The Lion's Den (27 page)

“
Maybe shifters who’ve drank vampire blood to live longer don’t tell other shifters about it. I mean, it’s not like the guy revealed his secret to Richard. If I’d done something like that, I wouldn’t tell either and I wouldn’t reveal my age simply for the sake of taking the advantage in battle. It’s best to let your enemy underestimate you,” Ignacio said.

“
I guess it would have to be a really old vampire for that little trick to work?” Ryan asked, not sure.

“
I would think so. No offense intended, but I don’t think my strength would increase if I drank from John,” Ignacio speculated.

“
None taken,” John scoffed. “So Richard may not be able to take out this shifter, but Darian can. I think Natasha was onto something. Maybe we don’t need to know where their nest is. Adan and his Pride might have to be the decoy, whether they like the idea or not. Since they were this coven’s original target, chances are Marcus will follow them just to keep tabs. Some of us will go with you. Hopefully, you’ll draw out Marcus and him alone. We all gang up on him and kill him. I don’t think he’d be able to take us all. His death may draw out his coven, then we can take care of them, too.”

Sergio shrugged one shoulder. “It’s an enhancement on the other plan, might work. We were so focused on finding their hiding place, we didn’t really think about it that way, so I’m game.”

“
That might be the only chance we have left,” April said.

“
Hold on, wait a minute. I’ve seen this vampire in action, and I don’t think your plan is going to work either,” Shannon said, a frown on her face.

“
Why is that?” John asked, growing annoyed with Shannon as well.

“
Well because he can spy on us and never attack. Your plan is based on if he attacks us,” Shannon said, punching a hole in John’s plan.

“
Well then maybe you should all sit out in the open at a park and if he attacks you, push your panic button and we’ll come in a jiffy,” Carmen remarked.

“
I see you have time for jokes. Glad you find the humor in this situation,” Shannon retorted.

“
I think I speak for everyone when I say, there’s nothing funny about this shit. We didn’t ask for this
ü
ber-powerful fuck to start threatening us, killing in our territory, but you brought him to us. It’s time for you to hold up your end to solving your own problem,” Adrian said. “You have yet to offer anything but complaints.”

“
You know what, if it wasn’t us, it could have been you,” Shannon argued.

“
It is us, now, thanks to you!” Christopher blurted out in frustration.

“
Besides, he may want to toy with you, just to prove he can. I’m still hoping we can get something from them I can connect to,” Natasha said.

“
And he may not, your ideas are stupid,” Shannon said, holding onto her resolve.

“
Bitch, you’ve got one more time to insult us and Marcus is going to have one less shifter to kill,” Nicole threatened.

“
Enough! Mon Dieu! Can we stop the arguing!?” Elise silenced everyone.

Sergio looked at Elise, he knew whenever she slipped into speaking French she was extremely upset and frustrated.

“
The plan won’t work … ,” Darian’s voice trailed off.

“
What’s the problem, Darian?” Natasha asked.

“
If Marcus feels as though he’s being overpowered, he could simply fly away. Or if he sees the other’s with you, he could choose not to engage you in battle as Shannon stated,” Darian said, “Marcus is as wise as he is sadistic. And even if we escort you safely out of town, what does that mean for the rest of us? Marcus may choose to stay, or may choose to contnue to hunt Adan’s Pride down, or he may

”

“
Okay, I think we get it,” Sergio said. “Well, are we back to square one?”

“
I think so. It was a long shot to begin with. Marcus probably would have sensed it as a trap in the first place,” Xavier said. “Besides, he doesn’t attack in the daytime remember? And at night, he’s with his coven.”

The others looked at him, dejected.

“
Great, just great! That makes me feel much better!” Shannon threw her hands upward, relieved.

“
So we’re back to sitting it out and waiting?” Devin asked.

“
Looks like. Besides if we leave to escort and aide Adan and his Pride, who’s to say Marcus won’t take the opportunity to slaughter Darian and his coven while they rest?“ Tatiana stated, breaking her long silence.

“
Yeah, yeah, you’re right, bad idea, baaad idea,” John said, nodding in agreement. He did not like the possibility of being killed in his resting state, once was enough as far as he was concerned.

Shannon began to cry. “What are we going to do?” she sobbed.

Adan rose from his seat making his way toward her. He placed his hands on her shoulders, urging her to look up at him. She did.

“
Shannon, I know you’re scared, and it’s okay. However, none of us can afford to have you breaking down right now. The time has come for us to fight. I need you strong, do you understand?” Adan’s eyes were locked on hers.

Shannon wiped her tears with the back of her hand. She nodded slowly. “All right”

“
Good.” Adan nodded, inhaled, exhaled then turned toward the others. “We can’t keep running, I won’t keep running. Tomorrow we’ll make our stand. We’ll go to an area where we won’t be in the public eye, if he chooses to attack us there, then so be it.”

“
That’s practically suicide!” Justin exclaimed.

“
It’s a challenge, not suicide. It’s something I should have done before instead of brining you and many others into this,” Adan said, feeling guilty about his role in the deaths of so many.

“
This isn’t your fault, Adan. Your Pride wasn’t the first community this coven attacked and if we don’t find a way to stop them, it won’t be the last. I mean, who’s to say we wouldn’t be next after he had killed you in India?” Nicole said, putting in her opinion. “Although, I do sympathize with those who wish this wasn’t happening, I don’t think it’s fair for us to blame you because it is.”

“
That’s true. They were in L.A. two years ago, so who’s to say we weren’t next. All right, if we do this, it’s got to be as a team,” Daniel said.

“
Adan, why don’t you and your Pride go on with your plan? Elise, Xander and Richard, you should send members to accompany them, in case Marcus does attack. Others should stay here, jhe same. That way, all of our bases will be covered. Like Darian, I don’t believe that he will attack you, he seems to like to do so when his coven is with him, but let’s just see where this takes us,” Xavier suggested.

