Page 19 of Shadow Bound

“Doubt it,” she scoffs. “I’ve never found another person to belikable.”

“Yeah, honestly that might be because you’re about as warm as a fucking igloo. I wouldn’t exactly consider you an approachable person.” Isabeau steps out from the shadows the trees cast, stepping into the moonlight cascading down. Her hand keeps twisting her blade around, if I didn’t know better, I’d think it was a nervous tic. “Why are you here?” I repeat.

Her hand stills and her eyes shoot to mine. She’s quiet, pondering her response. Reluctantly, like the words hurt her to say, she finally speaks. “Believe it or not, I’ve been looking for the same rogue wolf as you.”

That… was not what I thought she was going to say.

“The fuck?Why?”

Her jaw tightens. “Because he’s killing innocent people?” she says slowly, like a toddler who can’t understand basic English. I get the sense that isn’t the real reason she’s here, but I roll with it.

“Yes,I’maware ofthat but why doyoucare?” I ask skeptically, trying to figure out what her ulterior motive might be, but I’m coming up blank. “Since when do Sterling’s minions care about the lives of innocent people?”

For the first time, I see an angry spark in her eyes tonight. For a split second, the fire that burned so brightly ten months ago appears, but it burns out just as quick. “They don’t, but I haven’t worked for Sterling since the night I risked my own life to save your sister-in-law. Oh, and I still haven’t heard a thank you for that.”

“You still put a bullet in her,” I huff.

“Shelived,didn’t she?” she snaps.

I rub my chin, eyeing the vampire in front of me. “So what? You left Sterling’s organization, grew a conscience, and started hunting rogue wolves?”

“Sure, let’s go with that.” She shrugs.

“That doesn’t exactly answer my question.”

“I don’t owe you an explanation, I actually don’t owe you jack shit. If anything, you and your familyoweme.”

Do we owe her for giving us the opportunity to save Pruitt? Maybe. Does that mean I trust what she’s saying? Fuck. No.

“So, what do you want, Isabeau? Want to team up and fight bad guys like we’re the supernaturalAvengers?”

Her dark brows furrow. “What is anAvenger?”

I feel my jaw drop. “Seriously? Do you not watch movies?”

“We didn’t have access to television or downtime to watch movies. Sterling’s idea of entertainment was less…innocent,” she says stiffly. “I am, however, looking for the same wolf as you, but I have no interest in joining the little hunting party you’ve created with that blond friend of yours.”

“How do you know about Sawyer?” I demand. “Have you been watching us?”

A breath of annoyed air escapes between her pale lips. “Don’t make it sound weird. I’ve been watching that rogue wolf, so I’ve also been watching you and boy wonder fail miserably in catching him. Good going, by the way. I thought you were supposed to be the best, Ransom? I must say, I haven’t been overly impressed by your skills thus far.”

“Fuck off,” I snap at her. I’m more than aware I’ve been failing at my job; I don’t need her reminding me. “If you’ve been watching him, why don’tyoujust catch him and kill him, huh?”

“For reasons that don’t concern you, I can’t be the one to catch him, but I do need him caught because I need to ask him some questions. And that’s why I’m here tonight. I knew you’d come sniffing around—took you long enough to show up.” Her curtain of black hair shifts around her face when a cold gust of wind blows around us. The clouds overhead have grown bigger, the snowstorm is moving in quick. “I’m simply here to point you in the right direction.”

This girl is a fucking mystery. I thought Winslow was secretive, but holy shit, Isabeau has now overthrown her and taken the crown. Winnie needs to bow down to the new queen.

“You know where he is?” I take a menacing step forward, pissed she’s been holding on to this information the whole time we’ve been talking. “Care to share with the class?”

She cocks her head to the side, eyeing me coolly. “I’m more than happy to tell you, but I need you to promise me something first. Consider this your payment for me saving Pruitt.”

Grinding my teeth, not stoked at the thought of owing her anything, I nod my head in agreement.

“I need to talk to him—ask him a few questions. Once I’ve got my answers, you’re more than welcome to rip his throat out or skin him alive—I don’t give two shits how you do it—I just need to talk to him first.”

I’ve never skinned a rogue alive, but the temptation has been there. After seeing what they’ve done to these poor women, I want to inflict as much pain on them as possible. Sawyer, the rational, cool-headed one of us, always is the voice of reason. We usually just settle for snapping their necks and leaving them in some undisclosed location in the woods for the animals to feast on.

“What do you need to talk to him about? What could he possibly know that you don’t already?” I press, wanting more information on the deal I’m seriously considering taking.

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