“My, my, you are stubborn. I look forward to destroying that defiant spirit.”
I didn’t look at Helena, instead choosing to make sure I kept breathing. She could taunt all she wanted. She could cripple my body, but I would never cave to her demands.
The scream that came wasn’t from me.
It was from Darcy via our connection. For as hazy as the pathway was, there was no mistaking that somehow she’d latched on to this moment, the exact moment Ross hit me with the fourth poker.
Pain seared through me into her and I could feel her drop, as her body couldn’t bare the attack.
Mason, she screamed, her plea breaking my heart.
Break the link, I fired back, doing everything in my power to push her out of my mind. She couldn’t be here. Not now. Not while I lay at the mercy of these sadists.
Ross chose that instant to roll a metal rod over one of my blood-crusted gashes, effectively booting my mate from my mind.
Mental connections weren’t meant to be treated roughly. They were a gift between mates and ours had already suffered from the effects of her conversion and possession. In its already fragile state, it couldn’t withstand the pressure and crumbled.
I cracked, screaming from the anguish of shattering from the inside out, knowing that our combined agony had overwhelmed the link.
“And there it is. Well done, Mr. Green. And again.”
After everything I’d gone through, the punishment they had already inflicted on my body, Ross took advantage of that weakness and there was no holding back.
Screaming, Helena had been right.
They began echoing off the walls until my own screams were all I could hear.
Chapter Sixteen
Darcy
There was a brief moment where I panicked, not knowing where I was. The last thing I remembered was talking after the attack at the Council building, feeling Mason’s disorientation, and then blackness. Familiar sounds and smells eased my waking, the soft cushions beneath my body telling me somehow I’d made it home and was sleeping in Mason’s office.
“You okay, Darcy?” Opening my eyes, Daniel’s concerned face peered into mine. Crowded around him were Devlin and Vlad, both wearing relieved expressions.
“What happened?” I croaked, my throat sore and scratchy.
“We brought you home after you collapsed,” Devlin answered. Easing past Daniel, he crouched down beside me, placing his hand over my forehead. “You scared us, love. Here, let me help you sit up. Easy.”
There was nothing easy about the jolt that pierced through me. “Mason! We need to find him. They’ve taken him somewhere.” Running my fingers through my hair, I couldn’t believe I’d fallen asleep at such a critical time. The man I loved had been kidnapped while everyone fought, and here I was, stretched out over the sofa having an afternoon nap.
Devlin’s touch was gentle as he handed me a cushion to prop behind my back. My head ached as if a herd of elephants were carelessly trampling through my mind, my limbs heavy and lethargic. “Why do I feel like this?” Trying to stand, the room tilted on its side, causing me to briefly close my eyes to stop it from spinning. “Do I have a concussion or something? I don’t remember being hit that hard in the head.”
Thinking back to the fight, the person attacking me had been more concerned with trying to drag me to the rear of the van than doing any kind of damage. I’d gotten more strikes in, surprising them with the force behind each punch. Even though I’d guarded my head, something Mason had taught me during our many workout sessions, I had taken a few jabs to the jaw—but nothing that would have resulted in this.
“The best we were able to come up with was you were reacting to something happening to Mason. I wouldn’t be surprised if they drugged him to keep him subdued. There’s no way he would’ve gone willingly. He’s strong and in his prime,” Devlin added.
“They did drug him.” The longer I remained awake, the clearer things became. My recollection of those minutes prior to my passing out came rushing back. “I remember his anger at being injected through our connection. It was right before everything went wonky in my head. There wasn’t enough time for him to say anything before the pathway disappeared.”
“It makes sense,” Devlin muttered, earning a glare from me. “I’m just saying, if they didn’t do something to control him, he would’ve shifted, allowing his wolf to eliminate the threat. The fact he’s not here tells me they planned ahead. They came prepared.”
