“But Daniel … he never said anything.”
“We told him to tell you,” Gabriel said.
“But he didn’t want to,” she finished. Daniel didn’t want to tell her they were soulmates. An ache formed in her chest. Why?
“Wait, Sarah, it’s not what you—”
“Apologies,” Thoralf interjected. “But time is running out. If The Knights have him, then we must act quickly.”
Daniel was in danger. Every nerve in her body told her it was true. Her throat burned at the thought that maybe he didn’t want to be with her, but that would have to wait until later. She couldn’t let him die. “We need to go find him.”
“Stay here, Sarah, and await for word,” Thoralf said. “I will go and scour the mountains for him.” In a flash, Thoralf disappeared.
“Holy fucking shit!” Adam shouted. “Did you guys see that?”
“Adam, watch your mouth,” she admonished.
“Are you fucking kidding me? He just vanished into thin air! What the fuck am I supposed to say?”
She buried her face in her hands. Daniel, please be okay. What could those evil Knights be doing to him now? Well, I can’t just sit around and do nothing. Squaring her shoulders, she turned to Gabriel. “Will you take me up there? To the mountains?”
“What?” Gabriel looked at her incredulously. “No way. Daniel’ll kill me if I put you in any danger.”
“Please, Gabriel.” She was desperate to know what was happening. “I know I won’t be able to go out and help, but I need to know. I need to be there.” She didn’t know why, but her heart was ready to burst out of her chest at any moment. “What if it was Temperance? Please.”
He hesitated for a moment. “All right. I know where he’s supposed to patrol and we can make most of the way up there in my Jeep. We’ll have to check in with Damon first.”
“Sarah?” Adam asked in a quiet voice. “Are you really going up there?”
“I have to,” she said. “I need to.” Despite the looming thought that Daniel didn’t want to be mates with her, she knew she had to see this through. She needed to see him safe, and then … then she’d let him go.
Adam looked like he wanted to protest but then squeezed her hands. “You stay safe, Sarah.”
She grabbed her purse and kissed him on the forehead. “I will. See you when I get back.”
Chapter Thirteen
Daniel didn’t know how long he’d been out. The bloodsbane had knocked him out, but as his body fought its effect, he found himself in some kind of half-dream, half-awake state. He was aware of voices around him and dark shapes, the feeling of being carried and dragged around, but his brain couldn’t make the proper connections to tell him what was going on. As the drug ebbed away in his system, a pounding headache took its place. His grizzly tore up at him, prodding him to get up. A groan tore at his scratchy, dry throat.
“… waking up. Get ready.”
His eyes flew open, then quickly shut as light penetrated his corneas. Slowly, he opened them up again. At first, everything was fuzzy. In no time, as his shifter metabolism got rid of the remains of the bloodsbane, his vision cleared up.
They were in some sort of clearing, surrounded by trees. A campsite, it looked like, as he saw some picnic tables a few feet away. He didn’t recognize this one, but from the subtle scent in the air, he guessed they were in a shifter-only area of the mountains. Probably Campsite Sigma in Sector 12.
“Ah, here we are. Get up, you beast.”
“Beast?” he slurred. “I’ll show you—” Fuck! Something prevented him from moving his arms, and try as he might, he couldn’t free his limbs. “Bastards,” he spit out. They had tied him down with chains. “This isn’t going to hold me.” He struggled to his knees as his grizzly prepared to take over their body. The shift alone would be enough break free of the metal links.
“I know,” Nox answered. “And it’s not supposed to. Get that camera ready,” he hissed to someone behind Daniel.
“Motherfucker!” He reined back his Grizzly. It roared at him, wanting to break them free. No, we can’t let them film us. Nox’s words from earlier came back to him. They were planning to film him killing a human. But how?
The girl. His keen senses picked up the soft cries and sniffles. His head snapped toward the source somewhere on his right. There she was, a few feet away, crumpled on the ground, her hands tied behind her as tears poured down her cheeks. Big blue eyes looked at him, the terror unmistakable.
“Myers,” Nox called. “Are you ready?”
A man in a plaid shirt and khaki pants walked up to him. “Yes, Lord Nox.”
“You’re making a great sacrifice to the cause,” Nox said. “Your name will be celebrated in the history books.”
“I am honored to make this sacrifice, Lord Nox. For our cause. For The Knights.”
A chill ran down Daniel’s spine. This man … they were going to sacrifice him. To Daniel’s grizzly. “Bastards!” he scream. “I won’t kill him.”
“If you don’t, then the girl dies,” Nox said. “Kill her, Myers.”
“Yes, Lord Nox.” He bowed deeply, then removed something dangling from his belt. Something shiny that glinted when light from the setting sun caught it. A knife.
Daniel swallowed, watching as Myers approached the girl. Her eyes grew wide, and she froze as she saw the knife, her mouth forming an O. A scream ripped from her mouth as Myers drew closer.
“C’mon now, hero,” Nox taunted. “Are you going to let him kill her?”
“Fuck you!” he spat. “I won’t be part of your games.” He lowered his voice so the girl wouldn’t hear him. “You’re going to kill her anyway.” She would be a witness, after all.
“Yes, but Myers can
