by Aline Hunter
“Here’s what we’re going to do.” Emory made sure it wasn’t an order, knowing he had to walk a tight fucking line as he moved toward Diskant and rested a hand on his shoulder. “You’re going to phone the guards posted around your building. If Ava went anywhere they’d have to have seen her, right?”
To Emory’s relief Diskant’s eyes became coherent, meaning the man was finally taking control from the feral creatures who attacked first and asked questions later. “Yes,” he said, pulling out his phone, “they would.” He glanced at the screen and cursed. “The fucking thing is off! I forgot to turn it on before I left the house. Son of a bitch!”
“While you call, I’m going to get dressed.” Emory hiked his chin in Mary’s direction. “Why don’t we leave the room and give my mate a bit of privacy?”
Diskant glanced at Mary, frowning as he realized where he was and what he’d done. He started to say something but must have decided against it, spinning on his heel to leave. Emory didn’t immediately follow, waiting until the Omega disappeared around the corner to look at his mate.
Emory walked to the nearby dresser to retrieve the clothing he’d stored inside. He yanked out a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, pulled them on and retrieved a matching pair of socks.
“Why don’t you get a bath and relax?” he suggested as he sat at the edge of the bed and yanked on his boots. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“Why don’t you tell me what’s going on first?” She moved close, touching his back.
“I’m not sure.” He sighed, closing his eyes as her fingers breezed over his neck. “But something must have happened to Ava.”
“I kind of figured that.” She rested her hand on his shoulder. “Where do you think she went? Do you think she’s been hurt?”
“For Diskant’s sake I hope not. If something happens to her, there’s no telling what he’ll do.”
She glanced at the door. “He does seem to be a few sandwiches short of a picnic.”
He wanted to smile or laugh but the circumstances prevented him from doing so. The more he thought about it, the more his intuition warned him Ava had gotten herself into some serious trouble—trouble she might not survive or escape. If something happened to Diskant’s mate, the male probably wouldn’t last. They were bloodbonded, after all.
Connected in life and death…
As if the pack hadn’t already suffered enough.
He shook off what he wasn’t ready to consider. “I won’t be long.”
“I could come with you. Maybe I can help.”
He turned, staring at his mate. Even now she continued to amaze him. She’d been through so much but continued to worry for others.
He shook his head. “I want you to stay here. Calls have to be made and I need to find out what’s going on.” When she frowned at him he winked. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. That’s my job.”
He nuzzled her hand, breathing in her scent. If something happened to her he’d be as crazed as Diskant. She was his other half, the only person who would ever complete him. He wouldn’t survive the loss—he didn’t want to. He rose from the bed, pulling away from her grasp. As he walked from the room he braced himself. Until the pack arrived, he’d have to make sure Diskant didn’t lose his collective shit.
So much easier said than done.
Chapter Ten
Diskant Black was fighting a losing battle. His beasts were restless, trying to overtake the man. They too felt the loss of Ava’s presence in his mind. The absence was devastating, making him believe the worst. But he couldn’t be a heartbroken pussy, crying in his Wheaties instead of taking control. He had to be strong, to figure out what had happened to his mate. Then he’d bring her home, tan her pretty little ass and chain her to the bed.
He continued pushing the strongest animals inside of him away—the wolf, cat and grizzly—listening to the voice on the other end of the phone. There was finally a chip in Zach’s armor, a panic when he relayed the news. Diskant heard the words but it took several seconds to put them together. Ava and Trey had gone to the store down the street ten minutes before. The men on the rooftops didn’t realize something was wrong until it was too late. They were unable to get a visual but knew something had happened because the police showed up minutes later.
Diskant ended the call without saying goodbye, scrolled through his phonebook and dialed Kinsley MacGregor. Ironically enough, he’d just left the Alpha panther’s home after discussing security in the area.
Diskant didn’t want to leave his home but what he wanted might not matter. His location put him and the pack at risk, no matter how many guards he posted around the area. His pride had gotten in the way of common fucking sense.
