The sound of his mate’s voice hit him like a freight truck, and Kieran practically dove toward the well. “Lynk? Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
“I took a knock on the head, but I’m fine. Thane’s not going to make it much longer, though. There’s a door here that I think might lead to one of those windmills. I’m going to try to get through it.”
“Where is Zasha?”
Lynk’s voice came back inside his mind, cold and hard. “I don’t know, but when we find him, he’s mine.”
“Not if I get to him first. I’m going to guess that door leads to the center windmill. Try to open the door now.” He heard a few muttered words and then a loud explosion that shook the ground beneath his feet. “Still got it,” Lynk called up to him, proud and cocky.
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“Can you see anything?” There was no answer, though. “Lynk, talk to me, sugar. What do you see? What’s going on?” Still, he heard nothing.
Before he could get himself too worked up, though, there was another enormous boom. The door on the windmill fell from its hinges into a pile of rubble, and Lynk stood there, grinning from ear to ear. “Can I get some help?”
Parker was at his side in an instant, lifting a very thin and frail-looking man into his arms. Kieran barely noticed. His whole world had narrowed to his mate as Lynk sprinted toward him. Opening his arms, he caught the smaller man and crushed him close, rumbling in his chest as he nuzzled against Lynk’s head, face, and neck.
“I’m fine, Kieran. A knot the size of Memphis on the back of my head, but otherwise, I’m okay.”
“I’m so proud of you, sugar.” Someone stepped up beside them, trying to remove Lynk from his arms, and Kieran snapped at the intruder, snarling viciously.
“Shut up,” Torren chastised him. “I just want to see that my brother is okay.”
“I’m fine, Torren.” Lynk pointed toward the windmill. “Thane is the one who needs help, and fast. Besides, I think you need to back off before Kieran eats you.”
Yes, he did. While Kieran understood that bond between brothers, Lynk was his mate, and he wasn’t about to release his hold on him when he’d just found him safe and mostly unmarred.
With the addition of Torren, Raven, Bannon, and the eldest Murphy brother, Devlin, there were now eight men milling about the small clearing. And that wasn’t even including the three unconscious bodies on the ground, Lynk, or himself. Haven really was like one immense family. If someone messed with one of them, the entire coven came together with hostile intent.
“Give me the book!”
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Kieran whirled around, Lynk still held protectively in his arms, and curled his lip at the sight before him. Axton was on his feet, his eyes wide and crazed as he clutched Raven to him, a gold blade resting against the vampire’s throat.
“Where is Zasha?” Leader Tuesday countered, having reverted back to his usual form.
“Tell me where the book is!” The blade pressed more insistently at Raven’s flesh, and the Enforcer flinched as though it burned him.
Maybe it did. Gold was highly toxic and often lethal to vampires.
“Who are you working with?” Torren growled, advancing toward Axton. “Why do you want the book?”
“The circle will reward me if I deliver the book to them. They gave me the witch, led me to where he was hiding, and trusted me to watch over him. I have to produce the book now.” Axton removed the dagger from Raven’s neck and waved it around wildly. “Tell me where it is!”
“Who led you to the witch? When?” Leader Tuesday spoke with an air of calm authority, even though he was facing down a deranged vampire with a gold blade—not to mention the little fact that the coven leader was butt naked in the cold November wind.
“The circle!” Axton screamed. “They found me when I went home with Zasha. They gave me the key.” He pointed at Thane to indicate which key he meant. “They come and harvest his blood.
They’re almost ready, but they need the book. I have to give them the book if I want the power they can give me.” Kieran really hoped he’d be the one that got to break the news to the idiot that it didn’t matter if he handed over the Book of the Banished or not. He’d be long dead before the witches could ever
“reward” him.
“Zasha has been a good friend to you.” Tuesday clasped his hands in front of him and tilted his head to the side. “His family welcomed you into their home. What have you done to him, Axton?”
“He’s alive.”
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“Where?”
“I’m not stupid,” Axton spat. “If I tell you, then I have no leverage. You need me or you’ll never find him. Now, give me the fucking book!”
Lynk wiggled out of Kieran’s arms and crossed his arms over his chest. “I know where Zasha is.”
Kieran wasn’t sure if his mate was bluffing, but he sounded convincing. Apparently Axton agreed, because his eyes went even wider, and he lunged forward to grab Lynk by the upper arm. “Give me the book or I’ll gut him like a fish.” The stupid bloodsucker looked right at Kieran as he spoke, taunting him, goading him.
As the haze of murderous fury descended over him, Kieran’s mind went completely blank and his beast took over, demanding vengeance. The next few seconds passed in a blur of growling, biting, ripping, and clawing at any part of Axton he could reach. When Kieran finally returned to his senses, he had Lynk in his arms once more, and Axton was splayed on the ground, his sightless eyes staring up at the moon as blood pooled in the grass beneath his lifeless body.
Lynk looked a little green around the gills, and he was shaking as he clung to Kieran. So, when he finally spoke, his words were so unexpected that Kieran actually chuffed in laughter.
“Well, good thing that I really do know where Zasha is.”
* * * *
Lynk hadn’t personally known where Zasha was, but Thane did.
