Chapter 28
My world stopped.
I blinked, hoping like hell that, when I opened my eyes, the image that was there would be gone, but each time, the stark truth stared back at me.
Mom and Dad were gagged and bound to wooden chairs, their backs to one another.
Raffe moved to my side and stared at the photo.
“Dad, I don’t have time to talk.” His concern swirled with mine, adding to my panic.
“Dammit, Raffe,” his father growled. “This is beyond stupid. You need to stop all this and come back home where you belong. I need your help. I’m tired of you giving me the cold shoulder, and stop trying to cause more trouble—”
Hot anger crackled through Raffe. “I’m not giving you the cold shoulder. Sky’s parents are being held captive, and we need to figure out where they’ve been taken.”
“They’re at my childhood home.” I’d recognized the lilac cushions and those chairs anywhere. When I was younger, I’d complained about the chairs being uncomfortable, so Mom had taken me to Walmart to pick out cushions.
I hadn’t noticed I was rubbing my chest until Raffe placed his hands over mine and linked, We’re going to save them. I promise.
Tears burned my eyes. You can’t promise that.
“What do you mean her parents have been taken?” King Jovian’s voice boomed. “They’re human.”
“Like that matters to Olwyn, Aldric, and the other members of the Veiled Circle,” Raffe spat. “I called you and warned you about your beta. The rest is up to you.” He hung up the phone and pulled me into his arms.
The buzz of our connection sparked between us, comforting me and also making me feel damn guilty. My chest constricted, and I shook my head. “This is because of me. I did this to them.” My entire life, they’d loved me and sheltered me when they didn’t have to. How did I repay them? The cold claws of panic pierced my chest. “This was two hours ago.” Oh god. What could’ve happened to them since then?
Raffe snagged the phone from my hand and tossed it onto the bed. He placed his hands on my shoulders and lowered his forehead to mine. Olwyn wanted you to see this picture. She knows the best way to control you is to hold them captive and keep them alive. We will save them.
I shook my head and took a step back. Breathing rapidly, I lifted both hands. “Not we. I. They’re in this situation because of me, and Olwyn wants to hurt me. No one else needs to be part of this. There’s already too much at stake.”
Raffe clenched his jaw, his expression turning stony, completely at odds with the way he usually looked at me now that we had completed our bond. An emotion I couldn’t read seared between us. He snarled, “We. Remember, we’re stronger together. Those are the damn words you’ve said to me ever since you were kidnapped.”
Damn him. He wasn’t supposed to toss my words back at me. It shouldn’t work both ways. “I don’t want you to get hurt, and Olwyn would be more than happy to use you against me too. I need you to stay here and protect everyone else.”
Raffe’s face turned red, and he snarled. Babe, I fucking love you. Try to leave me behind and see what fucking happens. Wherever you go, I’ll find you.
My heart skipped a beat, though part of me wanted him to agree and stay behind. Not only did our pack need him, but so did the Eastern supernaturals. “I don’t want to lose you.”
“And you think I don’t feel the same way about you?” He arched a brow and tilted his head. “What would you say if I tried something like this with you?”
I grimaced, giving him the answer he was seeking.
“See?” He booped me on the nose. “And I think others will feel the same way.”
Before I could ask him what he meant, he linked with our pack, The Veiled Circle has taken Sky’s parents hostage. We’re going to get things together so we can leave and go help them.
Shit, Keith linked. I’ll let the others know. What do you need us to grab and where do you want to meet?
Raffe smirked, and I tensed with understanding. He’d known others would join us, and he knew there was no way in hell I was going there alone.
Damn arrogant prick.
I don’t know what we’ll need. Raffe rubbed a hand down his face. They’re going to use magic and could have vampires and shifters there.
That’s likely a human neighborhood, Lucy added. So we’ll need to hide the use of magic.
Of course, Lucy would decide to go too, and now I worried Fane would try as well. But Raffe had a point. It wasn’t like I could make sure no one followed me. I didn’t have time to waste, and each second my parents were with Olwyn, there was no telling what sort of hell they were enduring. We live on several acres, and the houses have privacy trees that divide the property. You can’t see other houses due to the way they’re all positioned. I’d found solace by slipping away and feeling like I was part of nature when I was younger.
Now, my affinity for the woods and animals made complete sense. The things that had made me feel like I was an outcast now made me feel at peace in this world.
Do we know who took her parents? Josie linked.
Raffe flinched, and a heavy knot formed in my stomach. We both knew what she was asking.
Was it her father?
No, I should call them. I could ask to hear their voices. I reached for the phone.