Kinsley answered on the second ring. “Just can’t leave me alone, can you? What do you want this time?” His Scottish brogue was thick, his vowels extended.
“There was an altercation at the convenience store down the street. Trey and Ava went inside and didn’t come out. I need you to contact your sources at the police department and find out what you can.”
“Bloody hell,” Kinsley muttered. “I’m on it.”
The line went dead and Diskant ended the call, taking deep breaths. He glanced up when Emory walked into the kitchen. The newly mated male had gotten dressed. Diskant felt the brush of Emory’s wolf, could sense it reaching out to his. It was a damn good thing Emory was a born Alpha and managed to reach through to Diskant when he had. Otherwise…
Hell, who knew what might have happened.
“Ava and Trey went to Becker’s,” Diskant said, knowing Emory was familiar with the store. “Something happened while they were inside.”
“Trey?” Emory went still. “He’s with her?”
Shit. In his worry for Ava, Diskant hadn’t considered how Emory would react to the news his brother might be in trouble. Before he could respond his cell rang, the shrill noise echoing inside the kitchen. Diskant answered the call and placed the phone to his ear.
“Talk to me.”
“The police have a report of an assault on a wee female,” Kinsley said, talking quickly. “Apparently a man dragged her out the back with another male in pursuit. Everyone was too frightened to follow but a passerby reported seeing a van leaving the premises.”
“What aren’t you telling me?”
“The man who took Ava.” Kinsley took a deep breath. “The manager said he was dressed like a cowboy. That sort of attire does draw attention around here.”
Diskant snarled, his temperature rising.
Shepherds. Here. In his city.
“Contact the prides,” he growled. “Tell them what happened and instruct them to send out patrols in their areas. The fuckers are back in the city. We have to alert everyone.”
“Anything else?’
“Keep me up to speed on what the police find. We need to stay one step ahead of them.”
“Consider it done.”
Diskant hung up and had started scrolling through his phonebook again when he heard Emory talking. He lifted his head, listening to Emory’s conversation on the landline.
“Warn the pack, put them on alert and get your ass here.” Emory returned the phone to the receiver and turned to Diskant. “Nathan’s going to contact the pack and head over. You need him right now.”
What an understatement. Without Ava, his grip was slowly slipping. As a Beta, Nathan could help him alleviate his anger. He took deep breaths, collecting his thoughts. Ava wasn’t dead. Shepherds wouldn’t kill her if they could use her as leverage. He just had to be patient. Ava had to be unconscious, that was the only way to sever their mental connection. When she came to, he’d be able to find out where she was.
It was only a matter of time.
“I brought you something,” Emory said, holding out the map Trey had warned him about. “Mary said her parents gave this to her as a way to avoid members of her family.”
Diskant opened the map, eyes darting over the marked areas. Jesus, they were everywhere. He la
id the paper on the dining room table and pointed at one of the markings. “What are these?”
“Where Shepherds reside. I’d wager they’re the locations of compounds.”
He froze, stunned as he stared at the map. If what Emory said was true, shifters had just gained an enormous advantage over the hunters who wanted to destroy them.
“You’re certain?” Be certain.
“I am.”
“We have to contact the Alphas in nearby areas,” Diskant said, studying the map as he started formulating a plan. The packs could catch Shepherds off guard, using surprise to eliminate the compounds at the same time. It would take a lot of preparation but if it worked it would change everything. “They need to know what we’ve found.”
“Agreed.” Emory leaned over the table, studying the map as well. “I’ll have Nathan work on a list of the exact locations.”
Diskant nodded. “We need to make copies.”
“Tell me what you’re thinking.”
Diskant had to restrain the feral creatures inside of him as he spoke, forcing them to submit to his will. “Ava is alive. I’d feel it if something happened to her. That means the Shepherds who took her want something. They’ll be contacting us soon to negotiate terms.” He tapped the paper. “We can use this as leverage.”