There was a slight tremor in my hand as I accepted the small glass of water from Vlad. I hadn’t noticed he’d left the room, but appreciated his kindness. Steeling myself, there was no time to fall apart. Now was the time to show the strength I knew resided inside me. Now was the time to show I was equal to the role of the Alpha’s mate.
“What’s been done for Mason? Has anyone called in?” Even though I didn’t have any experience with hostage situations, I’d seen enough on TV and movies to know that kidnappers usually had a list of demands, a sum of money or something they asked for as ransom.
“Right now, we’re gathering all the information we can. It’s not too much of a stretch to assume that Helena is somehow involved with this. She was in the process of being transported to a more secure location when she escaped during the chaos,” Devlin answered.
It was Daniel who spoke next. “I’ve also reached out to Pack members and warned them to be careful. I have Wade coming in to help with the search and have issued a property lock down. We’re on high alert . . .”
“And you’re acting as Alpha,” I finished. Daniel nodded slightly, his eyes filled with sadness. Pack protocol dictated that if anything happened to the Alpha, his second-in-command would assume authority, doing everything in his power to retrieve the missing leader whilst keeping the Pack safe and protected. I didn’t envy his role and the burden it placed on his shoulders.
An open act of violence against an Alpha was the same as declaring war. It made the future tumultuous until the action had been avenged. More blood would be spilt before this would be declared over.
People would die—Pack justice demanded it.
“What do you remember, Darcy?” Looking at my cousin, Vlad was all seriousness. I was so used to seeing the jovial side of him, it was startling to see his chiseled jaw tight, his focus zeroed in on me. It made his outfit seem out of place because at the moment, he was every inch the Enforcer our uncle was.
Taking in a deep breath, I reined my emotions in, letting my mind flow back to earlier. “I wasn’t able to see too much from Mason. Those who took him didn’t remove their masks, at all. They spoke softly, in short sentences over walkie-talkies. I’m assuming whoever was giving them orders was in a different vehicle.”
“Anything else?” Devlin prompted.
Squinting my eyes as if that would help me concentrate, I shook my head. “They quickly restrained him with silver cuffs because it burned his skin. He fought against them, trying to break free, but that’s when someone from the front handed back a syringe. Once they injected him with the drug, Mason couldn’t resist anymore. Whatever it was, it was potent. He didn’t stand a chance against it.”
“Hmmm,” Daniel murmured, rubbing his hand over his mouth. “It could be anything, but I’m guessing Wolfsbane or a similar concoction. There’s a bunch of different drugs out there that can disable a strong wolf, but none that could take an Alpha down that quickly. Plus you, via your connection.”
I’d heard of Wolfsbane before, it was a vile potion that scrambled the mind of whomever took it, pumping toxins straight into their blood stream until they lost control of their body. There was no doubt in my mind they did this to keep him from shifting—an effective way to neutralize Mason and his wolf.
“Again, has anyone assumed responsibility for this? Helena? Her Master?” His name tasted vile in my mouth after everything I’d already endured because of the stranger.
“No one’s called, but that doesn’t mean they won’t. My hope is they’l
l keep him local, making it easier to track him,” Devlin replied.
“I’ve tried connecting with Mason through the Pack link, but so far, there’s been nothing,” Daniel added, perplexed.
Mate and Pack bonds were as similar as they were different. Each member was granted a special connection with their Alpha, a link where Mason could lend his strength to them; that joined them through obedience. While there were times when communicating mind-to-mind was warranted, it wasn’t like the constant link I enjoyed with Mason as his wife. Where an Alpha was the one to forge the shimmery cord that tied his Pack to him, ours went both ways. At any time, I could reach out and see his thoughts and emotions—and vice versa.
The fact that Daniel wasn’t able to contact Mason through theirs didn’t scare me as I thought it would. It could simply mean Mason had been rendered unconscious before reaching out. Daniel could figuratively knock at his Alpha’s mind, but Mason would have to answer.
What terrified me was the silence on the other side of mine.
