Dark Wolf Unbound (Heart of the Shifter #2)(29)

Jace's fingers dug into her shoulders just enough to let her know how  difficult it was for his wolf to allow her to lift her shirt in front of  another man, but he didn't try to stop her. Or maybe the tightening of  his grip was because he knew how hard it was for her to show her damaged  body to someone else, and he was supporting her. Maybe a little of  both. "He doesn't get to do it to anyone again," Jace said, his voice as  hard as Roarke's. "It ends now."

Roarke met his gaze, and nodded, a silent communication between the two shifters.

Drake moved closer, standing beside Savannah's side of the couch. His  movement was subtle, barely noticeable, except that Abby knew he was now  within reach to act if anything went south. Unlike Jace and Roarke, who  emanated power and dominance, Drake was like a quiet, dangerous  predator lurking in the shadows. Unnoticed, unheralded, undemanding, and  yet, equally dangerous. He was understated and quiet, saying only what  needed to be said, the champion who would lurk silently in the shadows  until he erupted from the darkness to take down the enemy. "Savannah and  Roarke saw Seth at Lucius's place."

Abby tensed at Drake's words. The blood seemed to drain from her body,  and her legs gave out. She fell to her knees in front of Roarke and  Savannah, her heart suddenly thundering. "Seth? You saw my nephew?"

Savannah glanced at Drake, as if looking to him for reassurance. At his  nod, she turned back to Abby. "Not too long ago, Lucius brought a young  boy to the same place he was holding me. He put the boy in my cell, and  told me to take care of him."

Jace sat on the coffee table, his knees on either side of Abby's hips, his hands on her shoulders. "Describe the boy."

"Dark brown hair. Bright blue eyes." Savannah's face was etched with  sympathy. "He never said a word to me, but I tried my best to help him.  He slept on the cot with me, and I shared my food with him."                       
       
           



       

"But he was okay? He wasn't hurt?"

She shook her head. "No, he didn't seem to be, but he was so quiet. Too  quiet. When Roarke came to rescue me, he tried to get the boy, but  Lucius attacked him. He couldn't, I tried-" Savannah sighed. "I'm so  sorry, Abby. We couldn't get him out. Roarke was barely conscious.  Lucius was hunting us. I just-"

Abby nodded, blinking back tears. "It's okay. I understand." She wrapped  her arms around her waist, nearly staggered by the news that Seth had  been with someone kind all this time, that he'd been taken care of, that  he was, as of a few days ago, okay. But now Savannah was gone, and he  was alone with Lucius. A tear trickled down her cheek. "He's survived  this long," she whispered. "He can make it another day, right? Until we  get there?"

"Of course." Jace wrapped his arm around her, drawing her back against  him. "Savannah, could you find your way back to that place?"

Abby's heart leapt at his question. Would it be that easy? Could  Savannah and Roarke direct them to Seth? She leaned forward, searching  Savannah's face, hope hovering in abeyance, so fragile and desperate.

Savannah paled, but she nodded. "Yes, of course."

Elation leapt through Abby. "Really? I-"

Roarke's eyes snapped open. "She's not going back." His voice was low,  but unyielding, cutting ruthlessly through Abby's rush of hope. He was  so angry that Abby half-expected him to rise off the couch in defense of  his sister, despite the fact he was barely alive.

"No, of course not," Jace agreed easily, setting his hand on Abby's arm to steady her. "But can you tell us where it is?"

Savannah shook her head. "It was in the middle of the woods. I can't describe it, but I could find my way-"

"No!" Roarke struggled to sit up, sweat beading on his brow as he  swayed. "Jesus, Savannah, that's how they got you last time, trying to  be a hero."

"I won't let her go, Roarke." Drake interrupted.

Roarke glanced up at Drake, searching his face. After a moment, he  appeared reassured, because he nodded, and slumped back to the couch. He  closed his eyes, his breathing shallow and weak. Abby knew how  dangerously close to the edge he was. It had taken weeks under Kiernan's  care before she'd been sure she was going to live. Roarke had had only  twelve hours of healing, and his injuries appeared to have been as  severe as hers, if not worse.

