“Are we ready?” Mav asks through our link. While the rest of us shifted into our animals, he chose his vampiric side. I instinctively know that his goal is to use his superior speed to get his sister away, so I make a mental note to focus on Ice. Despite the fact that I’m sure he’s weak as fuck, once he’s able to shift, he should begin recovering. We just have to give him that opportunity.
Each of us respond in the affirmative as Rufus’ men form a circle beyond ours. I know their plan is to deal with anyone else who is inside while we rescue Leigh and Ice and incapacitate Ennis. While we decided to turn him over to the shifter council for judgment, we still plan to question him to see if he’s the end of the line or not. I suspect he is, but Colton wants us to do it, so we will.
As Mav counts down, I ready myself since I’ll be the first one in due to my size and strength. When he hits the count of one, I crash into the door and watch it fall off the hinges. “What the fuck?” a voice cries out as Paxton, Landry and Connelly surround him. “Who are you? What do you want?”
“We want you,” Mav roars as he searches the rooms for his sister and Ice. “Where the fuck are they?” he asks. He doesn’t wait for an answer before he begins checking the rooms off to each side.
I feel a push but when I turn, no one is there so realize that the dark magic Esmerelda alluded to is in play. I quickly advise everyone through our link as I follow Mav, waiting for him to open the doors until we come to one that is locked. I breathe in, scenting Ice. Nodding my head, Mav steps back to allow me to use my brute strength to break it open. As it falls into the room, I catch a glimpse of Ice shackled to the wall and roar my anguish. He looks more dead than alive. “Get him down, we’ll sort it out once we’re away from this place,” Mav demands, rushing to where Leigh is restrained in a chair. Both appear to be unconscious, but I don’t know if it’s because of what they’ve been given or the heat since it’s stifling inside this room.
“I’ve got you,” I mumble as I use my strength to break the chains holding Ice in place. Once he’s freed, Mav lifts him onto my back then uses the ties from Leigh and binds him to me until we can get him back to the skiff. He then scoops his sister into his arms, then cradles her close as we leave the room. Upon re-entering the living room, I see that the caimans who came with us have the man I suspect is Ennis trussed up like a turkey complete with a gag in his mouth. There are also about a dozen others standing around, rubbing their wrists.
“Can your people handle them?” Mav asks Rufus. His voice sounds different since his vampiric side is in play. Rufus, who has shifted back to his human form, nods at Mav in answer to his question. Good. “Let’s get the fuck out of here,” he instructs.
“We will destroy this place,” Rufus announces, looking at the caimans. “Guido, take them back to the skiff, we will meet you back at headquarters.”
I nod my head to show I understand as I head toward the front door. My only thought is to get my cousin to my mate. I know she’ll be able to help him, possibly even compel him to shift so he can heal. If not, I hope that Mav’s able to do it. My bet’s on Esmerelda though because she’s able to do far more than she realizes.
As a group, we head back to the skiff, Paxton, Landry and Connelly surrounding us to prevent anyone from getting in our way. The other prisoners follow behind still looking dazed as whatever they’ve been given to cause their compliance continues to course through their systems. I hope the women can help with that as well; no one should feel as though they’re not in complete control at all times.
Ice groans then I hear, “Beast?” Since I’m still in my bear form, I growl out in agreement. “Did you get Leigh? Please tell me you got Leigh!” His voice sounds desperate, and I feel him begin to struggle against the restraints Mav used.
“Cool your jets,” Mav commands. “I’ve got my sister right here.” Ice’s head turns in Mav’s direction and I can feel him slump against me as if in relief.
“God,” he whispers. “I don’t know how you pieced together where we were, Beast. The last thing I remember telling you was we were ‘in south’ before I lost consciousness.”
“Esmerelda was able to reach out to Leigh which helped,” Mav states. We arrive at the skiff and once everyone shifts, Ice is removed from my back so I can do so. Quickly redressing, we all get back on and soon, we’re heading back to the caiman’s compound. I’m not sure if that’s what they call it, but it works for me at least. Both Leigh and Ice appear somewhat out of it, so we ply them with water until my mate and Tabatha can check the two of them over.
Esmerelda
I sense immediately when they rescue Leigh and Ice, my relief so overwhelming that my eyes fill with tears. For all intents and purposes, they’re my family thanks to Beast. I know I consider the rest of them as that as well, but those two truly are because of our mates. It would’ve devastated me to find out either of them had come to harm.
“You two must prepare for their arrival,” Gara commands. “I’ll deal
