The Trail Back (12 page)

“Let’s go to the store and get some clothes for you,” Meg said. “You guys can wait here if you like.”

The combined growls from himself, Sean and Prescott had their empty coffee cups rattling on the table.

“Or you can come with us,” Meg said with a smile.

“You only got married Saturday. Aren’t you going on a honeymoon?” Abbie asked. She took Brayden’s outstretched hand as they all walked out of the diner.

“Caleb and Prescott can’t leave until we have this situation with the vampires under control,” Meg said. “Paris will still be there when everyone is safe.”

Brayden saw no hint of disappointment in Meg’s face. His Alpha and his brothers had been gifted with the perfect mate. “You’re an unusual woman, Meg, to not mind delaying your honeymoon,” Brayden said.

Meg waved a hand in the air. “No I’m not. Lexie may be safe at Disney World with her new grandparents, but I would worry myself sick about all the people I love being left unprotected. It would be a terrible honeymoon.” She held a hand over her stomach and stopped walking. “I feel sick just thinking about it. Prescott…”

She stooped over and threw up on the sidewalk. Prescott held her long hair back with one hand and rubbed her back with the other.

“You guys go on ahead. I think I need to take Meg home,” Prescott said. He had a smile on his face as he watched his mate continue to throw up her breakfast.

“I’ll call Caleb and Lachlan and suggest they meet you there,” Brayden said. He clapped Prescott on the shoulder and reached into his pocket for his cell phone. Meg was about to be told about the newest addition to their family and to the pride.

“I wonder if it will be a cougar or a snow leopard,” Kaitlyn said, once they had turned the corner. “I’m so happy for them.”

When they reached the department store, he and Sean refused to wait by the door as Kaitlyn wanted. Meg had nearly been taken from the store while shopping, and Prescott had been dropped off a cliff. They were not going to give the vampires any opportunity to take their mates.

Abbie was quiet on the drive home as she gazed out the truck window. He was about to ask her what was wrong when his cell rang. He pulled over and took the call, it was from the fire station. “Walsh.”

“Chief, we have three fires, all at residential addresses in different parts of town.”

Brayden turned the truck around and went directly to the station. When they arrived ten minutes later there was only one fire truck there and the station secretary, Fiona. Two of the town’s three fire trucks had already been dispatched to the fires with their crews.

“I’ve called in the off-duty crew, and Lachlan has sent Ben and Cameron Harvey to the house on Somersby Drive. They’ll do what they can until you can get there, Chief,” Fiona said.

“This has to be some sort of a trap or a diversion. Has Caleb been notified?” Brayden knew there was no chance that the fires had broken out simultaneously without it being arson.

“Yes. He and his brothers were at home, but they’re coming in.”

The sound of screeching tires and car doors slamming announced the arrival of his off-duty firemen. Andrew, Simon, and Owen all ran toward their lockers to gear up. They were all human.

“You coming with us on this one, Chief?” Simon asked as they all ran past him.

“I’ll be there in a second,” Brayden said. He looked down at Abbie. She looked pale, but was not showing any sign of the fear she must be feeling.

“Go, Brayden,” Abbie said, her voice steady. “You need to keep the people of this town safe. I can’t have them hurt because of me.”

He locked his eyes on hers and saw the determination and strength that had kept her alive through the weeks she’d been imprisoned and tortured. He reached for his phone and called Aiden. If he had to leave Abbie, then he’d leave her with the best help they currently had available.

* * * *

Abbie hated that Brayden had to waste time calling Aiden when there were lives at stake. Innocent lives that were being put in danger because of her. She knotted her fingers together and held them tight. She was beyond scared that the vampires would get to her, but she wouldn’t let other people die for her.

He looked huge in his uniform, and the rest of the men were now ready and waiting for him. She really wanted him to stay and keep her safe, so she squeezed her hands tighter together to stop herself from grabbing onto him and never letting him go.

“I’ll be fine here, Brayden. Aiden said he’d come as soon as Brody is with Meg and Kaitlyn. Just go.”

“Fiona, can you stay with Abbie until Aiden arrives? I mean don’t leave her alone for a minute.”

“Of course, Brayden,” she said softly.

