Shadow Watcher (Darkness #6)(28)

“You see anything else?” Paulie asked the guard.

“Just those eyes.”

Paulie threw the lock on the door and jogged back the way he came. “Let the Boss know we got an animal in the front. If they try to come in, sound some kind of alarm.”

“Yes, sir.”

Paulie had absolutely no authority, but he didn’t plan to mention that. It was just easier that way.

He found his way into the right room and glanced around. A huge rack of books dominated the back wall. A couch and a few chairs were positioned near the middle of the room with a large, mahogany desk sitting against the other wall. But there were no people.

“Where the hell—” He brought up his phone as he noticed the angle of the painting behind the desk. A black crack ran along a white wall. A hidden door. Very smooth.

Paulie ripped it open and shut it behind him. He was plunged in blackness immediately, having him stumbling with the sudden change. As his eyes adjusted, he could just make out a faint glow ahead of him.

Jogging once again, and bouncing off a wall he followed the glow until the passageway dumped him out into a spacious room with two couches facing each other. Sasha sat on one, staring off toward the front of the house, and Charles sat next to her with one hand resting on her belly. Large and silent bodies lingered around the walls, silent and watching. Here for Sasha’s protection, obviously.

“Chicks don’t like it when you’re always touching their belly,” Paulie observed as he sauntered into the room.

This was Sasha’s jurisdiction, now, and she didn’t function well when everyone was too serious. It made her get lost in her head, and then she made mistakes. This had been drilled into him by Charles and Jonas since that first night Sasha had brought him home.

“Not her belly. It’s the clan’s belly.” Charles looked up with that commanding air. “What’d you see?”

“Shifter in the front. It was on the move. And something else—I don’t know for sure what it was, but usually I have a sixth sense where it concerns danger. It felt like something waited outside, but I didn’t see anything.”

“Shit,” Sasha spat. “Probably an invisibility spell. Not good. That means it is Stefan’s kind, and they have someone with a high power level and knowledge. I should be out there. No one else knows how to unravel that spell.”

“No way is this a threat to the Boss, Sasha,” Charles said in a soothing voice. He rubbed her belly. To Paulie, he said, “She’s worried for her mate. It’s normal for pregnant females to obsess about the safety of their—”

“I’m not obsessing! I’m ready to blow shit up!” Sasha flung Charles’ hand off her stomach.

“Now, that’s not very nice.”

“I don’t want them sneaking in here,” Sasha said, her focus now on the front of the house. “They’re getting close. I have a feeling they want—someone just changed. Did you feel that, guys? That huge blast of power? Changed into human, I’d bet. Probably to open a door and have a gawk. Being naked won’t even make this person stand out.”

She jumped up. “C’mon, we gotta stop that guy from coming in here. I don’t know what they’re looking for, but I’m not letting them find it.”

“No, no, no, Sasha!” Charles hopped up beside her and put out a restraining hand. Those lingering by the walls all took quick steps in front of hallways and openings, blocking her in. “Let them rob us blind if they want to. You are way more important than the crap in this house.”

A determined look crossed Sasha’s face as she stared Charles down. Paulie could tell she was about to force the issue. The woman was as stubborn as they came, and she didn’t like the word ‘no’. Paulie almost smiled. They could be siblings for how alike they were.

“Stay put,” Paulie told her. “I’ll go flush him out. I’ll call for help if I think they are likely to kill me.”

Her flat stare swung his way. Paulie could see the indecision. The desire to sprint into the battle. He also saw a shadow of vulnerability that made his stomach clench. He didn’t know her that well, but she’d given him a chance when everyone else his whole life turned their backs on him. He’d do a helluva lot more than just run around a house to keep her safe. She was blood now.

Her hand lightly rested on the bump of her stomach. “Okay,” she said quietly.

“A few more months and then you can storm the enemy.” Paulie gave her a wink. “Now, where am I headed and am I allowed to kill?”

* * *

“He’s gone.” Stefan glanced around at his Guard. They’d all but surrounded the shifter in stealth, but when they moved in for the capture, it took off. “He’s good. I’d bet he’s done this more than a few times.”

“Good at evading capture, yes. We’ve had the same problem.” Tim stood beside them in sweat pants and a surly expression. “He’s not interested in me. He catalogued my operation and hasn’t come back. Now it’s your turn.”

“Who is a strange shifter reporting to if not more shifters?” Jameson asked as he turned back toward the Mansion.

“That’s the question, isn’t it?” Stefan growled as he followed him. They shouldn’t have this much of a problem with a single shifter. It had a scent, its magic had a scent—finding it and destroying it should be ten times easier than dealing with one of Andris’ schemes. So why couldn’t they lock him down?