by Becca Van
“The scent isn’t the same,” Gabe Louis said.
“How can you tell?” Liam, Gabe and Preston’s brother asked. “All I can smell is fucking smoke.”
Daire turned to glance at the women over his shoulder, frowning when he noticed Jaimie wasn’t back from the bathroom. When he gazed at his watch, he realized nearly ten minutes had passed since she’d left. That was more than enough time for her to use the bathroom. The hair on the back of his neck prickled as he spun on his heels before racing from the room. Dread pitted in his gut when he caught an unfamiliar scent as he hurried along the hallway. Just before he got to the foyer, the dread grew bigger and heavier until he felt as if he’d swallowed a lump of lead.
The sweet aroma of Jaimie’s pain nearly drowned out the stench of male sweat and excitement. He sprinted out the front door, following the aromatic trail down along the drive and out onto the road.
His knees almost buckled when he picked up the noxious fumes of a vehicle as he realized he was already too late.
The woman he loved more than his own life had been snatched away right under his fucking nose.
Man and tiger roared with pain, fear, and fury. When his tiger surged forth, Daire gave his beast free rein as he pushed the shift faster and harder than ever before.
“Jaimie! She’s gone.”
“What the fuck do you mean she’s gone?” Beckett snarled angrily.
“Someone’s taken her. I followed the scent. Whoever has her is in a vehicle. Be on the lookout for any vehicles coming your way.”
“Where’s Sage?” Bladen asked.
“In the house with Elsa.”
“You left my pregnant mate alone?” Bladen snapped irately.
“I have to find Jaimie,” Daire snapped. “She was kidnapped on my fucking watch.”
“Everyone spread out and search for Jaimie,” Tatum ordered. “The fire’s extinguished.”
Daire’s tiger ran faster and harder than he’d ever ran before.
If he couldn’t find and save his mate, he wasn’t sure he’d survive.
Chapter Sixteen
Jaimie groaned as she came awake. She felt sick to her stomach because her head was pounding so much. She tried to roll onto her side to relieve the ache in her shoulders and arms, but she couldn’t. When she realized her arms were tied behind her back, she forced her heavy lids up and tried to slow the rapid beat of her heart and her fast, shallow breathing. She blinked a few times as she tried to clear her blurry vision but it didn’t help.
When she heard movement nearby, she turned her head intending to ask for help, but the words on her tongue died when she saw the tall, muscular man standing a few yards away. She couldn’t make out his features because the setting sun was low in the sky behind him. As she licked her dry lips, she noticed that the bastard hadn’t gagged her, which was a blessing because if she became ill, she wouldn’t choke on her own vomit.
“Who are you?” she asked in a hoarse voice. “Why are you doing this?
The asshole didn’t answer her, just stood there staring at her. Sweat broke out on her skin, but she shivered in the cool evening air. She didn’t even notice she was trembling until she tried to roll onto her side again, but she wasn’t about to let fear and pain stop her. Her shoulders were screaming in agony as was her head, but she needed to keep her wits about her if she was going to get out of this.
Jaimie had a terrible feeling the man whose face she couldn’t see, was the same man who’d been threatening her and her work colleagues when she’d been living in Natchez, Louisiana.
What the hell had she ever done to deserve this? She’d never even killed a fly let alone a human being.
* * * *
Beckett had never felt such fear in his life. Not even the first time he’d gone out to fight insurgents after he’d finished training as a Marine. He didn’t know how someone had gotten to Jaimie while under Daire’s protection, and though he wanted to curse and blame his brother that their mate was missing, he knew that wasn’t fair, so he kept his thoughts to himself.
He was aware of Crispin keeping pace with him as they ran and hoped that one of the other shifters or Daire found where the fucker had taken their woman.
At the moment, he was running blind and he hated it. He was used to planning out a mission, preparing and going in guns blazing. Right now he felt so helpless, so useless.
If they didn’t find their mate soon, they might never see her again.
