Chapter 6: : Chapter 6

I parked my truck in the lot at Old Channel Harbor, got out, and slammed the door harder than I’d intended.

I had two days to hand over Savannah Caine, or the sorcerer was going to make my pack pay. How, I didn’t know, but I believed his threat. I could watch over Savannah, but I couldn’t watch over everyone in my pack.

That meant I had two days to bring him down.

I wound my way through the lot over to the two women waiting for me by the dock—Nevaeh and Amal, both agents of the Order. I didn’t trust the organization, but I’d trust both women with my life.

No sign of Savannah. Maybe she wouldn’t show.

“Good to see you, Jax,” Amal said as she stepped forward and clasped my arm.

She’d spent her childhood torn between Chicago and Cairo, and we were old friends. She’d been like a sweet little sister then. Now, she was one of the deadliest assassins I knew.

I tilted my head to Neve, whose red hair gently floated in the still air—an enchanting quirk of being a powerful djinn, a genie of the winds. “Nice to see you, Detective Cross.”

She smiled. “I’ve been out of town, but I heard you’re the new alpha around here.”

I’d helped her and Damian Malek, one of Magic Side’s wealthiest and most dangerous underlords, overthrow a demented mage who’d managed to tear open a portal to the hells and had been amassing a demon army. This was after he’d unleashed a water genie on Bentham a month ago, allowing five prisoners to escape—including Kahanov.

Since I’d taken over as alpha from my father, we’d faced one crisis after another. I’d hoped Billy’s death had been the tragic end of it, but now, I worried that was only a prelude. “Any new leads on the sorcerer?”

Amal shook her head. “I lost his trail in Italy. Sorry, Jax.”

“Then this visit better pay off. We need a lead. Fast.”

I’d told them about the note, as well as most of the details surrounding the abductions and blood demon attacks.

“Is Savannah supposed to be meeting us?” Neve asked. “You had me get clearance for her.”

As if mentioning her name summoned the she-devil up from the pits of hell, Savannah’s Gran Fury peeled into the parking lot with the radio blasting. The werewolves I’d assigned to her protection detail followed shortly behind in a black SUV.

She was late and loudly broadcasting that the world revolved around her. I clenched my fist. Just the sight of her made my blood pressure rise. She was insufferable and obstinate…and frustratingly arousing.

Savannah climbed out of the car and strode over to us. Her white T-shirt was tucked into high-cut jeans that accentuated her curves, and I had to dig my claws into my palms to keep my head straight.

Amal leaned close and whispered, “A new love interest?”

“Never. She’s a LaSalle,” I snapped, too quickly. Unfortunately, Amal could probably smell the desire that plagued my mind the minute Savannah showed up.

Her hips swayed as she crossed the parking lot, and I forced my smoldering arousal down, reminding myself that Savannah was the reason my pack was under threat.

I tensed as she drew near. “Nice of you to show. At last.”

“Better late than never.” She shot me a glare, then extended her hand to Amal. “Hi, I’m Savy. You two must work for the Order.”

Amal shook Savannah’s hand. “I’m Amal, and this is Neve. We’re hunting Kahanov. It’s good to meet the woman he’s after. I’ve got a lot of questions for you.”

“Likewise,” Savannah said.

Neve shook her hand as well. “Your illustrations helped us identify him. You’re quite the gifted artist.”

Savannah’s expression darkened. “That bastard turned my life into a nightmare. Even if I never saw his face, it’s hard to forget the details of someone like that.”

A jolt of anger and protectiveness tightened the muscles in my arm. “Let’s go,” I growled.

“What’s at Bentham?” Savannah asked as we headed toward the two-prop boat waiting for us in the marina. “Jaxson mentioned a bloodthirsty devil.”

Neve nodded, her mood suddenly dark. “Kahanov escaped from Bentham with the help of a devil known as the Ripper. He might know what Kahanov’s plans were. It’s all we’ve got to go on, so we’re going to bash him around a bit until he coughs up something useful. He’s a real bastard.”

A cold wind whipped around us, and the boats at the dock started bobbing gently in the breeze. Neve had a temper, and when it rose, so did the storms.

We boarded the black Order patrol boat and sped across the harbor toward Bentham Island. Over the roar of the engines, Amal and Neve relentlessly grilled Savannah about Kahanov, his magic, and what she’d seen while scrying on him. But silence fell when we approached the massive prison, and Nevaeh whistled low as we pulled into the recently outfitted dock. “What a change. The last time I was here, this place was crumbling into the lake.”

“What happened?” Savannah asked.

“A water genie hit it with a tsunami and cursed its defenses.” Neve pointed to a faint shimmering dome in the air above the prison. “That spell protects Bentham. When it came down, five prisoners managed to escape, despite a half dozen backup measures. Kahanov is the only one still on the loose.”

