Unbound (37 page)

“I have no idea. I guess I better start thinking about that. Isn’t it coming up soon?”

“It’s only a month away,” Sarah put in, “I believe Chase and Samantha are working on the final details today. They’ve been getting very close and working together as a wonderful team to bring this gala together. Don’t you think so, Debbie? They will make a beautiful couple when they’re bonded.” She must have felt the need to remind her of his engagement. “She and Chase are attending the gala together. Do you have a date, Danielle?”

“I do.
Cayden and I are going together.” S
he plastered on a fake smile.

Debbie waved one of the shop girls over and said, “Could you please bring some gowns for our friend to try on?” She turned to Dani, “What size do you wear Danielle, a four maybe?”

“I wear a size six but you don’t have to do that. I was just passing.” Dani couldn’t afford to use the restroom in this boutique.

“Don’t be silly. Stay a while. It will be fun.” She patted Dani on shoulder and led her forward into the changing area.

An hour later, she was spinning in front of the mirror in a ruffled gown she would never wear in public and dancing a poorly performed waltz with JR. It was fun and she was glad she’d stayed. Sliding into the last dress the shop owner had brought her, she heard Sarah calling for JR.

“JR, where are you? Come out, now. Mommy isn’t in
the mood to play hide and seek,” s
he pleaded with the absent boy. Turning to admire the gown, she heard a shrill scream from Sarah. She was somewhere near the front of the store. Dani ran barefoot in the beautiful gown to see Sarah and Debbie standing on the sidewalk. Sarah was in full panic mode and Debbie crept forward with her hands up in a gesture that looked like she was trying to calm someone. Dani ran out the door, her heart in her throat, expecting to see JR injured. Her heart plummeted when the scene she came upon was far worse than she’d expected.

JR was outside and not injured, yet. He was in the back of a white van with the door open to the sidewalk. She wanted to vomit at the sight of her little brother wrapped up in the arms of the very same man that had attacked her in the club a few weeks back. She’d heard Cha
se say
his name was Nathan.

Nathan held a knife to JR’s throat with one hand, and held a syringe full of milky looking liquid pressed into his arm, with the other. Nathan’s arms were crossed tightly over the boy chest to hold him still. Dani stepped toward the van, but Debbie grabbed her arm.

“Don’t move, don’t even think! If I feel even a pinch this kid is getting an a
rmful!” Nathan was deadly calm
. “Your friend said you weren’t here but I’ve been watching since before you left that house by the park. It’s really not smart to broadcast the fact that you are unprotected, sweetheart. Not smart at all. You need to come with me, Danielle. You don’t want to have this boy’s blood on your hands do you?”

Sarah was hyperventilating.

“Let go of the boy and I will come with you,” Dani bargained. She knew full well that if she left with Nathan she wouldn’t be coming back alive. The evidence of that fact had been left in the form of a dead girl in her bed and the deaths of several other unfortunate young vampires.

“I’ve come face to face with your telekinetic freakdom once before. I won’t let him go until I’ve secured you and you’re unconscious. All I have to do is depress this plunger to kill him for sure at this dose. So I suggest you get your pretty ass over here because one of you is coming with me to my master. I can take you alive or I’ll take him and wait to see if he ever wakes again,” he threatened with a smile.

JR was crying and looking at her with a fear that raked her heart. “It’s alright, buddy. Don’t be afraid.” She tried to smile for him while slowly moving forward. She was trying to work out how to disable this asshole without hurting JR. She couldn’t let him be taken. If she couldn’t handle this safely, she’d have to surrender.

“Don’t play with me! If you try anything, I will kill him! I have nothing to lose and I will not fail again! My master demands you. I am gonna deliver, today. Get in the damn van and after you’re down, I’ll release the boy.” He tightened his grip on JR. A thin rivulet of blood ran down his throat where the blade was biting into his skin. He breathed hard and tears streamed down his round cheeks.