Abbie smelled the smallest hint of desire leak into the woman’s scent. She was a wolf shifter, tall and stocky with long red hair. Abbie wouldn’t have called her pretty, but she was handsome.

“Thank you, Fiona.”

Brayden squeezed the woman’s shoulder, and Abbie saw tenderness in his eyes as he looked at her.
They’re lovers.
It was the type of look that only people who knew each other intimately exchanged.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can, Abbie.” Brayden kissed the top of her head and ran to the truck.

Abbie was too confused to say anything to him. He’d left her in the safekeeping of one of his lovers. They weren’t mates, as only Abbie would ever be his mate, but she still felt awkward in the woman’s company.

“Come on, I have to get home. If you’re to stay with me, then you better come, too,” Fiona said. Gone was the sweet tone she’d used when speaking to Brayden. Now her voice was cold and harsh.

“But isn’t Aiden going to be coming here?” Abbie didn’t want to be with the woman any longer than was necessary. “Perhaps we should wait here for him.”

“Are you deaf? I said I need to go home now.”

Fiona clutched Abbie’s arm and pulled her along with her. She was a good seven inches taller than Abbie and much stronger. Abbie didn’t want to make Brayden angry by refusing to stay with Fiona, so she relented and let the woman lead her to a small red car.

“Get in. I only live a few minutes’ drive from here.”

Fiona opened the passenger door and Abbie climbed in. Once the woman was behind the wheel, she drove quickly away from the station. The car filled with the woman’s scent. She was both furious and elated. Abbie found that a confusing combination of emotions, and her unease blossomed into a mild panic.

“Is someone else answering the phones at the fire station?” They had only been at the station a few minutes before Brayden left, but Abbie could have sworn there was no one else in the building. If she was right, then Fiona’s actions were very strange.

“We’ve been lovers for years. Did he tell you that?” Fiona took her eyes off the road and stared briefly at Abbie. Her eyes glowed brightly with her anger. “He doesn’t sleep with anyone else, only me.”

“I don’t know what you want me to say. I only met Brayden three days ago.”

“I was there,” Fiona said, with obvious disgust. “You’re a vampire whore. You’re not good enough to shine that man’s boots.”

Abbie could only stare at the woman. She was rendered speechless by her venomous words.

The car pulled to a stop outside a small cottage. Abbie shook herself free from the shock of Fiona’s accusation and opened the car door. She intended to run, to run away from this crazy person and away from this whole crazy town.

Fiona was right. She wasn’t good enough for Brayden, not good enough for his brothers, as they’d already clearly shown her. She wouldn’t be Brayden’s “companion” while he slaked his sexual urges on this hideous woman.
What the hell had I been thinking?

“Thank you, Fiona. I’ll take her off your hands. The big wolf is now yours,” the vampire said coldly.

Abbie screamed, and the sound froze in her throat as the vampire took hold of her arm.

“Silence,” he commanded.

The vampires hadn’t used mind control on them in the cages. Their captives were confined and helpless. They hadn’t needed to. The vampires were stronger and faster, and they seemed to enjoy the brutality of beating their captives into submission. She tried to pull from his grip.

“Don’t move,” he muttered.

She obeyed.

Selwyn Graves had used his mind control on Abbie the day he’d taken her, and she remembered exactly how it felt. It felt as though she was a puppet. The vampire pulled the strings and had complete mastery over her. The truly terrifying part was that she remained fully cognizant of what they did to her but was helpless to stop it.

Fiona came forward and slapped her hard across the face with her clawed hand. “He’s mine now.”

As Fiona screamed the words at her, small flecks of her spittle sprayed over Abbie’s face. Abbie staggered a little from the force of the blow, but she was unable to move away. Her face stung and throbbed. She smelled the coppery aroma of blood.

“Fuck,” the vampire said.

He dragged Abbie behind him as he ran into the cottage. The speed at which he traveled didn’t save her from being dragged over concrete and bounced up the porch stairs. By the time she was standing in a small living room, Abbie’s shoes were gone and she trembled from the pain in her legs and feet.

The vampire leaned in and licked vigorously at her face. “So good, you taste so fucking good.”

