Authors: Lynn Hagen
If the vampire trying to claim his mate’s life came at Ian again, he was going to find a very large and pissed-off jaguar to contend with.
“Where the fuck have you been?” Rick shouted into the phone.
“Trying not to get my damn head blown off,” Nate said heatedly. Rick knew the man was beyond scared and pissed. His top enforcer had never taken such a volatile tone with him. They were all under a lot of stress these days. “Selene and I managed to get away after we blew the bastards sky high.”
Rick wasn’t even going to ask. “Where are you now?” He pulled to the side of the road and waved his fingers for Dorian to hand him the map on the floor.
His mate handed it to him, and Rick checked how far apart they were after Nate gave him his and Selene’s location. “I can meet you in about five hours. Stay where you’re at. I’m on my way.”
“My Yukon is working just fine. Thank fuck we had gotten out and footed it the last mile because of rocky terrain or I’d have
played
with them before they died.”
Rick never understood Nate’s obsession with his truck. It was just a truck. “Fine,” he replied in a clipped tone and then gave Nate a halfway meeting point. “Call if you’re going to be delayed.”
“Sorry,” Nate said as he blew out a shuddering breath. “Selene damn near got her head blown off, and it scared ten years off of me.”
Rick was shocked the man was admitting it with the female enforcer in the truck with him. “Yeah, we all are about to crack if the pressure doesn’t let up. But I have a feeling that release won’t be coming anytime soon.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I can. I called Edward and he needs me back where he’s at.”
Rick felt his stomach twist into knots when he thought about the shit they were going through. “See you then.”
They hung up and Rick steered the vehicle back onto the road, driving for the next two and a half hours until he reached the spot where he was supposed to meet Nate and Selene. He pulled into a parking lot with a boarded-up ice cream parlor. Rick glanced in the rearview mirror to see Ian sitting there docile, not saying a word the entire trip. Rick felt for Ian. He wanted to kill whoever was torturing the man, but knew they couldn’t do a damn thing until they found someone with special gifts to help them.
As soon as the red Yukon pulled into the parking lot, Rick saw Sasha get out of Bryson’s tan Impala and walk toward the two. He waited, giving the three privacy until he saw Selene rest her hand on the butt of her gun, her eyes narrowing to tiny slits.
And the fun begins.
Rick got out of his truck and walked over to Nate’s side. If Selene was going to shoot the leopard alpha, Rick didn’t want to be in the way.
“I bet you would look fabulous wearing that holster…naked,” Sasha purred to Selene.
“I’m really sick of you,” she said with a growl, but Nate stopped her from pulling her gun free. Rick had been so caught up in the two that he hadn’t noticed the man sitting in the back until he saw him move.
“Who do you have with you?” Rick asked cautiously, glancing from the stranger to Nate.
“You put out word that you needed someone to help with dreams,” Nate replied. “I’m not sure why you would need something like that, but this man answered the call.” Nate handed Rick a large manila envelope. “That’s from Edward.”
Rick grabbed the envelope, but his eyes went back to staring at the stranger sitting in the backseat. He was Native American. Rick could surmise that by the tanned and leathery skin. He was older, an elder. He sat there staring at Rick as if he could see right through him.
It was creepy as hell.
“His name is Cheveyo. It means spirit warrior,” Nate said and then winked at Rick. “And he’s all yours.”
Rick nodded. He knew Nate had to get back to Edward and Isabelle. Cheveyo opened the back door and climbed out with such ease and agility that his age seemed to hide. Rick wouldn’t have guessed the man to be so fluidly graceful with how old he looked.
“Call you when I help Edward,” Nate said before pulling away.
“Right this way.” Rick waved a hand toward the Suburban. Sasha walked next to Rick, both of them studying the man. “How did you get our distress call?” Rick asked.
The man turned, his dark brown eyes piercing. “I dreamt that a lost soul needed me.”
Yeah, right, the dream warrior.
Rick inwardly snorted as he tossed the envelope into the front seat. “You can ride in the back with Ian. He’s the one having the problems. Mason will fill you in on what’s going on.”
The man stood there with a regal stance as he stared Rick in his eyes. “You have no faith in my capabilities.”
Rick shrugged, not hiding the truth. “I’m at a loss here, Cheveyo. My mind is still working out the fundamental logic behind a vampire coming after a human in his sleep. It just isn’t possible.”