“I can’t, either,” I whispered, not liking the way my instincts flared in agitation. “He may still be under the drug’s influence. Until he comes to, what else are we doing?” I needed to know something was being done to find him.
A knock at the door interrupted us, and without waiting for an answer, Wade stormed in. “I came as soon as I could. What can I do?” It was good to see him, relief coursing through me. Although it hadn’t been officially declared, Wade was the Pack’s own enforcer, someone who stepped forward in times of crisis when the Alpha’s life was in danger. He’d been filling the position for the past few years, but because everything had been relatively peaceful, Mason hadn’t performed the ceremony to make it legitimate.
Wade hadn’t pushed for his installment, naturally doing what was needed. Where he wasn’t as close to Mason as Daniel was, there was an undeniable bond of friendship between them. They’d been through a lot together and he was someone my mate trusted implicitly.
If Mason was in trouble, Wade would be in the forefront, searching until he was found. Between him and Daniel, the offenders would be apprehended and held until justice was served.
“We’re still gathering intel,” Daniel explained, approaching his Pack brother and embracing him. Hands pounded backs before he stood aside, allowing Wade to come closer toward me.
“Hey, girl. How you holding up?” For all the ferocity I knew he contained, Wade’s features softened as he rested his hand briefly on my forearm.
“Meh.” I shrugged, somehow managing to keep a straight face. “You know how it goes as an Alpha’s mate.” My attempt at lightening the mood did nothing to keep my true feelings hidden. Grabbing his hand, I squeezed it tightly. “I’m glad you’re here.” Looking about at the small group surrounding me, complete conviction filled my words. “We’ll get him back. And then there’ll be hell to pay.” I didn’t bother holding back the snarl that escaped me.
Vlad spoke up, having been quiet for most of the conversation. “I think it’ll help if we can get a map of the surrounding area. See what kind of territory we’re dealing with.”
“That’s a good idea.” Daniel nodded, pointing at the young vampire. “We have a bunch of different ones that cover at least a few hundred miles radius.” With something new to focus on, he rushed over to Mason’s desk and opened one of the drawers. “He liked to keep them handy, just in case we ever needed them.”
Clearing everything off the top except for the desktop monitor, Daniel spread the largest map over the surface, placing a few items to keep it secure. It was the one that showed the entire Mystic Wolves Pack property, one of the more expansive territories controlled by one, single Alpha.
As everyone began gathering around, offering suggestions, my connection with Mason fell into place. “Wait, I can feel him!” I exclaimed, excited to finally have some kind of response from him. Raising my hand up to prevent any questions, the room fell into silence as I focused.
Everything was still foggy, the link tentative and fragile. It wasn’t as strong as it usually was, but it was better than nothing.
“Careful, Darcy,” Daniel murmured, reminding me not to push too hard in case the link disconnected, again. Nodding that I heard him, I closed my eyes to focus just on my bond with Mason.
He was disoriented, groaning from the way the drugs made him feel. Testing his body to see whether he had the strength to fight his attackers. Disappointment rang through the link once he realized silver chains and leather straps tightly restrained him.
“He’s trapped,” I whispered softly. “He doesn’t think he’s strong enough to break them. The drugs have seriously weakened him.”
It was everything I could do to hold on to our connection. One wrong move and it would slip away. “He’s looking around the best he can. He’s in a dungeon-like room. Concrete walls. There’s a small window that’s letting light in. He can’t smell anything familiar and he’s alone.”
“Is he local? Does he think he’s close by?” Devlin gently prodded.
I shook my head. “I don’t know. I just know he doesn’t recognize where he is.”
“He has to be local,” Daniel added, quietly. “Look at the timeframe. Between taking him, transporting him, and then securing him at the location, there wasn’t enough time to get far away.” Staring down at the map, he began tracing a line over the surface. “I’m thinking he’s at least within an hour . . . maybe an hour and a half away.”
