“We’ll wait until we get confirmation on her location. Then we’ll discuss how to get to her. I have a few mages we can take with us. They’ll be able to help with the porting of your people if need be.” Derek nodded, recognizing the truth in Markus’ words.
“We’ve got her!” Isaac yelled. “The techs have traced the call, and they’re mass texting us the GPS coordinates.”
Every cell phone in the room went off as they received the information. Heart pounding, Derek checked the text message, hoping he’d recognize the area. Disbelieving, he read the text three times before it sank in.
She was near the town of Timmins, close to the compound. The kidnapper must’ve purchased or rented a house near his work.
“Markus, you able to get us back there?” As long as he was within a few kilometers, he’d be able to shift to wolf form and sniff out Sylvia. Her scent was embedded in his soul. He’d find her.
“Of course. I studied the area before we left,” Markus replied. “I’ll contact the other mages who were with us. Victor and Jackson can port two other people each, so choose who’s coming. I’ll take just you, Derek. It’ll allow me to port her out with you.”
“Zmitro, Isaac, Emma, and Davis, you’re with us. The rest of you stay here.” He saw the disappointment in the other Deltas and understood their frustration at being left behind.
If pep talks were a part of his nature, he would’ve given them one. However, he was more likely than not to growl and tell them to deal with it, so he kept quiet.
A polite knock at the front door had Nadia scurrying to answer it. Derek’s back was to the entrance, but he didn’t need to turn to know Victor and Jackson had appeared. He was familiar with both their scents.
Without wasting any time, Markus gave them a quick rundown. Nodding, they walked over to the smaller group of werewolves waiting for their transportation. Derek was about to give the go-ahead for the ports when Nadia pushed a backpack into his hands.
“To hold everyone’s clothes once you’re there, boss,” she said, her expression solemn and drawn with worry.
Derek leaned over and gave Nadia a quick hug, “We’ll get her back.”
He slung the backpack over one shoulder.
He nodded to Markus, signaling his readiness. A familiar and distasteful prickle of energy washed over him. He stoically suffered through it, keeping his mind focused on Sylvia. The past twenty-four hours without her had been hell. She’d be alright though. She had to be. Sylvia had already proven her fortitude in surviving everything the scientists had done to her. One insane fucker wouldn’t beat her.
Derek blinked and gained his bearings. He listened for any nearby sounds. Nothing reached his ears except for movement from the small group with him. Markus’ teleportation spell had landed them at the compound clearing.
The dilapidated shack was even worse than before. In fact, it wasn’t recognizable as a shack at all, as the roof had flown through the air, landing several meters from the massive chasm in the ground. The rickety walls sprawled in the dirt with chunks of woods haphazardly strewn about. The site of destruction stirred up his anger.
Hadn’t Sylvia gone through enough?
Stripping quickly, he stuffed his clothes into the backpack and left it on the ground. The other pack members also removed their clothes. Once they’d filled the backpack, Derek handed it to Victor. He felt a small, petty thrill of satisfaction making Victor the pack mule. He still hadn’t forgiven the mage and was doubtful he would. Maybe in a few hundred years.
With a sneer at Victor, he embraced the change. Bones snapped and realigned, muscles ripped and reformed, and fur coated his now four-legged body. Taking a moment to orient himself, he sniffed the air to pick up Sylvia’s scent. He moved away from the hole, which still carried her lingering scent, then sneezed to clear his nose.
“The road is this way.” Markus took the lead with Derek on his heels.
Weaving between the trees crowding the overgrown path, they soon found the gravel road. Glancing over, Derek saw his pack emerging from the forest. Immediately they all sniffed the air, trying to find Sylvia’s scent.
A deep inhale picked up a faint trail heading to the right. Knowing the rest would follow, he loped off and became a blur of dark gray fur.
Forest soon gave way to barely tamed wilderness, and gravel changed to asphalt as they neared the small town. The houses had an abandoned feel to them, wild grass overtaking the lawns and leaves coating the ground. Some had lights still blazing even in the bright afternoon daylight, as if no one bothered turning them off before they left. Several had cars parked in the driveway with leaves piled high on the roof and windshield.
