“Have you heard anything more from Dr. Garran?” Kyle watched them closely, but hadn’t commented on the obvious intimacy.
Devon wasn’t sure how much to tell him. These decisions were hers and no one else’s. She loved Ian enough to ask his opinion, but ultimately she would do what she felt best. “They were able to identify which formula I was given and the counteragent that will turn it off. I know they called in outside help, but it could still take some time to sort through all of it.”
“Which means your definition is on hold?” Erin’s gaze shifted from Devon to Ian and back.
Devon nodded. “For now.”
“Well, I can’t say I’m disappointed,” Erin said. “Everything is moving just a little too fast, if you ask me.”
Should we tell them?
Longing swelled within Ian as Devon pushed the question across their private link. His mate. It still felt surreal to realize he had a mate. No. Let’s let them stew a while longer.
Kyle’s head came up sharply and he sniffed the air. “Someone’s here.” He pushed back his chair and headed for the opposite end of the patio.
“Get inside. Take the tunnel to the bunkers. I’ll have Holt come get you.” Ian waited until Erin and Devon obeyed then he vaulted the patio’s rail and headed around the opposite side of the house from Kyle.
Ian sent out a seeker pulse and located Holt. With a terse mental command he directed the bear-shifter toward the bunkers. Holt didn’t ask questions or waste energy. He simply headed for the bunkers.
Gravel crunched beneath Ian’s boots as he crept toward the front of the house. Deep shadows obscured his view so he summoned Therian energy to his eyes. The shadows cleared, but he saw nothing out of the ordinary. He opened his mind, scanning for stray thoughts or emotions, anything that might help him locate the intruder or intruders.
Pressing against the wall, he peered around the corner. The front yard appeared clear, but where had Kyle gone?
“Ian!”
He jerked his head to the left and spotted Kyle a short distance down the dirt road. Abandoning any attempt at stealth, Ian ran to Kyle’s aid.
Surrounded by three men dressed largely in black, Kyle kicked and punched, driving one man back only to be attacked by another.
Ian grabbed the nearest assailant and yanked him away from Kyle. The man swung wildly, but Ian ducked and twisted, avoiding the blows. With ruthless patience, Ian waited for an opening then dropped the fool with a vicious uppercut.
Ian turned toward Kyle as one of the intruders ran farther down the road and dived into the front seat of a dark sedan.
“Go after him!” Kyle shouted without looking away from the man he was fighting.
Summoning energy into his back, Ian ignored the searing pain and visualized his wings. He suppressed the shift as he ran, building momentum before he allowed his wings to unfurl. His wings sprang forth with enough force to rip through his t-shirt. Ian took control of their movements and increased his speed.
The car took off, wheels kicking up rocks, dirt and debris. Ian flapped his wings faster and his feet left the ground. He landed on the trunk and scrambled up onto the roof as the driver swerved back and forth, trying to dislodge him.
The wind’s pull on his wings made it harder to maintain his position, so he folded them against his back without releasing the manifestation. Lying down on his stomach, he reached down and tried the driver’s door handle. Not surprisingly, the door was locked, so Ian made a tight fist and punched through the window.
Pain burst in his hand and shot up his arm, but he maintained focus. He couldn’t reach the lock release, so he grabbed the driver’s hair and slammed his head forward. The car jerked violently to the right and Ian opened his wings, moving his arm out of the way as the car plowed into the ditch.
The driver moaned, pressing his hand over his nose. Blood poured out between his fingers and from under his palm.
On the ground now, Ian reached in through the broken window and triggered the lock release. The locks snapped open and Ian jerked the door out of his way.
Holding up his free hand to ward Ian off, the driver rested his head against the seatback and muttered a curse in Italian.
Trepidation gripped Ian’s gut. Could this be Devon’s captor? She’d said his name was Robert or Roberto. “Who are you and what the fuck were you after just now?”
The driver stared straight ahead, ignoring Ian’s questions.