“He may be even closer than that. My gut still says Helena is involved. It’s too much of a coincidence. She’ll have hired help, locally, while she worked with Amber. She wouldn’t have time to look elsewhere and the closer to here, the better control she’d have over everything. Yes, time has passed since Darcy last made contact with him, but that could be more from Mason being unconscious than travel.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to answer I agreed with him. My instinct told me the same—that the betraying witch was behind this and that my mate wasn’t far away. Unfortunately, until we knew more, there was no proof other than my intuition to back it up. I didn’t get a chance, though, as I felt Mason stir, again.
“He’s trying to find out who’s holding him,” I disclosed, patiently waiting to see what happened. “No one’s answering, so he’s attempting to draw them out.” The suspense was killing me.
“If we can know who’s behind this, it’ll give us a place to start,” Devlin added, right before I shushed him.
“Someone’s coming.” Praying I could hold on to our connection, Mason’s next thought at seeing Helena’s face confirmed our suspicions. “We were right. It’s Helena. She’s behind it.” My words came out quickly as Mason’s mind scrambled to absorb the new information. “She’s not acting alone, though.” I gasped when I recognized who it was.
“What, Darcy? You need to tell us.”
Opening my eyes, I looked straight at Daniel, answering him. “Ross is there.” Mason hadn’t been too quick to realize who the young man was, but I’d remembered him from different Pack events.
“Ross?” Devlin asked, not understanding why it surprised me.
“He’s one of Michael’s,” Wade answered, seconds before Daniel replied the same thing.
Ross Green was one of their Pack’s youngest members, and had been upset when Mason hadn’t married his Alpha’s daughter, Amber. Michael Bracken was the leader of the Silver Canyon Wolves and had pushed for the betrothal of his spoiled daughter. However, after the death of Mason’s parents, when he became the rightful Alpha over the Mystic Wolves, Mason had declared the engagement null and void. At Amber’s trial before the Council, Michael hadn’t even come to her defense, boldly disowning her, effectively cutting all ties that linked him with the fiasco.
The fact that Ross was somehow involved was startling because all animosity between the two packs had been resolved.
“Damn,” Daniel cursed. “He’s going to want to know this.” Reaching for his phone, Daniel stepped away to call the
Alpha and see whether he could fill us in on the wolf’s motives.
“Knowing it’s Helena, I’ll call the office and have Asher hand out assignments to everyone. Mason’s close by and there won’t be many places that have basements like you described. They’ll begin searching.” With something more concrete to work with, Devlin retreated toward the curtained window, rapidly talking to his Enforcer comrade on the other side of the line.
“We’ll find him,” Vlad encouraged, taking a seat beside me, smiling hopefully.
“I have no doubt,” I replied, confidence filling my voice. There was no time for doubts. Every second spent on the useless emotion was a second wasted.
“While everyone is on the phone, I should check around and see if anyone else knows anything. Put out my own feelers.” I nodded at Wade, signaling it was okay for him to step away, as well. I didn’t need to be coddled. What I needed was Mason back home, safe.
“Can I get you anything?” Vlad asked, tentatively. “Maybe some more water? Blood?”
“I’m fine.” I began to say, but then the room tilted, again, and my body toppled sideways. My mind clouded and the connection I’d so carefully cradled between Mason and I floated away.
“Devlin!” Vlad exclaimed, his voice seeming so far away.
They were drugging Mason. Helena was injecting her poison into his veins as she cruelly taunted him. I screamed for him to hold on, not realizing I’d actually done it, aloud.
“She’s reacting to whatever’s happening to Mason,” Daniel shouted, his phone dropping to the floor as he rushed forward. “Catch her before she falls, Vlad!”
My eyelids grew heavier, making it impossible to keep them open as my tongue felt too big for my mouth. “I’m . . . sorry,” I uttered, fighting against the effects.
Everything grew quiet as Mason’s awareness splintered, taking me with him.
****
Darkness Unleashed Page 15
