. "No. No fucking way. I promised your father I'd look out for you."

  "Listen, please." Victoria held up staying hands, and at the same time, exerted her will over the pack bond to soothe volatile tempers and ease fears. "We all know Jake Barrett is only after me. If we approach one of the other packs, I'm sure they'd accept refugees. Rand, your brother is Alpha of–"

  Rand growled deep in his chest. "Don't mention that bastard to me! Ever."

  Fuming, Victoria shut her mouth. Stupid, stubborn male egos would be the end of them all. "Fine. There are other packs. The children would be safe. Sophia could have her puppies in a proper den..."

  Cradling the back of Morena's head, Sylvie glared at her. "Our answer now is the same as it was last week, Victoria Svana Storm. We won't be leaving you, and you won't be leaving us. We're family."

  United in their resolve, the pack put their foot down, a force to be reckoned with. They were solidly loyal to her. Bashful pleasure bubbled up inside of her. Despite everything, a smile tugged at the corners of Victoria's mouth. She might be Alpha, but her father had always said a wise leader bowed to the will of his people.

  She schooled her voice to a let's-get-going tone and clapped her hands together. "Well, since that's settled, let's figure out how we're going to locate Michael. It'll be faster if we split up. I want to check out the library to see if there's anything in the local newspaper about his disappearance. Showing up and asking at the police station would attract too much suspicion. Everyone else should stay together."

  A warm blast of approval radiated from the others. Thankfully, her people were a practical lot. They returned to business as usual.

  Sylvie patted Morena on the back and then tilted away. "We should all stay together. Our strength is in our numbers." She clenched her arms across her chest.

  As quick as a whip, Morena leapt onto the lowered tailgate and Jasper returned to his spot beside her.

  Paul itched at the gray scruff on his jaw with his good hand. "Victoria's making the best compromise she can between protecting the pack and trying to save this boy."

  "I don't object to saving the boy, but we have our own children to look after." Sylvie sent a pointed glance toward Morena and Jasper. "We have another month or so before Sophia births her cubs. She and her pups will need a den to hole up in for the first month. It will be another two months before they are able to travel."

  "I haven't forgotten," Victoria said softly. "I will find a safe place for the pups. I promise."

  "I vote with Victory." Absently, the burly redhead reached down and scratched the top of Sophia's head.

  Sophia opened her mouth wide and whined with pleasure. Then the gray wolf rolled onto her back for belly rubs.

  Victoria scowled. "This isn't a democracy."

  "It's a Victorocracy!" Morena piped up with a bright, false smile. Dark blues streaked her aura, blending into stormy gray clouds.

  Jasper dug his elbow into her side. "That's stupid!"

  Morena punched him in the arm. "Is not! Eres estúpido!"

  "Is so!" Jasper took a playful swing at the girl.

  Laughing, the pair tumbled across the truck bed, wrestling for dominance. Morena and Jasper shared the lowest status within the pack: Omega, the least dominant wolves. Their youth kept them from establishing a respectable rank in the pack. A perpetual state of rivalry existed between them.

  Watching the teens, Victoria rolled her eyes and smothered a smile. She did her best to appear disapproving, but her amusement spread and touched the others. Soon, every adult grinned while the oblivious teens squabbled.

  "Look, I understand the situation is dire." Victoria met the gazes of each individual in turn, but she addressed them as a whole. "The hunters have us far outnumbered and outgunned. If the pack is to survive, we have to avoid any more confrontations, even though it goes against our nature. We are descended from the great wolf-god Fenrir. We are Vikings."

  "Aye, we are." Rand flashed a fierce smile that showed off all his teeth. He pumped his fist in a punching gesture, reinforcing the message. His bolstered morale blended seamlessly with hers.

  "We are also Blackfoot," Sylvie said, making a gesture inclusive of both she and her husband.

  Paul rumbled deep in his throat. "First and foremost, we're wolves. Sylvie, my love, we are an honorable people. At the behest of our goddess, this spirit has sought our help to save her son. If we abandon a helpless child, we are no better than cowards."

  Sylvie stared into her mate's eyes. Her face flushed, then a reluctant smile curved her lips. "You are right, my love. We must save the child."

  Suspicion edged Victoria's thoughts. Sylvie was seldom swayed from her views. She wondered if the Skald had played devil's advocate on purpose. Whatever the case, the weight on her shoulders lifted, and she breathed easier. Of course, she could have issued a command, but handing down orders did not suit her. She preferred to have her pack's cooperation and consent.

  "Can I come along?" Jasper squirmed, giving the impression he might burst at any second.

  Morena elbowed him in the side. "No fair. I want to go!"

  Jasper slapped her arm away. "I called it first!"

  "I'm older," Morena shot back.

  Victoria frowned. "No, it's too dangerous. Both of you are staying here."

  "That's not fair!" Denied the opportunity to prove himself, Jasper succumbed to anger and disappointment. His volatile emotions roiled through the empathic connection.

  Rand rumbled with deep laughter. "I'll go with you."

