Rebecca Zanetti - Fated

Dage turned a full smile on him. “You were only gone for a day.”

“I know.”

“So, brother, I never said you had to marry the female.” Dage lifted a brow.

“Someone had to.” Talen’s jaw firmed. “You know it was the only way to keep her safe.”

“Yeah, but why you?” Dage challenged as his fingers moved deftly over the control panel.

“Because, she’s mine,” Talen answered with a finality that had Dage grinning in acceptance. Then he flipped over his palm to reveal the intricate design.

Dage’s eyes widened. “The marking.”

“Yep,” Talen said smugly. “Definitely mine.”

“Congratulations.” Dage ran a hand over his face. “I’d begun to wonder if Conn’s marking was a fluke, if the legends of the natural marking were true. If it could happen without an arrangement and the vow.”

“I think it’s supposed to happen that way,” Talen said. “The brand formed the second I touched Cara’s arm. And it hurt like hell for a moment.”

Dage grinned. “I’d wondered about that as well. Conn said his hand felt as if a burning spear pierced right through it.” He punched a couple of buttons on the consol. “I’d hoped a couple of us would naturally find our mates.”

“We all should, Dage. Living with mate arranged via contract is no way to spend eternity, brother.” Talen’s hand started to throb the closer they came to the vehicle holding his mate. “Plus, you wouldn’t have been dreaming about the same woman for centuries if fate didn’t have a plan for you.”

“Maybe,” Dage allowed. “Did you tell your mate everything?”

“Of course not.”

“How did you lose her?” The life scan attached to the lifecuff was strong and steady as it moved to the northwest. Dage’s grin disappeared as Talen caught him up on recent events. “We should both go.”

“No.” Talen snarled. “My wife. My fight. Plus, you must keep Janie safe.”

“I’m coming with you.” The little girl sat up with a haughty glare. “My mama. My fight.”

Both men stifled chuckles as their eyes met over Janie’s head. Dage’s gaze cleared like it did when a window to the future opened in his mind—his eyes narrowed and he cocked his head, listening to something only he could hear. Fucking psychic. He’d better predict good news this time.

Suddenly, a voice came in over the radio. “Dage, come in please.” Strain hummed through the male’s voice.

“Dage here, Chalton. What’s up?”

“There’s a rapid smattering of activity over the com-lines. A contingent of Kurjans is moving toward our base in DC. They know we’ve acquired the females.”

“Shit,” Dage muttered under his breath as they caught up with a black SUV flinging clumps of dirt high into the air as it maneuvered between masses of tall pine trees. “Send reinforcements to DC. I’ll arrive at headquarters within the day. Dage, out.”

He turned to Talen. “Her life signs look good—can you sense anything from her?”

“No. I haven’t mated her, yet.” Talen spied the SUV below them. “Pull back a bit so they don’t see us.”

With a nod, Dage eased the controls up as Janie tapped on the display. “Is my mama in there?”

Talen hugged her close, the scent of powder and innocence surrounding him. “Yes. She’s fine, Janie.”

“I’ve scanned them.” Dage pulled away a safe distance and Talen turned his attention to the onboard scanner. “A driver, three passengers, and a fifth person prone in the rear of the SUV.”

Talen’s blood boiled at the image of his wife on her side, her hands tied before her. He quickly brought up an electronic map of the entire area. “The road leads here.” He pointed to a deep, forested area about fifty miles to the north. He punched a few more buttons until a small lake with a few sparse cabins came into view.

“They have to be heading to one of these cabins. This one is the largest, probably their destination. There’s a clearing.” He pointed to a dubious clearing about a mile from the largest cabin. “Let me out here; I can make it to the cabin before they do.”

“All right.” Dage increased their speed, and they veered sharply to the left toward the small clearing. “We can wait for an hour.”

Talen frowned. “Too risky. Get Janie to safety and I’ll head to Jordan’s. We’ll get transport there.”

When his brother landed, Talen buckled Janie into the seat before he jumped out and grabbed a duffel bag. He donned a dark vest, inserted knives of various widths and lengths, then tucked his gun in the back of his dark jeans. Finally, he secured his thick hair with a rubber band.

He leaned forward, giving Janie his most reassuring smile. “It’ll be all right, Janie. I’ll bring your mom to you as soon as you and Dage take care of business.”

The little girl threw both arms around his neck and effectively sliced his heart in two as she whispered, “Be careful, Daddy. I’ve been waiting a long time for you.”

Talen rose, a lump in his throat as he handed his little girl over to his brother. “My child,” he said, and with a nod, Dage responded, “My life.” The vow was as old as their earliest ancestors, yet it was the first time one of the five brothers had cause to give it.

Talen felt the future rushing in as his child placed her small hand in Dage’s.

He turned away from his family, all semblance of the civilized man he’d been wearing disappearing. His eyes heated to a fierce lava, his savage features warning nearby wildlife a true predator was in their midst. As a light rain started to fall, he ran toward the cabin to reclaim his mate.

Cara stifled a groan as the SUV hit yet another pothole, and sharp rays of pain shot through her foggy head. How the hell was she going to get out of this? She held back a sob. Thank God Janie had gone with Talen.

“Mino said the buyer doesn’t want her damaged,” a low voice with a thick Spanish accent hissed from the front seat. “She and the girl are worth five million. Suckers.”

“But, we didn’t get the daughter,” a voice closer to her spat out.

“Yeah, but this one’s gotta be worth at least half,” came the sharp retort from the first man.

“Who the hell would pay that for a couple of chicks?” someone else sneered.

“Mino wouldn’t say. Probably someone the bitch pissed off.”

“Well, can we at least have some fun while we’re waiting?” A nasal voice this time, causing chills to creep up her spine.

“No. She is to be unharmed.”

The hungry desire to cause pain radiating from the front of the car made Cara’s shoulders tense and then shake. Her stomach clenched. She fought to slam her mental and emotion shields into place—maybe her father had been right about empaths being touched by the devil. God wouldn’t hurt her like this.

She swallowed another sob, pretending to be unconscious. She had to think of a way out of this so she could get back to her baby. The moldy smell of old carpet tickled her nose, and she stamped down on a sneeze before it could erupt.

The car slowed until it came to a stop. Four doors opened and slammed shut. Seconds later, the back hatch opened and the man from the elevator reached in and yanked Cara out by her bound hands. Her head clunked against the hatch before she stumbled against him and then found her footing on the wet leaves, several feet down. They’d lifted the vehicle to a ridiculous height.

He squeezed her arm, his breath hot against her temple. “You should be awake by now, bitch.”

She yanked to the side, her head throbbing. She kicked out against his shin to escape the pain at her arm while bile rose in her throat.

“Oh, we have a fighter.” He laughed hard and coarse while he released her abused flesh. “This might be fun.” His laugh carried images of dark pain, and she fought to block her mind. The slipping of her empathic shields ripped a raw fear through her that even his threats failed to reach. He dragged her toward a large cabin.