Wanted: Undead or Alive

the most in the world. I’m giving it to you as a sign of my devotion.”

He whipped the scarf off her head, and she gasped.

Her heart lurched, and tears instantly sprang to her eyes.

The wild white stallion was imprisoned inside the pen. It pawed the ground furiously. Its eyes rolled about in fear and rage. Three ropes had been tied around its neck and secured to the fenced enclosure. The horse strained to move, its neck already red with welts as the ropes cut into its white coat.

“You’re hurting him,” she whispered. You’re killing him. You’re killing me. She could almost feel the ropes around her own neck, squeezing tighter and tighter.

“It’s the only way to contain him,” Rhett said. “Damned horse put up quite a fight.”

She noted the dried blood on the horse’s flank. “Let him go.”

Rhett scoffed. “Are you kidding? Do you know how much trouble we—” He looked at her. “Are you crying?”

She wiped the tears off her face, and jutted out her chin. “Let him go.”

He leaned on the fence, studying her. “I’ll let him go if you’ll be my willing bride.”

Her heart skipped a beat as it plummeted into her stomach. A feeling of doom sucked her down. Submission, the way of the Lycan world.

She gazed at the wild white stallion, and more tears stung her eyes. If she agreed, at least one of them would be free.

Chapter Twenty-four

Phineas nearly fell out of the tree when he teleported there. Was that Brynley? Blindfolded? Rhett Bleddyn was leading her across the backyard. Three guards followed close behind. They appeared to be headed toward the stable.

Maybe he could teleport to her and grab her before Rhett or the three guards reacted. Might be difficult since Rhett had an arm around her. He needed backup.

After waking in Nate Carson’s basement, he’d been so anxious to return here and watch for Brynley that he’d guzzled down a bottle and teleported straight here with Phil. He’d left the werewolf in his favorite tree in the front. Zoltan and Jack were supposed to follow.

He texted a message to Zoltan. Go to stable roof now!

He pocketed the cell phone and glanced at Brynley. Rhett had taken her to the horse pen.

His breath caught. Gleaming white under the full moon, the wild white stallion strained at its ropes.

Shock quickly gave way to anger. The bastards. They’d found the perfect way to hurt Brynley. This was no slap on the face. It was a wound inflicted upon her soul.

He teleported to Phil, and before Phil could ask a question, he’d landed the two of them on the stable roof.

Zoltan materialized with Jack.

Phineas pointed toward the horse pen and whispered, “Brynley.” As he stretched out on his stomach to peer over the ridge of the roof, the others did the same.

Phil hissed in a breath. “Bastards.”

“Go get her.” Zoltan nudged Phineas with his elbow. “Jack and I will keep the guards busy.”

“No,” he whispered back. “I want you and Jack to teleport into the pen. You’ll use your mojo to calm down the stallion while Jack cuts the ropes. Then you teleport the horse out. While you’re—”

“The horse is too heavy,” Zoltan interrupted.

“You can do it together.”

Jack shook his head. “We could end up ripping it in two.”

“Then connect your minds so you’ll land together at the cabin. You can do it. And while they’re freaking out over the horse, I’ll swoop in and grab Brynley. We’ll all meet at the cabin.”

“Except me,” Phil muttered. “But you guys go ahead. Have all the fun.”

“Sorry, dude,” Phineas said.

Phil snorted. “I was kidding. I want you to get Bryn out. I’ll stay here. I’m worried about the rest of my family, too.”

Phineas removed the knife from his boot and handed it to Jack. “Can you do it?”

He accepted the knife. “It’s a crazy idea, but I like it.”

“Ready?” Zoltan asked. “On the count of three. One, two, three.”

Jack and Zoltan teleported. Jack zoomed around the horse at vampire speed, cutting the three ropes, while Zoltan faced the horse. The stallion grew still.

Rhett’s men hollered and jumped into the pen. Rhett let go of Brynley and shouted orders to his men, and her guards moved aside to watch.

Phineas teleported beside her and grabbed her. She gasped, looking at him in shock. He had a glimpse of Zoltan and Jack vanishing with the horse, then he teleported, taking Brynley with him.

They landed inside the cabin.

“Phineas!” She threw her arms around him and laughed.

He grinned. “I got you. You’re safe.”

She leaned back, beaming at him, then her expression morphed into panic. “The wild white stallion! We have to rescue him!”

“Brynley—”

“They’re torturing him!” Her eyes glinted with tears. “We have to save him.”

“I know. You can’t bear to be free if he’s not free.”

“Exactly.”

“Come with me.” He led her onto the front porch.

She gasped.

The stallion reared up on its hind legs. Jack and Zoltan jumped back.

“You saved him,” she whispered. She pressed a hand against her chest, then turned to Phineas. A tear rolled down her cheek. “You saved him.”

With a smile, he brushed the tear away. “I know how you feel about him.”

“Whoa,” Zoltan murmured to the horse. “Calm down. Let us get the ropes off you.”

The stallion pawed at the ground, then went still.

Jack approached slowly, then slid his knife under the ropes and cut through.

The ropes fell to the ground, and the stallion tossed its head.

Brynley’s gaze shifted back to Phineas, and more tears glimmered in her eyes. “You saved me. You saved the stallion. You beautiful, beautiful man.”

Zoltan exchanged a look with Jack. “I thought we did all the work.”

Phineas kissed her brow. “As long as I live, I’ll fight anyone who tries to capture the wild horse. And I’ll never let anyone destroy your beautiful wild spirit.”

With a choked sob, she threw her arms around him. “I love you. I was so afraid I’d never get the chance to tell you.” She placed her hands on his cheeks. “I really do love you.”

He laughed and swung her around in a circle.

“I’m starting to feel a bit unnecessary again,” Jack muttered.

“Come on, Casanova.” Zoltan motioned for him to follow. “We have another job to do.”

They walked into the stable.

“Alone at last.” Phineas kissed Brynley, and she laughed against his mouth.

“Not entirely.” She motioned with her head toward the wild white stallion. It was regarding them curiously.

“Peeping Tom.” Phineas pulled Brynley close. “Get your own girl.”

“That can be arranged.” Zoltan led Molly from the stable. “Go on, girl. Get your man.”

Jack chuckled. “Nothing like amore.”