Ava’s amulet.
The zephyr.
When she’d tracked Aldon, she’d discovered he’d been after something valuable. It had taken time but eventually she’d uncovered what the vampire had wanted—the zephyr Ava possessed, cleverly hidden inside an amulet passed down from Ava’s mother. With it he could kill millions of people. Control the world. Dominate everyone and everything he pleased.
Holy fuck! She heard Diskant’s thought, felt his alarm.
Relieved he was finally getting the picture, she redirected her thoughts to her capture and rescue and the threat Aldon posed. Making sure she included every single moment so Diskant could see who he was dealing with—a vampire undaunted by shifters. She made sure she added Nathan’s link to Leigh in her thoughts, hoping that the Omega—even if he didn’t have any sympathy for Sadie’s position—might soften when it came to the other couple.
For added effect, she also gave him brief portions of Leigh’s past and how much the young vampire had suffered following her change, including the pain and heartbreak Leigh had yet to overcome.
Someone snatched her away from Diskant. Her yelp of alarm carried through the open area. She hit the ground as she spun, driven away from the Omega. Lifting her head, she saw Trey crouch in front of her. His growl was feral, his fingernails forming into claws. Diskant looked like he’d been waylaid with a dummy stick. Swaying on his feet, he shook his head.
“No way,” Diskant murmured, “not possible.”
“She showed you the truth.” Ava sounded shaken. Chancing a glance at her, Sadie saw Ava had paled. “Think about it. The night we met you saved me from vampires. We never knew why. Then the locket and Thomas…it makes sense.”
“Thomas?” Sadie had to ask, determined to put the puzzle pieces in place.
“My brother,” Ava sighed and raked a trembling hand through her hair. “I don’t have the necklace. He took it when he left town.”
“He took it?” Horror, disbelief and terror poured over her. “Where did he go?”
“We don’t know.” Ava reached for Diskant and in an instant he was there, wrapping an arm around her. She leaned against him, revealing just how small she was in comparison. “He disappeared. We were going to hire an investigator but I decided it wouldn’t matter. Thomas is Thomas. He does what he wants, when he wants. If he doesn’t want to be found, he won’t be.”
He doesn’t want to be found.
There was one way to find him, whether Thomas liked it or not.
Just like that—click-click-boom—Sadie saw the future.
The visual made her stomach churn.
Leigh could locate a person using a personal possession. Aldon had learned Leigh was capable of doing so the moment he’d taken Sadie’s blood.
No wonder he’d taken her captive.
Sadie was the only real friend Leigh had. As such, Aldon had known Leigh would come to rescue her. Then he’d have everything he needed to find Thomas and locate the zephyr.
Hell in a handbasket.
She looked at Ava as she made it to her feet. Trey did the same, shuffling back as he did. He stopped at her side and she reached for his hand. He wrapped his fingers around hers, his grip tight. She let the touch settle her before she walked toward Ava, extending her free hand.
There was more information to share, things Ava needed to know.
“Don’t you fucking think about it!” Diskant yelled.
“Stop.” Ava soothed the wild man with a simple touch, reaching out to Sadie as she did. “If she has something to show me, it’s my right to see it.”
“Him too.” Sadie’s gaze ventured to the Omega, her eyes flitting over his huge form. “Create a link. We’ll seal the circle. He needs to know as well.”
Diskant’s snarl of warning didn’t deter Sadie. She didn’t stop until her palm met Ava’s. Their minds merged—Sadie’s, Trey’s, Ava’s and Diskant’s. As usual, Sadie felt disoriented and off balance. The present time no longer mattered. They were stuck in a vortex of the mind, everyone’s thoughts churning together. She concentrated and called on her magic, using it to settle those trapped in her head.
Clarity. Warmth. Reason. Purpose.
Yes, this was comforting. This was the center she needed to balance.
She felt the familiar, warming glow of her power and showed them what to expect, recalling pictures of Rainbow City. The entire population had been destroyed in hours by a pestilence demon—one that had been conjured using a zephyr. Unseen, the demon had done its work. Bloodied bodies, eaten away as a virus ravaged them one by one. All it had taken was the presence of the beast, one who drew power from the sickness it inflicted.
Her strength started fading, the product of mentally sharing so much with so many.
There was so little time and so much to tell.
She did her work as quickly as possible, thinking of the images she’d been shown of the Fallen—vampires who embraced the dark side of their magic. Powerful, radiant and stunning, the Fallen were stronger than most of their supernatural counterparts. The last time they’d risen to power the world had faced the Third Pandemic. Millions had died, suffering what they thought to be the plague. If her kind hadn’t intervened—assisted by those they usually considered enemies such as shifters, witches and warlockes—the taint would have spread.
“Aldon isn’t of the light. He’ll kill us all,” she conveyed telepathically, swaying as her magic dissipated. “Vampires and Shepherds are the least of your concerns. If he gets what he’s after everyone you love is doomed. There won’t be a tomorrow to look forward to.”
Her legs buckled but she never hit the ground. Solid arms scooped her up. She went willingly, content when she felt Trey’s solid chest and capable arms holding her tight. She took comfort in his scent, letting him be the strong one for once. After today, none of them would be safe. Aldon had started the game, one he intended to finish.
There was nowhere to run and nowhere to hide.
It could very well be the end of days.
Trey tried to keep his shit together as he held Sadie. What he’d just seen—how Sadie had just fucking shared what she knew—rocked the ground beneath his feet. Diskant and Ava looked equally shaken. He could scent Ava’s fear as it poured from her. The acrid smell of Diskant’s rage scorched his nose.
“Get back to your posts and keep your eyes open.” Diskant snapped out of it, barking the order to his guards. With a sideways look at Nathan he added, “Call Cade. Tell him to cancel the pack meeting. If he asks questions, don’t give him answers. Tell him to close shop and get his ass over here.” He turned his head, gazing at Trey. “As for you two. Bring her inside. It appears we do have a lot of shit to talk about.”
Nathan returned to the Camaro, retrieving a phone from his jacket as he left. Diskant kept his arm around Ava as he led them to another fence that surrounded the house. He punched a code into a numerical lock system, opened the gate and ushered everyone inside. A set of back doors opened and Emory appeared, his mate Mary right behind him.
Thank fucking God.
As brothers, Trey and Emory had faced some issues. But now, with Emory mated, things had finally settled into place. Apprehension filled the air and Emory gave Trey a level stare. He met his brother’s eyes and tried to communicate his need for backup, hoping his brother could read between the lines. He hadn’t told Emory about Sadie, worried about his brother’s reaction to his mating with a vampire.
At that moment it felt stupid to have kept something so important to himself.