Jill stared out of the window of the taxi, feeling exhausted. The man sitting a few feet from her in the backseat cleared his throat, drawing her attention. Chaz seemed to be holding her gaze when she looked at him, but it was hard to tell. The dark sunglasses he wore didn’t show his eyes at all.
“Why are you wearing those? It’s not that bright of a day.”
He reached up and lowered them. “Why do you think?”
He and his brother had silver eyes. They weren’t human-looking in the least. She’d noticed that about them before.
“Can’t you mask your emotions and go to a more normal color the way Aveoth does?”
He shook his head. “Nope. They’re always this way.” He shoved the sunglasses back up. “Are you okay?”
“Not really.”
“I’ll keep you safe.”
“I have no doubt you will. It’s just that I didn’t expect this when Aveoth said he had a surprise for me last night. I was thinking kinky sex or something.”
Chaz smiled and averted his face. “Be happy it wasn’t my brother assigned to you. He’d have made some smartass remark to that statement.”
“Where are Aveoth and Fray?”
“Shopping.”
“How in the hell did Aveoth manage to get use of a jet? And who was that big guy waiting for us on it? Aveoth wouldn’t answer my questions.”
“Your mate was stressed, taking you around an unfamiliar male who kept looking at you in a way that made Aveoth want to kill him. Garson is a bit of a flirt.”
“Well, I’m still ticked. Aveoth practically dragged me into the bedroom on the jet, refused to answer my questions, and distracted me until I fell asleep.” The sex had been great but she wasn’t about to admit that to her guard. “By the time I woke up, we were landing and he just ordered me to shower and get dressed. Then he was gone and you were shoving me in this taxi.”
“We’ll talk when we reach your address.” He turned his head forward, nodding in the direction of the driver.
She sighed, understanding. The guy in front could hear every word they said.
Some of her bad mood faded when she spotted the familiar area. A few blocks later, the taxi stopped in front of Mack’s metal shop.
“Go first,” Chaz insisted.
She opened the door and got out. He slid across the seat, paid the driver, and climbed out the same door she had. He was careful not to touch her but kept close. The car drove off, leaving them on the sidewalk.
“Why’d you do that?”
“I wasn’t about to get out before you, in case the driver took off with you still inside.”
“Taxi drivers don’t abduct people, and especially since you were with me. That would be all kinds of stupid, since you’d seen his face and knew the number of the taxi. It was clearly marked on that card where the opening was to pay.”
“I don’t trust humans.”
“Tell me what’s going on, Chaz.” She glanced up and down the road. “Nobody’s around.”
“Lord Aveoth wanted to take you home so you could get your mother’s ashes. He called the VampLycans for help to arrange it, since they owe us a few favors. It turned out that one of Lorn’s enforcers happened to be in Anchorage and was en route to the airport, on his way home. The timing was there for the VampLycan to hire a jet instead of a bush pilot and divert it to pick us up. And Lord Aveoth wants to give you a gift for your mating, so he’s shopping while we go pack up your apartment. That’s all I’m saying.”
It was kind of romantic. “It was just so fast and unexpected.”
“It was either go last night or possibly wait weeks until we could find another opportunity for a VampLycan to be at a large airport.”
“And that makes sense…why?”
“VampLycans have the ability to erase memories and control humans. No sane pilot would have landed a jet on an airstrip that isn’t even on a map. Garson handled paying them and keeping them under his control. Neither pilot will remember being there. We weren’t aware that landing strip could even handle a jet until you were brought there in one by Decker. Normally when we travel long distances, we’ll hire a bush pilot in a small plane to fly us to larger airports, and then travel commercial.”
“But you have wings.”
“Radar can be a bitch to avoid in populated areas. And imagine having to fly almost two thousand miles.” He rolled his shoulders. “I’m fit, but that would be rough, especially if I were carrying someone in my arms. It would also take us days, since we can only fly at night outside of safe territories controlled by us or the VampLycans. Lord Aveoth didn’t tell anyone he was leaving, since the clan is still unsettled after yesterday. This way, we’ll be back before anyone notices we’re gone. Jets are faster.”