“If you tell Shepherds about this, they’ll spread the word. Once they relocate the information will become meaningless.”
Like hell. “Not if we strike while the iron is hot.” Diskant ripped his eyes away from the table and looked at Emory. “I’m going to contact the Alphas in our area and instruct them to reach out to the prides and packs. In turn they can dispatch shifters to investigate and take out any compounds they find. If we attack each location within forty-eight hours the odds are they won’t have time to warn anyone.”
Emory didn’t seem convinced. “How do you figure that? The minute they get wind of what we’re doing they’ll scatter.”
“No they won’t.” Diskant grinned menacingly, revealing his fangs, his beasts eager for blood. After they found his mate, the war was on. “Because they’ll all be dead.”
* * * * *
Trey came to awareness when he landed on an unforgiving surface. His head was swimming, making simple thoughts hard to latch on to. A loud click resonated in his ears, making the pounding in his temples a thousand times worse. Instinctively he took a deep breath. The air was earthy and dank, indicating he was underground.
Where in the hell was he? How had he gotten here?
The events that put him in a precarious situation returned: the store, a van, Shepherds.
Ava.
He held his breath when he heard low male voices, listening carefully to their hushed conversation.
“Keep this one caged. If things don’t go according to plan, we’ll need him.”
“Are we going to keep him sedated?”
“It’s probably best. We don’t want any problems.”
Problems. Shit.
He released the breath he was holding, relaxed and dredged in a lungful of air. Ava’s scent was sweet, like cinnamon and sugar. He searched for that unique fragrance, sifting through the stink of stale water from rusty pipes, the musky scent of dirt and the individual scents of the Shepherds in the room. For a moment he caught a small whiff of what he was searching for, but the smell was faint.
Damn. Was he picking up her scent off the Shepherds’ clothing? Or was she somewhere close by?
The shuffling of feet told him he couldn’t open his eyes to get a layout of the place. If they realized he was awake they’d put him under. This was so not fucking good. Diskant would go crazy when he discovered Ava had been taken. Her safety was now Trey’s responsibility. No matter what happened, he had to make sure he got her out alive.
Even if that meant dying in the process.
Remorse flowed through him, staggering in its intensity. There was a very real possibility he could die, his life cut short when he’d finally found a reason to greet each day. Images of Sadie flooded his mind, combined with a crushing weight in his chest. He wanted to find her, talk to her and pick up where they had left off. Now he didn’t know if it was possible or if he’d ever see her again.
Anger rolled through him, and he wasn’t aware he was growling until he heard someone striding in his direction. Trey opened his eyes and stared through the bars of the cage he was trapped inside, meeting the gaze of a Shepherd with a gun in his hand. He snarled and prepared to stand and the gun went off, sending a dart directly into the center of his chest.
Still woozy and off balance, Trey sank back to the ground, shaking his head. He tried to keep his eyes open, knowing there was no time to waste. Instead his lids drifted closed and his arms became heavy.
Just before he surrendered to oblivion, he allowed himself one final recollection of the mate he’d lost but never truly had. She’d been like a wounded fallen angel staring down at him, her blue eyes reflecting the misery he’d caused her. He wished he could take it back, if only to see the pain replaced with the desire.
He sank into a dark void, no longer able to fight the drug rushing through his bloodstream. As he did, he repeated her name in his mind, holding on to it like an anchor.
Sadie, Sadie, Sadie…
Chapter Eleven
Sadie.
The desperation in Trey’s voice disrupted her dream, jolting Sadie from a sound sleep. The dream seemed so real—too real. The way he said her name, as though he was saying goodbye, made her stomach churn. If he could reach out to her while she slept their connection was stronger than she’d thought. He was in danger, she could feel it.
Blessed Goddess.
