I tucked the dagger into my boot, even though I wasn’t thrilled about using it on my family members. “I believe there is a third person with them. I don’t know who, though.”
“Let’s find out,” he said.
With that tentative plan, Conrad and I headed out. He took off in one direction, and I jogged down the dirt road leading into the abandoned farm. I sloshed through the mud and puddles as the rain soaked me to my bones, but I couldn’t feel much beneath the panic, shock, and nerves that kept my adrenaline spiked.
I had no idea how to reason with Rianne. She didn’t listen on the phone. I doubt she would in person. And Noah was going to be a bigger problem unless the third person was Jack—or worse, Ray. Then again, Noah wouldn’t bark orders to Jack or Ray or even to his older brother, Jack Jr.
I was guessing Brodi, Noah’s seventeen-year-old brother, was the third person. He was the black sheep of the family, and Noah had a way of pulling his chains.
I swiped at my face, trying to clear the rain from my eyes.
Lightning cracked. Thunder boomed.
I pumped my legs harder. I wanted to get it over with. But somehow, even if I was able to save the day, I had a feeling there was more strife and mayhem to come.
By the time I reached the edge of the property, I couldn’t breathe. My lungs burned, my legs ached, and I could barely see anything in front of me.
Damn rain.
I spotted a light filtering out of the boarded-up house in between the raindrops. I cleared my eyes and took inventory of the property. As I scanned left, then right, then did another sweep, I lost my breath.
17
LAYLA
Isquinted to be sure I was seeing clearly.
For fuck’s sake.
I darted over a low wire fence like a gazelle running from a lion. My pulse beat for freedom as I stepped in mud, almost getting stuck. I gave it everything I had and ran up to the firepit. The good news—no fire. The bad news—Sam was handcuffed to the top bar, dangling over the pit, his ankles shackled in cobalt and several darts embedded in his back.
Holy hell.I prayed he wasn’t dead. There would be so many repercussions if he was. One, the vampire military would descend on Montana as if fighting an enemy army. Two, Jo Mason would go on a killing rampage. Sam’s twin sister scared me more than any of the others in her circle of vamps. She came off as reserved and quiet, but underneath, I knew without a doubt that she could wield more power than Sam. Finally, and most importantly, my heart would split into a million pieces. I couldn’t lose Sam. I liked what we were building. I liked the possessive, strong, cocky alpha male. He fit my personality to a tee. We might argue or banter or claim we hated each other, but the truth was far from it.
Sam was right when he’d said I was his. Up until that point, I’d been fighting my own feelings about him, afraid to admit I was falling for a vampire. More importantly, there was a metaphysical connection tying us together, and if that connection snapped, I was afraid we would both die.
I inhaled, shivered, then frantically searched for the platform we used to hoist a victim. Another crack of lightning made me squeal, seeming far too close for comfort. I trudged through the tall grass, looking for the wooden platform, but it was nowhere to be found.
I shook Sam. “Sam, wake up. Sam.” I was trying to keep my voice low. If he awoke, he could probably free himself. After all, he was one of the most powerful vampires around. His elemental powers alone could help him. Or I prayed they could. I dug my nails into his leg. “Sam.” That time, my voice was hard and a bit louder.
But I was striking out. With Sam not in any immediate danger at the moment, I picked up two large rocks from the firepit. I had to improvise. Rocks wouldn’t kill anyone unless I hit them in just the right spot to cause a fatal head injury.
I started for the dilapidated house when heavy breathing sounded from behind me. I sucked in air. Sam was awake. But when I whirled around, my hopes died.
Noah aimed the dart gun at me. “I’m glad you made it, cousin. You’re about to find out what we do to vampire lovers.”
Laughing, I sized him up. Noah was wearing a ball cap, rain gear, rubber boots that climbed to his knees, and a grin that reminded me too much of Roman Brown. “Where are Rianne and Jordyn?”
For all I knew, he’d drugged Rianne into doing as he said.
The sound of thunder made me jump.
He laughed. “The supposed tough one in the family. You’re afraid of your own shadow.”
Rianne stepped out of the copse of trees to the right of Sam. She must’ve been watching me trying to help him.
She ponied up to Noah, and like him, she was dressed for the storm or a bloodbath. “Noah, take it down a notch. I’m not in this to hurt my sister.”
Could’ve fooled me.“Why do I get the feeling you were planning this all along?” I asked.
