Wild Dream (4 page)

All in all, it was a sucky night.

Lincoln motioned to get his brother’s attention. He pointed to Christian and told him to stay put before he pointed to himself and used his hand to tell Christian that he was going to go behind the creature. Christian gave a nod of understanding.
 

Lincoln carefully, silently, put one foot in front of the other and slowly walked around the large shadow. When he was behind it, he heard the unmistakable growl of a werewolf just before he leapt out of the shadow at him.

CHAPTER FOUR

Ava knew seeing her old home was going to be a bit like getting kicked in the stomach, but knowing it and experiencing it were two different things. She had pulled along the side of the road in the neighborhood, and for long minutes she merely sat in the truck staring at the house. When she lived in the house it had been painted yellow with white trim. Now the small house was a sand color with navy trim. Shutters had been added to the outside of the windows in the same navy.

That wasn’t the only difference. Her mother’s rose bed had been ripped up, replaced with crepe myrtle trees and day lilies. The stone path she had helped her father put down from the rock-lined drive was also gone. In its place was a concrete path that matched the concrete drive.

There were no more tears to shed. Ava had given all she had years ago, but that didn’t stop the sadness from descending. Her parents had been happy there once.

The three of them had been happy once – before it all fell apart.

If she was ever going to move on with her life and shut the door to her past, she had to find her father. No matter how long it took, no matter what she had to do, she had to know where he was.

Ava sank lower in the seat when the house door opened and a young couple came out and got in their SUV. Ava waited until they drove away before she peeked her head up. She was about to start the truck when she looked at the house again. After waiting until the taillights of the SUV were out of sight, she got out of the truck and stood in the street.

The neighborhood had grown a lot in fourteen years, but that’s not what she had come to see. Her feet felt stuck in concrete as she walked to the other side of the road and stood before the yard she had used to play in.

It was several minutes before she got up the nerve to step upon the grass. It was more than strange standing in the yard. She had remembered it being so much bigger. Then again, everything was big to a kid.

She smiled as she recalled her father teaching her to ride her bike along the street. She remembered the Halloweens they would walk the neighborhood for candy, and the celebrations during Mardi Gras.

Those were the memories she wanted to hold on to, not the one of the night her father left.

When she pulled herself out of her memories, she was surprised to discover dark had fully descended. Olivia was going to be worried. Ava turned back to the truck and palmed her cell phone from her back pocket.

She had only gotten three steps and pressed Olivia’s name to dial before she was attacked from behind. The phone went flying through the air to land with a
thunk
on the road. A man held her arms at her sides from behind, while another came at her from the front.

Ava kicked out both legs and connected with her frontal attacker. As soon as both feet were on the ground, she threw back her head, slamming it against the attacker behind her. He released her with a savage curse. Ava turned and gave him a sideways kick in the jaw that sent him sprawling to the ground.

She started to run to the truck when two more men rushed her. Every bit of her training in Tae Kwon Do, Ju-jitsu, and Karate were used.
 

They were trying to grab her, which made it easy for her to block them and deliver swift kicks and punches. It wasn’t until they changed tactics and began to hit back that she had to quickly change her own strategy.

She knocked another down, and faced her last two opponents when something slammed into her from behind.
 

~ ~ ~

“Linc! Damn you. Wake up!”

Lincoln winced and batted at the hands shaking him. “Enough, dammit.”

“Then you should’ve woken up,” Christian said, but released him.

Lincoln gingerly sat up. “What the hell happened?”

“Kane, that’s what.”

Lincoln found his knives and sheathed them once more. “He didn’t hurt me.”

Christian snorted derisively. “Really? I’d say knocking you on your ass lights out hurt you.”

“He didn’t attack either of us, little brother. Nor did he rip Paul to shreds. I think that’s a good sign.”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the unnatural howl of a werewolf split the air.

Christian’s lips thinned. “If he were in his right mind, he’d know better than to do that.”

“He’s moved on. So should we,” Lincoln said as he got to his feet. “Let’s get Paul and get going.”

Lincoln carried Paul over his shoulder with Christian in the lead with his crossbow.
 

“Maria’s place is closest,” Christian said as he turned right instead of left.

Lincoln wasn’t about to argue. Paul was heavy, and they still had yet to catch Kane. At this rate, it was only a matter of time before Kane killed someone.

By the time the lights from Maria’s house came into view, sweat coated Lincoln and ran down his back and into his eyes. There was no need to call out to Vincent. He would see them soon enough, and come to the house to find out what happened.

Christian let out a bird-like whistle that had Olivia at the porch door in seconds. When she spotted them, she opened the door and motioned them inside before rushing to the house door and flinging it open.

“Is he injured?” she asked.

Christian shook his head. “Just knocked out.”

Olivia pointed to the couch and told Lincoln, “Lay him there.”

“Where’s Maria? Paul could use her herbs when he wakes,” Lincoln said.
 

“She’s with Grace,” Olivia said. “I called her after Vin stopped by to tell me what was going on with Kane, so she’ll stay at Grace’s all night.”

Christian stood in the doorway of the house. “That’s probably for the best. When’s the last time you talked to Vin?”

“Hours ago when he told me he’d be out there guarding this area.”

