Fated In Secrets (Nocturne Vampire Clan #2)

Chapter 67

67

BLAKE

I never found Evie.

The dining hall was empty, two soldiers reported she’d departed shortly after us and the staleness of her scent told me she’d left an hour ago.

I tracked that scent to Angel, her nose deep in a book, who waved me off with a mumbled explanation that her sister must be around somewhere . I would have pressed harder—maybe even demanded answers—but her little bump was showing and somehow, I didn’t have the heart.

I rubbed my chest and reached out through our bond again, finding only that strange, empty silence on the other end. Same as last night.

Which doesn’t mean anything, you idiot. Don’t panic.

Now I was back in Evangeline’s bedroom, the rumpled sheets still covered with our combined scents, an uneven lurch to every heartbeat as I scanned her dresser, sorted through her neatly folded clothing…then finally had the sense to look beneath the bed.

Once, Evie kept a go bag for emergencies.

The bag was there, wide open and half-empty, like someone had rifled through it in a hurry. It contained a change of clothing, water, extra shoes…a box of eight-millimeter rounds, no gun. I checked the contents again. Only clothes. No gun, no knives, no weapons .

That wild, untethered feeling erupted through me, the one that all bonded males feel when they instinctively know their mate is in deep, deep trouble. Every weapon was gone.

As if Evie was gearing up for the fight of her life.

Okay, think, Blake. Where would she go? Who would she be after?

Malachi, that was the easy question.

Where…that was more difficult.

Evangeline wouldn’t have left the castle, not by choice, but this place was a fucking maze of corridors, levels and empty rooms, not to mention the passageways. Worse, if Malachi was controlling her, he could have forced her to go anywhere.

But…I stared into the empty bag, scenting every one of her emotions still hanging in the air. My mate had been pissed , the last time she’d been in this room, hours ago, now.

Determined, too, the kind of grim, stony resolve that preceded hard decisions.

Riordan . I found him immediately. She’s gone. She took her weapons and she’s gone after Malachi by herself.

Are you sure? Even in my head, Riordan sounded equally pissed off and scared. She wouldn’t…

Oh, she would, and you know it. I fisted my hands, forced myself not to go raging through the halls. For the hundredth time I reached out, searching for any sign of her, for the bond in my chest to give me a fucking sign she was still alive.

I tracked her once more, ending up in the dark, empty library. My mate’s scent was freshest here, along with someone else’s. Eldric Drakon had been the last person to see Evangeline.

Would…he be working with Malachi?

No, that didn’t feel right. Eldric seemed a decent enough male, and Fiona had certainly proven herself a friend. But if they were both gone, it made sense Eldric stayed with Evie. I tracked their scents down to the dungeons, my insides hollow and raw, my heart shredding with every rushing step.

Why would she go alone?

Where the fuck are you, Blake ? Riordan sounded like he was grinding glass between his teeth.

Almost there. She headed into the dungeons with Drakon. Hope surged when I hit the lowest level of the castle, then guttered when I stared at a completely dead end. I put my palms against the wet stone wall and shoved. Nothing.

Well, I’ve got eyes on her. You need to get your ass up here. Front of the castle. Hurry.

Five seconds later, I landed in the muddy wet ground in front of Darkmore Castle, trying to make sense of what the fuck I was looking at.