Aveoth Read online

  “I’d go with Kelzeb’s theory here,” Fray said. “We all know Decker will stop at nothing to get payback on the VampLycans he hates. He’ll treat your mate as if her ass is made of glass.”

  “We’ll get her back,” Chaz stated firmly. “Decker is toying with us. He’ll contact you.”

  Aveoth pushed Kelzeb out of his way and resumed pacing. “His demands are going to be unreasonable.”

  “They always are.” Kelzeb snorted. “He’ll want his clan back, and he’ll try to push you to go to war with the other clans to take out his competition. Same as always. It might be a good idea if you put them on alert and let them know he has your mate.”

  “No.” Aveoth shook his head. “Some of the VampLycans in Lorn’s clan are still loyal to Decker. We keep this between the four of us and do whatever is necessary to get my mate back.”

  “She’s not giving off the calling. That’s the good news.”

  Aveoth stopped pacing and glowered at Chaz.

  “I apologize. I was just thinking about how things could be worse. Not all of Decker’s enforcers are mated. She’d drive them insane with her needy scent if you hadn’t strengthened the bond.”

  Aveoth suddenly stilled and closed his eyes. “I feel her!” He rushed to the open balcony. “I can sense her. She’s getting closer.”

  The three GarLycans had followed him outside. Kelzeb moved in front of him. “How far?”

  Aveoth had to concentrate hard. “It’s difficult to tell, but at this stage of our mating, she has to be less than five hundred miles away.”

  “It means she survived the drugs they gave her.” Fray raised his hand. “High five. That’s something to celebrate.”

  Aveoth rumbled at him. The enforcer dropped his arm to his side.

  “Sorry, my lord. One worry down though. Always look for a bright side. She’s alive, and closer than we thought.”

  Chaz punched his twin’s arm. “Shut up. You’re not helping.”

  “Close your eyes and try to focus on her. I know this is new but you can do it, Aveoth.”

  He listened to Kelzeb and tried to clear his mind, closed his eyes, and mentally reached out toward Jill. He wouldn’t be able to pick up her thoughts, but Gargoyles had the ability to link to a mate’s location if they were within range. The distance varied by the strength of the bond. He regretted not having her drink more of his blood, silently promising to fix that mistake once he safely got her back home.

  “She’s closer.” He turned slowly to the right but then stopped, adjusting to the left a tiny bit. His eyes snapped open and he pointed. “She’s in that direction.”

  Fray nodded. “Decker is bringing her back here. He’ll probably use the landing strip. We should go there and be waiting.”

  “Attack them when they land and take Jill,” Chaz added.

  “I can call twenty of our men to go with us. We’ll take down anyone Decker has brought with him while you go after your mate.”

  He nodded at Kelzeb. “It sounds like a good plan.”

  Aveoth’s phone rang and he snatched it from his pocket. Kelzeb stopped him from accepting the call. Aveoth growled at him.

  “Don’t seem too eager. They believe we’re cold, that we don’t bond to mates as strongly as they do. Remember what they presume to know about us and use it to your advantage.”

  He hated everything his best friend said but it was solid advice. He gave a sharp nod and cleared his throat before answering the call. “Lord Aveoth here.”

  “I have something that you lost.”

  Aveoth allowed the cold to seep into his bones. He’d played this game plenty of times in the past with Lord Abotorus and the council. “I told you to never call me again, Decker. You don’t learn.”

  “I’ll kill Jillian if you threaten me with death again. I can put it on speakerphone and make you listen as she draws her last breath.”

  His wings ripped out of his back. The pain helped to keep him from threatening to tear out Decker’s throat for even saying those words. “You don’t have her.”

  “I do. I’m sending you a photo by text.”

  “Let me talk to her if you really have her.”

  Decker snorted. “I’m not giving you that satisfaction. I want a face-to-face meeting with you and we’ll negotiate her return.”

  “Put her on the phone now or I’ll assume you’re a liar. Prove that you have her or I hang up.”

  The silence drove Aveoth crazy.

  Decker finally sighed. “I would, but she pissed off Boon. He struck her before I could stop him. My granddaughter has quite a mouth on her. She’s alive but unconscious. I sent the picture. Look at it. That’s your proof. I want to meet with you face to face. You try anything and Jillian is dead. You might be able to fly but you don’t have the ability to heal someone who’s torn to pieces. That’s how you’ll get her back if you don’t do exactly what I demand. Are you listening?”

  Aveoth had to relax his hand so he didn’t crush the phone he held. “I am.”

  The spiteful prick had the nerve to laugh and sound happy. “There’s a set of large boulders to the northwest of the landing strip, about a mile into your territory next to a clearing. Do you know where I speak of?”

  “I do.” Aveoth ground his teeth together.

  “We meet there in twenty minutes. You go there. She’s dead if you aren’t on top of that boulder. I see an aerial attack coming and she dies. You try anything and—”

  “She dies. I am not a moron, Decker.”

  “Whatever you’re planning won’t work, Aveoth.”

  “That’s Lord Aveoth to you.”

  Decker chuckled. “Perhaps I should have you call me Lord Decker, since I have what you want. We’ll be at the clearing in twenty minutes. Any aggression and you’ll never get your hands on Jillian.” He ended the call.

  Aveoth handed the cell phone to Kelzeb so he wouldn’t smash it. “Did you hear all that?”

  “We did.” Kelzeb tapped the screen and grimaced at whatever he saw.

  Aveoth had forgotten about the photo, and he wasn’t certain he wanted to see it. “Is it Jill?”

  His friend turned the phone—and Aveoth stared at his mate. She was tied to a plush leather chair, her head tilted to one side, and a red mark showed on her cheek where she’d been struck. A little blood stained her lower lip.

  “I’m going to kill them all.”

  “We will kill those fuckers.” Kelzeb sounded just as furious as he felt.

  “He’s going to force me to do his bidding. I can’t risk Jill’s life.”

  “Decker will underestimate what the four of us can do. We’ll think of a way to save her before it reaches that point.” Kelzeb held his gaze. “We’re smarter.”

  “I feel sick from worrying about her,” Aveoth admitted.

  “That’s natural. We’ll meet with Decker and get her back. Whatever it takes.”

  “Yes.”

  “They aren’t going to play fair so we lie our asses off if need be,” Fray chuckled. “I’m down with that. It might not be the most GarLycan thing to do, but look who we’re dealing with.”

  * * * * *

  Jill had woken again while she was being dragged off the jet. It was daylight now, the sun high and bright, and she got a clear view of the landing strip. It was a long, paved road with trees lining both sides about sixty feet from the pavement.

  It was Cole who kept hold of her, forcing her to move. She struggled to lift her feet as she shook herself further awake…and then a heavy weight on her chest finally caught her attention, and she looked down. “What the fuck?”

  The shark’s tone implied he wasn’t any happier about her predicament than she was when he confirmed, “It’s a bomb.”

  “Have you idiots totally lost your minds?” Her hands were tied behind her back and she struggled to catch her breath. She had a bomb strapped to her chest. “You’ll all die if this thing goes off.”

  She twisted her head, looking back to find Decker. H