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Tamian didn’t go far. Perching on a branch high above the men, he watched as they searched the area for his mate. While he waited for them to give up, he called out to Lucy in his mind. He received no response, and his beast raged inside for him to take to the ground and tear the humans apart. The Gargoyles were supposed to protect humans, not tear them to pieces, but they had shot at Lucy. If she jumped from the window, that meant they’d shot at her from behind while she was running for her life. Fucking cowards. Maybe he should let the beast loose.
Yes!
Not yet. We can’t make the situation worse by causing more destruction to the scene.
We can get rid of them another way.
There’s too many of them. If there were only a couple of humans, Tamian could urge them to go away, but he’d counted seventeen. Deputy Director Phil Ramey had yet to stop yelling his threats. If any of them were going to feel the wrath of Tamian’s beast, it would be him. He was responsible for this shitstorm, and Tamian would see to it the man paid. Life behind bars was what he deserved, but Tamian wouldn’t take the risk on the man being released, or worse, never going to prison at all. Men like him had pull. Too fucking bad it wouldn’t help him now.
The beast nudged him again. I scent our mate.
Which way?
To the west. It’s faint, but I smell her.
Tamian inhaled deeply and caught the scent. He made his way through the treetops, following the tang of copper along with another familiar scent – Monk. As furious as Tamian was that his mate was no longer in the area, Tamian thanked the gods she wasn’t alone. The Hound had been there to watch over Lucy, and if what Rafael said was true and the male cared for Lucy, he would do whatever it took to keep her safe and tend to her wound.
He fucking better.
As each agent got farther from the building, Tamian waited until he could get them alone and urge them to give up on their search. One by one, he sent them away until there were only a handful of men doing as Ramey instructed. When Ramey finally noticed the others had disappeared, Tamian thought he’d seen the worst of his wrath. He’d been wrong. Ramey pulled his gun from its holster and picked off one after the other until he was the only one left standing. Before Tamian could reach him, Ramey rushed to his Mercedes and sped away.
As badly as he wanted to search the building, Tamian couldn’t risk being caught on the security cameras. Taking a good look at the outside, he saw surveillance equipment mounted to each corner. Pulling out his phone, Tamian dialed Julian.
“Hey, Brother. What can I do for you?”
“I’m texting you coordinates to the lab. There are cameras on the outside of the building, and I need you to work your mojo and make sure the feed isn’t destroyed. Lucy’s boss just murdered six men, and if he gets to whoever he has working surveillance, we could lose the evidence of what he did.”
“Shit, Tamian. Okay, I have the coordinates, and I’m plugging them in now. Is Lucy okay?”
“I don’t know. I’m not sure what exactly happened before I showed up, but it looks like she jumped out of a window then disappeared.”
“Holy gods. Are you all right?” Julian asked as his fingers flew across the keyboard. “Scratch that. I know you aren’t. If anyone understands what you’re going through, it’s me.”
Tamian couldn’t argue. All of the Clan who’d recently found their mates had dealt with one traumatic event after another. “Why can’t we just find our mates and ease into a life of love, happiness, and lots of babies?”
“I think the fates want us to appreciate what we have more. Going through all the shit makes us hang on that much tighter,” Julian responded.
“The fates can suck it, as far as I’m concerned.”
Julian chuckled while typing. Tamian believed Julian to be one of the Clan’s biggest assets. “Got it. I’m downloading the feed, and, since I finally know the location of the lab, I’m tapping into the cameras inside the building as well.” Tamian remained silent while Julian worked. “Holy fucking hell, Brother. That’s some B-movie, science fiction, horror shit. That’s what your mate was working on?”
“If it looks like Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory, then yes. What’s even worse is Lucy found the same type of horror in a secret room below her house.”
“Dear gods. And here we thought Flanagan was a monster when he created the Unholy. At least he recruited willing participants.”
“Thus, the reason I needed you to get all the proof against her boss. There wouldn’t happen to be sound to go with those videos, would there?”
“As a matter of fact, there is. I’m downloading everything I can. I’ve also cut the feed both inside and out, so you can walk around freely without anyone capturing you on video. Now, let’s just hope your mate was smart enough to mention she was there under duress.”
“Let’s just hope I can find my mate. We’re pretty sure one of the Hounds got to her and helped her escape from the area.”
“Pretty sure? You don’t sound pleased with that.”
Tamian’s beast growled. “I’m not. The male has a thing for Lucy. For his sake, he better be tending to her wounds and nothing more.”
“And the saga continues. Have faith, Brother. Even if the Hound likes Lucy, she’s not going to let that get in the way of what you have with her.”
“We don’t have anything. Not yet. One meeting with me disguised as a neighbor and a few mind-to-mind conversations.”
“If you can speak to her in your thoughts, the bond is already strong. Remember that, and again, have faith in Lucy.”
“I’ll do my best. Thanks again for everything, Julian. When all this is over, I’ll send you and Katherine to the chalet in Italy for a nice vacation.”
“That sounds like a deal. Now, go find your mate.”
