Addict (Hunter #2)(74)

“Don’t you even think about it.” Lee’s eyes widened at his vampire father’s stern tone, but he quickly sat back down.

I felt confident that I didn’t have a bunch of hangers-on. I didn’t insist on my uncle staying behind. His wife was out there. A thought occurred to me. Lisa hadn’t even tried to warn anyone, though now I could see she knew something was wrong. Only one thing could have bought her compliance. “Zack, is Courtney out there?”

His nose was in the air. He went stark white. “Oh god, Kelsey. She is out there and she’s scared. So is Lisa.”

I put my hand on the door. It made sense. Courtney and Lisa made good hostages. Devinshea Quinn was out of his element. I thought about the entryway, going over it in my mind. There were no plants in that part of the apartment. Even as I had the thought, I nearly tripped over a thin green vine snaking its way toward the dining room door. It was an ivy coming from one of the back rooms, I supposed. I picked up the pace. I wasn’t sure what Quinn was planning, but I had to get my little cousin and my uncle’s wife out of there before he did it.

“You stay calm.” I put my mouth up to my uncle’s ear. Whatever those bouncers were, they had good hearing. “When I open the door, take care of Courtney and then Lisa. I’ll handle the crazed drug addicts. What are they, anyway?”

He pointed to his own chest. Werewolves. They would be strong and fast. They could change forms quickly, and then they would be even stronger and faster. I felt my uncle press something in my hand. A small, semiautomatic pistol shone in the dim light. I flicked the safety off. Zack pulled another gun from an ankle holster. I wondered briefly how many weapons my uncle usually wore to family dinners. His face was tense, his eyes dark. He was ready to change if he needed to.

The thin green vine slithered past me like a snake seeking prey. It easily fit under the door. I decided it was time to give Quinn a helpful distraction. I kicked the door open. I was pleased when it came off its hinges instead of merely swinging. I’m much stronger when the adrenaline is flowing.

It was definitely flowing then, and it mixed with rage when I saw the f*cker had my niece in midair, with his claws around her throat. She dangled there. Her sneakers with Dora the Explorer kicked, trying desperately to find balance. Tears streamed from her brown eyes. I was betting Courtney had some new things she was afraid of.

Zack growled behind me.

“Please, Zack.” Lisa shook as she watched the big wolf dangle her baby.

The entryway was large for a condo. The upper floors of the building were for the royal family and close friends. Like the rooms I’d been given, this one was more mansion than tight apartment. The entryway was grand. It gave Ray and Walter breathing space. The werewolf who held my niece was short and stocky. His claws were out, but they hadn’t penetrated her skin. Yet.

“Drop that f*cking gun right now, girl.” The other wolf seemed to be in charge. He had a gun pointed at Dev Quinn’s head. He was tall and thickly built. His claws were out as well. He wasn’t being careful with Quinn. The minute the door opened, he’d wrapped his claws around the faery’s throat, and there was blood dripping down Quinn’s skin, staining the perfect white of his dress shirt.

“I think I’d rather keep it.” I aimed at the big guy’s head.

“You’ll drop the gun, bitch, or I’ll tear his throat out.”

To Quinn’s credit, he barely showed the strain of having someone’s claws buried in his throat and a gun at his head.

I shrugged. Behind me, Zack had already dropped his gun. He was at his wife’s side. Both watched their daughter. I realized that this was my show for now. I hoped they trusted me to run it. I caught sight of the glossy vine. It crept close to the floorboard. Quinn stayed calm. His concentration was obviously on getting that vine where it needed to go.

“I don’t like him, so feel free.” I gave the bastard my most arrogant smile.

“Thanks, Kelsey.” Quinn sounded sullen. He winked though, letting me know he was on to my game.

He needed some time and a lot of chaos. I was willing to provide both.

“What the hell is it the two of you want?” I figured it would be nice to know if they were simply buckets of crazy or had an actual mission planned.

“We want the king,” Big Were said.

Quinn rolled his eyes. “These idiots think that if they can kill Daniel, they’ll get all the free drugs they can handle. They used Courtney to force Lisa to get me. Now they want to use me to get to Daniel.”

“They’re going to kill the king?” That was the dumbest plan I’d heard. Donovan could handle them with one hand tied behind his back. The only reason he’d struggled with Alan was he was trying to keep the shifter alive.

The drugs were warping their brains. I’d have to ask Henri if reasoning skills were being impacted as well as impulses. Part of me wanted to go get the king. The king could kill these idiots in no time flat, but this was my job. I was the Nex Apparatus, and I didn’t pawn off my work.

“The king’s death should satisfy Winter.” The smaller were shook his head like he was agreeing with himself.

“Why don’t you let the girl go?” I remembered how Alan couldn’t control his hands at the end. If this * lost motor control, he could kill my niece.

“We’re not letting anyone go, bitch!”