by Tara West
Good. Less guards for them to fight, but there were still at least a dozen, all heavily armed. When they dragged two bodies out of the house and laid them on the dirt, Raine became alarmed. Though he didn’t recognize the men, it was clear the compound was falling apart. He just prayed Annie hadn’t gotten caught in the crossfire.
Raine’s nostrils flared. Annie’s scent was strong here. He hoped he was right, and she was still in the house.
Most of the guards returned to the barn fire, leaving only two to watch the back of the house. Two armed men to three shifters was a much fairer fight.
Be safe, brother, Raine projected, praying to the Ancients that Frey wasn’t injured or worse. After watching Jax crawl back with burns all over him, he didn’t think he could stand having another brother fall.
You, too, brother, Frey answered.
When Tor and Van showed up, giving Raine questioning looks, Raine nodded at the house. Tor nodded his approval.
Wait for me to clear the way, Raine projected to Frey. Under cover of darkness, he skirted the house, hiding behind bushes, barrels, and rusty old cars. He ended up behind a stack of heavy tractor tires, the perfect cover and the perfect weapons. He quickly shifted into his behemoth protector form, a ten-foot tall, two-legged beast with two tusks curling out of his mouth and a barrel chest. He picked up the tires as if they weighed no more than footballs and deftly threw them at the guards, knocking them down like bowling pins. Then he whistled to the others, who slunk into the house.
Once inside, Raine changed into a man and sped through the house, following Annie’s scent. He raced up a set of crumbling stairs two at a time until he reached a shaky landing. The others darted ahead of him, still in wolf form. They saw the cages. It smelled like piss and mold and something else he couldn’t identify.
What the hell? Frey howled.
Raine searched each cage, despondent when he saw young girls no older than fifteen in each one. He became even more upset when he couldn’t find Annie.
Frey shifted into human form and offered a girl his hand. She turned away, pressing into a corner of the cage.
We can’t help them now, Raine projected. We’ll come back and free them after we find Annie.
Frey nodded. It’s not like they’d trust a naked man who’d been a wolf a few seconds earlier.
Magnus had been right. Annie wasn’t here. What if she really was in that truck? That meant Magnus was her only hope of escape. Would he be capable of saving Annie?
“Come on,” he said to the others, waving them downstairs. “We’re wasting time here.”
Frey slunk past him, his tail between his legs.
They ran out the back door while the guards still struggled to put out the fire.
Does that mean Magnus was right? Frey asked as they raced down the dirt road as wolves.
Yes. Raine grimaced. Ancients save him if he loses her again.
“HOW LONG BEFORE WE reach the reservation?” Annie asked Roy as they drove down the darkened highway.
“About forty-five minutes.”
She looked over her shoulder again, fearing the demon wasn’t dead. Or maybe it had died but then managed to steal another body. With Annie’s luck, that’s exactly what had happened, which meant she’d have no idea what the demon looked like.
She probed Roy’s mind for at least the tenth time, hating herself for invading his privacy, but she had to be sure. At the moment the only things on his mind were his desire to get Annie to safety and the strong need for a toilet, and not in that order. His stomach burned like demon hounds were playing fetch with his guts.
“My mates are probably looking for me,” she said. “I wish we had our phones.” Or at least a pocket knife, so she could dig the amethyst out of her thigh.
“No telling what the demons did with them,” he answered.
And it’s not like they could stop to call them. What if a demon was following them and stole Roy’s body again? No, they couldn’t pull over until they were safe among the Amaroki.
Annie’s heart clenched when Roy gripped the wheel more tightly, his face screwed up and tension radiating off him in waves.
“What was it like?” she asked. “When the demon possessed you?”
“It was hell,” he answered solemnly, his voice hollow. “My soul was lost in darkness.”
“I’m sorry.” Just knowing her brother had been subjected to such hell—that she could’ve lost him forever—twisted her up inside.
“What matters is you’re safe,” he said. “I’m sorry the demon used me to get to you.”