“Yet you called for me.”
“Not you in particular, but yeah. If what Omar says is true, then we need help.”
“Ah, yes, Omar,” Cheveyo said as his eyes slid to Omar, who was sitting on the back of the truck looking at them. Omar ducked down. It seemed Rick wasn’t the only one spooked by this man.
“If you will.” Rick nodded toward the backseat. “We need to get moving.”
“We have time,” Cheveyo stated with confidence as he climbed inside and then turned to look at Rick. “But I will need a place with more room.”
Rick nodded. “We can find the nearest abandoned building. Everyone could use a break from riding.”
The door closed, and Rick was left standing there wondering what the hell he had gotten himself into.
* * * *
Ian wasn’t sure what was going on, but the old man who had climbed into the truck and was sitting on the other side of Mason scared the shit out of him. The guy just kept staring at him with those creepy brown eyes. Ian’s body felt like it was on fire from his wounds and it was painful as hell to move, but he tried to sink back into the seat to escape the man’s penetrating stare.
Too bad he couldn’t hide behind Mason’s massive form, but it seemed the jaguar wasn’t going to let him hide. He kept leaning back just enough so the old man could see Ian.
Mason frowned at him when Ian kept fidgeting around. “Relax, Ian.”
If only he could relax. Deep down inside Ian was beating himself up for giving away their next location. He had to warn them, but Ian feared that Newman would somehow find out and kill him next time. The man had already tried to hold on to Ian as Ian began to slip from the dream. The talon scratches were still throbbing on his shoulder from Newman’s tight grip.
And Ian was still confused as hell about why Mason had bitten him. Didn’t the man know Ian hated to have anyone bite him? That should be so damn obvious by his addiction that a blind man could see his distaste for the act.
But as Ian came out of his sleeping state, he hadn’t fought Mason because the large man was biting him. No, Ian had been fighting Mason because it hadn’t repulsed him. It shouldn’t be that way. Ian should hate Mason for sinking his teeth into his neck.
But he didn’t. If anything, Ian wanted to curl into Mason’s side. The need baffled him. Just the thought of anyone touching him made Ian want to be sick.
But as he remembered the kiss they had shared, Ian wasn’t repulsed. His lips tingled as he thought about how soft Mason’s mouth had been against his. The jaguar had made something roar to life inside Ian.
He had gone so far as to offer himself to Mason. Thankfully, Mason had refused. Ian wasn’t sure why he had even done that. But then Mason had kissed him again in the truck right before it plummeted over the edge.
Ian was downright confused.
The man was tempting Ian, but he wasn’t sure for what. There was a wild, raw feeling fluttering inside of him, just like before, and Ian was hard pressed to put a name to it.
Those emotions scared him.
He didn’t have an appetite.
His sleep was visited by a monster.
Ian was so tired he wanted to fall over.
Yet, sitting next to Mason, Ian felt at ease.
What a weird damn feeling.
The elderly man glanced at Ian, and Ian quickly looked away. He watched Rick pull into what looked to be some kind of old plant instead. “Why are we here?” Ian asked.
“For you,” the elderly man replied.
Ian stiffened, which only made his entire body sizzle with pain. Mason glanced down at him and frowned. “Why are you moving? You shouldn’t be moving. Your entire body is covered in salve.”
Mason didn’t have to remind him. Ian felt every cut with intensity. “
Because he’s creepy
,” Ian mouthed.
Mason grinned and Ian felt those flutters start again. His cheeks heated, which only made him want to turn away, but he knew that if he moved, he would pay dearly with pain. He heard Mason give a low chuckle.
“Mason,” Rick said as he drove the Suburban into the dock area. “You’ll have to carry Ian inside.”
“The guy was serious?” Ian asked as he began to panic. “Why are we here, Mason? What does he plan on doing with me?” Ian didn’t like the ominous feeling he had when he looked up at the old plant. The windows were broken and the place looked more like a haunted factory. He swallowed hard as he glanced up at Mason. “Don’t make me go in there.”
Mason ran his knuckled down Ian’s cheek. “Calm down, Ian. I promise he won’t hurt you and I’ll explain everything inside.”
Ian was terrified.
“Friends, remember? I will protect you.” There was a hard glint in Mason’s eyes that Ian couldn’t help but believe. Mason spoke with such conviction.