She sighed. “You know what? Let’s just get my things and get back at the airport. I’m tired, a bit cranky, and out of sorts.” She walked over to the main door and tried to turn the handle. It was locked. “Shit. Mack isn’t here. Come on.”
“Who’s Mack?” Suspicion laced Chaz’s voice. “Lord Aveoth won’t like it if you had a romantic attachment to a human.”
“Mack is like a father figure to me. I worked for him and rented the place over this shop for dirt cheap. He’s probably with his boyfriend today or at a show for his newest pieces. He’s an artist. This is a metal shop. Want to guess what kind of works he creates?”
Chaz just chuckled.
She led him around the building to a gate and reached over it, feeling for the latch. Her fingers caught it and she tugged it open. Metal creaked as she shoved it open to ease into the backyard space.
“Close that behind you. Mack doesn’t want anyone to wander back here.”
The gate slammed and she went to the back door, bending and lifting a stone. The emergency key was a little muddy but she knocked it against the wall and shoved it inside the lock. She put the key back and returned the rock to cover it. “Come on in.”
Chaz gripped her arm and jerked her back. “I go in first.”
Right. He’s my bodyguard. She meekly stepped out of his way. “The worst thing you’re going to find is a mouse or spider. Take the stairs to the left. My apartment is up there.”
“What is that smell?” He sounded disgusted.
She entered behind him and inhaled. “Spray-paint primer. This is the area where Mack does that, and from how strong it is, I’m guessing he wasn’t here long ago. We leave the back door open to air the place out while he’s spraying.”
“I’m going to check this area over here.”
“The door on the left is the office.” She jerked her head. “To the right is the shop. I wouldn’t go into that area. Mack will have turned on the fans to help his sculptures dry after painting, but it still reeks to high heaven. Come on.” She took the stairs quickly and reached her apartment. The door wasn’t locked, but then, it never was.
“I said I’d go first,” Chaz demanded from behind her. He gently pushed her aside and stepped forward. He stopped dead right inside the door. “Someone has been here. They tossed your belongings. Do you know what they were looking for?”
Jill didn’t know if she should laugh or feel embarrassed. The drawers of the dresser were partially open, clothes hanging out of them. The laundry hamper was overturned in the corner, the contents spilled in a messy pile. The blankets were wadded up at the end of her bed and the pillow was on the nightstand, covering most of her alarm clock. The lamp had been knocked over next to it and was broken.
“Um, stand down, Chaz. This is how I left it.”
He gaped a little at her over his shoulder, appearing stunned.
“Don’t judge me. I had overslept the day I was kidnapped because I went to bed too late, and I kind of bashed my alarm with my pillow while I was still out of it. The lamp breaking was an accident. Then I couldn’t find anything to wear.” She nodded toward her dresser before pointing at her hamper. “I realized what I wanted was probably in there. Mack gets bitchy if I’m really late, and I didn’t want to hear him rant at me again. I would have cleaned it up after my shift.”
He masked his expression. “I see.” Humor sounded in his voice though. “Do you own a suitcase?”
“Boy, do I. I’m the queen of moving.” She strode over to the closet and opened it, pulling out an already-packed duffle. “This is the emergency go-bag I keep ready. Give me a few minutes and I’ll collect the rest of my stuff. She yanked a backpack off the top shelf of the closet and walked into the tiny bathroom.
“Emergency go-bag?”
“Long story, but let’s just say I’ve had to grab shit and leave fast before. My nice clothes are always packed.” She took her makeup bag out of the only drawer in the bathroom, returned to her small living/bedroom, and carefully placed her mother’s urn inside the backpack from on top of the dresser. “I’m ready.”
He seemed surprised. “That’s it?”
