by Sydney Addae
Mélange shrugged. “For the record, I had no knowledge of your daughter’s disappearance until you mentioned it and that is the last thing I’ll say on the matter.”
Chapter 23
Countdown clock: 44 hours remaining.
“What do you mean Renee’s girlfriend is in town?” Jasmine asked Silas when he returned to their rooms.
“Asia just had a fight with her and –”
“What? Why?” She stared at him.
“Asia recognized her –”
“Recognized her? From a flight or something?”
Silas placed both hands on her shoulders and shook her gently. “Let me talk.”
She pushed his hands off and took a step back. “Okay.”
He told her how Asia remembered the woman from a past battle and that when she saw her assumed she had been involved –”
“Because Asia left her to die, I remember that. She’d been after the bracelet for a client and Asia…well, it was bad. But this woman didn’t know about Sarita?”
“She didn’t know Sarita had been kidnapped,” Silas corrected. He explained how both women had been altered and trained by the Liege. “Like Asia, Mélange is a highly trained assassin, Jasmine. Her courtship of Renee has been fast and furious. I just hope it’s not a ploy to get at someone else.”
Jasmine sat down hard on the sofa, her hands clasped between her legs. Her mind raced with possibilities. “What are we going to do?” She looked up at him. “How do I explain this to my sister?”
Silas knelt in front of her. “I can make her disappear, Renee will never hear from her again.”
“Is that why you’re having her brought here? To make a decision to kill her or not?” She met his green gaze and wondered how she could ask that question without flinching or guilt. This was a person’s life and they discussed ending it as if they had that right. Her conscious faltered beneath the anger of her sister being targeted in such a cruel manner.
“Not really. I wanted you to meet her, talk to her, and if you think she deliberately used Renee... I’m not sure what we’ll do.” He stared at her.
Jasmine had the feeling he meant something more than what he said. She rehashed his sentence a few times and then gasped. “You think they’re mated?” Her heart leapt at the idea, to be able to talk, really talk to Renee would be awesome. But how would her sister feel?
“It’s the only reason I can think of, unless Renee’s shared something with you that would make that less true.”
Jasmine frowned and reviewed what Renee told her that night. Damn, her memories were fuzzy from all the wine. “Renee doesn’t know she’s here, that I do know.”
“That’s another point, if Mélange recognizes Renee as her mate, she wouldn’t be able to remain in St. Louis, especially if they haven’t bonded. Her beast would make her follow to watch over Renee, even at a distance.”
“Wow, Renee mated to a full-blood?” She looked at him.
“Yes, an older one who’s very smart, talented, and has been abused by the Liege. After you meet her, let me know if you want to tell your sister, or if Mélange disappears.” He brushed a kiss against her lips and stood. “She’s in the dungeon. No one other than those who brought her in knows her name. Asia, Angus and the twins knows she’s Renee’s lover, but no one else, not until you decide what to do with her.” He extended his hand. She accepted it and had an irrational desire to check her appearance before meeting her sister’s…never mind. Silas opened the door and they headed toward the elevator on their way to the dungeon.
Byte ran around the corner and rubbed against Jasmine. Smiling she bent at the waist and rubbed his head. “Who’s a good boy? You’re a good boy, that’s who.”
He purred beneath her hand and then ran in a tight circle as if he’d catch his short tail. “Stupid dog,” Silas muttered.
Byte stopped running and growled at him.
Jasmine laughed.
Byte started running in his tight circle again. When the elevator arrived, Byte ran back toward the nursery to stand guard.
“Brat,” Silas said, pointing at the dog and then laughed. “That’s one ugly mutt. Whoever heard of a blue speckled Rottweiler mixed with something unrecognizable?”
She pushed his shoulder. “Be nice, he’s adorable once you get to know him and he loves the kids.”
“Yeah that’s the only reason I put up with his blatant disrespect, you heard him growl at me.” He took her hand and kissed the back of it.
“Yes, but only after you called him stupid, which proves he’s not.” The elevator stopped. In much better spirits, she walked down the corridor listening to Silas complain about Byte.
