Present time…
Something called to Gina. She woke from her slumber with a start.
Mark pulled her closer, murmuring something in his sleep. She let her eyes slip shut as his easy breathing lulled her toward sleep.
Then she heard a gentle voice in her head. Find me, Gina. You know my voice.
Pieces of her early childhood flashed in her mind. That voice was there, comforting her through the worst night she could remember.
She’d been two or three, in a crib. Her father screamed and cried out in pain. Gina had opened her mouth to cry out and a voice sang a lullaby to her. One she didn’t understand. But that smooth, gentle voice took away the fear.
Then something entered her room. Someone in a dark cloak, singing a song of darkness. Something sharp pressed against her skin and a drop of blood welled up.
The song grew louder. Her magic was torn from her body, leaving her mortal.
She blinked, trying to reach for the fading memory. What had she been? Did she know? Had they taken the magic as punishment?
That doesn’t matter right now. Something is coming.
Darkness entered her senses. Something close, but not too close.
Keep him safe. Follow your senses.
Fear danced along her mind. She slipped from Mark’s embrace and kissed his eyelids, wishing the magic that had once flowed through her veins was still there. Maybe she could do something to protect him without leaving his side.
She pushed her fingers through the curls that reached her shoulders and pulled on a pair of shorts and a tank top before sliding into a pair of shoes. Then she left, hoping to draw away the danger. Maybe she could lure it to Slater, a mage, maybe Fallon. Anyone who could do more than a pair of werewolves.
Whatever danger she sensed wasn’t merely a beast. No, darkness oozed through the night, whispering to her, much like that night in her crib.
She hurried through the quiet streets, trying to sense anyone awake who could do something. Something sharp slid into her throat, and darkness rolled in.
The voice murmured. Trust that all will be well in the end.
She didn’t have any idea what that meant.
* * * *
Mark bolted upright. Something was wrong. He reached for Gina, but she wasn’t there. “Gina?” He rubbed at his eyes.
The bed was still warm from her body. Where the hell was she? She wasn’t in the bathroom. He closed his eyes and let his other senses reach for her.
She wasn’t in the house.
He yanked on clothes. He sensed her, moving away. Where the hell was she going? Sprinting, he moved through the night, tracking her movement.
Then panic flared as everything went black.
He came to a few seconds later on his hands and knees on the side of the street. She was moving away fast but unconscious. He bolted in her direction.
Mark collided with someone and caught them before they landed on the ground.
Delilah. “You okay?”
She growled, her eyes glowing golden like her wolf’s. “Vampires took Christian.” A snarl escaped. “And Tyrone.”
“Tyrone?” Mark asked. He didn’t have a damned clue who that was, which meant he wasn’t a wolf.
“Human.” That explained it all. She pulled at her hair. “He’s gone. Can’t feel him now. Fuck.” She grabbed his arm and pulled him toward her apartment. “Calling Robert.”
Mark shook his head. “Preston’s better. He might be able to track them.”
Delilah glanced over her shoulder. “Robert will bring Preston.”
Mark reached for his phone, but he’d left it back at the house. Besides, she was right. Robert and Preston always worked together.
Delilah put the phone to her ear. “We have a problem. Christian’s gone. Bring Preston. We need to find them.” She paused for a moment. “Yeah, Mark’s here. Gina’s gone too. All I know is it has to do with vampires.”
She put the phone down. “He’ll be here with Preston.”
Mark sniffed, then closed his eyes and breathed in the scent.
Two different vampires.
No struggle. Not even fear. Just a deep sadness, but that wasn’t Christian’s scent.
He turned to Delilah. “What the hell happened?”
Her eyes flashed gold again. “My dumbass mate knew something and sent me away.”
Mark caught her shoulders. “Relax. We’ll find them.” He had to find Gina. She’d been through hell and couldn’t remember it. He didn’t want her to go through hell now.
“Should have protected her.” He backed up and dropped onto a chair. “Damn me to hell.”
“What happened?” Delilah asked.
He shook his head. “Woke up and she was gone.”
Delilah pulled the coffee table over and sat down in front of him. She lifted his chin. “Where was she?”
He lifted a shoulder. “I don’t know. Her trail disappeared about two blocks from here. Maybe she went on a walk. It wouldn’t be the first time.”
“Maybe she sensed something?” Delilah offered.
Mark sat back and pushed his fingers through his hair. “I don’t know. She’s been through so much. I need to find her.”
“We will,” Robert said.
Normally he heard a pop when the mage translocated, but not that time. Granted he was distracted, trying to reach for his connection to Gina. He couldn’t feel a damned thing.
“What’s going on?”
“My guess?” Preston said. “The same vampires that have been taking Others from Seattle and the surrounding area took them.”
“Why haven’t you stopped them?” Mark demanded.
“We’re working on it,” Robert assured.
“How big is this group?”
Robert shook his head. “This is bigger than Yuri and Blood Bound. They’re older, better organized, and know how to hide. But we have someone working their way inside.”
“Amelia?” Delilah shook her head and paced away. “She’s barely a vampire.”
Mark bit his tongue. He’d seen Amelia sparring with Clint a while back, and she could take care of herself.
“She’s smart, resourceful, and more powerful than anyone of us would have imagined,” Robert explained.
“I hope you’re right. Now tell me what we are doing?” Delilah demanded.
Preston touched her shoulder. “You need to relax for the moment. We have someone working their way inside the group. Until we know where everyone is, there is nothing you can do.”
“I was afraid of that,” Delilah muttered.
“There has to be something.” Mark turned to Robert. The one who has been in both Clint’s head and Gina’s. He knew more than any of them what she’d been through if he could piece any of it together.
“Mark, I know you’re worried, but we’ll get her back. You need to relax. I don’t need feral wolves running around looking for their mates when we’re already doing everything we can to get everyone out safely.”
“Safely?” Mark growled, stepping forward.
Robert’s brow arched. “Yes, safely. There are many Others being held. We need to do what we can to get them all out. Don’t panic yet. There was no struggle here, and no struggle where Gina was taken.”
“But shit went wrong for the vampires at Dane’s place where they took Dominique,” Preston added.
“What do you mean?” Delilah asked.
“She’s a leprechaun. You don’t piss them off without expecting some bad luck. They were bleeding when they left. Though she’s not much of a fighter.”
Robert shook his head and sighed. “Why don’t you call Dane, and work with Slater, see if there is anything extra you can do,” Robert suggested.
Delilah snarled. “You seriously aren’t going to let us in on this?”
“Not right now. You have a right to be angry, to be scared, frustrated, whatever,” Robert stated. “However, until I have more information, there is nothing you can do.”
“Right.” Delilah sank down beside Mark.
“We’ll talk to you later,” Robert said and disappeared with Preston.
Mark turned to Delilah. “Guess we call Slater and Dane.”
“Don’t see another option.” Delilah flopped into a chair. “He better know what he’s doing,”
“Christian?”
She nodded, a tear sliding down her face. “He sent me away on purpose. Stupid bastard.”
“You said that.”
“Maybe that’s why Gina left. Maybe she knew something?”
“I don’t have a clue what she knew,” Mark admitted.