The smell of bacon circulated through the air as Faye hurried to finish breakfast. She could hear the shower running, and knew that Vander was finally up. It was mid-morning, and her stomach released an angry growl, demanding to be fed. Thanks to Vander showing up in the wee hours of the morning, she didn’t get much sleep, and they worked up quite an appetite.

She blew out a nervous breath as she sprinkled a little shredded cheese in the eggs, and grabbed the bacon from the oven. She needed to tell him about his friend showing up at her job last night. It still freaked the hell out of her. How could a man just disappear like that? Or, better yet, how did he freeze Teresa in place and take away her memory of it? From what she knew, even shifters didn’t have that power. What was that guy?

She grabbed her coffee mug from the counter and took a healthy sip. She sighed as she leaned back against the counter as the delicious caffeinated liquid slid down her throat.

“What’s the sigh for?” Vander’s voice broke through her thoughts, causing her to jump.

“Huh?” she asked. Turning, she found him in the doorway with just his jeans on. Her eyes were mesmerized by his bare muscular chest and well-defined six pack. He stepped into the kitchen and walked toward her.

“After the night we just had, the smell of bacon in the air the next morning and sighing does not go together,” he joked as he stood in front of her.

She placed her cup back on the counter as he trapped her in-between the counter and his muscular body. She tipped her head back so she could look at him. His amber eyes always took her breath away. His stare was intense as he waited for her to speak, the joking put aside.

“What is it?” he asked softly.

“I lost a patient last night.” She started to feel the same emotions overcome her when they pronounced the patient’s time of death.

“So sorry to hear,” he murmured, concern on his face. She smiled softly as she began to think on the events of the evening before.

“Something weird happened last night. After they called the guy’s death, I went outside for a breather. It’s never easy to lose a patient.” She paused, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

He patiently waited for her to start again. It felt good to finally get this off her chest. The sheer presence of him comforted her and calmed her nerves. Somehow, she knew this wasn’t something she should keep from him. The guy last night gave her the creeps. She might as well spill the beans.

“I was sitting outside, and a friend of yours was there.”

“What?” His voice hardened as his hands tightened on the counter. “Friend? What did he look like? What did he say his name was?”

“Umm, he actually never told me his name. He knew mine, though. It was hard for me to see him since it was dark outside.”

“What did he say?” Vander asked, his voice softening, but his eyes darkened, and something dangerous flashed in his eyes.

“For some reason, he knew that you were smitten with me. I didn’t tell him anything. I just knew that I was scared—”

“Did he say anything else?” Vander asked, cutting her off. Her body trembled from the intensity of his stare. Her anxiety climbed higher as she thought back to last night.

“Yeah, he told me to give you a message. He said for me to tell you to cease your pursuit of him or he would take something of value from you.”

Vander growled. Her heart slammed against her chest as she watched him back away and turn from her. She could see that he was torn over something as he combed his hand through his thick hair.

“We need to go,” he said. Turning back, he stepped to the stove and cut everything off before grabbing her arm. He pulled her to her room.

“What’s going on?” she cried out.

“Pack a bag, now. You can’t stay here.”

“Why not? Who was that man?”

“He’s no friend of mine. He’s an evil dragon shifter who we’ve been tracking. He recently wiped out an entire village, and we’ve been hunting him down to exact justice for the survivors of the village.”

“What?” she gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. Her heart went out to the unknown people. She couldn’t imagine losing everything because of a stranger with a stick up his ass.

“I don’t know how he knows about you, but if he does, it will be too dangerous for you to stay here alone.”

“Where can I go?” she asked, scrambling for her duffle bag in her closet. She rushed around the room, grabbing clothes to put in the bag. Her thoughts were racing. She didn’t know how long she would have to be gone. She would have to tell Jenna and her parents so that people wouldn’t think she was missing.

“You’ll have to come home with me.” Vander leaned against the door.

“To the condo?” She paused at her dresser as she looked at him.

“No. My castle in the mountains.”

* * *

“We’re sending a helicopter to you now,” Feno said through their telepathic link.

Vander paced as Faye packed her final items. He promised that as soon as Faye was safe in the castle, he would hunt Gamair down and tear him apart. Just the thought of what he could have done to Faye sent Vander’s dragon into a hot rage. The message was a direct threat, and Vander would be damned if Gamair touched one hair on her head.

When Faye began telling her story, he had his suspicions that something was wrong with her; something had brought fear out of her. He had thought that she was going to say an animal had snuck up on her, or something to that nature, since she had been outside at night. Never in his wildest dreams would he have thought that Gamair would be so bold to approach her.

But, the second she announced that his friend had contacted her, he immediately reached out to his brother telepathically. They would need to get her out of town immediately. Gamair had to be watching him, and that must be how he’d found her.

“I’m ready,” she said, tossing the straps of the bag over her shoulder.

“Good. My brother is sending transportation to get us,” he announced as they walked into the living room.

“How the hell would he know we needed help?” she asked as she hopped around, putting her shoes on.

“We can speak to each other telepathically.” She turned to him, shock plastered across her face. “I’ve been speaking to him this entire time. He’s dispatched a helicopter to come pick us up.”

“Wow.” She stared at him with wide eyes. If this were under different circumstances, he would laugh. But right now, he had to get her to safety. “So I don’t get to fly on a dragon today?”

“Not today.” He chuckled as he ushered her out of the condo, grabbing her duffle bag.

“Go one street east. There’s a field. Chopper should be there in two minutes,” Feno’s voice broke through his thoughts as he waited for her to lock her door.

“Chopper should be here soon,” he informed her as he grabbed her hand and pulled her behind him.

The sun was high in the sky, while a few humans were out working in their yards.

“Where’s a helicopter going to land?” she asked nervously as she followed him.

“Can we cut through these yards?” he asked as they quickly made their way down the street.

“Yes. They lead to an empty plot on the other side.”

“Perfect,” he murmured as he led her up one of her neighbors’ driveway. The sound of a helicopter’s blades filled the air. They hurried past the garage and found the helicopter descending from the air.

Faye gripped his arm as they waited for the helicopter to touch down. Vander could see Hank, the pilot, give a thumbs-up when it was safe for them to approach.

“I’ve never been in a helicopter before,” Faye announced. He glanced down and found her eyes wide, locked on the chopper.

“You’ve flown before, right?” he asked, pulling her toward the oversized aircraft. He was so used to flying that he had to remember that not all humans flew. Flying to him was second nature.

“Well, yeah, but not in a helicopter. Only full size airplanes. You know, the kind that are big enough for about a hundred or more people,” she muttered as she gripped his hand tighter. He could feel her apprehension, and his dragon huffed, wanting to be the one that calmed her down. He brought her under his arm as they drew closer to the chopper.

“Don’t worry. A helicopter is completely safe, and besides, you’re flying with me. Even if the damn thing fell from the sky, I’d catch you.”