His name echoed in the air again, the agonized feminine scream of pain causing them all to flinch. But Dane didn’t hear a Harley prowling. He heard a lion’s roar. One of the natural lions that roamed Sanctuary’s boundaries. Drawn by the screams, roaring its own anger.
He shook his head again, opened the door to the limo and stepped inside.
He had listened to those screams once before. When she was a child, barely more than a baby, screaming for a mother who had been taken from her. Screaming at the pain tearing through her.
And even in the limo he couldn’t block her cries. He stared into the night, watched the snow pile up and listened, and he ached. Because this time, he couldn’t spare her. There was no way to ease it.
He reached into the pocket of his evening jacket and drew out the sat phone. He stared at it for long moments before pushing “speed dial.”
“Where the hell are you?” His father’s voice came over the line. Equal parts exasperation and concern filled it.
“Sanctuary. The party, remember?” he answered.
The Leo grunted. “How’s everyone?” His sons. Dane knew who he was talking about.
“Just like you,” he chuckled. “Arrogant as hell and making me crazy.”
“More like you then,” Leo stated.
“How are the girls?” His mother had given birth to twin girls. They had been ill for a while, though Leo had reported the day before that they seemed to be doing better.
“Healthy as they were before they took that cold.” He could hear the relief in Leo’s voice. “Get home. You can babysit.”
Dane grimaced. “Try the nanny, she’s better at it.”
Silence filled the line.
“What have you done, Dane?” Leo finally asked.
Dane stared out at the snow and heard Ria’s cries as they echoed through the night.
He sighed wearily. “Ria’s here.”
“Why is my girl there, Dane?” Leo asked him.
Dane watched the snow. “Cracking code. Someone’s slipping secrets to Engalls and Brandenmore,” he said quietly. “I put her on it.”
Leo was silent. “Good choice,” he finally commented. “So why do I feel the but?”
That was his father. Sometimes Dane wondered if Leo wasn’t aware of every damned game he was involved in.
He sighed wearily, spoke heavily and told his father the situation. Leo listened, for once without exploding in the middle of the story. Leo liked to explode. It made him feel better. When Dane finished, he remained silent and watched that damned snow pile up. At least Ria wasn’t screaming any longer.
“Have you identified the traitor yet?” Leo’s voice was hard, furious.
“Not yet. She was working on it when Alaiya showed up.”
“I’m having the jet prepared. Meet us at the airfield in Buffalo Gap. Your mother, the girls and I will be there ASAP.”
“Not good, Leo,” he sighed. He hadn’t expected that. “We can’t risk it yet. And we sure as hell can’t risk the girls.”
“Leo Vanderale is arriving in Sanctuary to check the status of how his fucking money is being spent,” his father snarled. “The Leo doesn’t have to advertise who the hell he is. Arrange it. And I want that whelp Jonas ready to account for himself. Tell Callan to make room for me in the estate. I’ll bring my security with me as well.”
Dane rubbed at his forehead. “I’m bringing her home tomorrow. She’ll be ready to go.”
Leo waited. Listened.
“You don’t want to see her like this, Dad.” He rarely called Leo dad. “Let me bring her home. We’ll heal her there.”
Leo snorted. “If you’re not on that jet by afternoon, I’m heading out. Count on it.”
“I’ll count on it,” he answered.
“Did you get her nice baubles for risking her ass against my anger when I found out what you two were up to?” Leo finally snarled.
“Yeah. I did.” But they weren’t enough. There weren’t enough baubles to ease her now.
“Hell,” Leo sighed. “Take care of her Dane.”
“I always do.” Dane disconnected the line and continued to stare into the night. He always did, yet he hadn’t this time.
And as he watched, the first powerful four-legged lion stepped into the clearing. The male animal shook the snow from its dark, flowing mane, tilted its head and roared into the night.
Another call followed, and yet another. And as Dane watched, Lawe and Rule moved warily from their positions, edging back to the limo as he threw the doors open and allowed the two Breeds to slide inside the warmth of the car.
Rye didn’t bother to get out and enter the back through a door. He slid over the seat positioned behind the driver’s area and stared back at Dane in surprise.
“There’s a lot of fucking lions out there,” he commented uncomfortably.
They were screaming into the night now, spurred by the animal Dane could swear he could feel heading this way.
Another animal stepped in. A lioness, her scream echoing through the night as the lions surrounded the cabin.
A dozen fully grown, enraged creatures, following one simple command. To protect Mercury’s mate.
Dane let a smile tip his lips as he opened the small bar set in the center of the seat and pulled free the whiskey and glasses.
“Looks like the night just got interesting, my friends,” he drawled, pouring the alcohol. “I say we enjoy the show while we can.”
Ria’s mate was coming for her. He had feared the mating was for the bitch that arrived that night, and his instincts had been infuriated by that. He’d have to call the Leo back.
He saluted his companions as another lion appeared. Damn, those bastards were big.
“I say, when Mercury arrives, we just pretend we’re not here.” Lawe tipped back his whiskey and swallowed in a single drink. “Stay real quiet. Don’t make eye contact.”
They all nodded.
“Damned good idea,” Rule muttered as one lion roared a challenge to the limo. “Yeah. Damned good idea.”
CHAPTER 19
As Alaiya’s lips pressed against his, Mercury froze. He went completely still, completely silent, all his energy, all his consciousness focused on the animal that broke free of the mental chains he now realized had held it, roaring out in rage.
The sensation was like having a piece of his brain ripped from his skull. Animal instinct poured into him, breaking through his consciousness with the force of a blast ripping through concrete. It disintegrated the chains Mercury hadn’t been aware of.
He felt power pouring into him, strength surging through his body and the adrenaline they called feral displacement overtaking him with such violent force that even the Breeds watching him growled at the threat he could become.
He was a threat. At the moment he was pure power and rage, man and beast, and the beast was strong. It was screaming out, roaring, and from his own throat came the rumble of danger. Of death.
He could smell Ria, Dane. Another man was taking his mate from his presence. Another male’s scent surrounded her now, that male enclosing her in his strength. Only one thing was saving Dane Vanderale. There was no lust in his scent. Only protectiveness. Only pain. But he was taking Mercury’s mate, and for that he would have to pay.
And Mercury felt the animal. It was free. Adrenaline was spiking through him now in crashing waves, the feral displacement threatening as the animal clawed at his mind in rage.
He felt his muscles thicken, blood pumping into them. He felt the strength he had once known pouring into him. His senses became sharper, brighter. Suddenly, Mercury knew every shift of every body around him, each individual smell, each ounce of anger that was filling the hallway. And the suspicion, the knowledge, that the woman that pressed herself so tightly against him was no more than an elite player.