“We’ve attempted to simulate Thompson’s scent blocker,” Donovan said, leaning forward. “It’s not perfect, but it’ll keep us from being identified.”
Bill nodded, not taking his eyes off the road. “That it does, but as Lily said, if possible we’ll stay upwind.”
When they pulled out of the car, Lily practically jumped out. Eager and antsy to get started. Opening the back, Donovan took out what looked like bug spray. He sprayed it all over himself then passed it to Bill.
Lily leaned over and sniffed, wrinkling her nose. “That stinks! What the hell is that,” she exclaimed, pinching her nose and waving her hand.
“Our imitation of the scent blocker,” Bill replied, spraying himself.
“I hope you don’t expect me to put that on do you,” she said, still waving her hand.
Zander took the can and glared at her. “Quit being such a girl,” he snapped at her but didn’t look to eager himself. At her challenging look, though, he sprayed himself down.
“You dork,” she said, taking the can. “And I’m proud to be a girl! We can totally rock,” she added, then with a pained grimace sprayed the stinky stuff over her. “Man, this better work or I’m kicking your ass fairy!”
“Let’s get a move on, shall we,” Bill said before anyone could say anything more.
They walked into the woods, towards where they believed the cabin was. Each was spread out about twenty feet from each other. They’d been walking for almost forty-five minutes when Lily picked up the scent of Lycans. She waved down Bill and tried to mime a wolf. At first, he looked confused then he nodded. She did the same to Zander as Bill with Donovan.
A few more minutes and the trees dropped off into a large clearing with a cabin at the center. There were lycans everywhere. Two were on the roof, two were at the door. Several were walking the yard. Three stood on the dirt road that leads up to the overhang for a car. Who knew how many would be inside. Lily lifted her nose and sniffed, she didn’t catch any scent of human besides Tristen.
These wolves couldn’t all be rogue. There had to be a pack working with Vincent. Thankfully, the occasional breeze was at their side and keeping the stinky smell of the attempt-blocker from the lycans. Lily bent down to watch the lycans. See if there was some kind of routine when she picked up another scent. It was an odd scent, neither lycan or vampire. It certainly wasn’t human. There was also something familiar about it. Like Lily had smelled the person before.
She jumped when Zander touched her shoulder. Lily was about to get on his ass about leaving his position, but there was an alarmed look on his face. “What?” She hissed in a whisper, but then her eyes widened as she heard someone speaking with one of the lycans. “No, it can’t…” Lily turned to see what her nose and ears were telling her.
Smiling as he leaned on a cane, he spoke with the lycan as if they had been lifelong friends. Maybe they had been. His dark hair was styled elegantly in a slicked back fashion that went very well with the dark suit he wore. His skin was pale and unnaturally perfect. Even though he looked twenty years younger than when she last saw him, there was no mistaking who he was. It couldn’t be… she’d seen him die! Hell, she was the one that cut him into little pieces!
“Xavier,” she breathed. That was Xavier freaking Thompson, alive and well! He was the boss! He was the one Vincent was answering too. But… how?
Relief swamped James when he saw the large SUV drive into the parking lot, and he felt even better as he saw Lily dropped down from the car. However when he saw the look on her face. Dread prickled the back of his neck as he realized Zander wasn’t with them. “What happened?” He asked, walking up to Lily and the others.
“Zander stayed to gather intel on unexpected development,” Bill replied.
“Unexpected development? Unexpected Development!” Lily shouted at him. “He isn’t a god damn unexpected development! He’s a fucking nightmare come to life!”
He? James didn’t like the sound of that. He licked his lips nervously. “I take it you found out who Vincent is working for,” he replied, stating the obvious, but he couldn’t help himself.
“We’re not sure it’s really him,” Billy replied.
“You may not be really sure it was him, but I am! I know his scent better than anyone here,” Lily said, she continued to shout. She started to pace back and forth, running her hands through her hair. “It could’ve been anyone in the world, why him?” She said fisting her hair. “He should be dead. I should know I watched him die!”
James grabbed her by the shoulders worried at the wild, crazed look in her eyes. “Who Lily? Who was there?”
She dropped her hands, and they fell limp at her side. “Xavier Thompson,” she said, looking haunted.
James froze, staring at her. That couldn’t be right. He was dead. He’d been dead and gone for two years now. “Lily…” he started, not sure what he wanted to say.
“Thompson was always sneaky, Lily,” Bill said, his voice sympathetic. “Who we saw could’ve been a son we never knew about.”
Lily moved her head side to side. The haunted look in her face broke James’ heart. Thompson was her boogeyman. He’d stole her humanity, forcing her to become a lycanthrope. If that wasn’t bad enough, Xavier twisted her into the hybrid, a new kind of monster. She had found some peace with his death, but now he’d stolen even that.
“I know he looked younger,” Lily said, her tone soft and breathy. It was almost like if she spoke quiet enough, it wouldn’t be real. “But I know it was him, James. His scent may have changed, but I can still recognize it! I killed him… I made sure he was dead! I swear it!”
James pulled her into a hug as he said, “I know you did, Lily. It’s going to be okay. We’ll find out what’s going on.”