The compound had used this town. Its workers had lived here to avoid nosy neighbours. A small corner store with a gas station and an On The Run Tim Horton’s were suspiciously empty. No attendant behind the counter and the closed sign turned.
Deserted.
Anyone not part of the compound had probably fled after the raid. News must have travelled. He briefly wondered if they’d relocated to another town, another compound, as the Coterie had evidence this wasn’t the only experimental facility.
He dismissed it from his mind as Sylvia’s scent grew stronger. There! An older, 1950s style house with green siding and gray trim set further back from the road. Blinds drawn, with no movement inside. A black mini-coup sat in the driveway, no leaves lingering on it. Proof someone had used it recently.
Sniffing around it, he confirmed Sylvia had been in the car. He also confirmed the kidnapper had been with her. Derek growled, wanting to rip the bastard apart.
Moving at a dead run towards the house, he smashed into an invisible shield. He flew backwards, landed on his back and skidded a few more feet. Picking himself up, he shook his body, checking for any damage. He’d forgotten about the mage shield dampening Sylvia’s location. Looks like it also kept out unwanted guests
Cocking his head to the side, he glared at Markus.
“Yes, yes,” the mage said promptly. “If you’d waited a moment, I would’ve taken the shield down before you tried to kill yourself. Stand back. It could be trapped.”
Derek sat on his haunches and watched as Markus tested the shielding. Magic slithered over his fur, making it stand on end. A low growl rumbled in his chest, one he wasn’t able to contain, as he forced himself to stay still. He didn’t want to distract the mage, since it could cause the magic to go wild. Only once had he seen wild magic when he was a young boy, and it’d destroyed a small town.
“Ah, good, it’s relatively weak and no traps are weaved into it. Give me a sec and I’ll have it dismantled.” Markus’ eyes glowed bright.
He went through a few motions, muttered a few words to gather energy then released it. The glow in his eyes faded, and he dropped his hands. A slight nod from Markus was all Derek needed.
Racing to the door, he slammed into it with his shoulder, trying to break the wood. A loud crack echoed as it shuddered in its frame. The door stayed firmly shut, though.
“Holy shit, Derek, let me open the door before you break your bones.” Markus rushed to his side then muttered, “Damn impatient moron.”
Derek curled his lip, exposing his teeth at Markus who blatantly ignored him while he probed the door. He wanted to do everything in his power to save Sylvia, to be her knight in shining armour, not wait for someone else to help. His gaze drifted over to the side window, and he wondered how hard he’d need to hit it in order to break the glass. The click of the lock spared him from finding out. A slow creak signaled the door opening.
He chuffed Markus a thank you, shouldered his friend out of the way and padded through the entrance.
Check the rooms, secure the house. I have a bead on Sylvia. Derek sent the mental command to his packmates. He didn’t bother trying to communicate with the mages, as they would follow their own protocols. As long as they stayed out of his way, he didn’t care what they did. They were back-up.
Loping down the narr
ow hallway, knocking over a side table as he went, he found a small room filled with Sylvia’s scent… and her blood. His heart stopped as the coppery smell assaulted his sensitive nose. Eyes roving the room, he noted the destroyed walls, the ruined mattress, a shattered plate on the floor and the body. He padded to the body, relief flooding him as he saw it was a male.
A quick sniff confirmed his identity – the kidnapper. Resisting the urge to piss on him, he turned and followed the heavenly scent of his mate.
The trail led him to a small kitchen. A gleaming stainless steel fridge and stove dominated the room, making it appear even smaller. Cupboards lined one wall and the sink was situated under a double-pane window.
Thoughts scattered when he glanced at the floor. His beautiful Sylvia was sprawled on the cold tile, blood pooling around her. His sensitive hearing picked up her beating heart and the faint rasp of her breath. Nearly crying with joy, he changed forms and knelt beside her.
“Derek.” Sylvia’s eyes fluttered open. “I killed him. I killed the bastard.”
