“I just got word from Haven,” Blake suddenly said, turning to look over his shoulder.
“Haven?” Katie asked, her voice shaking a bit.
“Yeah, he and Eddie are already there. They’re waiting for us a quarter mile from Forrester’s hideout. We should be there in a few minutes.”
“What did you tell Haven?” Katie asked.
“Just what he needed to know. That we have a lead on the kidnapper. And that Luther got us that intel. That’s all.” Blake’s gaze shifted to Luther, then back to Katie. “I’m sure you’ll want to fill him in on the rest yourself.”
“Thanks, Blake, I appreciate it.”
“I’m assuming Haven and Eddie know not to tell Samson I’m involved?” Luther asked.
“I’ve briefed them. The official story we gave Samson was that a contact within the prison system pointed us to Cliff Forrester after we examined the letters Katie received. We kept it as vague as possible.”
Luther nodded, satisfied. Not because he was afraid that Samson would make good on his threat to kill him, but because he didn’t want Samson to react irrationally and jeopardize his daughter’s rescue. Once this was all over, Luther would disappear back into the shadows as if he’d never been here. Samson would never need to find out that Luther had assisted. He wasn’t here to get credit for his help.
Minutes later, Wesley stopped the SUV on a rural road without street lights and turned off the engine. Behind them, John brought Katie’s Audi to a stop.
“Let’s go,” Blake said and exited the car.
Luther reached for the door handle and opened the passenger door, stepping out into the darkness. In front of them, a minivan was parked. Next to it stood Eddie and another vampire. It had to be Haven, Katie’s brother. Luther ran his eyes over him. He was slightly taller than his witch brother. Haven glanced past Luther, searching for the person who exited the car behind him.
Luther turned and reached for Katie’s hand to help her out.
“Katie!” Haven called out and walked to her. He pulled her into his arms and pressed a kiss on the top of her head. “You scared the shit out of me when you disappeared. Don’t you ever do that again.”
“I’m sorry.”
“What the fuck are you doing with him?” Haven slanted Luther an annoyed look.
Katie peeled herself out of his arms. “Everything’s fine.”
“If I find out that he—”
“How about we postpone the pleasantries until later?” Blake suggested, drawing everybody’s attention to him. John and Grayson had joined them.
Luther nodded. “Fine by me.” He noticed Eddie acknowledge him with a quick glance.
“We all know what to do?” Blake asked, looking at the assembled group. “Grayson, you’ll stay with Katie. The rest of you, let’s go. Haven and John will approach the house from the back. Luther, you’ll be with me, Eddie, and Wesley. Questions?”
“Let me come with you,” Grayson demanded. “John can watch Katie.”
“No!” Blake protested, then looked at his colleagues.
Luther lifted his hands. “If you could spare a weapon, I’d be of more use…”
“You brought extra?” Blake asked Haven.
Haven already turned to the van and pulled a semi-automatic handgun from the interior. Luther followed him and took the weapon.
“Thanks.”
“Don’t thank me yet.” Haven’s narrowed eyes made his position clear. He suspected that something was going on between him and Katie, and he didn’t like it.
Dropping his voice to a murmur, Luther said to him, “Your sister is an adult. She makes her own decisions.”
“And not all of them smart ones,” Haven hissed back.
Blake’s barked command interrupted them. “Let’s go. We’re not on a picnic here.”
Under cover of darkness, they reached the house moments later. It was an old ranch style home in need of a good paint job and yard work. Nobody had lifted a finger here in years. According to Striker’s information, it belonged to Cliff Forrester, and neighbors had seen him a few nights ago, after he’d been released from prison.
There was no light coming from the interior, no sounds either. Blake gave a sign to spread out. Via his mic and his earphone he communicated with John and Haven who approached from the other direction.
“Anything?” Blake whispered into his mic.
Luther didn’t hear the response, but Blake pointed to the front door a moment later, indicating that he was going in first. Luther watched from a few feet away as Blake approached the entrance without making a sound, his weapon drawn. He saw Blake’s lips move, but no sound emerged.