When the phone disconnected, Tamian closed his eyes and let the image of Lucy settle into his mind. Her telling him she wanted to give them a try washed over him, blanketing him with an iota of peace.
Lucy? Are you there, Sweetheart?
Tam... Tamian... Ow!
Lucy? Lucy!
Tamian couldn’t hold back the roar when his beast expelled the anguish.
Lucy cursed when she lost her connection to Tamian, but the needle going through her shoulder as Monk stitched her up was painful, to say the least. She was barely able to remain conscious. She had no idea where they were or how he had found the necessary equipment to tend to her gunshot wound. Hissing through the agony, she tried her best to contact Tamian, but her brain was too focused on the pain.
Something wet and stinging splashed over the wound, and the tugging started up again. She couldn’t hold her head up to see what was going on. Monk was a blur, which told her it must be bad if her eagle couldn’t clearly show her the male. Another wave of nausea washed over her, and Lucy didn’t fight it. Monk turned her onto her stomach, her head hanging over the bed so she could vomit onto the floor. A cold, damp cloth met her forehead and the back of her neck. As much as she appreciated the care he was giving her, Lucy wished it was someone else there with her, wherever she was.
“Monk...” Lucy knew he couldn’t talk to her, and she wouldn’t be able to understand if he signed to her, so she decided to save her strength. Once he finished patching her up, she would fight through the pain and the sickness to get some answers.
The next time Lucy woke, she tried to look around, but the room was shrouded in darkness save for a dim light coming from another room. Concentrating on her body, the pain in her shoulder had subsided into a dull ache. The little pinpricks all over her face were still there where the glass had shattered as she dove through. If she could shift into her Gryphon, the injuries would heal quicker, but she didn’t want to be naked in front of Monk when she shifted back. Speaking of the male, Lucy raised her head up to see where he was.
When she didn’t find him in the room, Lucy took in her surroundings. She was on a soft, musty-smelling bed in a small bedroom. The walls were made of rough, pine logs, so she figured she was in a cabin of sorts. What was a cabin doing in New DC? Was she even still in the city? Fighting against the weakness, Lucy used her good arm to push herself up into a sitting position. Footsteps sounded against the wood flooring in the other room. Seven steps, a pause, then seven more. The sound repeated, so Monk was pacing the floor.
Thirst and hunger overrode the pain in her body, so Lucy attempted to stand. As soon as her feet hit the floor, Monk was there in the doorway, his large body blocking the light. Seconds later, he was at her side, his strong arm around her waist. When his hand met her flesh, she looked down to see she was only in her bra and panties. Realistically, she knew he had to remove her clothes to tend to her shoulder, but that would only require him removing her jacket and blouse. “Where are my pants?” she demanded. Even without much lighting, she could see Monk blush. Maybe it was the heat she felt indicating he was embarrassed.
“Let go of me,” she said, trying to move away from his hands. He firmed his grip before picking her up and carrying her into the next room. She had no choice but to hold on. Monk placed her gently on an old sofa and covered her with a crocheted afghan. Lucy pulled the cover up under her chin, hiding from his eyes, which had been focused on her chest. The movement drew the male out of his gazing, and his eyes met hers.
“Where are we? Where are my pants? Have you contacted Mav? How did we get here? Where did you get the materials to stitch my wound? How did you even know how to do that? Talk to me, damnit!” Monk began signing, and Lucy blew out a breath. He knew she couldn’t understand him when he communicated that way. “Stop! Text me your answers.”
Instead of pulling out his phone, he held his hands up, palms empty. “Please tell me you have your phone,” she begged. When he shook his head no, she said, “Damnit! We have to tell the others where we are!”
A dark shadow crossed Monk’s face before he turned his back on her and stalked to the kitchenette. Monk turned the faucet on and filled a glass with water, bringing it to her instead. Lucy greedily drank, liquid spilling over the sides of the glass and down her chin. When the glass was empty, she held it out to him. “More.” He refilled it, and this time, she drank slower. Her stomach wasn’t pleased, but she bit back the bile as it tried to climb her throat.
While she appreciated being away from the lab, Lucy didn’t feel much safer in her current predicament. She was Zeus knew where with a male she couldn’t communicate with. Her family trusted him with her safety, but they weren’t there. They didn’t know where she was as far as Lucy knew. If she hadn’t woken up practically naked, she wouldn’t worry as much. Taking a deep, calming breath, Lucy looked up at Monk and asked, “Is there any paper around here where you can at least write me a note?”
Monk hesitated before searching the small cabin. There had to be some way to let her family and Tamian know where she was. They had put the tracker in her ring, but when she held her hand in front of her, she let out a soft shudder. It wasn’t there. She’d been wearing it when she ran from the lab, but if she’d shifted at some point, it would have fallen off. Lucy vaguely remembered trying to shift after being shot, but what happened after was a blur.
Her eyes grew heavy waiting on Monk to find a scrap of paper, and Lucy fought sleep, but the events of the night were too much. She didn’t want to be any more vulnerable than she already was, but if Monk was going to take advantage, he already would have. Succumbing to the pull, Lucy rolled onto her side, making sure the afghan covered her fully.