  "That works." Victoria agreed with an eager gleam in her blue eyes. If she had to have a wingman, she preferred Rand. Even with a prosthetic leg, the brawny redhead fought better than both of the teen werewolves put together.

  "Good, we're agreed." Victoria addressed the entire pack. "Rand and I will start with the library and then proceed from there. Everyone else needs to stick together and maintain a low profile. Stay close to the vehicles. If things go south, be ready to leave at a moment's notice. If we get separated, we'll meet up in Santa Fe."

  Chapter 4

  In the downtown area, Albuquerque's Main Library offered convenient hours and access to public computers. Hunched over a keyboard, Victoria searched the Internet for information on the missing children.

  Rand peered over her shoulder. The huge redhead occupied a wheeled office chair that squeaked and groaned beneath his weight.

  "Will you stop breathing down the back of my neck?" She moused over the most promising result and clicked on the hyper
link. A painfully slow data load began.

  "I'm not."

  "You are."

  He chuckled. "What's got you madder than a wet hen?"

  "I'm not." Victoria shot a glare at him.

  Rand's mouth stretched into a crocodile smile.

  The news site finally loaded, so she returned her attention to the screen. She read the article and summarized for her companion. "This was published in the Friday morning edition. June Fraiser was murdered sometime Thursday night. It says her six-year-old son, Michael, is believed to have been abducted by the same person who killed his mother."

  "Does it say anything we don't already know?"

  Only the tightness choking Rand's characteristically lazy drawl hinted at inner turmoil. She recognized his restrained anger. His reaction closely mirrored her own emotions.

  Squinting, she continued reading with furious intent. The tension between her and Rand built to an intense pitch rather like the droning buzz of a mosquito. He remained silent and waited for her to finish without making further interruptions.

  Huffing, she sat back in her chair. Dread filled her gut, her worst suspicions confirmed. "More than one child has been abducted."

  A growl rumbled in the Beta wolf's throat. "How many?"

  "Four over the course of two weeks. Michael was the most recent." She committed the abducted children's names to memory and printed the article.

  "Have they found any..." Rand's voice crunched like crushed glass.

  "Not yet. We may be able to save them." Victoria offered a silent prayer to Freya. She opened a new tab in the web browser and performed another search of an online directory. The results yielded a home address for the murdered woman. She sent a second job to the printer.

  "I’ll grab those." Rand rose from his chair.

  "Thanks." Victoria hastily closed out the web client and logged out.

  They joined up again in the main lobby and left the library just after 3:00 p.m. A glance passed between them, and silent communication flowed across the pack bond. His question. Her affirmation.

  Furry brows arched, Rand nodded.

  Concordance resonated between them like a single perfect note. By mutual consent, they climbed into the pickup and headed to the crime scene.

  The second-story walkway overlooked the complex's courtyard which was made of red pavers. Thorny bushes and weeds crowded lava rock-filled planters. The buildings showed signs of considerable disrepair–peeling paint and drooping siding. Potholes pockmarked the parking lot, and graffiti covered the surrounding walls. The tenement was located less than a mile from where she had encountered the murdered woman's spirit.

  "Two-twenty-two. This is it." Rand stopped, eyeing the trio of tarnished brass twos that hung off-center above the mail slot.

  "Yeah, this is it." She knocked on the red door.

  "Forty-eight hours is a long time for a little boy to be alone with a killer." Following a short delay, he tried knocking also.

  "Yes, it is." Victoria shuddered.

  Rand had just voiced her darkest fears. Her blood ran cold at the thought of a terrified child in the hands of a monster. Freya's vision haunted her, especially the frightened cries of youngsters.

  "Looks like no one’s home." He reached out and twisted the door knob which didn't open. "It's locked. Should we force the door?"

  Victoria chewed her lower lip while she considered. She had been raised in the suburbs as part of a middle-class family. Her worst criminal offense to date was speeding. She had no idea how to pick a lock and had certainly never trespassed on a murder scene before. Of course, she and Rand were both strong enough to bust the door down, but she was uncomfortable doing so.

  She bent and lifted the welcome mat. "Maybe there's a hidden key."

  Rand snorted. "We should be so lucky."

  "I've got nothing." She lowered the mat into position. She balanced on the tips of her toes and tried to reach the top of the doorframe, but it proved just out of her reach.

  He snickered. "Don't strain yourself, little buddy."

  "Watch it, Rand." She bared her teeth in a warning snarl. She had never lived down the fact that she had reached her full height of less than five feet at the age of twelve.

  "Damn, Victory, no need to be so fucking sensitive about your height. No one minds you being an itty-bitty–"

  Victoria jammed her elbow into his side. "Shut up."

  "Ouch. Fuck!" Holding a protective arm over his ribcage, Rand flashed a shit-eating grin. He ran his free hand along the top of the doorframe.

  "One more smart remark about my height, and I'll ram that peg leg up your ass."

  "Hey, now. No need for violence." His face lit with the delight of discovery. "Ah-ha!"

