Chapter 9 Ayden
I was just cleaning up the slash marks when I heard a car pulling into the driveway. It had to be Cain. I breathed a sigh of relief. Calliope had finally fallen asleep just minutes before, but her last words were not to go too far. That was all I needed to know; the worst of her heat would hit when she woke up. I was sure of it. We were out of time. The need to find someone that could help with her heat was non-negotiable. I was tempted to email a few of the escorts that serviced omegas. It wouldn’t be cheap, last minute as this was, but I didn’t have much of a choice. I had managed to decide on two alphas. Each of them seemed to be up Calliope’s alley. A few days ago, I hid scent cards in her room, so I knew they’d be at least semi compatible.
I just needed Cain here, I refused to make a unilateral decision. He didn’t seem to have the same judgement, as he opened the door and led an alpha into the house. Each of them had their arms full of groceries as they headed to the kitchen. I followed them, ignoring the blood stains on my shirt. “Who the fuck is this?” My growl immediately got Cain’s attention.
“This is our help.”
“Explain.” I never barked at anyone, let alone Cain, and the hurt look on his face showed how little he liked it.
“He’s been following us.”
“Excuse the fuck out of me,” I snapped.
The alpha started to speak. “It’s not like that—”
“No,” I cut him off. “You don’t get to say a single fucking thing until I decide whether or not you’re leaving here in a body bag.”
“Do you really think you are alpha enough to take me out? I mean, you’re bleeding from at least six places that I can see.”
Cain and I shared a look before I continued. “There is information that you don’t have the right to at the moment. Now, I suggest you shut the fuck up and let me talk to my beta.”
He started at me, mouth open, before Cain spoke again. “You know those serial killings that are happening?”
“You need to be more specific, there are several.”
“Nope—only two.”
My brain was working overtime to make all the pieces fit. “Explain.”
“Perhaps I should…” The alpha spoke again.
Cain spoke at almost the same time. “Let Dax explain.”
I turned to the other alpha—Dax. Crossing my arms across my chest, I stared him down, waiting for him to speak. Just when I was getting annoyed, he started to explain. “I’ve killed more people than you would believe.”
I rolled my eyes. “You have no idea the things I have seen.”
“Okay, why don’t I tell you what I know. I know that the police have what they think are four serial killers on their hands. That isn’t true, in the least.”
I was suddenly intrigued. There was only one decision that I had to make at that moment. I didn’t know if I could trust him. Didn’t know if he was going to harm my pack or Calliope. This had to be The Pack Annihilator. Staring up at him, he was everything that I expected him to be. He fit the profile in every way. Except he was a single alpha. There was no way that he was mated to anyone. If he were, being in this house exposed to Calliope’s perfume would make him crazy. Make him want to get home to his omega.
That he was standing there was indication enough that Cain at least trusted him a little. He had reciprocated that trust by admitting that he was a serial killer. The least I could do was offer him the same. “Cain didn’t tell you what I do for work did he?”
“We didn’t get that far.”
“So, you have no idea that you just admitted to being a serial killer to a federal agent?” His eyes shifted and I knew that he was thinking of all the ways he could dispose of me.
Cain saw the same thing that I did and put himself between us. Facing Dax, he shoved him back. “Don’t even fucking think about it. You may be an alpha and have decades on me, but you will never see my blade coming. And rest assured, if you harm a hair on anyone’s head under this roof, that they do not consent to, I will gut your ass and let you suffer a slow death.”
Shaking my head, I moved to the living room and took my customary seat in a recliner. They were arguing in the kitchen, so I took the chance to really study Dax. He was huge, standing head and shoulders over me. His light blonde hair had highlights of white that made him look younger than he was. He had to be in his mid-forties, but he looked not a day over thirty. The tattoos should have made him look more his age, instead they too made him look younger. Cain’s scent shifted as they were arguing, taking on a sweeter tone. He only ever smelled like that when he was turned on. I kind of understood why Cain was so taken by the alpha. He had that bad boy thing going for him, but in a buttoned-up way. It was intriguing as hell. I still hadn’t managed to catch Dax’s scent. It was almost as if he were wearing something scent-canceling.
I needed to know more about him before I let him anywhere near my omega. Cain led him over to the couch, going to take a seat next to him. A warning growl slipped from my lips making him come and sit on my lap. He sat sideways so he could see both of us. Tracing the lines of the slashes. “What happened?”
He rarely asked me anything twice, so I answered him. “Calliope had an idea, and I indulged her.”
“What idea could she have that would leave you cut up like that?” Dax’s deep voice broke the moment with Cain.
I stared down at the other alpha, the way he held my gaze was annoying and made me want to strangle him. If he was staying around, that is. Cain seemed so set on making that happen, considering he would never bring home anyone that he wasn’t sure of. When he finally dropped those artic-blue orbs, I gave him his answer. “My pack all share a common kink; our omega usually chooses not to participate in those scenes. Tonight, was the exception… with some stipulations on her part.”
Before Dax could ask Cain supplied, “She had a blade in her hand the whole time.”
“You guys play with knives in bed?” He seemed more surprised than I would have expected.
“That’s not a strange occurrence in our house, actually,” I provided. “This was not that, although I think fighting me made it more enjoyable for Calliope.”
“That doesn’t tell me anything, but I’ve already pressed enough.”
I nodded, taking the opportunity to try and get some answers out of him. “Now, tell me about these murders you committed. And don’t lie to me.”
“Why should I? For all I know you’re going to take it all back to your superiors.”
My hand snaked around Cain’s waist, rubbing my finger along his hip. I noticed the way Dax’s eyes tracked the movement of my finger. “Show me a little trust, I just might do the same for you.”
He stared at me for a moment before starting to speak. “I suppose you want to hear about the most pertinent ones?” I just shrugged. Using silence as a weapon was one of the few things I employed to get answers. And I could get answers out of anyone. “The press calls me by three different names.” He studied my face, waiting for some response from me. When I gave him blank eyes, he growled. “Fuck, you’re not going to give me anything. Fine, I’ll just be upfront and hope you don’t fuck me over. I’m responsible for three strings of murders. Each set has been attributed to someone different, but they’re all me.”
“I suspected the two around Asheville were related.” That was the little bit that I was willing to trust him with. “Tell me why you are so fascinated with my pack.”
“I hunt using—”
I cut him off. “Using scent, I knew that much already.”
“How?”
“All of the omegas smelled similar. What do you have against floral scents, anyway?”
He shrugged. “They all smelled like my mother.”
“And Calliope?” I was pushing, trying to get the answers I needed. “Where did you even run into her anyway?”
“We work in the same profession.”
“So, you’re a reporter. Why am I not surprised? Don’t answer that; it’s rhetorical. You can tell me what Calliope smells like to you.”
“Home, she smells like home.” There was an intake of breath from above us.