Asia and Angus met them. Jasmine noticed Asia hadn’t healed completely, and for some reason that made her feel a little better about Mélange. If she was Renee’s mate, knowing the woman could protect her sister meant a lot.
“She knows you’re coming to talk with her,” Angus said. “She hasn’t spoken since she left the hotel. Neither Asia nor I can scan her thoughts. This necklace is an upgrade from anything the Liege made.”
“She worked for them a while and would have contacts,” Asia said.
Jasmine stepped around him and walked forward. When Asia followed, she stopped. “I want to talk to her in private.”
“Yes, Mistress.” Asia stepped back.
Jasmine retraced her steps and looked at Angus, Silas and Asia. “I want a private conversation with her,” she stressed, looking at each of them.
“You want us to leave you alone with her?” Angus asked.
“Yes.”
Angus looked at Silas and then Asia. “Yes, Ma’am.” He left.
Asia followed.
Silas leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. “Don’t tear the building down. You’re holding the ace card.”
“What?”
“Renee. Full-bloods lose all sense of self-preservation when it comes to our mates. Believe me, I know.”
“That rocks both ways, Wolfie. Now scoot, I need to find out what her intentions are with my sister.” Turning, she waved him away, and then jumped when he smacked her bottom.
“See you soon, Sweet Bitch.”
Jasmine typed in her code, pressed her palm on the security panel and the door opened. Inside, there were three separate cells, all empty, except one. The last time she’d visited the dungeon, she’d talked to Julie and Siseria, two human breeders sworn to destroy Silas and who wanted her to join their cause.
She took the chair in front of Mélange’s cell and blinked. Renee’s pictures of the stunning woman didn’t do her justice. Either she healed a lot faster or she’d gotten the best of Asia, there were no visible marks on her.
“My sister’s mentioned you.”
Mélange spun around. She opened her mouth and then snapped it shut.
Jasmine fixed the skirt of her navy and white polka dotted dress,[v] crossed her legs and placed both of her hands on her lap. “Renee doesn’t know about our world. It’s been really hard keeping this secret. She’ll be angry when she discovers everyone in our family knows about the Wolf Nation except her.” Jasmine paused at that understatement. “You know how she goes on and on about new cultures. It’s been too dangerous to share, afraid she’d slip and say something in her excitement.”
Mélange smiled and then erased it.
“Renee has no idea you’re in town. The other night when she talked about you, her eyes lit with excitement and her smile brightened the room. Finally, I thought. Finally, my sister’s found love, someone who won’t try to change her, who accepts her for the quirky, wonderful woman she is. I’m happy for her.”
Mélange’s eyes flared but she didn’t speak.
“I don’t know how she’ll take seeing you in a cage or how you’ll explain all of this to her, but that’s not my job. It may take her a while for her to forgive me for not sharing a secret that wasn’t mine to share, but you don’t have that excuse.” Jasmine stood. “Security will bring her down i
n five minutes.”
Mélange’s skin whitened as she moved to the bars. “No! Please, not like this. She won’t understand why I followed her. I’ll have to tell her everything, she’s not ready.”
“Don’t you mean you’re not ready?” Jasmine said, noting Mélange’s now red cheeks and hand wringing.
“No, you’re right, I’m not ready to see her. I can’t see her hate or despise me.” She held her hands in front of her, they shook. Mélange balled them into a fist. “Goddess, I hate this.”
“Why would Renee hate you?”
Mélange’s eyes widened and then narrowed. “Because I’m a damn machine with metal legs and arms, and a wolf. Only a very small part of me is human. Why would she want someone as damaged as me?”
“Do you plan to release her for another woman?”
“No!” Mélange yelled. Her wolf flashed in her eyes. “I can’t do that either.”
“You can’t love her from a distance but are afraid to love her up close?” When Mélange turned her back, Jasmine sighed.
