Chains rattled and strong hands yanked him up and through the door. The world spun several times around. His feet dragged uselessly on the stone. His stomach lurched, and he swallowed to keep the recent meal in.
Suddenly, the pain retreated. His eyesight returned. Coughing, he regained his balance.
The guards tossed him in his cell.
Locks slammed shut, and something inside him shuddered. A glance at the rock wall showed a morphing of several faces, all new. Dropping to sit, he pressed his closed eyes against his knees. If his family was coming to get him, they’d better hurry.
But instinct whispered deep inside his mind that it was too late.
He lifted his head to see a large face in the rock nodding at him.
Definitely too late.
CHAPTER 8
Kane shoved a branch down, his gaze on Hanson’s sprawling ranch house. Snowcapped mountains framed the log-style mansion, bright lights beaming out the myriad of windows in the morning hours. He’d finally reached cell service a mile out and had called for backup, but it had probably been a mistake.
Amber shook out her boots. “We had to call them.”
“Did we?” Kane eyed the two men standing over by the tree line. Mason was definitely in fighting shape, but the other guy had seen better days. A retired pediatrician, he even had a cane. Being human must suck.
“Yes. Besides, you said your friends might not make it in time.”
A wolf bayed in the distance.
Lightning ripped across the sky, and the wind whipped into action. A hell of a storm was coming. Kane glanced at Amber, who was now shivering. “Why don’t you wait in the truck?”
“No.” Her lips firmed. “I’m coming to get Grandma.”
“I promise I’ll call you when it’s time, sweetheart.” Earlier when he’d used the endearment, she’d pinkened nicely and almost listened to him. Keeping an eye on her, he gauged her reaction.
She smiled. Very pretty. “Thanks, but I’ll stay right here.”
Okay, nice wasn’t working. Next track. “I’m being unclear, and I apologize. You’re not going in the ranch house until I determine you’ll be safe.” Like it or not, he was responsible for her until turning her over to the king. The thought had his mind stopping for a nanosecond. For some odd reason, he didn’t want to turn her over to Dage. Interesting.
The pink turned to a fine red blush. “While I appreciate the apology, you can shove it. Stop telling me what to do.”
He frowned. How utterly confusing. “Hanson and his men will resist when we go inside. What could you possibly do to help?” She’d get hurt most likely, and he wouldn’t let that happen.
“I’m helpful.” She lifted her chin, eyes sparking.
He scratched his head. Bodily carrying her to the truck and tying her to the steering wheel seemed silly. Yet allowing her to get harmed for absolutely no reason seemed stupid. “There must be a way we can reach an agreement here.” Why in the world was she being so illogical?
Two massive wolves suddenly appeared at his side.
Amber yelped, hand to chest, jumping behind him.
Well now, good timing. Kane grinned down at the largest beast; a fully grown male with rich brown fur. Then he turned toward the men from Amber’s commune. “You fellas take the north side exit from what appears to be the kitchen. All I need you to do is make sure nobody escapes that way.”
Mason eyed the massive wolves. “Uh, you have wolves for pets?”
“Sure.” There was no doubt Kane would pay for that comment. “They’ll guard the perimeter.” Kane nodded toward the north. “Please take your position.”
Grumbling, the humans hurried past the fence-line and around the house, the ex-doctor moving pretty well even with his limp.
If Kane had known Terrent would make it in time, no way would he have invited Mason and the doctor. But they should be safe covering the northern exit to the house. Kane grinned at the biggest wolf. “Thanks for coming so quickly.”
Fur receded and the wolf morphed from animal to man with a popping of bones and a snapping of cartilage. Terrent stretched to his full height, shaking his thick head of hair. His dark eyes twinkled. Then he grinned. “Of course.”
Kane tugged Amber to his side. “Terrent Vilks, meet Amber Freebird.”
Amber pressed into Kane’s side, her face a blazing pink, her eyes squarely on the wolf’s face. “It’s, ah, nice to meet you.”
The naked wolf chuckled and captured her hand in his beefy one. He stood as tall as Kane, well over six feet, with a broad chest and powerful legs. “Sorry about the nudity, but clothes don’t make the shift.”
She nodded and cleared her throat. “Wolves. Shifters. Real shifters.”
Terrent gestured to the other wolf; a sandy-furred male who’d remained in wolf form. “This is Joshua—he came along for some fun.”
Kane nodded at the teenaged wolf. “Thanks for coming.”
The wolf snorted, paws shoving snow out of the way.
Terrent rubbed a hand through his long dark hair. “We approached from the back and took a look in the window. Four men are in a study at the western rear of the house, reading some sort of map. I scented several weapons, but they’re not visible. The rest of the house seems empty—no heartbeats or scents. What’s the plan?”
Amber caught her breath. “What do you mean? The rest of the house can’t be empty. My grandma is somewhere inside.”
Terrent gave her a charming smile. Or at least what the wolf probably thought was a charming smile. Even in human form, wolves looked like predators, and Terrent was the predator of the predators. “Maybe we missed her. Don’t worry, we’ll search the entire house.” His gaze met Kane’s over Amber’s head.
Kane gave a short nod. Grandma was not in the ranch. Damn it. Where had they put her? “Hanson is mine to, ah, question.” No way in hell would he allow Amber to watch him torture someone. It was bad enough she’d watched him decapitate two demons. “I’ll go in the front—you go through the back, and make sure not to change into human form again. We want to scare in a shock-and-awe moment—no kills unless absolutely necessary.”
Terrent nodded. With another mischievous smile at Amber, he turned and ran through the field. Once he was several yards away, he shot into wolf form while leaping through the air.
Kane rolled his eyes. What a show-off.
Josh followed with a short yip. Both wolves disappeared around the house.
Kane forced his face into a frown and grabbed Amber’s arms. Her small biceps were buried beneath layers of his thick coat. “You’re waiting in the truck. You can either agree, or I’ll tie you to the steering wheel.” Yeah, he was bluffing. With a growl, he let his fangs drop low. Those were probably scary to someone not used to seeing fangs.
Her eyes widened again. “Fine. But the second it’s clear, I’m coming in.” She turned and stomped to the truck, his coat dragging in the snow.
Good enough. The thought of such a brave sweetheart being injured by a jerk like Hanson set Kane’s jaw until his teeth ached. By the time he was through, Hanson wouldn’t even think about messing with the commune.
Kane jumped past the bushes and ran full bore across the snowy lawn, clearing a fence without missing a step. Leaping across the spacious front porch, he hit the front door exactly in the center. Splinters flew in all four directions as the door shot inside to crumble against a marble table. The table smashed to the floor seconds later.
The crash of glass breaking followed.
Men’s shouting filled the space.
He ran to the west, dodging through hallways filled with western art to land in a masculine study full of heavy leather furniture. A stuffed wolf’s head hung above the fireplace mantle. Terrent was going to be pissed about that.