“At my cabin,” Brian said, “safe from the man who tried tae kill them.”
“He’s no longer a threat,” Logan said, “but Zane and David are still in danger. Can you show us where they are on a map?”
“Ay, but why do ye think they’re nae safe?”
Kieran glanced at Logan who nodded, after which he said, “My spirit is telling me David and Zane are in danger…imminent danger…and they need our help.”
~/~/~/~/~
Even though the night was pitch black, Michael was able to spot his men lurking in the woods, waiting for him. “Who has his eyes on where they are?” he asked his second-in-command.
“Tyson. He’s about 25 yards away.”
“Gather up the men and let’s go. Make sure they understand no harm is to come to the target. They can get their jollies off on killing the other one.”
“They know, sir.”
“Let’s go and keep it quiet.” Michael waited until the group of shifters slipped out of the shadows and joined him. Leading the way, he kept an eye on his phone appmap, making sure their target hadn’t left the house. Progress through the heavy brush was slow but relentless, the silence broken only by the snap of a branch which earned the shifter who caused it a low growl from Michael. Stopping before reaching the clearing at the edge of the woods, Michael said, “We’ll shift here.” Putting his phone into a small pack, he hung it around his neck. Then he shifted. The air was filled with sounds of limbs stretching and bones snapping as the men transformed into their four-legged counterparts. With a snort, Michael took off on a dead run, heading toward the house. He was determined to seize his quarry tonight and get him back to Italy where he belonged.
Joining up with Tyson, Michael and his men, lay down on the damp ground, looking for signs of movement from within the whitewashed, stone cottage in front of them. Seeing none, Michael crept forward, his belly never leaving the ground as he got closer to his prey’s location. He picked up the scents of both David and the other shifter with him. His wolf grinning, Michael crept back to his men. Giving a signal, he watched them scatter, all keeping low to the ground as they surrounded the building. He headed for the front door, confident that a surprise attack and sudden show of strength would disable David’s ability to disappear by freezing him in place.
Inside the cottage, Zane held David, feeling him tremble, knowing his mate was afraid of telling him who he was. Seeking to put him at ease, Zane said, “Babe, I think we should claim each other first.”
“B-b-but you know nothing about me.”
“That’s not true. I know you are my Fated Mate, that you are gentle, kind, caring, and protective…everything I could hope for in a mate. What ever happened in your past helped make you into the man I love today and I’m so proud the Fates brought us together.”
“But…I’m putting you in danger.”
“No, you aren’t, babe. The men who are after you are putting both of us in danger so let’s place the blame where it belongs. I promise wewilldefeat them…together we’ll be stronger than all of them.”
At that moment, the front door splintered. Sounds of snarling and howling filled the air.
Chapter 20
David instantly scented the wolf trying to crash through the door. Grabbing his mate, he whisked them away. When he and Zane reappeared, it was at the place where he’d met Feris and Hook in the woods about a month before. They wouldn’t be safe here for long but at least they’d have time to figure out what to do next.
Emerging out of the blackness, Zane found himself standing in front of an old castle with the stench of death filling the air. Quickly stepping in front of his mate, Zane’s wolf flashed in his eyes as he surveyed the clearing, finding only the remains of dead men. “Where are we?”
“Daroonga Castle,” replied David. “I’ve only seen it once and it was the first place that came to mind.”
“Did you know the shifters who broke in to Brian’s cottage?”
“Yes. They’re after me and I’m pretty sure they planned to kill you.”
“Right. Well, we better get inside,” Zane said, taking David’s hand, leading him into the foreboding castle. Using his wolf eyesight, Zane followed a hallway until he reached a door. Once inside, he found a candle sitting next to a box of matches. Now at least there was light. Looking at his mate, Zane asked, “Babe, how did they find us?”
“I-I-I-I d-d-don’t k-k-k-now,” David stuttered, shivering from the fear coursing through his body.
Encircling his arms around David, Zane crooned, “Easy babe, we’ll figure this out together.”
Nodding, David nestled tightly against the person who soothed his fears; his heart slowed down, allowing him to recall what happened in the past. “I think they can track me but I’m not sure how. They found me when I ran away. Michael told me then there wasn’t any place I could go where he wouldn’t be able to find me. I didn’t understand what he meant, but tonight…”
“You thought they weren’t following you?”
“Yeah, so I figured I could disappear with you, they wouldn’t know where I went, but tonight proved me wrong about that.”
“Do you have a phone on you?”
