by Cat Miller
“Get them down in the boat if it means you have to carry them both down,” Sheena’s voice carried in the still night.
“Yes, Master,” the goon replied and pushed the females along faster.
At least someone knew Sheena was the real master because David had never been in charge of a thing, not even his own mind.
Samantha stumbled over her own feet as Sarah guided her along the steepening terrain. That explained why the two hadn’t fled, Samantha moved like she was in a trance. The girl had been doped up.
“Mommy?” he heard Samantha say as she clutched her mother’s arm. Fear, real and consuming, shone bright in her eyes when they rested on the female marching a few feet in front of them. Samantha knew all of the terrible things Sheena had done to so many people Samantha loved. Even in her inebriated state, the girl was smart enough to know they were in big trouble.
“I know, baby, I’m sorry.” Sarah stroked Samantha’s back.
“Why, Mommy?”
“I made a mistake, Samantha. I’ll straighten this out. I promise.”
Samantha was struggling to get her wits back about her. She certainly wasn’t recovering quickly enough for an expedient escape. Her movements were unsteady, and her breathing sounded unusually rapid. David worried about her wellbeing. J.R., Samantha’s younger brother, had an allergic reaction to the very same drug David suspected was used on Samantha, and he’d nearly died.
The minion had a gun pointed at Samantha’s head, keeping Sarah in line by threatening her child. Too bad Sarah hadn’t considered the danger to her daughter before she dragged her into this mess. The minion pushed Sarah every few feet to keep them going. They’d almost made it to the stairs where David would lose sight of them and then getting to Sheena would be nearly impossible. Sheena would go down the stairs first. She always led the way when it came to an escape. If the others didn’t make it into the boat fast enough, Sheena would cut her losses and leave them behind. She would live to fight another day no matter who had to be abandoned. With only one male to watch her back, Sheena wouldn’t waste time. David would have to go through the goon, and the other two women, down a narrow set of stairs to get to Sheena. It wasn’t a risk he was willing to take.
It was now or never. David wouldn’t wait for the back-up he hoped was coming to aid Abel. He had to make his move. He didn’t think it through and didn’t consider the consequences, because who cared if he lived or died when he couldn’t even care. Sheena had to go down now, today, and forever. David leapt out of the shadows and crossed the last few yards of open lawn between himself and the quartet of shadows creeping through the night at breakneck speed. He was focused on the petite brunette hurrying just ahead of the two light spots in the night. This close there was no missing all of that golden hair, even on the darkest night.
“Halt! Freeze right where you are! You’re surrounded!” a deep timbre voice shattered the silence. Heavy booted feet pounded, and a male shouted once again, “Get on your knees! You’re surrounded!”
Sheena was startled and spun in the direction of the newcomer who was quickly descending the hillside from the front of the mansion.
The minion released Sarah and fired his gun into the darkness where the voice had emanated.
“Mommy?” Samantha’s voice quivered with panic.
“Thank God! Finally!” Sarah seemed relieved by the interruption as if she were a victim. She was unbelievable. David assumed she’d play if off as if she’d been under mind control again to save her own ass.
It was fight or flight time for Sheena and as usual, flight won the day. She kicked off her heels and prepared to make a break for the stairs and freedom. David didn’t heed the strangers warning to halt because he knew it was a ploy. David couldn’t smell another soul who was close enough to make a difference.
“Let’s go! Carry them!” Sheena ordered.
David was out in the open air, and he knew others were on route, he could smell them coming, but they weren’t in a position yet. Sheena would get away without her captives, and she knew it, too. She wanted the other three in her group to block the coming authorities as she made her way down those narrow stairs. David was nearly there. It was almost over.
The next few seconds were a blur of noise and movement that passed in a blink that seemed to stretch out for eternity. The minion shoved Samantha and Sarah toward the stairs, preferring to keep his gun at the ready. David tackled Sheena at the waist just as Samantha stumbled into Sheena. Sheena reached out and grabbed onto Samantha’s shirt with both hands to save herself, but it was too late. Sarah screamed and held on tight to her daughter. Sheena wouldn’t release Samantha either, so they all tumbled over the edge.