“
My Pride is in,” Elise said.

“
Likewise,” Xander agreed.

“
Very well.” Darian rose. “It’s decided then.”

The others sat around, looking from one person to the next. Each person was wondering what was on the other person’s mind. The silence of the room was broken by the loud musical rap ringtone on Adrian’s cell phone.

Adrian answered his phone. “Yeah, Warren, what’s up?”

“
Tell Xander the bodies were in the same fashion as the others. These guys are really showboating, rubbing all their shit in our faces.”

“
Yeah, we figured that much. Listen, you and Matt need to get to Darian’s mansion as soon as possible.”

“
What’s wrong?”

“
We came up with a plan, you may not like it, but it’s the plan.”

“
We’ll get there as soon as we can. We’re still trying to wrap up this crime scene.”

“
Just get here,” Adrian said before ending the call. The others began discussing fighting strategies for the best way to take out an ancient vampire.

“
Darian, any ideas?” Sergio asked.

“
The most effective way would be decapitation,” Darian answered.

“
What about fire? We might can get some blowtorches,” Justin suggested.

“
If he’s as old as I think he is, fire won’t have much effect on him, at least not from a blowtorch,” Darian said.

“
What about a rocket launcher?” Sergio asked.

“
Do you even
have
a rocket launcher?” Adrian asked him.

“
No, but maybe Warren might have access to one. He and Matt are S.U.I.T., don’t they have access to all kinds of weaponry?”

“
And what if you miss and blow up somebody’s house?” Adrian asked, looking at Sergio sideways.

“
Then their house is going to be all fucked up and I hope they aren’t home. You know what? I’m tired of all the ‘what ifs’ being so negative.
What if
I hit his ass with it, then what?” Sergio looked at Adrian, then Darian questioningly.

All the others turned toward Darian, awaiting an answer.

“
Would a rocket launcher work?” Sergio asked.

“
I really don’t know. A rocket is supposed to be extremerocowerful, it may be able to dismember him … I don’t know … I doubt it.” Darian was curious to see if modern technology would have that kind of effect on a vampire as powerful as this one.

“
Well, that’s an option. Call Warren up, tell him about it, see what he says,” Tatiana said.

Adrian decided to make the call.

***

Warren felt his phone vibrating in his pocket and he answered it. “Rocket launchers? What the hell do you need with rocket launchers?” he asked Adrian.

“
We’re trying to get whatever weapons we can to kill these vampires. See if you can get your hands on some flamethrowers, too.”

“
Shit, I’ll see, but I can’t make any promises.”

“
That’s good enough for me. See you when you get here.”

They ended their call.

“
Was that Adrian?” Matthew asked. He and Brian had finished their investigation and had decided to join Warren and Colin at their scene.

“
Yeah, they need us to go to Darian’s home after we’re done here,” Warren said. “Sounds like they’re planning to take on a bunch of terrorists.”

“
Yeah, I heard the list of weapons they wanted. Do they have a plan?”

“
Yeah, but they said we’re not going to like it.” Warren scratched his eyebrow. “Listen, we need to see if we can get our hands on some weapons.”

“
I see.” Matthew was standing beside Warren when his cell phone began ringing. “Yeah, Captain, what’s up?”

Their Captain sighed. “We have another body, multiple vampire bites, partially mutilated. Marlon’s there now, says the victim’s been dead for about half an hour. I need someone there on the scene. How’s your investigation coming along?”

Matthew was saddened to hear about another murder. This whole situation was far too out of control for his taste. “To be honest with you, Captain. We’re no closer to solving this case than we were forty-eight hours ago.”

“
Damnit. I’m giving you all of the resources I can. I don’t know … ” She was beyond frustrated. Her superiors had been pestering her to remain quiet regarding the facts in the case. She had been told to keep a lid on how many bodies were found if possible, as to not alarm the public. It was important to her superiors that the S.U.I.T. was to keep up appearances that they were in control. She however cared very little about the bureaucratic red tape and more about saving lives. However, she did do what she could to keep the media frenzy down. “ … Maybe I can petition for more S.U.I.T. officers from other precincts, see if anyone can spare some teams. Missoula, Montana may be able to send help over. They’re always outsourcing their officers.”

“
I don’t think it would matter, Captain. all of t coven doesn’t have amateurs. They know exactly what they’re doing. If they don’t want to be found, they aren’t going to.”

“
So are you telling me we should give up trying?” she asked, agitated.

“
No, of course not. I’m just saying that it may take some time closing this case no matter how many people you put on it.” Matthew suspected adding more S.U.I.T. officers to the case may be what their murderers wanted. The extra attention seemed to be fueling their killing spree.

“
All right, we’ll play this your way. I won’t bring in anymore officers for the next twenty-four hours, but if you’re still shooting blanks, I’m going to do what I have to do.”

“
That’s fair.”

“
Get to that other crime scene.”

“
We’re on our way,” Matthew said, ending his call.

“
I heard everything.”

“
We need to tell them.” Matthew gestured to the four men coming their way.

Brian, Colin, Gabriel and Barry approached them, each man looked physically drained, frustrated and angry. Like Matthew and Brian, Gabriel and Barry had decided to rejoin Warren and Colin when they had wrapped up their crime scene investigation. Having all of the detectives who were on the case in one spot made it easy to go over new developments and strategies.

Gabriel stopped in front of Matthew and Warren. “I’m about ready to get a few raids going. You know, shake down a few supernatural joints,” he suggested.

“
That’s a plan, you should do that. Meanwhile, Matthew and Colin, you need to get to our newest crime scene,” Warren said.