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“I didn’t do anything to you. Why are you doing this?”
“My brother is the leader of our nest.”
“Nest?”
He nodded. “We’re raven shifters, and we don’t tolerate anyone messing with our people. You may not have done anything, but your mate did.”
“I keep telling you that he’s not my mate.”
“Then it’s going to be a long and painful death for you.”
The group left, closing and locking the door behind them. Mia stared up at the ceiling, tugging on the bonds a few times even though she knew she wasn’t strong enough to break the leather. Her body tingled, and it reminded her of the way her natural heat started. Eventually, if the ravens were to be trusted, Mia would slip into a mating heat that would overwhelm her. She’d want to have sex to assuage the pain, and in time it would hurt so badly that she’d take anyone, even knowing that she’d be tied to the male as a mate forever.
She’d believed that Lucian was her mate, but he’d shut her down so effectively, squashing any hope. Was it actually possible that he knew they were mates and had been trying to protect her by staying away?
She mentally shook her head. He told her she was of no consequence to him. The hope that was threatening to bloom inside her wasn’t going to do anything but make her crash even harder when he didn’t come for her. Because she wasn’t sure he would. Maybe, if he didn’t want to hurt Malachi, he’d try to get Antonio free so that she didn’t die. But if he couldn’t accomplish that feat then she was as good as dead. She’d never see her brother or her parents or her friends again. She hadn’t even gotten a chance to say goodbye.
Closing her eyes, she let the tears fall.
* * *
Lucian was furious. First, the video call requests had come from Mia. He was certain she hadn’t had his number, and figured it was a way for Nila to meddle some more. But then he’d gotten the text from Antonio with a picture of a naked, chained-up Mia. Everything inside him went as cold as ice, and the beast he kept tethered banged around in his skull. The next time the video call app pinged, he answered.
He’d wanted to reach through the phone and kill Dario right then. Not only had Mia been taken, but they were planning to force her into a mating heat. Ravens were as interested in science as they were crazy, and he had no doubt that the injection they’d given to Mia would do exactly as they said. In a few hours, she’d be in the throes of a mating heat, and he’d lose her forever. Two hours was not nearly long enough to plan an extraction that wouldn’t get him caught by his own people, so he’d have to go in fast and dirty, and he would need help.
As he dressed in black tactical gear, his mind raced over the two-hour time limit. His apartment was forty-five minutes from the hunters’ office. The raven’s nest was four hours east. It really didn’t matter how fast he got Antonio out; he would be out of time no matter what. Strapping on his weapons, he secured a bullet-proof vest to his chest. He grabbed his cell and called Simon as he walked out of his apartment.
“It’s fucking midnight,” Simon said, grousing.
“Code Seven. I’ll be there in ten.”
“I’ll alert the others,” Simon said.
Lucian ended the call and got into his car, rushing to Simon’s. Code Seven was something he and his teammates had devised for when they needed help, no questions asked. It meant a life was on the line, someone that was important to one of them. They’d all sworn to answer the call and do whatever was necessary. His mind spun with possibilities on how to get Antonio out of the holding cell. He knew it wouldn’t be easy, but with his crew he should be able to get in and out without any loss of life.
He stopped at the curb in front of Simon’s home long enough for him to jump into the passenger seat. He waited until they’d picked up Neil and Isaac before he headed toward the office and explained what had happened. He was able to play the video call for them, and just hearing Mia’s frightened voice was enough to make his beast push the bounds of the tattoos. It wanted to be set free to save Mia.
“How the fuck did they find out about you? Your real life is buried. Like fucking deep,” Isaac said. As the head tech guy for their team, Isaac knew almost everything about Lucian.Almost.
He shook his head. “They followed me, and I suspect they followed you guys, too, but it was Mia’s bad luck to be seen with me.”
“What’s the plan?” Neil asked.
“I just need your help to get Antonio out. I can’t do it on my own.”
Simon said, “You think we’re going to let you go to the ravens on your own? They’ll kill you.”
“They won’t.”
“How can you be so sure?” Isaac asked.
“Because you know everything about me, except one thing.”
“Okay, I’ll bite. What?” Simon asked.
“I’m not entirely human.”
And he wasn’t going to say anything more than that.
