Twenty-Two
Hudson flipped on the lights in his mom’s house. The place was clean now, thanks to Viviana’s help, and after arriving this morning, he’d stocked the fridge with some easy meal options. Gregory had invited him for dinner with the pack, but Hudson wasn’t up for seeing everybody. Returning to the Evergreen Pack was like coming home to a house full of relatives, some of whom he liked, others he didn’t. Right now, he couldn’t handle any kind of socializing or drama.
He waited until after dinnertime, then walked down to the picnic area. Some of the other pack members were still hanging around, but Gregory sat apart from them, sipping a beer.
“Grab one,” he said to Hudson. “Cooler’s over there.” He gestured to a blue ice chest on the picnic table.
Hudson got a beer, opened it, and dragged a lawn chair over to Gregory. “Thanks.”
“So, she kicked you out, huh? What kind of orders weren’t you obeying?”
“I was obeying everything,” Hudson said. “She just didn’t like me.”
“Ah, that just. You know I can smell the half lie. What happened down there?”
Hudson sighed, took a sip of beer. “I fell in love.”
“Ooh-hoo-hoo. Hot dog,” Gregory said. “That’s a doozy. With the princess?”
“Who else,” Hudson grumbled.
“Her mama is not gonna like that.”
“Obviously,” Hudson said, gesturing to himself and the small area around them. “That’s why I’m here, isn’t it?”
Gregory gave him a light punch on the shoulder. “Here I thought it was because you missed me so much.”
Hudson didn’t have a response for that. He wasn’t in the mood to joke around.
“Tell me more about this vampire issue,” Gregory said.
“Not much to tell. Some rogue vamp from Europe came in and wants revenge on the Corona Pride—at least, that’s what the Corona Court is thinking. I guess the vampire was raving about losing his consort, and it’s the pride who took her out.”
Gregory gazed thoughtfully at the darkening sky. “People will do a lot of things to avenge lost loved ones.”
Hudson nodded, although he really didn’t know.
“They grieve different ways, is what I’m learning. Your woman taught me that.” Gregory gulped down the rest of his beer and stood up.
Hudson could hear Gregory’s joints popping. Gregory was getting up there in age, and Hudson wondered how long until someone else stepped up, wanting the role of alpha. At least in the Evergreens it was a peaceful process. Hudson hoped it was the same in the Corona Pride. The thought of Viviana having to fight someone for the spot made his body hurt.
“Gonna call it a night,” Gregory said. “Don’t stay out too late. You’ll want to get some rest to figure out your problem.”
Hudson nodded. “Thanks.”
He watched Gregory amble away, and then he finished his beer. Yeah, he should get some rest. He wasn’t going to stay up here forever. He tossed his empty in the recycling and walked back to his mom’s house. Once inside, he grabbed his phone and texted Viviana. You there?
No response. Then a few seconds later, words came up on the screen. Leave my daughter alone.
Viviana wasn’t a child. Her mom had no right to take her phone like she was a misbehaving thirteen-year-old. Swearing, Hudson tossed his phone on the couch. It buzzed immediately with an incoming call.
“What,” he growled.
“Easy,” a male voice said. “It’s Fraze.”
Gracie Jane’s mate, and Viviana’s friend. “Hi.”
“Hi,” Fraze said, his voice amused. “Marlana giving you hell?”
“Wouldn’t you know it. Can you get a message to Viviana?”
“Sure.”
“Just tell her I miss her. Have her send me a message if she wants me to come down there.”
“Will do. She’s lying low right now, from what I can gather. Wouldn’t come down from her room all day. She’s pissed that the Channings will be guarding her tonight instead of you.”
“That’s not why you’re calling, though, is it?” Hudson asked.
“No. Look, Gracie Jane is here, and she learned some more about Astor. They have a guess about where he’s staying.”
“Where?” Hudson asked, voice sharp.
“There’s a small, rundown cabin about a mile from the southwest corner of the Pine Trail reserve.”
Hudson switched the call to speaker and opened a map app on his phone. “I see where it might be. Road leads right in.”
“Don’t go out there,” Fraze said. “Marlana’s sending Agatha and Michael out at noon tomorrow and they’re trained to handle it, but I wanted to let you know, too. If Viv’s your mate, then you’re just as invested in this as the pride.”
“Thanks,” Hudson said.
After ending the call, Hudson stared at the wall of his mom’s living room. He’d go out to the reserve, and have a look around. During the day, of course. Even if Astor was awake during the day, the sun would work in Hudson’s favor. Hudson would simply stay out of the dark parts of the cabin.
*
In the morning, Hudson got up early and knocked on the alpha’s door. Gregory answered, wearing a pair of pajama pants. “Early to be calling, don’t you think, Hudson?”
“Maybe. Just wanted to let you know I’m heading out for now. I’ll be back later.”
Gregory nodded. “Be careful.”
“Will do.”
The drive to the Pine Trail Reserve took about an hour. By the time Hudson circled around to the southwest edge, it was eight a.m., and the sunlight streamed strong and cheerful through Hudson’s window.
The cabin in front of Hudson was decrepit. It hardly looked light-tight enough for a vampire to want to live inside. Had Fraze and Gracie Jane been mistaken?
Hudson got out of his car and circled the small building. From what he could guess from the fallen walls, it looked like there used to be a kitchen, a bathroom, and a single bedroom.
Carefully, he walked closer. If the vampire was burrowed under a piece of the wall, Hudson could expose him. It might work. Then the sun would burn the guy. Job done.
He poked around some of the rubble, but this seemed pointless. Nobody was here. The cabin was completely abandoned—nobody alive, nobody dead.
Hudson turned toward his car. A shape fell from the trees above him. Hudson only had a glimpse of shadow before something tackled him and he fell to the ground. Hudson squirmed, twisted, and bucked off his attacker.
It wasn’t a lion. It was a human. But…what human could fight like this? This, this thing, it could only be a vampire. Except it was daytime. Vampires couldn’t be exposed to sunlight, and while there were trees around, he didn’t think they would provide enough shadow.
What did he know, though? He’d never fought with a vampire before—he’d only met one for the first time a few days ago. Maybe faint shade was enough shelter for vampires.
Either way, the vampire had disappeared. Hudson spun around, looking at the trees above him. He moved to a sunnier spot. “Come out here, you bastard! Come get a tan!”
Nothing happened. Hudson’s car was in the shade of a large pine tree. If he went for it, he’d be at risk again. Still, he couldn’t stand here all day. It would take hours, but eventually it would get completely dark and he’d be vulnerable.
He looked one way and then the other. The shadowy figure was still nowhere to be seen—not above him, not on the ground. Shit. There was only one thing to do—run.
Hudson bolted for his car. Something followed him on swift feet, but Hudson kicked backward and spun into the kick. The shape fell right into a patch of sunlight.
Hudson stared at the stunned vampire. The eyes were closed, but Hudson suspected that if they’d been open they’d be just as black as Gracie Jane’s. The vampire’s long, dark blond hair was pulled back in a low ponytail. His mouth was partly open, revealing sharp fangs. His face was pale, and, most surprising of all, unmarred in the sunlight.
The sun didn’t do anything to it.
Hudson backed away from the still form until his spine touched his car. He felt behind him for the handle, flung open the door, and leaped inside. Then he peeled out, leaving the very much alive and unharmed vampire in his wake.
There was no time to waste. If this guy wasn’t affected by sunlight, then Hudson had to get out of here so he could warn Viviana.