Ian slapped the car’s roof with his open palm and the driver started. “Who are you?”
“I am not my own.” He covered his nose with his left hand and reached for something on the passenger’s seat.
“Hands where I can see them!” Ian leapt out of the driver’s range of view, waiting for him to comply.
“I serve Zophiel.”
Before Ian could make sense of the odd declaration, the driver raised the gun in his right hand, pressed it against his temple and shot. Blood and gore sprayed into the air and splattered what remained of the window.
Shocked and confused, Ian stared in paralyzed silence. Then understanding slammed into him and he spun on the ball of his foot, frantically unfurling his wings. A decoy! The only purpose for the attack had been to draw the men away from the house.
Terror clawed at his gut as he shot through the air. Not caring if anyone saw him and cursing himself for a fool, he rushed back toward Erin’s house. He kicked in the front door and bolted through the living room. “Devon!”
He dashed through the kitchen and flew down the basement stairs. Kyle sat on the floor with Erin’s head resting on his lap.
Panic nearly closed his throat. “Is she—”
“She’s fine. But the silver-haired bitch flew off with Devon. Payne and Holt went after them but…”
“But neither of them can fly.” Not allowing regret to slow him down, Ian focused on rescuing his mate. He ran back up the stairs and out the back door, unfurling his wings as soon as he cleared the threshold.
* * * * *
Devon watched her captor pace in front of her, torn between fascination and fear. If Ian hadn’t mentioned a silver-haired phantom, Devon would have wondered if this was real. Silver had been waiting in Erin’s basement, obviously anticipating their escape route. She’d incapacitated Erin with one well-placed blow then grabbed Devon by the hair and dragged her back upstairs. She’d whispered a chant that made Devon dizzy and lethargic. Devon hadn’t lost consciousness, but she’d been too disoriented to struggle as Silver lifted her like a child and flew away from Erin’s house.
Silver’s wings weren’t visible now, but that didn’t distract from her angelic beauty. She was easily the most alluring creature Devon had ever seen. Confined in a thick braid, her pale hair reached her slender hips. She wore tight black jeans and a dove-gray tunic which made her appear ready for a shopping spree rather than a kidnapping.
“Take off your shoes and socks,” the woman instructed Devon.
“Who are you? Why am I here?” She looked around, fighting vertigo as she moved her head. They were in a large barn or small warehouse. Whatever the original purpose had been, it had obviously been a long time since the structure was used. Moonlight penetrated gaps in the roof and sections of the walls were missing. The interior smelled stale and musty. They hadn’t been in the air very long, but Ian was the only one who could follow. And he’d fallen for Silver’s distraction.
Silver grabbed Devon’s face and leaned in. “I don’t like repeating myself. Take off your shoes.”
Devon jerked her head, dislodging Silver’s hand. Then she went down on one knee and removed her shoes and socks. The concrete floor felt cool and rough beneath her feet. “What do you want from me?”
Silver turned toward one of the holes in the wall as the growl of an engine disrupted the relative silence. Headlights cut across the darkness as the car pulled up to the building. Devon looked at the opening on the opposite wall. How far could she get if she took off running?
“Don�
��t.” Silver grabbed Devon’s upper arm. “I’m not in the mood to chase you.” Instead, Silver led her toward the car.
The driver’s door swung open and an elderly woman exited the car.
“You were supposed to be waiting for me,” Silver snapped.
“You said there would be no bloodshed,” Granny returned.
“I lied.” Silver’s chuckle sent a chill down Devon’s spine. “Cut the lights. This place is supposed to be deserted.”
Granny leaned back into the car and flipped off the headlights. “How are you going to explain Roberto’s death to Milliner and Tias?”
Silver’s gaze shot to Devon. If she was waiting for a reaction she was going to be disappointed. Devon stared at Granny and made damn sure her expression didn’t change. She didn’t understand who these two were or how they fit into the big picture, but Granny had just confirmed their connection to the backers.
“I have no intention of explaining myself to anyone,” Silver said.
