This story references two others, one story regarding the Sabbat (which is being written now) and a scene where Alyxandra and Alexander first meet.
5:30am
Working as a computer security consultant was a fantastic job: great paychecks for a few weeks' work, then plenty of down-time to enjoy those paychecks. While on the job, though, the hours were both long and odd.
With these thoughts in his head, Mike Karrde stifled a yawn that was threatening. In order to avoid causing disruption to his clients' normal work hours, Karrde had had to do the system upgrade overnight, working from just after closing to now, five in the morning. Staying up all night was actually the norm around his house, but the day before had been spent in endless planning sessions with the corporate technology specialists going over the last-minute details. There had been times when a thirty-six hour day wouldn't have even called for a cup of coffee, but now he was feeling like he hadn't slept in a month.
I must be getting old, he thought.
Opening the front door immediately blew away any thoughts of sleep or tiredness he had.
The house was a shambles, items and knick-knacks thrown around and smashed. The drawers of the office filing cabinets were dumped on the floor, the desk drawers empty.
Karrde moved through the house, being wary not to disturb anything. From the scents of the scene, he knew this wasn't going to be a case for the police, but there could be a lot to be discovered in this kind of mess. Even though he carried a handgun with very special ammunition, he didn't reach for it. He could draw and fire faster than almost any human, so it wasn't a concern. Watching his step, Karrde started to make his way upstairs, where Alyxandra should be. He wasn't worried yet. There was no doubt that Alyx could take care of herself. But he'd picked up the traces of at least three, possibly as many as five intruders. No, he wasn't worried, but he was starting to get concerned.
At the top of the stairs, Karrde noticed all of the doors were open. At this time of morning, even late in the summer, the master bedroom door should have been closed, blacking out the room. It was close to bedtime for Alyx, but the door was wide open. Moving around the door frame slowly, Karrde looked and saw that the room was empty. That's when the scent hit his nose: Blood. At least three different people had bled in that room. One of the scents he knew as well as he knew his own name.
Alyx had been hurt, but he had no idea how bad. And now she was gone.
Michael Karrde, Werewolf of the Glass Walker tribe and husband to a vampire, moved through concern and went right past worried.
Someone had taken his wife. Michael Karrde was pissed.