Mine to Save

by Megs Pritchard

  “It’s a bitch, isn’t it?” His head swung over to Hunter who was smirking in his direction. “Your mate struggling to do the right thing because of you and I bet you want to help him, even though you’re fighting the instinct. It’s who we are as vampires. The overwhelming need to protect and keep our mate safe. Well, for us vampires. Not sure about you lot behind those walls planning our destruction. I wonder if somewhere in our history our DNA changed slightly.”

  “Jensen! Listen.”

  “That must be the reason. There is no other way a vampire would treat their mate like this,” Hunter mused, a small smile on his face. “Poor Jensen. Struggling over there and you doing nothing to help him. Poor bastard. I feel sorry for him. I mean, look at you. Hanging there. At least you know how to take your punishment. Whatever military branch you were in taught you well.”

  Hunter sighed and leaned back against the wall of the barn, crossing one foot over the other. “Don’t worry. I know plenty of men who will comfort him when you’re gone. Looker like him? Gonna get plenty of action.”

  Brayden’s hands fisted, and he glared at Hunter, who smirked at him again. He knew his eyes would be glowing as his anger built, so he closed them, willing himself to calm down. He wouldn’t give this motherfucker the pleasure of getting to him.

  When he opened them again, he knew he had his emotions back under control. “Just as I thought. Military trained. Specialist too.”

  A sudden commotion at the end of the barn had Brayden’s full attention. His mate was pacing again, his arms wrapped around his chest as if trying to hold his emotions in, and he knew he was looking at his one true weakness. He loved his brother and would do anything for him but standing here before him was his mate and Brayden suddenly realized he had a difficult choice to make. His brother or his mate.

  ❊❊❊

  Chester grabbed his arm and swung him around, pulling them close together. “Get a fucking grip, Jensen,” he hissed. “You need to go!”

  “I can’t.” He bit his lip, his eyes scanning the swinging figure of his mate. “You of all people should know that there is no other place for me to be but here with him.” Jensen pointed at his mate.

  “I understand, I really do, but he isn’t talking and having you here when we need to move forward with his interrogation will only cause more problems.”

  “You’ve already beaten him up. Look at him hanging up there like a piece of meat and he’s said nothing! What now? Hunter? Gonna start torturing him now?”

  “I told you,” Chester muttered. “He could have information we need to save the blood slaves. He’s in deep. I feel it. He knows things. He wasn’t part of the regular security detail on those stores. We’ve watched them for weeks now and know everyone assigned there, and suddenly, he appears out of nowhere with a tablet -- probably performing a stock check -- the same tablet that Carter’s working on now.”

  “I know this,” Jensen snapped. “I was there, but it doesn’t alter the fact that I’m alive because of him.”

  Ignoring his last comment, Chester continued, “Carter said the security on that tablet is excellent. Hunter would be in there helping him right now if he wasn’t needed here.”

  “Let me talk to him. We’re mates. I might be able to get through to him.”

  “Or you might try to free him.”

  Jensen stormed away and stood with his forehead on the barn wall. He was a mess, and he’d only just met him! How the hell could he be feeling this way so quickly? They hadn’t even touched, other than when he was helping Donnie get him into the van, but that one small touch was enough, enough to cause him to feel like he was being pulled all over the place.

  He turned around and leaned back on the wall. He saw the others milling around, all casting glances his way, and he knew he was fucking things up for them. They’d waited so long for this moment and he was gonna blow it all because he couldn’t get his shit together. Why did his mate have to be one of the vampires trying to kill them?

  He slid down the wall and sat on the floor, banging his head against it. Maybe he could knock some sense into his head and wake himself up. His mind felt like it was half dead, running purely on emotion.

  Donnie squatted in front of him, blocking the view of his mate, and he craned his neck around him trying to catch a glimpse of him. “Stop,” Donnie muttered.

  He looked back at him and furrowed his brow. “How was it for you when Jeremy walked away? Painful? Imagine how I feel seeing him hanging there while Hunter tortures him. He’s the enemy, I get it, but he’s still my mate.”

