Hunted

Chapter 27

Moira sent out a shrieking call for help ... bellowing Conn’s name. Focus. She needed to focus to save Cara. Grabbing a pillow, she flung it into the abyss. Male laughter, deep and long, came back.

Moira pivoted, bunching to tackle Cara to the ground. A roaring surrounded her, surrounded them, enclosing them in a gust of energy.

Everything went black.

Silence slammed noise down.

Pain ripped into Moira’s nerve endings.

The force would kill them both. Drawing inward, Moira focused power to spiral through her body. A powerful group of protective cells gathered in her imagination, and she projected an umbrella of safety outward, hoping she caught Cara in the net. Her energy would combat the invisible knives trying to rip them apart.

Claustrophobia trapped panic in her throat. Nothingness replaced the dark. Was she in a vacuum? Where was Cara? God. The baby.

She tried to reach out. She tried to scream.

Nothing.

Sound returned first. Too loud, too harsh. A male voice roared in triumph. A female murmured at a softer frequency. Light zipped back with agonizing sharpness—too fast and too much.

As if her brain was a motherboard under electrical attack, it shut down. A zap echoed between her ears.

Peace swallowed her in gentle darkness.

Conn reached the door in unison with Talen, both throwing shoulders into the sealed barrier. Shards flew as the metal crashed in, bouncing off a table and knocking three potted plants to the ground. Dirt spilled across the floor, mingling with broken glass, pillow stuffing, and papers.

Talen ran through the destroyed living room toward the bedroom, bellowing his mate’s name.

Conn surveyed the damage, his heartbeat roaring in his ears. He lifted his nose to sniff. No blood. He didn’t smell blood. How had they found Moira?

Talen rushed out of the bedroom, his eyes an angry green lacking any gold. “What happened? How in the hell did they find us? Who the hell took them?” Raw fury coated his face.

Dage ran into the room. “Chalton put a call in to Moira from Kell. We’re trying to reach him now.”

Conn turned almost in slow motion to face his brother. “Moira cried out for help at the last second.” The terror-filled shriek filling his head had nearly dropped him to the ground.

Dage lifted an eyebrow, sliding a cell phone to his ear. “Kell. It’s Dage. Moira and Cara were just ripped out of our headquarters.” His jaw tightened as he listened. “How?” His voice dropped further. “Apparently when you called in, you were hijacked.”

Words were spoken on the other end.

“I don’t know how. But make no mistake. If we don’t find them, I’m coming after you.” He listened, then blinked hard. “Okay. You have an hour to locate them. This is witchcraft ... you figure it out.”

The phone clicked shut. “Brenna was taken last night. That’s why he called Moira.”

Conn fought the beast inside to remain calm. He needed to plan. “Okay. If they were teleported out of here, whoever was pulling strings had to be certain of their location, right?”

Dage nodded. “Without a doubt. I can only teleport to a location, so if I’m seeking someone, I have to know where they are. This new ability to teleport people against their will has to work the same way. You just can’t find people in the universe. It’s the location. Somehow, this asshole found ours.”

“Kell’s transmission.” Talen leaned down to rescue a potted fern, placing the plant on the sofa table before striding toward the door. “Let’s suit up.”

Moira stretched awake, an odd ringing in her ears. Memories crashed in and she shot to her feet. Pain slashed into her head. She closed her eyes in protest. Swaying, she pressed both palms against her temples. She would not throw up.

Silence echoed around her. The musky scent of earth filled her nostrils. Slowly, she opened her eyes.

Metal bars came into view.

And an empty room beyond.

Fuzzy. The world was fuzzy. In confusion, she surveyed the cell, glancing behind her. “Cara!” Moira darted forward, reaching the bed and the unconscious woman. She pushed hair off Cara’s forehead. The woman was too pale. The baby was too still.

They needed to get out of there. She glanced around. Metal bars evenly spaced lined the twenty-by-thirty cell containing a bed with what appeared to be an attached bath. The outside room was about the same size. The floor was concrete and a dark rock made up the walls. A basement of some sort.

