Blood Assassin (The Sentinels #2)(88)

“I suppose so.” The Mave sounded even less convinced by his suggestion than he felt.

Wolfe grimaced, trying to imagine himself as the kidnapper with a priceless treasure he’d just stolen. It wasn’t hard. He’d been one of the most feared criminals in the Middle East before he’d been taken in by the monks.

It didn’t take long to pinpoint a major flaw in his theory.

“But if they’re on the run, why would they expose their location by knocking out the power for a fifty-mile radius?”

“It could have been accidental.”

Caught off guard by Lana’s soft words, he turned to face her. “Accidental?”

“They must have been stopped here for several hours if I can feel the residue of the spell,” she explained. “Without a stable cell around Anna, she would have swiftly started causing damage.”

He met her steady gaze. “So this particular spot might just have been a pit stop?”

“Yes.”

Which meant they weren’t any closer to knowing who had Anna or why she was being used to black out small towns in the middle of nowhere.

“Great.”

Lana remained as cool and unflappable as ever, but the pale green eyes held a concern she couldn’t entirely disguise.

“Can you track them?”

If anyone else had asked the question Wolfe would have slugged them for doubting his skills. He was one of the finest trackers in the world.

Lana, however, wasn’t insulting his talent as a Sentinel.

She was asking if he was willing to take the responsibility for finding a high-blood who had the potential to create utter chaos.

“I can, but it will have to be on foot,” he informed her.

Now that he had a visual on the wagon tracks, he was not going to risk losing it.

“Fine,” Lana said, surprising him by her ready agreement. “They won’t be able to move very fast. Not only because they’re traveling by wagon, but it will drain the energy of the witches to keep Anna’s powers contained.”

“Good. You stay with the vehicle and I’ll—”

“No.”

Wolfe hissed in frustration. Of course it couldn’t be that easy.

“Lana.”

She rested her hands on her hips, her spine stiff. “This isn’t up for debate.”

He stepped toward her, ignoring the edge of frigid authority in her voice.

“You know I have the power to shut down this hunt the minute I believe it’s too dangerous.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Are you claiming it’s too dangerous?”

“I’m saying that the Mave isn’t going to get killed on my watch,” he growled.

Her lips parted to remind him who gave the orders. She hadn’t reached her position by allowing anyone to tell her what to do.

But, neither had he.

And they both knew that he had the right to protect her if he thought it necessary.

With an effort, she forced herself to use logic instead of brute force to make her point.

“Wolfe, we both know this danger is bigger than both of us.” Her voice was soft, but unyielding. “If Anna isn’t contained her powers will eventually create enough havoc to start a nationwide panic. Once that happens then the humans will begin to look for someone to blame.” She didn’t have to spell out that Valhalla would be the focus of the humans’ hatred. The norms had wanted an excuse to attack them since the high-bloods had gone public. “I’ve worked too long for peace to allow anything or anyone to threaten my efforts.” She deliberately paused, holding his gaze. “Either you’re working with me or against me.”

Shit.

He couldn’t argue against her reasoning.

The man inside him might rebel, but he was also the Tagos, leader of the Sentinels.

He had to use whatever weapon necessary to eliminate the threat to his people. And however he might want to deny the truth, Lana was his most powerful of weapons.

“Stubborn female,” he breathed.

Wise enough not to gloat, Lana moved toward the Jeep to grab a leather satchel and a large bottle of water.

“We should get going,” she said as she settled the strap of the satchel over her shoulder. “The sooner we have Anna in our custody the better.”

He grimaced, collecting his own gear. Ammo clips, a dagger he sheathed at his hip, and a second handgun.

The essentials.

Then he pulled his cell phone from his pocket. “We’re going to need backup,” he muttered, waiting for the guardian Sentinel that had brought them to the monastery to pick up.

Giving him concise commands to collect three more warriors and follow the direction of the GPS signal connected to Wolfe’s phone, he ended the call and studied the dusty road that stretched before them.

“It would help if we knew where they’re going,” he muttered, not particularly happy at the thought of walking several miles in the fierce heat.

“Or what they intend to do when they get there,” Lana responded.

Wolfe grabbed the last bottle of water and started down the road.

“No shit.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Fane led Serra from the elegant restaurant just off the lobby of the hotel. The aggravating female had squawked when he’d insisted she sit down and eat a decent meal, claiming they had no time to waste on food. So he’d simply tugged her into the restaurant and forced her into a seat, ordering enough food to feed a dozen Sentinels.