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.”
