Zia… Parking area of her Apartment Complex

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“Greg! Greg!” Zia yelled, not caring that the volume might be too loud in everyone’s ears.

Why hadn’t she realized he hadn’t checked in until now?

Hildy pointed in the direction of the suspected Egolar den. “Ajax is tracking Greg’s steps and scent where he can, going that way,” she said.

Zia zoomed in on the location of where she pointed. It was the far corner of Zia’s building that ran perpendicular to the one with the den. The one Quinn had pointed out back at the Lair. So far as she could tell, Quinn had been right about every aspect of her plan. Maybe they should have followed it?

Zia shook the what-if away. Right now, she needed to find her mate.

“Wait, I see something,” she heard Ajax say in the comm.

That was all Zia needed to hear to start moving in that direction. The firm grip of the back of her top that snatched her back accompanied Hildy’s next words.

“Oh no, you don’t, Cupcake. You’re staying here with me.”

Zia’s heart softened at hearing Hildy use the nickname term of endearment her closest friends used. Yes, she did want to be Hildy’s friend. Her newly acquired friend kept talking.

“We don’t want to chance them setting a trap to grab you. We’re going to stay here next to the SUV until he reports back. The last thing we need is the both of you missing.”

Zia hadn’t heard them discuss this. “How do you know that?”

“We did a mental chat. Sometimes it’s easier than trying to speak it out. Guess we need to work on that when there are more peeps than us out on duty.” Hildy paused to look over at Zia. “Oh, that’s right and my bad. You’re still new to the mating, but you’ll get used to having Greg’s voice pop into your head. The fact that he didn’t reach out to you through comm or neural link is why we know everything isn’t on the up and up.”

Zia felt compelled to confide in her new BFF with the horrible truth. “I haven’t been able to make the neural link work on my end.”

“Oh, girl, don’t beat yourself up. I wasn’t top of the class either. Trust me; it’ll come in time. For now, try to stay open to anything unusual that you may sense or feel.”

“Hmm… not sure if this is something, but I’ve been getting these weird sensations of disorientation since Greg went missing.”

Hearing her say that her mate was missing brought on a touch of nausea. What would she do if anything happened to him? The only reason any of them were out here was because of her.

“Zia, you good?” Hildy placed a hand on her shoulder.

The more time she spent with Hildy, the more she liked the woman. Hildy was way more complex than she’d first realized. And, she was good at helping Zia acclimate to this new life as a mate of a Dragofin Warrior. All without making her feel less than any of the others.

“Thanks. Keep reminding me when I slip into that gray place.”

The pain that shot through her eyes was enough to make Zia bend over. It hit fast and hard.

“Zia, what’s wrong, honey. Tell me. You need to tell me what’s wrong.”

She heard Hildy’s voice, but it felt like her mouth was incapable of engaging the right muscles to move.

“Boogie, settle down, she’s all right. See?” Hildy said to the kid.

They’d put him in the back seat of the SUV as a protective measure. One weak link was enough to deal with for the couple at a time. Zia had refused to go back into the vehicle. Now, Hildy stood here by the automobile babysitting Boogie and her while Ajax canvassed the area for Greg.

Zia began to regain control of her body and faculties. She allowed Hildy to help her to her feet.

“Zia, you might be getting some sort of messages from Greg when that happens. Try to focus on him and see if anything comes to you. I’ll shut up and let you try it.”

“Okay?”

“Nope, not never. If you’re going to be out here with us on assignments, you must own your strength. Believing you can do it is the first step. That’s how we roll. Now, give it a try. Reach out to your mate and believe you’ll connect with him.”

The debilitating feeling of paralysis left to be replaced with a colossal curtain of failure. The more she attempted to concentrate, the drain of unworthiness draped itself around her. Wasn’t her mating supposed to make her sensitive to Greg and his whereabouts?

“Get anything?”

“No. This doesn’t work for me like it does the other mates.”

“Try again. You two are joined. Focus on the pull of connection to him.”

Hildy was silent as her expectation rose for Zia to try again. Maybe closing her eyes might make it work?

Zia breathed in and out in deep drags and long exhales. Tinny and strained, the annoying buzzing was the only reward for her efforts. Her eyes popped open to see Hildy staring at her.

