needed to be convinced that the home belong to a serial killer. It was most likely a human with an
enormously severe mental deficiency. His second guess would be a tainted vampire, a creature he
considered to be vile for many reasons, but it was very rare to happen across one that would ever live
surrounded by even a fraction of rotten flesh that was there.
He knew that he’d just missed the other two demons, but rather than follow them right away he
decided to have a look around. Why? He wasn’t sure. Obviously staying there for any period of time did
not appeal to him at all. A gut feeling convinced him to do it. He’d learned a long time ago to never
ignore a hunch. As he looked through each room a terrible feeling began to settle over him. It actually
weighed on him as if it were an extremely heavy jacket. When he entered the last room he could tell by
remnants of their power that it was the room Nikolas and Haden were when they shifted to another
location. Being a highly skilled tracker he would have no problem following the path they took as soon as
he was ready to leave.
He saw the body of a recently murdered human on the bed. Every room had traces of blood and
severed body parts sealed in clear containers. An entire corpse wasn’t a shock. Once again following the
urging of his gut, he turned around. The sight of the collage paralyzed him for a few seconds.
Brianna had discovered it in Sara’s mind. It meant that Sara had been here at one point. It suddenly
occurred to him that Brianna might have shared a strong enough connection with Sara that she had
reached her spirit and not her mind when they merged with her. It made sense. He’d never been able to
figure out why he couldn’t connect with her when she possessed powerful supernatural abilities. He
couldn’t find or connect with her for all this time because she was still in this place filled with the horrors
of death.
The thought of Sara’s life being taken by a sadistic serial killer and then her body left to rot with
other victims filled him with so much sadness and grief that he just dropped to his knees in defeat and
wept. He knew there was no way to survive the pain of losing her. Knowing she’d been alone with a
sadistic human and forced to suffer to satisfy his ghastly desires crushed him. It was too much. Way too
much.
He imagined the sense of betrayal and rejection she must have felt when she called out to him and he
failed to come to her. He could feel her desperation trying to get through to him and the faintest caress
touched his mind at that moment. Demetri. An echo of her voice from the past calling out to him for help
filled his thoughts. What had prevented him from knowing she needed him? Such sadness and sorrow
were never meant to be survived. Going on for one day was not an option. He could not imagine existing
for even a few more hours to go on a murdering spree to avenge her.
What has happened, Demetri?
His breath caught in his throat. Sara! It was her! She was reaching for him. She was attempting to
fully merge with him and study his thoughts because she’d felt his grief, but even though his mind was
fully open to her she was too weak fully connect with him.
You are wrong. Her presence was so faint that even he, a master tracker, could not find enough of a
trace to find his way to her.
Even though he was putting all that he had into strengthening the link it was nearly undetectable and
quickly fading. Don’t let go, Sara. Hold on just a little longer.
I am alive. A sign that she was slipping further away from him her voice was barely audible.
Stay with me! Once again, putting all that he possessed into it, he called on his greatest powers in a
desperate attempt to strengthen their connection and grab on to it, but it continued to grow fainter at an
alarming rate until every remnant completely vanished.
Unable to move a single muscle he sat there on the floor of a home filled with the greatest horrors of
death and reeking of decomposed flesh, but none of it could persuade him to get up and leave. He felt
heart wrenching despair for failing to maintain and strengthen the link enough to follow it to her, but that
was not the only emotion he was experiencing. His heart soared with the most sensational sense of joy he
had ever known because she was alive. And although it had been an extremely weak link she had just
reached out and merged with him for the second time in a short period. It was a good sign.
***
Nikolas had arrived at Wicked Sensations just in time to see Demetri shift away. He studied the path the
other demon left behind so that he could follow it. It took several minutes because he had taken measures
to hide it. He could not believe that it led him right back to where he had just left. Nikolas’ first thought
was that Demetri had managed to fool him into following the path he taken to get to the club. Just as he
prepared to leave the sound of an agonizing sob stopped him. He sought out the source of it at once.
Shocked by the sight of Demetri hunched over on the floor sobbing, Nikolas froze. It was something
he had never before witnessed. The grief consuming the other demon was so powerful that it caused his
heart to break. Nikolas knew he was entirely unaware of the fact that he was being watched. Destroying
him at that moment would have been easy. He was completely unshielded as he focused on the source of
his agony. There was only one thing capable of causing his kind to experience such excruciating pain and
sorrow that it brought him to his knees in defeat. Brianna was right. Everything Demetri had done for the
past few years that made him appear as if he had turned against them was to find and save his mate. But
why?
