Haunted

CHAPTER 55

CULEBRA REACHES AROUND AND BACKHANDS LUIS. “Shut it.”

But the sight of his brother has revived Luis. He spits at Culebra. “Now we will see who is the coward.”

We watch Pablo approach. Unlike his brother, Pablo is lean, tall, dressed in a tan flight suit that emphasizes a runner’s build—wide shoulders, narrow hips, long legs. His face is brutally handsome with dark eyes, a straight nose more Greek than Latin and thin lips so unnaturally red, I wonder if he’s wearing lip gloss. He carries himself like a soldier though he has no weapon in his hands or at his waist.

The twenty or so goons with him make it unnecessary.

He approaches nonchalantly and motions for Max to roll down his window.

Max glances at me, then does.

“Hola, my friends,” Pablo says. “How nice of you to bring my brother back to me.” His eyes seek out Culebra’s. “And my good friend Tomás, as well? An abundance of riches. Come, get out of the car. My men will take care of it.” He glances at a big, gold watch on his left wrist. “I think we don’t have much time before we are joined by our DEA colleagues.”

A rush of air escapes Max’s lips. Pablo has already opened his door and stepped back.

I send a frantic message to Culebra. Should I make a run for it?

Culebra is looking at the guards standing with pointed rifles at the car. Too much firepower, Anna, even for you. Best wait for a better opportunity.

Pablo has sent one of his men to the back of the car to open the hatch. He helps Luis out and uses his own handcuff key to release his hands. Luis rubs his wrists and joins his brother.

They embrace, then Pablo holds him at arms length and examines his face, the bandage around his thigh. “¿Quién te hizo esto?”

“El cerdo del DEA,” he snarls. He jabs a thumb at Adelita. “Y la muchacha.”

Pablo raises an eyebrow and looks into the back window at Adelita. “¿La muchacha? Un qué gato salvaje.”

“Sí. Será un placer domesticarla.”

Adelita listens to the words pass between Luis and his brother, but her face betrays nothing. She’s stone-faced, like their words haven’t touched her. But I know, too, what they said and I want to let her know that Luis will never get the chance to “tame the wildcat” that bruised and battered his face.

I’ll kill him first.

Luis has opened Adelita’s door and he pulls her from the car by her arm. I jump out. A guard puts out a hand to grab me, but I push him away. I hear him ready his rifle to fire, but I’m at Adelita’s side before he can take aim.

Pablo holds up a hand to stay the guard. He examines me the way he examined his brother a moment before. “And who are you?”

“I am her friend. Your pig of a brother better take his hand off her or I’ll break it off at the wrist.”

Luis actually drops her arm. He’s already had a taste of my strength—and my resolve. I’ll bet he’s not aware he’s rubbing at the wound on his thigh. But that moment passes quickly. “Be careful of this one,” he tells Pablo. “She is tougher than she looks.”

“Ah. Another wildcat, huh? Maybe we both have our pussies to tame.”

They chuckle like two frat boys.

Oh please. Take me somewhere alone. It’s just the opportunity I need to—

I’m so busy glaring at Luis, I don’t see the blow coming. Pablo’s backhand sends me back against the car. Vampire is ready to retaliate, but I restrain her. Better to play the victim until the time is right.

I straighten slowly, swipe at the trickle of blood oozing from the corner of my mouth. Luis is grinning. Adelita gasps and takes my hand.

“It’s okay, Adelita,” I tell her, silently begging her not to say anything that will alert them to my true nature.

She doesn’t. Perhaps she realizes that the odds are too great even for a vampira.

Pablo and Luis stride toward the hangar, leaving us to be brought along by their gunmen. They frisk us in a practiced, efficient manner. Not surprising since they’ve most likely been trained like Culebra, in a school for soldiers and assassins. They take our weapons and cell phones.

Max positions himself next to me while they herd us toward the hangar. “I know he can’t really hurt you, but it looked painful just the same.”

I touch the tip of my tongue to the cut on my lip. “It was. What are we going to do? Your guys are walking into a trap.”

Max dips his head so his voice won’t carry. “If they don’t see the plane on the runway, they’ll know something’s wrong. They’ll pull back and wait.”

I shake my head. “You can be an asshole, but you’re also a pretty smart cop.”

That gets a small smile. “That’s me. Half asshole, half good cop.”

“Any idea how Pablo found out about us?”

One of the guards pokes Max with his rifle. “Silencio. No hablan.”

We’re almost at the door to the hangar. The Explorer passes us, a soldier at the wheel, and disappears inside.

“Wonder what other surprises the brothers Santiago have for us?” I whisper to Max, earning myself a sharp poke in the back from the same guard.

Didn’t have to wait long to find out. She steps forward the moment the hangar doors swing shut.

Maria is all smiles. “Ah. Here you are. We have been waiting.”

Luis is standing next to her, his arm around her shoulders. He grins at the disbelief on our faces. “I think you have already met my lover.” His tone is smug. “It was a good plan, was it not? Rid ourselves of an old enemy and a troublesome husband.”

She puts a hand on his chest. “You are very clever,” she says. Her eyes shine with undisguised adulation.

Stupid bitch.

Luis plants a kiss on her cheek, then reaches to a table behind them and picks up a laptop. “Maria just told me. Those security cameras you were so careful to avoid? It did not occur to you that one could monitor the cabin from a distance, did it? As soon as we entered the clearing, we were spotted. Pablo had only to wait for you to return for the plane.”

Pablo joins us. He takes Maria’s hand and moves her away from his brother. The expression on his face makes my blood pump faster. It is no longer the look of one relieved to welcome his brother back, but the calculating look of a predator closing in for the kill.

He picks up the laptop. “It is true. We monitored your arrival at the cabin. But we monitored something else, as well.” He pushes another key on the computer.

Luis’ voice fills the room.

“I’ll give you everything. Supply routes, operations, dealers in the States. Help me and I’ll help you.”