Page 58 of Out of the Darkness

“You’re such a whore, Annmarie,” Sara said, shaking her head.

Annmarie leaned up on her elbows and grinned. “Why thank you, Sara.”

Harlee rolled her eyes but couldn’t suppress her grin. “How long are we going to have to hole up here, anyway?”

“I’m waiting to hear from Duncan,” Adrian said. “In fact, he should have been back here by now.” He pulled out his cell phone and dialed, then frowned, then dialed again. “Nothing. Odd.” He dialed again then frowned again.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Duncan’s not answering his cell phone.”

“Maybe he’s somewhere where he’s not getting a signal.”

“There’s nowhere out of reach between here and there. I don’t like this. I’m going to try the lycan mansion.”

He dialed and spoke to someone for a few seconds, then hung up and cursed.

“The guard said Duncan left over an hour and a half ago and said he was headed right back here. This isn’t good. He should have been back by now, or called. And he wouldn’t have gone anywhere else. Something’s wrong.”

“Go,” Sara said to Adrian. “I know you want to look for him or figure out what’s happened. Annmarie and I can stay here and guard Harlee. Go on. She’ll be fine.”

“Sara’s right, much as I hate to agree with her,” Annmarie said. “Go find Duncan.”

Adrian nodded. “You’ll be okay?” he asked Harlee.

She rolled her eyes and opened the door. “There are a billion guards roaming the halls. An army couldn’t get to me. Go find him. I’m worried.”

He left and she closed the door, sitting on the bed with Sara and Annmarie, feeling like a stupid, helpless female.

“Well, this sucks,” Harlee said. “Why is it the men are all out figuring out who the assassins are and the women are wringing their hands while locked up in the bedroom?”

“Good question,” Annmarie said with a wry smile. “We’re just as strong and capable as they are. We should be able to work this out in our heads. Besides, we have the pussy. That gives us extra brain cells.”

Harlee laughed out loud.

“Now, ladies,” Sara said, holding up her hands. “Something must have happened to Duncan. And Adrian is just making calls. Let’s just do what they asked us to do.”

“Oh go knit something, you dimwit,” Annmarie said, then turned to Harlee. “Okay, so what have we got here? Let’s piece it together from the beginning.”

“I’m going to check on Robert,” Sara sniffed, storming out the door in a huff.

“I thought she’d never leave,” Annmarie said.

Harlee giggled.

They spent the better part of an hour going over everything that had happened from the time Stefan was killed until Duncan failed to show up. They ended up ruling out the human government, deciding it had to be an inside job, but they couldn’t determine whether it was inside the lycan or vampire house.

“It could be a combination of both,” Harlee suggested.

Annmarie wrinkled her nose. “I find it hard to believe that any vampire or lycan would join forces like that. It’s not unheard of, but we just don’t…mingle that well, if you know what I mean. Or at least we haven’t before.”

“But control of both organizations is a very big lure. Putting differences aside for a prize like that might be worth it,” Harlee suggested.

Annmarie shrugged. “Good point.”

But who would want to do that? She didn’t know enough of them to even make the suggestion and that was more frustrating than anything.

“So, you’re in love with my cousin.”

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