In a tangle of limbs and shouts, all four of them went flying over the bluff into the pitch black darkness below. Four bodies falling through the night to the jagged rocks below. Four lives ending in a horrific manner. Three of them deserved the fate rushing up to meet them. One of them an innocent girl who was the victim of the greed of others, but she would die just the same.
It was Samantha that David focused on as they fell. Her mother screamed and flailed in the air, but Samantha seemed to be floating toward her death. She didn’t fall as fast as he did so he watched her above him as he plummeted like a stone. Glistening golden waves of hair streamed behind Samantha. The sleeves of her silk blouse billowed in the wind like wings that might catch the wind and break her fall. A shimmering high heel with a red bottom drifted away from her foot. When their eyes met, David could have sworn it was Leann in those brown depths, and not her niece staring back at him. For the second time that night, a blonde-haired angel had brought a moment of peace to his shattered heart. Dare he hope Leann was there with him, easing him into the afterlife? It was his mate’s face that would be David’s last thought before he slammed into the rocks, his body was broken on the jagged stones, and he was washed clean of his sins by the tide that carried his lifeless body away.
Kayden and his team were in position. Hawk’s team was almost there, Gage’s team was on the way. Gage had been forced to wait for a van before they could follow Kayden and Hawk. The team from the Enclave had an ETA of ten minutes. The nest they now surrounded had been raided just after the battle for the Enclave. It had been Sheena’s headquarters where she used David as a figurehead for her rebellion. Sheena had escaped, but that wouldn’t happen again. Kayden was personally invested in the operation this time around. Somewhere hidden in the massive, dilapidated edifice, Sheena was hiding Lindsay locked away, along with Samantha and David. Lindsay had suffered enough for ten vampire lifetimes. This was too much. Kayden would not allow Sheena to escape justice again.
Abel had called Kayden while they were on the road with more specific directions. Kayden just barely held on to his fury. The females didn’t know it, but for their safety, they were being followed while out in public. Kayden was dying to get his hands on the male who was supposed to be tailing Lindsay and Samantha, but Gage hadn’t been able to reach the warrior. There would be hell to pay when they found him, no matter that the warrior was one of his father’s males and not Kayden’s.
Before they reached the nest Abel believed was the destination of the vehicle carrying the three females, Kayden finally had a brief moment of connection with Lindsay. She was in a bad way and not making much sense. Her mind was scattered between thoughts of defending herself, fighting the urge to kill David who was imprisoned with Lindsay, and trying to find a way to break through her muddled brain to call Kayden. Kayden contacted his father immediately with the new information he’d learned from Lindsay. She was with Sheena, and David was also there, but he had no details regarding Samantha or Sarah.
There was no doubt that Lindsay had been injected with Hypervamp, and she was once again in a cage. Kayden’s blood boiled. He was able to tell Lindsay that they were on the way. Then her mind went silent again. The drugs had taken over and once again shut down Lindsay’s ability to communicate with him. She’d blinked into existenc
e in his mind and back out again so fast that at first Kayden thought he might have imagined it, but she’d sent him a mental picture that he knew wasn’t from his own mind. Lindsay remembered Kayden’s face. She was looking at him from above while they made love. The snapshot from her memory came with Lindsay’s corresponding emotions. Lindsay was so absorbed by her love for Kayden. She was in awe of his strength and ability to be so gentle with her at the same time. She was telling him that she loved him in the only way she could, and Kayden feared she was also trying to say good-bye. He swallowed hard and focused on getting to his mate.
“Beta team has boots on the ground and moving in from the south,” Hawk said through Kayden’s earpiece.
“Alpha team has the target surrounded.” A crash from inside the house interrupted Kayden. “We have movement inside. I’m going in for a look.”
“Copy that,” Hawk replied.