Beckett mentally shook his head, pushing that pessimistic thought down deep. He and brothers couldn’t, wouldn’t fail. Jaimie’s life depended on them finding her.
He wasn’t giving up until she was back in his arms where she belonged.
* * * *
“What the fuck did you do to him?”
Jaimie frowned. That question had been so full of pain, but the raspy voice was familiar. However, she couldn’t quite remember where she’d heard it before.
“What are you talking about?” she asked.
She held her breath when she saw him reach into his jacket pocket and stopped breathing when the waning light glinted off the silver metal of a blade. Her breathing became heavier, shallower as fear took hold. Using the heels of her sneakers, she dug them into the ground, trying to push herself back, away from the man slowly walking toward her.
When he was within touching distance, he squatted down and his blurry face came into view. She gasped when she saw who was intent on hurting her. Gary Henshaw. She’d seen him around the hospital nearly every day. He was a nursing assistant, had actually helped her and the doctors in the ER a couple of times.
“Gary, what are you doing? Why are you doing this?”
His hand snaked out toward her face, causing her to flinch. He laughed maliciously as he tangled his fingers into her hair, tugging on the strands cruelly. Her stomach roiled when her head began to ache more.
When he lifted the knife toward her face, she closed her eyes as she waited to die. She whimpered when she felt the cold blade run down over her cheek, but the expected pain never came.
After sucking in a deep, ragged breath, she forced her eyes open and stared into his. If she kept him talking, she might be able to talk him down. Or maybe Daire would realize she was missing and come looking for her. When she remembered the mating bond, she brought Daire’s, Crispin’s, and Beckett’s face up in her mind and thought of how much she loved them. She pushed her feelings out toward them, hoping they’d feel her love for them. She didn’t want to die without them knowing how much she cared.
Gary’s eyes were filled with so much pain and evil intent, she knew she wasn’t going to get out of this alive.
* * * *
Crispin’s tiger stumbled when he felt a surge of love through the mating bond. He knew it was from Jaimie, but what scared the absolute fuck out of him was the regret he’d felt underlying the love. He pushed his animal harder, his muscles burning as he raced farther away from town. Crispin didn’t know where Jaimie was, but his beast seemed to be on a mission so he didn’t hinder him.
He had no idea if his tiger knew where their woman was, but since no one else had reported in, he let his animal have free rein.
The more time that passed by, the more worried, more scared he got, but he couldn’t let his emotions take hold.
There was only one goal in his mind, and that was finding and rescuing the love of his life.
* * * *
“You fucking killed him, you bitch.” Gary ended his sentence on a sob.
“I haven’t killed anyone.”
He twisted her hair around his wrist, causing her to cry out when strands were ripped out by the roots.
“You worked on him but you didn’t do enough. He fucking died while you stood there watching.”
Jaimie’s heart surged with sympathy for this man’s pain, but she quickly tried to quash it. He didn’t deserve her sympathy. Not when he was planning to kill her.
“Who, Gary? Who did I kill?” she asked quietly.<
“My son. Billy Claymore. He was brought into the ER by ambulance.” Gary lifted tearful eyes to hers. She shivered when the grief changed to wicked resolve. This time when he raised the scalpel, she didn’t flinch, nor did she look away. “You should have worked on him longer, harder.”
Jaimie screamed when he stabbed the razor-sharp scalpel into her shoulder. She thought the pain in her head had been agony. It was mild compared to the flaming-hot torture she was feeling now. She groaned and gasped when he pulled the knife from her flesh. Blood seeped quickly into her clothes and down her arm.
“I remember him, Gary. He was barely breathing when the paramedics brought him in. We worked on him for twenty minutes after he stopped breathing. Every single bone in his body was broken, and he’d suffered a brain injury. We did everything we could to save him. If he’d survived he would have been a vegetable. He was already gone before he got to us. Would you have wanted that for your son, Gary? Would you have wanted him to lie in a bed day after day, month after month, year after year on a respirator? Would you want to live trapped inside your body, having to have someone take care of your every need, not being able to move a muscle? Not being able to get up and use the toilet?”
