Savannah's smile felt tight. “I know.” She raised a hand to Kel's temple. “Close your eyes."
Kel obeyed. Savannah reached out psychically and gently encased Kel's mind in a shield of power. It wouldn't actually stop a concerted attack, but it would at least break the line of communication between Kel and Jina. Savannah pulled back and took a shuddering breath. She'd never used her telepathy so much, and with such precision, in one night, and an ache was beginning to form behind her eyes. Too much more, and she'd get a blinder of a headache.
Which would be a small price to pay if she got everyone out of this safe and sound.
She squeezed Kel's knee again. “Why don't you go get a cup of the good stuff, while I talk to Zeke and Tye?"
Kel nodded and rose. She was a little shaky, but otherwise, she seemed okay. Savannah turned her attention to the two men. “No, you can't come with me."
Zeke's expression was mutinous. “This is the safety of my son we're talking about. I will not—"
"You will, because one of the wolves we're dealing with is insane, and the other suffers from bloodlust. If either of them so much as scents anyone but me, then René and Cade are dead meat."
"If that's the case, you can't go alone. You won't have a chance."
"I never said I'd be going alone.” She glanced around as Ronan came up the hall. He shook his head, meaning Candy had indeed escaped. “We'll be accompanied by two IIS officers."
The news didn't seem to comfort Zeke. “You know from experience that we Sinclairs do not leave pack safety in the hands of others."
"Then you have the mansion well guarded?"
He blinked. “There is no need."
"Really? Neva and Duncan are there. These people are mad enough to attempt to bomb your home just to get my sister and brother-in-law. Protect them if you must protect anyone, and let me and Ronan get these bitches."
He studied her for a moment, and then he smiled. It was the smile of a hunter acknowledging another. “This is personal, isn't it?"
"Very. Sinclairs aren't the only pack who believe in protecting their own, and these women have threatened not only my family but the man I love. They will pay, believe me."
His gaze flicked from her to Ronan, as if to check his reaction to this news. “I'm very glad I never made an enemy of you, Savannah. I think you'd be a very formidable foe."
"You bet your ass I would,” she said. “Now, if you don't mind, I really have to get going."
"I'll keep Neva safe, have no fear.” He glanced at his son. “What if Tye stays here? Kelly might appreciate the company."
She hesitated and then nodded. “Steve's due in at eight, but it wouldn't hurt to have an extra person here. But watch the woman in the cell. She should be out of it for a while, but when she comes to, she might attempt a psychic takeover."
Tye gave her an almost ferocious smile. “She can certainly try."
Meaning, she had better not. Savannah nodded, feeling a little better. As much as she trusted Steve, having Tye standing guard made her feel a whole lot easier about the prospect of their prisoner still being here when they returned. She glanced at the clock and fear rose like a demon in the night. She stomped it back down and looked at Ronan. “Let's go get ready."
* * * *
Awareness returned in fragmented pieces that seemed to make no sense. Voices in his head, whispering dark words and darker deeds. Harsh laughter and soft music. The roar of an engine and the cold touch of steel. The chill of the night caressing his skin, and the rough feel of bark against his spine. The crackle of flames and the scent of desire.
It was that awareness more than anything else that had Cade struggling through the layers of blackness encasing his mind. Because what he smelled wasn't the scent of someone who wanted sex. That was a mellower, infinitely sweeter, aroma. What he smelled now was somehow darker, more heated and tense. It was the scent of someone who was after something far more than just sex.
Bloodlust, rather than plain old lust.
But Candy was safely locked away, so who was emitting the scent now?
He forced his eyes open and, for a moment, had to wonder if he was actually awake and alert or still dreaming. Before him stretched a stone-filled clearing that looked an awfully lot like the one they'd found the first victim in. In the middle of the clearing, a huge fire blazed, and around it, a na**d woman danced to music he could no longer hear. A second woman, this one fully clothed, stood to one side of the flames, her arms crossed and her pale face glowing with the heat of the fire.
Anni. Or rather, Jina.
He glanced back to the dancing woman, but between the darkness and the warm, jumping light of the fire, he couldn't actually tell if it was Candy or her sister, Lonny. But he had a bad feeling it was Candy, and that could only mean something had gone very wrong back at the ranger station.
Tension cut through him, settling like a weight in his gut. He knew Vannah was more than able to take care of herself under ordinary circumstances, but there was nothing ordinary about these women or their intentions. He was even beginning to wonder if he could survive them, and he'd had far more experience dealing with the lunatics of the world.