Annie Nicholas - Catch

I stumbled over the uneven ground, trying to keep pace and not get lost in the tunnels. The light from the prison door opening bloomed ahead.

“Hurry, Connie,” she shouted, and disappeared inside the room.

“Not everyone has supernatural eyesight,” I mumbled to no one in particular and stubbed my toe. “Freaking sandals in a cave.” My oath carried with an echo.

Gwen and Kam were arguing in front of Colby when I finally entered. Her finger poked her brother’s large chest to punctuate her point. “Go outside and use my cell if you don’t believe me.”

“It’s not about belief, sis.” Kam’s voice rumbled as he spoke. “I don’t understand how you could decide to release him without permission.”

Colby observed the two with keen interest. The dullness in his eyes had disappeared, replaced with a sharp eagle’s gaze.

“He’s great at tracking. It’s how we found Tane the first time.”

“Sure, I can help, but why the hell would I?” Colby drawled out his question. I recognized this man chained to the wall—my calculating, meticulous ex-boss, vampire slayer extraordinaire, and another new non-human in my life. “From my point of view, Luckard is doing me a favor.”

Kam swung around. “See, he did try to kill our master.”

“No, I didn’t, but it doesn’t mean I’d mourn him.” The muscles in his shoulders visibly relaxed as he leaned against the wall and stopped straining. Confidence oozed from him all of a sudden as if he weren’t the prisoner.

“Why did you help the first time he was captured?” Gwen stepped closer to confront him.

He cocked his head to the side and stared at me. “To find her.”

“You know, if Tane dies, so does she.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Not until today." He gestured with his chin at me. “I’ll help, but it’s to save her , not your double dealing master .”

Gwen glanced at me over her shoulder, a slash of jealousy in her glare. It caught me off guard, then she returned her attention to Colby.

He ignored her and met my gaze. I’m not sure what he saw. Anxiety, worry, guilt and confusion—all mixed together. “Why a bond with Tane of all vampires, Connie?”

“It’s not something I chose or can change. You were there, Colby.” Weariness settled onto my shoulders, tired of having to explain my decisions to anyone. Good or bad, I had to deal with them. “Let him go. Help or no help, he’s innocent and should be released.”

Kam crossed his arms over his chest, the keys to the manacles clutched in one hand.

“Am I not your master’s bonded?” I met the tall werewolf’s dominating gaze and didn’t flinch, even though inside I quaked in my boots.

“Yes.” He growled the response.

“Then by the power vested in me, I order you to release him.” I didn’t know what the hell I was saying, but it sure sounded impressive.

Kam must have thought so too. His ears lay back against his head, yet he reached for the chains. He glared at Colby. “Hurt my pack and I’ll gut you and eat your spleen.”

Colby rubbed his raw wrists after being released.

Gwen inched closer to him from the side, her head down, shoulders curled in.

Watching her act timid was like watching an elephant try to be graceful. What the hell was wrong with her?

She sniffed him.

Colby skipped a step away with a what-the-heck expression on his face.

“He smells odd, doesn’t he?” Kam’s ears came forward.

“Yes, but oddly familiar. He smells like—like mine.” She approached him with more confidence and inhaled deeper. Even from across the room I could see Gwen’s pupils dilate and lighten to bright amber.

My heart raced. I didn’t care to watch her change form.

“I got a whiff of it at the hotel, but things were moving fast and it caught me off guard.” She leaned into him and touched his hair. “Definitely mine.”

“If he’s werewolf, I don’t recognize his pack smell.” Kam bent to smell Colby and got a swat on the nose.

“I don’t belong to anyone.” He placed some distance between himself and Gwen.

“And it’s nobody’s business who I am.” He shoved Kam out of his way and headed straight in my direction.

I could see murder in Gwen’s eyes. Most brilliant men were stupid at something.

Apparently, Colby didn’t know anything about women, especially jealous werewolf kind.

I threw my hands out in front of me and retreated from him. “He’s all yours, Gwen. I’ve problems aplenty with my own men.”

He stopped mid-step and twisted to stare at her. “I haven’t any interest in flighty blondes, either.”

A dark blush crept across Gwen’s cheeks and she stepped closer to her brother, who wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

I heard him whisper to her, “We’ll figure it out. Don’t worry.”

“Colby, I know you don’t give a rat’s ass about what happens to Tane.” I smoothed the wrinkles on my shirt and did my best to meet his intense green eyes. “Or me, but the killer is probably among the kidnappers.” I nodded to the werewolves. “Can’t they tag along as back-up while you hunt them down?”

I may not have a college degree, though I had lived a lifetime of compromises.

Dealing was a means of surviving when you had nothing.

The frown on Colby’s face deepened and aged him ten years. “The longer we wait, the colder the trail.”

The siblings glanced at each other as if excited by his invitation.

Colby grabbed my hand as he stalked out the door. “How does this bond work?”

“My-my life is connected to Tane’s. It’s how I survive. Sometimes we can hear each other’s thoughts.”

“That must be disturbing.”

I nodded as I stared at the ground and whispered, “Yes.”

“Can you try to reach out and see if you can get an idea of where he is?” He led us through the dark cave without a flashlight.

I tripped and stumbled, but his steadying hand caught me each time. The werewolves hadn’t followed. “I tried already. They drugged him.”

His steps hesitated as we exited the cave. “So he’s vulnerable.”

“You still want to kill him.” I yanked my arm out of his grip. “Do you really hate me that much?”

His brow furrowed. “No but you’re a lost kid who made a bad choice. I’m just as responsible for your situation as you are. I could have sent you home or ordered one of my men to pursue you or—”

“Ordered? Like an assignment?” My blood boiled.

“Most of them would have considered it a bonus.” He grinned and it took the edge off his face.

I shook my head in disbelief. “You are one clueless bastard when it comes to women. Look at Gwen.” I pointed in the quiet cave. “She wants you .”

“She’s a lonely, confused werewolf. Once I’m gone she’ll forget what she smelled.”

I doubted it. I’d witnessed the look on her face when she claimed him. Colby didn’t know her like I did. Surrender wasn’t in her vocabulary. His life was about to get very interesting.

A man with long, brown wavy hair and a five o’clock shadow accompanied Gwen out of the cave. Kam shrugged. “Can’t go into the city in my beast form.”

“We’ll need to rendezvous with my team.” Colby addressed them.

“What about Connie?” Gwen came to stand next to me. She seemed collected and calm again.

“She stays here.”

“I do?” Cocking my head to the side, I quirked an eyebrow. “Don’t you need my link to Tane?”

“Like you said, he’s too drugged. You’ll just slow us down. Stay here, if he wakes and you get a sense of where he is, then call me on my cell.”

Gwen took my hand. “Then let’s accompany her to the house so we can be on our way.”