Nikhail lowered the window.
“I counted seven heartbeats, sir,” Taliyah reported. “Two slow-beating ones, and five regular.”
Nikhail rolled the information over in his mind. Of the five non-vampires present, one of them should be their target. He ran several scenarios through his mind, discarding them one at a time, until he settled on the one that would have the best possible chance of success.
He relayed the information to his team and waited for them all to agree before adding, “Remember, the Chancellor has ordered us to leave Harringdale alive. She wants to talk to him. Avoid lethal force at all costs.”
“Understood,” the werewolf rasped, orange eyes glowing.
“Don’t kill him. Got it,” Indira said.
“I understand,” was Taliyah’s response.
Satisfied, Nikhail exited the vehicle. The rest of his team followed suit, drawing their weapons.
Nikhail left his guns where they were. Instead, he extended his hands, palms facing the night sky, and reached within himself, calling forth the magic that was his birthright. His power rushed to his fingertips, eager to serve.
Shield us from sight, he implored, pushing his will into the wind, imploring it to protect him and his team.Hide us from those who would inflict harm upon us.
A warm breeze brushed his cheek in response. The wind would do as he asked.
Nikhail kept his palms extended as they approached the house. They moved on silent feet, settling into position.
When the front porch was in sight, Nikhail dropped his left hand, drawing his gun. The door was slightly off-kilter, as if someone had slammed it so many times the frame had broken.
He tapped his shoulder twice with his right hand, then pointed at the house. Understanding the signal, Indira slunk off to the right, and Dalyn to the left.
Nikhail took a deep breath, then advanced. The porch was rickety, and the boards were broken and rotting in places. Using the wind as a guide, Nikhail carefully ascended the stairs. He crouched in front of the door and pulled out his lock-picking tools.
There was a steady presence at his back, and he knew without looking that Taliyah was standing there.
The lock gave way with a tumble that resonated through the silent night. Nikhail held his breath, waiting for a shout of surprise. For an alarm to sound. For something.
Silence swelled.
Nikhail lifted his right hand and twisted his fingers in a silent signal.
They would enter in three… two… one…
CHAPTER 25
The Definition of Fine
Hours had passed since Nikhail left, and River had run out of things to do.
At first, she’d occupied herself by exploring the small apartment. It boasted a single bedroom, which housed a double bed, a bathroom with a stand-up shower, and a combined kitchen and living room. If this were someone’s home, she would’ve felt differently about snooping, but the safe house felt like fair game.
River had started in the bedroom. A black dresser was against the wall across from the bed. Inside, she’d uncovered a variety of men’s and women’s clothing, mostly black, in a variety of sizes. Packs of unopened socks and underwear were neatly organized in the top drawer.
A small bookshelf was in the corner of the room, housing a stack of fiction and non-fiction books.
River had rummaged through the nightstands next. One was empty, save for a book of old fae prayers. The other was home to stacks of old papers, pens, and a gleaming black key.
Nothing overly interesting.
After the bedroom, River had gone through the kitchen. She’d rummaged through the cupboards, cataloging the pantry items, before peeking into the fridge.
Unsurprisingly, it was empty.