She focused on the bars, seeing the subatomic particles, imagining them altering.

Nothing happened. The particles remained in solid state.

Damn it. Transporting had diminished her strength. But maybe she had enough left for an inquiry spell not requiring the manipulation of particles. A force had pulled them through. She might be able to determine who’d taken them by doing a simple analysis of the energy.

Visualizing the energy signature, she spread her palms out toward the far wall. Oxygen swirled into wind. The individual energy molecules sparked gold. She panted, fighting to keep the spell going. The effort weighed down her arms. Digging deep, struggling to keep focus, she forced the molecules into the shape of a man. His face flashed, then disappeared.

“Trevan?” Her arms dropped to her sides. Son of a bitch. She’d seen Trevan’s face.

The outside door opened. “You called my name?” The witch strolled into the room, a smile on his intelligent face.

“You heard me?” She’d barely whispered it.

“Sure. The room has microphones that transmit outside. Just in case. Very impressive spell you just managed to concoct.” He tilted his head toward Cara. “I think she’s all right. You even kept her safe through the transport. Nicely done, Seventh.”

The approval in his voice made her gag. “If you’ve harmed her, there’s not a place on earth you’ll be able to hide from Talen Kayrs.” Moira faced him squarely.

Trevan lifted a shoulder. “I’d worry more about yourself, were I you.”

“You’re right. I’ll be the one to kill you.”

He leaned against the far wall, a smile on his face, flashing an onyx ring as he gestured. “I knew you’d be the one. That you’d survive.”

His words entered her brain as if traveling through cotton.

She shook her head against the fuzziness. Cara needed help. Moira focused again on the bars, throwing all her energy into altering them.

Nothing happened.

“The revealing spell you just did will be your last. Frankly, I’m not sure how you pulled that off.” Trevan wiped invisible dirt off his black silk shirt. “The walls are phanakite.”

Dread caught her breath in her throat, but she kept her face placid. “That’s fitting.” Phanakite was a rare mineral deriving its name from the Greek word deceiver since it was often mistaken for quartz. The hard mineral also rendered quantum physics manipulation impossible. A fact her people had managed to keep secret from the rest of the world for the past thousands of years. “You planned ahead, Councilman Demidov.”

“Yes, I did.” He gave an exaggerated sigh. “Though you almost hijacked my shipment in New York. Shame on you, Seventh.”

His intelligence had turned to pure arrogance. Nobody had seen it coming.

“So it was you mining in Russia, not the demons. Then you shipped it here.” Calling him a traitor wasn’t bad enough. There had to be a more insulting word.

“Yes. You wouldn’t believe how difficult it was to get to the mineral—old Viv did a great job eons ago burying those mines. But ... I’m better than she is.” He rubbed his shoulder, the arrogance settling hard on his face. “I had hoped to use the phanakite to get cooperation from the council members. Unfortunately, you’re the first to survive the journey through dimensions.”

Pain exploded in her solar plexus. The missing council members were dead? “You killed them?”

“No.” He pushed away from the wall like a graceful puma. “Their lack of skill killed them. They could’ve survived transporting, but they didn’t.”

Fear squeezed her lungs. Oh God. “Brenna?” Moira rushed forward, wrapping her fingers around the cold metal. Her sister couldn’t be dead. Kell said someone had taken her, not that she had been transported.

Trevan’s smile belonged on an anaconda. “Sweet little Brenna. So sad.” Manicured fingers tapped in numbers on a mounted security pad. Locks disengaged with smooth rolling plunks. The door of the outside room opened, and he swept through.

The bolts reengaged ... slamming home with finality.

Every cell in Moira’s body froze. Brenna was alive. She had to be. Her disappearance didn’t match the pattern of missing Coven Nine members. Trevan was just messing with her. She called out to her mate. Conn?

No response. She wasn’t surprised. Her entire body felt like it had been short-circuited from the journey.

A groan came from behind Moira. She whirled, rushing to sit by Cara’s side.

Cara’s eyes fluttered open. “Ouch.”

