Page 13 of Bound to the Hellhound
He went outside to the small terrace where he’d left Theo to wait and found him in deep conversation with Eddie. He was the beloved of Robert, one of the Master's most trusted guards and security specialists. Eddie was a kind and gentle soul, his pure heart treasured by all, and Valerian could see the two of them becoming fast friends.
They said their goodbyes and headed back to Detroit and the offices of the Tuffin Agency. "Why are they meeting you at the office and not at the family home?" Valerian was simply curious. He figured it was easier to cause mayhem at a large office building rather than at a residential location, but he wondered what Theo's explanation would be.
“We really don’t have a family home. Father lived in an apartment downtown, as do my brothers and me. We were all separated by several miles. No one lived close by, so the only time we got together was at the office." Theo looked over at him sadly. “We were not a close family except when it came to matters of business.”
"Sounds pretty cold," Valerian remarked.
“It was.” He answered softly. Valerian didn't ask about the mother because he'd already gotten that information from Easton's report. The two oldest boys had a different mother than Theo. Their mother died in an accident, apparently fell down the stairs when they were quite young.
Theo's mother was paid to leave after giving birth, and she did, never to be heard from again. When and if he ever wanted to talk about that stuff, Valerian would listen, but he would never force him to share.
"You think I'm being foolish, don't you?" Theo stated when they were nearly there. The lights of the city were in view.Valerian glanced over at him briefly and then turned back to the road ahead.
“I think you’re doing what you believe you must. You know the risk, and that's why you allowed me to come along. I do not judge you, I will never judge you.” Valerian tried to make himself very clear. “With that said, of course, I expect you to follow my lead and trust me every step of the way because, yes, I think this is some sort of trap.”
The Tuffin building loomed up in front of them, and Valerian chose to park in the lot across the street. “The basement garage is not safe in situations like this.” He stated and did not wait for a response. He exited the car and helped Theo out of his seat, keeping him close to his side.
“Stay right there and do not wander." He said, looking down at his innocent little mate. He'd contacted Ian and Brice before leaving Mt. Pleasant, and they said they would meet him inside but would remain out of sight. They crossed the street, careful to keep their eyes on everything and everyone in their periphery. Valerian chose to enter through the front doors.
He turned around several times, checking his back and feeling like someone was there. It wasn't a bad feeling, just persistent, so he assumed it was either Ian or Brice. “Stay close.” He repeated to Theo as they entered the elevator. They got off on the first floor and took the stairs to the second floor. No one was there, but Valerian could feel many sets of eyes on them.
When they stepped out into the hallway, Valerian took Theo’s hand just in case they needed to move fast. The tension and lies hung heavy in the air. "I'm to meet them in Larry's office, which was fathers. It’s the corner office up ahead.” They must have stood in the hall a little too long because Larry came out into the hall with Justin following behind.
"This way, Theo.” He motioned them forward, but Valerian didn’t move. After another minute, Larry came forward cautiously, looking around like it wasn't part of the plan. "What's wrong? Come in and we'll discuss the funeral plans." He reached out his hand toward Theo, who instantly took a step back.
“Well, I guess we’ll just have to conduct our business here.” He reached into his jacket, and Valerian pushed Theo behind him. Larry smiled and pulled out his phone. “We’re alone here, you know the building is empty. It's just you, your boyfriend, and us." He punched something into his phone and returned it to his jacket pocket.
“By us, I mean Justin and me and Parson and his men. You remember Parson, don't you, Theo?” Larry gave a smug wink in Theo’s direction. “He works for the Ackerley family, and they have asked him and us to exact payment for the breakdown of business two days ago. Your shenanigans cost them a lot of money." Larry stepped back as Parson and his gang of wolves entered the now too-narrow hallway.
Parson stepped up as the two humans retreated to the office behind them. "I know what you are, Valerian, and normally I would be very cautious, but even a hellhound will have its hands full coming up against ten jackals.” Parson signaled his men. “Get him, boys.” Larry appeared with a gun and took a random shot at Theo before being thrown bodily back into the office by Parson.
Valerian pushed Theo further behind him after taking the bullet in his shoulder but he hardly felt it. Human weapons had little effect on hellhounds but could badly hurt his mate. It was then that Ian appeared and grabbed Theo.
“I’ll keep him safe." He shouted, and Valerian handed him off to Ian. Theo reached back for Valerian.
"Go with him." He said, and Theo did not question. The wolves started advancing, and Valerian blocked the hallway, destroying every wolf who came into reach. Then the jackals were released. Ten heartless beasts intent on nothing but destruction. They went into a half shift and kicked the remaining wolves out of their way as they advanced on Valerian.
Valerian was not impressed even when ten more joined their number. No one really understood the abilities of a hellhound, especially one who spent nearly a century in the darkest regions beneath hell. The jackals continued to advance as Valerian backed up to a reception area, giving him more room. It was then that someone came up to stand next to him, the someone he sensed as soon as he'd entered the building.
“Thought you might need a hand.” He turned to see his brother Kass standing there. “And I was right.” Valerian smiled.
"Let's do it." He said, and they both shifted, not a half shift, a full hellhound shift, and the very air began to shake. The jackals, being jackals, still attacked, although there were no wolves or cougars in sight. They cut through them one after the other, never stopping until the last jackal lay dead on the floor. Valerian then set his sights on the office at the end of the hall, where he could see Parson standing there observing the battle.
Valerian ran at him, but Parson slammed the door as if that would stop him. Valerian went through the thick oak door as if it were not ever there. Parson was trying to get out the window, and the brothers were emptying their handguns into Valerian with no effect. Brice rushed into the room and came up beside Valerian. Valerian shifted back to his human form.
"Theo is safe outside and is waiting for you. The building is clear except for these three." He paused and then offered. "Let me take care of them. They are his family regardless of theirtreachery. . . it would be better if I handled this, sir." Valerian agreed. He didn't want Theo to look at him and see the man who destroyed his brothers. They deserved everything they got, but not at his hand.
He looked over at Parson, who had lost all of his gloat and superiority. "Take care of him, too." Parson frantically tried to open the window, but it wouldn't budge. Valerian patted Brice's shoulder as he turned to regard his brother standing in the doorway.
"Time to go collect your mate," Kass stated, and they headed down the hall to the elevator and were just leaving the building when suddenly the north corner of the second floor exploded in a burst so fierce it shook the ground. “Brice took care of it, apparently," Kass remarked while squinting up at the remains of the north corner.
"Explosives?" Valerian questioned, although very impressed that it only removed the one section of the second floor and possibly just the one office. “The man has real skill.”
“It’s his specialty.” Ian cut in.
“Good to know," Valerian stated.
“Yes, that could come in handy.” Kass agreed.