The captain killed the engine and secured the boat against the concrete jetty. Neve stood and levitated onto the dock, while Amal leapt up. Savannah’s eyes rounded, and her jaw dropped. “Holy hell, that’s…awesome,” she said, then stood and placed her foot on the gunwale. Amal and I both extended our hands to help her up, and Savannah paused.

Amal smirked. “I won’t bite.”

Ignoring me, Savannah took her hand, and Amal pulled her up to the jetty with a swift tug.

“Let me guess, you’re a werewolf,” Savannah said to Amal.

“That’s right. The best kind, too.”

“Wolfborn, like Jaxson?”

“Gods, no.” Amal frowned. “I shapeshift into a wolf with magic, which means I can do it with my clothes on.”

Savannah looked her up and down. “I’ve seen some of Jaxson’s people do that. Does it work with guns, too?”

“Anything I’m carrying.”

“Yeah. That seems better than the other option with all the twisting and bones snapping.” Savannah gave me a wry smile. “If I had to be a werewolf, I think I know what I’d choose.”

Her reproach for our kind was blatantly obvious.

The guards at the gate had been expecting us, but it took ten minutes of running background checks before they let us pass wearing visitor badges. Finally, they stepped aside and waved us into the highest-security prison in the US.

Half a dozen men and women in tactical uniforms were waiting to escort us. I heard the chatter in their earpieces as they led us down a bare concrete corridor lit by fluorescent bulbs—

Even with the spells and design of the prison, the guards here had their work cut out for them. Bentham held some of the world’s most dangerous Magica criminals.

We took an elevator ride down to Level E and were escorted past a dozen cells with iron doors. The guards stopped in front of a door with a glowing number 36 in a triangle.

Time to meet the Ripper.

Savannah’s shoulders tensed as she glanced toward cell 37, which had once held Kahanov. She held herself strong, but I could feel her unease and smell her rising trepidation. A desire to go to her rose in me, but I fought it down. She’d all but forced me into bringing her here. She could handle herself.

Savannah looked back to cell 36, jaw set. “Kahanov and the Ripper were neighbors.”

Neve nodded.

“Give this one a wide berth,” the guard said as he unlocked the door with an iron key once he finished dispelling the magic charms.

“Oh, the Ripper knows better than to pull any tricks,” Neve said as she stepped into the well-lit cell. The prisoner inside locked eyes with her and then scooted against the wall of open bars at the far end.

Beyond them was an empty circular space with an observation tower in the center that magically monitored all the cells that encircled it. The prison was a panopticon, more commonly known as the donut, for that reason.

“Stay back, you cursed woman!” the devil yelled.

I was glad to see him squirm. The had nicknamed him the Ripper for the way he tore his victims’ bodies apart. The last person he’d murdered happened to be in the Dens, and though it wasn’t a pack member, it had happened in our territory.

I flexed my fists, and my knuckles cracked with the anticipation of breaking his nose.

“Quiet. We just want to talk,” Neve said coolly.

“Not with you in here.” His signature smelled like rotting corpses and tasted of tar, and his body quaked with fear.

Amal shot forward and had her claws at his throat before he could twitch a muscle. “Then you’ll talk to me. We’re looking for Kahanov. He got away with you and the others on the night of the twenty-third. Any idea where he might be?”

“You mean he’s still out there?” He let out a piercing cackle and clutched his sunken chest. “The fates must have smiled upon him, then, because that’s a surprise.”

“Oh, really? And why’s that?” Amal asked.

“Why would I give you information, filthy lycanthrope?” he snarled.

“Because if you don’t, I’ll ram my claws into your eyes and rip off your balls. Then I’ll have my friend Neve here suck the breath from your lungs.” Amal’s cheery voice betrayed the wrath she could unleash.

The devil’s eyes bulged, and he raised his hands in acquiescence. “There’s no need for violence. I’ll tell you what I know, but maybe you’ll put a word in with the guards on my behalf. I haven’t seen the sun in a month.”

“Maybe.” Amal stepped back and crouched in front of him. “Tell me about your escape.”

The Ripper’s catlike eyes flashed to me before settling on Amal. “Kahanov and I escaped together. But you already knew that.”

“How did you coordinate the escape? Were you two friends? Where did you intend to go?” she pressed.

“So many questions.” The Ripper smiled, but Amal’s claws extended, and he froze. “We weren’t friends, but he was my neighbor, and when you’re in this place long enough, you take what you can get. The plan was his. I helped him slip past the guards, and once we got free, we were supposed to meet up with the Viper. She was going to get us out of Magic Side.”

“The Viper?” Amal glanced back at me, but I hadn’t heard the name before.

“Can’t tell you anything about her. We never managed to meet up. Kahanov ditched me the second we reached the northern dock. So instead, I did what I do best.” A bloodthirsty grin spread across his face, and I couldn’t restrain myself any longer.

I stepped forward and punched him, careful not to break his jaw but ensuring I felt his nose crunch. He howled and clutched his bloody face.

