her body, and she rolled over onto her stomach. Scissored her legs apart. Tried to cool herself down. The aching just seemed to get sharper, though.
As the snow started falling in earnest and the afternoon light began to fade a little, O drove his truck south on Route 22. When he got to the right spot he pulled over and looked at U.
"The Explorer is a hundred yards straight back from here. Get it the hell out of those woods. Then start buying those supplies we need and nail down those delivery dates. I want those apples tracked and I want that arsenic ready."
"Fine." U undipped the seat belt. "But, listen, you need to address the Society. It's customary for the Fore-lesser-"
"Whatever."
O looked out the windshield, watching the wipers flip the snowflakes around. Now that he had U all over this solstice festival bullshit, he was back to racking his brain for answers to his main problem: How the hell was he going to find his wife now?
"But the Fore-lesser always addresses the membership when he first takes over."
Page 182
J R Ward: Lover Awakened
Christ, U's voice was beginning to really bug the shit out of him. And so was the guy's by-the-book mentality.
"O, you need to-"
"Shut the fuck up, man. I'm not interested in meetings."
"Okay." U drew the word out, his disapproval obvious. "So where do you want the squadrons?"
"Where do you think? Downtown."
"If they find civilians between fights with the Brothers, do you want the teams to go for captives or just kills?
And are we going to build another persuasion center?"
"I don't care."
"But we need..." U's voice droned on.
How was he going to find her? Where would she-
"O."
O glared across the interior of the truck, ready to explode. "What."
U's mouth did the fish thing for a moment. Opening. Closing. "Nothing."
"That's right. No more anything from your ass. Now get the hell out of my truck and get busy doing something other than yak at me."
He hit the gas the second U's boots hit the gravel. But he didn't go far. He turned off onto the farmhouse's lane and did some recon of his wife's place.
No tracks in the fresh snow. No lights on. Deserted.
Goddamn those Betas.
O turned around and headed downtown. His eyes were dry from lack of sleep, but he wasn't about to waste night hours on recharging. Fuck that.
Man... If he didn't get to kill something tonight, he was going to go mad.
Chapter Thirty
Zsadist spent the day in the training facility. He worked the punching bag bare-knuckled. Lifted. Ran. Lifted some more. Practiced with his daggers. When he got back to the main house it was almost four, and he was ready to go out hunting.
The moment he set foot into the foyer, he stopped. Something was off.
Page 183
J R Ward: Lover Awakened
He looked around the lobby. Glanced up to the second floor. Listened for weird sounds. When he sniffed the air, all he could smell was the breakfast that was being served in the dining room, and he went there, convinced something was wrong, but unable to tie down what it was. He found the Brothers seated and oddly quiet, though Mary and Beth were eating and talking with ease. Bella was nowhere to be seen.
He had little interest in food, but he headed for the empty seat next to Vishous anyway. As he sat down his body felt tight, and he knew it was from the heavy exercise he'd pulled during the day.
"Has that Explorer moved?" he asked his brother.
"Not up until I came here to eat. I'll check it as soon as I get back, but don't worry. The computer will track whatever route it takes even if I'm not there. We'll be able to see the path."
"You sure?"
Vishous sent him a dry look. "Yeah. I am. Designed the program myself."
Z nodded, then put a hand under his chin and cracked his neck. Man, he was stiff.
A second later, Fritz came by with two shiny apples and a knife. After thanking the butler, Z went to work on one of the Granny Smiths. While peeling the thing, he rearranged his body in the chair. Shit... his legs felt funny, and so did his lower back. Maybe he'd pushed it too hard? He shifted in his seat again, then refocused on the apple, turning it around and around in his hand, keeping the blade tight to the white flesh. He was almost through when he realized he was crossing and uncrossing his legs under the