by Sydney Addae
“How do we know you’re telling the truth,” Angus said when Shyla couldn’t reach her parents.
“Knowing you’d kill me in a nano-second if you could, I would never take that risk if it weren’t for my father. He’s running out of time.” He paused. “How do we make the crystal work?”
Angus sensed the terror in his mate over the lack of response from her parents. “How do you know the crystal will work on him? It may not.”
“Hope that it does,” Cancer said. “How do we make it work?”
“Help them,” Shyla said. “If they have my parents I need to make sure they’re safe.”
“Show me what you’ve done,” Angus said, drawing his mate close.
Cancer held the crystal in his hand so Angus could see. “We laid it across his chest, his neck, placed it in his hand, everything. What are we doing wrong?”
Angus snorted. “It’s not active.”
“What do you mean?”
“In your hands you’re holding a crystalline solid. Unless you tap into its energy it’s just a pretty decoration for the mantle,” Angus said.
Cancer looked at the crystal for a few moments, then closed his eyes and chanted.
“Where are my parents? Why isn’t she answering me?”
“Does she always answer?” Angus looked down at her.
Shyla released a long stream of air. “No. Not always.”
“When did you talk to her last?” Angus tapped the tip of her upturned nose.
“Right before Chancellor sucked me through the wall. They’re in Florida, she invited me to join them at the beach.”
“Maybe she’s busy and will contact you soon,” he said.
“You think so? Honestly, you don’t think they have my parents?” Their gazes met, he read her desperate need for him to be right on this matter.
“They have a bargaining chip, otherwise we wouldn’t be here. Is it your parents? I’m not sure.”
Shyla nodded. “Mama will be so happy about us, she’s wanted this for a long time.”
“This? Or me?”
“Me, mated. She worried about me being alone so much.”
“You’re not alone anymore,” he said, meeting her gaze.
“How do I unlock the crystal?” Cancer said, breaking the mood. “Nothing I’ve said works.”
“Do you understand how to tune crystals?” Angus asked, knowing the answer.
“Maybe not. How is it done?”
“Is there a piece in this room?” Angus made a show of looking around, doubting they’d have thought that far ahead.
“Yes, in the refrigerator,” Cancer said.
Angus kept the surprise from his face as he left the bed and opened the refrigerator. Taking the crystal, he enclosed it in his palm, changed its position a few times until it fit correctly. Concentrating, he hummed until hitting the right pitch to connect with the atoms in the crystal. His thoughts focused on the healing properties locked away in the stone. Angus had no idea how long he tuned the crystal, he always lost track of time in these matters. The crystal heated. He opened his eyes and palm.
“Blimey, he did it,” Cancer said. Scorpio pushed forward to see the glowing rock in Angus’ hand. “We’ll give anything for that.”
“It still may not work,” Angus cautioned.
“We’ll take the chance,” Scorpio said. Cancer nodded his agreement.
“Give me everything you have on whatever you used to knock me out and you can have this,” Angus said.
The two looked at each other. “Where should we send it?”
“I need to see it now if you want this. The formula, everything,” Angus said, holding the glowing stone so they didn’t lose sight of their goal or prize.
Cancer and Scorpio stepped away from the monitor for a few moments.
“What about my parents?” Shyla asked.
“If they had your parents they would have used them by now. I suspect your parents are someplace safe, enjoying the day or night,” he said.
“I hope you’re right since you didn’t bargain for their safety.”
He looked over his shoulder. She sat with her arms wrapped around her knees on the bed. His gaze touched hers. “I would never put your parents at risk, I’m trying to end this game as quickly as possible that’s all. They have something, I prefer to know now what that is. The only way to push for that is to negotiate.”
She nodded, slid off the bed and went into the bathroom.
Their relationship was so new, trust was a luxury. In time, she’d learn his character and heart. He prayed to the Goddess he was right regarding her parents, otherwise, they’d have major problems. The idea of a father-in-law interested him. He’d interacted with Victoria, Silas’ mother-in-law, but never this side of the coin.
“There’s a laptop in the table, the information was sent there. Also, there are packs of drives in the small compartment next to it,” Cancer said, intruding on Angus’ thoughts.
He placed the crystal on the table, pressed a button, and opened the laptop that appeared. Sure enough, there was a file with the information.
“Read it on your own time, we need the crystal now,” Cancer said.
Entranced by the information in front of him, Angus pointed to the crystal without looking up. “Take it.”
Scorpio snorted.
“Can you place it in the tray beneath the monitor please?” Cancer asked.
Angus looked at the monitor, retrieved a flash drive and downloaded the entire file. Before standing, he sent the file to the clouds. “Okay,” he said after both transmissions were complete. He placed the crystal in the tray. The monitor rose.
“Silas?” Angus continued reading the information.
“Back already?” Silas sounded as if he’d been asleep.
Angus told him everything that happened since they saw each other.
“Damn, this is getting crazy. Are they releasing you once the old man is cured?” Silas asked.
“So they say. I don’t think they have Shyla’s parents, but just in case, I unlocked the crystal. This formula I sent to Hawke needs to be checked. We smelled nothing, not now or in the hotel.”
