Bale's sharp intake signaled the process was complete. Where Charity had stood only a moment before now stood a strawberry blonde wolf.
“A werewolf,” was Remy's incredulous whisper.
“You'd be amazed at the people I know,” Faith replied with a smile.
Charity gave a sharp bark, then began darting through the trees, stopping occasionally to sniff a spot where blood had been shed. Then she made her way to the road, sneezing as the dust hit her nostrils.
Thirty minutes later, she returned to where her clothes lay on the ground, and the whole process of changing form reversed until a naked female stood in place of the wolf. She bent to pick up her clothing, her gaze riveted to Faith.
“Whoever fell here, he managed to kill three of them. They pulled Hope from a vehicle that was there.” Charity pointed to the spot where the Escalade had been. “Then they dragged her to the road, where they must have forced her into a car, because the scent just stops. I'd say nine or ten of them, but I can't be completely certain. Some smell similar, like they are related.”
Charity shrugged.
“Demons?”
Charity seemed surprised by her question. “No, Faith. Didn't you know? It was vampires.”
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Faith's gasp was her only reply. Vampires could only mean one thing. And that pissed Faith off more than any notion of demons. Either some rogue vamps were loose in Seattle, or her father had ordered Hope's kidnapping and allowed his asshole followers to leave Kash for dead.
* * * *
Ray had been useless, which only served to fan the rage within Zeke. There was no word below of a female being held by anyone, so whoever had Hope was keeping this hushed. Very unlike a demon.
Bale paused, his gaze centering on Zeke. “Where the hell have you been?”
“Looking for answers,” he snapped, his anger mounting with each breath he took.
Bale nodded. “It was vampires.”
Zeke couldn't have been more surprised if Bale had belted him one. “Vampires?”
“Yeah.” Bale's reply was long and drawn-out. “Whether rogue or their father, Faith is trying to find out now. As soon as she does, we're going in. I'm getting my mate's sister back.
And I'm going to make the bastards pay. For Faith and for Kash.”
Zeke was all for making someone pay. And not just because Kash had been gravely wounded. Someone was going to pay for the sick feeling that had settled in the pit of Zeke's stomach the moment he'd received Kash's page, for the tightness in his chest that made breathing difficult. Yeah. Someone was going to pay.
Unfortunately he was going to have to stand back and let Bale collect that payment. Zeke wanted to draw blood, but it was not his right. Bale, as her sister's mate, had that honor. It was a notion that burned deep in his gut. But the alternative was staking a claim on Hope, and he was not willing to do that. It would only end terribly. Because what he felt for Hope couldn't be what Bale felt for Faith, but rather rage that another female within their protection had come under fire.
Zeke moved out of the way as Faith approached him from behind. Following her into the dining hall, he noticed her slight nod toward Bale before she sighed deeply.
“According to Prue, Eli, my father's enforcer, hit the club right after we departed. He must have left my father's nest as soon as I hung up the phone. He had about eight males with him, and they were all armed. She said he wasn't happy to find me already gone.”
Bale moved toward his mate and wrapped her in his arms. “Did he harm anyone? Your employees? Prue?”
Faith sank into his embrace, encircling her arms around his waist and clinging to him tightly. Zeke had to glance away as Bale kissed the top of her head. The love Bale and his mate displayed for each other filled him with a mixture of wonder and dismay.
“No. Thankfully Prue kept her smart-ass comments to herself. But it leaves me fairly certain my father is responsible for what happened to Kash and for taking Hope.”
“So when do we leave to get her back?”
Faith lifted her head from Bale's chest, arching a brow in Zeke's direction. “I thought you would be glad to see the last of Hope,” she said with a little sniff.
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Madelyn Ford
Zeke gave a humorless smile. “Kash will be avenged. And no one takes what is under our protection. Last I recall, your sister fell into that category.” With a nod, Faith turned her face, her gaze resting once again on her mate. “So how are we doing this?”