“It’s not your fault, Roy.” She leaned against him, grasping his arm, hating how he jerked from her touch. “It’s my fault I didn’t warn you about the demon. I never thought it would go after you.”
Roy glanced down at her hand. “We’ll probably need a lot of therapy after this is over.”
“Therapy never helped me.” A bitter laugh escaped her. “They tried it when we were in foster care, remember?”
“Yeah. We’ve been through some shit.”
All thanks to their deadbeat parents. Their mom was a selfish whore, but their dad’s—correction, Roy’s dad—his apathy was even worse. After the accident, he hadn’t just given up on himself. He’d given up on his children.
“We have.” Emotion colored her words as she swallowed back a knot of sorrow. “I’m glad I still have you, though.” She squeezed his arm again, pleased when he didn’t jump.
“Me, too.” He took one hand off the wheel and laced his fingers through hers, holding tight. “We’ll get through this, Annie.”
Yes, they’d get through this. She always found a way to overcome her challenges. She just wished life would throw her a few less curve balls. It would be nice to enjoy living for once.
MAGNUS HAD BEEN RUNNING across rough terrain for what felt like hours, staying parallel to the road the truck had taken. He had more cacti needles stuck in his legs than he could count, and his calves were in knots. But he wouldn’t give up. He’d shifted into protector form, hoping nobody would see him in the darkness, knowing he could run better on two feet than three paws. All the while he prayed to the Ancients, Annie’s fathers, that he wouldn’t be too late and his brothers had survived their confrontation with the guards. He’d never forgive himself if anything happened to his family.
Regardless of the outcome, he’d already decided he wasn’t worthy of having a family. Once Annie was rescued and he was assured Vidar wouldn’t be a threat, he would leave Texas and set out as a lone wolf. His brothers didn’t want him around anyway.
When the terrain changed from rough dirt to softer soil, he knew he was getting closer to the reservation. He hoped that was a good sign. Why would the truck driver take Annie home unless he meant to free her?
An eerie howl sliced through the air, making Magnus halt, heart thumping hard while he strained to hear it again. Another howl practically pierced his ears. What was that? It sounded like a wolf, only darker. Perhaps it was an old, sick Amaroki. It made his blood run cold. Whatever it was, it was on the hunt.
Chapter Thirteen
ROY HUNCHED OVER THE steering wheel, his cheeks as red as volcanic lava while pained sounds escaped him.
“Roy!” Annie cried. “What’s wrong?”
“That demon fed me poison,” he said and groaned, his stomach grumbling so loudly it sounded like there was a pack of coyotes under his belt. “I need to stop.”
Annie spied a large brick building just ahead.
“Pull over there.” She pointed. “That looks like a hospital.”
Roy nodded and sped into the parking lot, slamming the vehicle in park. “Stay here.”
“Nope.” No way was she letting him out of her sight. She jumped out and helped him to the front door. It was locked, but he seemed to know the code to get in.
“How did you know that?” she asked.
He hunched over like a feeble, old man. “I don’t know if I’m going to make it.” He punched more cod
es to get through more doors, then raced to a nearby restroom.
She sat on a sofa, eyes fixed on the bathroom door, wishing for once she didn’t have wolf-touched hearing... or smell.
She waited in a room that looked like the parlor of an old lady’s house, with old-fashioned furniture and paintings, and even an old record player on a sideboard. The check-in area looked more like something that would be staffed by a concierge, with a sign-in station, a complimentary juice and snack bar, and guest badges lined up neatly on the counter. Was this a hospital or a hotel for the elderly?
By the time he finally came out, he was as white as a sheet.
“Better?” she asked.
He smiled. “Much better.
Roy went directly to the juice and drank several cups. Annie helped herself to pink lemonade. The two water bottles had done little to quench her thirst.
“What is this place?” she asked, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand before putting two complimentary glazed donuts on a paper plate. They were stale, but she was too hungry to care.
Roy gave her a blank look. “It’s where they’re keeping Dad.”
