I climb down the ladder and leave the barn. As I do, I see Scythe. He shakes his head, confirming I’m right. I would have heard gunfire or hollering if we had found anyone.
Boomer is on his phone. I hear him talking and explaining that he needs the coroner. Voodoo must have told them about what we found in the barn.
My phone starts vibrating, and I pull it out of my cut, swiping across the screen when I see Mayhem’s name. “Yeah?”
“She’s gone. Natalya is gone.”
I swear my blood runs cold as I hear those words. “What do you mean?”
“She’s missing. I can’t find her.” He sounds panicked. “No one has been near the room. I don’t know what happened.”
“When is the last time you saw her?”
“About an hour ago. I thought she was reading inside the family waiting room. She said she was staying there while Hank and Thad slept. Fuck!”
“I need you to stay there. Guard the room. Don’t leave Thad or Hank for any reason.” If anything happens to Nat’s family, she’ll never forgive me. “I’m going to call the prospect outside.”
“You don’t want me to search for Nat?”
“No. If she’s been taken, it’s useless. You’ll just leave her family vulnerable.”
“Right. I won’t let anything happen to them.”
I end the call and don’t respond because he said the same fucking thing before he entered the hospital to protect my woman. I’m not pissed at him, but I’m agitated.
Rashell got to Nat.
I know it’s true, and the thought terrifies me.
“What happened, Hayride?”
All of my brothers are standing there. Staring. They know what I’m about to say as I see Mountain tense.
“They took Nat.” I say it calmly, which is nothing like how I feel. Rage is building inside me, and a need for destruction. I can’t do this on my own.
I need the scarecrow. The one who’s a part of me and only takes control when I need brutality and violence. The bond that allows me to harness a strength I don’t have on my own.
“I’m going to rescue her.”
Scythe lifts his chin. “We’re right behind you, brother.”
I CAN’T SEEM TO LOOKaway from the glowing red eyes, no matter how much they terrify me. I’m too transfixed by the way they lock onto me.
And then they close. The color is wiped out of existence.
I hear Rashell’s laughter, and something pokes me in the side. I feel warm blood trickle from the wound. A scream tears from my lips at the exact moment that the red eyes pop open. But they’re not red.
They’re stormy grayish blue.
I gasp. “Hayride?” I manage to ask through the blinding pain in my side.
Rashell yanks the blade away as I groan. My strength is completely decimated. Whatever drug she used, and I’mguessing it’s chloroform, has taken control of my mind and body. I’m so weak.
The eyes are so close now. I don’t know when, but they’ve changed again. Bright red. The color of blood. Of sin.
Of death.
A menacing figure jumps through the cornstalks and lands with a thud in front of us. Red eyes burn from his gaze. His facial features are too real. There are no button eyes or rosy patches of fabric for cheeks. The leathery skin pulls taut over cheekbones and a jawline that’s far too familiar.