Jaimie knew she was getting to him when she saw the tears streaming down his face, and he started sobbing. She sighed with relief when he dropped the blade into the grass just before he wrapped his arms around his waist as he doubled over, rocking back and forth as he bawled his eyes out.
She started wiggling her body as she dug her heels into the ground to push herself away from him. She might not be able to get far, but if she could just stay out of reach, she might end up surviving after all.
Ignoring the agony in her shoulder and head was difficult, but she didn’t want to die. She had no idea if she gotten through to the grief-stricken man or not, but she didn’t want to hang around to find out. If only she could get up onto her feet, she’d be able to run as far and as fast as she could.
Determination filled her heart and soul.
Jaimie had everything to live for. She had three mates, and while they might not have told her that they loved her, she knew they did. When she got out of this, she was going to demand the words. She wanted to hear them tell her each and every day just as she intended to tell them.
She was going to fight with every breath left in her body until she had nothing left.
Jaimie was going to live.
* * * *
When Daire saw the vehicle parked on the side of the road up ahead he roared with relief and fury. “I’ve found them. The fucker took a dirt track just off 133rd Av NW. He’s near the lake just below Colgan.”
“Do you have eyes on Jaimie?” Beckett asked.
“Not yet. I will in seconds.”
“We’re not far behind,” Crispin said. “Beckett’s tiger took us off-road a while back.”
Daire didn’t respond. He pushed faster and harder, ignoring the build-up of lactic acid and the trembling in his limbs. He had one goal. Saving Jaimie.
When he got closer, he slowed to a trot and sniffed the air to pinpoint where his woman was. Just as he stalked around the front of the car, he saw Jaimie struggling on the ground. Her arms were bound behind her back with tape, but she was trying to get to her feet. He wanted to go and help her, but first he needed to deal with the threat.
He held his tiger back from charging toward their mate and crouched low to the ground. Then he began to stalk his quarry.
While he kept his gaze locked to the piece of shit kneeling and sobbing in the dirt, he also kept an eye on Jaimie. She was so fucking strong. She hadn’t given up. She managed to get to her knees and was about to push up to her feet, but when the fucker shouted with anger, she froze.
The bastard jumped up and ran toward his woman, his little ray of sunshine, as he raised a blade into the air.
Daire let his tiger off the leash. Man and beast sprang forward with a show of predatory power.
His beast leaped into the air, snarling and hissing with fury as he jumped on their prey. The knife went flying as they landed, air whooshing out of the fucker’s lungs as he slammed into the ground. His tiger raised a paw, about to end the asshole’s life, but Jaimie’s voice stayed him.
“Daire! Don’t kill him. Please?” She stumbled and weaved her way toward him, and when he scented and saw the blood on her shoulder and in her clothes, he roared with rage. How could she ask him to spare the fucker’s life when he’d hurt her? “Please, Daire. He needs help. He’s sick.”
Daire’s tiger snarled as he glared down at the bastard under him. Keeping his paw firmly on his back, he shifted his huge body off his prey and sat beside him. It took him a few moments to notice that the fucker was out cold. He must have hit his chin on the ground when his beast had taken him down. Good thing because if the prick had been conscious, Daire wasn’t sure he’d have been able to, or wanted to keep his animal from making the kill.
When Jaimie swayed on her feet, he rushed over to her, using his big animal body to break her fall. Crispin and Beckett were there seconds later.
Daire’s tiger gently crouched toward the ground until Jaimie was draped over his back. He wasn’t moving an inch until he knew she was going to be all right. His brothers could take care of the asshole.
It wasn’t much later when he heard vehicles racing their way. He gazed up, relieved to see the Louis brothers, his cousins and the doc, Tatum and his brothers Rex and Shaffer, as well as Zayn and Karter Strike. Even a couple of the Canon brothers were there to help. Daire stayed right where he was.
