* * *
Elyse pacedfrom one side of the cabin to the other as she tried not to think about Saxon and what was happening with him, but it wasallthat filled her mind. Kadence stood by the door, staring out the window next to it. She’d been as still as a statue \since she took up the position shortly after Elyse returned.
Simone sat on the couch with her head bowed and her hands clasped before her. Every few minutes, she would get up and circle the cabin before returning to her spot.
Elyse wanted to scream. This wasnotthe way things were supposed to be. It was the twenty-first century for crying out loud. The little women werenotsupposed to be waiting at home for the menfolk anymore.
But then, she hadnoidea what she could do to help Saxon and the others. Kadence and Simone were at least vampires; they were stronger than she was, and they’d been training to fight.
“Killean still has me shut out,” Simone said.
“The same with Ronan,” Kadence murmured.
“Shut out?” Elyse asked.
“Mates can communicate telepathically,” Simone explained.
Kadence turned away from the window. “But when they decide to shut us out, they do. Ronan says it’s because we would be a distraction if we were talking to them during a fight.” She rested her hand against her chest and over her heart. “I know he’s still alive; I canfeelit.”
“I don’t have that connection to Saxon,” she said.
Kadence gave her a sad smile. “You will, one day.”
“I hope so.”
Elyse turned away and paced across the room. “I should have ignored him and gone with him into that place.”
“He never would have allowed it,” Simone said.
“Did you know they were thinking about going in there today?” she asked.
“Yes,” Kadence said, and Simone nodded. “It’s why we wanted to go with them, but we’re not ready for a fight in the field yet.”
“We’ve been training, and one day they won’t be able to leave us behind, but right now, we’re more of a distraction and risk to them than we are a help,” Simone said.
“I’m sure they’ll try coming up with some other excuse to keep us out of it when the time comes,” Kadence said.
“By then we’ll be strong enough to kick their asses.”
Elyse chuckled over Simone’s words and tried to picture a time when Simone or Kadence would be able to take on their mates. She didn’t see it happening, but stranger things had occurred.
Unable to think of anything else to say, Elyse paced back over to the kitchen before returning to the room she’d shared with Saxon. Kadence resumed staring out the window while Simone leaned back on the couch before sitting forward again.
Unable to tolerate the silence anymore, Elyse lifted the remote and turned on the TV. She flicked through the numerous channels until Simone cried, “Wait! Go back!”
Simone rose from the couch as Elyse flipped back a few channels.
“There!” Simone said and pointed at the TV.
Elyse stopped on the news station with her face remained plastered on it. Beneath her photo were the wordsFound safe.
“Police say the woman was found last night and safely returned home,” the reporter said.
“Do the police know if the woman was abducted or ran away?” one of the anchors asked.
“At this time, all the police are saying is the woman is home and safe.”
“That’s wonderful news,” the anchor said. “It’s good to have a happy ending to this story.”
