Astór 6
Where was he?
The Halloween Haunted House was in full swing, each member of his clan either scaring paying customers silly or being support behind the scenes.
Ross had taken a fifteen-minute break from usher duties—but that fifteen minutes was now more like forty-five, and it wasn’t like him to be away that long from his duties.
Glenn took his own break, letting someone else man the doors, and went looking.
It was entirely possible Ross had simply been sucked into helping someone else and lost track of the time. And yet, something felt out of place. Glenn lifted the walkie-talkie to his mouth and hailed him. “Ross, this is Glenn, please respond.”
No answer.
“Ross, please respond. I need you at the door.”
Still no answer.
Glenn changed tactics. If Ross was in a noisier section of the haunted house, it could be that his voice was drowned out. “Has anyone seen Ross?”
Maria answered in a slight crackle. “He was in the breakroom with me about thirty minutes ago.”
“Anyone else see him more recently than that?”
A beat, as if people were waiting for someone to say yes.
“Glenn, we might have trouble,” Fyffe reported grimly. “I’ve got a walkie-talkie abandoned here in the hallway near the breakroom. And the back door to the place has been busted open. It smells like an orc tramped through here.”
Alarms blared in Glenn’s head even as he whirled and sprinted for the breakroom hallway. Even as he moved, he demanded, “How far does the trail go?”
“Not far. Just past the breakroom, and then it retreats again, I think. It’s like the orc came in for something specific, got it, and left without trying to go any further. Ross’s scent also goes out this door—”
Glenn’s heart rate tripled in panic as he reached the right hallway. At the end of it, Fyffe was at the door, holding it open even as he sniffed at the ground. He sprinted for the man’s side, but stayed a good two feet back to not interfere with the werewolf’s nose. “What do you smell?”
“Ross and orc smell intertwined,” Fyffe reported grimly, still moving while bent over, keeping his nose close to the pavement.
He ended his search not ten feet away. “It dead-ends here, and my guess is Ross was forced into a vehicle. Master, this really doesn’t look good.
Do you think…I mean, you do have enemies. ”
“Too many,” Glenn agreed in a harsh voice. Lifting the walkie-talkie, he demanded, “Keane, start tracking Ross now. He’s been abducted.”
Keane sounded startled but immediately confirmed, “I’ll start the spell now. Meet you in the back parking lot.”
Glenn could issue no other orders until he had at least a direction. He clung to the fact that Ross was taken without bloodshed. Whoever was behind this didn’t mean him immediate harm. He wasn’t revenge against Glenn, but bait.
Very effective bait. If asked to commit some heinous crime in order to retrieve his Ross, Glenn would do it without hesitation.
There was no place he would not go in order to retrieve the one taken from him.
His heart shuddered in his chest, panic starting to writhe and twist along his veins.
His enemies were not known for their mercy, and the idea of Ross in any of their hands…
. Even his capable, calm Ross would surely not come through this unscathed.
Oh god, why had he not taken more precautions?
Fyffe put a hand on his arm, shaking him a little. “Breathe, Master. He’ll be alright. They surely couldn’t have gone far; we can get to him in time.”
“He was just starting to open up to me,” Glenn rasped, staring sightlessly forward. “I was almost to the point we could court. God above, Fyffe, I can’t lose him now. Not when…not now.”
“You won’t. Your enemies haven’t ever bested you before. I see no reason to break the record now.”
That was comforting, that thought. Fyffe was right in that.
Keane burst through the doors, his wand pointing staunchly northeast. “I have a fix on him, Glenn.”
Thank fuck. Glenn lifted the walkie-talkie to his mouth and started snapping out orders. “Close the Haunted House immediately, tell them we’ve had an emergency and will reopen another night. Everyone, to arms. Battle-ready members are to get into cars and follow me. We’re going to rescue Ross.”
There were questions, of course, but they were always quick to react, his clan.
In five minutes, everyone was pouring out of the building and jumping into various vehicles.
