Savage Betrayal: Savage, Book 2 (31 page)

But he’d figure out how this had happened. Once he had Grace safely back, he’d be doing some digging on his supposed first mate.

“So where are they heading now?” Donovan asked as he drove the van off the ferryboat.

Darrius glanced down. “It shows Port Angeles. You know the way?”

“I’ve been there a few times.” Donovan tapped his hands on the steering wheel. “I like the peninsula. It’s nice. Got trees and shit.”

Darrius couldn’t even crack a smile at his friend’s somewhat derisory, yet amusing, description of nature.

Donovan glanced in the rearview mirror. “Looks like Yorioka and Larson are still behind us.”

A thought slid through Darrius’s mind. “You ever have any reason not to trust Yorioka?”

“What the fuck? No. Yorioka is cool. Where’d that question come from?”

“Grace was a little uneasy about her.”

“Hmm. I can see that. Yorioka isn’t exactly giving off the warm and fuzzies to Masterson. But she doesn’t trust her.”

“That’s pretty much what I said.” Darrius closed his eyes for a moment.

Where are you, Grace. Can you sense me
?

He tried to lock on her mind again, but the sensation was so new. It was like trying to lock a butterfly in the crosshair of a rifle. He’d have her thoughts one second, and then they’d be gone.

And trying to see through her eyes at what she was looking at wasn’t giving up much, because the bastard had obviously tied her up or something, and her current view was mostly the darkness of the floor and dashboard—not out the window.

This shit was hard. Had he ever been able to do this with Jenny? Had he ever tried? Connecting mentally with Grace would mean he had a better chance at rescuing her quicker.

If he could only—

The view through Grace’s eyes changed. The dashboard disappeared and then it seemed as if she were being moved out of the vehicle because he saw the night sky and streetlights. It was almost as if she were unconscious, because she didn’t move. But her mind was alert, he’d heard her occasional thoughts, which left the possibility of her being hurt. Or paralyzed.

His heart pounded and he tried to not to think about the second possibility. He just let himself continue to see through Grace’s eyes.

But if Grace was aware of him in her head, she didn’t show any sign of it.

“They’re changing cars.”

“What?”

Donovan’s sharp response made Darrius realize he’d said the words aloud.

“Whose changed cars, Hilliard?”

Darrius didn’t answer, couldn’t reply as he tried not to break the connection between him and Grace.

“Hang on.”

I can see you, sugar. Where is he taking you?

And then he saw the sign. Literally as the car’s headlights reflected upon it.

“Hurricane Ridge.” He opened his eyes again and glanced at Donovan.

There was comprehension in his friend’s eyes, and disbelief. “I don’t fucking believe it. You’re in her head. You mated with her.”

Of course Donovan would realize it. He had to have realized it the moment Darrius had gone silent and started spouting off details as if the tracking device were on Grace herself.

“Yes.”

Donovan’s brows shot sky high. “How in the
hell
did that happen?”

“Besides the obvious?” Darrius gave a stiff shrug. “I have no fucking idea.”

“I thought you already mated once.”

“I did. Hell, I just don’t know, Donovan. This is all a complete mind fuck to me too, but can we just focus on finding Grace and her sister?”

“Yeah, of course.” Donovan grunted. “Grace is your damn mate now, it makes a helluva lot more sense why you look ready to go on a murderous rampage.”

And he likely would if he got the change.

“I’m happy for you, Darrius. Sienna was right—you’re good for each other.”

Maybe. But did Grace even want him? Want a mate at this time in her life? The way she’d run after he’d claimed her sure wasn’t a good sign.

“So Hurricane Ridge you say?”

Darrius nodded. “If you trust me, yeah.”

“Put a call in to Larson and tell him the change in plans. I trust you. And I trust your connection.” He paused. “I’ve been in your shoes, Hilliard. Pretty similar situation with Sienna, which you remember. That connection between us saved her life.”

Darrius couldn’t resist a small smile, and saying, “I think she saved her own life, actually.”

“Hell yeah she did.” Pride flickered across Donovan’s face. “My woman can kick some serious ass when need be.”

So can mine.
But why wasn’t she moving? There had to be a reason she wasn’t fighting back…

Chapter Twenty-One

Whatever he’d injected into her must be starting to wear off.

Grace tried not to show any indication she was getting feeling back, but the tingling that was rocking her nerves right now was painful. She’d first noticed it when they’d switched cars and Andrew had carried her, and then Aubree to a bigger SUV.

Was Aubree recovering just as well? She wished she could give herself away and turn her head to the backseat where he’d placed her.

Her sister hadn’t gone easily with Andrew. The moment he’d shot Terrance and grabbed her, she’d fought like a crazed animal. Scratching his face and managing to nearly get away to Terrance’s parents, who were trying to get to her.

Until Andrew had sunk the same needle into her neck and it had all been over. Aubree had collapsed into his waiting arms, and he’d forced her into the backseat.

Why had he taken them? The question had spun endlessly in her mind like a hamster on a wheel. It just didn’t make sense, and unfortunately she couldn’t speak and ask him what the hell he was thinking.

Was Jocelyn behind this? How could she not be? The only thing Andrew had tipped his hat at was letting on that he knew about Aubree’s pregnancy, but he hadn’t spoken to either of them since giving them the injections.

At least he’d propped her up somewhat this time, and she could see out the window. After seeing the sign, she had a fair idea where they were going and it sent waves of nausea through her.

Hurricane Ridge.

A lovely vista nestled in the Olympic Mountains. Tourists loved it and locals loved to ski it in the winter. But to her it would always be the place her parents had died.

She’d never gone back. Even though she loved hiking and exploring the Pacific Northwest, Hurricane Ridge was the one popular destination she avoided.