“Are you all right?” Moira helped her friend to a seated position on the rough wool blanket.

“No.” Cara frowned, scooting back to rest against the mineral enriched wall. “I’m so fucking sick of people yanking me through dimensions.”

“Ah.” Moira dropped her gaze to Cara’s protruding stomach. “Not your first time, huh?”

“No.” Cara rubbed her hands along her belly. “Once with Emma and once with Dage. Those times nothing hurt.”

“Yeah. Transporting the unwilling seems to cause pain.” Moira rose, eyeing the far door. “Can you contact Talen? We may need help getting out of here, wherever we are.”

“No,” Cara sighed. “I haven’t been able to communicate with him since contracting the virus. But you can do your witch thing, right? I mean, unlock the door or whatever?”

“Witch thing?” Moira’s lips twitched.

“Yeah. Rearrange the particles and freeze the lock. Or something.”

“No.” Moira turned around to face her friend. “The process of teleporting us here messed with my energy.” She had taken an oath to protect the secret that might take them down, at any cost. No matter how much she trusted Cara, Moira couldn’t talk about the walls.

“That makes sense.” Cara rose unsteadily to her feet. “I don’t feel well.” Water whooshed out of her skirt to splash against the floor. “Holy crap.”

“Oh God.” Moira grabbed her, setting her down on the bed. “Okay. What does that mean? I mean, does that mean ...”

“Yes.” Cara wrinkled her face in pain, clutching her stomach. “Of course it does. What else could go wrong? We might as well be trapped in an elevator. You know ... just in time for labor.” The woman was babbling.

Moira didn’t know a thing about delivering a baby. Especially in a basement. Or cave. Or wherever the hell they were. “Deep breaths. Take deep breaths.”

Cara batted her away. “Go figure out how to get us out of here. You’re the Seventh, for cripes’ sakes.”

The cranky woman now in labor had a point. The locks sprang open on the outside door, and Moira swirled around to block Cara with her body. A woman’s laughing chuckle wafted inside. “Trevan, where in the world are we going? We’re late for our reservations.”

Simone. Fire ripped up Moira’s spine. No way had Trevan been able to rip people through time and space without help. If it was the last thing she did, she’d end her cousin’s life.

Simone’s voice became louder. “What do you have down here protected by three coded entries?”

Trevan entered, tugging her inside. The woman’s long skirts swished against the dusty cement. She staggered, losing her smile. Her dark eyes widened on Moira. “What have you done?” she gasped.

Trevan smiled like a nerd with a crush. “Well now. I’ve secured the Seventh as well as a Kayrs mate. I told you brains and not brawn would lead the world, darling. This is our chance.” He tugged Simone back against him, securing an arm around her waist and lowering his mouth to her ear, his focus remaining on Moira. “This is our moment, Simone.”

Simone’s porcelain pure skin paled to translucence. Her gaze met Moira’s. Shock, understanding, and then finally acceptance filtered through her black eyes. “How secure are they?”

“Very. Besides the three locked doors, the walls are phanakite.” His mouth wandered down Simone’s neck in a lover’s caress.

Simone closed her eyes, swallowing loudly. “So they’re helpless.”

“Yes.” Trevan rose up to smile broadly. “The Kurjans will fetch them later, securing our treaty with them.”

The Kurjans had been trying for a witch to experiment on all year. Moira frowned at her cousin. “You didn’t realize your lover was killing off the Coven Nine?”

Simone’s hands clenched in fists. “No. Are they dead?”

Trevan shrugged, shifting Simone. “Unfortunately. None of them were strong enough to make the trip. Until Moira.” Approval coated his voice as he gave a short nod.

Cara groaned low behind Moira.

Trevan’s eyes widened. “She’s not in labor.”

“She is.” Moira lifted her chin. “I really don’t want to be you right now, Trevan.” Talen would rip the man apart with his bare hands. That is, if he could find the witch. She eyed her pale cousin. So Simone hadn’t known. “I’m sorry. I thought you were working with him.”