  “And you feel the overwhelming need to shield him. I understand. There is no one here who doesn’t understand what you’re going through. Can you stay there while Hunter questions him? We’ll leave the other side for now. Maybe you being here will force him to speak.” Donnie shrugged. “Or maybe I’m just talking shit.”

  “I don’t know.” Jensen looked at the dirt-covered ground. He could only go off what he felt right now. The need to rush over and free his mate.

  “Why has this happened so quickly?”

  “I don’t know. You were in the military. Maybe that’s part of it. We never leave a man behind and he’s your man.”

  Jensen wrapped his arms around his chest again, hugging himself. He needed... fuck, he didn’t know what he needed. His mind was going in a million directions. He knew they needed answers, knew this vampire may have them, but he was his mate and he needed to save him too. But what did that mean for the slaves...

  “Get me out of here, Donnie. Drag me if you have to.”

  Donnie nodded and hauled him up and over his shoulder in a surprising move. Jensen barely had time to react before he was outside and dumped on the ground, the breath knocked out of his lungs. Donnie squatted next to him and held him down with his hand on his chest.

  “Fuck, Donnie,” he gasped out, coughing slightly.

  “Whoops, sorry, vampire strength.” He lifted his arm and flexed his bicep.

  He lay on the cold ground and stared up into the night sky. The stars twinkled above him, and he just lay there, catching his breath. Now, he couldn’t see his mate, the intense need to save him had ebbed, but the need was still there lingering beneath the surface.

  “Feel any better?”

  “Some,” he admitted. “It’s not as strong now, but I can still feel it here.” He touched his chest and Donnie nodded in response.

  “You’ll feel it, and it won’t go away, but a little distance and not physically seeing him will help.”

  “Give me a few minutes and I’ll go back in and question him. Maybe he’ll respond to me.”

  Donnie pursed his lips, then nodded. “Worth a shot. I’ll speak to Chester—Ah, here he is now.”

  Chester appeared and stared down at him. “I’ll give you five minutes. If he doesn’t talk, then Hunter takes over.” Jensen nodded. “Give yourself a few minutes to get your emotions under control before you come back in. You don’t want him getting into your head.”

  Donnie and Chester shared a look before Chester walked back to the barn. Jensen followed his movements until he disappeared back inside the barn once more. Sighing, he closed his eyes and lay still on the ground, listening to his body as his heartbeat slowed and his breathing evened out. The slight breeze cooled his heated skin and eventually he sat up, resting his forearms on his raised knees.

  “Ready?” Donnie asked.

  He nodded slowly and stood up. “Ready as I’ll ever be.” They walked back towards the barn in silence and he paused outside.

  Placing his hand on the door, he pushed it open, casting his eyes at everyone inside before finally focusing at his mate. He looked the same as before, so he knew no one had touched him in his absence. Taking a deep breath, he walked over and stood in front of him, staring at him.

  “I have some questions for you. Please answer them.”

  Chapter Five

  The pain he was feeling was so evident on Jensen’s face even though he tried t
o put on a brave face. Brayden’s senses picked up what Jensen was attempting to hide. They were going to use his mate against him. If the situation was reversed, he’d do the same. Mates were both a gift and a curse. A strength but also a weakness.

  Brayden could smell Jensen’s fear and pain but also his determination.

  He didn’t respond when Jensen said, “Tell us what you know about the blood slaves.”

  He stared at Jensen, ignoring the demand. Jensen waited a minute before nodding and trying again.

  “Where are they being kept?”

  He still didn’t respond, even though he could see the imploring look on Jensen’s face, the need in his beautiful pale green eyes. Green. They were green like limes and the thought almost made him laugh, except every time Brayden looked into them, he felt like he was falling.

  “At least tell me your name. You know who we are to each other. My name’s Jensen, but you probably know that. What’s yours?”

  Brayden ground his jaw, his eyes narrowing. Jensen sighed and dropped his head, defeat clouding his features.

