Which meant the client didn't give a s.h.i.t whether or not Hugh deserved to be killed. It was personal. She fisted her hands. Her suspicions had been right.

"I've still got a few hours."

Whoever wanted Hugh dead wanted him out of the way. And if that was the case, there was reason to believe the meeting between the Night Runners and the Wolf Seekers definitely had something to do with him. Did Dobson know about Hugh's elimination order?

More than anything, Tess needed to get to that meeting.

And preferably before Hugh got back to the room. She didn't want to make introductions that would end in bloodshed. Not tonight.

Not ever again.

Zero emotion showed on Christian's face.

She finally got her feet to move and leaned against the back of the armchair. "I'm sure you already know, but my mark is here in the hotel. It won't be a problem to get close enough to eliminate him. I've got it under control. What I need is for you to trust me."

He raised his eyebrows.

"And leave me to handle things on my own." She was taking a big leap of faith and gambling with her almost perfect record.

"Trust"-he let the word linger by its lonesome for what seemed like an eternity-"is not for the asking. However, I will honor your deadline."

"Thank you." She knew he was playing with her. But if she had any hope of getting to Dobson, getting to Hugh and figuring out how to save his a.s.s and hers, she had to get the h.e.l.l away from Christian.

Unfortunately, he made no motion to get up and go. Was he going to wait for her to bring back Hugh's head?

"Is there anything else?" she asked, fighting the urge to wrinkle his well-groomed appearance with one swift roundhouse kick to the chest.

"As a matter of fact, there is." He scooted back, making himself more comfortable on the couch. "Tell me why."

"Why what?" She gripped the back of the chair to keep her knees from buckling. Why she didn't want to eliminate anymore? Why she couldn't stand to be in the same room with him? Why there was something else she had to do before she died? "Or how about why doesn't innocence matter? Since you seem h.e.l.l bent on eliminating someone honest."

His eyes narrowed. "Why now?"

She had no idea what he meant by that. "I don't understand what you're asking." And really, she wished he'd just drop it. Whatever game he was playing, only he knew the rules. That p.i.s.sed her off, but did ease the tension his arrival had caused. She was ready for battle now. Ready to fight him to save Hugh if it came down to it.

Before he had a chance to reply, the click of the key card being used on the door reached her ears. Anxiety rushed back into her bloodstream.

Hugh.

Every muscle in her body went rigid. Sudden, severe stabs of regret hit every major organ. There was no way she'd get to the door in time to stop his entrance.

Chapter Seventeen.

"Expecting someone?" Christian asked, sounding well informed and not the least bit surprised. He knew who was at the door. He'd been keeping tabs on her again. The violation of privacy twisted her stomach into a knot.

Lacking enough time to rush to the door, Tess ran to the bedside table to grab her bag. Christian, however, was fast on his feet, and by the time she'd secured the bag in her hands, his arms were around her torso with a knife at her neck.

Tension in her body escalated. She clutched her bag to her waist, hoping he wouldn't make her drop it. She didn't dare move, or try to free herself from his grip-not until she figured out what to do. His actions confused her. Did he really plan on killing her right here? Right now? Before she eliminated Hugh?

The suite door swung open, and when her eyes met Hugh's, she wanted to be anywhere but in that room. He registered the situation immediately, and in a single blink, his blue eyes turned to liquid fire. She shook her head, pleading for him not to shift. Not to act without thinking, because if they took things slowly, the pieces of this puzzle might become clear.

"Take your hands off her," Hugh growled, the transformation beginning.

A hand landed on Hugh's shoulder. Dane. He nudged Hugh forward, his eyes narrowed at her, a small curve of satisfaction on his lips. The door closed with a thud.

"Careful, there," Dane said.

Hugh shrugged off Dane's hand and put s.p.a.ce between himself and his pack mate. Then with the subtle finesse of an animal hunting its prey, he stepped toward her. She shook her head, this time more slowly, carefully. She didn't want Hugh getting too close. Didn't want him in harm's way even though he was perfectly capable of defending himself.

"Put the knife down," Hugh said.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. Not yet."

The tip of the blade pressed into her skin, and rage made her muscles flex. If Christian thought he could put an end to her, he had another thing coming. She had a few things to do first. Namely, save Hugh.

"Tess, you okay?" Hugh moved his gaze from Christian to her.

