Luther's Return

Haven was out following the lead they’d gotten; Yvette was probably back at home with her son and daughter, and Wes was nowhere to be seen. Most likely he was still at the university, helping with the interrogation of the students and audience members.

Katie straightened her T-shirt after Jake had unceremoniously deposited her on the sidewalk outside of Mission HQ. For now, there was no way back into Scanguards’ shiny headquarters. But she knew how she could help nevertheless, because the realization that the kidnapper had been after her and not after Isabelle, had reminded her of something she’d tried to forget.

Katie dug for her keys and headed for her car. She would be home in less than ten minutes, traffic permitting, and back here shortly after that. And then Samson and the rest of Scanguards would have to listen to her and accept her help. Because she could find Isabelle.

She knew who’d taken her.

8

Bare-chested, Luther remained chained to the table and floor in the interrogation room. The electrodes had been removed and the polygraph carted out of the room. It had been several minutes since Thomas and Eddie had left him, both with unreadable expressions on their faces.

When the door opened anew, it was none other than Samson who entered. Gabriel followed him. The scar that reached from his ear to his chin gleamed under the harsh neon lights, making it look even more pronounced.

The gazes of his visitors immediately shot to Luther’s disfigured chest and reminded him of the ugliness of his upper body. A strange look crossed Gabriel’s face, and for an instant, Luther thought he noticed his old friend’s scar twitching in brotherly compassion. But it had to be a trick of the light.

Samson stopped in front of the table, looking down at him. The stress of the last hours showed on his face.

“You passed the lie detector test.”

Samson’s words were clipped, his jaw clenched, and it was evident that he hated to make such an admission.

Luther lifted his hands, rattling his chains. “Well, then I guess we won’t need these anymore.”

Samson snarled. “But I don’t trust you. For all I know you managed to beat the machine.”

“Why does that not surprise me?” Luther replied dryly. He paused for effectiveness. “Oh yeah, it’s because you can’t let bygones be bygones!”

The back of Samson’s hand hit him across the cheek. He swallowed the insult and faced him stoically, then slowly and deliberately turned his face to the other side.

“Would you like the other cheek, too?” he mocked.

Before Samson could take him up on the offer, Gabriel jerked his friend back by the shoulders.

“Don’t! He’s just provoking you.” Gabriel tossed him an acid look. “Pushing all the buttons again, are we, Luther?”

Luther lifted one shoulder in a half-shrug. “As long as there are buttons to push.” And by the looks of it, Samson could be more easily provoked than ever before. Was that what having a family did to a man? Turned him into a powder keg?

Samson’s nostrils flared as he visibly tried to get himself under control. “What are you doing in San Francisco, Luther?”

“Like I told Zane already, maybe I was in the mood for a cable car ride. None of your fucking business. Last time I checked this was a free country.”

“We’ll see about that.” Luther watched Samson exchange a look with Gabriel, before his number two nodded.

Samson placed his hands on the table and leaned in. “Here’s what we’ll do now. Gabriel will use his gift on you. And you won’t resist. And if he sees that you had anything to do with the abduction of my daughter, I’m going to rip you to shreds.”

Luther clamped his jaw together. “That’s an invasion of privacy.”

“You have no right to privacy. You forfeited that right when you attempted to kill Delilah and Nina!”

“I paid for that mistake.” Dearly. He even regretted it, but there was no way in hell he’d ever admit that fact to the asshole hovering over him, acting all superior.

“Not nearly long enough,” Samson claimed. “If it had been up to me and Amaury, we would have locked you up and thrown away the key.”

“But it wasn’t up to you.”

“This time it will be. This time I won’t hand you over to the council, but deal with you myself.”

Luther pushed the air out through his nostrils. “Not even you can touch an innocent vampire.”

“We’ll see about how innocent you are.” Samson motioned to Gabriel and stepped back.

Gabriel nodded and approached. “You know the drill. I can dig into your memories, but I’ll only see what you’ve seen and heard. I can’t read your thoughts or—”