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I roared and lashed out, throwing him against the passenger side door. He winked out of existence, and I continued on my way home. I wasn’t too far. I could get there before the asshole disappeared with Eva.
According to the incessant alerts from my security system going off on my phone, everything had gone haywire. It wasn’t just one breach. Every single alarm was going off at the same time. I checked my cameras, but all I got was screen after screen of nothingness. None of my video cameras was working. What the hell was going on?
I gunned it down the street, frustrated that I couldn’t just pop out like Prax did. The only canned portal I had on me right now went to Desmon’s, and that was the last place I wanted to go.
I kept imagining all the possible outcomes. Eva could’ve gotten down to the basement in time and locked the door behind her. My bunker door was blast proof. It also blended into my wall, so someone who didn’t know it was there could easily look right past it. Maybe—
Prax reappeared next to me. He made a throwing gesture before I could react, and suddenly I couldn’t move.
“Sorry, buddy, but I have to do this.” He turned smokey and settled right on top of my body; it felt weird where we touched. With just his hands and feet completely materialized, he grabbed the steering wheel. “Let’s stop off at Desmon’s and give you some time to cool down.”
Cool down? I’d put Eva in danger, and he wanted me to cool down? I wanted to fight, to roar, to tear up everything I could get my claws on, but I was completely paralyzed right now.
I sat there and fumed as Prax drove us to Desmon’s.
Seth and Liam met us in the fancy garage. The wizard waved a hand, and suddenly I was able to move again.
“Don’t even think about attacking us or I won’t release you next time. What’s the fucking matter, anyway? Everything is going exactly as planned. He has Eva, and we are tracking her and the amulet.”
“We shouldn’t have done this without her knowledge. We should have told her. It was her choice to make.”
“Eva has more power than you think,” Prax reminded me.
“The story said the wearer can control who uses it with practice, but she doesn’t know. We should’ve told her,” I insisted.
“You already know why we couldn’t. Augustine’s been bragging lately about being able to see deceit. It would just make it more dangerous for her. And she’s the one who suggested we use her as bait, remember?”
“That’s different, and I told her no.”
Seth narrowed his eyes at me thoughtfully. “You really like this girl, don’t you?”
Yes, I did. I really did like Eva. Hell, I think I might…love her. And yet I’d betrayed her. I wiped my palms over my face. When I opened my eyes again, Seth, Liam, and Prax were looking at me with their jaws hanging open.
“Oh, shit. You’re a smitten kitten! Matty found his mate,” Liam sing-songed.
I opened my mouth to deny it but couldn’t.
Mate.
Now that the idea was out there, it filled my head, and I knew it was true. Eva was my mate. I’d spent my whole life so sure that someone like me would never find my true mate that I hadn’t even recognized her when she was right in front of my face.
It all made sense now. The crazy, undeniable, unignorable attraction we had to each other was a mate bond, making sure we connected.
I didn’t reply. I couldn’t. I just gritted my teeth as a feeling of despair washed over me.
A hand landed on my shoulder. It was Prax. For once, he looked dead serious. “We’re going to find her.”
Chapter 26
Eva
“What part of I wanted her unharmed did you not understand, you peasant?” The wizard held my bruised face in his hands and glared at Officer Biffi.
I tried not to flinch. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing I was scared.
“She was trying to get out of the car and smashed her face into a closing door. There’s nothing I could’ve done about that. She’s alive and in one piece, and the bruise will heal. I did what you wanted. Now give me my money.” Biffi tossed the locket at Augustine.
The wizard let go of my face to catch the locket. He inspected it carefully. Finally, he spoke. “Unlike that useless twit, you have delivered what was promised. But I’m only giving you seventy percent because of the damage to her face.”