  “Brayden,” he whispered, barely loud enough for anyone to hear, but he knew his mate would.

  Jensen’s head snapped up, and he nodded once. “Brayden.” He paused, staring thoughtfully. “Do you want me to die?”

  Brayden tilted his head. Why was he asking this question? “You? No.”

  “Humans. Other vampires. What about them?”

  “Fuck!” The word echoed throughout the barn and Brayden looked away from Jensen and almost groaned when he saw who had spoken.

  “So, you’re alive,” he muttered to the man who’d just entered the barn.

  Carter walked over and nodded. “Yeah, I am. Brayden, I--”

  “You know them?”

  Carter nodded. “The vampire with the long blond hair is Hunter, my mate. He helped me escape.”

  Hunter stormed over and grabbed Carter’s arm, dragging him away. “Carter--”

  “No! Wait and listen. Trust me.” Carter went back to Brayden. “Tell them.”

  “Tell us what?” Jensen looked between Brayden and Carter.

  Brayden worked his jaw from side to side. This moment, right here, was pivotal. If he spoke, if he told them, then everything would change. Could he risk it all on the word of one human?

  “Carter--”

  “Tell us, please. You’re my mate. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

  He watched Jensen, testing the truth of his words. Finally, he nodded. “Lincoln.”

  “I’ve heard that name before.”

  Brayden nodded at the human with long dark hair who’d spoken. “He’s my brother.”

  “He’s in the inner circle. Bray has no choice but to do what they want,” Carter added.

  “He’s part of the resistance,” Wyatt told them as he walked over to Brayden. “Get him down. He’s not our enemy.”

  “You don’t know that,” Dean hissed.

  “Yes, I do. He’s the reason I’m not dead.” Wyatt glared at Dean.

  “What?”

  “They put me with Carter’s parents because of Bray. He’s the one who kept me alive. I might have been a prisoner, but trust me, it was fucking better than the alternative.”

  “Is this true?” Dean asked Brayden.

  Brayden nodded. “They wanted him dead because of his sexuality and what he knew. I convinced them to keep him alive.”

  “How?”

  “I told them that when it was all over and done with, they could have their fun with him.”

  Wyatt nodded. “I was there when he said it.”

  “So, he didn’t really help you. He was keeping you on the back burner for later.”

  “No, we spoke before he left. I know why he did it. You weren’t there, Dean. You have no idea what was happening around us. He said what he did to keep me alive and I’m fucking grateful.”

  “Get him down now.” Carter pointed at Hunter. “Now!”

  Brayden watched Hunter and Chester. Chester nodded once before Hunter walked over to the barn wall and released the rope attached to the pulley system which was keeping him suspended. God… he ached all over, but he kept the pain to himself, not letting it show on his face.

  As his feet touched the ground, his legs wobbled slightly, but he locked his knees to make sure he didn’t fall. He wasn’t going to show any weakness in front of them until he knew them better. Just because Carter and Wyatt vouched for them didn’t mean he should trust them blindly, there was too much at stake.

  He stilled as Jensen grabbed his arm, keeping him upright. “I’ve had that done to me,” he mumbled.

  He didn’t respond, but he did soak up the closeness between them. He leaned in slightly and inhaled Jensen’s scent. His body responded, his dick hardening in his pants, and he knew his eyes glowed.

  Jensen caught sight of them and smiled in response. “Later.”

  Sighing, Brayden nodded and let Jensen help him to a chair. He sat and kept his back straight as another vampire placed a bag next to him. “Me again. Dr. Conway. I’ll assess your wounds and provide any necessary treatment. First, do you need blood?”

  Bray shook his head. “No.”

  The doctor nodded and proceeded to give him a cursory exam. “I’ll do a more thorough exam once we’re inside, but I want to make sure there is nothing serious that we need to deal with right now.”

  “I’m fine apart from a few bruises.”

  “Good.”