  Her brow shot up. "Really?"

  Rand held up a brass key. "Oh yes. Really."

  "Dumb luck." She smothered a grin. She enjoyed Rand's company. Although he had forty-six years to her twenty-four, she felt closer to him than Morena and Jasper. Life, and particularly recent experiences, had aged her beyond her years.

  He inserted the key into the lock before he hesitated. "Not sure it's right to enter a police crime scene. I hope we don't mess nothin' up."

  "Don't worry. It’s not an active forensic investigation scene or there would be an officer posted. After the police are done, they leave it to the property owners to clean up."

  Rand shot her a perplexed glance. "How do you know that?"

  Her voice flatlined. "I dated a cop for a year."

  He winced. "Oh, yeah. Sorry."

  "It's okay." She shrugged. If Rand knew she was lying, he kept his mouth shut for a change. She was grateful for his rare discretion.

  Daniel had worked as a Sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona. He'd been gone just over two weeks, and his death still didn't feel real to her. Every morning she woke and opened her eyes, expecting to be in her own bed, to roll over and see his dark head resting on the pillow beside her. Her heart ached as though it had been cut from her breast. The deaths of her parents and so many others compounded her pain until she had emotionally shut down. The pack needed her to remain strong, so she chose numbness over grief and focused on survival.

  Rand shoved the door open and entered the apartment first. He cocked his head, nostrils flaring and nose twitching. "Yeah, someone sure as hell died in here."

  Following on his heels, she gagged when the revolting scent of decay assailed her sensitive nose. A wave of nausea swept over her. "Hit the lights."

  "Yeah, gimme a sec." His hand slapped the wall a couple times before he found the light switch beside the door, and a dim table lamp came on. The illumination sent dozens of cockroaches skittering along the floor and walls.

  Victoria's expression twisted into a grimace. She followed Rand inside and closed the door behind them. The small apartment had a galley-style kitchen, one bedroom off the living area, and one bathroom. The dried out husk of a Christmas tree stood sandwiched between an old television and a bloodstained couch. There was no mantle, so two felt stockings dangled from the kitchen counter. One still had a dollar-store tag attached.

  "June must have died here." She bent to touch a couch cushion. She skimmed the gummy surface and her fingers came away dry. She spotted a curious bloodstain on the carpet and knelt to inspect it. The basic shape suggested a cloven hoof. A trail of similar marks led toward the bedroom.

  "Whatcha lookin' at?"

  "Are these footprints?" She pointed to the stains.

  Rand's brow pinched. "Sure as hell looks like it."

  Victoria's lips compressed, and she lowered her face to floor level. She inhaled deeply, and a pungent scent filled her nostrils. "I smell goat. I think."

  Rand pressed his face to the ground and closed his eyes, huffing deep breaths while he learned the smell. He looked up and frowned. "I'd say bighorn sheep."

  She snickered. "You like sheep, don't you, Rand?"

  "Hey!" Rand's head reared back, and he took a lazy-pawed swipe at her which she easily dod
ged. Laughter rolled from the big redhead.

  She stood and followed the trail toward the bedroom. "What sort of goat-scented monster murders mothers and steals children?"

  "Beats the hell out of me," Rand said, scratching his beard. "Satyr, maybe?"

  "This isn't Greece." She leaned into the apartment's single bathroom. She switched on the light and gave the room a cursory inspection: one sink, a toilet, and a bathtub-shower combo.

  "How should I know?" Rand rolled his massive shoulders. "I've fought vampires and the occasional demon. Saw a kachina spirit once outside of Flagstaff, but it wasn't harming anyone, so we let it be."

  "Smart man." As she returned to the hallway, she caught him giving her a peculiar look. The corner of his mouth curled upward, so his eye pulled into a squint. She stopped. "What is it?"

  "Running into Jake Barrett has got you in a snit," he said with uncanny astuteness.

  She winced and bristled, feeling unaccountably defensive. "The man and his hunters murdered my parents and most of our pack. Of course I'm unsettled. I shouldn't have to remind you."

  Following Daniel's death, Victoria had taken his corpse to the Barrett residence. Sawyer greeted her with guarded curiosity until he saw the condition of his brother's body. Without waiting for an explanation, he grabbed a shotgun and attacked her. She barely escaped with her life. The incident had set the hunters and wolves, allies of thirty years, on the brink of war.

  The next day, Victoria's parents and most of the adults of her pack had met with Jake Barrett at a private airstrip outside Phoenix. Her father had ignored her objections and forbidden her to attend. He ordered her to escort the pack's young, infirm, and vulnerable members to safety. Rand accompanied Victoria as her second-in-command.

  None of her pack mates who attended that fateful meeting ever returned. All were dead, including her mother and father. No one except maybe Jake Barrett knew exactly what happened. The news stations carried a story about the explosion of a fuel truck at the airstrip. Allegedly, the resulting fire killed dozens, including human hunters. Following her Alpha's orders, Victoria took the people under her protection and ran.