Chapter Nineteen
Lucien mounted Opie and watched Najha grab a handful of mane to get up on Lena. They’d decided to keep Najha safe so she would stay with him on the horses.
His warriors surrounded them, and his mate would be safe no matter what happened to him.
Najha with her exotic dark looks amazed him. Her long, black, thick hair hung down her back. Her leather top covered her breasts as her jeans hugged her lower body. The dark contrast held his attention to the white hair of her mare.
It didn’t matter as much any longer to seek out his parents’ murderer to him. Now, it just seemed more important to stop these things because they were destroying humans and had Myra held captive. “Let’s go.” He waved to the warriors and horses.
The wide grin on Najha’s face told him she loved riding the horse he’d given her. Her wolves followed them, Lucien had been happy to see Red after all these years. He knew his old friend, Mario, had a litter of pups, so to see Red after all these years and to know this was the litter and they’d survived was a great relief to Lucien. He was also happy they’d chosen to protect Najha.
They rode a few miles, following the trackers. The fog, mist, then rain rolled in. Lucien suspected it was mother earth telling him he was running out of time. Daylight was fast approaching, and he needed to keep his mate safe. How would they continue on, if the sun started to rise?
Excitement stirred from the lead men. Vlad and Kaden raced back to him.
Lucien broke away from Najha to greet them. “Vlad, Kaden.”
“Lucien, they’re up ahead. Something doesn’t feel right though.” Kaden frowned.
Najha cleared her throat from behind him. “Lucien, just miles over that crest is where I found Red and his littermates.”
“Let’s go then.” He directed Kaden and Vlad ahead of him and Najha. They stayed on the horses until they came upon a small opening in the mountain. “In there?” Lucien pointed.
One of the trackers, a lycan by the name of Martin, Marty for short, led them to the opening. “She’s inside there. Myra’s scent is strong. But there’s something else? We just can’t understand it, and I didn’t want to risk any men with the unknown.”
Lucien nodded, he didn’t allow his men to do any investigating until the stronger telepathic warriors were in attendance. He dismounted and reached up to help Najha off her horse. “You ready for this? It’s going to be very intense. Remember what I said to you. Get your mom, then get the hell out of there. No chances, love.”
She nodded. “Let’s do this.”
He smiled and led her to the opening. It was just wide enough to squeeze his large body through. Najha easily fit between the two walls. Once inside, they found it to be large enough to walk without ducking down. They kept moving through cave after cave until they reached a large cavern with a hot spring and plenty of space to live in.
“What is this place?” Najha whispered.
He stopped and looked around. Something didn’t feel right inside the mountain. They still hadn’t found where Myra was. Lucien wasn’t sure, but this wasn’t a place a lycan could be held in.
Still not finding anything after they walked another short distance, Lucien decided this wasn’t going anywhere, and it was another dead end. When he would have turned around and left, Najha shook her head then pointed across the large opening to another fork and a tunnel. “Let’s go.” He nodded.
They walked downwards, going further and deeper into the mountain until they found an area covered in ice and water.
*****
Najha gripped her arms and shivered slightly until she readjusted her temperature to withstand the cold. She walked to the wall and pushed at a few areas until she heard a slight click.
Lucien rushed to her right as the wall slid open to reveal Myra hanging from the stone by large silver chains. She appeared unconscious or worse—dead.
Najha couldn’t believe what she and Lucien had found. Her lycan prevented her from shifting to a wolf to help her escape. Najha raced over to her, but before she could touch her mom, Lucien grabbed her and pulled her farther back. “Don’t,” he scolded.
“Then get her down.”
Lucien shook his head. He reached out, but before he touched her mom, Myra opened her eyes. They widened as she shook her head. “Stop, Lucien. Najha, go. Get out of—here.” Her voice broke from lack of use and dehydration.
“No, Myra. I’m going to melt the chains. It’s going to hurt like hell. I need you to get Najha out of here the minute you’re free,” Lucien ordered.
“Lucien, no. Just go,” Myra begged.
Lucien shook his head. Using his hands, he weaved a spell until he had an orb of fire circling on the palm of his hand. He gently moved it toward the chains where they were attached to the stone walls. He melted the first chain holding her left hand. It melted free from the wall, dropping her useless arm at her side. Then he started on the right one. As soon as that one melted, Myra fell forward into Najha’s waiting arms. Lucien made short work of the chains around her legs.
When Najha picked her mom up into her arms, the silver hit her body, and she screamed in pain. “Ohh, it burns.”
Lucien grabbed Myra from Najha. The leather on her legs was completely burned off from the silver. He then realized he would have to be careful from now on with the mixed blood of Najha in his system.
They rushed through the chambers and down the long tunnel leading to the outside. When they reached the small opening, Najha went through first. The bright sunlight told her Lucien couldn’t go outside. She turned and shook her head.
He frowned, holding her mom who appeared to be unconscious. “Go and get your dad,” he whispered.
Najha ran outside to the waiting lycan.
All the vampires were gone along with the horses.
Thorn rushed forward with Aiden and Dante. Jonas came up behind them. She ran to them. “Come help, Lucien had to carry Mom. She’s got silver around her wrists and ankles.”
“Oh, God.” Thorn looked worried. They raced to the opening and found Myra lying outside the mountain with Lucien lying against the inside of the cavern.
Najha peered in and he looked badly burned. He’d risked himself to the sun for her mom. She turned to Thorn and Dante who were working on a spell to remove the chains. “Dad, I have to go to him.” She pointed to Lucien who was resting against the rocks inside.
He nodded even as he frowned. “Najha, he is your mate. It’s your place to care for him. Stay safe. We’ll be here if you need us.”
“I will. Thank you, Daddy.” Najha rushed in and put her arms around Lucien then helped him back to the cavern where they’d found the hot spring. Once they were there, she weaved a spell and made a soft bed out of leaves and a few comforters. “Lucien, do you think we’re safe inside here? What about the thing that held my mom?”
“I asked Myra. She said it was a mixed breed, lycan and vampire. But something was off about this monster. He was only worried about her and keeping her hidden from everyone. He used her for her blood. He’d come to her every day and had his Bolnav feed from her feed. After that, he’d leave her be. He had come a few hours before we did and they took the usual from her then left. He wasn’t worried about us coming for her. I have no idea why either. I’ll keep you safe from that thing.”
Lucien was already getting stronger, but the sun had sapped his strength. He needed to sleep, and she knew it. “Let’s get you comfy so you can sleep. Tell me what you need?” She helped him to the bed she’d made for them. Najha planned on staying with him till they could both leave.
Lucien sat down and patted the bed next to him. “Come, I need you to stay by me.”
Najha wanted to be next to him. She felt exhausted herself. Whistling, she signaled her wolves.
Red led Athena, Avalon, Isis, and Clio into the chamber.
“We need to sleep. Will you protect us and wake me if anything comes near this place?” She wasn’t going to let that thing take her or him.
Red yipped then walked to them then curled up against her leg, and the rest followed surrounding both Lucien and herself.
“Thank you, my friends.”
Athena whined as she laid her head on Lucien’s leg.
“Aww, she likes you.” Najha couldn’t help but feel happy her wolves accepted him this easily.
Lucien smiled gently, kissing her, then pulled her backside close to his body holding her tight.
Falling asleep would be nearly impossible, but she would at least try.