Chapter Seventeen
~ Ajag ~
My gut churned as I watched Rad and Val leave the greenhouse. I know that they were leaving us here because they wanted us to be safe, but it also left them vulnerable.
That didn't sit well with me.
I glanced around the darkened greenhouse, looking for a place where I could hide Sy. There were wooden tables lining both sides of the greenhouse with shelves underneath them. At one end was the door leading into the greenhouse and just a glass wall at the other end.
I glanced at the shelf closest to me. It was filled with bags of soil.
That might work.
I pulled a couple of the bags off, clearing a space on the wide shelf. "Sy, come climb in here."
Sy was short enough that he barely had to lean down to see the shelf. "In there?"
"I have to go help Rad and Val get rid of the bad guys. I need you to hide."
"Bottom shelf."
My eyebrows lifted before I glanced at the bottom shelf. Well, it really wasn't the bottom shelf, but more of the floor beneath the table. "Okay, climb under there."
Sy lay down and scooted underneath the shelf, disappearing from my sight. I leaned down until I could see him. "You stay in here until I come for you. Understand?"
Sy's hair flopped around his head as he nodded.
"Don't make any noise no matter what you hear and don't come out. I will be back."
I didn't wait for Sy to say anything. We'd been through this same situation more times than I could count. He was fully aware of what he needed to do to hide and not be found by the bad guys.
I stacked the two bags of soil, one on top of the other, right in front of where Sy was hidden. Since it was next to the shelf where the other soil was stored, I didn't believe anyone would think it was strange for a couple of bags to be stacked here.
As soon as Sy was sufficiently hidden, I snuck out of the greenhouse and moved toward the house. I wasn't sure what Rad had planned or where he had gone, but I couldn't let him face this danger alone. Not when I could help.
Instead of jumping up onto the porch, I started climbing one of the trees that grew next to the house. I'd spent enough time looking out the attic window to know where each tree was and which ones were closest to the house.
It was fairly easy to climb the tree and then scoot out on one of the branches to reach the edge of the roof. I moved slowly once I was on the roof, not wanting anyone inside the house to hear me.
When I reached the window I used to look out, I realized I might have a problem. I hadn't considered the fact that the window might be locked from the inside.
I let out a small squeak when a face suddenly appeared in the window and then quickly slapped a hand over my mouth.
The window opened and the man on the other side held out his hand. I swallowed tightly and took then hand Lu offered me, climbing into the attic. Lu shut the window behind me as soon as I was in.
"You scared me to death," I whispered.
Lu grinned as if he found that funny.
"Rad and Val are—" I frowned. "Do you know Val?"
Lu nodded.
"Okay, Rad and Val are getting ready to come inside. They've already eliminated all the guards outside. I guess Ze'ev already knows they are here and he's waiting for them. Do you know about the people downstairs?"
Lu nodded again before holding his hand close to his thigh and raising an eyebrow.
"Sy is hiding in the greenhouse." I think that was what he was asking.
When Lu nodded for a third time, I knew I was right. I guess all that time he had spent in the attic with me and Sy had panned out for me.
Lu pulled a small matte black pistol from the back of his pants and held it out to me. I didn't like guns, but I understood the need for them considering Emma and William were downstairs.
"Is this your only gun?" I didn't want to leave the man defenseless.
Lu pulled another gun out.
"Okay, let's go." I headed for the attic door.
Again, I'd spent enough time in the attic to know where to step so that I didn't make any noise as I moved around.
Going down the stairs was another story.
Lu grabbed my arm before I could take my first step and then moved ahead of me. As he took each step, he pointed to where I should put my feet.
When we reached the door at the bottom, Lu opened it just a crack and then peered out. He must not have seen anyone because he opened it all the way and then gestured for me to step out, which I did, and then I waited for him.
Lu stepped out of the doorway, closed the door, and then gestured for me to stay low before moving over to stand by the second floor fireplace. He flattened himself against it and then leaned forward just enough that he could look down to the first floor.
He stared for so long that I thought he was going to stay that way. When he finally leaned back, he held a finger to his lips and then squatted down and started crawling forward.
I dropped down behind him and then followed. As soon as I moved to the edge of the fireplace I could see the people down on the first floor. What surprised me was the fact that they were all sitting around the living room drinking coffee and talking as if it was a social visit.