Lincoln gratefully accepted the glass of water Olivia handed him as he looked around the house waiting for a glimpse of Ava. It wasn’t as if there were many places for her to hide.

“She’s not here,” Olivia said.

Lincoln jerked his head to her. “What?”

Christian let out a string of curses as he stepped out onto the porch.

Lincoln had thought Ava was safe with Olivia. She should have been. “Why did you let her go?”

Her black eyes narrowed on him. “I didn’t know about Kane until after she left, and that’s because none of y’all bothered to tell me until hours later.”

Lincoln closed his eyes as he envisioned all sorts of things happening to Ava. She might know about the supernatural and the fact that his family hunted the creatures, but she hadn’t been around those beings. And unless there was something he didn’t know, she hadn’t a clue how to defend herself.

“I’ve been calling her,” Olivia said in a strangled voice.

Lincoln looked up to see her haggard expression for the first time. He felt like an ass for blaming her. “Where did she go?”

“Her old house near Lafayette.”

She could be anywhere. Lincoln rubbed the back of his neck. That knot that he felt earlier doubled. He’d known then something was wrong. He shouldn’t have ignored his instincts.

“Linc?” Vincent said from the doorway.

Lincoln walked to the kitchen sink and turned on the water. He splashed his face a couple of times before he turned off the water and walked out of the house.

“Linc!” Vincent called.

“I’ve got to find her. Kane didn’t hurt us, but I think he’s beyond that now. He’ll rip her to shreds.”

“Lincoln.”

He whirled to face his elder brother. “Don’t you dare try and stop me, Vin.”

“Be careful.”

Lincoln glanced at the ground, all his anger disappearing at the concern in Vin’s voice. “I’ll do my best.”

Christian walked up then. “You find Ava. We’ll track Kane.”

They were better when they all worked together, but Lincoln knew the need to find Kane was imperative and they couldn’t wait for him. “Once I get Ava back here with Olivia, I’ll catch up with you.”

“A sound plan,” Vincent said.

Christian grinned mischievously. “Just don’t get your ass knocked out again. I won’t be there to wake you.”

“Won’t be an issue since I don’t have to look out for you,” he teased in return.

The smiled dropped, because they all knew how quickly life could be taken with what they did.

“Come home to us,” Vincent ordered.

It was the same order their mother had given their father whenever he went hunting. “Make sure Beau has something good cooking. I’m already hungry.”

“I can come with you,” Christian offered.

Lincoln shook his head. “Vin will need both you and Beau to track Kane. Kane is quick and viciously strong. Make sure none of you get bit.”

“Ditto,” Vincent said.
 
“Having one branch of the family as werewolves is plenty.”

Lincoln turned on his heel and walked into the darkness. Ava’s life could be on the line, and he’d be damned if he wouldn’t be there to find her.

~ ~ ~

Ava woke and immediately grabbed her head. It felt as if a million little men were inside beating on drums. She groaned and sat up. Through the pain of her head she wondered why she felt grass and leaves beneath her hand. Her heart beat a slow, sickening staccato as she looked around to find herself in the middle of a field with Olivia’s truck nowhere in sight.

She climbed to her feet and felt the bruises from her fight with the jackasses who had jumped her. But why? Why had they taken her out here?

She looked to her left and saw more open field. To her right was a clump of trees. From the light of the nearly full moon she could make out the cypress trees, which meant she was close to water.

The bayou was beyond those trees. Water moccasins, gators, snapping turtles, and all other kinds of animals awaited her in that direction. But the trees could offer her some protection. More than the open field could.

Ava took a step to the trees, looking around constantly. She had no weapons, nor did she have a cell phone to call Olivia. She was truly on her own, and she was terrified.

She had an awful sense of direction. Not to mention it had been years since she had been in the area, so she had no idea which way to go to find a road or even a house. She could be walking for days if she went the wrong bearing.

Ava let out a sigh when she reached the trees. She leaned upon one and rested her head against the bark. It was going to be the longest night of her life.
 

The mosquitoes were relentless in their desire to suck her blood. Every rustle of leaves or the sound of the water moving made her jump. Ava had no idea how long she sat at the base of the tree before the bayou went deathly silent. Not even the buzz of a mosquito broke it.

That’s when she knew something was out there hunting her, stalking her.

Ava used the tree to get to her feet. Her heart hammered in her chest when she heard a low, rumbling growl that sounded like a wolf.

But she knew there were no wolves in Louisiana. That meant...it was something else entirely.

If she hadn’t been so frightened, she would’ve broke down.

She heard a twig snap to her left. Her head swung around to see something large moving in the shadows.

Suddenly a hand wrapped over her mouth. “Don’t move.”

Ava about fainted when she heard Lincoln’s voice. The relief in knowing she wasn’t alone was profound. Then the realization that there was something supernatural out there sent her into a panic.

“Easy,” Lincoln whispered near her ear. “That’s my cousin stalking us. I’m not going to let him hurt you, but I also can’t kill him.”

Ava turned her head to look at him and see if he had completely lost his mind. Their lives were at stake.

“We’re going to have to make a run for it,” he said as his blue eyes met hers. “Now!”

CHAPTER FIVE