“Do it again. This time don’t try so hard. Relax and get into your flow.”

“Easy for you to say, she who flies and kicks major ass.”

“Shut the hell up and do it. Don’t let your gray place turn into the sunken place. Keep going.” Hildy was back to her self. Gone was that nurturing spirit who had visited such a short time ago.

Zia loathed trying to relax. Her therapist tried that crap with her during a few sessions only to see Zia have a panic attack each time.

Greg where are you? She searched within to see or feel any spark of recognition. The dull thud of a migraine stalked at the periphery of her mind as Zia tried to send him a message to contact her. Again, the high-pitched noise of a tinny hum broke her ability to concentrate.

Zia gasped, spent with the effort. “It’s no use. I’m getting a headache and suck as a mate. I don’t know why he believed I was the one. I’m hopeless.”

“Hush up with that drama. You don’t get a fucking parade and tiara for mating with him. What you do get is a man who’ll love you until there’s no more breath in his body. Pretend to be the mate he needs until you become her. Zia, this is your life now. Like anyone alive with each new season of life all you’re doing is exchanging your old problems for a new set. Hopefully, the new ones make you stronger.

“So what if you can’t neural link yet or sense Greg when he’s not around. Keep working at it until you can. I’m not in the habit of propping up fluff and won’t start now. You, Zia, need to go hard and stop getting flustered by every little thing that doesn’t work out the first time you try it.”

It took a minute for the other woman’s words to register fully. Zia couldn’t believe Hildy had gone off on her like this. She let her instincts take over.

“I don’t do that. I’m not soft.”

“Then why you whining about what you can’t do as a mate?”

“Well, I was saying—”

“Uh-uh, don’t want to hear it. You tried it. I knocked it down. Look, I like you, and you have a wonderful gift as a Siren that I see starting to peek through. But, I’m not about to gain a helpless weight who won’t take the initiative to see what she can accomplish. Do you think I had any help with finding my way as a mate or learning what my calling was? Well, Greg was a blessing in helping me learn more. That Gryphon is smart as a whip. But, I digress. What I’m getting at is that anything worth having for the long haul will cost you something. You must invest in yourself and your mating for it to be the one you want and desire. The Goddess has blessed it. You got to make it work.”

Zia was about to try to clean up her meaning and explain more when Ajax came through on the comm.

“Found him!” Ajax said loud enough to make Zia want to snatch the little device out of her ear.

“Good, what’s his status?” Hildy’s voice was even with no hint of the ass chewing she’d just given Zia. “Ajax? What’s wrong? Do you need help?”

“No, I’ve got him. It’s just that he’s been dusted. Zia, I’m sorry, but I can’t get him to wake up.”

“No! Please, bring him to me. Maybe I can get him to come around?”

Ajax’s voice took on that authoritative quality as he spoke. “No, Zia, we have to get a move on.” To his mate, he said, “Hil, I want you to drive them back to Miss Connie’s. I’m going to our vehicle with Greg. I’ll meet you there.”

“Are you sure it’s safe for you to go that way? I could transport him to our ride faster. Oh, no, forgot. I got Cupcake Fluff here and the boy. You’re right as usual. I’ll get them in the car and drive around to where we parked. Once you get there, we’ll follow you to Miss Connie’s.”

And there it was. Hildy had just taken her nickname and turned it into a slam. Guess the ass-chewing, and this new name meant she was as far away from BFF status with the woman as being able to take her down to the mat. The recollection made a groan sidle up and out. Had Hildy christened her with a Stripper name? Please, no. That addition of Fluff came nowhere near beating Candy Ass.

Ajax’s voice invaded her humiliation. “Zia, I promise to get Greg out of here and back to Miss Connie’s as fast as possible. Work with Hildy and do what she says, please. She might be in her Warrior Goddess mode right now, but I promise we’re here with you and Greg.” To Hildy, he said, “Bae, you were a little harsh with her. Remember our talk about empathy. How would you be right now if it were me and not Greg in this state?”

Zia watched as Hildy’s face softened. “You’re one to talk—he who is a blunt brute, but you’re right, too. Love you, baby.” Dark brown eyes the color of burned expresso captured hers in their gaze as Hildy said, “I apologize for how I said what I said. I meant every word, but if I came off as insensitive, I apologize.” Hildy took a beat to push out the next words. “Will you look past the presentation to focus on the message? I am rooting for you.”