“I’m not taking my dirty clothes or what’s in the dresser. They all have holes from sparks flying. I do a lot of the welding for Mack. I have everything I need.”
“What about personal possessions? Humans tend to have pictures and things.”
“In the go-bag already. It’s kind of heavy. Do you mind carrying it?”
Chaz lifted the duffle and slung it on his shoulder. “Lord Aveoth believed this would take a few hours.”
“He was wrong. I do need to leave Mack a note, though. I feel bad about just taking off on him. He’ll have paper and pens in his office.” She went to walk out of the apartment but Chaz blocked her way.
“I go first.”
“Right. Okay. After you.”
He stepped out the door—but then halted so fast she almost slammed into his back.
Five quick, loud blasts sounded, nearly deafening her.
Chaz’s big body jerked repeatedly with those noises then pitched to the side, falling down the stairs.
Jill heard every thud. It shocked her so much that it took her seconds to react and understand those were gunshots.
“Fuck!” Survival instincts kicked in. She lunged, grabbed the door, and slammed it. Guilt ate at her over leaving Chaz, but he was a superhero, body-wise. Gali had said they could survive gunshots. She hoped that was true. Being mostly human meant she’d be dead if she were shot, too.
She stepped to the side, her fingers curling around the top edge of the dresser, and she yanked on it hard. It fell over, blocking the door. She spun and ran into the bathroom.
That door was thinner, but she slammed and locked it. She jumped into the shower/tub combo, put her foot on the corner of the tub, and yanked at the window latch. The window groaned in protest as it swung out. She threw out the backpack first, and then clasped the edges to jump up into the small hole.
The sound of wood smashing came from the other room, and she figured whoever had shot Chaz had just realized breaking down the door wasn’t their only obstacle, as an animalistic snarl followed. Two resounding booms indicated they were perhaps trying to kick the dresser out of the way, but Jill was halfway out of the open window by then, ignoring the pain of having her stomach dig into the thick windowsill.
She looked down at the double Dumpster beside the building, cursing because she knew the landing was going to hurt.
She kicked her legs wildly and bucked, lifting both arms to protect her head as gravity worked to make her fall out the window. She hit the plastic lids below.
Agony shot through one shoulder and her body flipped on impact. She rolled right off the Dumpster before she could recover by trying to grab hold of something, anything, to stay on top of it.
Her side took most of the impact when she slammed into the pavement. Jill lay there panting, hurting, but a noise from above made her turn her head to stare up.
The sight of Fido, his scarred face filled with rage, scared the hell out of her. He was trying to fit his bulky body out of the window, growling at her.
She groaned, favoring her right arm as she stood. The backpack lay a few feet away, and she snatched one of the shoulder straps with her fingers. There was no way she’d leave her mom’s ashes behind. Her legs felt okay but she was limping from her hip feeling out of whack. She headed as quickly as she could toward the gate to escape the backyard.
A man in a suit suddenly opened it before she got there, and she froze.
“Hello, Jillian.” It was the shark.
He pulled something from his breast pocket. She stared in dread as he uncapped the syringe and threw the cap on the ground.
“Your grandfather would like to have a word with you.”
“Fuck you.” She backed up, heart pounding. “Stay away from me!”
A body pressed against her back, stopping her retreat. She twisted her head, staring up at someone new and terrifying. He was tall, bulky, and his big hands clamped down on her shoulders. A cry escaped her at the feeling of excruciating pain. She was pretty sure he’d just dug claws into her skin.
“We knew you’d come back for your mother’s remains, and you didn’t disappoint us.” Shark came at her, looking smug and pleased. “You appear surprised. Your father has had men watching you all your life, Jillian. Your mother was important to you, and Decon had searched your homes many times. He knows her ashes are your most prized possession.”
“That’s a shitty way to put it,” she muttered. “Heartless bastard.”
