Dragonfury 02 - Fury of Ice

gone more than skin deep. It had cut him wide open inside. Now the wound festered, revving up his need to get even.
    Rolling his shoulders, he mind-spoke to his warriors circling overhead. “Wait for me. I’ll be half an hour.”
    He got a bunch of “roger thats” from the males flying with him.
    “Need some help?” Denzeil asked, sounding hopeful.
    “Stay outside.”
    “Have fun,” D said, the grumble in his voice undeniable.
    Lothair’s mouth curved as he watched his friend fly overhead, looking for a place to roost. Unlocking the patio door with his mind, he slid it open and strode over the threshold. He took a deep breath, drawing the female’s scent into his lungs, and scanned the shadows. As he swept the scene, he picked up details. No one in the living room or kitchen, but a cell phone sat on the granite countertop. Plugged into its charger, the light blinked on and off, sending a piercing green light through the dimness.
    He took it as a good sign. Humans never went anywhere without their cell phones. It was an unwritten rule or something. Either that or an addiction. If they didn’t have the stupid things plastered to their ears, their fingers were busy clicking on keyboards. The whole race was a step away from a catastrophic bout of brain tumors.
    Which would be good. If the assholes all died of cancer, Ivar could get out of his lab. Concentrate less on his superbugs and more on hunting.
    Lothair pivoted and went right. Double doors lead into the bedroom where he wanted to be, but still, no Tania. Just a magazine on the silk coverlet. He checked the bathroom and frowned. No sign of her.
    He rolled through the apartment again, opening cupboard doors, checking closets, wondering if she was hiding. He picked up her iPhone and scrolled through the history but found no clues. She was gone.
    Lothair’s temper surged and magic swirled, exploding in a wave as rage took hold. Grabbing the edge of a cabinet door, he tore the wood panel off its hinges and hurled it across the kitchen, then repeated the process. Leaving nothing but kindling in his wake, he leapt over the island. He landed in the living room and attacked the couch, ripping holes in leather cushions. Stuffing flew like confetti, spilling all over the place while his heart hammered and his fists flew. After he was done, he ransacked her bedroom, tearing her mattress in two, bending the metal bed frame in half. And the rampage went on and on. The bathroom sink exploded with a knuckle-bruising punch. Vases smashed against walls, glass shards flying like shrapnel. Tables got upended. Mirrors shattered. All while he cursed the female who’d ruined his plan.
    First the she-cop. Now Tania.
    His chest pumping with exertion, Lothair stared at the shattered bathroom mirror. His reflection splintered like a sunburst, heading in multiple directions. His eyes narrowed as fury receded and mind sharpened, laying out a plan like playing cards on a table.
    After a minute, he snarled, “D.”
    “Yeah, boss?”
    “Go home.” Uncurling his hands, Lothair raised one and examined his bruised knuckles. “Fire up your fucking system and find Tania Solares. Track her recent credit card receipts, the GPS in her car…whatever. Get me a trail to follow.”
    Hearing the pissed off in his voice, Denzeil didn’t argue. The sound of wings flapping came through mind-speak as the male took flight. “Ten-four. I’ll hit you up when I find something.”
    Of course the male would…if he knew what was good for him. The warrior’s self-preservation instinct had always been bang-on accurate. Too bad Denzeil couldn’t find Rikar for him. He would rip the Nightfury’s head off as soon as—
    Lothair jolted as a tingle slid over the nape of his neck. He stopped breathing, trying to get a handle on the signal, and…oh, happy day. He recognized the energy beacon. The she-cop. Angela Keen was out from beneath the Nightfuries’ thumb and on the move.
    Closing his eyes, he turned a slow circle. Wood splinters and ceramic tile crunched beneath his boots as he mined her energy, tracking the source. North…northwest. Near the coastline. Yes, that was definitely her.
    Lothair’s hum of satisfaction turned into a growl. It looked like the night hadn’t been a total waste after all. The female was out on her own.
    Time to unleash hell. And a shitload of payback.

     
    Throwing Angela’s old energy beacon out with supernova intensity, Rikar set down on the lip of a steep rock