Until then there had been no movement and no sound from within. Kayden was beginning to fear he’d misunderstood Abel’s message because the place looked deserted. Now he was moving in, staying low and close to the building until he neared a window. The loud crack of a gun discharging from inside had Kayden hitting the turf. The sounds of a struggle continued above him, so Kayden popped up to have a look in the window. Abel was in the house fighting two males. There were several other combatants Abel had already dispatched on the floor.
“Shots fired. Abel has his hands full in the dining room. It looks like we’ve lost the element of surprise. Alpha team, move in from the front. Beta, take the rear. The emergency tunnel exit was destroyed in the last raid, so there’s no other way out,” Kayden directed.
“We’re close. We’ll meet you in the middle,” Hawk confirmed.
“Once inside I’m going directly to the lower level where the cells are located. Alpha team, secure the first floor. Be sure not to kill our guy. Abel is the one kicking ass in the dining room.” Kayden’s stomach burned with rage. His Lindsay was in there somewhere among Sheena’s thugs.
He signaled his team to follow his lead. Kayden had just kicked in the front door when Hawk’s booming voice came through Kayden’s ear piece and could also be heard from the left of the building.
“Halt! Freeze right where you are! You’re surrounded! Get on your knees! You’re surrounded!” Hawk bellowed.
“Kayden, I have eyes on the suspects fleeing in the rear! I’m not close enough to apprehend. I see three females and two males.” Hawk was running. A shot was fired that echoed in Kayden’s earpiece.
Kayden was already in motion. He’d completely broken protocol in his desperate need to get to his mate. He hadn’t given his men orders to follow him or go on to help Abel. As soon as he heard Hawk’s first shout, Kayden’s mind went from commander to mate. There was no thought beyond getting to Lindsay. She had to be one of the three females. He circled to the rear of the mansion and over the hill that swept down to steep bluffs that dropped to the ocean below. Kayden could see the small group hurrying along in the darkness.
Hawk was quickly descending from the other side of the mansion with his weapon drawn. His team wasn’t far behind. A huge male had his weapon ready and was shoving two flaxen-haired females toward some stairs that lead to the water below. Kayden hustled to intercept the group. He was blinded by the silence of their bond, but Kayden was sure Lindsay was the tall blonde being pushed along in the front because Samantha was a little shorter in stature. The only dark-haired female kicked off her shoes and prepared to make a break for the steps. Kayden had his sidearm up and ready, but he couldn’t fire without risking hitting Lindsay or Samantha.
“I don’t have a clear shot,” Kayden shouted.
“Almost there,’ Hawk replied. “They won’t get away.”
When the cluster of people were nearly to the intended escape route, a shadow leaped from the darkness and slammed into the petite, dark-haired female Kayden was sure was Sheena. It was David who’d tackled Sheena at the waist. Hawk was almost there, ready to take down the minion protecting Sheena and herding the girls. The minion pushed Lindsay forward just as David ran into Sheena and the bitch reached out to grab onto one of the other females. There was a scream of terror. Samantha held on to Lindsay, pulling backward with all of her might, but David’s momentum had been too great. David took Sheena over the edge. Sheena clutched at Lindsay. Samantha wouldn’t let go of Lindsay, so all four of them disappeared into the night.
“Lindsay!” Kayden shouted his mate’s name.
The screams of all three females sliced through Kayden’s chest. His heart slammed against his ribcage. His Lindsay was falling to the rocks below the bluffs. He knew in that instant that he would follow her into death if she didn’t survive the collision with the boulders and water. The last hours that he couldn’t touch her mind had been like dying slowly. He wouldn’t go on without his precious mate. Lindsay brought love and happiness to his world. She was his reason for breathing. Lindsay was his life, and she would be his death as well. He would find her in the next life. They would be together again.
Ahead of Kayden, Hawk never slowed down. He ran full speed for the cliff and dove over the edge like a missile. His team was close behind him, but they pulled up at the edge of the crevasse. Kayden couldn’t stop. He had to go after Lindsay. He wouldn’t let her suffer or die alone. She had been so alone her entire life. His Lindsay needed him now. Ready to join her in whatever fate waited on the rocks below, Kayden hurled himself toward open air. He heard his father’s shout of denial from the top of the steep rise that leads down to the bluffs, but Kayden wouldn’t stop. He stepped one foot out into nothingness, but he didn’t fall. The beta team was close to the edge, looking down for some sign of their leader. Two of them saw Kayden coming and read his intentions. Kayden snarled and fought like an animal. It took all five of them to hold Kayden down. His angry shouts became anguished cries of loss and agony. He couldn’t feel Lindsay. He would never feel her again. Why wouldn’t they let him go after his mate?