With the beast under control, Tamian searched the area. He started at the base of the building below the broken window and followed the blood. When he reached the last discernable drop, his own blood ran cold. Lucy’s clothes were on the ground. Tamian knelt down and picked up her red-stained blouse. Bringing it to his nose, he inhaled deeply. Pushing past the coppery scent, ignoring the floral deodorant, he found what he was looking for – Lucy’s essence. It was subtle, but it was there. He clung to it so he wouldn’t lose his shit, knowing his mate was somewhere in only her underwear. The only explanation he would accept was she had shed her clothing so she could shift. Anything else and the beast would take over.
Before he stood, something shiny caught his attention. An onyx ring was half-hidden beneath her suit jacket. He slid it on his pinky finger. It was a tight fit, but he wouldn’t leave it behind. Somewhere his mate was without clothing, and that wouldn’t do. Instead of taking her ruined suit, Tamian made his way to the building. He reached out with his shifter senses to make sure there were no humans left in the area. Once inside, he found the door to the stairwell and began his descent. When he reached the basement, Lucy’s scent was strong.
When he walked through the door of the lab, Tamian froze just inside. Hearing Julian remark on what Lucy had endured was one thing, but seeing it was another. Ramey had subjected Lucy to the atrocities. If Tamian hadn’t been ready to gut the human before, the sight before him firmed his determination. First, he had to find Lucy, and that meant taking clothes with him. When he found her – and he would – Tamian was going to hide her away from the world, her family included, until he was sure she was safe. Entering her apartment, Tamian made quick work of packing her duffel bag with all the clothes and toiletries that would fit inside.
When he found what looked like a burner phone, Tamian hesitated. If this was how Lucy contacted her family, he wasn’t sure he wanted her to have it. Not that he didn’t trust her, but he didn’t want her to contact her family behind his back. Leaving it, there was nothing else he needed from the room. Tamian didn’t linger as he left the lab and ran back up the stairs.
Once outside, he returned to where her clothes had been shed. He called on his shifter to help him trace the scent she left behind. When the scent ran out, he continued in the direction he’d been walking. While he eased through the trees, he called out to Lucy as well as the gods for her to answer his pleas. Stopping every twenty yards or so to concentrate, Tamian also tried to think like the Hound would. If he was helping Lucy, he would have taken her back to the hotel. Tessa had already texted that they weren’t there, and the Hounds didn’t know where they were. Monk had gone off the grid with Tamian’s mate.
Since that was the case, Tamian shifted his mind to something he didn’t want to contemplate. If he had a female he wanted to take care of but hide her away, where would he go? Somewhere remote, yet somewhere he could tend to her wounds. Since the blood was no longer dotting the ground, either Monk had found a way to staunch the flow, or... Tamian looked up, imagining a large eagle flying overhead in the cover of darkness carrying his mate. He didn’t know enough about the Gryphons to gauge whether or not their eagles were able to shift while injured.
Just in case the others had made contact with Lucy or Monk, Tamian pulled out his phone and called Tessa.
“Tam, did you find her? Her ring is moving, but it’s not far from the lab.”
“No. I found her ring, so that’s me you’re tracking.” Tamian didn’t want the others to trace his movements, especially once he found Lucy. He examined the piece of jewelry while he spoke. “I take it you’re there with the Hounds since you know about the ring. I need you to ask them if Lucy would be able to shift with a wound.”
“We’ve already discussed that. If the injury was minor, then yes. If it was major, then probably not.”
“Would Monk in his eagle form be able to carry her body if he needed to?”
“Yes. As Ryker explained it, the Gryphon is a bit larger than a full-grown lion. If flying in eagle form, they usually remain their normal size, but if they need to be larger – say to carry a human – they can increase their size accordingly. Ryker has already sent Hawke and Spyder out to search for them. If you happen to see a couple eagles circling overhead, they’re on your side.”
“If they can help me find Lucy, all the better. I would think Ryker and Maveryck would also be out here looking.”
“They are headed out to the airport and the train station while Uncle Vitto goes to the bus terminal. I’m monitoring the hospitals so Julian can continue doing what you asked. We’re going to find her.”
“Yes, I am. And when I do, I’ll be taking her somewhere safe.”
“I had no doubt you would. Keep your phone handy. If any of us finds them or something leading to where they are, I’ll call you.”
“Thanks, Andi. I love you.
“Love you, too.”
Tamian returned his phone to the back pocket of his jeans. Studying Lucy’s ring, it didn’t take long to find the miniscule tracker. After removing it and dropping it, he ground it into the dirt with his heal. As he slid the ring back onto his pinky, Tamian turned his gaze upward. Thankful for the clouds, he released his wings and launched himself into the treetops. Knowing Lucy had either flown of her own accord or been carried by Monk’s eagle, Tamian now had something to go on. He called on his beast for the strength and alertness they needed to detect the direction Lucy had gone. He wouldn’t give up until he reached his mate.