Raffe snagged my wrist gently. He lifted the back of my hand to his lips and kissed it. “Babe, I know you want to call them, but that’s the worst thing you could do. We know Olwyn is behind this, along with the society. As soon as they know you’ve seen the picture, they’ll speed up their plan. The best thing to do is not react. It’ll keep your parents safer longer.”
His words were like a swift kick to the gut, bringing me back to reality.
Since you stopped talking, I’m assuming Raffe is telling you that calling’s not smart, Adam connected. But if he isn’t, don’t make the call. Stephanie is talking to her dad and other wolf shifters. What city do you live in so they can book a flight to get more people here to help us fight?
My chest expanded with so much hope it hurt. They’re going to help us?
That was the agreement, wasn’t it? Keith linked. Help keep us safe? Ednah and Sedona are making calls too. They’re getting a little bit of everyone to come here.
If the Eastern supernaturals helped, maybe we’d have a chance. Olwyn wouldn’t be expecting that. Dalles, Oregon, so the closest airport is Portland.
Shit. Dalles. We were over ten hours away since we were close to Salt Lake City. My head spun as I realized my parents wouldn’t be saved for at least twelve hours. Olwyn wasn’t patient, and I feared what that meant for them. We had to get moving.
Everyone who’s going needs to get their shit together and get to the vehicles. We need to move and quickly because we have a long-ass drive ahead of us, Raffe commanded, rubbing his hands on my arms.
The buzzing sprang between us, but my teeth chattered as if I was cold. The only thing that would fix the problem was saving my parents.
We’re on it, Josie linked.
Raffe bent down, grabbed a duffel bag, and zipped it open.“Let’s pack some clothes. We may not even come back here and head straight to Atlanta instead.”
I shook my head to clear it. I should’ve already thought of that and started packing. If I kept letting fear take control, Olwyn would get what she wanted.
Me, unfocused and easy to kill. And that couldn’t happen. The bitch and Slade needed to die, and if I could help it, they’d go together.
I rushed to the closet and began yanking clothes from the hangers and tossing them into the bag. Doing something other than panicking eased some of the tension in my chest. I needed to focus on tasks that would get me to Dalles faster. That was the only way I wouldn’t lose my damn mind before then.
Do you have this? If so, I’ll head out to the vehicles to find those damn trackers. Raffe paused at the door. I don’t want them to know we’re heading that way.
I’ve got this. I dropped a shirt into the bag then rushed to him and kissed him on the cheek. Thank you for getting me through this. Not only was my mate sexy and smart, but he also understood what I needed at that moment.
You never need to thank me for that, he replied, kissing my lips quickly. Now, make sure you don’t accidentally pack your brother’s clothes for me. I don’t want to worry about my pants ripping during the rescue.
I chuckled, the image not all that disturbing in my mind. I still didn’t understand how Octavia could’ve mixed up his and Fane’s clothes. Raffe wore several sizes larger. I then linked with the others, Don’t worry about coming to get things. I’m getting enough for all of us.
After grabbing what I needed for the others, I headed outside to find ten more vehicles pulled up alongside the three we’d brought and Keagan’s SUV.
Priestess Caroline, Avalon, Faith, and thirty-five other coven members stood around their vehicles. Raffe, Adam, Keagan, Dave, and Keith were spread out among the other three, examining their undercarriages, while Lucy, Josie, Stephanie, Sedona, Octavia, Dru, and Fane stood around, watching them.
I’d wound up with three bags full of items to pack in the back of Raffe’s black BMW SUV. I tossed the bags into the trunk, trying to keep busy and not stand around.
“How are you, child?” Priestess Caroline frowned.
Good question. I shrugged. “Just eager to save my parents. Who’s coming?” There were so many people here.
“Everyone.” Lucy strolled over, bumping her shoulder into mine. “Why else would we be here?”
I swallowed and took in a quick inhale. I hadn’t expected this many people to be willing to go up against Olwyn for my parents, especially Caroline and her coven. “For humans?”
“Well, we’re doing it for you.” Josie smiled tenderly. “If Dad had a hand in this, I should—”
“No.” I lifted a finger and pointed at her. “Don’t you dare finish that. You aren’t your father, and you don’t have to pay for any of his bad decisions. Do you understand?”
Dave crawled out from under one of the vehicles and saluted me. “That’s what I told her, but she worried you wouldn’t think that way. I mean, I helped kidnap you, and you still forgave me. She hasn’t done a damn thing.”