“I’ll have him look into it. What’s the plan if they prove to be liars?” Silas asked.
“We’re still leaving, just need to make sure the in-laws are safe.”
Silas laughed. “I told you this would happen to you. When you get home we’ll have a drink and I’ll get my ‘told-you-so’ out the way.”
“Deal. I’ll keep you in the loop.” Angus disconnected and continued reading.
“You were right, Mama said they were busy,” Shyla said. “They’re at my place, Alpha contacted them when they couldn’t find me. She had a lot to say but basically, she’s just glad I’m okay. Oh, and she can’t wait to meet you and has all kinds of ideas for our mating ceremony. I’d like to have it in the gardens of my home if that’s okay with you.”
Angus stretched out his hand to her. She left the bathroom door and took it. “Whatever you want. There are some security issues that need to be cleared because of our position as pack Beta, but it should work fine. Just as long as you’re happy, I’m happy.”
She sat on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Now that my parents are safe, when are we breaking out of this place?”
“I was just thinking it may be time to leave.” He placed a kiss on her lips while stuffing the flash drive into his pocket.
“Any idea where we are?”
“Nope.” He smiled. “Doesn’t matter, pack is everywhere. Soon as we leave this place we’ll find someone.”
She frowned. “What about the darts that got us the last time?”
“I’ll have Silas and Jasmine on stand-by to purge any poisons.”
Shyla cringed.
“What?” He bit back a smile. Everyone knew Jasmine wasn’t that smooth with her mergers.
“Does she need to merge again?”
“Yes, but Silas helps make it smooth, you’ll b
e fine. I promise.”
She nodded. “Okay, I’m ready to be alone with you. Honeymoon before the mating?” She winked.
He slapped her ass. “Great idea, we’ll start as soon as we get out of here. Move back, I need to go to my largest size to break down the walls.” He looked at the bathroom. “That might be a safe place.”
The screen lowered just as he stood.
“Angus, we need the other crystal tuned,” Cancer said.
Prepared to tell the monk what he could do with his demands, Angus faced the monitor. Instead of seeing Cancer, a familiar face lay prostrate on a bed enclosed in a cell.
“Silas?”
“Yeah, you out?”
“Where’s Asia?”
CHAPTER 29
“Asia?” Silas rolled over and left the bedroom. “What do you mean?”
“I’m looking at a woman in a cage who looks like Asia. Tell me she’s there,” Angus said. Silas heard the concern in his voice.
“One sec.” Silas reached out to Hawke. He hadn’t seen the man since he returned. A mid-day meeting was planned later in the day. “Hawke?”
“Sir?”
“Where’s Asia?”
“At the Wernher’s compound in Memphis. When I talked to her last, she’d found something she wanted to check out. Has Mistress spoken to her?”
“I don’t think so.” Silas wiped his face and sat on the sofa. “Tell me about Wernher.” Silas listened half in horror, half in pride over how his bitch stepped up to rescue him and Angus. “I just heard from Angus.” Silas told him what he was told. “Tell me how you want to handle this,” Silas said. The pain of his recent separation from his mate was too close to the surface not to allow Hawke to make the decision. “The jet is there already waiting for her; Angus will tear the place apart and bring them home. Or I can have the jet return for you. Then you go and get her.”
“Both will take too long. I will take a commercial flight. There’s one leaving in an hour, I can be on it.”
“I can have the jet here in an hour,” Silas said, understanding his friend wasn’t thinking logically.
“If Angus can get her out of there before I arrive, he can take the jet and return here. I don’t want them to wait for me,” Hawke explained.
“What do you want him to do?” Silas pressed.
“Free her immediately. Get her out of that place, put her onto the plane and bring her home,” Hawke said.
“Done,” Silas said and broke their connection. “Angus?”
“Yes?”
Silas told Angus what he’d learned.
“The price to release her is to tune another crystal so their father heals. I’ll take care of it.”
“Do you trust them to keep their word?” Silas asked.
“Not at all. But this lines up with what Asia discovered earlier. And now that I know where we are, have Alpha Gilbert stand by. Once I’m done, I want pack in this place. They have some kind of research facilities where they develop all kinds of drugs. I have no idea where it’s located, but Gilbert’s team can handle that.”
“I’ll let him know.”
“What did Jasmine say?”
“About Asia?”
“She doesn’t know, damn. Okay, she’s going to be pissed. Ask her to give me some time to do this,” Angus said.
“I’ll ask,” Silas said, without committing to anything. He hoped he could keep Jasmine in check, but she’d probably feel guilt over this and it would propel her to do something.
“Yeah, I know. I’ll keep you updated.” Angus disconnected.
Silas sat a few moments thinking of everything that had happened in the past two days. Hard to believe their lives were turned upside down because of some BS. Chancellor. If she ever crossed his path, he’d break her neck. The Goddess never answered his question when he asked if she’d be punished. He’d been so happy to be home he didn’t push, but now he wondered if this situation with Asia was somehow connected.
Asia.
He exhaled, stood, and headed to their bedroom. His mate lay on her side asleep. If he didn’t wake her she would be pissed. “Jasmine.”
