Highland Wolf (Highland Brides #10)(93)

The benefits of night vision, Stephanie thought grimly, and ground her teeth as she tried to block the flow of thoughts and memories pouring through her head from the men and women around her, as well as the people in the house, and pretty much everyone else within a mile radius of her. Not that she was sure it was a mile. It could be that she was picking up the thoughts and memories of people as far away as two or ten miles for all she knew . . . So many voices in her head.

“Stephanie? How many?” Lucian repeated, sounding impatient now.

“There are thirty-two rogues in the house,” she responded calmly, unconcerned by the grumpy man’s irritation. “And one more somewhere behind the house.”

“Behind it like in the backyard?” Mirabeau asked, moving closer to her side.

Stephanie glanced at the tall woman with fuchsia-tipped hair, and shook her head. “Farther away. Past the woods behind the backyard.”

“Probably just a neighbor on the next street then,” Lucian said dismissively, and turned away to begin giving his orders to the others.

Stephanie scowled at his back, but waited until he finished with his orders before saying, “I don’t think it’s just a neighbor, Lucian. The feeling I get is the person is—”

“Your feelings do not matter. Whoever it is, is not someone we need worry about now,” Lucian interrupted. “We will check it out after we take care of this nest.”

“But—” Stephanie began in protest, only for him to cut her off again.

“Stay here until we clear the house.”

Stephanie turned to where Mirabeau had been a moment ago, intending to enlist her aid in getting Lucian to listen, but the other woman was gone. She’d already melted into the dark trees to head around the property to the spot where she was to take up position before the group closed in on the house.

All of them were now gone, Stephanie realized as she turned back to where Lucian had been, only to find empty space. She was alone in the woods.

Stephanie threw her hands up with an exasperated huff and then lodged her fists on her hips and surveyed the situation. Despite the darkness and trees, she could make out several different hunters moving through the woods around the house, finding their spots. After having worked with them for several years, she knew the routine. They’d basically surround the property, and then approach at a signal from Lucian, closing in like a net drawn tight around the house. Each person had their orders. Some would guard windows or sliding doors while others would charge through the back and front doors, the idea being that no one inside should evade capture once the house was breached.

Stephanie watched the group maneuver, but her mind was elsewhere. She could hear that other voice from beyond the woods behind the house. The owner was responding to a beeping sound, going into a small room to check—

“Cameras!” Stephanie barked the warning as the thought entered her mind, and then scanned the front of the house for the security cameras. She couldn’t see them, but knew they were there. Fortunately, either Lucian could see them or he was just trusting her, because he immediately barked an order and the slow approach was abandoned in favor of a much swifter one.

Stephanie watched as Lucian led the rogue hunters Decker and Bricker through the front door. There was no sudden shrieking or sounds of chaos. The rogues in the house were all either already asleep or settling down to sleep at this hour. It was why the hunters struck at dawn, so that they could catch the whole nest and not miss any inhabitants who might be out and about during the evening.

It was also always easier to take them by surprise, Stephanie thought, and then closed her eyes and focused on that lone voice again. She’d known about the cameras because this person had been checking them and had seen the hunters closing in on the house. He wasn’t just a neighbor. He was connected somehow to this house. She’d gotten that feeling earlier, but hadn’t been sure how exactly he was connected to it and the people inside. Now she tried to sort through the person’s thoughts for an answer.

Stephanie sifted through the multitude of voices in her head until she zeroed in on the one she wanted again. The individual was in something of a controlled panic now, if there even was such a thing. His thoughts were urgent, but he had planned for this raid, knew exactly what he had to do, and was doing it. He was gathering the things important to him and preparing to flee the area. He’d have to set up somewhere else. It was inconvenient, but not unexpected. It was always best to know your enemies, and he had plans in place. There were—

“Bombs!” Stephanie shrieked, her eyes shooting open as she began to move. Running for the house, she yelled, “Bombs! Get out! Get out! Get out!”

She spotted Mirabeau at one of the side windows, with Tiny at the next one over, and felt a moment’s relief as they, along with the others who had remained outside, began to back warily away from the house. But only a moment’s worth. Three men had entered through the front door, and three men had no doubt entered the back as well. More importantly, Decker—her brother-in-law—was one of those men at the front. If anything happened to him, her sister, Dani, would—

A relieved sob slipped from her lips when she saw Decker coming back out through the front door with Bricker on his heels. Her brother-in-law was looking toward her with a combination of confusion and question. Obviously, they’d heard her shouted warning from inside the house, but weren’t sure what to make of it.