Savannah glared at both of the shifters, then looked at Abby. I'll go with you, she mouthed.

"I heard that." Roarke hadn't even opened his eyes.

Savannah rolled her eyes, and Abby couldn't help but laugh in  commiseration. Shifters were very difficult to outsmart, no matter how  close to death they were. "I'm not going to let Seth stay there,  Roarke," Savannah said. "It's not your right to decide who lives and who  dies."

The affection in Savannah's voice when she spoke of Seth drew Abby's  notice. During their time together, a real bond had built between  Savannah and Seth. How had Lucius let that happen? Why-

Oh, no. She knew why. With a sinking feeling, she looked over her  shoulder at Jace. "He was going to have Seth kill her after he'd bonded  with her. Forcing Seth to kill someone who'd nurtured him would be  devastating to him. He would never recover from that."

Savannah looked at her sharply. "What are you talking about? He was  going to have Seth kill me? Never. He is a sweet boy. And he's four.  There's no way he could kill me."

"Not until he hears my damned song." Anger rushed through Abby, chased  by disgust at what she'd allowed herself to become. How had she stood  back for so long and let her voice destroy so many? Just because she'd  been afraid. Screw fear. No more. "What a bastard!" She stood up,  furious. The fear of Lucius was gone, replaced by a fierce revulsion for  everything he was. It ended now. Now. "We have to go, Jace. Seth's  birthday is in thirty-six hours."

"I know." Jace held out his hand, his voice steady and calm. "We will. Come here. We still need to figure out logistics."

She knew he was right, but she was too agitated to stay still. "I can't  sit." She strode away from him, toward Kiernan, who was still pacing on  the far side of the room. He was tense and restless, his muscles  rippling as he walked. He was still in human form, but there was a  predatory nature to his movements that meant that his wolf was close to  the surface. "Kiernan? Are you okay?"

He looked over at her, and she froze. His eyes had gone wolf, a haunting  silver she'd never seen before. "They're close," he said.

"Who?"

"Lucius. They're hunting you. I can feel his urgency."                       
       
           



       

Abby tensed, glancing up at the ceiling. "Are they up there?"

"They never left. They're trying to get through." Kiernan's voice was  low. "My safeguards will hold for now, but the threat is high. My wolf  is close to the surface. I'm not sure how long I can hold it back."

Kiernan never shifted. Ever. Something had happened to him a long time  ago, something horrible, and he'd never shifted since. She didn't know  what it was, or what would happen if he shifted, but she knew it would  be bad. "What can we do?"

He met her gaze. "They're here for you. You need to leave soon."

Her mouth dropped open. This was the shifter who had stayed up for weeks  without sleep to heal her. He'd been her rock, the only lifeline that  had kept her alive. To have him kicking her out was like being gut  punched. "If I go out there-"

"I know. He's waiting for you," Kiernan said, regret heavy in his voice. "He's in the house. He's ready."

Jace walked up beside her. "How else can we get out of here, besides  going through the house?" He sounded completely calm, as if being forced  into the jaws of a waiting psychopath was an everyday occurrence. It  was aggravating, but at the same time, his calmness seemed to weave a  protective shield around her that enabled her to think.

Kiernan looked at him, assessing him. "There is a way," he said.

"What is it?"

Kiernan ignored him. Instead, his gaze settled on Abby. "My sweet girl,"  he said softly, regret in his eyes. "You have a beautiful spirit." He  touched her cheek. "Your energy is a rare gift. I wish you life, not  death, but your enemy is relentless. He won't let you go. I can feel the  depravity of his need for you."

Jace put his arm around her, pulling her away from Kiernan. "How do we get out?" he repeated.

Kiernan dropped his hand, his gaze settling on Jace. "You're not ready. I'm not releasing you."