Debbie still held her arm in a death grip. She didn’t let go when Dani tried to go to the van. Sarah stepped up and knocked her hand off Dani’s arm.

“Let her go, Deborah!” Sarah hissed.

She couldn’t help smiling at the irony of the situation, “I thought you wanted me to let the men take care of things from now on, Sarah?” She got no response.

Dani yanked the delicate chain from her neck and handed the warrior pendant to Debbie. “Please give this to Cayden. Tell him I’m sorry. Make him understand this isn’t his fault. Tell him I wish I’d had the chance to see what we could have been together.” Slowly she turned and walked to the van. Encumbered by the gown she was wearing, Dani crept in slowly and the nightmare began. The two women outside looked on, holding their breath. JR continued to cry, blood trickling down his neck, and he tried to squirm away from the needle that was stinging his arm as she brushed him he looked up at her in horror. He didn’t want her to go. He didn’t want her to sacrifice herself for him and it was plain in his sweet face. He was such a brave boy.

“Face down on the floor, hands crossed behind your back!” Nathan barked.

“It’s going to be alright, JR. He isn’t going to hurt you, honey. Don’t worry about me, okay?” She soothed the whimpering child and complied with Nathan’s orders.

“Shut up and don’t move!” Nathan bellowed just before she felt the sharp stab and burning in her thigh. It was the syringe. He had drugged her again but this was different. She slipped away instantly. There would be no defending herself this time.

* * *

“Sarah, calm down. I can’t understand you.” Griffin strode off the elevator outside of Chase’s penthouse and knocked on the door. He had come to check on Danielle Scott. He’d been doing this frequently. Maybe too frequently, but she seemed to have a pull on everyone she came in contact with, including him. Griffin was fascinated by her abilities and felt a kinship to her he couldn’t explain. Maybe it was the hair. He knew how tough it was growing up with that curse, but Danielle wore it beautifully.  Chase opened the door looking less than happy to see him. Cayden was pacing a hole in the carpet of the living room.

“Put Debbie on the phone. I have no idea what you’re trying to tell me.” Chase stepped back to admit him.

“What the hell is going on, Deb?” Griffin had the attention of Chase and Cayden. They both looked like they’d been waiting for trouble and it had just arrived. Debbie was giving him the rundown of the events that had just elapsed. “How is he? Dear God, how could this happen? How did he disable her? She’s very capable of self-defense.” Griffin eyed Cayden in anger and listened to Debbie’s explanation. “I understand. All three of you need to get to Chase’s place right now. I’ll c
all Doc Stevens. Give me the license plate number.
” Griffin motioned for something to write on. “Alright, get moving. I’ll send Cayden to meet you. You’re right around the corner. See you in a few.” He hung up and stood
there fuming for a few seconds. He looked back and forth between Cayden and Chase.
“If you two are the future of our race, I’m afraid we’re doomed. Where do you
think Danielle is right now?” H
e waited a moment. “No, don’t guess
you do
. Let me tell you. She gave herself up
to a mad man
in exchange for the life of my son. I’m sure she’ll be drained of her blood in short order.”

All the air was sucked from the room. Cayden went down on his knees. Hot tears, sorrow, and guilt flooded him. Chase fell back into the chair behind him, holding his chest as if he had just been stabbed. He spent a moment trying to breathe. It was silent in the room as the three men contemplated the loss of the girl they’d only just found and couldn’t do without.

Chase spoke up first. “It’s my fault, Mr. Vaughn. I told Cayden he could go home last night. I was ca
ring for Danielle. This morning
Samantha showed up here instead of meeting me at the caterers. Danielle and I were eating breakfast and Samantha went nuts. She insulted her and embarrassed me in front of my guest. Danielle excused herself to go to her room and I took Sam into the other room to calm her down. When I came back to check on her she was gone. She left a note that said she had gone hunting. I think she was trying to escape the nasty scene.” Chase held his head in his hands and rested his elbows on his knees. Griffin could see tears dropping to the floor.