“Kayden, calm yourself!” Gage knelt next to the tangle of males keeping Kayden pinned to the ground and grabbed his face.
Kayden stopped struggling. He looked up into the heartbroken eyes of his father and said the only thing he knew to be true, “I will not go on without her. You can’t hold me down forever.”
Kayden’s mind flashed back to the dream he’d been trapped in when he was drugged. That dream was more of a prophecy, wasn’t it? Maybe Leann had given Kayden that glimpse of the future as a warning he hadn’t understood. Just like in the dream, Lindsay, David, and Sheena had all fallen over the balcony railing. In reality, Samantha had also fallen with them.
The angry screech of a female surprised everyone.
“What the fuck?” said several of the warriors who watched on in shock, but they weren’t looking at Kayden any longer.
Silence fell over the crowd. One by one, Gage’s men released Kayden and moved away. Kayden jumped to his feet, but couldn’t take another step. The sight before him was so mind boggling that at first, he couldn’t make sense of it.
In midair, about five feet from the edges, floated Hawk. Clutched tightly in Hawk’s arms was a female with flowing gold for hair. Hanging precariously from Hawk’s ankle was Sheena.
“Help! I’m slipping!” Sheena demanded.
“You fly,” Gage said, ignoring Sheena. It wasn’t a question. They were watching him do the superhero thing.
“It’s more like levitation, but yes, it’s something like flight,” Hawk admitted.
Kayden didn’t care if Hawk was using witchcraft or the orange sun to hold himself up. All that mattered was that he’d snatched Lindsay from the jaws of death in the nick of time.
“I will stay here until she falls to her death. She deserves to suffer first, but dead is dead,” Hawk said.
“Hawk, please, bring her to me,” Gage pleaded. “She will face justice, I promise you.”
“Lindsay?” Kayden held out his arms. It had to be his Lindsay. “
Hawk …” Kayden’s eyes begged his friend to bring Lindsay to safety.
Hawk relented. He made a movement with his leg that brought Superman to mind and got them moving forward toward solid ground. Gage plucked Sheena from her precarious position. Hawk finally touched down, and when his eyes turned to the female in his arms, an expression of relief washed over his face. Hawk laid her down on the grass gently, and Kayden’s heart imploded again. It was Samantha, not Lindsay. It wasn’t his Lindsay.
“Medic! Did you bring a medic!”
Everyone turned toward the voice. Abel was calling for assistance from sliding glass doors at the back of the mansion. Abel made eye contact with Kayden from across the wide expanse of the lawn.
“Kayden! She needs your blood! Now! It’s Lindsay! I found her!” Abel ducked back into the mansion.
Kayden’s heart began to beat again. He glanced toward the water then back to the mansion, afraid to believe it might be true. He’d seen Lindsay and Samantha be dragged into the darkness. Lindsay wore jeans and Samantha was in one of her fancy dresses, but he hadn’t had a good view of their faces. Only two bright spots of golden hair broke up the night.
He looked at Samantha, who was now awake but hadn’t moved. She stared up at the stars with fat tears rolling silently down the side of her face. Hawk knelt next to Samantha, checking her limbs for injuries.
“I thought they were both gone,” Kayden said in a daze.
“Why are you still standing here, man? Go, get! Save your woman,” Hawk barked at Kayden. Then the confusion dawned on Hawk. “You thought it was Lindsay? Fuck, man. That was Sarah. Samantha and Sarah fell with David and Sheena. I was able to catch up with Samantha. Sheena saved herself by latching on to me. Now go help Abel with Lindsay,” Hawk said more gently. “She needs her mate’s blood now.”