  After the doctor had checked him out, he stood and followed Jensen from the barn. He paused, looking at the surrounding area, trying to get his bearings. He didn’t know where he was. He’d been unconscious when they’d brought him here.

  He became aware of everyone circling him as they moved towards the house and the sheriff had his hand on his gun. Wary and watchful. Just as they should be. Brayden was dangerous, and they all knew it.

  He stepped into the house and walked through to the kitchen as Chester pulled a chair out and pointed to it. “Sit.”

  Brayden rankled at the order but did as he was asked. He kept the hiss of pain to himself. He refused to show any signs of weakness. He covertly scanned the room, noticing all exits and the location of all individuals. If he needed to escape, he could. He didn’t know these people, didn’t trust them. No one would keep him prisoner against his will for long.

  ❊❊❊

  Jensen sat opposite Brayden at the table. The vampire was taller than him by about an inch. Bald with a neatly trimmed dark beard and light blue eyes that assessed everything and everyone. Jensen watched his eyes scan the room and knew he was searching for exits and noting the number of people in the room with them.

  Definitely ex-military. He had that look about him, it was in the way he held his body and the way his eyes took everything in.

  Carter stood next to Brayden and handed him a bottle of water. “How’s Lincoln?”

  Brayden scanned the room before his eyes fell on Jensen. Jensen nodded, encouraging him to answer. “Working hard.”

  “Of course, he is. He’s the perfect soldier,” Spencer spat as he entered the room.

  Brayden pushed the chair back and Jensen stood too, ready for any altercations that might occur. “He didn’t order your torture, Spencer.”

  “No, I imagine that was Garrick. What about you? What did you do?”

  Brayden stood up straight. “Nothing.”

  Spencer snorted. “Yeah. Nothing. You sat back while they used me as a punching bag and when they got bored with that, cut me up.”

  “I wasn’t there. I was in New York.”

  Spencer chuckled, shaking his head and crossing his arms over his chest. “They own no building in New York. You’re lying.”

  “You’re right. They don’t, but I do.”

  “Let’s settle down and talk about this.” Chester pointed at the chair. “Please sit.”

  Jensen caught Brayden’s eyes and nodded at the chair before sitting on his own. “You have property
in New York?” he asked.

  Brayden nodded as he sat down. “Yes.”

  “You’re not helping us.”

  “Ask your questions, Jensen, and I’ll answer them.”

  Jensen shivered when he heard Brayden say his name. It sounded more like a caress when his name came from Brayden. He looked at Chester before focusing back on Brayden. “Where are the slaves?”

  “Which ones?”

  Jensen furrowed his brow. “All of them.”

  Brayden raised a brow. “All of them?”

  “Yes. All.”

  “They are in several locations. All secure.”

  “Yeah, council members, right?” Carter asked.

  “Yes. The council members have been provided for.”

  “How many locations? How many slaves in each? Security? Types?”

  “You want to save them.”

  Carter frowned at Brayden. “Yeah, we do because they shouldn’t be forced to live as they do, as blood slaves.”

  “There is a much easier way to stop this than to go around destroying food, and weapons, and freeing slaves.”

  Jensen leaned forward on the table. “And what’s that?”

  “Kill the king.”

  It seemed like everyone commented at once and the noise level increased in the kitchen. Jensen ignored them and asked, “The king?”

  “Yes. Cut off the head. It will disrupt them. The council will struggle to maintain control. It will fragment as different members try to take over. At that point, you free the slaves and take out the council members.”

  “You want us to kill the king and council?” Jensen asked incredulously. He shook his head. “You just said they were heavily protected. How do we get near any of them to do it? Once the king is gone, protection will increase on them.”

  “Not entirely. Not everyone agrees with the plan. Most have gone along because they have no choice. Once the council agreed, everyone linked to the council had to fall into line. Family, friends, associates. Over time, as plans were made, more people were dragged in until we have what we have today. Tens of thousands of vampires and a few hundred humans.”

  “That many vampires?”

  “Yes. If given the chance, at least half would be glad to go back to their lives.”