Blood Lust - Alexandra Ivy Page 0,95

can evade my Sentinels for long.”

Lana shared his confidence in the warriors. Nothing could get past them. But she still worried that Stella wasn’t finished with her unpleasant surprises.

“Shouldn’t you warn your team she might have more weapons?” she asked.

“They’ll know to be careful,” Wolfe said, his body stiffening as there was a sudden shriek of an alarm. “Damn,” Wolfe snarled in disbelief. “I told Arel to be discreet.”

Lana yanked the phone out of the pocket of her jeans, already knowing it had nothing to do with the Sentinels. She’d allowed Wolfe to take care of the security system, but she’d personally added her own set of warnings for those dangers most warriors would never consider.

“That’s not an alarm for an escaped prisoner,” she grimly muttered, her heart missing a beat as she used her phone to tap into the heart of the security system.

Wolfe moved to peer over her shoulder, his muscles tensed as he prepared to face the latest threat.

“Then what is it?”

She pressed in her password, already suspecting what had triggered the shrill alert.

“The sensors have detected an airborne contaminant.”

Wolfe sucked in a startled breath. “Gas?”

“Disease,” she corrected.

Stepping back, Wolfe considered the various implications. “Could Stella have tripped the sensor?” he at last demanded.

Lana shoved the phone back in her pocket. It seemed the most logical explanation. After all, what better way to distract the warriors searching for her than to cause widespread panic?

But the sensors had been carefully calculated by the healers. What weapon could Stella possess that would trigger them?

“I don’t know,” she muttered, hurrying down the corridor. “But until we can be sure, we need to evacuate the area.”

Wolfe was swiftly at her side, the gun held in one hand as his gaze scanned for any signs of danger. Lana didn’t bother to tell him to concentrate on finding Stella while she dealt with the alarm.

Until she knew the extent of the danger, she wanted him at her side.

Chapter Nineteen

It took them less than five minutes to reach the offices reserved for the healers. Predictably, most of the rooms were empty as the staff was occupied with preparing their patients in case they needed to evacuate.

Impatiently, Lana moved through the reception area, which was decorated in soothing shades of blue, and down the short hall to the office at the very back. Stepping inside, she glanced toward the line of monitors that hung on the back wall. Most were used to keep a watch on the patients, but the security system was interlocked. Once the alarm went off, it should have triggered the cameras to locate the cause of the disturbance.

“Ida,” she murmured as the silver-haired woman turned from the computer set on a mahogany desk. Wearing the traditional uniform of casual slacks and long white jacket, she rose to her feet.

“Mave.”

Lana waved her hand toward the light flashing in the center of the ceiling. Any detection of disease would trigger the alert in this office first.

“Tell me what’s going on.”

The elder healer shot a wary glance toward Wolfe, who stood a few steps behind Lana. Even with his aggression leashed, it filled the room with painful prickles of heat. Thankfully, Ida had been around Sentinels long enough not to panic, and once assured that Wolfe wasn’t there to cause her harm, returned her attention to Lana.

“Something that shouldn’t be possible,” she said, moving across the silver-gray rug to stand in front of the monitors.

Lana swiftly joined her, studying the closest monitor. At the moment it was locked on an empty preschool room.

“Explain,” she commanded.

Ida folded her arms over her chest. She’d chosen to work among humans for years, learning their technology and how it could be adapted to benefit high-bloods, before arriving at Valhalla ten years ago. It was that knowledge, combined with her crisp, no-nonsense attitude, that’d made her a perfect leader for the healers.

“The sensors detected a contaminant on the fifth floor,” she said, pointing toward a middle monitor that was oddly blank.

“Fifth floor?” Wolfe muttered, taking a jerky step forward. “Shit. The nursery.”

Ida gave a somber nod of her head. “At first I assumed it was a false alarm.”

Wolfe sent her a confused frown. “Why would you think it was false?”

“The spells that surround Valhalla would have prevented anyone from entering who carried a potential disease,” the older woman informed him.

Wolfe shrugged. “There’re other ways to carry in germs.”

“No.” Lana gave a firm shake of her head. Over the years she’d layered and strengthened the spell, ensuring that it was