Someone tossed Beckett, Crispin, and his cousins some clothes when they shifted back. They’d only just finished dressing when the bastard started coming around. Before he could regain his senses, Preston handcuffed him and read him his rights.
Broden examined and treated Jaimie at the scene. After irrigating the stab wound with disinfectant, he pulled her flesh back together, sealing the injury with steri-strips. “Your mate is going to be fine, Daire. She’s already started healing. The egg on the back of her head is waning as we speak.”
“I’m good,” Jaimie slurred before sighing. She leaned into his tiger as she ran her hand up and down his side. “You saved me, Daire. God. Thank you. I never thought I’d see any of you again.”
The tears in her voice tore at his heart. After making sure the human couldn’t see him, he forced his tiger back and changed. As soon as he was a man again, he lifted Jaimie into his lap, into his arms where she belonged. He buried his face against her neck, and for the first time since he was a kid, he cried. The guilt was too much of a load to bear. He held her tighter when she wrapped her arms around his neck, combing her fingers into his hair. When he finally had himself under control, he wiped his cheeks on his bare shoulders and finally lifted his head to meet her gaze.
“I’m so fucking sorry, sweet thing. You got hurt because of me. He took you on my watch.”
“You’re not to blame, Daire, so stop condemning yourself right now. I didn’t even know he was in the house. I was lost in my own little world and didn’t even know he was right behind me.” She cupped his face between her hands when he glanced away, bringing his eyes back to hers.
“How can you say that, Jaimie? I failed you.”
“No, you didn’t. How could you have known he was there? I know y’all have enhanced senses and such but even I could smell the smoke. You might have hyper-senses, but you aren’t superman, Daire.”
“Our mate’s right. Listen to her, bro,” Beckett said. He and Crispin had been kneeling on either side of him and Jaimie for a while, but Daire had ignored them.
“Either one of us could have been in the position you were in today. Would you have blamed me for what happened?” Crispin asked.
Daire shook his head even though he wasn’t sure of his answer. While he might have been pissed at first, it would have been because he was scared for his mate. With a sigh, he let all the tension and guilt slide away. He couldn’t live the rest of his life speculating about what-ifs. All that mattered was the Jaimie was alive and safe.
Being careful of his immense strength and his love, Daire shoved to his feet, taking Jaimie with him. He started walking toward Broden’s truck when the doc gave him a chin lift. He didn’t care if the asshole the Louis brothers were dealing with saw him naked. All he cared about was getting his woman home and into bed where he could spend the rest of his night cuddling with her.
“I love you, sweet thing.”
“I love you too, Daire.”
His heart filled to overflowing with love and happiness.
All was right in his world.
His mate loved him back.
Epilogue
Two days later.
Jaimie rolled over in bed, hugging Daire from behind. She’d never been as happy as she was right now.
Gary had been arrested and assessed for mental illness. While she was sorry that he was going to end up in jail, she was glad he was going to get the help he needed to get over the loss of his son. She hoped he found peace and came to terms with everything that happened.
“Morning, sweet sunshine.” Daire’s back rumbled against her chest.
“Morning.”
“How are you feeling, baby,” Beckett asked as he tightened the arm he had around her waist and he shifted closer to her.
“I feel great. No more pain.”
“Glad to hear it, honey.” Crispin caressed a hand up and down her leg. He was lying across the bottom of the mattress.
Jaimie groaned when her clit began to throb and her pussy moistened. Her breasts swelled as her nipples hardened. She gasped when she moved, her sensitive nipples brushing against Daire’s back.
“Someone’s feeling feisty,” Daire said as he turned to face her, pushing against her shoulder until she rolled onto her back.
Beckett cupped her cheek in his hand. “Do you want us, mate?”
“God, yes!”
Crispin tugged the covers down as he scrambled to his hands and knees. Just as Beckett covered her mouth with his, Crispin pushed her legs wide apart.
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