Savage Hunger(79)

“Maybe you should wait in the van, Sienna. Give me a minute to talk with—”

“Like hell. There’s nothing you need to say to my father that I can’t be there for.” She unfastened her seat belt and had the door open in seconds.

The Boston humidity hit her hard, and Sienna lifted her hair off the back of her neck as she inhaled the warm air. She was halfway to the front step when Warrick caught up to her.

“I was going to tell you when the time was right.”

Ah, so he was jumping right back on to the topic he’d wanted to avoid. With a grim shake of her head she didn’t even bother to look at him.

“I’m not so sure I believe that, Warrick. Where’s Quinton?”

“He’s going to watch the van.”

Sienna made a soft harrumph.

“I needed at least a minute to talk to you alone, Sienna.”

“I’m sorry, but didn’t you just say there was nothing to discuss?” She offered him a saccharine smile, before glancing away. “We don’t have the time right now, and I’m not really in the mood anyway.”

“You are so damn difficult,” he muttered and strode past her to knock on the door before she could reach it.

“I think you’ve got that backwards, buddy. At least I’ve never been anything but open with you.” She glared at him while waiting for the door to open.

“Do I even need to call ‘bullshit’?” He arched a brow in dismay. “Just like you were so damn open about the jump drive?”

Damn. She’d forgotten about that. One little thing. She opened her mouth to spit out another sharp retort, but then glanced at the door with a frown.

“Why isn’t he answering?” she muttered and pounded on the wood frame. Harder this time.

Warrick pulled his cell phone from the pocket of his jeans and hit a couple buttons. She didn’t have to ask to figure out who he was calling. If she’d had her keys, she’d just let herself in.

Because what were the chances her dad had left the door unlocked? Sienna reached for the handle to give it a try and was amazed to find it turn easily in her grip. She pushed the door open and stared into the darkened interior.

Warrick closed his cell phone and grabbed her shoulder before she could step foot inside.

“Hang on, Sienna.” He shook his head. “Something’s off here. I want to wave Quinton over before—”

“Sienna? Is that you, honey?”

They both stilled and glanced back into the open doorway. It was her father’s voice coming from the back of the house. Distracted. Maybe a little tired, but definitely her dad.

The tension fled from Sienna’s muscles and she exhaled shakily. It had been months since she’d seen him, and suddenly nothing mattered more than being in his arms, having him tell her everything was going to be okay.

Tears stung at the back of her eyes and her throat tightened with emotion.

“Yes, it’s me,” she called, her voice breaking as she stepped in the doorway.

Warrick followed her in and shut the door behind her.

“I’m in the sitting room.”

Her feet stumbled. Something felt off. Sitting room? He never referred to the lounge as the sitting room. And why hadn’t he come out to greet them?

She saw the shadow of a man at the end of the hall just as Warrick grabbed her arm and shoved her behind him. The move was so aggressive she slammed into the wall. Stars spun in her head as she struggled to stay upright.

Warrick’s growl filled her ears and she turned just in time to see him stride toward the unfamiliar man.

Where the hell was her father?

“I’ve been waiting for both you little bitches.” The man lifted some kind of gun and leveled it at Warrick.

“Warrick, watch out!”

“Get the hell out of here, Sienna,” he snarled before he leapt forward and his body morphed into wolf.

Whatever the man shot at him pinged against the wall, missing Warrick as he dove at the man. The man dropped the gun and plucked a knife from his belt, just as Warrick landed on him.

No! Sienna’s feet were frozen. Her mind screamed to run and get Quinton, but she was terrified to turn her back on Warrick as he fought with the man on the floor. Then Warrick let out a sharp whine of pain and released his hold on the man. Blood seeped through his fur from a gaping stab wound at his side and he fell to the ground.

Oh God! Any thoughts of going for help fled, and Sienna blindly ran toward him. The stranger quickly retrieved the gun and leveled it at Warrick again. She was closer now, and it quickly registered that this wasn’t any ordinary gun. It held a small dart, and she didn’t have to be a genius to guess what was loaded into it.