"Peachy. I love having a knife at my throat. How about you? How'd those drinks go? Oh, and this is my boss, Christian Summers. Christian, Hugh Langston. But I think you already knew that."

If she'd gone with them for drinks, she wouldn't be in this predicament. But this dilemma had landed her right in the middle of something. Something she'd better hurry and figure out in the next thirty seconds or someone might get killed. She glanced over Hugh's shoulder. Dane... She narrowed her eyes. Dane knew her boss. His uptight stance and twisted smile confirmed it.

"I'm not going to ask again," Hugh said, staring at Christian. Tess could literally feel the rage coming off him in waves.

"Don't threaten me, Mr. Langston. I can't be held responsible for my actions if I'm intimidated." He let the knife slip. "Oops."

Tess felt the puncture, felt blood trickle down her neck. She'd never hated her boss more than at that moment. The sting made her eyes burn, but she otherwise remained calm. If she showed any sort of emotion, that meant Christian won. Hugh, on the other hand, looked ready to pounce.

"He's just making a point, Hugh. I'm fine. Let's all take a deep breath and have a nice little chat."

Hugh acknowledged her request with a disgruntled frown and a forced blink of his eyes. She appreciated his restraint. She knew the only reason he hadn't attacked when he walked through the door was because he wanted information as much as she did.

"Excellent idea," Christian said, tugging her with him to the sitting area.

He shoved her into the chair and took the spot next to her on the couch, close enough to intimidate, but far enough to allow for breathing room. The knife, stained with her blood, remained at the ready in his hand. He leaned back casually, like he didn't have a care in the world. His expression gave nothing away but confidence.

Tess tried not to let her smirk show. The man was off his game. He'd left Tess with her bag. Idiot. She held on to it like it was take-out-not a big deal, she could take it or leave it. That way it wouldn't draw any unwanted attention.

Dane gave Hugh a push from behind. "Take a seat."

"Excuse me? Since when do you give me orders?" Malice laced Hugh's words, his feet moving only after a beat.

"Since he and my boss know each other," she piped in. Whatever the reason for Christian's arrival, it was no coincidence that Dane was present too. They were in cahoots. Tess hadn't learned to read people for nothing.

In fact, Tess would wager that Dane worked for Christian. The Night Runner kept his eyes on her boss as if waiting for instructions. Dane couldn't keep still, some body part always in motion. Tension crossed his face, lines she hadn't noticed before were clearly visible now.

He couldn't be an eliminator, could he? Sent as backup? Impossible. There aren't any Veiler eliminators. At least none to her knowledge.

Hugh halted. "What are you talking-"

"Give the girl a gold star," Dane said, shoving Hugh toward the sitting area before he could turn around to face him. "Now take a seat so we can take care of business."

It killed her to see Hugh's muscles strain, his jaw clench. And she knew it took every ounce of his strength to stay cool in hopes of learning something that had to do with his pack.

"Do not touch me again. If you do, I'm going to rip your throat out." Hugh filled the chair next to her, his close proximity both killing her and giving her hope.

Stillness swept over the room and she stood, uncomfortable with the momentary peace. She had no illusions Christian would let her leave, but she had to try. Had to do something. "I just remembered I've got a meeting to-"

"There is no other meeting," Christian said with his usual calm, cool demeanor.

How the h.e.l.l would he know?

Oh G.o.d. Wait a minute. Sharp pain sliced through her head. Her breathing accelerated. She cleared her throat and swallowed down emotion threatening to weaken her resolve.

She'd been set up. The deadline on Hugh's elimination, the meeting, it was all a way to get her out of Los Angeles so she and Hugh could be dealt with discreetly. Christian and whoever wanted Hugh dead had orchestrated this whole thing.

But what about Dobson? What about the wolfen that had killed Jason? Where did he fit in?

He... He was right in front of her. As sure as she knew her own name, she knew Dane was Dobson. Shock swept through her, her knees felt brittle-one step and she'd be forced to crawl.

She blinked away the pain, anger and tears threatening to strip her strength away. It made perfect sense now. He'd avoided the Banoth and pretty much threatened her afterward. He'd given Hugh info from his "contacts". And out of the corner of her eye at the park the night they'd rescued Trey, hadn't she noticed him help a Wolf Seeker up, rather than knock him down? She'd thought it impossible at the time. Thought her eyes were playing a trick. They weren't fooling her now.

