Page 26 of The Night Calling

Conri barked something to his demons and most of them followed him—the other two stayed back with Raika and Minsi—as he exited the house and took the front path to the main road.

Meanwhile, Minsi stared at the mess and shook like bamboo on the wind, and Raika let out a breath and centered herself. I could see it took everything in her to turn and show a reassuring smile to my sister. She wrapped her hands around Minsi’s shoulders and helped her sit at the breakfast table. She sat beside Minsi and talked to her, her face close to Minsi’s, her hand on Minsi’s arm.

When Minsi seemed calmer, Raika pushed a book toward Minsi. The biggest bookworm, Minsi delved into the book and disappeared into a fantasy world. And Raika stood, took another deep breath, cleaned up the mess, and made them some sandwiches, all the while with a brave face.

My heart warmed. My mate was taking care of my sister. Raika had protected Minsi against a demon-wolf, and it wasn’t the first time. She seemed so damn strong, and that was so damn hot.

But I could see it was exhausting to her. I wanted to lend her my strength. Together, we would take Conri down and free everyone. Things would never be the same again, but we could make them better.

Back at the club, I entertained the crazy idea that Raika was into Conri. That she had become his woman. After all, why else would she be out at a nightclub with him? The idea wasn’t gone yet, but now I wasn’t so sure.

Right after sunset, Raika took Minsi to the basement—to the game room. It was a huge room spanning the entire house’s first floor with a giant flat screen, leather recliner couches, video games, a pool table, a foosball table, a pinball machine, and some other arcade games. It was one of my favorite places in the entire pack lands, and Tyren agreed with me. Because Minsi wasn’t into games, we ended up building a bookshelf in a corner for her so she could have her own library at the house, and she could spend more time in the same room as us, even if we didn’t interact a lot.

I bet that was where they were headed now.

As I expected, the demons followed them downstairs.

That meant the first and second floor of the house were empty. The timing was good, and when the patrols turned away from the backyard for a minute, I raced toward the house.

I shifted on the porch, but didn’t bother putting on my pants. I drank one of the potions I had stolen from DuMoir Castle—one to mask scents—then I slid the glass door open, snuck in, and headed upstairs, careful with my steps so the demons and the girls couldn’t hear me walking above their heads.

I climbed the stairs that led from the mudroom to the end of the hallway upstairs. I paused in front of Tyren’s bedroom door. It was closed, but I couldn’t hear anything coming from the inside. I opened the door and spied in—the place was dark and smelled stuffy as if it hadn’t been open in a while. Where the hell was he?

I followed Raika’s jasmine scent and entered my bedroom. It was exactly the same as I remembered, but now I could smell Raika’s faint scent in here. Which meant she wasn’t sleeping here, but she had been in here recently.

I didn’t have time to think about that now … I went back to the corridor and found her scent was stronger in front of the only guest bedroom on this floor—the others were on the third floor. I opened the door and her scent wafted over me like a drug. Damn, she smelled good. I knew it was because she was my mate. She probably didn’t smell this good to other wolves, but still, I could drown in her scent and die happy.

The room looked the same, except for a few additions—a new portrait of Raika and her mother, a stack of romance books, a glass of water, and some other little things.

My mother had always kept the guest bedrooms stocked and ready, so I knew where to find what I wanted—I opened the nightstand drawer and picked up the notebook and pen in there.

I scribbled a note and shoved it under her pillow.

Then, I ran out of the house and into the forest.

Now, I waited.