I didn't understand it.
Ze'ev sat in one of the wingback chairs with Jackson sitting on the arm of the chair. Emma was pacing in front of the downstairs fireplace, her hands waving around as she barked at Jackson. William sat on the couch with an expression on his face that said he wished he was anywhere but here. Elder Payne was in the wingback chair directly across from him, two of his guards standing behind him. I wasn't sure where the other two were.
Lu held up his hand and jerked it a couple of times. I wasn't stupid. I knew that meant stop. I hunched down where I was trying to make the smallest possible target.
I had a lot of practice at that.
I wasn't sure what we were supposed to do now, but I was taking my cues from Lu. He seemed to know more about what was going on around here than I did.
I jumped when the front door suddenly crashed open and Rad came barely in, but I wasn't the only one. Everyone downstairs except Ze'ev and Jackson jumped.
Emma screamed.
Rad immediately went for the two guards, attacking them. He got in several good hits before either one of them had time to hit him.
My jaw dropped when Rad laughed as he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
Was he insane?
Before I could react, there was another loud crash and the two guards that had been missing stumbled backward into view, Gunny and Val going after them.
Lu gestured for me to stay put again and then stood up, moving farther down the balcony hallway. There was a lot of yelling coming from downstairs, but it all stopped when Lu raised his gun and shot into the air before pointing it at those down on the first floor.
And then all I heard was silence.
I wanted to peek and see what everyone was doing, but Lu had said to stay and that was exactly what I was going to do. I was experienced at hiding and surviving. Lu was experienced at fighting.
"You can't do this!"
Okay, I had to look.
I leaned up just enough to be able to look down at the first floor. I had to tuck my lips in to keep from laughing when I saw Rad tying Elder Payne's hands behind his back. Val and Gunny were securing the four guards.
Ze'ev was one the phone. I don't know who he was talking to, but the frown on his face said he didn't want to be talking to them.
"I'm an elder!"
"You came into my territory without my permission and broke into my house," Ze'ev stated firmly even as he held the phone to his ear. "In my book, that makes you a criminal."
"I don't need your permission to enter your territory," Payne insisted. "You can't keep me here. This is kidnapping."
Ze'ev snorted. "Like I care."
"Elder Ridge should be here soon to pick up this asshole," Val said. "I called him when I realized Payne was here." He smirked as he looked at Payne. "He's got a lot to say to you."
"Who are you?" Payne demanded.
"You don't need to know," Val replied.
"Ze'ev," Rad started, "I need to go—"
Lu snapped his fingers and then gestured to me with his head. A moment later I heard heavy footsteps coming up the stairs and then Rad appeared. He blew out a breath the moment he spotted me squatting down next to the fireplace.
He hurried toward me. I moved back behind the fireplace before he could reach me, standing up. I had just enough time to set the gun on the mantle before Rad swept me up in his arms.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
I nodded even as I hugged him back. "I'm fine."
"Sy?"
"He's hiding in the greenhouse."
"I will get him and put him in Ze'ev and Jackson's room. I don't want Payne to see him. I don't want Payne to see you either so can you go into the attic...Wait." Rad frowned. "How did you get up here?"
I chuckled lightly. "I climbed the tree outside and came in through the window."
"Can we get Sy in the house in the same way?" Rad asked. "I'd like the two of you to go into that hiding space until everyone is gone. I don't want anyone to know you are here."
"Maybe if you help me."
"Okay, I'll go get Sy. Meet me at the window."
I grabbed the gun again—just in case—and then turned and made my way back up to the attic. I was fully onboard with no one knowing Sy and me were here.
At least no one that wasn't a part of this pack.
A sudden scream from downstairs made me jump, my arms tightening around Rad. We both turned to look. Lu was staring down at the first floor with wide eyes and a dropped jaw.
When I peered past Rad to the floor below, I had the same reaction. Shock and surprise. Mostly shock.
The scream had come from William, Jackson's cousin. It seemed to be caused by the teeth embedded in his shoulder, teeth that belonged to Val.
"Did he just—"
"Claim William?" Rad continued. "Yes, he did."
"Holy shit!"
Guess William and Emma knew about shifters now.