Chris blew him a raspberry. Ignoring him, Wulf led them down the long, winding tunnel that ran the length of his property. The boathouse was set off to the side so that, to people who didn't know better, it would look like it wasn't part of his holdings.
That, along with the design of the boathouse, had been intentional. More than five thousand square feet in size, the boathouse looked like a home from the water, with the first level of it housing his collection of boats. The second floor had four bedrooms, a kitchen, living, dining, and game rooms. Over the years this had served as guest accommodations for Acheron whenever he came to town.
Wulf only hoped Stryker wasn't bright enough to figure out he had an escape route this far down his property. At the end of the tunnel, there was a steel ladder leading up to a trapdoor that opened in the back of the boathouse inside a storage closet. Wulf went first, ready for anything. The lock on this door was manual in case of fire. Wulf spun the combination, then waited for the release to sound.
Slowly, he pushed the door open, expecting the worst. There was no motion in the room or outside it. No sound of someone or something walking about. He listened for several minutes, but all he could hear was the creaking of the ice and the howl of the winds.
All seemed right…Lifting himself through the trapdoor, he reached down to help Cassandra up. She drifted a small distance away in the closet while Chris and then Kat climbed up.
"Okay," Wulf whispered to them. "It looks good so far. I want you," he said to Cassandra, "and Chris to stay back. If anything happens, you two dodge back into the tunnels and press the red button to lock the door behind you."
"What about you and Kat?" Cassandra asked.
"We'll take care of ourselves. You and Chris are the important things."
Cassandra's eyes told him she didn't agree.
"It'll take a couple of minutes to lower the airboat from its harness down to the ice," he explained to her. "Let's hope the Daimons don't hear it."
Cassandra nodded and kissed him lightly. "Be careful."
Wulf hugged her gently, then opened the door. He took a step out, then hesitated as his foot collided with something large and solid on the floor. No, wait. It was left-behind clothing. Something that reminded him of Daimon remains.
Wulf pulled his retractable sword from his boot at the same time a slight shadow moved toward him. He prepared to attack.
"It's okay," a feminine voice whispered. "I'm a friend."
Wulf was far from placated. He heard Cassandra gasp in alarm. Glancing toward her, he saw she was hesitating in the doorway as if unsure of what to do.
"Phoebe?" she breathed. "It is really you?"
Phoebe was the name of one of her sisters who had died with her mother.
The shadow stepped into the light so that they could see her face, which was strikingly similar to Cassandra's. The only difference was their hair. Phoebe's was golden blond and straight and Cassandra had tight strawberry blond curls. Phoebe wore a black pantsuit and didn't appear to have any weapons on her. "It's me, Cassie. I'm here to help you."
Cassandra stepped back and collided with Chris, who eyed the newcomer suspiciously. Even Kat was tense.
Cassandra gave her sister a disbelieving once-over. "You're supposed to be dead."
"I am dead," Phoebe whispered.
"You're a Daimon," Wulf said accusingly.
Phoebe nodded.
"Oh, Phoebe," Cassandra said, her voice thick with disappointment. "How could you?"
"Don't judge me, little sister. I had my reasons. Now we have to get you to safety."
"Like I'm going to trust you," Cassandra said, stiffening. "I remember Uncle Demos."
"I'm not Uncle Demos and I have no intention of turning you into me." Phoebe took a step toward her, but Wulf prevented her from getting any closer to Cassandra until he knew the truth of her intentions.
Phoebe gave him an irritated glare, then looked back at her sister. "Please, Cassie, you have to believe me. I would never, ever harm you. I swear it on Mother's soul."
Another Daimon came through the door. A male. He was tall and blond and Wulf remembered him well from the club. The Daimon had kicked the crap out of him. This had been the Daimon who referred to Stryker as his father. Kat gasped.
"Hurry, Phe," the Daimon said to Cassandra's sister. "I can't keep this covered much longer." He paused long enough to meet Wulf's gaze without flinching. The anger and hatred of the two men was tangible enough to make Cassandra shiver. She half-expected one of them to attack the other at any second.
"Why are you helping us?" Wulf demanded.
The Daimon curled his lip in repugnance."Like I give a rat's ass about you, Dark-Hunter. I'm only here to help my wife protect her baby sister. Which I still think is a stupid idea." He looked at Phoebe who looked back at him irritably.
"You'll feel better tomorrow about this," Phoebe said. The Daimon snorted. "It's a good thing I love you."