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After Jinn was gone, Noah lay in the gathering darkness, confused. Heartbroken. The once-golden thread of his fledgling bond with Nix was paper-thin and black. Sticky, as though coated in tar.
Now that the Sorcerer wasn’t in the room, his head was clearer. But another session or two like that one, and he’d be the bastard’s slave no matter how hard he fought.
Oh, yeah. He was in so much fucking trouble.
Nix. Please, find me.
* * *
Nix paced the conference room, aware that his friends’ earlier anger had morphed into worry and dread. He didn’t care about anything but getting his mate home safe and sound. Where Nix would spend the rest of his life making up for his horrible behavior.
Soon the sheriff strode in with Nick. He headed straight for Nix, expression grim. “I was told you’re not going to be sorry to hear this, but your father, Lucius Monroe, is dead. Probably since this morning, given the state of the body and the fact that the hotel manager in town had talked to him a few hours ago.”
Nix stared at him. He had to admit, a tiny part of him wondered if Noah had been right about the man changing for the better, and wanted to feel sad about his loss. But right now he had his mate to think about.
“Then . . . who kidnapped Noah? How the hell are we going to track him down?”
“I have the answer to that,” Nick said. “Everybody remember Jinn, the dark Sorcerer who got away from us? He killed Lucius and took his form, then kidnapped Noah to taunt us.”
“How do you know that? Did you see it in a vision?” Nix demanded.
The commander nodded. “Jinn has Noah. A Halfling like your mate would make the perfect slave for a creature like him, because he’s just come into his power and he’s malleable. Plus he’s been rejected, and Jinn will use that pain as a lever to take over Noah’s mind, get him on his side.”
Nix couldn’t comprehend the terrifying ramifications. “Christ, that’s what Noah meant when he told me on the phone that he sensed power coming from Lucius—only it was Jinn in disguise. We have to stop him. Do you know where he is?”
“No, but if you have a hairbrush or comb that belongs to Noah, Kalen can help track him. He needs something organic, like some hair.”
“He’s got something in my bathroom. I’ll get it.” Hoping against hope, he dashed for his quarters. By the time he returned with the hairbrush, Kalen was ready at the conference table.
Standing back, the others watched him work. The Sorcerer plucked a piece of blond hair from the brush and placed in in the middle of the table. Then he waved a palm over it, chanting a few words. In an instant, the hair vanished. Kalen stood silent for a moment, eyes closed. When he opened them again, he nodded.
“Got his location. Ready?”
The team assembled quickly, and was on the road in seconds. Nix rode in Kalen’s vehicle and wasn’t reassured by what the man was saying.
“You guys remember Jinn—I sure as hell do, since the bastard nearly killed me once. There’s no way you can battle him, so leave that to me. You guys spread out and find Noah.”
He didn’t have to repeat that order to Nix. As much as he longed to kill Jinn for touching his mate, even he wasn’t stupid enough to think he could battle a dark Sorcerer and survive.
The drive took less than a half hour, and they found themselves near an old, abandoned house that Jinn was apparently using as a base. They got out, the Pack fanning out around the house to do surveillance. From his position in the trees, Nix could see that Jinn was the only one moving around. That wasn’t much consolation, considering the creature’s power.
Nick gave the signal and they moved in closer, tightening the net around the house. Nix slipped from window to window, determined to find his mate. And he finally spotted the slim, blond figure bound to a bed in a back room.
The sight enraged his wolf, and he wanted to kill the one who dared treat his mate this way. Who dared touch him.
Suddenly, a deafening explosion rock
ed the house. He knew Kalen had made his move, and the fight was on. Nix’s only job was to get Noah out of there, fast. Changing to wolf form, Nix ran full speed toward the window. He smashed through it, landing in the middle of the floor next to his mate.
“Nix! The ropes!”
Rushing over, he worked on the bindings with his teeth and claws. They were his best tools, but it still took precious minutes to get Noah untied. When he was finished, he led Noah to the window, urging him up. The noise from the battle was horrific, and smoke was beginning to fill the house.
“We have to get going,” Noah said urgently.
Nix shifted back to human form. “You hurt?”
“No. Just scared of what that creep was planning to do to me.”