“And you helped me when you should’ve killed me.” Sedona bit her bottom lip and frowned. “The least we can do is to help you save your parents.”
“Besides, Priestess Caroline had a good point.” Ednah steepled her hands. “Olwyn won’t want to give up her power, and the East doesn’t want the secret society to get stronger and take over our cities either. We need to take a stand, and what better way than to help the arcane-born, who can connect with animals? That’s near goddess-level power.”
“I’m nothing like a goddess, so let’s never use that comparison ever again.” I laughed nervously, but now that I was standing around, I became anxious.
“Found the last one.” Raffe scooted out from under the vehicle, dirt smudged on his face.
I loved it when he got all dirty and manly.
“We’re ready to roll?” Keith climbed out from under the white SUV and dusted off his jeans.
“The rest of our group makes ninety-five people and sixteen rental vehicles. They’re waiting for us at the Walmart at the bottom of the mountain. We’ll follow Raffe and Skylar to the house, where four vampires should be waiting for us nearby to help fight.”
Raffe used his shirt to wipe off his face but only made the smudge worse. “So we’ll have over a hundred and fifty people. Okay.” His concern floated into me.
We could hope that was enough, but Olwyn would want to make sure she left a mark. No matter what, we couldn’t just let my parents die.
“Okay, let’s move.” Raffe headed over to my door and opened it. “Everyone, switch out drivers and try to rest. We need to be as prepared as we can once we arrive.”
“Savannah from the coven is staying here to keep watch and said she’ll watch your cat. Do you mind if we ride with you?” Octavia asked as she and Dru headed to our back seat. “Or we can take our car.”
I breathed a sigh of relief that they’d thought about Cat-Keith. I really was frazzled.
Raffe shook his head. “We have enough vehicles—riding with us works.” I could feel his relief. Having them with us, we could keep an eye on them easier.
Everyone climbed into the vehicles, and soon Raffe pulled ahead in the lead.
He leaned over and squeezed my hand. Get some sleep. You didn’t get much last night.
He hadn’t either, but the best way to get him to rest eventually was if I didn’t fight him. I leaned the seat back and closed my eyes, Raffe’s hand on my thigh.
Still, the image of my parents kept popping into my mind. My chest tightened, and a sob built in the back of my throat.
Octavia leaned forward from her spot behind me and ran her fingers through my hair. She whispered, “Baby girl, you aren’t alone. We’re all right here.”
Between Raffe’s hand, the buzz of our connection, and Octavia petting my hair, darkness took me unexpectedly.
Twelve hours later,I was driving the car, my hands tight on the wheel to the point that my knuckles blanched. I’d slept for five hours, and then Dru had forced Raffe to switch spots with him. Thirty minutes outside of Dalles, we’d picked up three of the vampires who had been waiting for us. Apparently, one of the other vampires had taken an earlier flight and texted us instructions on where to meet him. I took the driver’s spot since I knew my way around. The rest of the vehicles drove behind me, and I had to force myself not to stomp on the gas.
With each mile we drove out of the city and closer to the house, my stomach became tighter. Raffe seemed to feel the same way but for different reasons.
You’re going to stay next to me the entire time? he asked for the tenth time in the last ten minutes.
I’ll try my best. I couldn’t promise because we weren’t sure what would happen, which was why he kept asking. We were in a cycle I wasn’t sure we could break at this point.
I pulled into a section near the lake where people went fishing during the summer that had enough spots for all of us to park. It was about two in the morning, and no one else was out here. Plus, it was a mile from the back of my parents’ property.
Everyone climbed out, listening for any sounds of the enemy.
“There’s a back way into the yard.” This was one of the places where I used to hang out because animals came here to drink. “We need to go on foot from here.” I glanced at the three humans in our midst. “Maybe you three—”
“No, we’re going.” Dru reached into the back and pulled out a bag I hadn’t noticed him carrying. He removed three guns and handed two of them to Octavia and Fane. “We can use these since we don’t have magic.”
I exhaled. I’d been nervous about them coming.
My phone dinged, startling me. I removed it and saw another message.
I swallowed and opened it.
There was a dagger pressed against Mom’s neck and a text underneath. You better get here. Our patience has run out. Tell Keagan he’ll regret this.
“Son of a bitch,” Raffe snarled, and his gaze landed on Keagan. “Someone told her you’re with us.”
Keagan shook his head. “Impossible. I told only the people I trust. Everyone here, Chuck, Earl, and Samuel, who we picked up.” He gestured at the three vampires. “And Warin, who should be nearby.”
Bile inched up my throat, and I rasped, “Warin?”