Page 52 of Blood Moon

I stared the asshole in his eyes as I shoved my hand into his chest and pulled out his heart. “This ends now.” I turned to check on Eli.

He was on the ground several feet away from me. Blood covered him and the corpse lying next to him. I wasn’t sure if any of it was his blood or not. I rushed over to help him to his feet. “How badly are you hurt?” I asked as I gently lifted him off his feet. I would carry him to the car if I had to.

It would be a mirror image of the last bar fight we had before Kat died. She was working long hours and Eli had been tasked with keeping me occupied so I wouldn’t show up at the office again. Of course, his idea of keeping me busy was a night out drinking. He hit on the bartender’s girlfriend and we had to fight our way out of it. That day, he had carried me to the car and bandaged my wounds. Today, I would do that for him.

“Broken ribs, concussion, shattered wrist. I’m fine. Are you hurt?” He seemed concerned. His actions during the fight proved that he had my back. I never thought a woman would bring us back together after one tore us apart. I realized at that moment just how much I had missed my friend.

I shook my head, thinking about the blood trailing down my side. It had slowed to a trickle. “Nothing serious. What happened?”

“I pulled up to wait for you, and that truck hit me. The one guy got out and we started fighting. My head was spinning so badly that I couldn’t take him out before two of his friends joined.” Eli gestured to the man I had killed.

“The other one got away. We’ll find them. And whoever they’re working for.” I reassured him as I half carried him to my car.

I followed his directions back to his safe house, not bothering to tell him yet that I know who ordered this attack. I needed to know who our traitor was really working for. Honestly, I needed a few minutes to wrap my head around the betrayal from my most trusted employee. I had started to suspect that something was going on with him, but it was still hard to believe Jones would have attacked Eli and me like this. He had to be the one behind the explosions as well.

Eli must have tapped into my emotions, because he gave me the time to process without pushing me to discuss it. Part of me hurt over how much had come between us. There was a time when the man sitting next to me was my best friend, my brother.

Kat. That was what had pushed us away. Shawn’s obsession and my jealousy had wedged between Eli and myself until there was nothing left of the bond we’d shared. I knew that I would always hate Shawn for what had happened, but I was starting to see that maybe Eli wasn’t the one to blame.

I needed to push the sentimental thoughts away and figure out exactly what I needed to do. I needed a plan. I was so focused that I didn’t hear what Eli was saying.

“What?” I glanced at him.

“I said, there’s something you’re not telling me.” Eli was staring at me intently as if he were memorizing my every move.

“Oh, that. Just trying to wrap my head around it all. And I don’t have proof yet. But I think those guys were all recruited to my company by the same person.” I replied, stealing another glance at him as I drove.

Eli nodded, then leaned back against the seat. I didn’t need to be an empath to know that he was in pain. He needed a blood bag and time to heal. I hoped we’d get it. It seemed as if Jones was one step ahead of us.

I parked the car where Eli instructed and helped him inside the safe house. The bedroom door was still closed, and when I tried the knob, it was locked. “I guess she must be mad at both of us.”

Eli nodded, sinking onto the couch. “There’s a key in the kitchen.” Once he’d explained to me where to find the supplies, I went off to get them.

I figured I’d give her some time to cool off before I barged in on her. Maybe she was sleeping. Besides, I needed to take care of Eli. I gathered a blood bag from the fridge and the first aid kit from under the sink. With our accelerated healing, I didn’t think we’d need much from it, but it was a good thing to have.

After tending to Eli’s injuries and allowing him to look at my own, we decided that Delilah had enough time to herself. Eli unlocked the bedroom and cautiously walked inside.

“Shit,” he muttered before slamming his fist through the wall.

I ran into the room and looked around. It was empty. "Where is she?" From the look of the room, there hadn’t been a struggle, so wherever she’d gone, it had been willingly.

“She must have taken off after I went to get you. Unless—” I could hear the panic welling up in his voice as he raced to his computer set up in the other room.

“Unless what?” I prodded, following him.

“Damnit. I knew I shouldn’t have left her alone here. She snuck out while I was on the phone. She must have been in the car when that truck hit me. Someone took her.” Eli was barely containing his anger. He pointed to the video feed on the screen. Delilah climbed in the back seat of the car less than a minute before Eli walked out of the safe house.

“This is bad.” I started to explain. Since I knew who had her, but didn’t know why, it was worse than bad. My imagination ran wild. Images of Delilah being tortured felt like being stabbed in the heart. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if something happened to her. I couldn’t go through that again. Not like what had happened to Kat.

“I know,” Eli responded. He seemed to understand my feelings, but I wasn’t certain he knew how much danger she was in.

“No, you don’t. Jones has her. He trained those thugs that attacked you. I’m certain of it. I have no idea how we’ll find him or who he’s really working for, though.” I fought against the hopelessness that threatened to take over.

Then a thought occurred to me. I had taken a phone from the guy I’d killed at my cabin. I pulled it out and handed it to Eli. “Unless this has some clues on it.”

Eli took the phone and studied it, not giving away his thoughts. Eli was the best when it came to technology. With him, there is still hope. We will find Delilah. There is no other option. Jones will pay.

Chapter 51

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