Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder novel Chapter 963

Chapter 14 : Dark Discoveries

*Lucas*

'Something bad....'

Sasha's words rang in my head as I tried to focus on finding a new project to write up a proposal for. There were plenty of sites in Egoren that needed attention.

But I couldn't shake Shasha's warning about the temple from my mind.

Part of me wanted to believe she'd been spooked by her near-fall, but I knew that couldn't be it. It seemed crazy to risk my career by reporting her 'feelings of evil' to King Xander. But, if there was something to it, I would be to blame if people got hurt because of it.

I warred with my options for the better part of an hour before I cursed out loud and went to find Brady.

He was waiting in the hall.

“Need to talk?" Brady asked, those damn lips twitching again.

“Shut up," I grumbled. “Where's Phoebe?"

“Sleeping."

“You still catch spooky vibes, don't you?"

“Can I sense the difference between good and evil? Yes," Brady said. “Why? You want me to go hit Donovan Clarke again?"

“You hit him?" Jealousy curled in my gut.

“One of the most satisfying things I've ever done," Brady confirmed. “Wouldn't mind doing it again."

I grunted. “Some things a man wants to do for himself."

“For his mate," Brady corrected me, his eyes twinkling.

“She's not my mate," I muttered, though my heart thudded when I said it.

“You don't know that," Brady said. He sighed and shook his head. “Anyway, what's up?"

“Sasha says there's something evil at the site."

“You don't believe her?"

“I don't know. But, I believe she believes it. I want to go back over to the site." I didn't know I'd decided that until the words were out. Brady followed me as I hurried to start packing bags with what I'd need for exploring in the darkness from my engineering supplies.

“What? Now?! It'll be after midnight by the time the train gets there! It'll be the last train out. There won't be one back until morning!" Brady protested.

“I need to know. And now that the Lycaon Church is involved, they're not just going to let me stroll over there in the daylight," I reasoned, slinging my bag over my shoulder.

“You could just report it," Brady pointed out. I waited for him to play the potential scenario out in his head. “Yeah, you would both look unstable. But, if you're caught out there...."

“I'll just have a look and see," I muttered. “Will you come with me?"

Brady laughed. “Yeah, um, no."

“Why not?"

“Because it's crazy."

“Scared?" I teased.

“Engaged," he reminded me.

“Right," I said and headed for the door. “I shouldn't have asked."

“Where will you stay until morning?" Brady asked, falling into step beside me.

“I know a guy in town," I assured him.

Brady raised an eyebrow. “Did you let him know you were coming?"

“No time." My tone was clipped.

“You know I'm not letting you go out there alone, right? You could very well die out there...."

“Are you coming?" I held up the second bag for him and he snatched it from me.

We fell into a companionable silence as we headed for the train station, which surprisingly lasted the several hours it took to get out to the site.

The way Brady's eyes slipped from side to side as we made our way down the road at the edge of the woods and past the barn Sasha and I had made our stand in made me realize, with rising dread, that he sensed something out there.

“Rogues?" I asked, not sure why I was so hopeful.

“Yes… and no. That's not the only thing out there," Brady said quietly.

I groaned and raked a hand through my hair. “Great. Just great."

“Well, as long as we don't bother with whatever it is and it stays here...." Brady began.

“We're bothering it," I said.

Brady looked at me. We could see each other just fine under the moonlight, as both of us were a mature shifter and vampire, so no flashlight was needed. His glowing eyes were incredulous. “You've got to be kidding me."

“I am if something has latched itself onto Sasha. That's what she said. I'm not leaving here until we get some answers," I replied firmly.

“Latched itself onto… so that's what that was," Brady mumbled.

“What what was?" I asked.

“When I grabbed her wrist to get her out of the bar, away from Donovan, I got this little zap of… something. But it was gone so quickly, I barely clocked it." Brady looked out into the woods again and shivered. “Lucas, my man, I know you're worried, but there are some things you just shouldn't f**k around with."

We reached the library site. The temple area was roped off with a single industrial flood light shining down into the hole.

“Are you sensing anything?" I asked

Brady stopped cold. “Evil alert."

“Color me surprised," I said, rolling my eyes, and then I remembered something. “A good bit of the old library burned down a few years ago, all the way through the foundation, and there was nothing but dirt beneath. There was no sign that a temple had ever been here, so this whole situation feels way off."

I saw that the archeological team had already built a scaffolding down into the hole. “Convenient," I observed, touching a ladder.

Brady caught my arm. “This is a bad, bad place. We need to get the f**k out of here. Now."

I shook him off. “Not until I have my answers." I put my foot on the first rung of the ladder, readjusting my bag on my back before descending.

Brady stayed up top for the longest time, me looking up at him from the temple floor, him looking down at me with a pained expression on his face. “Lucas...."

“Either help me or don't," I snarled, tired of his shying away.