““Yes, of course. I apologize as well.” She moved to hug the other woman as Hildy batted her arms away.

“That can wait until we get back and Greg is stabilized.”

“Right, yeah,” Zia said and attempted to play off her moment of awkwardness.

“That’ll work,” Ajax’s voice cut through the comm, “Bae, get a move on, will ya?” Zia could tell he must be running by the slight bit of labored breathing coming through. “I’m almost there, so get a move on, beautiful, or get left.”

“You better not!”

“Get over here. I have eyes on me.”

“Okay, we’re on it.”

Hildy didn’t need to tell Zia to get in the car. Once Hildy was in the driver’s seat she looked for the way to start the ignition. It took a second for Zia to remember that Greg had given her a key fob.

“Here, use this.” Zia passed the trinket sized device to the other woman.

Boogie was silent in the back. Too silent. Zia looked back at him to see the poor thing had passed out on the seat.

Hildy looked up into the rearview mirror. “Good, hopefully, whatever that is in his system will start to work itself out as he sleeps.” She started the vehicle and drove out of the parking lot with purpose.

Zia felt Hildy cut her eyes over to her a few times. Now wasn’t the time to chat. Her mind stayed on Greg and how to get him better.

“You must believe he’s going to be fine. We’re on the way to Miss Connie’s. She’s the Clan healer for a reason and has worked many miracles. Believe, Zia.”

Unable to correctly identify what she felt, Zia tried to keep silent and focused on sending loving thoughts to her mate.

“While we’re here, retake a look at the card. Didn’t you say whoever this person was had instructions for you to fulfill to help Boogie? We need to be able to get Miss Connie up to speed with everything we know.”

That was it. Zia couldn’t take much more.

“Enough, Hildy! I’m trying to keep it together. The last three days have been a true baptism by fire. Now, I get that I should keep trying to connect with my mate. I also get that I can’t have my special overwhelm moments in the field. What I can’t get is the way I’m supposed to turn off feelings to read some bullshit note. My mate is unconscious. I can’t and won’t focus on some sadist’s puppet show. We’ll find a way to help Boogie, and it won’t be by jumping through hoops by some crazy person or group. If we start, the show will never end. So, please. let me ride in peace as I continue to try to reach my mate?”

“Good for you, Fluffy Cupcake, but if you won’t read it to me, at least give me the card so I can see what it says.”

“Unbelievable.”

“No, that’s effective combat intelligence training. Now, hand over that card.”

Zia did as they pulled up behind a similar vehicle parked on a side street by an old warehouse.

“There they are, right on time,” Hildy said.

A few seconds later, Zia saw Ajax running with Greg flung over his shoulders in a fireman’s carry.

“Toss me the keys,” he said as Hildy opened her window. We might have company taking to the air soon.”

Hildy tossed keys out the window and reversed the car. Ajax was quick, dumping Zia’s mate in the back of the SUV next to a set of ropes and other supplies from what she could make out.

He was in their vehicle and on the road in less than a minute.

“Do you sense anything, love?” he asked.

“No, not yet. I’ll keep you posted if I do. For now, the kid is knocked out, and Zia continues to try to reach Greg. I got the card that Boogie had. Will read it and see what those fuckers want when we get to Miss Connie’s. I’ve got to call her and let the old biddy know we’re going to be coming in hot.”

“Good, keep up. Greg’s breathing is shallow, like when he’s in a deep sleep but fainter.”

“Oh, wow,” Hildy said, making a quick look over to Zia.

Orange hippos could be dancing on the hood and Zia wouldn’t care. She was determined to reach him. The delivery of the message might not be as tame as she’d like, but Hildy was right about what she said. Zia had to believe.

Greg always said that they did this together. She wouldn’t fall apart and abandon hope with the first setback. Zia would fight to the death for her mate.

She sat in the passenger’s seat as the speeding vehicles ate up the road back to The Diner. Each passing moment that Greg was unconscious built up a certainty within her. Whatever it took, Zia would make sure that whoever did this to her mate would pay dearly.