Chapter 66
CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX
Freja dashed around, following the slight traces of their scents in the air.
Once she hit a wooded area, she caught the other scent again, the putrid scent of decay stinging her nose.
She stopped and looked around. The sunlight danced on the leaves of the trees as they swayed with their secrets.
A combination of scents wafted from some of the weeds that was even stronger.
They had stopped here for a moment. She could smell Susan, Jin, and two other creatures of the dark.
It was exactly what she had feared. And there was going to be blood spilled.
“What’s going … wait … Jin was here. I smell her.” Chasen turned his head in different directions, trying to figure out which way she went.
“You’re only smelling her because she was set down here for a moment.
They’ve been covered in something to hide their scent.
” Freja touched the bark of a tree and ripped a piece off of it.
“This is the scent we’ll be following now.
” She handed it over to Chasen. “It’s faint, but you should be able to get a small whiff of it. ”
His nose turned up at it, and a low growl came from his throat. “Who took her?”
“Doesn’t matter. They’re dead the moment I see them.” Freja looked around. “They covered their tracks well, up to this point. But they got a bit sloppy. Idiots. They didn’t realize I’d be tracking them, or they never would’ve made this mistake. Good for us.”
She turned to look at Chasen’s agitated face. He looked so worried and angry. He was so scared for his mate, he was an emotional wreck.
“Don’t worry, Chasen. Tracking these things is what I do. I know it’s taken a long time, but I have the trail now. It doesn’t look like they hid it from this point on. They’re carrying two people, so we’ll be able to catch them.” Freja smiled at him as she tried to comfort him.
“Thanks, Freja. I know Hunter is going to kill me for this. But it’s my Jin …” Chasen’s voice cracked as it trailed off.
“Kill you for what? All you did was chase after me because, as Hunter’s mate, you couldn’t let me go alone.” Freja winked at him, and he chuckled.
“I guess we’re both going to be in trouble, then.” Chasen grinned.
“I’ll handle Hunter. For now, let’s worry about finding them.” Freja turned her head in the direction the scent seemed to be headed. “Just make sure you keep up. I won’t come back for you.”
“You won’t have to.” Chasen wasn’t as fast as Freja, but he was able to keep her in sight. He would run with everything he had. Getting to Jin was his first priority.
“Chasen, I know your emotions are all over the place. But I need you to lock it up and listen to me.” Freja eyed him and he gave her a small nod. “Alright. Let’s go.”
The two of them blurred from the area. The unimaginable speed from Freja was matched by that of a determined and angry mate. They both shared the same thought. Whoever took them was going to die.
“Wow, he got here fast,” Sam said as he motioned for Renee to stay behind. Adam and Winston also marched up behind Hunter. Adam looked beside himself.
“You haven’t heard anything from them?” Hunter asked as Sam walked up to them.
“No. They just vanished,” Sam said with a frown. He was worried, too. It was his sister that was missing.
“I didn’t tell your father. This situation is already highly emotional.
Squad B is heading to this area, just in case we need them.
I don’t know what we’re dealing with here, but we need to be prepared.
” Hunter turned and looked at Adam. “I understand how you’re feeling, but you need to follow my lead. ”
“I will. I trust you, Hunter,” Adam said as he shifted side to side and anxiously looked around, desperate to find his mate.
“Sam, send Renee home. You come with us. They have a tremendous lead on us, but we’ll start tracking them down.” Hunter nodded as Sam left to send Renee home with their driver.
“How are we going to find them, Hunter?” Winston asked quietly.
“I’ll find Freja, that’s how. Even without my sense of smell, I could find her.” Hunter reached up and touched his chest. “She has a string tied right here that pulls me in her direction. I can always find my queen.”
Sam walked back up to them and Hunter turned, looking down the street. “Let’s move out.”
Lionel sprinted through the dead forest. The trees were barren, and the ground was covered in a heavy mist. It was the cursed woods.
The area was lifeless, and greenery would never touch the area.
He continued to dash through the shrubs, with Jin obediently holding still on his shoulders.
When he reached a wide river, he suddenly halted.
He and his companion took a small step back as they ran into an unexpected group.
“What do you have there?” A voice hissed out.
“It’s my pet. I’m just going back to the crevasse,” Lionel answered nervously.
“And you chose MY territory to cut through?” Another deep voice sounded from behind them.
Lionel turned to see a large man step out from the shadows. He lowered his head, showing respect to the demon that was higher in rank.
“Forgive me, Lord Harley. It was my mistake,” Lionel said with a small quiver in his voice.
“Indeed. It is your mistake.” Harley peered at the girl lying on Lionel’s shoulder. “She looks like she’d be a good mate.”
Lionel gulped and glanced up at Harley’s yellow eyes. “I’ll give her to you if you let us go.”
A cruel smile curled over Harley’s lips. “I was going to take her whether you gave her to me or not. But I suppose, for bringing me a mate, the least I can do is let you go. Now … set it down and get out of my territory.” His voice dropped into a low growl.