“Did anyone think to go look for her?” Griffin asked.

“I searched the area. Chase stayed here in case she came back. Her phone was turned off but she turned it on long enough to text me that she was fine and would be home soon. So,
I returned to wait for her here,” Cayden explained on
a
choked
sob.

“Both of you call your fathers and tell them that Danielle has been abducted. She traded herself for my son, who needs medical attention, so I’m calling Doc. Cayden get yourself together and go meet Sarah and Debbie at the dress shop on 5th Avenue off Main Street and escort them back here. Sarah can fill you in on the way back. Go, now.” Griffin walked into Danielle’s room and shut the door for privacy while he dialed the Doc.

In her room, he was overwhelmed by the memory of his first love. The scent of her lingered here in this space. He had noticed it several times before. The similarity Danielle’s scent bore to Tessa’s was staggering to him. From time to time, Griffin could swear Tessa was still out there somewhere. He could still feel her, but he dismissed it as wishful thinking and his deep love for her creeping up on him again, but this was unreal. He had to look around the room. After he had lost Tessa and Soleil, the agony was too much to bear. Suddenly, he completely understood why his sister had killed herself when Mason’s brother, her secret mate, was murdered. The pain was like losing your soul. It was like losing the part of you that made you alive. It was like not having oxygen to breathe but living to suffer in its absence. He bonded again immediately in an effort stop the pain, but it was still there in the background. His bond to Sarah had never been the overwhelming love he hoped would wash away the pain. He felt her loss every day in a whisper from a far off place that said, “I’m here and I still love you.”

He was frozen in the past when Doc answered his call. “Hello? Hello, are you there, Griffin?”

“Yes, I’m here. JR has been injured in an abduction attempt. I need you to come to Chase Deidrick’s place to have a look at him. When can you be here?”

He confirmed Doc was on the way before hanging up. Griffin sank heavily onto Danielle’s bed. He shut his eyes and reveled in the scent and memories of the human woman who’d stolen
his heart all those years ago, t
he woman who still owned his soul.

* * *

Cayden sat in silence at Chase’s dining room table with his head down. He fought the cold pain in his chest and tears threatening to shatter his tough guy image. As soon as the call went out that Dani had been taken, all the warriors fanned out across the city to look for the van that had been used. It had been reported stolen so the human police were also looking for the vehicle. The human police scanners were being monitored from the
Enclave
. Mason and Griffin were grimly discussing defense strategies for dealing with the attack that they could expect from whoever would be taking Danielle’s li
fe
and power tonight. How do you defend against someone that can put you down before you even see them coming? How could you defend against someone that can disable an entire Wrath team at once with just a thought? How could you defend against someone that could read your memories and steal your defense strategies?

Cayden couldn’t even begin to pay attention to them or help plan the next move. His future had just disappeared. She was stolen in broad daylight, off the street. He should never have trusted Chase to protect her. Chase couldn’t even protect her from his fiancée. Chase had shut himself in his bedroom. He blamed himself for Danielle's disappearance and he should. Chase had dreams of a future with Dani, also. He’d done all he could to convince his father to break his engagement with Samantha. The reuniting of the Deidrick and Vaughn houses was more important to his father than his crush on a hot girl. That hadn’t stopped Chase from taking every chance he got to get close to her again. But that was all over now.

Debbie entered the dining room with a bag from the dress shop, “Griffin, do you know how to reach Danielle’s next of kin? We should notify them and send her belongings.” Cayden lifted his head for this conversation.

“Actually, she has no family. There is no next of kin for us to call, unfortunately. Nobody o
ut there will be missing her or
wonder
ing
where she is tonight,
” Griffin replied sadly. Chase finally emerged from his room to stand in the doorway.

“I guess we should give her things to Cayden then?” she walked to the end of the table and sat the bag in front of Cayden. She patted him on the back.