He couldn’t leave a trail of breadcrumbs, or a rope leading back to where he came from. Instead he counted his steps, marking it down in a small notebook he shoved into his back pocket on his way out the door. It wasn’t the best way of keeping track of where he had come from, but there were few options. If he had to run back the way he came, he’d be out of luck.
He could either continue on or turn back. Rather than admit he’d failed, he continued forward. Following the most likely route Shadow mapped, he carefully kept track of how he’d come, the steps and direction of his movements.
His cell phone vibrated and mentally he cursed Ty. This was not the time. According to Shadow’s notes there were only another seventy-five feet separating him from what should be the entrance to Avery’s compound. He thought about ignoring it but when it vibrated again he snatched off his belt and read the text message.
Get out! Get to your SUV now! Call when you get there.
Chapter Two
He climbed into his SUV and started it up. It had only been thirty-seven minutes since he’d spoken with Ty, meaning whatever happened since their call had to be serious for him to interrupt.
“Are you somewhere safe?” Ty asked, answering his phone.
“I’m sitting in my damn SUV. What the hell is going on?”
“Drive,” Ty ordered before yelling something to someone in the background. “There’s an abandoned Mexican restaurant a mile up the road, head there. We’re coming to you.”
“Ty…”
“We’ve got to go after Avery now.” Doors slammed and tires squealed.
He threw the SUV into drive and pulled out. He knew the restaurant Ty mentioned. It was where they had planned to meet if Avery wouldn’t come out of the resort.
“What the hell is going on?”
“He’s torturing someone. We can’t let this go on any longer.”
Growling, Jinx slammed his foot on the break. He couldn’t just leave when someone was being hurt. Damn Ty, he’d been right there, he could have stopped it. “I’m going back.”
“The hell you are! The rest of your gear is in the back of my SUV. Now meet us there, we’ll gear up and storm the place. You go off half-cocked and you’ll get yourself killed.”
Ty’s warning was logical, and without the rest of the gear he didn’t stand a chance. Two handguns and a knife wouldn’t get him out of there alive, not with over fifty members to back Avery. As it was, they’d already be outnumbered even if Ty and the rest of the Alaskan Tigers that had made the journey to Texas were there to back him. They were counting on the Texas Tigers being so browbeaten by Avery they wouldn’t be much contest. Tex also mentioned that no members other than the guards were trained in battle, and there were only nine guards now that Tex was on their side.
Avery and nine guards against Jinx, Ty, Taber, Tad, Milo, and Styx. If anyone could survive this mission, the six of them could. They were some of the best warriors of the clan, while the rest stayed at the compound to protect Tabitha, Bethany, and the others. They had a good chance, but only if Jinx didn’t rush in like a tiger in a china shop and alert Avery before the rest were ready.
“Jinx?”
“Damn it. I’ll be there.” He took his foot off the brake and slammed it down on the gas. “How did you come about this information?”
“When I called Avery I could hear the woman scream in the background. She’s being tortured because we haven’t returned Tex.” The anger heated Ty’s voice. “He sent pictures as evidence, with a promise he’d continue through the women of his clan until Tex was returned.”
Hearing it was a woman almost had him turning around. Women were cherished, protected, they were not used as torture objects to get someone to return to the clan.
“It was Tex’s decision.”
“That’s not how Avery sees it. To him his members are just extensions of him, property, having no life of their own and no choice.” The squeal of tires echoed through the line again before Ty’s voice came back. “We’re just down the road. Should be there in five minutes if Styx’s driving doesn’t get us killed first. Where are you?”
“Pulling into the parking lot now.” He slammed the SUV into park and got out. “Tell him to hurry up.”
“Hurry up? Are you insane? I thought he was going to roll this SUV twice now. If we’re wrapped around a telephone pole we’ll be no use to her or anyone else under Avery’s thumb.” Ty ended the call before Jinx could say anything in return.
He stood in the parking lot rolling his shoulders. The anxiety of an upcoming fight had him on edge. Tigers lived for the thrill of the hunt and shifters were no different. Their beasts still wanted the thrill, but this was more than that. He wanted to tear Avery limb from limb for what he was doing. Before arriving in Texas he knew Avery had to be taken down, but now it was personal.