Page 65 of Full Moon
Chapter 31
Diaval
I hate to admit it,but I believe my mate is onto something.
The way the pack acts now is far different from when her grandparents ruled the area. Where they used to greet newcomers, now everyone remains indoors. Curtains twitch as we pass. Eyes follow us from darkened windows. This pack is afraid.
But not of us. Eight male wolves against a single female was excessive. Then again, Feray is easily almost three times their size now.
Feray and Easton pour over the old journals of her father's, trying to learn everything they can. Torben emerges from the back rooms and motions for me to follow him.
We move into the back bedroom, and he whirls on me, eyes intense. "I think she's right."
"What do you mean?"
He grabs my wrist and drags me to the closet. In the back, there's a panel that doesn't look right. With a firm push, it opens up toa tunnel. My blood runs cold. He produces a flashlight, and we enter, the air growing colder and damper with each step. The tunnel is straightforward, stretching on for almost thirty feet before there are rungs leading to a vertical shaft. I take the lead, climbing up and pushing open the hatch.
"What's up there?" Torben whispers from below.
"Not sure, hold on." I climb out the rest of the way and look around. I'm in a shed. The one in the backyard of the house we're staying in. They gave us this house on purpose. The realization hits me like a physical blow. This was never hospitality. It was positioning. They put us exactly where they wanted us—in a house with hidden entrances, ready for slaughter. I return to the tunnel and rejoin Torben. "It leads to the shed behind the house."
"Shit." His jaw tightens. "Okay, let's head back and set up accordingly for tonight."
My gut twists into a thousand knots as I think about what their endgame could be. We re-emerge in the closet and are met with an angry-looking Feray.
"It leads to the shed in the backyard. We suspect they will enter the house from here." I motion to the secret passageway behind us.
"Great idea, except there's one problem." Feray's voice turns deadly calm. "There are two more in the other bedrooms."
Two more tunnels.
Three entry points.
They weren't taking any chances.
She glances up to the second story of the house, then back at us. I can practically hear the gears turning in her head as she calculates courses of action. "How hard is it for you to rip up several stairs to make it difficult to get to the second floor?" She turns and looks at Torben.
"What are you thinking, my eternal?"
"Well..." She moves to the staircase, her fingers brushing the wood lightly before she rests her hands on the stairs just above where we can easily step up. "If we remove the stairs above here, say four of them, they can't make it up to where we are." Her voice is calm. Too calm.
"And if they set the house on fire?" I take a seat on the stairs.
"We can use it as a diversion to get them to go upstairs, then we torch the house."Feray's suggestion is so matter-of-fact that Easton chokes on thin air.
"Feray!"
"It's tactically brilliant," I reply. "It really depends on how many come to kill us. It's a waste of energy for less than five."
Feray paces again. "I'm guessing a minimum of five are coming for us. If it was me, at least ten." She purses her lips. "Then again, they know you're here with us, Diaval, so the house may be swarmed." She says it so calmly that it sends a chill down my spine.
Narrowing my eyes, I look at the half-stocked fridge in the kitchen. "I think one of those containers will have something in it to keep us from shifting."
Easton and I hurry into the kitchen. We test each of the containers. The bottle of wine, of all things, is what's spiked.
"Diaval, look..." Easton points to a tiny black object that looks like a small magical pressure switch.
"I have these under my mug collection at the bank. A warlock can make these to alert anyone when something is moved." A half-smile crosses my lips.
