Brendon made his way out of town and down a back road that he knew would lead him to the mansion that the werewolf alpha here called home.

The established southern pack was based just outside this city, and Brendon hoped he could convince the alpha to tell him how many female vampires lived here and maybe even which one was doing the killing.

It sure would make his life, and his job, easier.

His horse began to spook and shy as they neared the house and Brendon knew the beast was picking up the growing werewolf scent. He dismounted and took the horse into the woods and off the road, tying his reins to a low hanging pine bough before going back to the road and continuing on foot.

He heard the growling and the crunching of leaves and then the scent of three shifted wolves came to his nose. A man stepped onto the road in front of him and Brendon stopped in his tracks.

This man was a werewolf and Brendon could smell the shifted wolves still pacing the forests edge.

“Can I help you, sir?” the unshifted werewolf asked. “This here is private property.”

“I just need to talk to someone about a vampire problem.” Brendon replied calmly. The werewolves eyes narrowed with suspicion.

“Who are you?”

“Name’s Brendon.’ Brendon said before shifting the leather strap that held his rifle on his back. At the movement a growling came from the woods and three wolves leapt out and came at him in a rush.

Brendon delivered a kick to the head of the first wolf, sending it sprawling backward, and then in a movement so fast it was no more than a blur, he pulled both his revolvers from his lean hips and pointed them straight at the other two wolves currently leaping for him.

They both twisted in mid air and hit the dirt, rushing to their fallen pack member who was just getting to his feet and shaking his head roughly.

The unshifted wolf eyed Brendon with uneasiness.

“You’re a Hunter.” he growled with accusation. Brendon nodded as he holstered his weapons and resumed his relaxed posture.

“Yep.”

“What do you want?” the man asked as he motioned with his hands and the other three wolves came to stand at his sides. It was clear that this wolf was someone in charge. Probably Beta. Second in command to only the alpha and his mate.

“To discuss a vampire.”

“The one killing those men would be my guess.” the man asked with a raise of his brow and Brendon nodded.

“Yep.”

“We have strict instructions to discuss nothing about this with anyone. It would put our pack in danger.”

“As the alpha of this territory, it is your bosses job to protect the mortals that live here. A vampire is killing them. Your alpha should be eager to stop that.” The man growled low in his throat and stepped forward.

“It is not the business of you Hunters what anyone else does. Do you think you are gods?! With all your rules and your murders of immortals, your own kind?! We are not responsible for what anyone else does here. We are only responsible for our pack!”

Touchy. Touchy. “Okay then. I want to speak with your alpha about this. I’d rather hear no from him than from his little gopher.”

“Gopher?” the man ground out between clenched teeth. Brendon simply nodded. There was silence for several very tense moments before the man finally turned his back to Brendon.

“Leave. Go back to the city and stay away. We have nothing to tell you.”

Brendon shook his head and then turned and headed back down the road. He should have known that this was a waste of his time. He had spent too much time with Grange and that had somehow caused him to begin to believe that he and the way he ran his pack and protected the mortals of his town were normal.

Grange was far from normal. No other alpha took in so many rag tag wolves from other packs. They certainly didn’t take in werelions and most did not care what happened to the mortals in their territories. All they cared about was keeping their own pack in line in order to keep monster killing hordes of townsfolk from coming after them and to keep the Hunting Council from paying them a visit.

“Wait.” A stern voice called from behind him. Brendon smiled but then made sure his face was sober when he turned back around to face this new man. A man he had no doubt was the alpha.

It was clear in his stance, his voice, his eyes and his scent that he was boss. The other wolves stood at his side and yet slightly behind with their heads lowered. Another thing that was different in Grange’s pack.

While Grange was the boss and was obeyed in life threatening situations, his pack also did not hesitate to stand up to him and give him hell any other time and Grange seemed happier because of that. Brendon shook his head to clear his thoughts. He needed to focus on the task at hand not Grange and his pack and the family that Brendon would never have.

“You have a lot of nerve coming this close to my home, Hunter.” the alpha growled. Brendon nodded.

“I’ve always had more balls than brains.”

“This vampire you seek is protected and that is why my pack will not be involved. I’m sure you understand.” Brendon nodded and spit in the dust while shoving his thumbs through the belt loops of his black trousers.

“Yeah, I understand. Keep your head down, your tail between your legs and stay out of trouble.”

The alpha chuckled.

“Trying to bait me into a fight will not work.”

“That’s not what I was doing.” Brendon replied with a shrug. “Y’all have a good day now.” He turned once again and walked away.

“Don’t come back here unless you want to die, Hunter!” the alpha called out and Brendon just waved his hand dismissively without turning back.

He could smell the reason that this alpha was nervous. It was on the alpha’s skin. He had ‘pets’ of his own. That wasn’t Brendon’s problem just now but it was something he would relay to the Hunting Council once he finished getting rid of the vampire problem.

Brendon made it back to his horse, fully aware that the wolves were staying in the shadows and following him to ensure he left. He took his time lighting a cigarette before getting on the horses back and riding on toward town.

So a female vampire with serious issues regarding men that was protected? Protected seemed unlikely. Vampires, as a general rule, did not have family groups or strong connections. Unless this vampire was protected by her lifemate. He supposed that could be possible.

Or she was a prisoner of her ‘protector’. She may even be a pet of the werewolves, though Brendon doubted that. The werewolves wouldn’t allow her to roam free and possibly bring attention to their hidden interests.

Brendon took a long draw off his cigarette and thought about his next move.

