Free At Year's End (The 12 Olympians) by Sandrine Gasq-Dion

“I haven’t seen that Dane guy since the benefit. God, he is just so…damn!”
    Elijah giggled. “I bought the DVD from the striptease benefit. And a spare in case something happens to the first one!”
    “So did I!” Ryder cracked up.
    “So , you have ‘seen’ him then,” Elijah chuckled.
    “Yep, all of that juicy butt on display? Wow.”
    “Whose butt is juicy?”
    They both turned to see Nate wearing a huge grin.
    “Breakfast is ready!” Skylar called out.
    “So we eat, and then we practice for tonight.” Ryder pulled Elijah into the house. “We have a full night ahead of us. Let’s start planning who’s singing what and when.”
    “On it.” Skylar placed the platter of food on the table.
    “Well? Let’s dig in!” Justice winked.
     
    ~*~
    The moving van slid down the streets as the rain did indeed turn into sleet by mid-morning. Caden seemed to be humming as he drove, and Jaxon knew the older man was thrilled to see Elijah moved out of the house.
    Jaxon had spent many nights in the yard and on the roof, listening to Elijah cry in the dark. He was ecstatic to see Elijah so happy and vibrant at Skylar’s.
    Th is was the Elijah he’d met at camp — not the new, confused, reserved one he saw now.
    Caden pulled up n ext to the curb in front of the old house and immediately Jaxon knew something was wrong. They all jumped out and ran to the house. The stench of death filled the air as Jaxon kicked the door down. The room was splattered with blood; fur seemed to be all over everything and the smell of rogue was strong. Thanks to Chance, they’d finally honed their ability to smell rogues somewhat and the smell in the house was almost stifling.
    “This used to be the parents.” Caden’s brow furrowed.
    “So was this ,” Justice said from across the room.
    “Dammit!” Jaxon seethed, balling his fists. “They ’re covering their tracks again! I knew something was off with the parents!”
    “It seems so,” Caden walked around the room slowly. Books were pulled from the shelves, couch cushions ripped, pictures were off the walls. “It also seems as if whoever did this was looking for something?”
    Jaxon crossed the room and searched the dining room. Chairs were upturned, as well as the table. The house had been ransacked.
    “I will call in Stefan Santorno’s cleaning team.” Caden pulled his phone from his pocket, stepping away to make his call.
    “I don’t like this.” Jaxon shook his head.
    “Well, it makes sense. They had to have known it was us who killed Skylar’s fake parents.”
    “So what? Now they kill their own guys so they can’t talk to us?”
    “They ’re rogues.” Justice shrugged.
    “Something has to be here, something they didn’t want us to find.”
    “Then why kill the rogues before getting that info?”
    Jaxon’s brows furrowed. “I don’t know . Maybe they were trying to use it as leverage?”
    “But what? What could be so important?”
    “I have no idea.” Jaxon sighed in frustration. “I’m just glad Elijah wasn’t here.”
    “Speaking of that, we need to go check his room.”
    Caden came back in, frowning and shaking his head.
    “The team is on their way. We should pack up anything Elijah may need. I will stay here and wait for them.”
    “How far out are they?” Justice asked.
    “A few hours. They won’t be long.” Caden walked around the room slowly. “I wonder wh at was so important they had to not only turn the house upside down, but kill their own people?”
    “We’re wondering about that ourselves. Maybe we should bring in Chance? He did that spell on Salina’s house when he went looking for her books on magic.”
    Caden nodded in approval. “Yes, it would be worthwhile to bring Chance in.”
    “I’ll get on that right away.” Jaxon stepped out onto the back porch and looked over the backyard where he’d spent so many nights. The thought of Elijah being here when everything went down turned his blood ice cold. He dialed