“Including me?”
“We don’t have time for this.” Silver started toward the car again, but Granny slammed the door and moved toward them.
“I didn’t agree to murder.” Granny faced off with Silver, fists planted on her well-padded hips. “I want no part of this.”
“Fine. Stay here.” Silver yanked Devon to the side but Granny mirrored the move.
“Leave her here for the cats to find. It’s not too late for us to—”
Silver backhanded the elderly woman, knocking her off her feet.
Devon gasped and twisted her arm out of Silver’s grasp. “What is wrong with you? She’s an old woman.” Devon rushed forward and helped Granny back to her feet.
A blur of gold and black rocketed through one of the openings and slammed into Silver. She cried out, clearly shocked by the sudden attack. Ian flapped his wings, driving Silver backward but unable to force her to the ground.
Silver’s wings appeared with a menacing snap. She countered Ian’s momentum and scratched bloody furrows in his cheek.
“Why aren’t you dead?” he snarled, his tone harsh with lethal promise. He clasped her throat with both hands. “We’ll burn your body this time.”
Granny lunged without warning, wrapping a surprisingly strong arm around Devon’s torso and trapping her arms at her sides. “Raptor, let her go,” she called out as she pressed a knife against Devon’s throat.
Ian froze but didn’t release his hold on Silver’s neck. His hostile gaze swung toward Granny and he said, “Leave now and I won’t kill you. Your sister is already dead.”
Sister? These two were sisters? They looked more like mother and daughter or grandmother and granddaughter. How well did Ian know them?
“Go on, sis.” Silver sounded amused, which made no sense. Ian could snap her neck with one twist of his wrist. “You don’t like it when I misbehave.”
Granny shifted restlessly, the blade no longer flush with Devon’s skin.
Not willing to squander the opportunity, Devon slammed her elbow back into Granny’s ribs as she shoved her knife hand farther away. Granny lunged for her, but Devon swung around and kicked her in the stomach. Granny’s knees buckled and she dropped the knife. Devon kicked the weapon off into the shadows before Granny could reach for it again.
An animalistic growl drew Devon’s attention back to Ian and Silver. They’d broken apart and now circled, each crouched and ready to spring. Ian knocked her sideways with a sudden, vicious swipe of one of his wings. She countered with an equally violent wing-slap.
As they rotated, Devon saw Silver’s face and felt her eyes round. Silver’s forehead bowed with twin horizontal ridges. Her cheekbones jutted and her jaw was now an exaggerated peak. Overly large and flashing with yellow-green light, her eyes dominated her transformed features.
“Think you’re strong enough to take me?” She drove him back with an agile jump kick to the center of his chest. He grunted and stumbled but remained on his feet. “Payne obviously failed.”
Rather than advance, Ian spread his arms and hunched his shoulders. Devon didn’t understand his pose until Therian light burst within his eyes. The shimmer was so bright it distorted his features. His chest heaved and his arms trembled. Then his chest began to glow.
Was he going to…
Devon scrambled farther away from Granny as Ian opened his mouth. Flames shot forward in a red and orange cloud, beautiful in its fury. Silver screamed as her clothing caught fire and the floor around her began to burn. Ian let out a second burst of fire, spreading the destruction.
Much to Devon’s horror, Granny shot to her feet and ran to her sister, throwing herself into the flames. Silver went over backward and the two rolled, igniting support beams and debris in their wake.
Ian ran to Devon and crushed her against his chest. She cried out in fear and surprise as he launched them straight up and through a hole in the roof. She clung to him, watching over his shoulder as fire consumed the ramshackle building.
“How did you find me?” She wrapped her legs around his waist and settled more comfortably against his chest.
“We’re bound mates. I can always find you.”
She pressed her face into the warmth of his throat and let him concentrate on flying.
Payne, Holt, Kyle and Erin were gathered around the table in Erin’s kitchen. Ian landed on the porch and Erin leapt up from the table and slid the back door open. “Is she okay?”
