Devon watched the clock on the wall ticked almost as a countdown to the time they’d lost their soul mate. Once again, Anna disconnected the call and shook her head. She didn’t even have to say what had happened. Lycans and Vampires had extraordinary hearing. Rachel, his heart and soul, was not answering any calls from them. He paced the small room. “Why won’t she talk to you? I can see her being scared of me. I somehow frightened her out of her wits.”
Anna shrugged. “She’d not been herself since her ordeal. I have no idea what is going through her head.”
Kieran sat in a swivel chair with worry etched on his face. “She is terrified of what she is, and as soon as Devon brought it up, the fear she emitted was nearly choking.”
Marcus nodded. “She doesn’t understand what she is, and it isn’t like she can do anything on her own, so she wouldn’t have had experience before.” He glanced at Yerel. “How could we miss this? Channels are not hard to identify.”
Yerel ran a hand over his weary looking face and shook his head with confusion clouding his eyes. “It should have been easy to see. A youngling wizard can spot a channel in a crowded room.” Yerel’s gaze met Marcus’s. “I swear to you, Alpha, if I had even suspected she had anything supernatural going on, I would have told you.”
Sighing, Marcus patted Yerel’s shoulder. “I know, healer. This is no one’s fault. Her parents should have noticed back when she was an infant.” Marcus turned his attention to his mate, Anna. “Who are her parents? How could they have allowed their child to wander the world unprotected?”
Anna shook her head. “Rachel is adopted. She doesn’t talk about it much, and she is very close to her family. She rarely even brings it up. She didn’t know anything about supernatural races before going to the club that first time.”
Marcus turned to look out the window. “Well, this explains a lot. A supernatural channel raised by human parents. She had no idea what she was when Mortef grabbed her.”
Dylan cleared his throat and held his phone up. “Okay. Good news is I found records of her family. Normal ranching family. Her brother Matt is twenty-two years old, and we believe he still works for his family. She has a younger sister, Addy, who just turned sixteen. Her parents adopted all three of them. From what I can find, they are a typical family. No crime reports or even a traffic ticket.”
“What is their address?” Kieran leaned forward. Now they were getting somewhere. Soon they’d have her parents' address and they could get to her. They would talk about what she was and how it was nothing to fear.
“I’ll send a link of their address so you can follow it on the GPS. It’s a few miles south of Sunset, Texas. Let me get in touch with my Alpha. I will come with you so we don’t have any misunderstandings between you and Texas Lycans.” His gaze shot over to Anna. “You think she went home to her parents?”
“Like I said, Rachel is really close to her family, and they live on a ranch in northern Texas.”
Devon felt relief and worry as they discussed how to locate her. There were so many unanswered questions about why she would run from them. She felt the connection between them as they did. Kieran had made it clear, he could sense her bonding with them. Why would such trust and hopefully, budding love, turn into such fear?
“Let me take some of Enon’s herbs that will allow me to create a telepathic link to her.”
Devon’s heart nearly froze in his throat. That was extremely dangerous. It drained a Vampire’s energy and could leave their soul lost in an abyss if they couldn’t return to their bodies. He was worried as hell for their mate, but that was a last resort. “Let’s try this first, Kieran.”
“I can do it. I can speak while we have her entranced. We’ll get truthful answers without her fear getting in the way.”
“We can also fly out to Texas and go to the address Dylan is sending to my phone without endangering your life or soul.”
Marcus nodded. “I agree with Devon. That is too dangerous. If we had no idea where to start searching, I’d be more apt to agree with Kieran.”
“What if she’s not there and we have no idea where to start looking? This is our mate!” The abject terror in Kieran’s eyes pulled at Devon to agree to his extreme plan. She was out there alone right now.
Marcus held his hand up at Kieran to silence him. Reluctantly, Kieran quieted and waited for the Alpha to speak. “I can understand your fear for Rachel. I too feel the urgency to find her. I cannot allow you to perform such a dangerous act when we have her parents’ address though.”
Kieran opened his mouth with protest written all over his face.
