The Huntress' Name (sequel to The Huntress)

Chapter 22

When I came to, there was a massive pounding in my head. The big guy had knocked me out with just his fist. Great. Another concussion? I could hope not. I tried to move, but found my hands and feet were restrained to the chair I was sitting in. This had all the looks of when Thomas had been in The Torch's basement, only now the script was flipped. 

"If we could just not do this, that would be great. I already got a concussion yesterday, and I think Mr. Muscles may have messed me up even more. All you have to do is let me go, and I'll call a cab to come pick me up. You won't have to see me ever again." I leaned my head back, but the angle made the chair dig into the back, at the bottom of my skull. 

"We could do that, but we won't." Layke stalled on in. Glided really. Her eyes flashed that wolfish yellow. 

So she wasn't an Alpha. 

"Come on, woman to woman, I'm sure there's something we can work out."

"More like werewolf to hunter, and I'm sure you know why I won't when it's put that way."

"Just because our kind doesn't get along out there doesn't mean you and I have to be the same way in here." I tried to pull on the binds at my wrists. They were secure. 

Damn.

"There is a reason our kind doesn't get along. You act as our parole officers, waiting for that one moment we slip up. We don't need regulated by humans."

"Better than what we did back home," I murmured under my breath. 

"Ah yes. America. The Organization they call it back there, no?"

My eyes flashed up to hers. How in the world did she know about The Org? 

"Oh darling. We have people everywhere just as you do. We just keep better touch with our other troupes."

"You fight." It was a question, but it sounded more like a statement. Mr. Muscles had been the first werewolf I'd gone up against that knew how to fight. 

"We do. We all do. How else are we supposed to hold our own against the likes of you? We've witnessed the fall of many vampires and werewolves. We're not about to go down the same way. If we can match you hit for hit, then we would obviously come out on top."

"Obviously." I closed my eyes against the pounding in my head. "Is there a reason you're keeping me here, tied to a chair?"

Layke gave a sideways glance, and the big man came out of the shadows. 

"Mr. Musscles. Great."

I big guy grunted and I saw something flash in his hand. 

"We want to know what The Torch wants with us. We know there have been eyes on us for months."

"I don't know what The Torch wants with you."

Big guy came at me. The flash I'd seen earlier had been of a knife, and now it was poised and ready to strike at me. I was completely helpless. I couldn't move away, I couldn't do anything, but close my eyes and prepare for the sharp pain I knew was coming. 

"Stop," Layke's strong voice carried through the air. 

I opened one eye and released the breath I hadn't known I'd been holding. Big guy was standing in front of me, still and with the knife at his side. He was literally the attack dog. 

"She's not lying. She doesn't know."

I relaxed slightly. Apparently it was going to work out in my advantage to have a living lie detector. As long as she didn't ask any questions I needed to lie about.