When Demetri went completely still and silent Nikolas knew that he was communicating with
someone. It was not an open link so he could not hear a single word of the conversation, but as he felt the
crushing weight of grief begin to lift, Nikolas knew it was Sara. Not wanting to interrupt the exchange he
waited until he was sure they were no longer speaking before he announced his presence. “I should have
known better than to ever believe that you would ever be capable of turning against us.”
Demetri stood up and turned to face him. “I didn’t give you any reason to have pleasant thoughts of
me.”
“You could have come to me for help.”
“Revealing or openly discussing the details of what has happened and is still happening could lead to
death.”
Nikolas was certain he understood the silencing spell used on Demetri and Sara. For it to keep him
bound for any length of time the person who cast it would have needed to take Sara from Demetri and
successfully hide her. As soon as he realized that he could not find her, the spell would have isolated him
and made controlling him possible by preventing him from going to anyone for help. If he spoke about it
or purposely revealed it the person who’d cast the spell would know about it immediately. When that
happened the other individual connected to the spell, in this case Sara, would suffer unimaginable horrors
and pain until finally being allowed to escape it through death. When Demetri had enlisted Brianna’s
help he had taken a chance, but knowing the other demon for so long Nikolas did not doubt he had
searched for and found a way to do it without triggering the fatal consequences of breaking the ru
les of
the spell. “Since it was uncovered and you did not reveal it?”
“I simply must not speak of the details.”
“What about other demons discussing it?” He wanted to know if he could explain the situation to
those of their kind that could and would help find Sara.
“As long as they have enough common sense to be discreet, I think it would be quite helpful.”
There were so many other things to work out, but for now since Brianna was still in danger, Nikolas
had enough information. He held the photo of Sara out for Demetri to take as he inclined his head toward
the collage. “We found Sara’s picture here along with Brianna’s picture. We know the man’s identity, but
this is the only address for him that we have been able to acquire.”
Demetri took picture and stared down at it. “They must share some type of a connection to the
animal.”
“He came into the boutique and tried to get Brianna to go on a date with him.”
“I assume you were listening to every word they exchanged during their encounter.”
“Yes. He didn’t behave in a threatening way at all. He was pleasant …too nice.”
“Let me take a look at Brianna’s picture.” He reached out to take it. Holding them side by side he
appeared to be studying them. “I think I know the connection. It’s the coffee shop near the boutique. Sara
worked there when I first met her. The picture of Sara was taken before it had been remodeled and the
one with Brianna was afterward.”
Nikolas looked at the pictures in Demetri’s hand for few seconds and then he looked up at the
collage. Sure enough they were all taken at the coffee shop. “I can’t believe I missed it.”
“It’s understandable. If I had walked in here and looked at that wall and saw Sara’s image on it I’m
sure it would have thrown me. What is preventing you from reaching Brianna?”
“He snuck up from behind and hit the back of her head with a metal bar. It prevented her from
calling me to her when it happened. Since then it seems as if she is in and out of unconsciousness. I also
have reason to believe she has a serious brain injury.”
“What reason?”
“It was a weak merge. I was not able to access her injuries or aid her. She reached out to me though
she did not know me. I have considered going back in time to the moment it happened. I could follow
them after …”
“No,” Demetri interrupted him. “You would never be able to stand back and watch a man strike her
down. She is not my mate and I know I could not do it. None of us could do it. If you change what has
already happened to her you will force her to suffer a darker fate. I have seen the pain and suffering it
creates. So have you. We both know it is not worth it. We will not lose her to a sadistic human. We will
find her in time because there is no other choice. ”
“I suppose the coffee shop is a good place to start since it’s his hunting grounds.”
Demetri started to walk around as if looking for something. “We could pick memories but it would
save time to have a picture of him to show around. Go now and I’ll bring one to you as soon as I find
one.”
“Haden has one.” Nikolas connected with Haden. Send me Carl’s picture from the employee file.
The response was instant. Here you go.
By the time Haden had finished saying the short sentence picture appeared in Nikolas’ hand. Have
you found anything?
Not yet. What are you doing back at the house?
It’s a long story. I’m headed to the coffee shop close to the boutique. It appears to be his chosen
hunting grounds.
I’ll meet you there unless I find another lead to follow.
I am with Demetri. Nikolas figured it would be best to warn his brother.
I suppose it is also a long story.
That’s right.
I don’t need a huge explanation right now, but I have one question. Is he against us or for us?