“Sorry, what you want means nothing to me, I’m here to make sure you’re Renee’s mate. I’m willing to deal with the fallout of her knowing about Silas, La Patron, and everything, but you’re going to tell her. As her mate, that falls on you. Prepare yourself for the most important conversation of your life. If memory serves me correctly, full-bloods cannot survive without their mates, but humans can walk away. Silas hates that part of the deal.” Jasmine turned and walked out, ignoring Mélange’ pleading her to change her mind.
Chapter 24
Countdown clock: 43 hours remaining
“The body in the woods has been identified as Velris Fresm. According to preliminary reports, he’s been dead over 24 hours. We’ll have a closer time of death once they get him back to the morgue,” Tyrese told Asia and Angus.
“How’s that possible?” Asia looked at Tyrese and then Angus. “We picked up Fresm’s scent this morning at Trant’s.”
“A faint scent. What if he’d been there earlier and then left?” Angus turned to one of the trainees. “Get the tag information on Fresm’s car, send it to every security station in the state and the surrounding ones too. That may’ve been his car seen leaving the apartment complex this morning, no telling where it’s headed.”
Asia shook her head. “But what happened to Trant? Did she disappear too?” Tyrese and Angus looked at her. In an effort to make sense of the facts, her thoughts collided and then danced apart. “We have her entering her home, but not leaving. Sounds familiar?” she yelled, and then closed her eyes. A persistent throb in her head added to the clinging pain in her heart. “Goddess where is my baby?” she prayed.
“Asia,” Tyrese said in a quiet voice.
She held up her hand. Nothing made sense, they were missing something, and she knew it but couldn’t focus. “No…just give me a minute.”
“Asia,” Hawke said. “Rest for a few minutes. I feel your exhaustion.”
“I can’t. What if…what if she’s calling for me someplace? I need to be available just in case we get a lead –”
“If anything develops, I’ll wake you. Come home, let’s rest so we can search for our baby together. Come to me,” Hawke said.
Tempted to give in to the warmth in his voice, Asia looked at Tyrese and Angus. The concern in their gazes raked across her nerves. After all the surgeries, being buried alive, and then returned to the land of the living, fighting crazy priests, fear had never tasted this bitter cold and debilitating. Numb over the possibility of truly losing Sarita, her disjointed thoughts kept her teetered on the edge, just shy of melting down. During the entire fight with Mélange she hadn’t cared if she won or lost, she simply wanted to feel something. Anything.
“I’m coming for you,” Hawke said.
She turned and took a seat. Head bent, she placed her fingertips against her lips. “I shouldn’t have attacked Mélange, in my anger I may have jeopardized our chances of finding Sarita.”
“I don’t think she has anything to do with that,” Angus said, sitting in the chair next to hers. “You did what you needed to do, lash out. Now you’re tired, get some rest.”
Her gaze slid to Tyrese, who had taken the seat next to Angus. “She kicked my ass, didn’t she?”
Tyrese’s lips curled. “Let’s just say you didn’t kick hers.”
Asia agreed. “Liege altered her as well, legs, arms, no telling what else. But she knows things, things that might help us which she may not share. Especially if she loses Renee.” She met their gazes. “Like I said, I fucked up.”
“Whatever happens between my aunt and Mélange is on them, not you. The Goddess will help us find Sarita,” Tyrese said with confidence.
Touched by his words, she smiled.
Hawked strode into the room, nodded at Angus and Tyrese. “Come, I’m tired and need you to rest.”
“Liar, you don’t need me to rest, but I’ll let it pass. I’m exhausted.” Standing, she nodded at Angus and Tyrese.
“You’re wrong, I need you more than you could know.” Hawke extended his hand. Taking it she saw the pain and disappointment in the depths of his eyes and knew they desperately needed to reconnect. “Damian?”
“I’ve spent time with him, he’s functioning…barely. Working with his team helps. Come, let’s go, I need you,” Hawke said as she squeezed his hand.
“We’ll keep Hawke updated,” Angus said as she walked out the room.
Angus looked at Tyrese. “Asia made a valid point, what happened to Trant? Fresm is dead. I’m willing to bet that someone drove his car from the apartment. Who? Why?”
“And where is Ms. Trant?” Tyrese said again.