Jin was set on the ground, and Lionel sped away with his companion.
She looked up at the towering man before her.
He was large and muscular, and about seven feet tall …
a giant compared to her. He took a step closer to Jin and grabbed her wrist. Her eyes were filled with worry as he looked her over.
“Time for us to get better acquainted, I think.” He licked his lips and hoisted her over his shoulders.
Jin’s heart was racing as he carried her to the other side of the river.
She knew what to expect from Lionel. Severe beatings and neglect.
But this demon was different … one that was just as strong as Leoric.
Another son of an original demon. She had heard his name before but had never seen him until today.
She was afraid. He said he was taking her as a mate.
As much as she wanted Chasen to be safe, she was also praying that he found her soon.
She didn’t want anyone else to touch her but Chasen.
Her chest constricted, and she was finding it hard to breathe.
She bit her inner lip to keep herself from crying.
Chasen … I’ll try to be brave until I see you again. She had to be brave and strong. And no matter what, she had to protect her unborn baby. No matter what happened, it wouldn’t change anything, right? No matter what happened … Chasen would still want her …
Freja paused in the middle of the woods.
She could see an old mill, isolated in the distance.
She knew this building. She had actually stayed there and had supplies hidden under the floorboards.
The scent led to the building. She listened carefully as she tried to pick up any sounds.
She could hear muffled sounds and someone moving.
Chasen crept up quietly to Freja’s side. “Are they in there?” Chasen asked in a whisper.
“Someone is. But I don’t sense any demons.” She frowned and looked at Chasen. “There are no demons in there, and that includes Jin. But …” She turned back to the building and lifted her nose, sniffing the air. “Susan’s scent is strong. Let’s check it out.”
Freja was so fast that she looked like a blur.
Chasen followed closely behind her. Not sensing any danger, she pushed the door open.
In the middle of the room was a girl hunched on the floor, bound with silver and gagged.
They both raced over to her. Freja ripped the gag from her mouth while Chasen broke the chains effortlessly.
Susan had tears trickling from her eyes.
“Where’s Jin?” Chasen asked hurriedly.
“They took her. They called her their pet, and they took her,” Susan said through her tears.
Chasen pulled her into a hug, patting her on the back soothingly. He grew up with her after all. She was like family to him and had been through something traumatic.
“How long ago did they leave?” Freja asked worriedly.
“It’s been a couple of hours now.” Susan turned and looked at Freja.
“Shit.” Freja pressed her lips together tightly.
“What is it?” Chasen looked at her and could see she was deep in thought.
“They’re far enough ahead to be deep in demon territory.” Freja rubbed her hand over her brow. With a heavy sigh, she walked over to the far side of the building. She pulled a loose board over to the side and pulled out a bag.
“What are you doing?” Chasen looked at her, confused.
“It’s one of my stashes.” Freja waved her hand over herself.
“I can’t go demon hunting in this.” She began stripping her clothes off, and Chasen quickly turned his head away to give her privacy.
Before long, she was fully decked out as the demon huntress from head to toe, including her combat boots.
Freja walked back to Chasen and put her hand on his shoulder. “I’ll bring her back.”
“Wait a minute. I’m coming with you,” Chasen said immediately.
Freja shook her head. “You need to stay with Susan. She can’t be left alone right now. But more than that … I can’t do this with you, Chasen. I’m going to have to move through the area quietly. We can’t make any noise. I can make myself invisible when hunting. I’ve had years of practice.”
Chasen was adamant. “I’m coming with you. That is my mate. And I can’t allow you to go alone.”
Freja smiled at him and put her hand on his shoulder.
“I’ll be okay on my own,” Susan said quietly.
“Chasen … I can do this better without you. I can avoid major groups. I can run through the trees. And—”
“I can’t, Freja. I can’t sit here and wait. If that was Hunter missing and I told you that I could get him back better without you, could you just sit and wait?” Chasen looked at her almost pleadingly. If she decided to take off without him, there would be nothing he could do.
“Damn it, Chasen.” Freja shook her head angrily. He was right. She would demand to go as well. “You’re coming as my client, then. That’s it. You’re paying me for a job if we run into anyone. Susan, are you sure you’re okay to wait here?”
Susan nodded her head. “I’m sure my brother and Adam are already looking for me. I can wait here until they find me.”
“If anyone else comes, shift and run. Understand?” Freja watched as Susan nodded her head. She looked at Chasen. “This is about to get pretty risky, and potentially very dangerous.”
“It doesn’t matter. Just lead me to Jin. I’ll take out a demon army to get to her.”
“That’s good to hear, because we may have to.” Freja smirked and turned toward the door. “We’ll be back as soon as we find Jin, Susan … and if you see Hunter, tell him not to worry. He probably won’t listen, but tell him to wait here for us.”
“I will.” Susan watched as they ran out of the building, racing into the distance.