Meat

Chapter Nineteen

Kaleb drummed his fingers against his thigh as footsteps thrummed through the apartment. The door was yanked open without ceremony and Matthew stood on the other side dressed in nothing but a pair of sweatpants and sleep at the corner of his eyes. He stepped out of the way, holding the door open and giving an awkward, sleepy smile.

Striding into the small apartment, Kaleb glanced around though he didn't need to. He had been to this apartment many times and things rarely changed. Priya was particular and kept things just the way she liked them. Drawing in a deep breath through his nose, Kaleb glanced over his shoulder at the girl as she trailed after him into the kitchen. The masculine scent in the apartment was obviously his young farmhand's, but it was more ingrained than he'd expected. The man only spent three nights a month here as far as he was aware, and yet his scent lingered throughout the apartment; as ingrained as the varnish in the wooden floor.

What wasn't there, however, was the scent of his son.

"Have you heard from him?"

Matthew shook his head and folded his arms. He leaned back against the kitchen counter like it was his own and when Kaleb glared at him, he glanced uncertainly at Priya.

"I've tried calling a dozen times, but I'm just getting the machine."

The brothers kept their distance, standing just inside the front door. They muttered to each other under their breath, sharing knowing smirks. Kaleb clicked his fingers and they were at attention without another word.

"Split up. Priya and Matthew know the city, so I want you to take Darren and Jack around. Check out the vampire haunts, the places you know Vince is familiar with."

The brothers nodded in sync. Priya watched him with that curiosity he had once told her would get her in trouble.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to the lion's den."

She stepped forwards and laid her hand on the crook of his arm.

"Are you sure that's a good idea? We should go with you."

Patting her hand, Kaleb extracted himself from her grasp and kissed her forehead.

"I'd rather you start looking, pup," he assured her. "The faster we find Vince and Carson the better. I'll be fine. The drainers know what hell they'll bring upon themselves if they hurt me."

"What if they do it anyway?"

"Then you have until sundown to find their vampire before they do."

***

The door at the top of the steps stood ajar. Only a sliver of the inside was visible. Kaleb climbed the stone steps, pausing to take a good look behind him. If there was any trouble inside, all he would need to do was open the front door. That, at least, was reassuring.

He pushed the door open, keeping a hold on the handle so that it didn't swing too far. With just enough space to slip inside, Kaleb squeezed through the gap. The entrance hallway was dripping in shadows and Kaleb gave his eyes a moment to adjust before closing the door behind him.

There was the slightest shuffle, a whisper of material, and when Kaleb turned away from the door, Caine was standing in the centre of the hallway. Another man, one Kaleb had heard a lot about but never actually met, was standing behind him. At least, he assumed the tall, brutish looking man was the famed William. The other two hung back, clasping hands. Kaleb inhaled deeply and smirked. The two were new. They both still clung to the scent of life, however thin that thread was. The boy, maybe only a little older than Vince, watched him warily, where the woman looked more excited and curious than scared.

"Where is Spencer, Kaleb?"

Kaleb looked at August Caine and took another deep breath. There was no hint of Vince or Carson here. If Caine was looking to bluff him, he didn't have the hand to pull it off.

"I don't know," he replied. "The last I saw him, he was getting into the car with Vince."

When William laughed it was a deep, gruff sound that reminded Kaleb of his late father-in-law. William made the motion of flexing his hands visible and his smirk darkened his eyes further.

"And Vince drove away without anyone stopping him?"

Kaleb held his ground and glared back at him.

"The plan was for Vince to drive into the city with Spencer. Due to Spencer's inability to drive during the day, we had to wait until after sunset when we had already transformed."

"But he hadn't?"

The young woman crept forwards. Her arm stretched behind her where the other new one refused to move. She raised an eyebrow and smiled politely at him.

"What?"

"You'd all transformed into wolf form, but Vince hadn't. He's not one of you?"

Licking across his bottom lip, Kaleb snorted and kept his gaze on August. He'd known that he would be subjected to questioning, possibly even ridicule, while the new leader of the vampires could get away with it, but he'd been hoping to keep Vince out of it as much as possible.

August watched him with narrowed eyes. His lips were set in a hard line and Kaleb knew he would get nowhere until he answered the question.

"Vince is my son, but he is not a wolf yet."

"Yet?" the younger man asked, finally creeping forwards to join the woman. "What do you mean?"

"Another time, Thomas," August murmured.

The oldest vampire stepped away from the group and tucked his hands into his pockets. Unlike the others, who wore jeans and t-shirts, clothes for lounging around inside, August Caine wore smart trousers and a perfectly pressed shirt. His hair was brushed back and immaculate. The stench of death was all around him.

"Obviously we cannot search for Spencer and your missing wolves until the sun sets," he said. "We have tried to contact Spencer, but whether he is being coerced, or something more sinister, he is not answering."

"I've sent four of mine to start the search. Obviously, once the sun sets and you can begin looking, we won't be able to prowl the streets anymore."

"Understandable, this is our home, after all. Can't have animal control getting excited."

August's smile was small but Kaleb could see the amusement in his grey eyes. Taking a deep, steadying breath, he shifted his stance and nodded.

"And Embrey?" August continued when Kaleb didn't rise. "You mentioned his involvement."

"I believe Carson came into the city with them. I only realised later."

William leaned forwards. His smile was unrestrained as he laid a large hand on August's shoulder. Despite addressing his own, his gaze never wavered from Kaleb.

"And this Embrey... is he a wolf, or another faulty one?"

A growl rumbled in Kaleb's throat and passed gritted teeth. He straightened up to his full height and tightened his fists.

"You'll have some respect, drainer," he said. "Carson is the second of our pack, next in line to become Alpha."

August brushed William's hand from his shoulder and waved the man back a step. He glanced over his shoulder at those he had clearly invited to the conversation before his gaze drifted to the stairway leading up to the higher floors. Kaleb took a deep breath and he could smell them as clearly as August could probably sense them. As August's gaze met his, he knew it had been the intention all along. He was surrounded. Even if he ran, every vampire in the house would know his scent. He had to keep his cool if he was going to get through this.

"We will start the search at sunset and if all goes to plan, your second and your son will be returned to you unharmed," August said.

He stepped forwards with slow, careful steps. His grey eyes were wide and honest but the smile August gave him might as well have been dripping blood and poison.

"But let me be perfectly clear, dog. Should Spencer not return to us, or be returned in anything less than perfect condition, your second is next in line to nothing but a grave."