“We’re almost there,” she whispered. “It’s straight ahead a couple of hundred yards, give or take.”
They all glanced between her and the direction she pointed in the woods. Ronan had warned them about cameras when they first climbed out of the SUV. She’d been so focused on her father’s blood she’d forgotten about the possibility of cameras, but all their heads tipped back as they searched the trees.
Elyse studied the men around her before turning her attention back to the woods. Kadence and Simone had asked to come with them too, but Ronan and Killean both refused. In the end, they’d relented to staying with Logan and taking care of him while he went through the rest of his transition.
“Are you sure?” Saxon asked her.
“Yes. I can lead us to it now,” she offered.
“No,” Ronan said. “Everyone, stay here. I’ll check it out first.”
Ronan split off from them; he faded into the woods before vanishing. She huddled deeper into her coat as anxiety churned in her stomach. The Savages could be living in a mansion or beneath a rock or in the trees; she had no idea where she’d led them.
While she strained to hear and see something more than the trees and snow, she realized something was missing. “Where are all the animals?”
She didn’t expect to see any deer or moose or anything, they would have scared all of them off, but she hadn’t seen a squirrel for at least ten minutes.
“The Savages either killed them or have driven them away with their presence,” Saxon said.
“How sad and horrible.”
Saxon rested his hand on her shoulder and drew her closer, but his gaze remained on where Ronan vanished. The others gathered closer until they stood in a circle with each of them focused on a different direction and a weapon in hand.
They’d loaded up on weapons before coming out here, she’d even seen a few guns, but no one offered her one. So focused on finding her dad and getting out here, she hadn’t thought to ask for one.
She tapped Saxon’s hand and pointed to his stake before gesturing at herself. She didn’t want to speak again as she was afraid something might be listening. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a stake.
She took it and, gripping it at her side, strained to see through the woods as the beat of her heart ticked away the minutes and the cold seeped into her bones. Ronan had been gone for a while, something the others seemed to realize as they shifted around her.
Something to her right caught her attention, and she turned as Lucien crouched to rest his hand on the snow-covered ground. He looked about to charge into the woods as his lips skimmed back to reveal his fangs. Elyse held her breath and searched the area Lucien was focused on, but she still couldn’t see anything. Then, Lucien relaxed and rose again.
“What was it?” Elyse whispered.
“Ronan,” Saxon answered.
Finally, he materialized from the trees, and Elyse felt the distrustful stares swing away from her.
“What did you find?” Lucien asked.
“Nothing,” Ronan replied and focused on her.
“That’s not possible,” she said.
“There’s nothing there.”
“Myfatheris there.”
She pushed past Saxon and started through the snow again. When he grabbed her arm, she tried to jerk it away, but he held on. “You’re not charging up there.”
When she tugged at her arm again, he released her. “I have to find him.”
“Elyse—”
“He’sthere!” she spat. “Let me go.”
Saxon reluctantly released her. He didn’t try to grab her again but stayed close by her side as she stalked through the trees. Her blood sang louder with every step as she drew closer and closer. Her ability had never let her down before, and it wouldn’t this time.
When she stepped into a clearing, she spotted Ronan’s footprints in the snow where he’d wandered around before returning to the woods. Elyse stared at the snow covering her feet as her blood vibrated like a tuning fork.
