Wayward Son Read Free Page B

have to save him.”
    Evan turned back and studied the man on the stretcher. “Take him to my lab. Get me five units of whole blood. Match it to his dog tags. Go!” Turning back to Matt, he lowered his voice again, “You better call his wife.”
     
    *****
     
    Apollo sat in the copilot’s seat of the retreating boat as it sliced through the waves. His mind raced as he replayed the events of the last few days. How could he allow Sheridan to pollute his mind? How could he blame Jack for something that Maria and Hank did?
    He lowered his head into his hands and fought the urge to sob in the presence of the remaining wolves. Lifting his head again, he did a quick count. Their forces had been reduced to a fraction of what he’d started with. Eight wolves literally licked their wounds in the craft as it bounced along the waves.
    Apollo watched as the first fingers of sunlight crested the horizon, and he suddenly felt dirty. Very dirty. His righteous rage had turned to a dishonor that he couldn’t rectify. Part of him wanted to shoot all of the remaining wolves and throw them overboard, but he realized they were just soldiers. Meat thrown into the grinder. They were taking orders. And he was the one who led them in the attack against an ally.
    Apollo felt his rage rise again, and he knew it was Sheridan that should be made to pay. If he’d kept his damned videos to himself, if he’d stayed in witness protection, if he’d kept his plans of retribution to himself…
    Apollo replayed events in his mind so many times that he made himself sick. There had to be a way to redeem the little piece of his soul that hadn’t been tainted.
    Leaning back in his seat, he watched the wolves during the ride as his mind wandered. Who did they work for? He remembered Sheridan saying something along the lines of being hired to do this job. As much as he hated to admit it, Apollo didn’t pay any attention to him once he decided to join forces to get his revenge. Sheridan was a blowhard. A self-absorbed asshole that was only interested in his own agenda.
    There wasn’t much he could do at the moment, but as soon as they returned, he intended to find out as much as he could about who had hired Sheridan. Surely they had an agenda of their own. Maybe if he could determine who the money man behind this venture was, Apollo could do something about stopping the real monster.

 
    2
     
     
    Paul dragged the burnt body of his brother to the Monterey cabin cruiser from the thick underbrush they had been blown into. He knew that the house was under attack and that the docks were the only place not seeing battle. He pulled his smoking body across the wooden pier and onto the boat, tucking him below decks and onto the bed.
    “I’m sorry, brother. I don’t know where else to go.” Paul collapsed onto the bed next to Rufus and sighed. “All hell is breaking loose out there.”
    Shortly, a wailing horn sounded, and the sounds of battle died down. Paul waited a little longer before opening the door to the cabin cruiser and sticking his head out. He could see the gargoyles circling the woods and people milling about the compound.
    “It may be over.” Paul turned to Rufus, still unconscious on the bed. “What should I do with you?”
    Sounds of somebody moving topside froze Paul in his place. He slowly tried to close the door to the cabin cruiser when Marco jumped down onto the deck. “Mr. Foster.” He looked over the vampire’s shoulder at the charred body on the bed. “Is that Monsieur Thorn?”
    Paul swallowed hard. “It is.”
    Marco nodded and cast a furtive glance over his shoulder. “They are searching for the two of you.”
    “Well, it would appear that we have been found.” Paul squared his shoulders and prepared to open the door.
    “No.” Marco pushed him inside the cabin. “They are not pleased.”
    “What is the meaning of—”
    “The soldiers are accusing Monsieur Thorn of stealing something from the human hunters.” Marco