Page 73 of Feral

Minutes later, I’m out the door and tearing through the streets on foot. I’m positive the car was stalking Yannis intentionally, and the idea of someone hurting him fills me with rage. Now I have his little brother to protect too, so there’s no way I’m just gonna sit back and see what happens.

The more I think about finding Yannis the way I did, the angrier I get. Bloodlust rips through me, pushing my monster to find the threat and eliminate it. I scale a building, visually stalking the streets below until I spot my prey. He looks ideal, standing on a corner talking to some young boys. A trafficker? Probably, but at this point, he could be an altar boy and I wouldn’t give a fuck.

I leap down to the street right behind him, making almost no sound, and since he’s distracted, he doesn’t even notice my approach. That is until my presence casts a shadow on the sidewalk and the kids look behind him to see me.

The man swings around, pulling out a gun from his jacket. The two kids he was talking to take off running, leaving us alone, but angering the man.

“Hello.” I tilt my head as my beast vibrates through me. I feel the shift in my eyes as they glow and my vision sharpens. My gums ache as my fangs drop to their full length, and there’s a strange purr deep inside my chest.

“What the fuck, dude?” The man’s scent is riddled with fear. “I got no beef with you, man. I’m just doing business.”

I have no idea what beef means, but I’ll take from the context that he means he doesn’t want a problem. Too bad for him that I very much want one. I could ask him what he’s doing specifically, but I don’t have to as he panics and empties his pockets of cash, drugs, and additional weapons.

“Take it,” he says, backing away even though the building stops him. “You can have it.”

“I don’t want it,” I say, listening to the rapid pulse of the blood in his veins. My eyelids flutter at the scent of terror pouring off of him. “Who do you work for?”

“No one. I’m independent.”

Glaring, I reach out and grab his neck and send a wave of compulsion through him. “Tell me the truth.”

His eyes go cloudy and he sways in my grip. “I report to Johnny Maffeo.”

“Who is that?”

Now he looks shocked. “You don’t know?”

“Answer the fucking question.”

“Johnny ‘Bricks’ Maffeo. He’s the head of the Maffeo crime family.”

“Maffeo. Is it related to the Bianchi family?”

The man nods. “Ricco went out on his own to grow the business. Johnny approved it. I worked under Ricco, but he was killed last night by some dudes. Johnny’s pissed off.”

Fuck. I knew it. I fucking knew it.

“What kind of business does he do?”

“The usual shit. Drugs, sex.”

I exhale slowly, feeling anger and fear for my mate spread through me. “Does Johnny know who killed Ricco?”

The man shrugs. “I don’t fucking know, man. I’m just a soldier. We’re supposed to keep a look out for the guys, but I can’t remember what they look like.”

“What were you doing with those boys you were talking to?”

A smug smile spreads across his lips. “Recruiting. We need more bodies for our overseas operation.”

Trafficking. “How many of you are there in the city?”

“Soldiers?” He shrugs. “Hundreds, probably.”

“Where does Johnny hang out?”

He shakes his head. “I don’t know. I heard he was coming here though, because of what happened to Ricco. That was his cousin.” The man looks around like he’s worried about being heard. “Johnny is violent as fuck, man. He’s killed people for looking at him wrong.”

“Well I’ve got a message for you to give your boss. Tell him he’s not welcome here and every single one of you we find, we’ll make you bleed.”

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