She nearly choked on a stale donut. “He’s not my dad, Roy.”
“He thinks he’s your dad.”
“Let’s go.” She dragged him toward the front door. “We’re wasting time.”
“Wait.” Roy dug in his heels. “I want to get Dad first.”
She gaped at him. Had he lost his mind? As if being chased by a body-snatching demon was the best time to haul around a quadriplegic!
“Annie,” he said, “the demon knows every single one of my thoughts. She knows our dad’s here. He’s not safe.”
“Your dad,” she reiterated, feeling thousands of tiny needles pricking her skin.
Roy threw up his hands. “Jesus, Annie!”
She cocked a hand on her hip. “Have you forgotten how he treated Amara?”
“No.” Roy shook his head. “But don’t you think he’s paid for his sins?”
How could he be so flippant about this? As if their father abandoning Amara and them was no big deal? “He didn’t try to get better. He just sat in that wheelchair like a corpse while they took us away. He didn’t even put up a fight. When you love someone, you fight for them.” Her voice broke, and she was forced to turn away, biting on her knuckles to keep from crying out. Couldn’t he see that just talking about that man was torturing her? She did not want to see him.
“Look at me, Annie.” He grasped her shoulders. “We have a bigger fight at the moment. We don’t have time to deal with our repressed teenage emotions. We have a body-snatching demon chasing us.”
“Don’t you think I know that?” She jerked away, ready to punch him or the wall until she saw a nurse coming their way.
“Hi, Roy.” The nurse, a pretty Latina woman, glanced at Annie dismissively and then looked over Roy’s dirty, torn clothes with concern. “Are you okay? Looks like you’ve been through something.”
“Our tire had a flat, and we got dirty changing it. We came to see Dad.”
“Your father’s asleep. Visiting hours are over.”
“I’m sorry, Gloria, but I’m afraid this can’t wait,” Roy pleaded.
Gloria clucked her tongue. “You know how he gets when we wake him.”
“He’ll want to wake for this.” Roy wrapped an arm around Annie’s shoulder. “My sister is visiting from out of town.”
Gloria smiled warmly, and that’s when she knew this woman had a crush on Roy and had probably initially thought she was his girlfriend. “Annie? Your father talks about you nonstop.” She held out a hand.
She probed Gloria’s mind, searching for any sign of deceit. The only thought she heard was It’s about time she visits that poor man. She shook the woman’s hand, surprised by her firm grip.
“Oh.” She didn’t know what else to say. She hadn’t expected Roy Senior to remember her. Sure, Roy had said his father talked about her, but she figured he was exaggerating.
“He’ll be so happy to see you.” Gloria clasped her hands together, her attention settling on Roy. “It’s very hard for him here.” She smiled at Annie again. “Everyone else has dementia, and he gets easily frustrated. Thank god your brother lives nearby. He seems to be the only one who can soothe him.”
Annie flashed a smile so forced, her face felt ready to crack. “That’s good.”
When Gloria turned and beckoned them forward, she felt as if she was walking into the pit of hell. She almost thought she’d rather face the demon than see the man who’d ruined her childhood.
IT TOOK FREY AND THE others far too long to trek back to their truck. Deciding it would be best if they stuck together, Tor and Van followed them instead of going back to their vehicle. The explosions had left wide chasms and dangerously slippery slopes. He’d wanted to chase after Magnus and Annie on foot, but Raine insisted driving would be faster. Besides, they had to get Jax. The treacherous journey gave Frey ample time to dwell on his insecurities and failures.
Yesterday he’d been dreading mating with Annie and being responsible for her and their pack’s offspring. It wasn’t that Frey wasn’t attracted to Annie as a mate. She was perfect in every way. He just didn’t know how to be a good mate, and he was terrified he’d disappoint her and his brothers. He’d had no positive role models growing up. When his mother died, he’d been barely ten years old, not old enough for Sami, his birth father, to teach him how to be a good gamma. After losing his mate, Sami had become a depressed drunk. He’d never taught Frey how to cook or what was expected of him. He was usually off somewhere, leaving the rest of the family to fend for themselves when it came to meals.