***

Ella walked slowly through the fabric store, eyeing them all with boredom. She remembered that back before her parent’s deaths she had loved sewing and loved fabrics. All the different patterns and colors had fascinated and intrigued her and creating something out of nothing with her bare hands had made her proud.

Now it was simply a mundane task that she did merely to kill the boredom that she felt on the long days when she was not allowed to leave the home she shared with Warren.

While it would seem her imprisonment by him would be seen as easy since she was allowed to come and go pretty much as she pleased, it was always with the understanding that if she did not return home in a decent amount of time innocent blood would be shed until she was back where she belonged. And jaded and wounded by life as she was, Ella could not stand the thought of someone else paying the price for her freedom.

“Hello, Ella.”

Ella turned managed a guarded smile to the old woman greeting her and then she turned her head, her red hair falling back across her pale cheeks as she went back to scanning the fabrics.

“How have you been dear?” the old woman asked. Ella nodded, though she didn’t look at Widow Callahan as she replied.

“I’ve been well.” she replied quietly.

“That’s very pretty.” Widow Callahan said with a nod as Ella’s fingers stilled over a dark green satin. “It would bring out your eyes.”

Ella moved quickly away from the fabric. She did not wish to feel as if she was bonding with another person. Bonding equaled trust and trust was something that no one should be foolish enough to give to anyone else.

“I was hoping to speak to you about coming for another visit to the orphanage.” Widow Callahan said gently as she followed Ella through the dimly lit interior of the small store.

“I don’t think so.” Ella replied quickly. She had gone several times to the orphanage, finding that being around the children made her feel a little more free. Slightly more alive. Warren had quickly noticed her weakness and her fondness for the children and grown jealous that she was spending time with them. He had let Ella know that if she went back it would be the children that paid the penalty.

“They would really like to see you again. Little Maggie has been asking about you nearly everyday.” Ella felt a tiny piece of her heart, apparently the one piece left with feeling, hurt at the thought of little Maggie.

Little was truly what the girl was. Six years old, yet barely bigger than a child of four, and tiny glasses on her eyes. She was a quiet child, painfully shy, but she had seemed to take to Ella instantly.

“I’m afraid I’m awfully busy.” Ella replied and then she caught Warren’s scent on the air. He was coming toward the store and she did not want him catching her speaking to someone. It would serve to make him angry and jealous.

“I must be going now.” she said quickly. She grabbed a blue and cream gingham fabric and then headed quickly for the counter. After paying for her purchase, Ella walked back out into the sun and scanned the streets for Warren.

She could still smell him, she had learned to recognize his scent even over the overwhelming scents that filled a city such as this. If she hurried she could beat him back home and perhaps if she was locked in her room he would leave her alone seeing as how he had had his manly needs tended to just that morning.

She turned quickly to start down the road that would lead to the edge of the city and her home and then she hissed and swung out her hand when she found herself nearly bumping into a broad chest.

Her arm was quickly caught in a hard grip just before her nails could make contact with the tanned skin of a masculine neck.

“Easy there, little one.” Ella felt her nostrils flaring as she took in the scent of the man holding her arm. She was so close to him that she could feel the heat of his body. He smelled good. Like horse, sweat, dust and soap. There was another scent. An alluring scent that made her heart race.

His heart was beating steadily and she could hear his blood slowly rushing through his veins.

“Are you okay?” the man’s voice asked as he released his hold on her and stepped back.

“I’m fine.” Ella said quickly without looking up at his face. She shook her head, hoping to make herself ignore the sound of his blood. She just needed to get away. Men were evil and not to be trusted and if Warren caught her speaking to this man or any man, he would make sure she pain in blood.

Ella kept her head down, focusing on the mans scuffed black boots before walking around him and leaving quickly down the road.

***

Brendon watched the vampire weave through the crowd of people as she made her way out of town. He noticed that she made a conscious effort to avoid letting her body come in contact with any other body.

He had been shocked nearly speechless at first by the feisty vampire who had come close to tearing into his neck with those nails of hers. She had dark red hair that flowed like waves down her back. Her skin was as pale as snow and she had an almost otherworldly appearance with her haunted eyes and emotionless face.

As she disappeared from sight, Brendon wondered if maybe he had found the vampire he had been looking for. She certainly fit the description.

Female vampire. Pretty in a unique way. Capable of luring men into dark alleys before draining them dry. And she certainly seemed to have issues considering the way she had all but attacked him after running into him and the way she had refused to look up at him, kept her head down and vanished into the crowd.

Yep. Certainly a vampire with issues.

Brendon followed in the direction the vampire had taken. Her scent still fairly strong in the air… or maybe it had just become trapped in his nose when she had been so close.

Strangely enough, below the sweet scent that every vampire emitted, this vampire also smelled of herbs. It had reminded Brendon of the herb gardens many women grew in their window sills. It was nice.

Brendon caught sight of her red hair, sparkling in the sunlight and he kept his eyes on her until she walked in to a ramshackle two story house with cracks in the wooden walls and smoke rising from the chimney. Her scent was strong here, as was the scent of another vampire. A male.

Her protector perhaps?

Brendon went around the back of the large stone building he was standing in front of and climbed up the ladder to the roof. From here he had a clear view of the home the female vampire had gone into. It was clear from the strength of her scent that that was her home. Now all that was left to do was wait for her to leave at dark and catch her in the act of killing an innocent mortal.

He leaned his back against the chimney, lit a rolled cigarette and pulled his hat low over his eyes. He’d be here all day. Might as well get comfortable.