Amalgamate

Chapter 67

Tearlach and Maitland caught her scent as soon as they walked into Tahnee's place, but it was faint which meant she hadn't been there long.

"She was here. No signs of a struggle though.Where would she go T?" Maitland tried to pick up her scent outside the store, but there was nothing.

"Don't know." Being in Tahnee's place brought back memories that made it difficult for him to concentrate. Memories of her, back when she wanted to be close to him. And then, Ian's scent hit him bringing him back to reality.

"I've never even heard of this Ian guy. But my best guess is he sifted them away from here. You know anybody who might have some intel on him?" Maitland surveyed the room, all the lingerie made him uncomfortable.

"Well let's think. Who knows Deisha?" Tearlach leaned on the counter remembering the way Rowan looked that night in the tight fitting blue dress and diamond studded stilettos Tahnee gave her.

"It has to be someone who would know and would talk." Maitland perused the shop with a growing interest. It'd been a long time since he'd been with a woman. He was both angry at not having met his mate and thankful at the same time. He was a warrior, and he couldn't imagine any woman making him wanna traverse that road. There was no room in his life for that kind of worry and that's what a woman brought, worry.

"Cuan?" Tearlach's eyebrow raised at the idea as he threw plausible options out at Maitland. Cuan was a loyal friend to Kester who had connections with Kahler. Kahler and Deisha were friends per her report. Cuan and Callum had to have left through the portal, too. There was no other way out, and they wouldn't have stayed there either.

"Well, if he can't tell us anything I bet he knows someone who can." Maitland had been around a long time. There was always a way of getting information as long as you didn't have a weak stomach- or a conscience. Fortunately for him, he had neither.

"Kahler?" Tearlach thought carefully about making this contact. Kahler was a dangerous demon and while he was an ally to Deisha and Cuan, that didn't make him their ally. Tearlach wanted to wait until he was assured those alliances had been solidified by his alpha before he made that call. "Let's give Kester some time to make those contacts and see where everybody sits."

"Agreed. Let's talk to Cuan and see what he knows. If he can't help us let's see how he feels about contacting Kahler." Maitland wasn't a path of least resistance kind of guy. He was in favor of taking which ever path delivered the desired outcome the fastest, even if it was considerably more dangerous.

Heading out of Tahnee's shop they both sensed other presences immediately... powerful, elder vampires. Maitland nodded towards the rear of the parking lot where three men stood. "Bet I know who they are." His inner wolf was chompin' at the bit to be let off the leash.

"Vampire hunting party?" While Tearlach knew they could hold their own, he couldn't see any purpose in starting an altercation here. Even if they won, they still wouldn't be any better off. The vamps were fishing, clearly they didn't know anymore than their pack did. So, the risk wasn't worth the pay out.

"Yep. What do ya' say?" Maitland was itchin' for a good fight.

"Fighting them is a waste of time. Let's go. Declan knows Rowan's with us now and he sent his hired hands here because he knows Tahnee's one of us." Tearlach pointed at a line of motorcycles outside the bar across the street.

"Damn. I was hopin' you'd give me the green light." Maitland laughed as he followed Tearlach across the street, all the while keeping his eyes on the vampires

Standing in front of a line of motorcycles, Tearlach chose the biggest one, "Pick your poison and lets get the hell outta here."

"Fuckin' scrap metal. Wish we could have a run at our garage." The wolves didn't have high dollar machines, their motorcycles were rebuilt to their specifications and hella reliable.

"No chance of that buddy, at least not for a while." Tearlach hot wired the machine.

"They still standing over there?" Maitland straddled a deep blue motorcycle with shiny chrome.

"Nah, too smart for that. They'll follow us because they think we'll lead them right to her." Tearlach shook his head, "Fuckin' parasitic vamps."

The vampires never advanced on them, just observed every move they made. The bikes were deafening as they tore out of the parking lot at break neck speed. Tearlach wondered how closely the vampires would follow.

Maitland glanced over his shoulder, having the same thought. He knew the vampires would follow. Hell, it's what he would do, too. The vamps couldn't afford a brawl with them, because the lycans were their only lead.