Bale studied Faith for a moment, lifting a hand to caress her cheek. Zeke watched her lean into his touch, a soft smile gracing her lips. Then Bale glanced at him over Faith's head.
“Once you have convinced me this fortress is impregnable, we go after Hope. But I will not leave Faith here unprotected.”
Zeke snorted at Bale's reply. Like they would be leaving his mate behind. Even
he
knew that wouldn't be happening. Folding his arms across his chest, he waited for Faith's response. It was not a long wait.
She pulled back from Bale, saying, “You won't be, because I am coming.”
“No, you are not,” Bale countered. Zeke snorted again, and Bale swiveled toward him. “Do you mind?”
“As a matter of fact, I do.” Zeke watched Bale arch a brow and grinned. “We don't have time to listen to you two banter. She'll insist she's coming. You will order her to remain behind.
She won't listen. You'll threaten. She'll beg. And you'll relent. So how about we just save some time and you give in now?”
As Jet snickered, both Bale and Faith frowned at him. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“You're seriously pussy-whipped. That's what he's saying.”
Bale pivoted toward Jet. “Want to say that to my face?”
Zeke sighed. “Jet doesn't speak for me.” Having recaptured Bale's attention, Zeke continued. He wanted everyone focused on the task at hand: bringing Hope home. “But Faith is familiar with the terrain, and I'm sure she has some idea where her sister is being held.”
“How much stronger than a normal vampire are you after you feed?” Bale asked quietly, his gaze boring into his mate's. “Stronger than your father?”
“I think so,” Faith murmured. “But no one will hurt me. If this is about getting Hope and me back, once my father understands we are mated, he will stop pursuing me.”
“And Hope?” Zeke asked harshly.
Faith hesitated a moment before shaking her head.
“This night your father will understand both his daughters are no longer his concern.”
Zeke stilled as Bale's pledge sunk in. Clenching his fists, he fought the desire to step his foot into the middle of this mess. Something about hearing Bale lay claim to Hope just didn't sit right in his gut.
Remy stood, joining the conversation for the first time. He seemed as surprised by Bale's declaration as Zeke was. “Faith, I get. But are you certain you want to take responsibility for her sister? It's one thing to do so now while there is the demon threat. But maybe Hope is better off under her father's protection.”
Bale glanced at Zeke as if waiting for him to respond. When he looked away, Bale sighed.
“I promised my mate I would get her sister back. And that is what I intend to do. If I have to storm inside and kill every last vampire, I am prepared to do so. Faith wants Hope back. They are both my responsibility now.”
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“If we are voting, I'm all for the killing.”
Bale snorted at Zeke's eagerly spoken words, not missing Faith's reaction. His mate was now anxiously chewing her bottom lip. “I would like to see this resolved with as little bloodshed as possible. Right now Faith wants revenge for Hope and for Kash. So do I. But this is Faith's family. Death will solve nothing…only start a war we are not prepared to fight.”
Zeke grunted in reply, his biceps flexing as he held his arms folded in front of him.
Remy arched a brow at Zeke before glancing quizzically at Bale. Their gazes met, Remy studying him for a moment; then he nodded. “Tell him as little as possible, Bale. And he pays for Kash.”
A slow, menacing grin spread across Bale's face. “Oh, I intend on making the bastard pay.
I did not say I wouldn't draw blood, just that he would live.”
Again Remy nodded, accepting Bale's answer. Zeke could feel the impatience of his other brothers. They all wanted to avenge Kash. Whatever the vampire's reason for his attack, he would be held accountable, no matter that he was Faith's father.
“What of Arak?” For the first time, Zeke was aware of his brother's absence.
“He did what he could for Kash before he passed out. He'll continue once he's recovered his strength, but he thinks it will take several days.”
Zeke nodded at Remy's reply, relieved Arak was not going to try to convince them he was up for what lay ahead. While he wouldn't have hesitated doing what was necessary to see that Arak remained behind, Zeke knew from past experience that Arak could carry a grudge for a very long time.