The savage satisfaction in her voice made him smile. She’d vanquished her own dragon.
“Markus!” he bellowed.
She may have destroyed her enemy, but she wasn’t safe yet. A quick once-over showed him the ragged wound in her stomach. She’d stanched the bleeding, but judging from her pallor, she’d lost a lot of blood.
A hand clasped his shoulder, and before he could blink, Markus teleported them to one of the downtown hospitals that dealt with werewolves. Nurses rushed towards them, asking questions and assessing the situation.
A gurney appeared, and Derek gently placed Sylvia on it. One of the nurses wheeled it into the nearby emergency waiting room. Not surprisingly, after a courtesy once-over, the doctors left to tend to the more seriously wounded. She didn’t require stitches, as the wound was already healing, just a few bags of blood.
“Alpha.” He turned to see a small pretty blonde nurse holding out a robe.
He’d forgotten about his nakedness. Accepting the robe, he nodded curtly and shrugged it on. It was tight in the shoulders and barely reached mid-thigh, but at least he was halfway decent.
Attention focused on Sylvia, he watched as the nurse poked an IV into her inner wrist and taped it into place. The bag of blood hung from the pole and dripped down the tube. The needle itself was coated in silver to stop the body from rejecting it while she healed.
She moaned in pain and reached for the irritation. Derek moved to her side and caught her hand before she could remove the IV.
“Stop. It’s there to help you.” His voice was low but no less commanding. While he hated pushing his Alpha authority into his words, he saw no other choice. Tying her down wasn’t an option, and she needed to leave the IV alone.
Smoothing her hair, he finally noticed dried blood on her mouth and chin. He couldn’t see any cuts, and a quick sniff told him it wasn’t hers. Not wanting her to wake with that bastard’s blood on her, he walked to the bathroom to wet a washcloth.
Gently, lovingly, he wiped away the evidence of her victory. He had to rinse the cloth a few times before he’d finished cleaning her face. Smiling, he bent over and placed a kiss at the corner of her mouth then on the tip of her nose. It amazed him that this fierce, passionate woman was his, and she wanted to be with him.
Another moan came from Sylvia, this time filled with longing, not pain. Her eyes opened, locking onto him.
“Please kiss me. I need to know you’re here and real.” Her plea nearly broke him.
She’d suffered so much in such a short time. His lips covered hers, and he felt an odd shifting inside of his mind. A stretching, pulling sensation he’d never felt before. He leaned back and gazed into Sylvia’s eyes, wondering if she felt the same. The confusion on her face confirmed it.
What was that? Derek heard her thought clearly.
Testing his theory, he locked down his Alpha link and sent to her, Can you hear me?
She nodded and said, “Of course I can. You’re my Alpha.”
“No, that wasn’t on the Alpha link. That was through the lifemate bond.”
Her mouth dropped open, and through the bond, he experienced her astonishment and joy. “Really? We’re bonded now? That’s fantastic!”
She threw her arms around him, hugging him tight.
Guilt stabbed at him for denying the bond. She didn’t feel it was an intrusion, and of course, she’d know what it entailed, as her parents were lifemates. If he hadn’t suppressed it, he would’ve found her sooner, before she’d gotten hurt. She deserved a better mate, one who could protect her.
“You’re an idiot. You’re sweet, but you’re an idiot.” Her gentle words broke through his self-recrimination. When he quirked an eyebrow in question, she continued, “I don’t need a big, brave man to save me from the dark. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. What I need is a man who will support me, cherish me and treat me like an equal. And that’s exactly what you do. You’ve pushed me all these years to stand on my own two feet, to be proud of who I am and what I’m capable of. Why would I want someone who’d take that away from me?”
She laid a loving hand on his cheek and pulled him close for a kiss. He shuddered as her nails scraped just below his ear, desire for this woman flooding his body. A seductive smile curved her lips as she was now in tune with his emotions.
“You were right to block the bond. You understood me. It would’ve overwhelmed me, made me claustrophobic. I needed space to heal and come to terms with what happened. While we can’t change the past, I can make sure it doesn’t affect my present and future. I’ll have bad days, ones where I’ll push you away while I heal from all this. But I’ll never stop loving you. I just need your patience and love to help me through.”