Marcus’s lips formed in a grim line of determination. “Let me finish. Just in case she is not there, and her parents have no information on her whereabouts, I will have Enon send you the herbs with the instructions.”
Devon nodded his own agreement. “I like that plan.”
Kieran turned his gaze to him as if he’d just betrayed him. He sighed at him and raised his hand in an attempt to placate his anger. He could not allow him to risk his life when they were just hours away from Rachel’s home.
Marcus’s hand smacked down on the table. “All right, Dylan. Start there, and I will also contact your Alpha and thank him for the time and letting you help us out as well as double check that it is okay for you to work with these two.” He glanced at them to indicate whom he meant.
Devon felt the same dread filling him as Kieran. He hurried his steps to the door so they could find their mate. The feeling that she was in danger plagued him, and the sooner he had her safe in his arms, the better.
Chapter Eight
Hours later, Devon followed the directions Dylan had written out to get to Dean and Karen Dawson’s ranch outside Sunset, Texas. He pulled off the blacktop to a smaller county road that opened to ranchland where cattle and horses grazed. Kieran sat next to him, brooding. Devon didn’t need any sort of empathy to feel the tension coming off him.
“What if she starts screaming and runs off again?”
“Then we’ll catch her.” He could tell Kieran was still angry that they had shut down his plan. Devon held on to the herbs to make sure his friend didn’t decide to go off half cocked by himself.
Kieran knocked on the tinted window lightly. “She really doesn’t know what she is.” His tone was incredulous. Devon understood his disbelief. It was unheard of for a channel to be unaware of her extraordinary ability. Normally they were proud, not terrified.
“Nope. It’s a miracle no supernaturals with nefarious plans have found her before now.” Devon paused. “Perhaps Joe sensed something about her. It explains why he even spoke with her and gave her an invitation.” Owen had punished Joe and taken his rights to invite humans. At first look, there was no evidence of supernatural beings in her bloodlines, but adoption records don’t turn up in their background checks. They only followed her adoptive parents’ bloodlines, which were completely human.
The driveway to the ranch appeared before them as they crested a hill. Devon turned the rented pick-up truck onto the gravel entry. “I thought this was a driveway. It looks like another road.” The wheels rumbled over the grates that kept cattle from walking off the property and they followed the curved driveway the full quarter mile up to the house.
“Wow. There must be hundreds of acres here, and that brick house is more like a mansion.” Kieran’s gaze searched the horizon for any sign of their wayward mate, but all they saw were children’s battery operated toy jeeps and tractors. A large swing set with a climbing wall, and clubhouse above the slide sat on the side of the house, as well as a trampoline and large, rectangle pool.
Devon glanced over to the toys before his gaze turned to Kieran. “I didn’t realize she had younger siblings, as well.”
“Me either. She’d only mentioned a teenage sister and a brother to me.” Kieran opened the truck’s door and walked toward the three-story brick home.
Before he could knock, a young blonde woman wearing a blue roper western shirt an
d denim jeans opened the door. She was cradling a crying toddler, while a child who looked about five years of age stood in the doorway, covered in catsup and chocolate. The woman’s belly swelled with the evidence of an early pregnancy. “Hi, can I help you?” she asked with a distinct Texas drawl.
Devon nodded at her as Kieran flashed her his best “we’re both harmless” smile. “Hello, ma’am.” Devon added a bit of compulsion to his voice to win the female’s trust easier. She visibly relaxed and her smile widened in response.
“We’re looking for Rachel Dawson. Her parents, Dean and Karen, live here, I believe.”
The young mom shook her head. “I’m sorry. They don’t live here anymore. They sold us the ranch about two months ago.”
Devon knew this was going too easy, and the children’s toys didn’t fit with a couple with older children. “I am so sorry to take up your time, ma’am.”
“Kate, call me Kate.”
“Kate,” Devon repeated with a smile. He deepened the compulsion in his voice. “Do you have any idea where they moved to?”