Bale wrapped an arm around Faith, drawing Zeke's attention to the pair. “I want Faith her strongest, so we will return after she has fed.” Bale began to lead Faith from the room.
Jet's snickers brought a frown to Bale's features. “I bet you do. So how long do these
feedings
take?”
The sarcastic emphasis Jet placed on the word “feedings” caused Zeke's hackles to rise. He wasn't the least bit surprised when Bale turned slowly to face their brother. The silence as they waited for Bale's response was deafening.
Bale pinned Jet with a chilling gaze. “We are Grigori, and I think we are above the failings of humans.”
And if Zeke had not known Bale was lying, he would have taken his brother at his word.
Bale spoke with absolute sincerity. But his aura was spiked with shades of brownish green.
Jet, at least, had the courtesy to look contrite. “Well, that just sucks.” Remy smacked Jet on the back of the head as Bale led Faith from the room, but it didn't stop Jet from turning and asking, “Was he lying?”
“Not that I could tell,” Zeke said with a shrug. “And if he was, I really don't want to know.” And that was the truth. Zeke didn't want to know Bale was upstairs getting his rocks off.
“Damn,” Jet muttered, falling back into his chair. “Then why bother?”
The rest of the brothers stared at him like he was an idiot. Remy smacked him again just because he could as Zeke collapsed into the chair across from him. He figured they were in for a long wait, when all he wanted to do was rescue Hope and bring her home.
* * * *
128
Madelyn Ford
Faith could not remember a time when she had felt so mortified. Jet's thinly veiled insults did nothing to endear the brother to her. She had hoped her first impression of the male to be in error. Apparently not.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, she watched Bale shut the door. “Thank you.” At Bale's questioning glance, Faith elaborated. “For what you said to Jet. Lying.”
He frowned at her, clearly displeased with her statement. Bracing both hands on the bed at her hips, he leaned into her. “Baby, what occurs in this room is between you and me. We might live in this fortress with six other males, but when and if we make love is none of their damn business. Just like how you feed is none of their concern.”
“I really don't need to.”
Bale spread her thighs, kneeling between them before tucking a curl behind her ear. “But I would feel better if you did. Even if it is just a sip or two.”
“We need to be quick. We really don't have time…” Faith glanced down at the bed coverings clutched in her fists.
Bale chuckled softly. “No, we don't. If you would just stay here, we wouldn't have to be discussing this.”
“Bale,” she said, her tone laced with warning.
“You cannot fault me for worrying, Faith. You saw what your father's vampires did to Kash.”
Faith nodded in agreement. “But he won't allow them to hurt me.”
“Really?” Bale's voice held a hint of disbelief. “Then tell me why they left Kash for dead?
Why was your sister abducted?” She frowned because she could not give him a reasonable response. “You can't tell me, can you?”
“No,” Faith admitted. “I told you my father is very controlling. It took quite some finagling for Hope and me to get out from under his thumb. We have an older sister who still has not managed that. Taking Hope against her will, that does not entirely surprise me. Kash is a whole other story.”
Bale pulled the neck of his T-shirt down, angling his head to the side. “Feed.”
Faith hesitated for only a moment before licking his skin and sinking her fangs into the throbbing flesh. Their fingers interlaced on the bed as she pressed against his chest, swallowing three mouthfuls quickly.
Bale's labored breathing fanned her ear. It was the only indication that she was affecting him in any way. For just a split second, when she tried to pull back, Bale followed her, his fingers tightening on hers.
“Are you okay?” she whispered when he released a ragged breath.
“Yeah.” The word was long and drawn-out, but at the end of it, he kissed her gently. “I didn't come in my pants, so I'm good.”
Laughing softly, Faith wrapped her arms around his neck. “Would you like me to take care of that little problem before we leave?”
Bale nipped lightly at her nose. “I wish we had time. But if I am going to lie to my brothers, I need to back it up.”
“And a hard-on will do that?”
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He rolled his eyes. “The hard-on is supposed to go away. But it won't if you keep pointing it out.”