“Are you on the tarmac?” he asked his brother, a rage building in his gut.
“Of course,” Dage growled. “Where the fuck are you?”
“In the elevator, heading down. I’m not wearing my cuff; my wife has it on.” Talen held Janie close as the car moved slowly—too damn slowly—down several floors. He should’ve taken the stairs.
There was a silent pause, then, “Wife?”
“Yeah, wife,” Talen confirmed as he ran from the elevator, straight at his brother in the secured landing site, the small child held safely in his arms. He passed Dage, jumping aboard the open side hatch of the sleek blue vessel. His brother pivoted and followed, setting himself in the pilot’s seat next to Talen, punching buttons before he even sat down.
“Ready for takeoff,” Dage said while the engine quietly roared to life. The military vessel had been tweaked a bit by their brother Conn.
“What the hell?” Dage muttered at him while expertly maneuvering the small craft into the air. Talen had never appreciated his brother’s ability to jump into action as much as he did right now. Or his brother Conn’s ability to take any vehicle and alter it to fit their needs.
“Here she is.” Talen’s mind focused into the cold state of killing as a small blip moved over the radar. Janie’s quiet sob against his chest had him schooling his face into a bland expression. He lifted her chin with one gentle finger, smiling at her tear-filled blue eyes.
“It’s all right, sweetheart. We’re going to get your mama back.” The wide eyes on his held a humbling amount of both fear and trust. Talen felt an age-old male instinct to draw blood. Someone had taken what was his. He pushed any thought of Cara being hurt to the back of his mind and started to coldly plan for her abductors to die.
Dage nodded at Janie. “This must be the child you were to acquire?”
“Hi.” Janie snuggled closer to Talen’s chest. “You’ve been in my dreams.”
Dage turned his full attention on the little girl, his grin of recognition matching hers. “You’ve been in mine, too.”
“’Cept for your eyes, you look a lot like Talen,” she said shyly.
“Nah.” Dage focused his silver eyes and flashed twin dimples at the little girl. “I’m a lot better looking.”
“My daughter, Janie.” Talen wasn’t surprised his new daughter apparently understood the private joke Dage shared with fate. “Janie, this is your Uncle Dage.”
Dage’s metallic eyes met Talen’s before he looked back at the small, fragile female. “My niece,” he said solemnly and with acceptance, as if only he heard the sound of fate clicking into place. Talen thought it was loud enough even humans could decipher its tenor.
Dage turned a full smile on him. “You were only gone for a day.”
“I know.”
“So, brother, I never said you had to marry the female.” Dage lifted a brow.
“Someone had to.” Talen’s jaw firmed. “You know it was the only way to keep her safe.”
“Yeah, but why you?” Dage challenged as his fingers moved deftly over the control panel.
“Because, she’s mine,” Talen answered with a finality that had Dage grinning in acceptance. Then he flipped over his palm to reveal the intricate design.
Dage’s eyes widened. “The marking.”
“Yep,” Talen said smugly. “Definitely mine.”
“Congratulations.” Dage ran a hand over his face. “I’d begun to wonder if Conn’s marking was a fluke, if the legends of the natural marking were true. If it could happen without an arrangement and the vow.”
“I think it’s supposed to happen that way,” Talen said. “The brand formed the second I touched Cara’s arm. And it hurt like hell for a moment.”
Dage grinned. “I’d wondered about that as well. Conn said his hand felt as if a burning spear pierced right through it.” He punched a couple of buttons on the consol. “I’d hoped a couple of us would naturally find our mates.”
“We all should, Dage. Living with mate arranged via contract is no way to spend eternity, brother.” Talen’s hand started to throb the closer they came to the vehicle holding his mate. “Plus, you wouldn’t have been dreaming about the same woman for centuries if fate didn’t have a plan for you.”
“Maybe,” Dage allowed. “Did you tell your mate everything?”
“Of course not.”
“How did you lose her?” The life scan attached to the lifecuff was strong and steady as it moved to the northwest. Dage’s grin disappeared as Talen caught him up on recent events. “We should both go.”
