“We’re clear,” Ethan said, reappearing from the dark alley. “No obstacles or patrol between here and the side door.”

Connor didn’t speak, his eyes scanning the shadows.

“Good,” Monroe said. “Let’s move.”

Ethan took point with Monroe, and I shifted into wolf form, padding along the alley on silent paws while Connor brought up the rear. My heartbeat thrummed in my veins, so deafening to my sensitive wolf ears that I could hardly believe it wasn’t audible to the Searchers. None of them spoke or even looked at me. Each of the men’s faces was set as they stalked silently along the narrow corridor.

When we reached the side door, Monroe raised his arm.

“Alarm?”

“No,” Ethan said. “Just the lock.”

“On it.” Connor pulled something metal from his pocket and moved to the door.

Ethan took up his position guarding our flank.

There was a click and a groan when the door swung open. Monroe and Connor were through the entrance instantly, dropping low, waiting for an attack.

None came.

They exchanged a glance but gestured for us to follow. Ethan closed the door behind us.

We slipped down the hallway. My gut twisted, remembering the walk along this hall to Efron’s office. Was the Bane master here now? I lifted my muzzle, testing the air. The club reeked of stale sweat peppered by the lingering, sickly-sweet scent of succubus breath. I pawed at my nose, wishing I could rid myself of the noxious mixture.

As far as I could tell, there were no new scents, nor any movement, in the club. The pounding bass and blur of colorful lights had been replaced by silence and gloom. No dancers, no succubus go-go girls, no Guardians. The only sound was the muffled beat of the Searchers’ footfalls as we crept forward through the shadows. I didn’t find our apparent solitude reassuring. There was too much silence, too much stillness for a place like Eden that fed off the pulse of blood and lust.

“Here are the stairs,” Connor whispered. He stood at the top of a wrought-iron spiral staircase. I leaned over the railing, watching the tight coil of metal drop down into a bottomless pit of darkness.

“No lights?” Ethan asked.

“Not yet,” Connor said, beginning his descent.

The stairs led down, and down, and down. The sharply turning circle of steps made me dizzy. The darkness enveloped us, making it seem as though I’d closed my eyes and started spinning.

Even with my ability to peer through the darkness, the descent set me on edge. I was grateful when a fluorescent light appeared, growing brighter as we moved down the stairs, washing our surroundings in a greenish gray. The spiral staircase pulled us further into the club’s depths. I felt like we’d been walking forever. How far into the earth had we traveled?

“This must be it,” Connor said, at last stepping free of the iron staircase into a square room that had probably been painted white but with time had succumbed to the dingy shade of cobwebs. He’d taken another step when a dark shape lunged from the shadows behind the staircase, knocking him down and sending his sword flying into the corner.

Behind me Ethan swore, throwing himself over the railing and dropping to the floor while I pushed past Monroe to lunge at the wolf. Ethan fired bolts into the Guardian who had Connor pinned to the concrete as I sank my teeth into its unguarded flank. The wolf snarled and thrashed its head about as the bolts lodged in its shoulders. Baring its teeth, the wolf snapped at me, but I easily dodged, crouching to make a second lunge.

With the Guardian’s attention diverted, Connor pulled a katara from his belt, thrusting the short blade into the wolf’s belly and twisting. The Guardian yelped before its whine became a gurgle. It slumped across Connor, unmoving. Connor shoved the wolf’s corpse off him. Ethan held his crossbow at the ready, scanning the room.

“Only one?” Monroe asked, coming toward us with his swords drawn.

“For now,” Ethan said, lowering his weapon.

“Lucky us.” Connor wiped blood off his hands. I went to his side, peering at the wolf that lay dead near him. It was an elder Bane, but not a stranger. This one I knew: Sabine’s father. They’d just killed Sabine’s father.

I shifted forms, shaking my head.

“You okay?” Connor asked.

“Something isn’t right,” I said, eyes flicking through the small room, uneasy to be human when danger was so near. “That wolf shouldn’t be here.”

“What do you mean?” Monroe asked. “I’d be surprised if a Guardian wasn’t posted here. In fact I am surprised we’ve encountered only one.”

“No,” I said, struggling against the way my gut had begun to pitch back and forth. “It’s this wolf. I know him . . . knew him. He doesn’t work security for Efron; he’s a mountain patrol Guardian. Like the wolves in my pack.”

“Couldn’t they have shuffled positions?” Ethan asked.

“That doesn’t happen,” I said. “Not with the mountain packs.”

“I’d wager a lot might have changed since your disappearing act,” Connor muttered.

“Maybe.” I felt unsteady as I stared at the dead wolf. He shouldn’t be here. I know he shouldn’t.

“We’ll be alert, Calla,” Monroe said, guiding me away from the body. “But we need to keep moving; it took us longer to get down here than I’d anticipated. We can’t lose any time. I’m sorry it was someone you knew.”