Page 45 of Kai's Hunger

“No,” Fostine argued. “He’d consider that wasteful. And he needs all the guinea pigs he can get.”

“Jesus.” Miggs ran a hand over his face. “Someone needs to put a bullet in that fucker.”

“After we get Dad,” Wyatt agreed. “Then we can each take a turn.”

“Yeah, well, me first,” Fostine stated, her voice devoid of emotion.

I snorted. “Like there’ll be anything left.”

Fostine chuckled. Wyatt held a fist in the air and we all went silent. “Shift once we’re inside.” He glanced at me. “Do it there,” he said, pointing toward the far side of the building. “Out of sight.”

I headed off in the direction Wyatt indicated, watching as Miggs jogged around to the back. Wyatt and Fostine headed straight for the front door. I prayed we weren’t making a terrible mistake. Was our father in there? Waiting, hoping to be rescued? Or was this just another of Patterson’s sick games?

Once I was out of sight, I stripped out of my clothes and boots, then shifted. On all fours now, my senses on high alert, I sprang out into the open. First, I looked toward the area Fostine had been so interested in. I saw movement, but it was small. Squirrels and groundhogs most likely. I looked up at the building next, seeking out anything that didn’t fit, anything that didn’t seem right. Alert and watchful, eager to eliminate the threat to my people. In a perfect scenario, we’d get our father back and end Patterson’s miserable life in one swoop. But we were Ravenbriars, and we rarely had that kind of luck.

****

Lily

“You’re staying with the Ravenbriars?” Jake asked, his eyes wide in surprise.

“Yes, is that a problem?” I answered, feeling exasperated by the question. The man at the auto shop had asked the same thing. As if it were completely ludicrous.

“Oh, I see.” The slim blond teen shifted from one foot to the other. He’d been helping me for fifteen minutes. He’d explained that my phone was beyond repair, and after checking my account realized I was due for an upgrade anyway. Now, as I started to check out, Jake stopped and frowned at me.

I was confused by the guy’s hesitance. “Is there a problem with my account?”

“Uh, no, not at all. I just never ... well, I’ve never known the Ravenbriars to allow strangers out there.”

I smiled. “Well, Kai’s the one who found me after I wrecked my van.”

“Van? That was you?”

“It was.” I knew too well how quickly gossip spread in a small town. “Not my finest moment beyond the wheel, I admit.”

Jake cleared his throat. “I think I’d better put this on the Ravenbriar’s tab.”

It took a moment to digest what the clerk said. “Wait, what?”

“They’d want this taken care of,” he explained. “It’s just how things around here are done.”

“Look, I had the same conversation with the guy at the auto shop,” I complained. “No, absolutely not.Ibroke the phone. I’ll be the one to pay for it.”

“Um, yeah, let me, let me get my manager,” he stuttered out, before nearly tripping over his own feet to run toward the back of the store.

“Wait!” I called out, but it was too late. Several long seconds drifted by, then the clerk returned with a balding, overweight man who appeared to be in his late fifties.

He smiled, then offered his hand. “I’m Ron. Jake here tells me you’re staying out at the Ravenbriar place.”

Here we go again.I tried for patience, then answered, “I am, but I don’t see how that matters. I’m just trying to get my phone replaced.”

“We’ve been doing business with the Ravenbriars for years. The rules are very clear.”

“What rules?”

“Their account is one of our biggest and we wouldn’t feel right charging you. Not if you’re a friend of theirs.”

“Well, I only just met them recently.”

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