He felt an insane urge to laugh and cry at the same time. A cough behind him had him straightening, and he glared at the intruder.
“Thank you for standing up. That robe covers nothing. Put your clothes on,” Markus complained as he tossed the backpack to him. “Unfortunately, your packmates will be without clothes, but I’m sure they’ll survive. I’ve also called Sylvia’s parents. They should be here shortly.”
The bag hit his chest, and Derek grunted as he caught it. He dug to the bottom to find his clothes and tossed them onto the bed. He pulled on his jeans and ignored Markus’ grumbling about Derek’s lack of decency. One little flash of his ass and the mage became a prude, acting like he’d never seen a naked man before. A muffled snort from Sylvia told him she knew he’d done it on purpose.
The robe he threw onto a nearby chair, and he yanked on his long-sleeve shirt. Glancing at Sylvia, the heat in her eyes burned him. He gave into temptation and leaned in for a searing kiss.
“That does it. Neither of you are fit for company,” Markus exclaimed in disgust. “I’ll be back in a few hours to teleport you both home unless you’d rather someone pick you up?”
Pulling away from Sylvia again, he reminded himself she was recovering from a knife wound and didn’t need him pawing at her. She laughed and mouthed to him, Yes I do.
“Hush woman.” He winked at her before turning to Markus. “Yes, come back for us. It’ll be easier for a port instead of dealing with a car right now.”
“Fine, I’ll be back here in a few hours. I have more important things to deal with, and I’m done with this lovey-dovey crap.” With a mocking grin, Markus disappeared leaving behind a faint crackle of energy as the only evidence he’d been there before it, too, dissipated.
“I better stay over here, away from the temptation of your sexy lips.” Derek settled onto a hard plastic chair and reached out to grab Sylvia’s hand. He threaded his fingers with hers and pressed his lips onto the back of her hand. “You know you’re screwed, right?” he said with a mischievous grin.
“Oh? How so?”
“We both know I’m a bastard as an Alpha and bossy as hell. Now you’ll have to put up with me as a bossy mate, too. Plain and simple, you’re screwe
d, since you have to listen to what I say.” He tried to act stern and lay down the law. Sylvia ruined the effect by laughing.
Through giggles, she managed to reply, “Oh sure, whatever you say. Of course I’ll obey you. Uh-huh, always.”
“You’re gonna run circles around me, aren’t you?” He chuckled when she nodded. “Good. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Epilogue
“Seraphina,” Markus said quietly, knowing she’d hear him. He’d been patiently waiting in her home for the past hour, not bothering to snoop, as he already knew all the skeletons in her closet.
She whirled around, smiling seductively through pointed teeth, her silky white hair caressing her shoulders and arms.
“Markus, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?” Seraphina closed the gap between them and ran her fingers through his hair. Her nails scraped his scalp, letting him know she could cause damage if she wanted.
He almost snorted. She couldn’t harm him.
“You took prisoners. That wasn’t part of the deal. You were to help us rescue the prisoners, nothing more.” Some of his anger seeped into his voice. He hated being disobeyed.
She pouted, “That’s what I did. I rescued prisoners. Or at least they would have been your prisoners, so I rescued them from you.”
“You twisted my words. Damn you, Fae, give them back. You have no right to them.” He could feel magic building up, reacting to his displeasure, and he knew his eyes were glowing. They always did when large amounts of energy gathered in his body.
“I have every right to them! And I will not give them back. They are mine, and you’d do well to remember who holds the power in this land. Leave now, or I’ll forget myself.” Her hair whipped around her body with anger and agitation.
He had no idea why she wanted them so badly, especially to defy him to keep them. She had an endgame, and he’d find out what it was.
It seems she did have a secret from him.
“Fine, creature. I’ll let you keep them.” He smiled chillingly at her. “Just remember, nothing remains hidden from me for long.”
Sylvia's Torment (Enforcers and Coterie Book 2) Page 27