“People don’t just disappear,” Angus said sitting forward with his hands clasped together on the desk. “First Sarita, now Ms. Trant, and all beneath the noses of our security team.” He paused. “Which could be a motive.”
Tyrese stared at him. “What? To prove they can steal someone and we can’t stop them?”
The words rocked Angus, he hadn’t thought that far, but the words made more sense than what he’d first thought. “Let’s hope not, but that raises several points. Think about this another way. Asia asked the question. How could Trant walk into her home and someone else leave?” He stared at Tyrese, watched the struggle on his face.
“I don’t know.”
“I could do it. So could Asia,” Angus said softly.
Tyrese’s mouth opened and snapped shut. “Fuck!” He shook his head and sat forward. “Chameleon? But you’re the one who made them.”
Angus nodded as the idea took root, blossomed and answered every question he’d raised since the kidnapping. Why hadn’t he thought of it before? Because every bracelet he ever made was accounted for. Someone else had learned the secrets of the crystals.
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean no one else couldn’t, it’s highly improbable, but not impossible. First off, it’d be someone from my clan or line, no other pack can create anything with this type of crystal.”
Tyrese met his gaze. “That would be so fucked up, but I can see how using a chameleon, someone could enter the school as Ms. Trant.” He shook his head. “They would’ve placed one on Sarita, which meant she exchanged bodies with one of her classmates.” He pulled out the keyboard and tapped a few keys. After a few minutes he released a long sigh. “Sarita and Cyndy, the little girl whose father’s missing, were in the bathroom near the same time.” He continued looking at the monitor. “Nope, no sign of Sarita after that. Damn, what happened to Cyndy’s body?”
Dark certainty gripped Angus. Someone from his clan perpetrated this crime, but who? The Black Wolves had become so fractured through the years without an Alpha’s daily guidance, many left to seek their own way. He recalled a conversation he had with Ulric, the Alpha of the Black Wolf Clan not long ago.
“Another pup was taken earlier today,” Ulric said through clenched teeth.
“I am aware of that. From your beta’s den, I un
derstand,” Angus said with sympathy. A wolf’s den was sacred; no one should’ve been able to penetrate his safeguards.
Ulric slapped his balled fist into his palm and walked back and forth a few times. “How can I lead if I cannot protect them? I flounder like a pup seeking a teat. Those bastards are winning. How? How are they doing it? They appear and disappear like ghosts. How’s that possible?”
Angus’ heart clenched at the despair in the man’s voice, but he had no idea how to explain what happened. Baffled, he met Ulric’s gaze and remained silent.
“What…what would your Alpha do?” With a look of defeat, he stared at Angus.
The idea of anyone breaking into Silas’ compound and surviving long enough to get to the nursery was daunting. But if they made it that far, and neutralized the security detail that remained on duty twenty-four hours, that person would deal with either Jasmine, Victoria, Rose, or one of the nurses who were trained security bitches as well. A battle of epic proportions would break out, and that’s before Silas arrived. Jasmine would be a force to reckon with if anyone came near her babies.
Rather than explain the bloodbath that would follow such an attempt, he cleared his throat and kept his face neutral. “I cannot imagine what he would not do if one of his pups were taken. I can only say life as we know it would change in a nanosecond.”
“Would he hunt down the Liege? Destroy them in their beds? Start a war with the humans? How far? How far would he go to find his pups? To protect his den?”
Angus swallowed and blinked back the image of an out of control Silas. “There is nothing he would not do. The Liege would pray for death by the time his mate found them and she would. La Patron and his mate would not rest until they found their pups.”
“And the parties responsible for taking their pups?” Ulric pressed. “What happens to them?”
Angus released a breath. “They’d die.” He didn’t bother to add, they’d die horribly without mercy. Ulric understood.
This was Jasmine, Asia and Hawke’s current mindset. He’d read certain death in Hawke’s eyes, his fury no less than Silas’ would be. Instead of hunting down the Liege, they’d hunt one of their own. David’s words slammed into him. “It’s one of our own…” Grandfather had told them in the beginning, but they didn’t understand and had wasted precious time.