As the Ripper’s cries subsided to the whimpers of a wounded beast, Amal gave me a sharp look, then folded her arms and continued her interrogation. “Where was the Viper going to take you?” Irritation colored her voice, but she kept her cool.

“Don’t. Know,” he replied, his answer distorted by the hand he used to stanch the bleeding. “Like I said, Kahanov ditched me, and I wasn’t privy to the details of his plan.”

“Is that all you have for us?”

The Ripper nodded but I sensed his lie, and my patience was running thin. I unleashed my alpha presence and let my claws extend. Amal tensed, and the devil shrank further into the corner, averting his eyes. “S-stop. I’ve told you everything.”

I took a step closer, and his skin turned ashen. “You were surprised that Kahanov was still on the run. Why was that?”

“B-because. He was half mad. I didn’t think he’d last long on the outside.” The devil’s voice trembled with fear, so I pulled back my power.

“Half mad how?”

“It started a few weeks before we escaped. His mood changed, and he became obsessed with the LaSalles. Like, obsessed. He’d been here too long, and he finally broke.”

“Did he know the LaSalles personally?” Savannah asked, appearing by my side.

The Ripper dragged his eyes up her body and grinned, a terrible expression considering the condition of the rest of his face. “Don’t know, beautiful. He never spoke of them before he went nuts.”

“Then we’re done here.” The way the devil was looking at Savannah made me want to snap his neck, and it was all I could do to maintain control. I grabbed Savannah’s arm and towed her out of the cell.

“What are you doing, Jaxson?” she snarled as she tore free of my grasp.

I narrowed my eyes and stepped into her space. “I said we’re done. You shouldn’t be talking to that bastard. He’s a fucking monster that ripped women like you apart.”

She flinched like my words had slapped her face, and she crossed her arms. “So now what? We still don’t know where he is.”

I cocked my head as Amal’s voiced echoed into the hallway. She’d resumed her interrogation about how the escapees made their break.

I returned my attention to Savannah. “Amal and I are going to track down the Viper.”

“You and Amal? So you’re leaving me out of this again?”

I set my jaw and mirrored her crossed arms. “I have no idea who the Viper is, but if she’s working with monsters like the Ripper and Kahanov, then she’s probably a monster, too. The fact that he was able to coordinate with someone on the outside suggests Kahanov has connections in Magic Side. I’m not walking you into danger. So go home, sit tight. We’ll deal with him.”

“No.” She shoved me, but I didn’t budge, so she strode down the hall a few paces before turning back. “Why the hell are you so invested in protecting me? I’m a LaSalle, and you’ve made it clear you couldn’t care less for me.”

I slowly crossed the distance. “Because Kahanov is an asshole, and I’m not going to give him what he wants.”

She raised her chin defiantly. “Then maybe you should just toss me in his empty cell. I’d be nice and safe, and you’d know where I was.”

“Maybe I should.”

She bared her teeth, and the silence stretched between us. There was something about the fire in her eyes and the scent of her rage that made me want to slam her up against the wall and take her mouth with mine. She gently bit her healing lower lip, and I imagined what she might taste like.

My wolf strained in my chest, and it was all I could do to steady my breathing and repress my desire. Why was I letting this unbearable woman get under my skin?

Amal emerged from the cell, and the guard slammed the door.

Savannah glanced at Amal and Neve talking, and then whispered, “If I have to cower in a cell, then you’re just handing Kahanov all the power. Please, let me help you hunt him down. Maybe it’s risky, but I need this, and I can help. You I can.”

Her body trembled with repressed rage and frustration. I looked deep into her eyes, measuring her will. They flickered with something I couldn’t quite put my finger on at first—not hatred, nor desperation, nor fear.

I leaned closer and breathed in her scent, searching for answers. It always drove me wild, but even as desire overwhelmed my mind, a shock of recognition cut through the fog. I understood the emotion now—the call of the hunt. The compulsion to relentlessly chase. To tear down your prey. To take its life.

I knew that emotion well. It was strange from a sorcerer, but I could respect the need. It would also ensure that Savannah was under my watch.

Grinding my teeth, I relented. “Fine. Tomorr—’

A metallic thud echoed through the door of the cell beside us, and Savannah jumped at the noise.

The door to cell 35 was sealed with five arcane locks. Someone had posted a sign beside the window slit:

I stepped up to the door and slid the slit open. A shadow moved inside—a hulking figure, sitting in darkness. His signature resonated with power. Even through the magically sealed door, it vibrated the air around us. It felt like flames across my skin and smelled of fresh tobacco and amber.

“What do you want?” I growled.

His head turned slowly, and he spoke in a rough voice laced with danger. “If you’re looking for Kahanov, you’re not going to find him.”

“And why’s that?”

The inmate shifted, and his words echoed out of the shadow. “He was gone before he even escaped.”