He pulled his boots on, then followed in her wake.
"What are you doing?" she asked as he trailed her into her store.
"Keeping an eye on you. Just ignore me."
It was hard to ignore someone who was so much taller and scarier than she was.
"How long has Vane been gone?" she asked him as she walked across her boutique.
"I don't know, he must have had to go real bad. Might be a bladder thing. I'm not sure."
She gaped at him.
He looked extremely uncomfortable. "I'm just going to shut up now and stand here looking tough. That's what I'm best at."
He did and she had to agree. When silent, Fury was quite intimidating. She had to give the man credit, he definitely knew his forte.
Vane materialized in Peltier House, just outside of Fang's door. He stood perfectly still, listening.
Sensing.
There was no disturbance. No scent of anyone else. No sensation of feelings probing the psychic plane for him or Fang.
Everything appeared completely normal.
Relaxing, he pushed open the door to find Fang just as Vane had left him. Alone in his bed.
Vane walked slowly into the room, just to make sure Fang was okay.
He went to the far side of the bed. Fang didn't move or twitch. His throat went tight. Fang didn't appear to be breathing.
"Oh God, no," he said, choking in panic.
Vane grabbed his brother, who instantly yelped and growled.
He tightened his hold on Fang's fur. "Damn you, you bastard!" he snarled angrily. "You die on me and I swear I'll tear your throat out."
Fang nipped at him until Vane released him. His brother settled back down in the bed into his comatose state.
"Fang, listen. Dad knows we're here and he's sending a squad after us. C'mon, wolf, talk to me."
He didn't. Fang just lay there staring into space.
"C'mon, Fang, this isn't fair to me. I don't know what to do to help you. I miss Anya too…"—he tried to make Fang look at him—"and I miss you."
Still, his brother didn't respond to him.
Vane wanted to choke him for his obstinacy.
It was then he felt a strange ripple in the air around him. He glanced over his shoulder to find Stefan standing there with a smug sneer on his face.
Without a second thought, Vane attacked.
Chapter 6
Vane caught Stefan about the waist and the two of them went bursting through the hard oak door, into the hallway.
Aimee Peltier jumped away from them and started screaming for help while Vane pulled Stefan up from the floor and slugged him hard and furiously.
Instead of attacking, Stefan changed to wolf form and ran for the stairs. Vane started after him. But before Stefan could head down them, Wren, who was bounding up them in human form, caught the wolf by the neck and hauled him back into the hallway.
Stefan snarled, trying to bite Wren. The leopard held him with an ease of strength that gave Vane pause. He'd had no idea the young, quiet Katagari was so strong.
Vane stood back, breathing raggedly, as Nicolette came out of her room at the end of the hallway.
Aimee ran to her mother while Wren maintained his grip on the snarling wolf.
"What is going on here?" Nicolette asked.
Vane gestured toward the wolf. "He was in Fang's room."
Stefan switched to human form, flashed into his clothes, then pushed Wren away from him.
Wren barely moved a step away and the look on his face promised Armageddon if Stefan touched him again.
That harsh look succeeded in calming Stefan a degree as he took a step away from the leopard. "I wasn't doing anything. I was only checking on them to see if they were really here." Stefan curled his lip at Vane. "Vane attacked me."
Stefan turned back toward Nicolette with an expression that was almost respectful. "I thought it was against the rules of Sanctuary for anyone to attack without provocation."
Vane narrowed his eyes as understanding dawned. He realized only too late that this had been a set-up.
Stefan was smarter than Vane had given him credit for.
"Vane?" Nicolette looked at him. "Is what he says true? Did you attack him?"
"He was coming to kill Fang. You know he was."
"But did he attack him?"
Vane stiffened as he glared at Stefan. "He would have had I not stopped him."
"Did he attack first, or did you?" Nicolette insisted.
Vane's anger snapped out of control. "What are you? A fucking lawyer?"
"Watch your tone, Vane," Nicolette warned harshly. "I am the supreme law here and you know it."
Vane apologized even though it stuck tight in his craw to do so.
Wren gave him a sympathetic look that said he too would like to rip into Stefan. His whole body was coiled for it, but he stayed put.
Nicolette lifted her chin in acceptance of Vane's apology. "Now tell me the truth. Who attacked first?"