Blood Trail

His head suddenly become too heavy to lift.
    "Got you now, you son of a bitch." The poison had been guaranteed. Mark was pleased to see he'd got his money's worth. Wincing, he reached over his shoulder and his hand came away red. Staying carefully out of range, just in case, he spat on the floor by the creature's face. "I hope it hurts like hell."

    Maybe . . . if I howl. . . they'll hear me. . . .

    Then the convulsions started and it was too late.

Fifteen
    "... I don't know! He's been acting so strangely lately!"

    Stuart and Nadine exchanged glances over Rose's head. Nadine opened her mouth to speak but her mate's expression caused her to close it again. Now was not the time for explanations.

    "Rose." Celluci came out of the office and walked quickly across the kitchen, until he could gaze directly into the girl's face. "This is important. Besides the family, Vicki, Mr. Fitzroy, and myself, who did Peter talk with today?"

    He knows something, Henry thought. I should never have let him take that call.

    Rose frowned. "Well, he talked to the mechanic at the garage, Dr. Dixon, Dr. Levin - the one who took over from Dr. Dixon, she was at his house for a while - um, Mrs. Von Thome, next door to Dr. Dixon, and somebody driving by up on the road, but I didn't see who."

    "Did you see the car?"

    "Yeah. It was black, mostly, with gold trim and fake gold spokes on the wheels." Her nose wrinkled. "A real poser's car." Then her expression changed again as she read Celluci's reaction. "That's the one you were waiting for, wasn't it? Wasn't it?" She stepped toward him, teeth bared. "Where's Peter? What's happened to my brother?"

    "I think," Stuart said flatly, coming around from behind his niece, "you'd better tell us what you know."

    Only Henry had some idea of the conflict Celluci was going through and he had no sympathy for it. The question of law versus justice could have only one answer. He watched the muscles on Celluci's back tense and heard his heartbeat quicken.

    Everything in Celluci's training said he leave them with an ambiguous answer and take care of this himself. If werewolves expected to be treated like the rest of society, within the law, then they couldn't act outside the law. And if the only way he could do his duty was to fight his way out of this house. ... his hands curled into fists.

    A low growl began to build in Stuart's throat.

    And Rose's.

    And Nadine's.

    Henry stepped forward. He'd had enough.

    Then Daniel began to whimper. He threw himself on his mother's legs and buried his face in her skirt. "Peter's gonna get killed!" The fabric did little to muffle the howl of a six-year-old child who only understood one small part of what was going on.

    Celluci looked down at Daniel, who seemed to have an uncanny knack for bringing the focus back to the important matters, then over at Rose. "Can't you let me take care of this?" he asked softly.

    She shook her head, panic beginning to build. "You don't understand."

    "You can't understand," Nadine added, clutching at Daniel so tightly he squirmed in her grasp.

    Celluci saw the pain in the older woman's eyes, pain that cut and twisted and would continue far longer than anyone should be forced to endure. His decision might possibly keep that pain from Rose.

    "Carl Biehn was an Olympic marksman. His nephew, Mark Williams, drives a black and gold jeep."

    Rose's eyes widened. "If he was talking to Peter this afternoon ..." She whirled, her sundress hit the floor, and Cloud streaked out of the kitchen and into the night.

    "Rose, no!" Unencumbered by the need to change, Henry raced after her before Stuart, still caught in challenge with Celluci, began to react.

    Jesus Christ! Nobody moves that fast! Celluci grabbed Stuart's arm as Henry disappeared into the night. "Wait!" he barked. "I need you to show me the way to Carl Biehn's farm."

    "Let me go, human!"

    "Damn it, Stuart, the man's got guns. He's taken Henry out once already! Charging in will only get everyone shot. We can get there before them in my car."

    "Don't count on it." Stuart laughed but the sound held no humor. "And this is our hunt. You have no right to be there."

    "Take him, Stuart!" Nadine's tone left no room for her mate to argue. "Think of after."

    The male wer snarled but after an instant he yanked his arm free of Celluci's hold and started for the door. "Come on, then."

    After? Celluci wondered as the two of them charged across the lawn. Mary, Mother of God, they want me