Everyone exited the truck except Ian and Mason. Once the doors were closed Mason began talking. “We know about your dreams.”
Ian felt his stomach drop. “H–How?”
“Well, when I stood by the bed and watched your back being carved open, and no one was around, I knew something wasn’t right.”
Ian’s heart was beating frantically. “If Newman finds out you know, he might come after all of you.” This was a nightmare! Ian wanted to run away to keep everyone safe. Newman was his problem, even though Ian hadn’t a clue how to fight the man. It terrified him to think of Mason being hurt. The man was so strong, so powerful, but Ian doubted even Mason could fight Newman.
“Newman? Is that the name of the sick fuck that is hurting you?”
Ian eyelids fluttered wildly at the menace in Mason’s voice. He wasn’t sure he had ever heard Mason talk so…so…the man was scary when he was pissed. Except Ian didn’t think Mason was pissed at him.
Ian nodded slowly.
Mason’s lips firmed for a moment, a small tic pulsing in his clenched jaw before he spoke. “Well, Cheveyo is a dream walker of sorts. He is going to help you when you fall asleep.”
Ian grabbed Mason’s arm, pulling at it desperately, even though it cost him a great deal of pain to do so. “Please, Mason, please. I don’t want to fall asleep. He’s going to end up killing me!”
Mason placed his oversized hand on Ian’s. The look in the man’s light-blue eyes was soft, comforting. “Didn’t I promise you that friends stood by each other? I’m not going to just sit here and allow Newman to hurt you.”
Ian bit his lower lip and glanced away, knowing the truth. “You can’t stop him.”
“The hell I can’t.” Mason’s tone held a feral viciousness, but as much as Ian wished the man could help, he knew better. No one could help him. He had gotten himself into this mess four years ago, and it seemed the only way out of it was death.
Ian’s hand shook as he pulled it from Mason’s. “If Newman kills me, I just want you to know…” Ian glanced down at his knees. He couldn’t look Mason in the eyes when he said the next words. “I just want you to know that if my life had turned out differently, that if so many things hadn’t factored into where I am now, I would have loved for you to be my Master.”
There. He had said it. Because if Newman did kill him, Ian wanted the jaguar to know the level of trust he had placed with Mason. He shouldn’t have been able to trust anyone, but Ian had been drawn to the man ever since he stared at Ian in the back of that truck with the cop standing next to him.
Mason touched Ian’s chin with his fingers, tilting his face toward the man when Ian would have looked away, and then Mason kissed him without warning. He took his time, his soft lips pressing gently into Ian’s. Ian didn’t hesitate. He opened wide, whimpering for Mason to take more. If he was going to die, he at least wanted to take this kiss with him.
Mason ran the tips of his fingers over Ian’s face as the man’s tongue traced over Ian’s lips. A shockwave rippled through Ian’s body. He wasn’t sure what was happening to him, but it felt as though he was falling apart right there in Mason’s arms.
Ian was dazed when Mason pulled away. “I told you before, Ian, I’m not going to be your Master. But I will help guide you through life and always have your back, no matter what the circumstance.”
That was as solid a promise as Ian could hope for. He wasn’t sure what Mason had planned, but he prayed he lived long enough to find out.
“Now, let’s see if Cheveyo can help you with Newman.”
Ian chewed on his bottom lip as he glanced once more at the large and looming building. “I’m scared, Mason.”
“I know, but remember that it’s just a dream and the only way he can hurt you is if you believe what you are seeing and feeling is real.”
“Oh, it’s real.” Ian turned to look Mason in his light-blue eyes. “It’s very real. I tell myself over and over again that it’s just a dream and he can’t hurt me, but he does. It’s very real, Mason.”
He could see the realization dawn in Mason’s eyes. “Then we kill the bastard.”
“If only,” Ian said as Mason slid out, came around the truck, and then gently lifted Ian from the seat. His entire body was pulsing in pain, but Ian pushed the feeling aside as Mason walked them inside, knowing the true meaning of pain was waiting on him in his dreams.
Mason felt foolish as hell sitting there by a fire that was burning inside a small circle in an empty plant. Benito and Miguel had placed bricks in a circle and had gathered firewood. Thank fuck that every damn window in the place was broken, allowing for proper ventilation.