She didn’t respond. He walked to the bed and touched her shoulder.
“Not again, Silas, I need sleep.”
He smiled. “I know you need your rest, Sweet Bitch, and would not bother you if I didn’t think you’d want me to wake you.”
“Huh?” She rubbed her eyes and turned on her back. His gaze latched onto her full breasts. He flicked the nipple. “Stop that.” Glaring at him, she pulled the cover up to her neck.
Silas sighed. “You’re no fun.” He held up his hands to stop her response. “Angus contacted me. Asia’s in trouble.”
“What?” Alert, she sat up. “What happened? Where is she?”
Silas explained what he knew and that Hawke had left for Memphis.
“I forgot she was still there.” She met his gaze. “How could I forget I sent her there and demanded she get information?”
“Jasmine.” He reached for her, she slapped his hand away.
“No, Silas, I did this. Where’s Shyla?”
“With Angus and no, you are not merging with her again, not for this.”
She looked past him as if he hadn’t spoken.
“I mean it, Jasmine. They’re a newly mated couple and need to work through this together, on their own,” Silas said, hoping she’d listen.
“What’re you talking about?”
His brow rose. “You weren’t thinking of merging with her to help Asia?”
She met his gaze for a few seconds and then slumped against the headboard, rubbing her forehead. “What does being newly mated have to do with this?”
“They’re learning each other, she needs to see what he can do and vice versa. Above all, she’s his bitch and they need to solve problems together. He needs to see her as she is, what she can do, how she handles problems. This is their bonding time, stay out of her head unless they both ask us for help.”
She opened her mouth and then snapped it shut. “Makes sense. She’s smart and sassy, I like her. She was scared, shaking, but she pulled it off. If she hadn’t, I don’t know what would’ve happened.”
“Did you pull energy from Vanessa?” He crawled back in the bed, determined to get a few more hours of rest.
“Changing the subject, not real smooth, but yes. She’s strong and steady. Ethan’s working with her,” Jasmine said, scooting close to him. “Now what?”
He kissed her forehead. “Now we wait.”
CHAPTER 30
“Did you hear me?” Cancer said.
Angus had waited until he heard from Silas. Now that Asia’s identity was confirmed, Angus faced the monitor. “What are you doing? Trying to start a war? You take our people and think there won’t be retaliation, a fall-out?” He pointed at the monitor. “You stepped over a line.”
Cancer appeared on the monitor. “I explained all of that.”
“The cage,” Angus growled.
“That’s someone who broke into our compound, interesting stuff on her. Never seen anything like it before.” The monitor flicked and various screens showed Asia using the chameleon. “She took over identities and moved through the compound. We stopped her when she got close to the labs, she’s there now. Our technicians are super excited to discover how she’s able to do the things she does. Have you ever seen anything like it?”
“No.”
“Me neither. Do you know her?”
“Yes, I do.”
“I told Scorpio she was from La Patron, he didn’t agree. Why was she here? You didn’t know, so who sent her?”
Angus shook his head. “I was on the other side of the world, I have no idea.”
“Silas?”
“Yeah?”
“They have footage of Asia using the chameleon.”
“Shit. That changes the game. Under no circumstances can anyone ever get a chameleon. That information needs to be scrubbed, I’ll let Hawke know. He can scramble
the images if not destroy them. This is a priority.”
“Got it,” Angus said.
“About the crystal, we need more,” Cancer said. There was an underlying sense of gleeful urgency in his voice.
“What are you willing to pay for it?”
“A life for a life? You get the female and give us two tuned crystals.”
“You keep changing the game, did the first crystal work?” Angus asked.
“Yes, he’s resting much better, but isn’t healed. He requested more. Do we have a deal?”
“No.”
“No?”
“I need to see the female, make sure she’s alive.”
“We can’t allow you to enter the area where she’s resting.”
“Move her. I’m not doing a damn thing until I know she’s alive and I need to feel her pulse for that. Let me know when you’re ready to save the old man’s life.” Angus walked away from the monitor, took a seat on the sofa, and turned on the TV with the remote.
Shyla joined him. “That was good. Think they’ll go for it?”
“Either that or they’ll all die.” He looked at her. “Asia is mated to Hawke. They’re what you call a power couple, second to Silas and Jasmine. Those two can take down this place without breaking a sweat. They must have blocked scents and sound, otherwise they never would’ve gotten the drop on Asia. Believe me when I tell you she is one of the baddest bitches on the planet and she serves Jasmine.”
Shyla frowned. “What does that mean? How can she serve La Patroness and not La Patron?”
Angus shrugged. “The bond between Asia and Jasmine is unique, hard to explain it, but her loyalty is to her mate and her Mistress, I wish I could say in that order, but I’m not sure. If anything happens to Asia, especially since Jasmine sent her here, Silas will be hard-pressed to leave this building standing. A lot of humans will die. The pack runs the risk of exposure. We can’t allow that.”
“No, we can’t. Tell me what you want me to do.”
Her eagerness to help tugged on his heart. “Once they agree to let me to see Asia, they’re going to try to hold you as a hostage.”
“Okay, not excited about that but I understand the logic.”