Hunting Colby

Chapter Three

“No, no, no. Don’t get all girly on me.” A pair of worn running shoes filled my vision until someone squatted in front of me and wiped the tear from my cheek. “Shit, I suck at this stuff.”

I smacked Mutt’s hand away. “Stop touching me.”

He wiped the tear’s dampness on his worn, dirty jeans. “That’s better. Is he dead?” He rose to search the empty bathroom. “Guess not. Where’d the bastard go? Did he hurt you?”

Mutt bore the trademark bald head, pointed ears, and the palest of pale skin of his brethren. Unlike them, however, he also owned the sweetest of hearts. I feared for him. Compared to the Nosferatu I’d worked with and others I’d met, Mutt was a newborn baby, a street kid from the 1980’s gone vampire. A few years ago, when Rurik had killed Dragos, the old ruler of the vampire nation, Mutt had undergone the transformation from regular vampire to Nosferatu badass.

I eyed the young appearing male leaning against the bathroom’s door frame and shook my head. It would take at least a few more centuries before he could stand up to the others in his clan. Until then, he was fresh meat.

“Colby left.” I got to my feet and stretched the cramped muscles in my lower back. How long had I been sitting there? “Took you long enough to return.”

Mutt frowned. “I was on the other side of town. Contrary to common belief, I can’t fly. Not yet.”

I snorted. “None of you can.”

“A little respect.” He waved at his appearance. Mutt’s clan might make most supernatural beings shiver in fear at just the mention of their name, but not me, not anymore. I’d helped kill one not long ago.

I snorted once more. “Respect is earned, not given. You’re still…too inexperienced.” He had lots to learn besides fighting. As a human, Mutt had grown up alone in this country’s foster home system. Then he’d been turned vampire to work as a soldier in Cesio’s nest. So I had my work cut out for me when it came to teaching Mutt about honor.

He grinned from ear to ear. “You know I’ll make you eat those words one day.”

“I look forward to it.” I met his gaze directly. “Did you find your friend?”

His smartass smile faded. “No. I spent more time trying to find his scent than following it. My nose isn’t as good as yours.”

“The skill comes with practice, and you’ll get more tonight. We’re going back out on the hunt. I want to question this vampire now, and I always catch what I track.”

His eyes narrowed. “I don’t doubt it, but are you doing this because of the slayer?”

I schooled my face into the emotionless mask I’d been wearing for the last few months. “Yes. Why?”

“Because this idea has PMS written all over it, and I’m not suicidal enough to screw around with slayers. It’s bad enough I knocked him unconscious. He’s probably carving my name on a stake as we speak.”

“He wouldn’t…” Then I remembered Colby’s hatred of Master Tane and, well, all Nosferatu. “It’s not like you think. I just…” What? Wanted to jump his bones? “He won’t be involved anymore.” Except we were both chasing after the same vampire.

“I know about you and your slayer problem.” He cleared his throat. “When you showed up at my home, I called Tane to confirm your credentials, and he told me about you.”

“It isn’t any of your business.”

“Not until now.” He eyed my tidy room and pointedly stared at my made bed. “I guess your talk didn’t go as planned?”

My shoulders slumped and I sat on the cheap chair by the table. “He acted like it was more of an abduction. So no, it didn’t go over well.”

“No shit. Shocking.” He sat across from me and set a syringe with a long, capped needle on the table. “Well, next time you can drug him. Just stab him in the heart and push the plunger. That should get his attention.”

A burst of laughter escaped me and I couldn’t stop until new tears rolled from my eyes. “Yes, that would be an excellent second date. I’m not even going to ask why you’re carrying that.”

“Better that you don’t.” He slipped it back in his coat. “You’ll find someone else, someone better, and have good stories to tell your pups one day.”

“You don’t know anything about shifters, do you?”

He raised his hands in despair. “How can I? I’m still figuring out what I am.”

“There won’t be anyone else for me. Colby is it.” I banged the back of my head against the wall. “It shouldn’t be this hard. Usually when mates meet, sparks fly and they’re together.” I gazed at my hands. “Something’s wrong with me.” I knew what it was. He didn’t want me because I couldn’t shift. If I bore Colby’s pups, they’d run the risk of inheriting my disability.

Mutt grasped my hand. “There’s nothing wrong with you. He’s the fucked-up one.”

If only that were true. And to top it off, I’d screwed things up for Red. A human I actually respected and liked. I leaned my forehead on our grasped hands. “I was so focused on snagging Colby that I let your friend escape. They think he’s involved in kidnapping another slayer.”

“Alcide? He’d kidnap a nice pair of shoes, but not a slayer. They’re after the wrong vampire.”

I glanced up at him. “Are you sure?”

“One hundred percent? No. Maybe the slayer was wearing nice shoes.” He gave me a crooked grin. “You’re really not any good at this getting-your-mate-to-like-you stuff. I’d love to hear about how you both met.”

I punched him in the arm. “Stop it. You’re making me feel worse.”

He laughed harder. “Is this why we’re going back out again?” Placing a hand over his big smile, Mutt tried to stifle his mirth. He did poorly.

At this point I couldn’t care. Whatever pride I’d owned had vanished when I’d bared my trodden heart to this young vampire. “No.” I rose to my feet and pulled my suitcase from under the bed. Unlocking it, I exchanged my weapons from those used to capturing vampires to things suitable for killing. Mutt might still trust his friend, but I didn’t. “If we find Alcide first, he’ll have a better chance of surviving. Colby is close to the missing slayer and might beat the shit out of your friend before asking questions.”

“This is a terrible idea.”

“How?” I stuffed a wooden stake in my back waist band. “It’s my fault he escaped. If Red dies, Colby will never forgive me.”

“So you’ll hunt a vampire to make him happy and not to save the human’s life?” Mutt’s smile turned weary.

“You’re picking at details. The point is, we all want the same thing, and I’ll make Colby happy. For once.” I stopped at the open doorway. “Aren’t you coming?”

He shook his head. “I don’t want to get between the two of you. Like you said, I don’t understand shifters and I understand you even less after this.”

“You need more combat training. This should technically be your job. To keep the existence of your kind a secret, you need to make sure vampires are following the laws.” I raised an eyebrow. “Or did you sleep through that lesson?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard it every time one of my big brothers shows up uninvited.” He pushed passed me into the night. “What’s your plan?”

I tapped my nose. “His scent should still be fresh at the motel as long as it doesn’t rain.” I stared at the clear night and watched a falling star flash across the sky. There was only one thing I’d wish for, but I’d make this wish come true on my own.