Page 15 of Resurgence of the Pack

He smiled a dark, sinister smile. ‘Those, we are pointed towards.’

Bingo! ‘Have you identified anyone in the organisation? Do you know how they operate?’ I asked eagerly.

‘They operate in cells. No one knows more than a handful of the others within the organisation. We can – and have – captured pockets of them, but then the hunt begins anew. We have been told that they meet once a year in a great conclave. They wear masks.’

‘Do you have any idea when or where?’

‘If I did, do you think we would be discussing it? Hunting the Domini is harder than hunting a snow leopard. It is slow, painstaking and often deadly.’ He met my eyes, his expression serious. ‘If they realise you’re hunting them, they will bring war to you before you are ready for it. It is not a coincidence that all the world thinks we hunt dark witches alone.’

‘Our interests align once more,’ I pointed out. ‘I’m after the Domini, as are you. We could work together.’

The faintest of smiles appeared on his lips, ‘A vampyr and a werewolf working together? It is surely one of the signs of the apocalypse. Have a care, Lucy Barrett.’ With that, he sank into the shadows and disappeared.

‘He always has to make such a dramaticexit,’ Grandy huffed.

I grimaced. I couldn’t help but feel that Voltaire had deliberately phased away before I could ask him anything more. He wasn’t a man who played nicely with others.

For all the hot air that he’d given me, I was still at square one.

Chapter 8

Grandy passed me my crown, which I took gratefully. As I settled Terrance back on my head, I saw Sara blink, shake her head and frown at me. She could understand that I’d been passed something but she couldn’t quite see what. She shrugged a moment later, like she no longer cared about the inconsistency.

Thank you,I said to Terrance.Thank you for helping my grandfather.

Not a bother, my Queen. I must say, it’s been a rather long time since I vanquished a foe – Nina wouldn’t let me start so much as a hearth fire! But I’ve still got it!he said cheerfully.

You have indeed,I agreed sombrely. Markith’s phantom screams were still ringing in my ears and I swallowed hard against the sudden bile rising once again in my throat. Why did seeing people die not get any easier?

Grandy gave me a sudden hug, which startled me. He pressed a kiss on my forehead. ‘Thank you, Luci. That will certainly buy me some more time.’

‘I should hope so – and you can borrow Terrance whenever you need to.’

He smiled slightly. ‘For now, you need his protection as much as I do. Have a care, Luci, you are kicking the hornets’ nest.’

‘I sure hope so. Let’s see who comes to sting me.’

He gave me one last squeeze and then he faded into the shadows and away. I liked to imagine that he had a castle of his own and he slept in a velvet-lined coffin.

I climbed into the front seat of the car. ‘You’re driving?’ Sara asked dubiously, eyeing the passenger seat.

‘What? I’m a great driver!’

She sighed, folded her wings and climbed awkwardly in next to me. ‘The rest of you take to the skies above us,’ she barked.

Mack gave her a jaunty salute and did as he was told. I was surprised when Jacob did the same without comment or complaint; I’d thought he was in charge but maybe not if he jumped when Sara clicked her fingers. I was interested to work out the dynamic but maybe that was for another day. I focused on the road and carefully drove the short distance home.

Sara slid me a sideways glance. ‘You drive like a granny,’ she sassed.

‘I drive like a person who cares about personal safety and respects the laws of the road,’ I countered.

You drive like the infirm,Esme joined in.

Yes, thank you, Esme,I said drily.

As always, she missed the heavy sarcasm.You’re welcome.

As the gravel of the driveway crunched under the car’s wheels, my eyes rested upon Nina. The seat of power was somewhat powerlessthese days, mainly due to the theft of a magical orb that had helped her do all sorts of cool things, including helping werewolves everywhere to access air magic and communicate freely with the Great Pack.

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