“Hmm.” She glanced off into the distance, as she appeared to think. “I’m not really sure. They were wanting to downsize to a smaller ranch. All I know for sure is that they stayed in Texas.”
That could still be anywhere. Texas was a huge state, bigger than some countries out there. He smiled anyways and winked at the chocolate covered child. “Thank you for your time, Kate.” Devon felt the disappointment flooding his heart. With a recent move, it could take a while for records to appear. All the while his mate was out there alone and vulnerable.
“We’ll find her,” Kieran vowed as they walked down the steps and back to their truck.
Once Devon got back into the truck, he paused. “Let’s take the truck back, and fly out to Sam’s pack. Most records are computerized, so we can work from his office in Shadetree.”
“Are there any airports in Shadetree?”
“No, but I saw that there were a couple of small ones in Paris. We’ll charter a flight there and rent a car and meet up with Sam and Dylan this evening.”
And then we’ll find our little sub and spank her ass red for running, after she screams our names in pleasure. Kieran had no doubt they would find her. He wasn’t going to stop looking, either.
Chapter Nine
Rachel helped to clear the table after the barbecue chicken and potato salad supper her mom had made. Dean wiped his face with a wet wipe one more time before picking up his own plate to scrape the bones in the trash. Her mom, Karen, rinsed the dishes before setting them in the dishwasher.
Her dad wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck. “Magnificent supper as usual.”
She backed farther into the dining room to give her parents a bit of privacy. Her mouth opened in an O of surprise when her dad grabbed her mom’s hair and pulled her head back, and then he took her mouth in a passionate kiss.
“I can’t tell you how happy it made me to see you wearing the clothing I picked out for you.”
“I thought about wearing something else to get a spanking.” She’d never heard that sultry tone of voice from her mom before.
Her dad lifted his hand and his hand came down on her ass with a loud whack. “Good girls get spankings and kisses after the kids are in bed.”
She turned and walked away, suddenly feeling guilty for intruding on a private scene. Her parents were into some of the same stuff she was. The scene would have been exciting to see just a few months ago. Now, it was a reminder of what she’d lost. She sat down at the table and put her head in her hands. Her heart hurt all over again over the loss of Devon and Kieran. Her throat felt tight as tears fell down her face. She’d spent days crying, which was silly. She’d barely known them. She’d had sex with them once, but she was acting like a woman who lost the love of her life. She’d broken up with boyfriends before and felt nothing more than a passing sadness. This felt like someone she loved died. It physically hurt her heart to be away from them like this.
“You’re quieter than usual.” Her dad came up behind her. “You feeling okay, pumpkin?”
She wiped her eyes, stood up, and hoped her eyes were clear. If she’d been caught crying again, he’d be suspicious. “Yeah, Dad, I’m fine. I’m just tired.”
Dean stared into her eyes and then his eyes roamed over her face. “You look like you’ve been hit by a Mack truck.”
Tears started to fill her eyes again. She wasn’t normally this weepy, and her dad would know something was very wrong with her. A bit of truth would help keep her dad from asking too many questions. “I got my heart broken, Daddy. I thought I found the one, and it fell apart suddenly.”
“Aw.” Her dad pulled her into a hug. “I know this sounds too simple, but if it is meant to be, it will work out, one way or another.”
“And if it isn’t a traditional relationship?” She cringed at the question. Would her dad flip out if he knew she loved two men?
“There are many kinds of happy couples these days. As long as you’re happy and safe, then I’m sure we would adapt to anything you could throw at us.”
She looked up at her dad. How had she missed how open her parents were? A few memories hit her as she hugged her dad. Handcuffs in the house, riding crops in the house instead of in the barn, and her mom crying out in pain then pleasure when they thought everyone was asleep. Perhaps she’d underestimated her parents. “Thank you, Dad. I doubt that you will have to worry about adapting to anything though. It’s over.”
Dean leaned down and kissed her forehead. “Give it some time. Allow your heart to heal and see what happens.” He grabbed his tea and walked into the TV room to watch whatever sport was playing that night.