Frey had prayed to the Ancients for a way to delay their mating until he’d practiced cooking and cleaning, and it had been answered, because Annie was kidnapped. He felt like a ten-pound bucket of dog shit for the inconsiderate prayer. He’d give anything to have Annie back, even if it meant he had to disgrace himself by feeding his family macaroni and cheese and ham sandwiches.
They were chasing after a mate he didn’t deserve, a mate who might already be dead, leaving Frey and his brothers to suffer as their fathers had mourned for their mother and alpha father.
They found Jax where they’d left him, his skin on fire and his eyes sunk in the back of his head. Frey checked his pulse. It was steady, but his breathing was too ragged for Frey’s liking. He may have damaged his lungs in that fire.
By the time they made it to the truck, Raine was in such a foul mood, Frey knew to keep his distance. Frey had never seen him this angry. The look in Raine’s eyes frightened him, for he feared one wrong move would set him off. Frey was not a fighter. He didn’t have a confrontational bone in his body. As the gamma, his instinct was to be a lover and peacekeeper. Keeping the peace in this family had been no easy task, and he had failed more times than he’d succeeded.
Frey climbed into the back of the truck, Jax’s head in his lap, and waited for Raine to start the engine. Rubbing his tongue across his parched mouth, he got a bottled water out of the cooler beside him. After opening it, he realized the others would be thirsty, too. He handed bottles to Tor, Van, and Raine, feeling a small measure of comfort when Van thanked him. Then he offered them each one of the sandwiches he’d packed, but they refused. He was too upset to eat, too, so he threw the sandwiches in the cooler and stared out the window, watching tumbleweeds fly by while Raine tore off down the road.
Jax’s pitiful cries startled Frey. He was burning up, and his back was oozing all over the bench seat.
Sending a silent prayer to the Ancients, he promised not to sulk over his lack of culinary skills as long as they returned Annie safely to him and Jax recovered from his injuries.
AS THEY WERE WALKING toward Roy’s dad’s room, Annie spied a kitchen behind a tall counter, blocked off by a gate. Inside was a chopping block and several knives.
Annie tugged on Roy’s sleeve, nodding to the restroom sign across from the kitchen. “I need to
go. I’ll meet you there.”
“You don’t even know where to go,” Roy said.
“I’ll figure it out.” Annie could easily find his room. She remembered his smell, but she didn’t want to say that in front of Nurse Gloria.
“Dad has a bathroom in his room.”
“Ew,” Annie answered, as if that was explanation enough.
She waited until Roy and the nurse turned the corner, then jumped over the gate and pulled each knife from the block. Settling on a paring knife, she stuck it in her pocket, then jumped back over the gate, whistling a cheerful tune and pretending she wasn’t a thief.
She obviously hadn’t been gone long enough, because Roy Senior was still asleep, though sitting up in bed, his hair sticking up in all directions. Machine wires hooked up to his arm and chest made bleeping noises. Seeing him like that brought back too many childhood nightmares and filled her with dread. He looked so sick and helpless, just like the first day their mother had brought him home from the hospital. Their insurance didn’t provide for a nurse, so Annie’s mother had parked him in front of the television and gone upstairs to cry. Annie ended up looking after him, though she didn’t know what to do.
Nurse Gloria tapped her cellphone, then shoved it in her pocket with a curse. “I have to go. A patient fell out of bed.”
She heaved a sigh of relief when the nurse left. Something about the way she stared at Annie made her feel like she was being judged.
Roy leaned over the hospital bed and gently shook him. “Dad, wake up.”
“W-what is it?” The older man’s eyes flew open.
“Annie’s here,” Roy said, motioning at her.
“Annie?” His father gasped.
She turned away, unable to look at him another moment. “Why doesn’t he have a phone in his room?” She had Tor’s cell number memorized and needed to call for help. What if the demon had survived and was pursuing them?