After a much less grueling day of tactics training, Ashley joined Charles and a handful of other vamps going out on a raid to a warehouse where it was suspected Valon was staying. She itched to hurry ahead, to infiltrate on her own and take out any vamps present.
But Charles was strict: if she fucked up, she wasn't going out with them again, and this was enough encouragement to keep her dutifully at his side.
"Stop fidgeting," he growled.
"I can't. This is taking too long," she shot back. Night hid the approach of a scout darting from the direction of the warehouse.
"No Valon," he reported breathlessly and dropped behind the antiquated piece of rusting machinery they hid behind. The equipment from the former factory had been dragged out behind the warehouse and left to the elements. "Wards around the south side and activity inside and outside the wards."
"What kind of location is this?" Charles asked.
"Looks like a safehouse or supply depot. Humans chained in one room, bunks in another, tons of storage boxes."
Ashley bristled.
Charles glanced at her. "Don't you start," he warned.
She gritted her teeth without responding. Every bone in her body wanted her to free the humans.
"They wouldn't have wards if there wasn't something important here," Charles said, returning his attention to the scout. "Wards are dead giveaways vamps are present. A normal safehouse wouldn't use them." He considered for a moment. "How many are here?"
"I saw about three dozen."
"Good size. Too many for a safehouse." Charles motioned the dozen vamps behind them forward within hearing distance. "We have orders to kill everyone but Valon. Break up into teams and enter like we practiced earlier. Keep it quick and clean."
The vamps moved away immediately to obey.
"What about me?" Ashley asked anxiously.
"I thought we'd use you as bait." Charles rose and hurried towards the next closest piece of factory equipment.
She scrambled after him. "I can do that," she said. "What do you want me to do?"
"Trip the wards. Head around to the south side and distract them."
She launched up.
Charles grabbed her arm. "I'm not done yet, Natural," he snarled.
She rolled her eyes and crouched beside him again.
"Hector is going with you. Trip the wards, stay where you are until you draw attention and then you fight - outside the warehouse."
"But there might be more -"
"Outside the warehouse," he repeated.
"Fine. Anything else?"
"Go."
She bolted and was trailed closely by the vamp named Hector. Not fully trusting them to tell her if Brandon was present, she nonetheless obeyed the first part of Charles' plan.