“Sir, there’s a car at the gate. They’re asking to come inside.”

“Who is it?”

“All they would say is that they’re here on The Directive’s business.”

“Go tell Hans to make sure Sophie’s quiet and to come to my office after he’s changed his clothes.”

“Yes, sir. And the visitors?”

“Let them in, take them to the study on the other side of the house, and tell them I’m on a business call but will be with them momentarily. And use the outside walkway. I don’t want them coming in the front door.”

“Yes, sir.”

Gregor went to the window and watched, as the limousine slowly made its way up the driveway, the headlamps shining dual streams of light. It then wound around to where the guard told them to park. The chauffeur got out and went to the back of the vehicle, opening the door for the occupants.

“Clarence Collins… and Jana Noskova. A vampire and a shifter. Covering their bases well.”

“Gregor!” Hans called out from behind him.

“Hans! How is our fair Sophie doing under your guidance?”

“As I told you she would be—pliant, yielding, and obedient.”

“Perfect! And she’ll stay silent for a while?”

“She’ll do whatever I tell her to do.”

“Anything?”

“Yes. I can give you a demonstration later if you’d like.”

“That won’t be necessary. It might give her hope that her time with you is over.”

“I’ve enjoyed her tears.”

“Enough talk about Sophie. As long as that independent spirit is squashed, that’s all I care about. You’re aware that The Directive is here....” Hans nodded. “We must endeavor to get them to our side.” Gregor’s eyes went to slits. “We have to be clever about it and not let them suspect anything.”

“Of course.”

“If worse comes to worst, there’re only three of them.”

“I’ll dump the shifter in the swamp. We can sweep up the ashes of the vampire and figure out what to do with the third once we have him trapped.”

“Agreed. Let’s go.”

They left Gregor’s office, and on their way to the study, they passed the door behind which Sophie was being held. Pausing, Gregor listened with his enhanced preternatural hearing.

“Not a peep!”

“She knows better than to disobey me.”

Gregor turned back, and they proceeded down the hallway. After a few turns, they reached the study, and he opened the door.

“Hello! Please excuse my tardiness. I had business to attend to, but now I’m available for whatever The Directive needs. Oh! I was told that three of you had arrived.”

“Ethan is with the car.”

“I see.” Gregor smiled and approached them, holding out his hand. “Gregor Gaines, and this is my right-hand man, Hans Fischer.”

“Clarence Collins.”

“Jana Noskova.”

“A pleasure. Please sit.”

“We have a serious matter to discuss that requires your complete discretion.” Clarence leaned forward, towards Gregor. “And honesty.”

“Of course.”

“We want to talk to you about a woman who’s missing. She was last seen running from...” Clarence paused and flicked his eyes to Hans. “...you.”

* * *

The moment they arrived, Ethan had sensed that something was off about the place, and he told Clarence and Jana as much.

He crept around the estate, careful to keep his steps as quiet as possible. The grounds were dimly lit, but as a wolf shifter, he had no trouble seeing in the dark. His stomach rumbled, and he wondered at that, since he’d eaten a bucket of fried chicken and okra on the drive over.

The youngest in his family of eight brothers, he was also the shortest at 6’2”.

Maybe I’m gonna have a growth spurt and catch up with the rest of the guys. Or… maybe it’s the Legendary Hunger. Michelle’s clothes smelled awful good, and now I’m starving. But it just took Tomas. Is it coming for me, too? It couldn’t take one brother after the other, could it? Nah…

Reaching the end of the side of the building, he peered around the corner and saw two guards smoking. He brought his gun out of his jacket, holding it with both hands, muzzle pointed to the dirt.

“Yeah, I don’t know what they did with her,” one of them said. “Hadn’t seen hide nor hair of her for a while now.”

“You think they killed her?”

“Nope.”

“Why?”

“They let that last lady go who’d messed up. Gave her some trainin’ or whatnot, and then she was back on the straight and narrow with the bossman. It’s probably the same thing now.”

“I’m sure you’re right.”

They wandered off, as Ethan eased away from the wall and began making his way back to the car. Clarence had told him to be ready to go at midnight, which was almost upon them.

They had to be talking about Sophie. And who is the other woman? We need to find her, too!