“It’s true. We gave you to Aveoth knowing you’d come back for that urn, or he’d send someone he trusts to retrieve it for you. Then it was just a waiting game to grab whoever came. But you were our ultimate hope…and here you are.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“Decker needed a way to control Aveoth. Now we have it. He’ll do whatever we want to get you back.” He waved the syringe. “It’s time for you to sleep.”
“Wait!” She dropped the backpack as her mind worked fast. “Aveoth won’t give a shit if you have me. He’s not the one who just got shot by your people. Do you want to know why?”
Shark’s eyes narrowed.
“Fido was right. Aveoth wanted to kill me because I’m so mouthy. I seduced the goon you idiots shot to get the hell out of there.” She forced a wide grin. “You are so dumb.”
He leaned in close and inhaled. “You smell like Lord Aveoth.”
“Only because the bastard bit me—and I bit him back. He didn’t like that. The scent will fade in a week or so after that nasty blood of his leaves my system. At least that’s what my new boyfriend said. Aveoth was furious that I wasn’t some demure moron ready to bow down to his every whim. He tossed me out of his home so I flirted with…” She jerked her head toward the building. “I can’t even remember his name.”
Fido came rushing at them from the back of the building. He must have given up on fitting through the window. He snarled, flashing fangs at her. She met his glare but then smirked at the shark.
“Cole, isn’t it? Sorry to disappoint, but all you’ve done is rid me of a pain in the ass. Or at least he probably would have been if you hadn’t killed him. He made me promise to mate him if he brought me home.”
“I don’t believe you.” Cole didn’t seem sure though.
“Don’t you think Aveoth would be here if I mattered to him? Do you see him? No. Maybe logic is too complicated for you, but try it for once.”
He jabbed the needle into her arm. She tried to jerk away but the bastard holding her shoulders wouldn’t permit her to move much. A coldness spread up her arm and into her chest.
“I’m taking you to Decker,” the shark hissed. “Those were my orders.”
“Fuck you.”
Spots danced before her eyes and her knees collapsed under her. Everything went dark.
* * * * *
Aveoth grinned and showed Fray what he’d just purchased. “What do you think?”
“Your mate will love it.”
“She was raised human so I wanted to buy her a ring. My mother told me what size to get. I hope she’s right.”
“Resizing a ring would be a bitch once we get home. You ready to return to the airport?”
“Yes.”
Aveoth’s phone rang and he withdrew it, seeing Chaz’s number. “They must have beat us to the jet.” He answered. “We’re on our way now.”
“They took her,” the GarLycan rasped.
“What?” Instant fear and rage poured through him. “Who took her?”
“VampLycans. They shot me. I didn’t have time to shell first.” Chaz coughed, and it sounded wet. “Get to her place. I haven’t recovered enough to stand yet. They might still be near.”
“We’re on our way.” He hung up.
Fray was already at the curb, and he opened the back door of the cab they’d had waiting for them in front of the jewelry store. The GarLycan appeared furious. “I heard. Let’s go.”
Aveoth nearly dove into the backseat and seethed as Fray climbed in the other side, giving the driver the address. His mate had been taken. The idea seemed surreal but he knew it was a fact. Chaz would never play such a twisted prank on him.
Fray withdrew a wad of cash. “Break every speed limit to get us there and this is yours.”
The driver glanced back, and then the vehicle lurched forward, tires squealing as he punched his foot down on the gas.
“Remain calm, my lord. We’ll track them and get her back.”
“Who would dare do this?” He immediately answered his own question. “Decker.”
“You don’t know that for sure. There’s no way he’d know we’d brought her here.”
“Unless Garson betrayed us. I’ll tear him apart a piece at a time.”
Fray grasped his arm tight. “Breathe in and out. I have spent time with Garson. He wouldn’t do this. I don’t know how they tracked our movements, but watch your skin,” he murmured.
Aveoth glanced down and saw the warning signs of partial shelling. It took every ounce of control to force his body into submission. Fray whipped out a spare pair of sunglasses from his jacket and held them out.