She rolled from her bed and rushed to her wardrobe. During Trey’s absence she had monitored a small group of Shepherds that had come into the area. Some of them had taken to wearing clothing that allowed them to blend in with the residents of the city, moving into homes in lower-class areas to remain undetected. But most city residents didn’t wear cowboy boots, and “yes ma’am” and “no ma’am” weren’t common phrases used in New York.
Shepherds stood out if you looked closely, even if they tried to hide among the masses.
Could one of the groups hurt him? Take him somewhere? Had he dropped his guard long enough to let them get their hands on him? Granted, she hadn’t thought the delusional hunters were a threat just yet. Just shy of a half-dozen, they couldn’t possibly take out the shifters surrounding them. It would be suicide to try.
Damn it. You stumbled onto them by accident. How could Trey have possibly known they were in New York?
Why hadn’t she warned him when she had the chance? He could have told Diskant Black, who would have made sure the shifters under his protection were properly prepared. Why had she neglected to share something so important?
Because you were angry, and you ran from him like a scorned lover.
Her blood ran cold as her fangs descended, brushing against her lower lip—a result of her rising anger. If someone harmed him, they’d pay in blood. If anyone was going to inflict damage on Trey’s gorgeous body, it would be her. His words had hurt, lancing her chest, but she didn’t want him dead.
She’d just managed to slide into a pair of leather pants and pull a sweater over her head when one of her coven walked in. After she glanced up to confirm the identity of her guest, she continued getting ready. Leigh didn’t ask questions, she simply watched as Sadie went about her usual routine, fitting weapons into the sheaths on her legs before sliding into the harness that kept her sword in place on her back.
Sadie took a glance at her sister-in-magic, noting Leigh was too thin, too damn pale. The newest addition to the coven was a made vampire who struggled with her vampirism, as well as her newfound powers. Leigh had been nothing more than a kid who happened to be of mage lineage—something she didn’t even know until she was changed. Being converted was difficult enough but it was something that never should be forced, not on a twenty-two-year-old who didn’t even k
now supernatural things existed. That’s why the head of the coven had invited Leigh into their home, giving her a sanctuary where she could feel safe. Unfortunately over a year had passed and she still refused to acclimate to her surroundings.
She fought the change. Fought her magic. Fought who and what she had become.
Damn the maker who turned her and left her to survive on her own. If I ever find him, he’s going to be food for the fishes.
“What’s wrong?” Leigh’s voice was as soft as her features, the words light as a feather. She’d braided her long dark hair in a plait down her back. Her penguin pajamas were too big for her willowy frame, hanging off her like a sack. Like this, she looked like a teenager at a slumber party. Not like a vampire with the power to destroy someone if she wanted to.
“I have to go out,” Sadie said and guided her sword into its sheath. “Something’s happened.”
“To your werewolf?” When Sadie’s head jerked upward, Leigh laughed. “Don’t be so shocked. Everyone knows. In a house this small secrets come out.”
“I’ve been staying at the healing caverns to avoid gossip,” Sadie grumbled.
“But you return home late last night, smelling of wolf, and won’t talk to any of us. It isn’t difficult to put two and two together.”
Sadie took a deep breath and counted to ten. Living in a home with five mage vampire females meant tongues often wagged. “You should be focusing on yourself, not me,” she said, studying Leigh. There were dark circles under her eyes, the healthy glow she’d had a month ago long gone. “How long as it been since you fed?”
Leigh’s dark blue eyes slitted and her lips pressed together. “I’m fine.”
“So it’s been a month then? You haven’t eaten since the coven forced you?”
“I don’t want to feed,” she grimaced as she said the word, “unless it’s necessary. I can go without for a couple more weeks.”
Poor creature.
Leigh starved herself because the thought of ingesting blood disgusted her. Sadie remembered when they’d first brought her into their home. Leigh was desperate to eat normal things, even though it provided her no sustenance. After a couple weeks, when the hunger didn’t abate, she learned the truth. Discovering she’d have to take blood nearly broke her, and it had taken the power of the coven to make her hunt to survive.