“No.” Talen snarled. “My wife. My fight. Plus, you must keep Janie safe.”
“I’m coming with you.” The little girl sat up with a haughty glare. “My mama. My fight.”
Both men stifled chuckles as their eyes met over Janie’s head. Dage’s gaze cleared like it did when a window to the future opened in his mind—his eyes narrowed and he cocked his head, listening to something only he could hear. Fucking psychic. He’d better predict good news this time.
Suddenly, a voice came in over the radio. “Dage, come in please.” Strain hummed through the male’s voice.
“Dage here, Chalton. What’s up?”
“There’s a rapid smattering of activity over the com-lines. A contingent of Kurjans is moving toward our base in DC. They know we’ve acquired the females.”
“Shit,” Dage muttered under his breath as they caught up with a black SUV flinging clumps of dirt high into the air as it maneuvered between masses of tall pine trees. “Send reinforcements to DC. I’ll arrive at headquarters within the day. Dage, out.”
He turned to Talen. “Her life signs look good—can you sense anything from her?”
“No. I haven’t mated her, yet.” Talen spied the SUV below them. “Pull back a bit so they don’t see us.”
With a nod, Dage eased the controls up as Janie tapped on the display. “Is my mama in there?”
Talen hugged her close, the scent of powder and innocence surrounding him. “Yes. She’s fine, Janie.”
“I’ve scanned them.” Dage pulled away a safe distance and Talen turned his attention to the onboard scanner. “A driver, three passengers, and a fifth person prone in the rear of the SUV.”
Talen’s blood boiled at the image of his wife on her side, her hands tied before her. He quickly brought up an electronic map of the entire area. “The road leads here.” He pointed to a deep, forested area about fifty miles to the north. He punched a few more buttons until a small lake with a few sparse cabins came into view.
“They have to be heading to one of these cabins. This one is the largest, probably their destination. There’s a clearing.” He pointed to a dubious clearing about a mile from the largest cabin. “Let me out here; I can make it to the cabin before they do.”
“All right.” Dage increased their speed, and they veered sharply to the left toward the small clearing. “We can wait for an hour.”
Talen frowned. “Too risky. Get Janie to safety and I’ll head to Jordan’s. We’ll get transport there.”
When his brother landed, Talen buckled Janie into the seat before he jumped out and grabbed a duffel bag. He donned a dark vest, inserted knives of various widths and lengths, then tucked his gun in the back of his dark jeans. Finally, he secured his thick hair with a rubber band.
He leaned forward, giving Janie his most reassuring smile. “It’ll be all right, Janie. I’ll bring your mom to you as soon as you and Dage take care of business.”
The little girl threw both arms around his neck and effectively sliced his heart in two as she whispered, “Be careful, Daddy. I’ve been waiting a long time for you.”
Talen rose, a lump in his throat as he handed his little girl over to his brother. “My child,” he said, and with a nod, Dage responded, “My life.” The vow was as old as their earliest ancestors, yet it was the first time one of the five brothers had cause to give it.
Talen felt the future rushing in as his child placed her sm
all hand in Dage’s.
He turned away from his family, all semblance of the civilized man he’d been wearing disappearing. His eyes heated to a fierce lava, his savage features warning nearby wildlife a true predator was in their midst. As a light rain started to fall, he ran toward the cabin to reclaim his mate.
Chapter 5
Cara stifled a groan as the SUV hit yet another pothole, and sharp rays of pain shot through her foggy head. How the hell was she going to get out of this? She held back a sob. Thank God Janie had gone with Talen.
“Mino said the buyer doesn’t want her damaged,” a low voice with a thick Spanish accent hissed from the front seat. “She and the girl are worth five million. Suckers.”
“But, we didn’t get the daughter,” a voice closer to her spat out.
“Yeah, but this one’s gotta be worth at least half,” came the sharp retort from the first man.
“Who the hell would pay that for a couple of chicks?” someone else sneered.
“Mino wouldn’t say. Probably someone the bitch pissed off.”
