I Saw Mami Biting Santa Claws (gxg)

Chapter 8

Of course, just because Karano was desperate to reach Hazel, didn't mean that the universe would align to make it easy for her. If anything, it seemed like everything that could go wrong, did. First, there were no flights out the following morning, though she did get on a standby list in case an opening arose. She got a ride to the airport at first light, packing nothing but a change of clothes and a few necessities as she didn't expect to be there any longer than she had to.

But when she got to the airport, she had to wait through three different flights as a standby passenger and was told by everyone that there were no openings. Even worse, every time she fervently begged other passengers to switch flights with her, she almost lost control and phased into one of her other forms, which would have made the situation much worse.

But finally, she was able to get on a 4pm flight, and then she was fidgeting the entire time they were airborne until they were able to land in San Juan. Being around so many people wasn't helping her mood at all, and it was taking all her self-control not to bite someone so she could get off the airplane first. It wasn't an auspicious start to her rescue operation.

But she did finally get off the airplane, and she walked as fast as she could without drawing undue attention to herself all the way to the taxi stand, where she was lucky enough to get a cab quickly, and head to the house that Hazel's mom lived in. She handed over some cash, then jumped out of the car, racing up to the door, her nose already telling her things were wrong.

There were too many scents, and two of them made her lips curl. There was a strong one of Hazel that she could recognize immediately, and then other strong ones of Hazel's ex, José, and her own ex, Angel, along with a third scent she had never encountered. The scent of Hazel's mom and sister were there, though much fainter, as though they'd been gone for several days, while Hazel had been there within the last 24 hours, though not as strong as if she were still here. But still, she checked the door, which had been left unlocked, and went inside.

The scents were stronger there, and she wandered around, looking for a clue. But there was nothing. Night was falling, and while there was a scent trail leading out the back door, she didn't want to be sneaking around the island in the dark. Both her wolf and vampire sides were growling in rage at the thought of Hazel being taken, and she knew that before this trip was over, that there would be blood spilled. A lot of it.

Having been to the house before, she knew which bedroom was Hazel's, and she stripped down, changed into her wolf form, and then curled up on the bed. If she was going to be here, she preferred this form, so she could inhale even more of Hazel's scent. She'd need rest for now, tomorrow the hunt would begin.

As for Hazel, she wasn't doing well. For someone who spent many days on the airboats in the Everglades with her wife, it was a shock to find out just how seasick she could be when confined to a cage in the cabin of a little, smelly fishing boat. She'd lost count of the number of times that she'd thrown up, but every time she did, she made sure it went through the bars so the assholes would have to endure the smell.

Of course, the mere fact that she was on the boat was a sign that things weren't going too well for her captors, so she took solace in that. She also had the inner voice of Lunaera to keep her company and reassure her, and that helped as well. And of course, she couldn't help but snicker a few times at just how incompetent José and this plan were.

The previous evening had been a perfect example.

As soon as José sent the text to Karano, he was cackling with glee, thinking that somehow that would help his cause. "That will spin her right up! But why isn't she dead?" he asked the brujas.