Abbie watched his pupils dilate and begin to glow. He closed his eyes and rubbed himself against her. His erection was obvious.

No. She wouldn’t be raped again. She wouldn’t survive this time. She tried to fight his compulsion but remained motionless. She screamed her frustration silently in her mind. The female wolf sauntered into the room and just watched as the vampire began to tear at Abbie’s clothes.

“Whore,” Fiona said and sat down on the sofa to watch Abbie’s violation.

* * * *

Aiden paced beside Kaitlyn as he tried again to contact Brody. When his call went to voice mail for the third time, Aiden stopped pacing and swooped Kaitlyn into his arms as he ran from the house with her. “We need to get to Abbie. I’ll protect you both, my love.”

“Of course,” Kaitlyn said. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed the mating mark she’d placed there the night before. The marks always healed after a couple of days, but he never minded her replacing them with another. Apart from the fact the marking made him orgasm stronger, he was proud to wear the sign of Kaitlyn’s ownership of his heart.

“Landon, I’ve been trying to contact Brody. I was seeking his help in guarding Kaitlyn and Abbie while we investigate the situation in town.”

“He’s not here.”
The bear sounded frantic.
“Elliot and I are ready to tear the limbs off those feral wolves. He went off with Shane and Josh last night and hasn’t come home yet.”

Aiden was nearly at the fire station, so he pulled his thoughts free of the bear. He would keep both women safe until more help arrived. He slowed as he approached the empty fire station.

“It’s empty, Aiden,” Kaitlyn said. “I can’t hear any heartbeats.”

“Yes, love. Something is very wrong. I’ll contact Brayden. Don’t let go of my hand.” Aiden set Kaitlyn on her feet and held tight to one of her hands. He walked them slowly through the empty garage, he could scent that Abbie had been there.

“Brayden. Did you send Abbie somewhere else?”

“She’s at the fire station with Fiona Johnston.”
Brayden’s panic was clear in his tone.

“Is this Fiona a wolf?”
Aiden scented another female wolf and lead Kaitlyn out of the garage to a parking area behind the station. The parking area was full of trucks and cars.

“She is. She was waiting there for you. She said she’d keep Abbie with her.”

“She has kept Abbie with her. She’s just not here. I couldn’t find Brody. I have Kaitlyn here with me.”
Aiden looked at his lovely mate. She was watching him as he conversed with Brayden, and her thoughts were coming through loud and clear. She was about to tell him to leave her to go and search for Abbie. He was going to refuse.

“Fuck. I know where Fiona lives. This fire is under control. I’ll leave now.”

“I’ll contact Caleb.”
Aiden reached for his cell, but Kaitlyn grasped his hand.

“If they have taken Abbie we can’t let them get any farther away with her,” Kaitlyn said. “She’s been through so much. We can’t let them hurt her again.”

“You have a kind heart, Kaitlyn, but I won’t deliver you to them myself. My job is to keep you safe.” He wrapped his arms around the woman who was his life and took her to the safest place he could think of—the Outpost. Sooner or later Brody would return to his mates, and until then the bears were there. Between him and the bears, nothing would reach his Kaitlyn.

Shane put the last of the dogs into the barn and closed the door. He only hoped Abbie would forgive them. “Have they got enough food and water?”

“I don’t know,” Brody said. “I’ve never had a dog. Aren’t you going to go and get Abbie now?”

Shane looked around the yard and saw that Brayden’s truck wasn’t there. Josh had gone straight up to the house when they’d returned from Abbie’s home in Canada. The trip had taken longer than they’d anticipated. Brody had not been able to take them close to her home, so they’d needed to hire a car, and then they’d had to make friends with the dogs. Luckily Shane and Josh were very dominant, and huge wolves, so Abbie’s pups had eventually submitted to them.

“Neither of them are here,” Josh said as he ran back to meet Shane and Brody.

“Let’s go to the Outpost. My mates always seem to know what’s going on and where everyone is,” Brody said.

“We can drive,” Shane said, but Brody had taken his arm and taken them to the Outpost before he’d finished speaking. “Or not.”

“Brody,” Landon said. He then roared and ran across the room with surprising speed considering his size. He reached for Shane, picked him up in one hand, and threw him across the tavern.