Though they hadn’t been bonded, their connection was there, allowing Thane to feel his mate’s presence. They’d speculated on it quite a bit, but it was kind of liberating to know that he’d been correct in his assumption as to why Zasha had been so obsessed with him.
It hadn’t taken long to find the vampire beneath a trapdoor in the far left windmill. He’d been drugged and bound, but was a little groggy on the details of how exactly Axton had gotten the drop on 140 Gabrielle
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him. While Zasha’s behavior had seemed suspicious when he’d led them to the well, he really had just been worried for Thane and in a rush to get to him. Lynk could understand that single-minded pursuit when it came to the safety of the people who mattered most to him.
Raith was spitting mad, snarling and bitching about Axton drugging him as well. Once he’d learned that the asshole vampire had been the one to push Lynk into the well—as well as the horrors of what he’d put Thane through—Lynk imagined Axton should be glad he was already dead. What Kieran had done to him would probably seem like child’s play compared to Raith’s fury.
It really hadn’t been a very well thought out or executed plan.
Clearly, Axton hadn’t been very bright, rest his soul. Part of Lynk mourned the loss of life, but the rational part of him understood that it couldn’t have been avoided. Even if Axton hadn’t died at Kieran’s hands, The Council would have ordered his execution almost immediately.
He just wished there had to been time for them to discover the name of the circle of witches he had been working with. On the other hand, he supposed they had enough clues to lead them in the right direction. It had to be a local coven, one with ties in Belgium.
There was also the strong likelihood that it was the same group that had attacked them on Halloween. It wouldn’t exactly be easy to identify them, but Lynk had confidence that they’d find them eventually.
There would be more as well. All over the world, covens, packs, circles, and all types of paranormals were searching out the Braddocks, desperate
to have a key to the Book of the Banished. For now, however, the book was safe, and Lynk and his brothers had survived once again. They’d found one of their missing brethren, their family was slowly being reunited, and Lynk had his Infinity.
As things went, he figured he was a pretty lucky guy.
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Chapter Sixteen
“I want to see my mate,” Zasha demanded.
“No,” Torren countered. “I have some questions for you, plus Thane is in no condition to be getting worked up right now.” Lynk was having a hard time picking a side on this one. While he wanted some answers and certainly wanted to protect his brother, he’d be a snarling, spitting mess if someone tried to keep him away from Kieran.
“I’ll answer your questions.” Zasha slumped back against the cushions of the sofa where they all gathered in the living room of the house Lynk shared with his brothers and mate. “I’m not going to hurt him. I just need to see him.”
The vampire sounded drained, but he’d refused to leave Thane. So while Leader Tuesday cleaned up the mess in his coven, Zasha had traveled back to Casper with them. No one would let him near Thane, though, and Lynk felt a little guilty about that. Still, Torren said it was for the best until Thane could recover from his ordeal, and for once, Lynk agreed.
Thane was barely more than skin and bones, covered in bruises, bite marks, cuts, and angry-looking sores. It was a miracle that he was even still alive after what he’d endured.
“How did Axton get Thane into the country?” Torren asked, leaning forward in his chair and clasping his hands together between his knees as he stared at Zasha unblinkingly.
“I don’t think he did.” There was a moment of silence while Zasha apparently tried to gather his thoughts. “Axton doesn’t have any family, and he never really fit in at Snake River. I guess I felt sorry 142 Gabrielle
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for him.” He sighed heavily, but kept his head up and his shoulders back. “I always go home to Belgium to visit my family in the spring.
A few years ago, I asked Axton to come with me.”
“You asked him? Not the other way around?” Lynk didn’t know why the distinction was important, but he trusted Torren to get the information they needed.
“Yes.” Zasha bobbed his head. “It was just after he’d come to our coven, and he was still having problems making friends and settling in. I thought it would do him some good to get away for a while. That was the first time I took him with me. It just kind of became an annual thing after that.”
“How did he meet these witches in Belgium?” Shifting around in his recliner, Kieran spread his thighs and held out a hand for Lynk to come to him while he spoke to Zasha.
Uncaring of what any of the men in the room thought, Lynk rose from the floor and settled into his mate’s lap. Curling into the man’s much larger body, Lynk rested his head on Kieran’s shoulder, sighing happily when those big, muscled arms wrapped around him protectively.
Clearly his lover still had reservations about Zasha. Since the idiot had gone as far as to bite him, Lynk really couldn’t blame Kieran for his distrust. The vampire was Thane’s Infinity, though, and therefore family. Sooner or later, Kieran was going to have to get over his dislike of the man.
“Axton said he wanted to give me some time alone with my family, and that he was going to go explore the city. He’d been coming home with me for five or six years by that point, so he knew the area well. It was pretty common by that point for him to go out on his own while we were there, so I didn’t think anything of it, either.
I’m guessing that’s when he met the witches.”
“You think that circle is responsible for getting Thane back to the States.” Lynk bobbed his head, frowning in concentration while he tried to follow the path of logic. “That makes sense, but where were Flawless 143
they keeping him? Thane said he was held captive for nearly two years, but only the last few months were spent in that well.”