“No.” Simone inhaled, glancing down at her long skirt and sparkling tank top.

Trevan tugged her harder against him. “I wanted to surprise you, darling. Did I?”

“Yes,” Simone whispered.

“You want to lead, don’t you? You’re pleased?” Trevan asked.

Simone straightened her shoulders. “Of course, sweetheart. You know we were meant to run the council.” She eyed the door. “It appears you’ve thought of everything. There’s no way for them to escape.”

Trevan preened like a rabid bird. “I knew you’d be pleased.”

“Oh, I am.” Simone relaxed against her lover, her voice lowering to a purr. “Though the sooner they’re gone, the better. Ah, when will we be rid of them?” While she sounded sexy as hell, her face remained stoic, her concentration on Moira.

Trevan tugged her head back, caressing his mouth down her profile, his gaze thoughtful. She closed her eyes, leaning into him, sighing. He chuckled. “The Kurjans will arrive tonight.”

Simone smiled. “Excellent.”

Moira frowned. Maybe Simone could get Trevan to talk. “Ask him about Brenna, Simone.”

Her eyes flashed opened. “Brenna?” She stilled. “What about Brenna?”

Trevan released her, sliding toward the door. “We’ll discuss this upstairs, Simone.”

Simone half turned, her hands going to her hips. “What do you mean? You didn’t try to take Brenna, did you?”

“If I did?” Challenge lifted his chin. “Sometimes sacrifices need to be made to get where we want to in life. You understand that, correct?”

“Yes. I understand that.” Simone’s shoulders slumped.

“You love me, right?” Triumph turned Trevan’s face from an intelligent mask to something reprehensible.

Simone sighed. “Yes. I do.” Her glance cut to Moira and back. “But apparently I don’t know you very well.”

His chuckle filled the ominous room. “We’ll have to work on that. For now, you need to make sure you understand and accept your path.” While congenial, his tone held certain threat.

“I do.” Simone straightened her shoulders. “I always have.” She turned toward Moira. “You might want to get ready to face that destiny you’re so proud of.” Her elegant sniff echoed around the cage. “Let’s go, Trevan.”

He smiled, turning to punch in his code.

With a breath of sound, Simone was on him. She hit him full in the back, knocking his face into the door. A crunch echoed. Blood sprayed. Her bare arm snaked around his neck and she jerked tight, her knees clasping his rib cage.

Trevan turned with a dark roar, slamming backward into the wall. Simone’s shoulders hit hard, nearly dislodging her. She cried out in pain, her eyes flashing as she struggled to keep her hold.

“Dig your knees in harder, Simone,” Moira urged. Could the woman fight? Kell had trained her at some point, hadn’t he? “Good. Now cut off his air supply. Crush his Adam’s apple if you can.”

Blood dripped down Trevan’s furious face. An animalistic growl escaped through his bared teeth. Grabbing Simone’s hair, he gave a sharp yank, pulling her over his shoulder. She landed on her feet, staggering. She struggled furiously, but he pulled back an arm and punched her in the jaw. She sagged, her hands rising weakly.

He hit her again.

“Stop it!” Moira hissed. “Let her go, you asshole.”

He lowered his face to Simone’s, raw fury etched in every line. “You little bitch. Did you really think you could beat me?”

“Didn’t see as I had a choice,” Simone slurred. “Not enough time to plan.”

Moira stomach rolled. Simone was right. It was their only chance to escape before Trevan relocked all the doors. “Let her go, Trevan. Taking the head of the Nine’s daughter will get you killed for sure. Aunt Viv can rip the skin right off your body, and you know it.”

Trevan swallowed, then he yanked a gun from behind his pressed trousers. “Well now. I guess the Kurjans get two witches and a Kayrs mate.” He jammed the barrel to Simone’s temple. “Step away from the bars, Moira.”

Dragging Simone across the room, he waited until Moira backed up. He kept the nearly unconscious woman in front of him, unlocked the door, and threw her inside.

Moira caught her cousin, easing her to the floor.

“I’m sorry,” Simone murmured. Then she passed out.