It didn't take us long to get to Buena Vista. Once we got into town we shifted into human form.
"So where's this bar?"
Tarlock grabbed my hand turning me to face him.
"It's not far but before we go you need to promise to let me do all the talking."
I scowled.
"I know how to talk to these kind of people Tarlock I've been dealing with underground wolves for years now."
He lips curved into a tight smile.
"You mean like you handled Imogen?"
I opened my mouth to retaliate but he spoke before I could get a word out.
"Look Tiona this pack is not like my sister. They are the real deal. They will kill you if you say the wrong thing."
I raised my eyebrows at him grinning.
"So what your trying to say is the serpents aren't the real deal? I mean I knew your pack was weak but.."
I laughed at my own joke as he scowled.
"I'm serious Tiona the only reason my pack hasn't killed you yet is because I won't let them. This isn't the first time Imogen has tried to get them to kill you in some way or another."
I shrugged.
"As you know she did try once and failed there's not many who can withstand my lighting and now that the drug Treston gave me is out of my system.."
I lifted my hand the sparks dancing across my fingers.
"I'm back to full power so they can try to kill me all they want it won't stop me from getting the information we need to find Doran."
Tarlock sighed.
"Seriously Tiona your not the only one with a strange powerful ability and even you can't take on all of them. Can you please just let me handle this?"
I groaned. Men all of them are the same always wanting to be in charge.
"Fine I'll be good but if I think it's starting to go sideways the sparks are coming out."
He nodded.
"Fine. Now come on."
I followed him to a bar and grill named hyena's. I stood staring at the sign. Now I understood Tarlocks warning. They weren't wolves they were hyenas, possibly one of the most aggressive type of shifters known.
"You get it now don't you?"
I nod.
"Yes I do but I still stand by my words if they start something I won't back down."
"Being hyenas they would probably respect you more if you don't back down."
He started towards the bar as I followed close behind. upon entering all heads turned towards us. Silently Tarlock ignored the staring eyes and approached the bar where a woman with black hair much like my own but longer and with a fringe that covered most of her right eye. The yellow eyes were the creepiest part of her strongly built body. The tattoos that spawned up her arms depicted bloody scenes of hyenas killing their prey. Her eyes travelled over both of us judging our worth as a eerie smile spread across her face.
"It's not very often we see a serpent in these parts. Name's vel and you are?"
"Tarlock."
"I assume you want something?"
Tarlock revealed nothing in his face as he answered.
"We're here for information about a wild wolf."
Her yellow eyes stared at Tarlock her face a mask.
"A wild wolf you say?"
"That's right more importantly where he was taken."
Vel took up a cloth and started wiping down the bar then taking out three shot glasses she pored us three shots of tequila. Tarlocks eyes darted my way then to the glass indicating to drink the shot. Taking the glass in my hand I swallowed it in one go just as Tarlock and Vel did. Smiling she promptly pored another.
"I find business is best done when with a couple shots."
Drinking again her smile changed to a more genuine one as she leaned on the counter the eyes that once watched us now went back to what they were doing.
"Name your price."
She chuckled.
"What's the rush serpent?"
I gritted my teeth we didn't have time for her games.
"We need to find Doran now!"
Her eyes met mine for the first time since we arrived. She didn't say anything at first til she finally she answered. Tarlock gently put pressure on my foot a silent warning.
"Doran? I'm guessing that's the wolf's name?"
My fist clenched. Was she purposely stalling?
"I see."
Reaching out Vel lifted my chin as her eyes studied mine.
"Interesting eyes you have I have not seen their like before would you tell me how you came by them?"
With a movement faster then she could stop, not that she even tried I grabbed her wrists. My sparks danced along my skin gently caressing, gently threatening as they sent tingles to her wrist.
"You have to go to hell and back."
I let her go when she pulled back her smile widening as my sparks once again disappeared.
"You are an interesting one aren't you? So you wish to know where this...Doran was taken?"
Her eyes went back to Tarlock.
"The price young serpent is simple. I require a favour."
Tarlocks eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"What kind of favour?"
She shrugged.
"I don't know yet but whatever it is I want no hesitation."
Before I could stop him he nodded.
"Done."
She chuckled again.
"I'm sorry but it's not from you that I want the favour."
Turning to me she continued.
"The promise of a favour must come from you."
My eyes widened.
"Me? What could you possibly want from me?"
She shrugged.
"I'm sure you will come in handy one day. The question is how important is this wolf of yours?"
I looked to Tarlock who shook his head, but what choice did I have? Surely what she had in mind wouldn't be that bad plus who knows she might never come to collect.
"Fine you have my word."
The woman extended her hand, slowly I took it and we shook making the deal. Pulling back she looked to one of her co workers.
"Hark take over for me while i take our guest into the back."
A scruffy looking man nodded as we silently followed Vel into a back room. Her office was messy with papers and files spread everywhere.
"Sit while I find what your looking for."
She started rummaging through the papers. Instead of sitting I leaned against the wall preferring not to have my back to the door as Tarlock took one of the chairs In front of the desk.
"Here it is."
Vel sat down on the edge of the desk before Tarlock but her eyes were on mine.
"It's not a wise idea to cross the crescent moon pack, I hope you know what your doing?"
I smiled at her.
"Don't worry about me I'm not so easily killed."
"Oh I know I've heard the stories. Your more famous then you realise Tiona."
The fact that she knew my name didn't surprise me I knew it was part of the reason she wanted the favour from me and not Tarlock. Turning her eyes to the papers before her she smiled then looked to Tarlock.
"The crescent moon pack hired us to transport your wolf to a hideout just outside of eden in North Carolina."
Handing the papers to Tarlock she continued.
"Be careful on this one for a legit pack to use outside help there's more to this then meets the eye. There's a reason they didn't want their own to be seen involved in this. Whatever it is it can't be good."
Pushing off the wall I snatched the papers off Tarlock memoizing the address I handed them back to Vel.
"We'll be fine. They picked the wrong person to steal from."
I started to leave when Vel's voice stopped me.
"If there's ever a time you decide to join a pack keep us in mind thief, we could use a female like you."
My eyes met hers briefly before I left the room without saying a word. Tarlock followed soon after as we left the bar together. Her words repeated in my head. Join her? Ha like I'd ever join them. I mean it has nothing to do with who or what they are but I just had no intentions of ever joining a pack or anything like one.
"Seems you made an impression."
My eyes met Tarlocks.
"Like I'd ever join any pack."
A shadow seemed to cross his face. Did my words upset him? I was only telling the truth. We walked in silence for a bit. Tarlock seemed lost in thought, it wasn't til we reached the edge of town before he said something. I was just about to shift when he grabbed my arm.
"Tiona wait."
I turned he was staring at me with an intense look I'd never seen in him before.
"Tarlock?"
He sighed shaking his head.
"Never mind come on we have a lot of ground to cover before we get to eden."
He shifted and started heading south west through the trees. What's gotten into him all of a sudden? I shrug, whatever it is will have to wait right now Doran is my priority. We had to hurry they had already had a massive lead on us and we had no idea how long they would stay in eden. Just hold on Doran we're coming.