But why had he killed Jason? Her pulse sped up, her vision blurred. For five long years, she'd waited for this moment.

Adrenaline kicked up fury inside her, and it took every ounce of willpower she had not to leap across the room and break his neck.

"Looks like the meeting found us," Hugh said, shaking Tess from her thoughts.

He'd figured it out too, and the urgency to leave the suite dissipated. In its place roared an urge to whip out her weapons and kill. But she didn't do that anymore. Her brain was falling back on memory, going on autopilot. She'd killed for a living for so long she didn't know anything else. Not when she stood there harboring so much hostility she wanted to lash out and destroy everything around her.

She hated feeling like a fool. How long had Christian known she'd been searching for Dobson? How much had Dane told him about her relationship with Hugh?

Why was she ordered to eliminate him?

Glare from the setting sun ricocheted around the hotel room while silence sounded louder than thunder. She noticed the wheels turning on her enemies' faces and wanted to stop them from whatever they were planning. For the first time in twelve years, she felt absolutely nothing but contempt for her boss.

"It's nice to finally put a face to the name, Dobson," Tess said, expelling a deep breath. In relief? In worry? She didn't know. Suddenly, numbness spread out from her core, and thinking coherently became questionable.

Was she resigning herself to the end of the line?

Hugh snarled, but kept still, and once again Tess appreciated his restraint. He knew how important this moment was for her.

"You like my face, huh?"

"Screw you, Dane. I hate your face. And I hate you," she said.

Dane stared back and smiled. "No s.h.i.t. You wear your heart on your sleeve, Tess."

No, she did not. Her heart was well-guarded. a.s.shole.

"At least you do now," he added. "Five years ago, you could've fooled me."

His words threw her into outrage, and there was no containing her anger anymore. Quickly, she reached into her bag and pulled out her gun. She shoved her chair back with her leg to give herself a little more standing room, and spread her legs for solid balance. Then, with a steady hand, she aimed the weapon at Dane's heart.

She couldn't figure out why no one in the room moved. Maybe they saw the wild in her eyes, the need to get revenge no matter the cost. Whatever the reason, in Dane's case, he'd finally grown a pair of b.a.l.l.s and didn't flinch as she fixed her gaze on him. He wasn't backing down, and she fought the urge to skip the explanation. Two shots. All she needed was two shots.

"Why did you kill Jason?" The detached tone of her voice pleased her.

Dane glanced at Christian before answering. "It wasn't cold blooded. I was defending myself."

"That's bulls.h.i.t." And the last thing she expected him to say.

"You heard me. Jason was going to kill me." He moved a step closer.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Hugh scoot his chair back and lean closer to the edge. She gave a silent thank you that he was ready to pounce if necessary.

"Why?" she demanded, doubting Dane's honesty, but needing to hear his reason anyway.

He glanced at Christian again. Cut a discomforted glimpse at Hugh. "He was sent to eliminate me."

She laughed. "Funny. Now how about the truth, a.s.shole?"

"It could be true," Hugh muttered.

Tess bit her bottom lip. Hard. "What?" she whispered, her eyes never leaving Dane.

"There was a hit out on Dane," Hugh said. "He'd gotten into some trouble and p.i.s.sed off the wrong people. We knew it was P.I.E. and we'd hoped to get him out of the mess without any casualty. I didn't make the connection to Jason until this second."

She darted a glance at Hugh. He was staring at her with apology.

None of it made sense. Her head swam with confusion. Was Hugh implying that Jason worked for P.I.E.? That was impossible. She would have known.

With a heavy, bored sigh, Christian rose to his feet. He'd ditched the knife for a gun. And had it trained right between her eyes.

"Don't!" she shouted to Hugh as he jumped to his feet ready to attack. She didn't know what kind of bullets Christian had, but she guessed they'd take care of her and a wolfen.

She swung so her gun pointed at the man who had saved her all those years ago. Who had promised her a better life. "Now I'd say we're evenly matched. Hugh can take care of Dane, and you and I can come to some sort of arrangement."

"I've always admired your confidence, Tess," he said. "But we already have an arrangement."

The reminder made her legs weak. "I suppose we do."

"And in case you're wondering about Jason..." His eyebrows lifted and the vilest smile Tess had ever seen spread across his ruthless face. "He was an eliminator."