Between Witches and Wolves

Chapter 10: The Search Part 2

Nate

We pull up to the club right around noon.

The sign on the door says the place won’t open until 4:00 p.m.

Damn.

What do we do now?

I look at Alex to see if he has any ideas.

Then it hits me.

She ran from us last night. She didn’t run to a vehicle, though. She took off down the street.

So, that must mean she lives close enough to walk, right?

If that’s the case, we can easily walk around in the direction she ran and try to find her scent.

That scent will forever be burned into my memory.

Strawberries and cream.

Sweet and smooth.

And absolutely delicious.

I think that’s probably a fair bet. Should we start looking around in the direction she took off in? Alex mind-links me.

Seems he’s thinking the same thing.

I nod, and we start walking in the direction she went last night.

As we walk, Ash and Void both try to catch her scent. We get right beside the buildings and houses, trying to catch even the faintest trace of her.

No such luck.

We’ve been walking around in kind of a cone shape from the club, trying quite a few streets at this point. We figured she wouldn’t live more than maybe ten or fifteen minutes away.

Guess we’ll have to start going farther out.

“Hey, do you think we should split up and search farther from the club? Maybe she walks thirty minutes to work,” I ask Alex.

He nods in agreement.

We each branch out in the same general direction she ran last night and continue walking for another ten or fifteen minutes.

I feel like I’m constantly stopping to sniff every door I see, hoping to catch even a tiny whiff of her.

At the end of the street, I see a building that has definitely seen better days.

It’s an old brick building with pieces of the walls missing. I mean, the damn thing is literally falling apart.

I doubt anyone would actually live there.

Then I notice a sign out front.

NOW LEASING

You’ve got to be kidding me.

People actually live in that s**t?

As if on cue, I see a prostitute open a door and throw a man outside.

He looks high as a kite.

“This is the last time I let your sorry ass crash at my place! And you better bet your ass next time we f**k, I’m charging!”

The woman slams the door.

Well, I guess that answers my question.

People do actually live here.

I can’t see the girl I’m looking for living in this biohazard, but I better check it out anyway.

As I walk closer, the smell of s**t and mold fills my senses.

How the hell am I supposed to find her scent mixed in with all this?

I continue over the crumbling concrete that I’m guessing is supposed to be a sidewalk and try to catch a scent at every door as I make my way through the long hallway.

Nothing on the first floor.

Could people actually live upstairs, though?

The building is two stories, but given the shape it’s in, I imagine too much weight up there and you may just go crashing down into your downstairs neighbor’s place.

I make my way up the stairs, careful to watch for any loose steps that may give way.

The first door I come to has a women’s sign on it.

A bathroom?

I swing the door open and immediately regret it.

On the floor is a woman more than half naked with a needle in her arm and a cigarette between her lips.

I guess the light I let in from opening the door pisses her off because she immediately yells at me.

“Close the goddamn door! It’s too f*****g bright!”

I do just that.

I could have gone forever without seeing that.

I continue down the hall, taking a sniff at each door.

The third door down damn near makes me lose my stomach contents. The smell is so foul and pungent that I could’ve sworn something was dead behind it.

Only five doors left, and I’m convinced there is no way that girl lives here.

But then I catch it.

A faint scent.

The second door from the end.

I damn near run to it and put my nose near the keyhole.

I inhale slowly.

Strawberries and cream.

This is it.

This is where she lives.

It has to be.

I found where she lives! I mind-link Alex.

On my way, he replies instantly.

I knock on the door and listen for footsteps.

Nothing.

I knock again.

No answer.

Maybe she isn’t home?

It’s Sunday, though, so where else would she be?

We would’ve run into her if she was heading to the club.

I knock once more.

Still no answer.

The door beside hers opens.

“Can I help you with something? You know some of us are trying to sleep.”

A woman looks out at me.

By the looks of her, you would think she was in her forties, but that’s probably the drugs affecting her. If I knew any better, I’d say she was in her late twenties.

Her skin is dark and weathered, and she has bleached-blond hair and dark blue eyes. Without the drugs, she would probably be quite stunning.

“The girl who lives here. Do you know where I can find her?” I ask.

What do I have to lose?

“Eleanor? Why, I thought she would’ve been home by now. She left early this morning while I was seeing my last customer off. Poor thing looked ragged. I hope that piece of s**t didn’t get her hooked. Eleanor’s a good girl. Works damn near every day. I bet she’s supposed to be working a shift tonight.”

Eleanor.

So that’s her name.

Beautiful.

I feel Ash fawn over it.

Pull it together, Ash. We still have to find her.

“Thank you, ma’am!”

“Not at all, handsome. But if it’s s*x you’re looking for, Eleanor don’t do that. I, however, would be more than happy to show you a good time.”

She smiles and winks.

“Thank you, ma’am, but I’m going to have to decline. Thanks again, though.”

I turn and run down the damn stairs.

Just then, I see Alex coming up the street.

“So, did you find her?” he asks.

“Just found her place. Her name is Eleanor, by the way. Her neighbor said she should be working a shift at the club tonight.”

Without missing a beat, we both turn back toward the club.

It’s 4:15 p.m. now.

The club should be open.

“Guess we should just head back and wait, then,” Alex suggests.

My thoughts exactly.

The entire walk back to the club, Ash is damn near howling with excitement.

And I can’t deny that I’m excited to see her again, too.

Nico

I arrive at the club just in time to see the two wolf brothers from last night enter.

I guess they had the same idea as me.

They’re here looking for that girl.

I can’t help but smirk.

So, they want to see her again, too.

Very interesting.

I should probably just wait for her out here, though. I don’t need any more punches to the face.

Even if I am all healed up.

If I can catch her before she goes inside, I can make a quick getaway with her.

Then I can have my fun without the mutts being any the wiser.

I light a cigarette and inhale.

The nicotine rush feels so nice.

I’ll just have a smoke or two while I wait.

Or so I thought.

Three motherfucking hours later and nothing.

Where the f**k is that girl?

I’ve completely lost my patience.

Was there a back entrance or something?

Why hasn’t she shown up?

I asked the manager last night if she would be back, and he guaranteed that she would.

So where the f**k is she?

Calm down.

I take a few deep breaths.

Just because she didn’t show tonight doesn’t mean she won’t be coming back.

I’ll just stake this place out every day if I have to.

She will be mine.

I won’t let those mutts get to her before I have the chance to have my way with her.

I just have to wait a bit longer than I anticipated.

I get on my motorcycle and head back to the headquarters the boys and I have set up.

There are plenty of women there high on pheromones who will gladly help me take the edge off.

What better way is there to let my anger out?

Nothing I can think of.

A smile takes over my face as I think about what awaits me when I get back.