“What is this place?” she asked as she examined the exposed wires dangling from the ceiling.
“It was an asylum,” Ronan answered as he clasped Kadence’s hand and pulled her against his side while Nathan closed the door. “Now it’s a barely started project of mine. This way,” Ronan said and led them into another room.
The room they entered was stripped down to the beams in the walls, and the plywood floor thudded beneath their feet as they walked toward the table and chairs in the middle of the room. Another flashlight sat on the table with its beam pointed toward more wires hanging from the beamed ceiling.
Ronan pulled out a chair for Kadence to sit, and Killean did the same for her. Simone hesitated before sliding onto the chair while the men remained standing.
“Where are Saxon and Lucien?” Killean inquired.
“They’ll be here soon,” Ronan said.
Killean rested his hands on the back of Simone’s chair. He wouldn’t sit until Declan did, but Declan had wandered over to gaze out one of the barred windows. From the other room, the front door creaked open, and footsteps thudded across the foyer. Lucien and Saxon glided into the room with two hunters Killean recognized as Logan and Asher.
When she saw them, Simone started to rise, but Killean rested his hands on her shoulders to keep her in place. Her uneasiness rippled across their bond as she eyed the hunters like she might take them out herself. Killean was less than thrilled to be in a room with so many hunters; he may have taken one as his mate, and he understood the necessity of the Alliance, but he still didn’t trust them.
Lucien’s sandy blond hair stood on end as if he’d been running his hands through it, and his eyes were chips of black ice when they scanned Killean; Killean gazed impassively back at him. Out of all the Defenders, Killean knew Lucien would be the least forgiving; it just wasn’t his nature.
Saxon stopped next to Killean and clapped him on the shoulder. His hazel eyes exuded warmth when they met Killean’s. “It’s good to see you,” Saxon said.
“You also,” Killean replied.
Saxon strode over to one of the chairs, pulled it out, sat down, and smiled at everyone. He seemed not to notice the tension in the room as he pulled out another chair and kicked it toward Asher.
“Take a load off,” Saxon said cheerfully.
Asher glanced at Nathan before perching on the chair as if it were Old Sparky. Killean would have laughed at the hunter’s obvious discomfort if hunger wasn’t mounting in his veins. He was becoming increasingly worried he might have made a bad choice by bringing Simone here. He should have put her somewhere safe and come alone, but where would have been safe for her? And being apart from her would have made him more volatile.
She wasn’t like him; he reminded himself. If they killed him, they would hand her a death sentence too, but if they locked him away, they would keep her safe.
Chapter Forty
Turning away from the window,Declan’s boots thumped across the floor as he strode over to the table and sat. Pulling the lollipop from his mouth, he removed the wrapper from his pocket and enclosed the end of it. He set the remains on the table and clasped his hands before him.
“Sit,” Ronan said to Lucien.
Lucien shot Killean a suspicious glance, but he settled onto another chair, and Logan sat beside him. Eventually, they all sat.
From across the table, Ronan’s reddish-brown eyes were more red than brown when they met Killean’s. Ronan’s dark brown hair curled at the collar of his shirt as he sat back in his chair. “Tell us everything from the beginning,” Ronan said.
Killean had already told them most of it, but he did so again. He suspected Ronan wanted to make sure his story remained the same and to see him as he told it. Killean didn’t blame him, but the realization he’d lost Ronan’s trust weighed heavily on his shoulders. He would earn it back.
However, he didn’t fault anyone for distrusting him when he wasn’t sure of himself anymore. Although Simone maintained a resolute trust in him that was both humbling and empowering. He wouldn’t break her faith in him no matter how appealing sinking into the pits of blood and death continued to be.
A couple of times, the others interrupted him to ask questions, most of which he didn’t know the answers to, but for the most part, they remained silent while he spoke.
“Joseph and his cronies most likely found you the first time in Vermont because even if that guy waited to report his truck stolen, they could have gotten into the camp’s database and accessed the vehicle information there. Most camps require the campers to register their vehicles while there,” Declan said.
“Wouldn’t it have taken them a while to pinpoint the truck?” Saxon asked.
“Not if they have someone as talented as me with computers,” Declan replied. “If they don’t, once they discovered the camp, they could have taken control of one of the workers and made them get the info. It doesn’t sound like there was much else along this river…?”
His voice trailed off as he looked questioningly at Killean. “The camp was the first thing we came across other than woods,” Killean answered.
“And one Savage had already found you there, so it was only a matter of time before more of them stumbled across it. They most likely assumed you stole a ride from the camp. Once they had the info about the vehicles registered there, they could search the campsites to discover which ones were missing. Once they discovered the vehicle you took, they locked onto its GPS and, viola, they located you.”
No one spoke for a minute, and then Lucien snorted. “I hate technology.”
“It’s endlessly useful and as endlessly dangerous, it just depends on who’s wielding its power,” Declan said and wiggled his fingers at Lucien who scowled back at him. Declan’s silvery-gray eyes shimmered with amusement, and his auburn hair appeared almost black in the dim light. “Though I’m not sure how they found you in the hotel,” Declan said.