Aveoth took them and covered his eyes. “I’m going to—”
“Not here. Not now. Just breathe, my lord. In. Out. We’ll get her back.”
Every minute seemed like an eternity until the cab screeched to a halt in front of an old gray building. Aveoth almost ripped the door open to get out, breathing in every scent around him. He picked up VampLycans right away. One glance back showed Fray giving the driver money. Aveoth rushed to the front door of the building, only to find it locked. He viciously twisted the handle and threw his shoulder into it. The lock broke and he shoved inside.
Aveoth stared at the shop, his nose burning from the strong stench of chemicals. Metals and paint fumes. He stormed across the room to another door and threw it open. Chaz lay on the floor in a pool of blood but the enforcer’s eyes were open. His sunglasses were lying feet away.
“I’m sorry.”
Aveoth assessed Chaz’s severe injuries at a glance. He’d suffered two blasts to the chest, and additional shots to his shoulder, stomach, and hip. Blood coated his lips and ran down his chin to his throat. Aveoth stepped over the male, staring at the open back door and up the stairs where blood was smeared on the steps.
“Outside,” Chaz got out, coughing up more blood. “She escaped from upstairs and they rushed out the door after her.”
Aveoth ran and picked up more scents once he’d left the stench of the building’s interior. Fray was right on his heels and they separated.
His enforcer crouched near a Dumpster and touched the ground. “She was here.” He looked up. “The window is open. She must have jumped out that way and fallen to the ground.”
Aveoth tracked the scents he recognized. They were from the two VampLycans he’d beaten for Jill after meeting her for the first time. There was an unfamiliar scent, too, by an abandoned backpack. He followed his nose out an open gate, where all the scents disappeared at the street. Fray grabbed his arm again.
“We’ll get her back. Don’t lose your shit, my lord. It’s broad daylight. You can’t fly in the city to search for her.”
“Decker has her again!”
“He’ll want something then. He always does. It means he won’t dare hurt her. Think. I know it’s rough right now because she’s your mate, but you must.”
He closed his eyes and tried to clear his thoughts. “I can track her.”
“Shit. I forgot. What direction?”
Aveoth mentally reached out to Jill but couldn’t get a sense of where she was. “I’m getting nothing.”
“You bonded to her, you can, you’re just upset. Concentrate, my lord.”
Aveoth tried again, then felt more rage and frustration. “I sense nothing. They’ve killed her!” He crashed to his knees, his heart feeling as if someone had ripped it out.
Fray bent and hooked his arms around him, lifted, and nearly dragged him back into the yard they’d just left before putting him down. He kicked the gate closed and began prowling the yard. Aveoth stayed down and grew cold inside, dead. His skin throbbed and he knew he had begun to shell. It didn’t matter anymore. Nothing did.
Fray came back to him and knelt. “I found a topper thing to a needle. Don’t shut down, Aveoth.” Fray gripped the back of his neck and squeezed hard. “Do you hear me, damn it? Decker wants something. He needs your mate alive. You’re not sensing her because she must be drugged. You know it can block your ability to get her location if her mind is shut down.”
He latched onto the words and fought to breathe again. To soften his skin.
“That’s it,” Fray encouraged. “Come on, Aveoth. If nothing else, get mad at me for being informal with you.”
Aveoth opened his eyes and saw the red syringe cap Fray held in his palm. He took it and sniffed. It did smell of some form of drug, even if it was slight.
“She’s carrying your scent.” Fray released his neck. “Decker wants his clan back. He’ll use Jill to force you to help him do that. Are you thinking clearer now? I’d like to check on my twin. He looked like shit when I glanced at him.”
“Go to Chaz.”
“I’ll be right back.”
Aveoth slowly stood—and silently promised to reign hell down on Decker and any of his loyal to get Jill back. He checked his phone but he hadn’t missed any calls. Decker would be contacting him, though. The bastard had taken his mate.
