Turning by Dawn Kirby

New Blood


“Let me get this straight,” the older man said leaning back in his chair. He drank the remainder of his beer and sat the empty bottle on the table beside him. “You want us to kidnap a guy to get to his sister?”

“That’s it,” Ben said. He handed the man a piece of paper with Matthew’s address written on it. “Get him, bring him to me and park your asses outside the door.”

“We’ll bring him, but I’m not doing anymore than that. You’ve already said the gal you’re after is with a vamp. I’m guessing he’s a lot older and stronger than you are.” Ben didn’t answer. The Were cocked his eyebrow and chuckled. “Lord knows I don’t wanna be around to see if I’m right.”

“I’ll pay you more.”

“Benny boy, you could offer me a million bucks and I still wouldn’t hang around here. Screwing with a vamp the way you are is worse than dangling a fresh piece of meat in front of a wolf.”

Ben shook his head and sighed. He’d wanted the Weres here to control the human element. He knew he could handle them alone, but Nicholas, whether he wanted to admit it or not, scared him. Lance, the Were sitting in front of him was right. Nicholas was older. And he had a feeling he was ten times stronger. Not that it mattered. He’d deal with anything to get back what was rightfully his. Still…

“What if I could promise you something special?” Ben asked.

“Depends on what it is,” Lance said frankly. “Gettin’ killed doesn’t rank real high on my list of things I gotta try.”

“What would you say if I told you I could guarantee your pack a mind reader?”

A coy smile spread across his lips. The pack leader had been looking for one of those for a very long time. Why he didn’t know, but if he could be the one to bring one to him he really didn’t care.

“The girl?” he asked.

“No,” Ben said quickly. Lance’s smile disappeared. “The girlfriend. I’m sure she’ll be there with him. All you have to do is pick her up.”

“You’re sure she’s a telepath?”

“She’s got something going on,” Ben told him. The truth was he wasn’t sure. He knew she knew things, but how she knew was a mystery to him. To get some insurance he’d say anything.

Lance wasn’t convinced this kid knew what he was talking about at this point. Mind readers were rare and highly sought after. With a battle brewing between his pack and the one in the next county she could come in very useful. But being wrong about her would be a mistake that could cost him dearly. Being right…well, that could be

“I’ll play,” he told Ben. “We’ll go grab your guy. If the girl’s there we’ll take her, too.” He stood up and stretched his arms over his head. Ben heard his back crack and flinched. That sound had always made him uneasy. Lance noticed and laughed again. Some vamp. “If she’s what you say. We’ll take her as payment. If she’s not we take your girl.”

“Alana’s not part of the deal,” Ben said flatly.

“She is if you’re wrong.” Lance’s eyes grew hard and cold. For the first time since he’d been turned he felt like his life could be in danger. “Speculating in this little corner of the world is a bad thing. You’ll soon figure that out.”