The next moment the driver moved, reaching over to the front passenger seat and yanking a bound and gagged body into view.
Stacey screamed, doubling over at the sight of Justin's terrified eyes and tear-stained face.
Rachel's smile was chilling. "So, now I have shown you mine. And he will stay mine until you return the trinity to me."
Goaded by instinct, Stacey ran for the stairs and her son. Connor's arm thrust out lightning quick, slamming her back. She yelled her fury and frustration, flailing as she went down, losing her breath as Aidan caught her and held her writhing body with steely arms. She arched and twisted, kicking her legs madly, but he was too big and too strong.
Rachel reached into her pocket and withdrew a cell phone. She tossed it at Connor, who caught it and held it to his chest. "I will call you with instructions."
"If something happens to the boy," Connor warned, his voice low and deadly earnest. "I'll torture you before I kill you."
"Ooh!" She gave a vixen-ish little shake of her shoulders. "Sounds delicious." Her lovely face hardened. "I want that trinity, Captain. See that I get it or the kid will pay."
"Nooooo!" The sound that left Stacey's body was inhuman. It was an animal's cry, one filled with pain and frustration and a mother's fear for her child. She struggled within Aidan's unyielding grasp, jerking and scratching to be freed. "Justin!"
She watched in wide-eyed horror as her son's panicked writhing mirrored her own. Justin's bound hands lifted and struck out, knocking the sunglasses from his captor's face, revealing a visage that stopped her heart. The man hit back, knocking Justin unconscious. Then he turned his black gaze to Stacey, grinning with a yawing cavern of jagged teeth, taking pleasure in her torment and revulsion.
Her cries echoed around them, then Aidan's hand was over her mouth, muffling her, his deep voice murmuring to her.
Why weren't they doing anything? Why were they letting that bitch climb back into the car and shut the door? Why was Tommy just standing there, barely blinking as the car reversed out of the driveway with their child inside it? Why was Aidan restraining her, gagging her, crooning to her as if all the promises of safety and retribution he was making would calm her?
The thing in the driver's seat was driving away with her baby and she could only watch, imprisoned by the arms of someone she'd thought was a friend.
Aidan held her until the car was out of sight, then he let her go. Her shaky legs caused her to stumble and fall to her knees, then she scrambled to her feet, pushing past Connor when he attempted to restrain her. She ran to Tommy and beat at him, yelled at him, shook him.
"You goddamned junkie!" she screamed, slapping his face with every bit of strength she possessed. "You worthless piece of shit!"
Then she was running, running for the life of her son, clearing her property and chasing the black sedan down the road. It was quickly beyond sight, but she didn't stop. She couldn't stop. She ran until she couldn't run anymore, sinking to the ground and crying. Wailing. Hiccupping.
"Stacey." Connor knelt beside her, his eyes red and watery and filled with such compassion.
"No!" she shouted. "You do not g-get to cry. You let them t-take him…" She slapped at his bare chest, then pounded her fists against it. "How c-could you l-let them take him? How could y-you?"
"I'm sorry," he whispered, making no effort to defend himself from her attack. "I'm so sorry, Stace. There was nothing I could have done. If there had been any way to take him back alive, I would have. You have to believe me."
"You didn't even try!" she sobbed. "You didn't even try."
Stacey crumpled into his lap, her blurry gaze fixed on the unpaved road. His feet were bare and bleeding from coming after her. Her heart clenched at the sight, which only pissed her off further.
Connor picked her up and carried her back. She had no strength left to resist, but she found no comfort in his embrace.
Her precious child was gone.
Chapter 12
Lyssa was crying on the couch when Connor returned to the house with Stacey. Aidan was pacing. Tommy was restrained with duct tape in a chair by the door. With his mind connected to the Twilight, Stacey's ex couldn't be trusted. The Elders had once attempted to kill Lyssa through a sleepwalker, which had alerted them to the fact that such machinations were possible.
For his part, Connor felt helpless, a state of being that was anathema to his mental health. Stacey's pain was gnawing at him, driving him half-mad with bloodlust and restless fury.
"Oh god, Stace!" Lyssa pushed to her feet as the screen door shut silently behind them. She hurried over, embracing her best friend as soon as Connor set her down. "I'm so s-sorry! This is all my fault."
Stacey shook her head. "You couldn't do anything." Her venomous gaze moved from Aidan to Tommy to Connor, who flinched. "Too bad we didn't have some big strong men around," she sneered, brushing past everyone on the way to the phone.
"Stacey." Lyssa's voice was low and pleading. "You can't call for help."
"Why the fuck not?" she demanded, reaching for the handset with a violently shaking hand. "Because the cops might come out here and think, 'Hmm? Look at these two brawny, ex-Special Forces guys who didn't do a goddamned thing to stop a kidnapping!'"
Lifting his chin, Connor knew she had every right to be pissed based on the information she had, but her derision still wounded deeply. Not his pride or his ego, both of which had suffered more than a few dents over the course of his lifetime, but his heart, which had never been engaged enough to feel pain.
The damn thing was killing him now.
"You don't know her like we do, Stacey," he said gently. "There was nothing we could have done that would still assure Justin's safety."
"Bullshit!" Stacey's eyes were wide and dark, the dilated pupils leaving only a faint ring of the brilliant green irises. Her skin and lips were pale, her hands shaking. "Either one of you-alone!-could have taken out both her and that freak with the mask on!"
"Are you sure there were only two of them?" he asked, making her pause. "With those tinted windows it was impossible to see into the backseat."
"There was someone else in the back," Aidan assured. "Someone closed the door on the passenger side after Tommy got out."
A frown marred Stacey's brow as she considered this.
Connor pressed on, needing her to understand, "Justin is valuable to her because of you, Stace. Rachel was prepared to spar, with the goal being to kill Justin and take you instead. That would up the ante, and trust us, Rachel likes sky-high antes. She was standing next to the open car door for a reason. I'm positive she had her glaive right there within reach, waiting for one of us to make a move."
"What the hell kind of antiquities are you dealing in," she snapped, "that would be valuable enough to kidnap someone over them?"
"Hey." Lyssa spoke softly, stepping closer and putting her arm around Stacey's quivering shoulders. "Let's go in the kitchen, and I'll tell you everything."
"I need to call the damn cops."
"Let me explain first. Then, if you still feel like you need the police, I'll drive you over there myself."
"What is wrong with you people?" Stacey yelled, her voice hoarse. "My son is gone and you want me to do nothing?"
"No," Connor murmured, his gut knotted painfully. "We want you to believe in us-your friends. The people who l-lo-"
The word strangled in his throat, his insides too raw to bare himself to further scorn. He'd failed her. Even though he couldn't have done any more than he did without jeopardizing Justin's life, he'd still failed to shield her from pain.
Love.
Was that the right word? He cared for her. Wanted to be with her. Hated to see her so devastated. He wanted her smiles and her laughter, wanted her gentle touches and breathless cries of pleasure. He wanted to get to know her and share himself in return. Was that love?