“I can’t answer that.” His upper lip curled, and Zasha looked royally pissed off. “I promise that I’ll find out, though.” He looked right into Torren’s eyes and growled. “I’ll make them pay for what they did to him.”
“Maybe Thane can tell us more when he wakes up,” Lynk hurried to add, trying to defuse the hostility flashing in the vampire’s eyes. “I don’t think it’s a huge stretch to assume the witches who attacked us on Halloween could be involved with this. I think we need to find out what they know.”
Torren dipped his head in Lynk’s direction. “I agree. We have Thane with us, and once he’s stronger, we can focus on getting Mikko back as well. How he came to be in that well is important, though. We have to make sure it doesn’t happen to anyone else.”
“Speaking of that happening to other people”—Kieran sat up a little straighter, repositioning Lynk in his lap—“we started looking for Thane in Snake River because Aslan said he was held as a blood slave in a coven nearby. Snake River is the only one in the vicinity.” He said no more after that, but the accusation was clear in his voice.
“We’re not the only coven.” His eyebrows drew together, and Zasha shook his head once. “There’s another coven that lives near the base of the mountains not too far from here. It’s a small coven, only ten or twelve members.”
“How do you know that?” Torren looked disgruntled as he rubbed at the back of his neck. “Why didn’t I know that?” Zasha shrugged. “Like I said, they’re small and mostly keep to themselves. Axton lived with them before coming to Snake River.” Alarm bells went off in Lynk’s head, and he sat up so quickly that the top of his head whacked against Kieran’s chin. He barely felt it, though. “Near the mountains, away from heavily populated areas, it sounds like the perfect place if someone needed to hide something.” 144 Gabrielle
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“Or someone,” Zasha growled. “You think Axton kept Thane there.” He growled again but bobbed his head in agreement. “You’re right. It makes sense, and everything is too connected to be mere coincidence.”
“Can you show us where this coven is?” Coming out of his thoughts, Zasha lifted his head to face Torren again and nodded. “I know the general area.”
“I think everyone needs to rest tonight, but we’ll call another meeting tomorrow to go over the situation and plan a course of attack.” Torren seemed much less volatile now that they had a plan.
“You’re welcome to spend the day here, but Thane needs to rest now.”
“I just want to see him.” There was pain in Zasha’s amber eyes, and he sounded so sad. “I won’t disturb him, but I need to see that he’s okay. Please?”
“Torren,” Lynk said softly, his eyes pleading for his brother to stop being such a control freak for once in his life.
With a heavy sigh, Torren pushed up from his chair and motioned for Zasha to come with him. “Follow me, and I’ll show you where he’s sleeping.”
“Thank you,” Zasha whispered to Lynk before turning his gaze to Kieran. “I know you probably hate me, and I can’t blame you, but I am so sorry for what I put you through.” To Lynk’s complete surprise, Kieran offered his hand to the vampire. “I get it. I’d do whatever it took to get my mate back if I thought someone was keeping him from me.”
“That was nice of you,” Lynk whispered up to his mate once they were alone in the room. “I think he’s a good guy. I’m glad you’re willing to give him a chance.”
Kieran huffed and kissed the top of his head. “Yeah, well, let’s not break out the friendship bracelets just yet. I won’t kill him, but that’s all I’m promising right now.”
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Ducking his head to hide his smile, Lynk knew it was a big step for Kieran. Considering his possessive attitude and anger management issues, not murdering the vampire was a pretty good place to start.
* * * *
“I’m coming for you, Lynk.”
“I’m counting on it,” his lover called back from the distance.
&nb
sp; Kieran could hear the smirk in his mate’s voice, practically feel the anticipation flowing off of him. It was a game they often played on warm summer nights, one he always looked forward to. The moon lit his path, their bond pulled him deeper into the forest, and every part of Kieran thrummed with the desire to get his hands on his mate.
He knew from experience he’d find Lynk within the woods, gloriously naked, and spread out for him like a feast for a king.
Closer, closer, he was almost there. His mouth watered, his dick ached, and need gripped him in a vice hold.
Shaking himself out of his memory, Kieran smiled inwardly as he stalked his prey. So many times they’d played this game in their previous lives, but it never got old or boring. This time, however, he had the added advantage of his werewolf senses to help guide him through the night.
He’d been reluctant at first when Lynk had suggested it, but as always, his little mate had worn him down. It helped that they were on Haven lands, and Kieran knew there were Enforcers patrolling the grounds, always watchful for any danger. Still, he’d feel much better when he reached Lynk. The man was crafty, doubling back several times to try and throw Kieran off his scent, but Kieran wouldn’t be distracted. The prize was too great, and he aimed to win it.
Still, he stalked slowly through the trees, allowing the need and desire to grow inside them both, prolonging the exquisite torture until they were reunited once more.
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There had been a flurry of activity in the weeks since Axton’s untimely demise, and Kieran found himself in meetings more times than not. They still hadn’t located the coven near the mountains, but there were signs to indicate that they were getting closer.
Unfortunately, it didn’t leave a lot of free time to heat up the sheets with his mate. Kieran hated it, but on the bright side, it only made it that much more explosive when they finally found their way together.
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