Not a thought, not a word, just a full-body gut-punch of terror that didn't belong to me.
Tash.
It speared through the back of my skull, raw and wild, panic clawing at my insides like acid. There was anger in it, and pain, mixed with stubborn determination. The wave built up, and just like that, I was in her head.
Fuck.
I'd heard about this. Once, maybe twice in my whole life. The mate link. Instant, total, like a hotline to your lover's mind. And I'd dismissed those stories as bullshit, stuff you told over whiskey to wind up your cousins. Itonly happened to bonded pairs, the old school fated mates. Not to people like me. It was nearly unheard of before the mating bond was completed, before the bite.
But here it was.
I could taste her fear. Most of the time, emotions couldn't be sensed until they'd been going for a while, which added urgency to my reaction. My legs snapped into motion. I forgot the path and crashed through the brush, heading straight for the creek.
I could feel the ache in my hands echoing her, her fingers locked in a death grip around something, something important to her, the feel of someone manhandling her.
Caden roared in my brain, desperate and pissed. All he wanted was to tear down anything in the way. The heat of his anger nearly blinded me, and I used it to push me forward. That was the only play I had. I couldn't shift. I had no doubt about who was doing this to Tash, and they could not see Caden.
Branches whipped my face. My boots dug into the ground to stop a skid. I caught a flash of color at the water's edge. Her windbreaker, surrounded by two SkyArc motherfuckers.
Her fear flared again, and it nearly blackedme out with rage.
My hands curled themselves into fists. My sight narrowed. Every muscle wanted blood.
Caden roared.
The only thing that mattered was getting her out.
I zeroed in on the bastards who'd touched her and hit the creek in a dead sprint.
Tash was stuck between two men, William Hanlon and one I didn't recognize, locked in a struggle for that battered sample case, with blood on her wrist. The other SkyArc goon, the bigger one, meaner, had one arm cocked like he'd been dying for an excuse to use it.
Huey barked and snapped at the men. Every time he lunged, the bigger thug tried to punt him into the trees.
I roared. Not a dragon sound, not yet, but enough to rattle the creek. "Get your hands off of her!"
That's when they noticed me. William's eyes widened, his mouth opening for some slick retort, but I'd already closed half the distance.
The first punch connected with William's jaw, hard. Not as hard as I could've. That would've killed him. Not enough to drop him, but enough to wrench him away from Tash. She sagged, catching herself on trembling knees, with a death grip on her sample case. Huey dove for cover between her feet, still barking.
William reeled, then bounced back with morespring than I'd expected. He blocked my follow-up, slammed his palm into my collarbone, and tried to shove me off-balance.
He was strong. No way a man that strong hadn't thrown down before.
Behind me, the second guy grabbed for my shoulder. My elbow came up almost without thought, and cracked him straight in the nose. Cartilage crunched. He stumbled, eyes watering. Good.
William barreled forward, fists flying. His first shot rammed into my cheekbone, but I ignored the flare of pain. The bastard knew how to throw a hook. His second strike caught my ribs, but I rode it out, grabbed his jacket, and yanked him off his feet.
We crashed into the mud, rolling. The world narrowed to fists, knees, the absolute need to break him into little pieces before he hurt her again. Yet I still had to hold myself back. I couldn't fully let Caden have his way. Even without shifting, my strength was enough to snap this bastard's neck.
Tash screamed my name, or maybe it was just a raw sound. I couldn't tell through the bloodlust pounding in my ears.
William twisted under me, braced his knee, and bucked up. We broke apart, both panting, mud streaking our faces.
"You want to fucking dance?" he spat, blood on his teeth.
Caden clawed himself loose, enough that heat stung my face, flooding my sinuses, burning through my veins. My vision sharpened, edges turning orange.
William's pupils dilated. He stared straight at my eyes, right at the dragon staring back.