Glenn’s acute hearing picked up the complaints and disappointment of the humans waiting to get in, only to be told no.
But the non-fighting members of his clan could handle that.
He had higher priorities than upset people.
Glenn hopped into the car, Keane at his side. He got the engine turned over, his foot on the gas, when Keane growled out a curse. His head snapped around as he demanded, “What?”
“I just lost the connection.” Keane stared at the wand in his hand, pure frustration twisting his lips up in a snarl. “My guess is, whoever has Ross just dropped quite the ward around the place.”
“So we’re up against a powerful magician.”
“Yeah. Isn’t there a high wizard pissed at you?”
“There is.” Man-Shik. Damn, Glenn truly hoped it wasn’t him who had Ross.
The man was entirely crazy and unpredictable.
Glenn had butted heads with him several times and while he’d normally come away the victor, it hadn’t been without its cost. “Dammit. You said northeast, can you give me any clearer a direction than that?”
“No, not really. Sorry, Master. I wish. But maybe if we drive that direction, we can spot something? The ward around Ross might be around the whole building, and if that’s the case, I have a chance of seeing it.”
It was as good a thought as any. Glenn tore out of the parking lot, his clan following him, not knowing he didn’t really have a plan. He could only hope that if they got close enough, something would indicate where Ross was being kept.
He drove, ignoring paltry things like red lights and stop signs.
He drove, and for the first time in many years, prayed.
Glenn had met many thousands of people in his long life, and it was no exaggeration to say he’d never met a man like Ross.
Ross joked that it was his un-shockability that had drawn Glenn’s attention.
Maybe it had been. But it wasn’t what kept his attention after that first impression.
It was the kindness Ross used to diffuse situations.
The common sense, the intelligence he approached problems with.
It was the sweet heat and delight in those beautiful green eyes whenever Glenn touched him. It was the way Ross stole his breath, the flutters in his chest when he thought of what they could be. The promise of what Ross offered, a possibility that Glenn had all but given up on.
It was all of that. A gestalt of needs, wants, hopes, desires that Glenn felt when he looked at the remarkable man he was fast falling for. His words to Fyffe earlier didn’t convey even a tenth of what he felt. Facing a future where he did not have Ross at his side terrified him.
Please, he found himself praying. Ross, please. Use your common sense and street smarts to keep yourself safe. I’ll find you one way or another.
The phone rang. Glenn almost ignored it, as he had no patience to talk right now. But the ringing was distracting, so he swiped accept and put the phone to his ear.
“I can’t talk now—”
“Glenn.”
“Ross!” Relief, panic, and desperation were obvious in his tone. “Where are you?”
“Man-Shik grabbed me. I’m not sure where I’m at, they had me in the back of a van.
Listen, it was like a twenty-minute ride.
I’m in some sort of hangar bay? It’s new, too.
I’m hiding out in the back of the building with a phone, but I’m not sure how to get out.
I was going to make for the van they brought me in but they’ve moved it and I’ve got no weapons—”
If Glenn had to choose which enemy of his to be the kidnapper, Man-Shik would have been on the Hell No list. His heart leapt into his throat at this news.
At the same time, he was so proud of Ross for getting free enough to call for help.
It was so incredibly smart of his Ross, so typically brave.
“Do not move. Not if you’re safe at the moment.
Keane’s been working on a tracking spell but it’s been causing him trouble, something to do with magical interference. Keane! Man-Shik has him!”
Keane spat out a slew of profanities before reenacting his spell. “Keep the connection, I can use it.”
“Does that mean he can adjust his spell and find me now?”
“No. Man-Shik put up a ward of some sort. He’s blocking any seeking spells. Hold on, Keane thinks—” Glenn broke off, glancing at the wizard. “What?”
“I can use the phone call,” Keane rapidly explained. “It’s a direct connection to Ross, with a phone number I can trace. As long as the call is active, it circumvents the ward.”
