Page 58 of Betrayed in Blood
“All we’re missing is the popcorn.” Ginger leaned forward to look through the front windshield. “Is the guy sitting on the hood of that muscle car the leader of the vamp squad?”
Devon chuckled. “I assume so.”
“I know him.” Cressa scooted next to Ginger to get a closer look. “He’s on Venizi’s security detail, but I don’t remember his name.”
“Not a halfling?” Devon asked.
“I doubt it.”
“I agree,” Lucas added. “If he’s part of Venizi’s security on the island, he won’t be a halfling.”
“Interesting.” Devon considered this. “So, he wants to gather information to take back to Lorenzo.”
Lucas’s phone buzzed. “Yes.” He listened and grinned. “Excellent. Nothing here yet.” He was still grinning when he looked at Devon. “Bella’s in place. The gang’s motorcycle members just arrived. They’re driving in and around the vampire cars, their guns prominently displayed.”
“We’re not parked on the best part of the parade route.” Ginger sat back, arms folded across her chest, a pout on her face.
Lucas gave her some hope. “They’re working their way toward the safe house.”
“Why aren’t the vamps just leaving?” Cressa asked.
Lucas chuckled. “It seems while we’ve blocked two streets, the gangs have blocked the other two. They’re not being allowed to leave.”
“The intimidation is increasing.” While Devon liked it, he was concerned the vampires would retaliate. Venizi’s security man was on the phone, most likely reporting the situation and getting new instructions. “We need to make a bigger presence. I don’t want this to be Venizi against the gangs. They might have guns, but this could get messy. We need to show we’re working together, not hiding behind our fences.”
Devon got out and waved for Levi. He knew Lucas would be on the phone to release their security teams from the cars, except for those blocking the streets. From the safe house, a dozen security ran to the front gate, meeting Devon, Lucas, Cressa, and Ginger. “Mingle with the gang. Keep them safe.”
When the gate opened, as if choreographed for the situation, the motorcycles arrived. House Trelane vampires walked into the crowd of gang members, nodding and shaking hands. Cressa and Ginger remained but held a hand on their sheathed daggers.
Devon stood in front of the gates, which had closed behind him. He stared at Venizi’s guard, who slowly shook his head and slid off the hood of his vehicle to stand in front of it. He was muscle-bound with close-cropped hair and a nose that had been broken several times
“Do you need the help of a filthy street gang to come to your aid, Trelane?”
“I think it’s more they don’t like your type wandering their streets. It’s not that they don’t like vampires, they just prefer those from a more powerful House.”
Devon knew that would hit a soft spot, and he wasn’t disappointed when the vampire’s face darkened, and his hands formed fists. Before he could say or do more, barking, followed by a scream, interrupted the moment.
The gang members and Venizi’s vampires looked toward the sound but didn’t move from their positions.
Out of nowhere, a huge, if not a bit ragged-looking, red wolf jumped to the top of the flashy muscle car. He snarled as blood dripped from his muzzle. He’d bit someone hard enough to draw blood. That would have been the screaming.
Devon glanced at a nearby gang member, who appeared to be the leader based on the number of men receiving orders from him. Instead of being nervous about the changing events, he threw his head back and laughed. Then he glanced around and yelled out two words that riled the gang into a frenzy.
Soon, they were all chanting, “El Lobo! El Lobo!”
That was when Devon noticed the name of the gang emblazoned across the back vest of one of the members. The gang’s name was El Lobo. The Wolf. Devon laughed as Venizi’s henchman stared up at the wolf, who appeared ready to spring.
“Call it off. Call it off now. You don’t want to escalate this.” The vampire was clearly scared of Decker.
Devon couldn’t blame him, and when the gang members began the mantra of El Lobo that could be heard blocks away, the vampire glared at Devon, his gaze glowing with the beast.
Devon waved Decker off. The wolf barked three times and then lifted its head and howled. Devon knew the wolf, yet the eerie sound still raised hairs on the back of his neck. The wolf jumped down to the hood, and Devon cringed at the sound of nails scratching paint as Decker came to a stop. When he was eye-to-eye with the vampire, he stood his ground.
Devon took out his dagger, prepared for a fight. When the vampire backed up two steps and turned to glare at Devon, he noticed the dagger. Since he couldn’t get in his car without getting close to the wolf, he walked to the nearest car with his own vampires and got in.
With another cringe worthy scrape of nails on the hood, the wolf jumped to the ground. Devon had to smile. The wolf stood proud as the El Lobos cheered. Decker gave them one long, powerful howl.
Devon nodded to the gang leader, who whistled into the crowd as they began to break up, giving Venizi’s vampires a single access lane out of the neighborhood.