He entered the building, watching as Fray helped his brother stand.
Chaz refused to meet his eyes. “I’m so sorry, my lord.”
“Stop.” Aveoth came forward and put his hands on the GarLycan’s chest, examining the wounds. They were bad but the holes were very slowly closing and the bleeding had slowed. “Punctured lung?”
“Yes. It doesn’t matter. I failed you.” Chaz leaned heavily on Fray. “I failed your mate.”
Aveoth glanced at Fray, seeing the twin’s fear flash across his features. He could guess why.
“Not another word, Chaz. I know what you’re going to say. I refuse to take your life as punishment. The bastards used the stench in here to hide their scents and they attacked you with human weapons before you could react.” He’d noticed the three shotguns, discarded on the floor by an open door that revealed an office with a desk inside. “It was a trap. Anyone could have walked into it. None of us suspected Decker would come after my mate here.”
Aveoth took off the sunglasses to get them out of the way and withdrew a dagger from the hidden thigh pocket of his leather pants. “You want to make it up to me?”
Chaz lifted his head. “My life is yours, my lord. I’ll do anything for you.”
Aveoth stared hard at each twin. “I need you both to swear secrecy and loyalty to me forever—right now.”
Both appeared confused but it was Fray who spoke. “You’ve always had that, and forever will.”
“Good. Then do exactly what I say.” He sliced his skin on the meaty part of his inner forearm and lifted it to Chaz’s face. “Drink my blood now. That’s an order.”
Chaz’s eyes widened, uncertainty showing in them.
“My father was a VampLycan. My blood will heal you. Drink it.”
Chaz only hesitated for an instant, then sealed his mouth over the cut. Aveoth focused on Fray. The VampLycan removed his sunglasses, their gazes locking over Chaz’s head, and Fray gave a sharp nod, silently telling him he meant the vow.
“I’ll explain later. Decker will want to return to Alaska. Let’s get there first. That means we need to get the fuck out of here and back on the jet. We can’t do that with Chaz bleeding out and looking the way he currently does. Humans would stop us and call their law enforcement.”
“VampLycan. I’m blown away.” Fray whistled. “I never would have guessed that about you in a million years.”
“We’d all better hope no one else ever does in our clan.”
“No shit. We won’t tell anyone. Does Kelzeb know?”
Aveoth peered into Chaz’s eyes, which were still locked onto him. “Yes.”
Chaz surprised him by winking. Then the GarLycan stopped drinking his blood and took a step back before reaching down and tearing open his destroyed shirt. The holes in his chest were rapidly sealing before their eyes.
“Fuck!” Chaz touched one of the wounds, already closed. “Amazing.”
“I’ll find you something else to wear. You’re covered in blood.” Fray strode into the office.
“I hope the jet can be flown with one pilot instead of two.”
“Why is that, my lord?” Chaz removed the rest of his shirt and began to undress.
“I need to drink blood now. That’s the down side to being part VampLycan.”
Fray returned carrying a T-shirt and shorts. “It’s the best I could find in there.” He held them out to his brother. “It was that, or I could go upstairs to Jill’s apartment to get you a dress or something.”
“Hurry up and get dressed, Chaz. We need to go.” Aveoth was desperate to get back to Alaska.
Fray stepped forward. “I heard what you said.” He offered his arm. “You need blood.”
Aveoth was touched. The brothers truly accepted what he was. “I appreciate that but two of us are weaker than normal right now. Let’s not make it three. I’ll take blood once we reach the jet.”
Chaz had put on the human’s clothing. They were too small and he looked ridiculous in shorts with boots. It didn’t matter. “That’s your mate’s duffle bag there and she had a backpack with her mother’ ashes. Did they get that too?”
“It’s outside. I’ll grab it.” Fray exited the building, putting his sunglasses back on.
Aveoth tried hard to hang on to his sanity. His mate had been taken—and VampLycans would die.