Devon turned her head and smiled at her mother. “I’m fine.” She released her ankles and Ian lowered her to the porch. “But it’s time for some answers. Who were those women? How do they know you?”
Ian followed her into the kitchen and Erin closed the door.
“You’re right,” Ian told Payne. “I don’t know how it’s possible, but she’s still alive, or she was until a few minutes ago.”
“But who was she?” Devon persisted.
“I knew her as Zophia,” Payne began. “Apparently she’s calling herself Zophiel these days.”
“She’s not calling herself anything anymore.” Ian pulled out a chair for Devon before sitting down beside her. “I torched them both, so the rest is irrelevant.” Ian looked at Payne with an odd intensity.
“Are you sure?” Payne rested his forearms on the tabletop and searched Ian’s gaze.
“Even demons burn.”
“Demons?”
Ian waved away Kyle’s question. “The entire building was engulfed. There is no way they survived.”
Payne still didn’t seem convinced. He also seemed less inclined to elaborate.
Devon didn’t understand their reluctance, but she tried to respect their obvious preference that the past be left alone. “The older one said something about Roberto being dead. She wasn’t sure how they were going to explain his death to the other two backers.”
“Then that was Roberto.” Ian paused for a moment, lost in thought. “I didn’t kill him. For no apparent reason, he grabbed a gun and shot himself.”
“It sounds like Zophia was controlling him,” Payne said.
“I’m still confused,” Erin shook her head as she looked from Ian to Payne. “Was this Zophia the one who snatched Carly out of Holt’s house?”
“Yes.” Payne said nothing more.
“Zophia and Nehema were sisters,” Ian clarified. “We thought Zophia was dead and we knew Nehema by a different name, so we had all sorts of suspicions but nothing we could prove. That is until I saw Zophia in the flesh tonight.”
Frustrated by his continued ambiguities, Devon tried again. “We don’t need details, but we’re still not following you. Who are these sisters and why did Zophia or Zophiel kidnap me?”
Ian received some sort of signal from Payne before explaining, “Nehema is the driving force behind the Abolitionists, and Roberto’s participation in tonight’s raid proves that they were either working for or in competition with the backers. You were likely a bargaining tool.”
“Enemy of my enemy is my friend sort
of thing?” Holt asked.
“Basically,” Payne replied.
“How long have these sisters been around?” Kyle drummed his fingers on the tabletop, his expression still thoughtful. “When and why did your paths cross?”
Payne ran his hand through his hair then pushed back from the table. “None of it matters if they are dead. Now we can concentrate on the backers.”
Another evasion. Didn’t they realize the longer they avoided the events, the more curious people would become?
“What did you do with Roberto’s body?” Ian looked at Kyle.
“I didn’t do anything with it. Once Mom roused and I was sure she was okay, I went back outside. The car was gone and so were the two we fought.”
“They just drove away with the body?” Ian shook his head. “This entire night has been bizarre.”
“Well, Devon is back unharmed and the head of the Abolitionists is dead. I call that a win.”
Devon smiled at her mother. Erin could find the bright side of any situation. “I agree. Let’s quit while we’re ahead. At least for tonight.”
“Can’t argue with that logic.” Holt stood and motioned Payne toward the door. “We’ll see everyone tomorrow.”
“Sweet dreams.” Erin gave Devon a firm hug before she released her into Ian’s care.
“I can already sense a bond,” Kyle informed Devon. “Is it your intention to allow it to solidify?”
“She’s my mate, Kyle.” Ian took a step forward before Devon stopped him. “Get used to it.”
“I was just asking,” Kyle assured him. “If she’s happy I’m happy. I have no quarrel with you.”
“Glad to hear it. The backers are still out there. We can’t afford to fight amongst ourselves.”
“Agreed.”
The tension finally left Ian’s arm and Devon smiled at her brother. “Tell Ava I said hi and we missed her tonight.”
“I will.”
Erin opened the basement door and motioned them onward.
Therian Prisoner Page 22