“Well, can we at least have some fun while we’re waiting?” A nasal voice this time, causing chills to creep up her spine.
“No. She is to be unharmed.”
The hungry desire to cause pain radiating from the front of the car made Cara’s shoulders tense and then shake. Her stomach clenched. She fought to slam her mental and emotion shields into place—maybe her father had been right about empaths being touched by the devil. God wouldn’t hurt her like this.
She swallowed another sob, pretending to be unconscious. She had to think of a way out of this so she could get back to her baby. The moldy smell of old carpet tickled her nose, and she stamped down on a sneeze before it could erupt.
The car slowed until it came to a stop. Four doors opened and slammed shut. Seconds later, the back hatch opened and the man from the elevator reached in and yanked Cara out by her bound hands. Her head clunked against the hatch before she stumbled against him and then found her footing on the wet leaves, several feet down. They’d lifted the vehicle to a ridiculous height.
He squeezed her arm, his breath hot against her temple. “You should be awake by now, bitch.”
She yanked to the side, her head throbbing. She kicked out against his shin to escape the pain at her arm while bile rose in her throat.
“Oh, we have a fighter.” He laughed hard and coarse while he released her abused flesh. “This might be fun.” His laugh carried images of dark pain, and she fought to block her mind. The slipping of her empathic shields ripped a raw fear through her that even his threats failed to reach. He dragged her toward a large cabin.
Trees surrounded them, pure safety waiting for her. If she could break his hold, she could run for the forest. She tracked the nearest trail through her peripheral vision. If she escaped that way, she’d veer into the bushes and they’d lose her.
She stumbled and fell to one knee. He yanked her to her feet and backhanded her across the face. Her head flew to the side. Apparently “unharmed” meant something different to him than it did to her. She flashed her teeth. Her daddy’d hit harder even after a three-day bender. The bastard holding her smacked her again, and while she stayed on her feet, the blow scattered her senses and the mental shields slipped away. Oh God.
A roar cascaded from the surrounding forest, and an anger not her own slammed into her with the strength of a title weight punch. Her fear morphed into pure terror.
What was coming?
The man holding her froze, scanning the thick trees. Without warning, a large blur of dark motion launched itself past her to take the prick to the ground. Blood sprayed in a graceful arc across Cara’s lower legs and adrenaline spiked her blood with a clawing need to flee. Rusty copper mixed with the clean scent of rain, and her feet refused to move.
“Talen,” she said, barely able to breathe as he rose to his full height. Blood splattered across his brutal features and over his hands, his eyes a primal gold in the strengthening rain. She gaped at the sharp fangs protruding from his mouth. They ran red. Then, the rapid sound of gunfire filled the air. Talen tackled her and she screamed. He shielded her with his body and rolled them under the car to the other side, where wet leaves crackled with their musty scent beneath them.
Protected by the SUV, Talen leapt to his feet. In a smooth, fluid motion, he threw a double-edged knife through the air. Cara shifted to peer under the carriage of the vehicle. A man collapsed to the ground with a gurgle of pain, his hand on the weapon that was buried to the hilt in his neck.
Pulling herself away from under the carriage, Cara grabbed the door handle and hauled herself to her feet, determined to flee if necessary. The safety of the forest beckoned her.
The remaining two men scrambled toward the haven. With an animalistic bellow, Talen leapt over the SUV and took the first kidnapper down with a flying tackle onto the wet leaves. His bare hands crushed the man’s neck with a loud crunch. With a final snap of Talen’s wrist, he rose and faced the remaining man, who backed up toward Cara, praying in Spanish.
Talen’s oddly glowing eyes showed no mercy as he stalked the horrified man.
“Please, don’t kill me,” the man begged as he continued to stumble backward.
“You touched what’s mine.” Talen’s voice was unnaturally guttural as he reached the man.
“No, no I didn’t,” the man protested, making the sign of the cross in the air. “I never touched her.”