* * * *
The smell of fresh cut hay and the sun-warmed earth comforted Rachel in ways that Yerel never could. She stared up at the stars and marveled at the vastness of space. Devon and Kieran were under these very same stars somewhere. Did they miss her as much as she missed them? Did their chests also ache with the pain of loss?
Every time she checked her cell phone, she’d seen the missed calls and texts from Marcus, Logan, Anna, and even a few unknown numbers. The pain overwhelmed her and she burst out in loud, soul crushing sobs. She lost most of her world and she couldn’t get it back. Visions of what the Lycans did to those that threatened their packs stopped her every time she thought to return a text or call.
Her logic told her that if Marcus couldn’t find her, neither could Mortef. No one but Anna knew anything about her family, and Anna would never betray her to someone like him. Still, she couldn’t risk her family. She would have to leave soon. Somehow, she had to convince them that she was just going back. This felt wrong and unfair to her. She’d not done anything wrong, yet she had to suffer the consequences for some jackass, evil Vampire thinking she was some sort of weapon.
Suddenly, she calmed and a deep lethargy fell over her like a heavy blanket. What is happening to me? Has Mortef found me and is holding me still? She panted in terror until soft, familiar lips caressed the skin around her neck. “I should have bitten you when I had the chance, love.” Her heart skipped a beat when she recognized his lips and voice. When she opened her eyes, Kieran’s gentle, open face filled her vision. His intense blue eyes studied her face for a moment before he lowered his lips to hers. The kiss took her breath away and her aching heart sang for joy. The piece of her heart that felt like it had been ripped away was whole again. With a final gentle caress of his lips against hers, Kieran ended the kiss, and he raised up on his elbow. She could feel his body holding hers in place in the high grass. “I’ve missed you, darlin’.”
“Oh, I have missed you, too.” She burst into tears once again as the pain she’d tried to hold came flooding out.
“Shh, love. Don’t cry. It’s okay now. I found you and everything is going to be okay.”
“I’ve been miserable without you.” She wrapped her arms around him and pressed her lips to his again. The feeling of two perf
ect pieces coming together once again filled her as she wiggled her legs out from underneath him and wrapped her legs around him.
He lifted and his blue eyes changed color and she could see the reddish hue in his eyes. “You’re ours, Rachel. You can try to run, but we will find you.”
Sadness flooded Rachel’s heart. “It’s best if you forget me, Kieran. I love you so much, but—I’m not—” Another painful sob escaped as she prepared to say her good-byes to him. “I’m not good.”
Kieran studied her face for a moment. “How can you say that? You are so very good, darlin’.” She saw the hurt in Kieran’s eyes and guilt swamped her that she was the cause of his pain.
“I killed people, Kieran.”
Confusion clouded his eyes. “When? I can’t see you killing a fly, much less a person.”
“When Mortef had me in Anna’s old house. I killed them and Mortef said I was a perfect weapon for him.”
Rage filled his face and he pulled her close to him. He sat up and pulled her into his lap. Her tears continued to fall as he rocked her back and forth. After a few moments, he brushed his lips over her forehead. “Is that what you think? Do you really think you killed those people?”
She nodded and swallowed as the faces of her victims floated through her vision once again.
“Oh no, you didn’t do a thing, but I won’t be able to convince you telepathically. I can only show you how much Devon and I love you.”
Kieran kissed her once again, and she felt the love he held for her. Once he ended the kiss again, she said, “How can you love me, when you barely know me?”
“You’re our soul mate. Even if you weren’t, I would love you. Your heart is as beautiful as your body, darlin’.” His voice rang with sincerity and he smiled as if it was that simple.
Her heart melted at his words. Her very own Thor could lay on the southern charm as thick as his accent. As much as it crushed her heart to let him go, she had to. He was a good man that deserved someone who wasn’t damaged. “Lots of people say that they’re soul mates. It still takes time to get to know one another.”
Vampires' Embrace [Southern Supernatural Alphas] (Siren Publishing Menage Amour) Page 10