For us.
“Let’s get out of here.” Nikolas said.
“If at any time my mannerism becomes hostile…”
“I understand. When I kick your ass after this for getting my mate to push me aside so she could go
on an adventure with you and managing to convince her to vigorously defend you to me, I hope you
understand that you have earned it.”
“Of course.”
For the purpose saving the time and effort it would take to wipe out memories if they were seen
Nikolas and Demetri shifted to a destination in an alley close to the coffee shop. They had worked and
fought in so many battles over the years that they did not need to discuss it. Shifting together and staying
on the same course as the other was second nature to them. Not that it was a simple thing. Most of their
kind would need discuss or have some sort of a mutual knowledge of the exact place they wanted to
arrive at.
As they walked out of the alley to head to the coffee shop Nikolas took a moment to check in with
Joseph. Have you found anything?
We have been able to significantly reduce the size of the perimeter. We will find her. It is only a
matter of time. Caleb and Jake have several purebloods searching, and Eli has the majority of his pack
searching.
I did not realize Eli had his pack in the area.
Apparently he had them hunting for a corrupt vampire when he learned that the vampire was no
longer around. He managed to infiltrate the local pack with one of his men a while back so he was able
confirm a rumor that Demetri destroyed the vampire at Mary’s club. They were just preparing to leave
town and head for the Columbia River Gorge when he heard about Brianna. Have you learned anything?
We discovered that he searches for his victims at the coffee shop. We are headed there now to show
his picture around.
I thought Haden was at the funeral home.
I am with Demetri.
I definitely did not see that one coming.
***
Joseph could not imagine what would cause Nikolas and Demetri to decide to play nice and work on
anything together. He was bothered by it. He didn’t trust Demetri. He had already heard that their mates
each had a picture on the killer’s wall of victims. His first thought was that perhaps Demetri had known
his mate was the victim of a serial killer and that was what pushed him to turn evil. It did not take long to
throw that idea out since the man was still alive. No matter what had pushed Demetri, he would’ve killed
him. He decided to leave the subject alone for the time being.
He had just searched and cleared an old abandoned house, checked in with Mia and was headed to
the next home when he smelled smoke. He searched the sky and discovered that the smoke was coming
from an area that had not been checked yet. Since there was no way of knowing with any certainty
whether or not Brianna was in the home it became an instant priority.
He was preparing to head toward it when Adam merged with him. I just happened across a fire at
the shelter for women and children. Apparently one woman did not make it out. I’m headed in to check it
out.
Imagining that chaos that could be going on with a frightened group of displaced women and
children that were likely in hiding from abusive men, Joseph wanted to make sure Adam had it under
control. Do you need help?
No. If she is in here and still alive I’ll be able to g
et her out easy enough.
Joseph took his phone out to send an email to the front desk with instructions to send a bus to the
shelter to pick everyone up and bring them to the hotel. At the same time, knowing how deeply she cared
and was involved with the shelter, he reached out to Mia to fill her in. The shelter has caught fire.
Everyone except for one woman has made it out. Adam is inside right now looking for her.”
I should go help.
Adam can handle it. It would be better for you to stick to the plan so we do not inadvertently allow
anything or anyone to slip by us.
You will let me know as soon as you know about the woman still inside?
I will tell you the second I know anything.
They will not have anywhere to go tonight.
Feeling pretty proud and eager to be rewarded later because he had already taken care of it, Joseph
smiled. I already sent an email with instructions to the front desk to send a bus to pick them up and take
them to a hotel.
Thank you. And Joseph, just a little friendly advice, when we are merged you might want to watch
your thoughts a bit more carefully.
You will reward me later though, right?
Oh, wait. We already had a bus scheduled to pick them up and bring them to the auction tonight. We
need to cancel it before other people start heading in for it.
I forgot about that. I’ll send an email to the front desk. We can take a look at a date and reschedule
it later.
That’s right we will.
“About the reward later?”
Absolutely. You earned it. I have a group of kids approaching me. I will check in with you later.
Instantly suspicious when she simply agreed rather than tease him or give him hell he deepened the
merge they were sharing so he could use her eyes to get a look at the so called group of kids. A gang of
older teenage and possibly early twenty-something, human males had formed a circle around her. Just as
she claimed they were definitely approaching her. The part she left out was that they were doing it in a
threatening manner.
He did not have any doubt in her ability to handle the situation. Her fighting skills were amazing and
she was able to take and use his power with ease. In all honesty, he sort of felt sorry for them because she
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