Glenn gave a wolfish smile. “Oh, yes. Do it. Can I still talk with him? Good, work your magic. Ross, Keane’s tracing this phone call magically and giving me a location. It’s apparently a direct enough connection that it’s circumventing Man-Shik’s wards.”
“Oh. Yeah, I tricked the wards into believing I’m a friend. That might be part of it, too.”
Glenn’s huff of laughter was strained. Really, was there anything Ross could not do when he put his mind to it? “Of course you did. Ever resourceful, my Ross.”
“You got my location yet?”
“Yes.” Glenn switched to hands-free, putting the call on the car’s Bluetooth. “Keane has a fix on you. We’re driving now, perhaps fifteen minutes out. Sit tight, please. Half the clan is with me.”
“I don’t know if there’s much of a fight here. I’ve literally seen only one henchman and Man-Shik.”
“If he’s operating like he has in the past, he’ll have a ring of defense around the building. Which is why I want you to stay where you are. There’s no escape going outside right now.”
“Shit. Okay. Wait, doesn’t that mean you’re driving right into an ambush?”
“Unlike the last time I did this, I have a few tricks up my sleeve. And no compunction about using all of them. Has he hurt you?”
“No. I’m bait for you.”
“Quite effective bait,” Glenn replied, a feral snarl to the words. “Nothing will stop me from coming for you.”
There was a hitch in Ross’s breath, as if Glenn’s sentiment caught him somewhat by surprise. Then a beat before he spoke again, the words husky, “Glenn. You know, I want to go on a date with you.”
Glenn’s own breath hitched. So the feeling was entirely returned.
It was such an elating thought it felt like, for just a moment, the world stood still.
He could almost forget he rode to the man’s rescue.
For a moment, just a moment, he could bask in the knowledge that their hearts had been reaching for each other all this while.
While he’d been uncertain of Ross’s feelings, there’d been no reason to hesitate at all.
Ross felt the same. It put a brief smile on his face. “I’d like nothing better.”
“Yeah?”
“Why don’t I come kill that son-of-a-bitch who took what was mine, and then I’ll properly romance you.”
“I’m good with this game plan. How close are you?”
“Less than five minutes now.” Glenn could easily see the building.
Even a blind man couldn’t miss it. Ross was correct, it was a hangar, standing in the open near an airfield, with a ring of minions surrounding it on all sides.
Oh, Man-Shik was ready for him alright. He’d learned not to give Glenn any opening.
But Glenn, too, had learned from their prior encounters.
And he wasn’t going to play by the same rules as previous times.
It was definitely time to end this. “You say you’re in the back?
Stay there. We’re coming through the front. ”
“Uh…I’m really going to need you to run your game plan past me on this. What’s your strategy?”
“Sorry, no time to explain. Sit tight.” Glenn rolled the window down and stuck his head out as he bellowed out a war cry, “AN ó RIAGáIN TO ME!”
His clan roared approval, fists coming out of windows and pumping in the air.
“Have to run. Hold tight, Ross.” Glenn hung up.
Alright, no time for strategy, and no room for it, either. There was no cover in this open stretch of land to take advantage of. And Man-Shik was clearly prepared for him. So, why not do the unexpected?
Glenn slowed the car, then parked it, before popping out and standing on the seat so he could address everyone. “Rig the cars to drive without you! Let’s break the building and his ring of protection!”
There was many a laugh from the dwarves, who apparently found this a fine idea, and the wolves were already starting to shift over.
Glenn popped back in, reaching for the first heavy thing he saw in his trunk to weigh the gas pedal down with.
He might not be able to cross that ward, but an unmanned vehicle could do so without problem.
All he had to do was break Man-Shik’s concentration long enough for the ward to falter. Just long enough to get Ross out. And then Glenn would end this. Man-Shik wouldn’t get a second chance or mercy from him.
Glenn’s priority was clear: He had a man to claim.