“All right,” Talen said agreeably, “then you die quickly.” With one quick slice of his arm, the man’s head tumbled to the ground. Then, Talen turned toward Cara. The knife’s blade glinted silver in the emerging moonlight, its point dripping red life onto the wet earth. Blood splattered his clothes and covered his hands. Savagery was stamped into every line of his face. His fangs glistened sharp and deadly in the dusky light.
Cara’s eyes rolled back into her head, and with a small groan, she collapsed to the wet leaves.
Chapter 6
Cara regained consciousness with a scream as Talen hefted her from the passenger seat of the SUV. He silenced her with a quick squeeze.
“Where are your fangs?” she asked groggily.
He chuckled and carried her into a small summer cabin, easily kicking the door open with one foot. He held her away from the blood coating his clothing. She looked around, struggling with reality as the lingering scent of lemon cleanser filled her nose. What had she seen? Her heart pounded while her back muscles softened in exhaustion. The conflict warring within her threatened to shut her down completely.
The living area contained a couch and huge hearth. To the left, the kitchen held avocado-colored appliances and a large, quilt-covered bed sat in the far corner. The rain continued to drum outside as Talen placed Cara on the dark leather sofa and grabbed an old towel to wipe the blood off his face.
He lit a fire, and once the logs crackled, he crouched down to her eye level and stroked the hair away from her face. “Stay here and warm up, baby. I’ll be back shortly.” Spicy pine and the dark, earthy scent of man washed over her.
“Wait.” Cara clutched his arm, her gaze on the now calm features of his face.
His eyes gentled. “I need to take the SUV back to the cabin. They’ll send reinforcements when the kidnappers don’t check in. While I’ve already left a few surprises for them, I’ll add a couple more on the car. Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon.”
“Where’s Janie?” She was almost afraid to ask.
“With my brother, Dage. She’s safe.”
“Wait. Shouldn’t we keep the SUV, just in case?” She couldn’t outrun him if necessary, she needed a vehicle.
Talen shook his head. “No. They’ll have GPS and the last thing we need is for them to track us if we run.” And, with a final kiss to her brow, he disappeared into the drilling rain.
Cara sat up wearily, her gaze on the fire. Talen had saved her life, without question—even as he sprayed blood, she’d been thankful he’d
come for her. But his eyes burned brighter with brutality when he killed, which he did without a second thought, without hesitation. The last man begged for his life. Part of her wanted to run, but Talen, whatever or whoever he was, had her daughter, and she had no choice but to stay until she had Janie back.
Then she could run.
She looked around the cabin. The quaint space was entirely too secluded and with the rain drumming outside, it was entirely too intimate. Since it was late fall, there was no chance anyone else would be around. She had to find safety.
She moved toward the window, peering into the drizzly grey. The rain peppered the front porch, and a tiny green pot sitting on the railing caught her eye. Sucking in air, she threw open the door and lunged across the wooden planks to grab the plant. An ox-eyed daisy. Left outside to survive when his owners had left for the season. Ass hats.
“It’s okay,” she crooned, carrying the plant inside the now warm cabin. The daisy hadn’t flowered and its dark leaves drooped, but the nights hadn’t been cold enough yet to do any real damage. “I’ll call you Henry.” She grinned, putting the plant in the center of the table.
Her stomach rumbled. When had she last eaten? What time was it now? How she could be hungry? To get away from Talen and find Janie, she needed her strength. She began pulling open cupboards to search for food.
As Talen returned, she stirred an aromatic stew on the old stove. Maybe she wouldn’t have to kill him. He did save her after all. He walked in, and she turned from the stove, taking in his size, the raw strength swirling around him. She’d never be able to kill him—not a chance in hell. Realization settled like a boulder in her stomach, and she clenched her hands together. What should she do?
He sniffed the savory air and then grinned. “Yes, mate?” he asked with a raised eyebrow as he closed the door behind him, muffling the sound of pelting rain.
“Mate? Sounds different than wife.”
“Both apply to you, darlin’.” He removed his vest and placed his weapons on the mantel above the hearth.
Fated Page 4