He stepped forward to intervene on behalf of his friend as Asher let go of the woman, held up his hands, and backed away from the crowd. When the woman turned and fled out of one of the exit doors, Asher moved to go after her but stopped when a couple more men blocked his way.
At any point in time, they could kick a human’s ass. But getting into a brawl with a group of humans in an airport was not the best way to go about being stealthy. And neither of them wanted to end up in a prison cell.
“It’s okay; we’re taking him out of here,” Logan said as he stepped forward and rested his hand on Asher’s shoulder.
“You’re friends with this freak?” one of the men asked.
“You should tell him to keep his hands off of women,” another one grunted.
“I will,” Logan said and nudged Asher toward where he left Elena. “Come on; we have to go.”
When the crowd parted to let them pass, Logan half expected one of the angry men to start a fight with them anyway, but they slipped past the circle and back into the hustling crowd.
Chapter Forty-Seven
“What was that all about?”Elena asked.
Asher glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention to them anymore, but they were already old news. “You should have heard what she said to me,” Asher said.
“What did she say?” Elena asked.
Asher glanced around before speaking. “I’ll tell you when we’re out of here.”
Logan wasn’t going to argue with him. He’d had enough of the airport. Once the exit where he’d spotted Nathan and Declan came into view again, he saw them outside, throwing their luggage into the back of the SUV.
When the glass doors swished open, the AC lost its battle with the muggy, late-July air. The humidity in the air was so thick and cloying it was difficult to suck in a breath as his clothes instantly cleaved to his suddenly sweat-dampened skin.
Nathan shut the back of the SUV and turned as they reached them. Nathan’s face broke into a wide grin, and they embraced before he stepped back to hug Asher. Logan and Declan clasped hands before Declan pulled him in for a quick hug.
“We missed you,” Nathan said as he clapped Asher on the back.
“We were definitely gone longer than we expected,” Asher said.
Logan looked pointedly at Elena as he spoke. “But it was worth it.”
She gave him a small smile, shifted nervously, and went to bite her fingernails but stopped herself. She lowered her hand and clasped it firmly in her other one.
“Nathan, Declan, this is Elena,” he introduced. “Declan is the one who turned me, and Nathan is the coleader of the Alliance.”
“I remember.” Elena held her hand out to Nathan. “I’m Elena Soto.”
Her voice rang with pride, and her shyness faded as she shook Nathan and Declan’s hands.
“I’m very sorry about your father,” Nathan said. “He was a good man.”
“He was,” she agreed.
“What was that all about in there?” Nathan asked.
“I’ll fill you in once we’re in the car,” Asher said.
“Then let’s get out of here,” Declan said.
When they were all settled in the SUV, Logan turned to Asher. “So, what did that woman say?”
Asher took his time clicking his seat belt into place. Logan suspected he was trying to buy time to think. Finally finished, Asher sat back and leaned his head against the seat. He stared out the window, searching the crowd as Declan pulled away from the curb. Finally, Asher turned to them.
“She told me not to go home,” he said. “She said danger and death lurked there, and we should evacuate everyone from there.”