And as they continued to climb in elevation and wind through the dark, two-lane mountain road, her panic rose. She struggled to keep her breathing even while inside she was screaming.

As they climbed higher the headlights started to reflect snow on the road. But Andrew must’ve been prepared for it, because the tires on the SUV were studded.

All too soon Andrew pulled into a parking spot and turned off the car.

“How are you gals doing?”

When he turned to face her, a wide grin on his face, Grace just barely resisted the urge to slam her fist into it.

“The drug should be wearing off by now. You can talk.”

She didn’t reply, refusing to play his little game. Was Darrius aware they were missing? Surely Terrance and his parents had called someone at the P.I.A.

A thought slammed into her, and she struggled to breathe. She was mated with Darrius. That meant something. Huge. She’d always heard that once you were mated there was some kind of mental connection that could be developed.

Was it working? Had Darrius been able to hear her thoughts? Would he know where she was?

She closed her eyes—desperate to locate him in her head.

Darrius.
She sent out a mental beacon, searching her mind for any trace he might be there.

And then she felt it. A warm light slid through her mind before she heard her name on his lips. Then his voice came soft and steady in her head, telling her to be calm. To wait for them and that help was on the way.

“Don’t want to talk? Fine. We’ll see how long that lasts.” Andrew jerked her from the car.

Her delicate connection with Darrius was severed as she was flung to the ground. She landed on her hands and knees, the rocks and ice stinging as they bit into her palms. She sucked in the icy mountain air and tried to orientate herself.

The moon was out and it reflected off the snow, giving her more visibility than she could’ve hoped for. They were at the visitor center—which was dark and obviously closed. How had they even gotten up here? Weren’t there security points at the bottom of the road? At this time of night the park would’ve been closed.

“It was you,” she accused, glaring at him. “It was always you. Trying to run me down in the street, slashing Aubree’s tires, the bar attack?”

He grinned. “Borrowed the van from my mom—we’ve got a big family. Figured you wouldn’t recognize me as easily.”

“But you always recognized
me
. Like that day I showed up at Jocelyn’s condo and you’d asked if we’d met? You knew.”

“Yeah, I knew. You made some bad joke about screwing me in a nightclub bathroom. Which would’ve been kind of hot.” He bit his lip and gave a suggestive nod. “I’ve never forgotten you. Or your sister.”

Andrew turned and returned to the car, and her sister made a pained whimper as he plucked her from the backseat.

“Damn, I do believe I’ve missed you, beautiful.” He pulled her against him and pressed a hard kiss to her lips.

A growl of rage rose from Grace’s throat and she started to rise, but her sister didn’t need her defense. Not yet anyway. Aubree slapped the smirk off of Andrew’s face and pulled away.

All she needed was a second and she could shift and tear his throat out. Her nails started to lengthen and she felt the wolf in her rise to the surface. And then she saw the gun in his hand, and even though he was watching Grace, it was trained on her sister.

Grace stood up, careful not to make any sudden moves. “Why did you take us?”

He gave her a bland glance. “Aubree was an afterthought, I admit. Once I heard she was pregnant I realized the right thing to do would be to mate with her.”

“I’d rather mate with a cow!” Aubree screamed.

Andrew gave a small laugh and cast a fond look her sister’s way. “You’re going to be so much fun to tame.”

It would never happen. Never. Grace would see him dead if he so much as leaned toward her neck.

“But, Grace, you’ve been in the works for almost a week now. Ever since I figured it out.”

“Figured what out?”

“What happened here fifteen years ago.” He gestured widely at the hills around them. “Come on, some of it has to still be there in that sharp little brain of yours.”

Icy shivers of premonition trailed down Grace’s spine. Fifteen years ago her parents had been killed here. How could that possibly be of any interest to him?

“What are you talking about?”

“I suppose I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me back up a little.” He paced in the snowy parking lot, his feet crunching on the ground. “So I’m sure by now you’ve realized that Thom Wilson was given some kind of drug that convinced him to off himself, right?”

Rage slammed into her, hard and violently, blinding her with red, and she automatically lunged forward with a growl. But he was next to her in an instant, pressing the gun to her head.

“Keep your inner bitch restrained. Or I’ll personally silence it.”

And he would, she didn’t doubt him for a second. The light from the moon reflected off his eyes and the glassiness to them and dilated pupils made her wonder if he was on something.

He sure wasn’t acting rationally. She might’ve tried to take him down anyway, but if something happened to her it would mean she was leaving Aubree alone with him. It was a risk she couldn’t take.

Come on, Darrius, get here fast.
She sent out the mental plea but kept her hard gaze on Andrew.

“You know, let’s go for a walk.” He caught her arm and walked to Aubree, grabbing her as well. “Follow me, ladies.”

Grace followed, for now. He was so young and cocky. Stupid. He’d let his guard down and when he did, she’d be ready to make him regret it.

“What did Thom Wilson do that was so awful? Why kill only him and not the rest of the survivors of the experiments?”

“It actually had nothing to do with the experiments. Thom came to see us—or he came to see Jocelyn, but I was there. He was going to blackmail her with some dirt he’d dug up on her. I couldn’t let him do that. Somehow she’d become my world.”

“Oh, how fucking touching. Really. Excuse me while I puke,” she ground out, not bothering to veil her sarcasm. “What kind of dirt did Thom have on her?”

“That she was a murderer.”

It was the same thing Thom had said in his email, but what did it mean? And if Andrew was confessing all this to her, obviously he wasn’t going to allow her to leave alive today. Or he intended to memory-wipe her.

The realization sent panic through her, but she fought it. She had to stay calm for Aubree. She kept her expression blank as they trudged up the snowy trail in the semi-darkness.